2023 So Serine Syrah

 

James Suckling 98 pts

 

At one point, budwood was reportedly brought to California from one of my favorite producers, Clusel-Roch, specifically from one of my favorite Côte-Rôtie vineyards, Les Grandes Places, planted to what is known as Serine. Serine is a massal selection of Syrah rather than a clone, making it a unique expression of the variety. Planted at Rockpile Vineyard in 2005, this small block has consistently produced one of California’s most distinctive and iconic Syrahs. The 2023 growing season was long, cool, and even, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly and beautifully. As a winemaker, my goal is always to reveal as much of the vineyard’s character as possible.

 

With that in mind, I chose to ferment this wine with 100% whole clusters - a significant departure from the 30% whole-cluster fermentation we’ve traditionally used. It was a deliberate decision to explore a new dimension of this remarkable site. A beautiful dark cherry red, that almost looks like the color of the soils in this block. Aromatics of crème brûlée, freshly cracked black pepper, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, blackberry, iron, and roasted herbs saturate the air as you swirl the glass. The palate is medium full, elegant, intense and shows savoriness throughout. Black cherry stands out, with sweet cream and black licorice intertwining through the wine. Although, a more elegant version of this wine, there is great minerality and sweet tannins to give this wine at least 15-20 years of aging.