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Once popular only among a small band of maverick growers taking their inspiration from the Rhône Valley, Syrah is now establishing itself as a California favourite. Will it last, asks NORM ROBY yrah may be a cute curiosity in their portfolios to meet the anticipated outrageous Rhône Ranger openness to several New World regions, but demand. From a scant 142ha (hectares) new things.” One was to explore unusu- in California it has arrived big- planted to Syrah in 1990, today’s total, al sites, especially those with marginal time. A number of artisan win- after explosive growth in the 1990s, is climates. Cohn produces Syrah from S the high altitude Rockpile Vineyard in eries – Jaffurs, Palmeri, Saxum, Copain, just short of 7,700ha. But is it in danger L’Aventure, JC Cellars, Adelaida, Do- of going the same way as Merlot, and be- Sonoma, as well as from the steep Stage- maine Alfred, Montemaggiore and Terre ing overplanted, in areas where it has no coach Vineyard in Oakville, and the Rouge – are fl irting with cult wine status. right to be? And will consumers contin- windy Ventana Vineyard in Monterey. Each produces Syrah in garagiste quan- ue to buy up all the Syrah being made? tity, and new vintages quickly sell out, To draw any conclusions as to Syrah’s Schools of thought either on a futures basis or to a mailing likely progress, we have to look at what One certainty today is that California list clientele. At least another two dozen jump-started it. The nursery programme Syrah is going in several directions. wineries have positioned themselves as at Tablas Creek (the Beaucastel connec- One vocal group of winemakers insists Syrah specialists while others are mak- tion) fi rst encouraged the importation of high elevation mountain vineyards and ing it their fl agship wine. Syrah clones and focused attention on steep hillsides are best for Syrah. Oth- Twenty-fi ve years ago, Syrah was pro- rootstock selection. Then winemakers ers follow the cold-climate school and duced by three or four California wineries learned how to deal with Syrah’s ten- are convinced Syrah responds favorably whose winemakers – the original Rhône dency to grow like the proverbial weed. to windy, cold, marginal conditions that Rangers – probably consumed most of Lise Ciolino says of her breathtaking extend the growing season. A few insist the production during group discussions. Montemaggiore Dry Creek Valley Syrah, that poor soils severely restricting yields Today, well over 400 wineries produce “We use every trick in the book to keep are the key. it. The surge in consumer interest has its growth in check, ranging from inten- Coastal Santa Barbara, with its well- industry analysts predicting that Syrah sive planting, to cane pruning to defi cit drained sandy soils and breezy val- will follow Pinot Noir as the next trendy irrigation.” Her steep hillside vineyards leys running east to west was tested red. While that remains to be played out, also restrict yields. for Rhône varieties by Ojai Vineyard, there is no denying that the major wine Jeff Cohn of JC Cellars offers another Qupé and Zaca Mesa Vineyards. Based companies – Constellation, Gallo, Ken- theory. “In the 1990s, a number of the on their Syrahs made in the 1980s, it dall-Jackson, Diageo – have seriously right people with a passion for Syrah passed with fl ying colors. Winemaker- ratcheted up production of Syrah within joined in and they shared that slightly owner Craig Jaffurs, a Syrah specialist, C A L I F O R N I A 2 0 0 7 D E C A N T E R | 2 3 Left: Syrah budwood from Napa Valley. and Truchard came along to make fi ne Carneros Syrah. MacRostie Winery is now making an impeccable Syrah from Wildcat Mountain Vineyard in the Carne- ros. Here, the vines dig into the sparse volcanic soils and stand fi rm against the winds. This is Carneros at its coolest. The most signifi cant, recent addition to Carneros Syrah comes from Buena Vista. It offers two noteworthy Syrahs: a juicy, complex Carneros and a limited, fantas- tic Ramal Vineyard. The fi rst dynamic cool-climate Syrahs from the Russian River Valley were from Dehlinger and later from Arrowood. The style here, as typifi ed by Arrowood’s 2002, displays the smoked meat, gamey side with deep plum fruit. With its Cher- ry Ridge Vineyard, Dutton Goldfi eld has found the desirable “warm place in a cool region which is just temperate enough to ripen Syrah.” With ocean breezes coming in from Morro Bay, Edna Valley rarely experi- ences temperatures over 32˚C, which makes it cooler than nearby Santa Bar- bara. In the early 1990s, John Alban of Alban Vineyards located Syrah on hilly terrain compromising Edna Valley’s dis- tinctly poor, chalky soils. As Alban’s neighbour Terry Speizer of Domaine Alfred explains, Edna Valley is “a clas- sic category 1 (the coolest) region and therefore we are on the precipitous edge of being able to ripen our Syrah fruit.” For those willing to risk it, the chalky soils, frequent winds, and cool days of Edna Valley have so far resulted in rich, ‘Twenty-fi ve years ago, Syrah was produced by three or four California wineries whose winemakers, the original Rhone Rangers, probably consumed most of the production during group discussions’ describes classic Santa Barbara Syrah late. With Estate vineyards on Purisima compressed and vibrant Syrahs. Others as “tannic, dark and fruit-driven, with a Mountain, Beckmen Vineyards is a name making good Edna Valley Syrahs are To- nice pinch of spice on the fi nish. It has a to watch closely. Other promising winer- losa, Laetitia, Baileyana, Bishop’s Peak, lower pH (higher acid) than Syrah from ies include Bridlewood Estate, Lincourt, and Kynsi. Napa or Paso, so it is fresher, more grip- Silver Wines, and Taz Vineyards. Foley, ping, and less soft.” He concludes, “We Melville and Ojai are exploring Syrahs Seaside Attraction have hardly begun to see what we can do from the County’s ultimate cool area, The Sonoma Coast is the latest cool-cli- with Syrah in Santa Barbara.” Santa Rita Hills. mate region, with many new vineyards Over recent vintages Qupé and Ojai located not far from the Pacifi c. One are continuing their magic touch with One cool customer is Peay Vineyards in Annapolis which Syrah. Foxen is a favorite among locals, Carneros, the cool region in Southern makes excellent Syrah. Owner Andy Fess Parker Reserve Syrah is usually Napa and Sonoma assumed to be ide- Peay says: “We can grow Syrah here – well above the ordinary and Zaca Mesa’s al for Pinot Noir, was fi rst planted to where we barely get our Pinot and Char- Black Bear Block has been brilliant of Syrah by Cline Cellars. Later, Havens donnay ripe. We planted Syrah because 2 4 | D E C A N T E R C A L I F O R N I A 2 0 0 7 we want to make elegant wines with 2003 Edmunds St. John Syrah from two complexity.” hilltop vineyards in El Dorado County. Working with Syrah from what he Similarly intriguing notes of spice, meat calls “the fi erce Sonoma Coast”, John and herbs are found in the Syrah of new- Drady of Sonoma Coast Vineyards also comer CG DiArie. Its 2004 Foothills knows the area well. “Harvest sugars Southern Exposure Syrah is a gem, as is of 23˚ brix for mature Syrah are typi- its Syrah from the Fair Play appellation. cal.” He adds: “Elements of Sonoma Sobon Estate, Cedarville, Sierra Vista Coast Syrah remind us of wines from the and Montevina also offer attractive Foot- northern Rhône, yet it has a fullness and hills Syrah. elegance that says California.” Syrah from high-altitude vineyards After 30 years of winemaking for oth- could be the wine to put Lake County ers, Kerry Damskey established Palmeri on the map. For years, winemaker Jed to produce only mountain-grown wines. Steele toiled alone here, but now he has With Syrah, he cites three advantages of good company. Sitting 590m above the mountain soils: they are more limit- Clear Lake is Brassfi eld Estate Winery; ing, better drained, and the sites tend to its 2003 High Valley Syrah offers tones be cooler, leading to ripe fruit thanks to of bright fruit. Jade Mountain has a slower maturation. Being above the fog lovely 2004 Syrah from Snows Lake line, these sites provide more sunlight in Vineyard, a superbly tended vineyard at cool years and more hang time in warmer 656m. Tiny Copain Cellars and Obsid- years. ian have discovered Lake County Syrah, Syrahs from diverse mountain vine- so expect to see more wineries looking yards such as Kuleto Estate, Viader, into it. Pride Mountain and newcomers Bugay Wines & Vineyards in the North Coast, Mind the ‘gap’ and Chalone and Marr Cellars elsewhere With about 1,050ha planted to Syrah, display an intensity, power and balance Paso Robles (see right) accounts for a that strongly supports mountainside ad- signifi cant 15% of California’s total. As vocates. for producers, there are 121 members in In 1991, pioneer Bill Easton of Terre the regional association and a recent sur- Rouge planted Syrah on slopes as high vey indicated that 82 of them produce a as 984m, the highest planted eleva- Syrah. This is a warm climate, and there tion in the Sierra Foothills of Amador is no shortage of ultra-ripe Syrah made County. This is capable of capturing here. But the real story is the growing white pepper, violets, olives and smoky number of nicely balanced Syrahs made tones.

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