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2019 Benchland Syrah

2019 Benchland Syrah
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$55.00
/ 750ml
SKU: 523

VARIETAL/VINEYARD: Our Syrah Benchland was planted in 1991, making  it our oldest vineyard block. Our Syrah bud wood came from the Durell  vineyard in Sonoma. The chalky, rocky, and well-drained soils have  always produced small berries that result in a dark and intense wine.  There is an unmistakable smoked meat element to wine from this  vineyard, making it our most unique Syrah.  

VINTAGE: Heavy rainfall in February allowed us to essentially “dry farm”  our vines in 2019. The summer growing season was warm but moderate,  which allowed for superior flavor and tannin development, as  evidenced by slightly later than normal harvest dates. Combined with  our strict crop-thinning protocol, 2019 will definitely go down as a great  vintage for Dry Creek Valley reds

WINEMAKING: Our winemaking for this Syrah is consistent and  straightforward. It was fermented in a small stainless steel or concrete  tank, which provides excellent extraction. We de-stemmed the fruit, as  we have not had great success using whole cluster fermentation with  this vineyard. After a 5-day cold soak, fermentation began with  indigenous yeast. We punched down the cap once a day and pressed  at dryness. Since this is one of our more full-bodied wines, we aged it in  35% new French Oak barrels for 17 months. It is 100% Syrah

STYLE/DESCRIPTION: Almost 30 years since their original planting, our  Benchland Syrah vines are slowing down, in a good way. The vines’ crop  level is more in balance with its root development, resulting in more  consistent and high-quality fruit. 2019 was an excellent growing season  for our Rhône varieties thanks to plenty of winter rain and even ripening  at harvest. The result is one of our most complex Northern Rhône-like  Syrahs we’ve ever made from this vineyard. It has intense color and fruit,  a distinct savory character you’ve come to love from this vineyard, AND  a bit more complexity and finesse. While this ’19 Benchland has the  structure to age 5-7 years, the refined tannins are allowing it to show well  now. - MU


Accolades:

2016 Syrah Benchland 91 Points Wine Spectator

Wine Specs
Vintage
2019
Varietal
Syrah
Appellation
Dry Creek Valley
Alcohol %
14.6