Spring Release Russian River Valley Syrah
2009

Winemaker’s Notes

2009 is a spectacular vintage for Russian River Syrah, as great as we’ve ever seen and this is our finest RRV Syrah bottling since its 2006 counterpart. The wine is very much driven by its aromatic power and intensity – it smells so alive it’s really quite staggering. The aromas are constantly changing; morphing each time you return to the glass – that’s the sign of a great wine – it’s multidimensional. Four of the six vineyard components are steep east-facing hillside vineyard sites that have great impact on the wine. Their vines absorb the gentle morning sun but their steepness moderates the harsher afternoon heat and this brings great character to the wine. The final two sites are very cool climate vineyards – Syrah planted in Pinot territory – and these bring elegance, texture and fruit purity to the blend. This is a wine that will age into something truly spectacular.At bottling the floral aromas dominated, but I’d expect the meaty side of Syrah to gradually assert itself over the next few years as is typical with cool climate Syrah. For all its intensity and chewy concentration, however, the wine is always nimble and agile with great acidity on the long spicy, peppery finish. Don’t miss this great bottling!

Dark purple/black color. Aromatic kaleidoscope: floral, macerated cherry, black raspberry then dusty cocoa, fresh herbs, citrus zest, smoked meat, a whiff of pepper. Chewy, mouthfilling palate but never heavy or cumbersome. Cassis, blackberry, white pepper, anise, tobacco and dark chocolate. Rich, full tannins bring focus and definition. Great purity and dimension – packed with flavor. Coats the palate then a gripping savory finish. Brilliant! Decant for an hour in its youth and drink between 2011 and 2020.

Andy Smith Viticulturist, Winemaker & Partner