Madroña Syrah is inspired not only by the great Syrahs of the Northern Rhône, but also by the excellent versions currently being produced in California and Australia. Our goal is to sculpt a wine that is both classic and contemporary--expressing the unique soils and climate of our mountain vineyards. Using a wide variety of clones, rootstocks and microclimates, we produce a wine with exceptional balance and complexity. Bright fruit intertwined with the classic Rhône “smokiness” make Madroña Syrahs an experience to behold.
The 2003 Vintage
You’d think that writing the fact sheet for our best Syrah since 1997 would be a winemaker’s dream. Complex, rich, and balanced, the 2003 Reserve Syrah shows everything I like to taste in cool-climate, mountain-grown Syrah. Yet just when I think I’ve got a handle on the characters of the wine, something new and interesting evolves, making the wine that much more enjoyable and that much more difficult to describe!
If I were to write a description of this Syrah, I would start with the easy aspects. The wine has such a wonderful dark garnet color that light barely escapes it density. And this density carries easily into the full-bodied palate, framed by moderate, young tannins.
But if I try to describe its characters, my senses are overwhelmed. The nose starts with an initial earthiness which evolves into gamy aromas. Take another sniff, and the nose is filled with black pepper, anise and dill. Move your nose slightly, and the fruit jumps out with intense cherry rounded out by ripe blackberry characters. These transform into luscious blueberry with notes of vanilla custard and sweet candy. (And this was all before I decided I should taste the wine.)
The sensations on the palate are equally enticing, with an initial blast of great Syrah fruit—a glorious mix of sweet boysenberry and dark black cherry. And then the characters just start cascading down with hints of white pepper, plums, black currants and this flavor of smoked bacon cured over a fire of cherry wood.
Never does one character dominate another in this wine, making sure that each person’s experience will be truly unique. As was mine!
Age it out for 5+ years or have it with some grilled meat worthy of the wine (perhaps with a berry reduction sauce). Just enjoy the experience.
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