2009 Rosella's Vineyard Syrah

The 2009 Rosella's Syrah is our 6th vintage of making this wine from Gary Franscioni's vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  Like most years, the '09 Syrah was harvested in late October.  2009 was unique in that the brix (sugar level) was quite a bit lower at the time of picking than in most vintages.   

We fermented the '09 Rosella's Syrah using the whole cluster technique of fermentation, meaning we didn't destem the grapes at all.  This adds more tannin and a peppery flavor to the resulting wine.  Although it might be too early to start drinking the wine, it's still interesting to taste while it's this young.  It should evolve for at least 15 years.

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