SYRAH
- KEEP ON ROCKIN’ IN THE FREE WORLD
I know what you’re thinking.
Those Untis are jumping on the American flag waving bandwagon simply
to sell more wine. (Do they even make trucks without flag decals any
more?) While I’m certainly not above cheap marketing gimmicks, the
proud-to-be-an-American feeling is genuine, though for far less political
reasons than it ought to be: in America, we can still be cowboy winemakers.
Now, when it comes to drinking wine, I’m a Europhile. Europeans have
a respect for cultivating varietals in the area with the climate,
soil, drainage, elevation, yada, yada, yada to allow them to ascend
to greatness, i.e., Sangiovese in Tuscany, Syrah in Hermitage, or
Riesling in the Mosel. Each of those countries have instituted laws
and bureaucracies that restrict wineries within a particular region
to traditional varietals. The philosophy is great, but incorporating
it into law, not so great. These laws maintain the status quo and
discourage free-thinking producers from experimenting with non-approved
varietals. (They can experiment, but the rogue wines would be declassified
to table wine status and couldn’t be marketed under the appellation
name.)
We in the New World are free from such restrictions, believing in
the regulatory effect of the free market. Thanks to our market driven
system, wineries can experiment with the grapes and wines they think
will have consumer demand (no matter how small) and let the chips
fall where they may. Considering our relatively recent history of
producing fine wines, a European-type system would be a huge detriment.
If we had one here in Dry Creek, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc might
have been our only wines. Production of Dry Creek Syrah, the wine
that made us famous, (oh who am I kidding — under only my mother-in-law’s
definition are we famous) might have been left up to some freakish,
screw-loose, wine dorks. (Oh yeah, that is us.) And a lack of Dry
Creek Syrah would have been a cryin’ shame, because the 2000 Syrah
is undoubtedly our best wine yet.
Our 2000 Syrah - Bigger
and Better Than Previous Models
It is difficult writing a
piece on this wine, without sounding like Dick Vitale… "Ooohhhh
let me tell you, Unti Syrah is a first team all ACC, baby, that can
shoot the rock from downtown." The 2000 Syrah represents a culmination
of our experience growing and making Syrah. It has more depth, complexity
and richness than any of our previous efforts. I realize this is sounding
like a broken record, but it’s true.
Having harvested off this Syrah vineyard for seven years, we knew
when to pick. In 2000 we picked the Syrah at greater physiological
ripeness — soft skins and brown seeds — than in any previous year.
(Now during harvest I get other winemakers who purchase Dad’s Syrah
grapes calling me to ask what we we’re waiting for.) I truly believe
this waiting tactic resulted in more complex flavors and ripe, round
tannins. Green seeds can result in harsher tannins, especially if
your fermentation regimen is to aggressively aerate — which ours is.
In the winery we let the must cold soak for five days before fermentation,
which is a great way to fully extract color and the "good tannins."
Then our Syrah rested comfortably in what was probably our best barrel
mix so far, including a combination of excellent Burgundian coopers
and a good number of larger, 92 gallon hogshead barrels. We then bottled
it unfined and unfiltered.
This Syrah is the second wine that I never envisioned making. (The
1999 Sangiovese was the first.) Both wines never had a bad hair day
— they came off the vine looking good and went on to be the easiest
wines we’ve made. When we started the winery, I knew this Syrah vineyard
was capable of producing a solid red wine and the Dry Creek climate
could certainly abet, but I didn’t think we would come up with quality
the likes of this 2000. It’s the stuff movies are made of.
My Dad, sounding a little like Robert Mondavi, is quick to point out
that we can still get better, both in the vineyard and in the winery.
Dad’s crew is employing a stricter pruning regimen to improve canopy
management and reduce the number of clusters per vine. We now harvest
our six and one half acre Syrah vineyard in three separate blocks
to maximize grape maturity. Finally, Dad has planted the four highly
touted French clones of Syrah only recently certified in California,
174, 383, 470 and 877 (for those of you scoring at home).
With Sébastien on board, we are getting a little more artsy-fartsy
with our winemaking (as opposed to just fartsy?) We are stirring the
Syrah lees in barrel to gain additional texture. We are also going
to experiment with micro-oxygenation, a method of introducing oxygen
to red wine to soften tannins, prevent reduction (stinky aromas) and
increase color stability.
Our 2000 Syrah shows a definite procession towards the goal I share
with my heroes in the Rhône (Chave, Rostaing, Clape), which is to
take some risks in the vineyard and cellar, both tactical and financial,
to make the most compelling wine you can from the appellation. And
of course, any discussion these days on what should be grown in our
appellation most certainly includes Syrah. What a country.
2000 Syrah: $26 per bottle15% off on full cases of Syrah ordered before
July 19, 2002.
TOP SONGS
TITLES FOR OUR 2000 SYRAH
Body and Soul by T. Monk or Keith Jarrett or Billie Holiday
Deep Dark Truthful Mirror by Elvis Costello
Black Magic Woman by Peter Green
Dark Star by The Grateful Dead
Dark End of the Street by Richard Thompson
Alone in the Dark by John Hiatt
Roly Poly (Daddy’s Little Fatty) by Bob Wills
Paint It Black by The Rolling Stones
Wasn’t Born to Follow by The Byrds
Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel
Boom Shalock Lock Boom by House of Pain
Mr. Bigstuff by Jean Knight
Hey Mickey Your So Fine by Toni Basil
Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen
TOP MOVIE
TITLES FOR OUR 2000 SYRAH
He Got Game
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Dark Victory
Mother, Jugs and Speed
Giant
They Call Me Mr. Tibbs!
Fat City
Big Daddy
The Full Monty
Blue Velvet
The Purple Monster Strikes
A Very Brady Christmas
What Women Want
The WINE ADVOCATE®
In case you missed it, Robert M. Parker, Jr. reviewed our 1999 and
2000 Syrahs. Here’s what he said:
UNTI VINEYARDS 2000 SYRAH ESTATE DRY CREEK RED 89+
UNTI VINEYARDS 1999 SYRAH ESTATE DRY CREEK RED 89
"From a winery that should
receive more attention, these are two notable as well as realistically
priced 100% Syrahs. Approximately 30% new French Oak is utilized.
The dense purple-colored 1999 Syrah Estate displays a kinky nose
of truffles, earth, animal fur, and blackberry/cassis fruit. Layered,
full bodied, and seriously constructed, with considerable richness
and length, it will drink well for a dedade. The 2000 Syrah Estate
posseses higher alcohol, more forceful blackberry liquer notes,
a saturated purple color, outstanding depth and richenss, and moderate
tannin. If the tannin melts away and the fruit holds, it will merit
an outstanding rating. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010."
… More Reviews of the 2000
Syrah
"It took me a week to clean
my teeth and it was still worth it. Can I have some more?" Julie
Unti
"There’s a lot of love
in this wine. We’re so happy to have the 2000 Syrah in the family.
Here, let me give you a hug." Aunt Judy
"Unti Who?" Michael Jordan
"Like 85% of the players
in the majors, this wine is definitely on steroids." José Canseco
"If you sent these damn
newsletters out on time, you wouldn’t have to extend the new release
discount on the 2000 Syrah for so long." Mick’s wife, Kimberly
GRENACHE ROSÉ
Music From Big Pink … or
Sorry, Only 57 Cases Produced and We Drank a Couple of Those Already.
A lot of oenophiles talk a big game about their love for Provençal
or Rhone wines, but unless they embrace the "big pink" they are only
pretenders. If you have been "way down in the South of France, where
the Ladies love to dance," you have already had your mind opened to
rosé wine drinking — next thing you know you’ll be asking for German
Riesling.
Our 2001 Grenache Rosé (or hhhrrosé as Sébastien calls it) is not
your garden variety New World pink wine. The aroma is intensely floral
and fruity leading one to believe this to be a simple summer wine…
then whammo, in the mouth it is dry, full-bodied and even a skosh
austere. (I mean that in a good way — like with our favorite so-very-France
rosés, Domaine Tempier in Bandol; Domaine Ott and Mas Champart in
Provence; and Chateau d’Acqueria in Tavel.) You first reaction when
you drink this wine is to look for a sun-dried tomato and rosemary
pizza or tapenade and crusty bread. This serious rosé can handle just
about any food you throw at it this summer.
This is the first wine from our 2.9 acres of Grenache Noir (three
clones from Tablas Creek and Alban Vineyards) planted on low vigor
root stock. We’ll tell you lots more about this when we release the
red Grenache, but these clones seem to yield an intense raspberry
and pepper character usually only found in the Rhône.
So just who’s idea was this anyway? Well, shortly prior to crush of
2001, Dad, Sébastien and I were discussing the strategy for making
our first Grenache Noir. My Dad was the one who brought it up. George
never met a Grenache conversation he didn’t like. Sébastien mentioned
saignée, which is a method of "bleeding" juice from a tank of red
must immediately after crushing, and our eyes got as wide as Beavis
and Butthead when they are watching a sexy video. While we knew that
saignée is used to intensify color and structure in wines such as
Pinot Noir and Grenache, it also meant we would have to do something
with the copper colored juice left after the process. Sébastien adeptly
conducted a cool fermentation of the rosé in two stainless steel drums,
no easy task I might add, and voilà, we had a bone dry Rosé. He repeated
the process with our tiny amount of Mourvedre and that made up 20%
of the blend. Hey Beavis, we’re gonna score!
2001 Grenache Rosé $18 per bottle, limit 4 |
Home