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Spring Release Wild Mountainside Syrah
2016

Winemaker’s Notes

As the name suggests, our new Wild Mountainside Syrah (which replaces our Russian River Valley bottling) is grown exclusively in high-elevation mountain vineyards, where the vines struggle to produce small crops of truly unique character and incredible quality. I consider these among a small handful of the finest Syrah vineyards, not only in Sonoma County but in all of California. 

Timbervine and Greywacke sit adjacent to one another on the steep slope of Black Mountain, high above the Russian River itself. While they are neighbors, their wine character is very different. Timbervine, grown on shallow iron-rich volcanic soil, is peppery, savory and gamey. Greywacke, grown on mineral-rich, rocky soil, is dark fruited, plush and sensual. Hoppe-Kelly completes the picture and makes a triumphant return following a painstaking replant high up in the Mayacamas range. The source of our Eddie’s Patch between 2000 and 2013, the wine returns with typically pungent aromatics, deeply textured blackberry fruit, and dried herb complexity. The vineyard blend is both seamless and fascinating.

The wine itself is inky and concentrated. Blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry fruit characters dominate both aromas and palate. There’s vibrant grapefruit zest, floral lilac, wild thyme and roasted meat characters. The fruit is plush and deep, but there’s always a sense of mountain precision and detail. A savory ferrous note adds intrigue to the full-bodied, chewy palate but the wine remains fine and polished throughout. It holds 15 years of aging potential in a cool cellar.

Andy Smith


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Wild Mountainside Syrah  - DuMOL

Vineyard

41% Greywacke Vineyard

31% Hoppe-Kelly Vineyard

28% Timbervine Ranch

Harvest Date

September 14th through 24th

Appellation

Russian River Valley

Clones

470, Syrah Noir, Alban and Durrell

Age of Vines at Harvest

10 years

Barrel Aging

Aged 15 months in 33% new French oak hogsheads from Tonnellerie Rrmitage

Production

820 cases of 750mL

Press

94 POINTS Wine Spectator, 2019
95 POINTS Jeb Dunnuck, June 2018