2005 Rosella’s Vineyard Syrah
With a vineyard that is as consistent as Rosella's each year, it can be hard to come up with new tasting notes. Franscioni and his crew have the vineyard so dialed in that I know that I can always expect beautiful, perfectly cared for fruit that can be turned into killer syrah.
2005 was a cooler year in general, and the ever-present cool winds that come through the Santa Lucia Highlands worked their magic each afternoon, and allowed the syrah to hang on for a long time. Slow, even ripening creates complex fruit. The final wine is layered with all multiple characters: a touch of citrus rides high above a core of blueberries, blackberries and coffee. The wine is intense and powerful yet the mouth feel is not too viscous. I fermented the two clones 877 & Bien Nacido separately; both about 10% whole cluster to add an herbal layer to the flavor profile and strength to the backbone.
I have come to love using Grenache yeast on this wine because of the fresh-ness that it gives to the wine. This wine is drinking well young, but should continue to evolve and improve over the next 5 years. Enjoy throughout the cold winter months with hearty dishes!