2015 Thompson Vineyard Syrah
2015 Thompson Vineyard Syrah
Full-bodied and velvety. Intense aromas of black raspberry, cedar and cracked pepper. 11 cases remain.
Description
This Syrah offers beautiful, full-bodied aromatics and flavors. Intense aromas of black raspberry, boysenberry and pomegranate are complemented by hints of cedar and herbes de Provence. The flavors are bold and rich with accents of raspberry jam, cracked black pepper and savory roasted fowl. Velvety, well balanced tannins span the wine from beginning to end, culminating in a remarkably long, opulent finish. Noted for its exceptional ageability, this Thompson Vineyard Syrah will continue to develop complexity and richness for a decade or more.
Vineyard Designation
Thompson Vineyard
Vineyard Notes
100% Thompson Vineyard, Los Alamos Valley. Planted in the late 1980s, Thompson Vineyard has a well-deserved reputation for outstanding Syrah. The vineyard is planted along the slopes of Alisos Canyon in the Los Alamos Valley, a relatively cool appellation, located between Santa Maria and Buellton in Santa Barbara County. Vines are planted on their own rootstock to the highly regarded Estrella clone. Soils are low nutrient sandy loam, which helps restrict yields and promote vineyard expression.
Production Notes
The 2015 vintage is a record vintage in many ways. It was the earliest harvest on record, eclipsing the previous 2014 record by up to two weeks for most varietals. A relatively mild winter led to an early start to the ripening cycle. Once buds began to push, mild spring weather allowed them to develop at an accelerated pace uninterrupted by spring frosts. Yields were also record low, averaging 30-50% below historical averages. Near perfect ripening conditions coupled with small berry size resulted in superb quality fruit. Syrah grapes from Thompson Vineyard were harvested on September 21.
Winemaker Notes
This Syrah was crafted using an adaptation of Australian winemaking techniques, which focuses on extraction early in the fermentation process to bring out the best expression of the grape and minimize the risk of harsh tannins. The grapes were crushed into tanks and given a four-day cold soak. The Syrah was pressed shortly after the conclusion of fermentation, and aged for 20 months in French oak barrels with 30% new oak in the mix. The wine was bottled on May 10, 2017.
| Vintage |
2015 |
| Wine Style |
Red Wine |
| Varietal |
100% Syrah |
| Appellation |
Santa Barbara County |
| Acid |
5.14 g/L |
| PH |
3.78 |
| Alcohol % |
14.6% |
| Size |
750 ml |
