2023 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. The vineyard is limited to one cluster per shoot, and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, transported by refrigerated truck, and sorted cluster-by-cluster and berry-by-berry using Le Trieur. Punchdowns accompany native-yeast fermentation in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. The wine matures for 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Recommended service is 59–61°F (15–16°C) with one hour of decanting.
Tasting Notes Jonathan Cristaldi: white pepper, violet, lavender, peony, charcuterie, bacon fat and black cherry, with ultra-fine tannins and juicy acidity. Audrey Frick: cedar, cigar box, sauvage, smoked pancetta, concentrated blue and black fruit, floral and savory notes, refined tannins and refreshing lift.
Critics Ratings 97
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2022 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. One cluster per shoot is retained and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, refrigerated in transit, and hand-sorted by cluster and berry with Le Trieur. Native-yeast fermentation with punchdowns occurs in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. Maturation is 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered; recommended service is 59–61°F (15–16°C) after one hour of decanting.
Tasting Notes Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW: ripe plums, black cherries, boysenberries, tar, peppered salami, lavender and cedar; full-bodied, perfumed and fresh, with grainy tannins and a long fragrant finish.
Critics Ratings 96
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2021 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. One cluster per shoot is retained and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, moved by refrigerated truck, and hand-sorted cluster-by-cluster and berry-by-berry with Le Trieur. Native-yeast fermentation with punchdowns occurs in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. The wine matures for 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Recommended service is 59–61°F (15–16°C) with one hour of decanting.
Tasting Notes Audrey Frick: black plum, sappy herbs, cracked peppercorn and lavender oils, with plush texture, ripe velvety tannins and a long finish. Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW: violets, licorice, black cherries, plum preserves, garrigue, black pepper and bacon fat, with rounded tannins and freshness.
Critics Ratings 97
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2019 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. One cluster per shoot is retained and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, transported refrigerated, and hand-sorted by cluster and berry with Le Trieur. Native-yeast fermentation with punchdowns occurs in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. Maturation is 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered; service is recommended at 59–61°F (15–16°C) after one hour of decanting.
Tasting Notes Jeb Dunnuck: smoked black fruit, cured meat, chocolate and violets, with layered power and firm structure.
Critics Ratings 97
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2017 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. One cluster per shoot is retained and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, moved by refrigerated truck, and hand-sorted cluster-by-cluster and berry-by-berry with Le Trieur. Native-yeast fermentation with punchdowns occurs in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. The wine matures for 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Recommended service is 59–61°F (15–16°C) with one hour of decanting. Critical-score context: Jeb Dunnuck reported 94–96 points and Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW reported 95+; these range and lower-bound notations are retained here rather than converted into exact numeric rating claims.
Tasting Notes Jeb Dunnuck: blue and red fruit, violets, lavender, game and pan drippings, with elegance and cool-climate Syrah character. Doug Wilder: bacon fat, black peppercorn, lavender, black plum and camphor. Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW: dried herbs, black olives, charcoal, beef drippings, blackberries, plums and cigar box, with chewy texture and a peppered finish.
Critics Ratings 96
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2015 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. One cluster per shoot is retained and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, transported refrigerated, and hand-sorted by cluster and berry with Le Trieur. Native-yeast fermentation with punchdowns occurs in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. Maturation is 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered; service is recommended at 59–61°F (15–16°C) after one hour of decanting. Critical-score context: Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW reported 95+ points, retained as lower-bound notation rather than converted into an exact numeric rating claim.
Tasting Notes Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW: tar, cassis, violets, cloves, black pepper and chargrill, with chewy tannins, pronounced spice and a persistent finish.
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2010 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. One cluster per shoot is retained and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, transported refrigerated, and hand-sorted by cluster and berry with Le Trieur. Native-yeast fermentation with punchdowns occurs in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. Maturation is 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered; service is recommended at 59–61°F (15–16°C) after one hour of decanting.
Tasting Notes Antonio Galloni: blackberry, sage, rosemary, mint, licorice and white pepper; rich, dark, deep and spicy.
Critics Ratings 93
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2006 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Syrah
Drinking Window Ideal cellaring is 4–6 years after harvest; stated aging arc is 20–25 years.
Region Bennett Valley
Soil Goulding cobbly clay loam; volcanic mélange of clay and fragmented rocks
Harvest Dates Typically the end of October
Fermentation Vessels Stainless steel tanks and French oak puncheons
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Vineyard-designated wine from a warm hillside in the cooler Bennett Valley at 500–600 feet. One cluster per shoot is retained and three field selections are co-fermented. Grapes are manually night-picked into small lugs, transported refrigerated, and hand-sorted by cluster and berry with Le Trieur. Native-yeast fermentation with punchdowns occurs in stainless-steel tanks and French-oak puncheons. Maturation is 14 months in French-oak barrels from selected artisan coopers. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered; service is recommended at 59–61°F (15–16°C) after one hour of decanting.
Tasting Notes Stephen Tanzer: crushed raspberry, bacon fat, mocha, menthol, bay leaf, flowers and spiced meat; sweet and lush with lift, structure and dusty tannins.
Critics Ratings 93
Sources: morletwines.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
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| Reference | Vintage / size | Price / bottle | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine-SearcherLWIN 1508624 | — | — | wine-searcher.com ↗ |