2009 Obsidian Ridge Syrah

119 cases produced
14.4% alcohol
3.77 pH 
6.0 g/L titratable acidity
$28 per bottle

[TASTING NOTES]  The bouquet erupts from the glass with fruity aromas of blackberries and boysenberries. Undercurrents of sage and mint add a savory component to the wine. This Syrah is dense on the palate with a core of concentrated wild blackberries ending with flavors of dark roasted coffee and smoky tar.

[VINTAGE]  Farming at high elevations poses significant risks and challenges. Three back-to-back drought years left the vines on our hillside especially stressed by the time we harvested the 2009 vintage. The summer was consistently warm and dry, which matured the fruit to unprecedented levels. Once harvest was in full swing, it was a battle against the clock to bring in the light, ripe crop before desiccation set it. At the tail end of harvest we were even surprised with a hard frost that froze small sections of our lowest blocks; we sacrificed those sections, picking around them. The truth of viticulture is that grapevines strive under stress, and 2009 provided it. These wines are expressive of the warmth of the vintage with powerful aromas and unprecedented levels of richness and extraction.  It was a glorious vintage.

[WINEMAKING]  Our Syrah is a blend of the five clones planted on the mountainside, with each clone lending distinct character to the final blend. Handpicked at the crack of dawn, the grapes were carefully destemmed to tank, where a warm fermentation followed to extract the brooding flavors that come with a young Syrah. The new wine was pressed at dryness and placed in our signature Kádár Hungary barrels, where it aged for 18 months. Frequent rackings in the wine’s youth help release the expressive fruit character of the wine.

Alex Beloz, Winemaker                                  Michael Blaise Terrien, Founding Winemaker

Click here to download the complete 2009 fact sheet

 Click here to download the complete 2007 fact sheet