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Terre Rouge Syrah, Sierra Foothills, "High Slopes"

Terre Rouge Syrah, Sierra Foothills, "High Slopes" Wine Details
Price: $35.00 per bottle

Description: This wine is made from two of our higher elevation Syrah sites. We thought that they expressed the racy aromatics of the Syrah grape that reminded us of Côte Rotie. We are bottling these two sites together for our inaugural bottling of this Syrah. The 2001 vintage yielded rich, profound and opulent wines. These higher elevation vineyard sites are over 3000 feet where it is quite cool. They ripen later and mature at lower sugar levels. These upslope lots have a lot of finesse and express the wonderful meaty, white pepper nuances of Syrah, while still retaining some of the smoky, spicy qualities of the grape. Our artisan cellar techniques include fermentation in small lots, special yeast strains, manual-punch downs, gentle transfers and pressing, and barrel aging for 20 months in French oak (33% new), prior to bottling the wine unfiltered. Only five barrels or 125 cases were produced.

Varietal Definition
Syrah:
Syrah is the eight hundred pound gorilla of Rhone grapes! In the vineyard and the winery, Syrah is typically an easy grape to work with - healthy, early ripening, resistant to mildew and rot; suitable for winemaking in a variety of styles. The wines from Syrah are tannic without being harsh. The wines will have a taste and smell of dark blue fruit like blackberries and blackcurrant, with a strong spicy side where one can find freshly ground pepper and other spices. Syrah is famous for its part in the French blends, such as Côtes du Rhone and Châteauneuf du Pape.


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