2018 Syrah Flagship, 750ml, 14.4%

Traditionally, the Flagship was a barrel selection of our single vineyard Syrah lots where we selected the lot that was most concentrated and would benefit from extended aging in barrel and bottle. This process worked well for the 2006-2009 vintages, but for several years following, we didn’t find a lot that we thought was up to the standards we set for this wine. In 2012, we observed that the 174 clone from the upper block of our Estate vineyard was denser and more concentrated than our other clones, so in 2013, we decided to farm that block especially for Flagship, beginning with a smaller canopy and lighter yield, and then picking at a more advanced stage, once stems were fully lignified. We’ve continued that process ever since. However, despite this extra attention in the vineyard, Flagship Syrah is not made every year. Only in vintages that lend itself to making wines of power and longevity do we make a Syrah under this label. 2018 was a beautiful vintage. There were some fires to the North and East, but the Applegate Valley was largely spared any smokiness. The vintage finished warm and dry and Syrah was harvested before early Fall frosts.

Tasting Notes: Concentrated flavors and depth mark this wine, with a tannin profile that is structured and even throughout. The finish is long, with flavors of cocoa, roasted meat, and plums.