50 or so years ago, farm-to-table restaurants and artisanal European wine simply weren’t things you found in the United States. Stephen Singer is one of the folks we can thank for that fact changing. He studied painting in San Francisco and Berkeley, getting a job at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse to support himself. Eventually, as it does for so many artists, the life of food and wine took over. Stephen became wine director of Chez Panisse and even married Alice. He eventually went on to open a San Francisco wine retail shop. Being in the Bay Area wine scene in the 80s, he naturally got to know Kermit Lynch. He traveled with the groundbreaking importer and visited many of the now-legendary Rhône estates Lynch was bringing in at the time. Stephen learned first-hand just what makes great Syrah great, and he brings it all to bear at Baker Lane.

In 2002, Stephen found an abandoned apple orchard for sale in Sebastopol on the Sonoma Coast. Surrounding vineyards were planted primarily Burgundian varieties. But Stephen knew he’d discovered the exact sort of site that produced his favorite Northern Rhône Syrahs, a location where the grapes can just get ripe and need a long time on the vine to do so. He planted Syrah and Viognier, named the vineyard “Baker Lane” and has never looked back. After two decades of selling fruit to some of California’s best winemakers (including SommSelect favorite Arnot-Roberts), Stephen launched his eponymous brand.

Why You’ll Love It

• Singer’s “Baker Lane Estate” Syrah is a one-two punch of pedigree. It doesn’t just bear Stephen’s imprimatur. It’s also grown and made by Greg Adams, who has had his own legendary career. As a consulting winemaker, he’s had a hand in some of California’s most revered wines, including Stag’s Leap, Flowers, and Red Car.

• Greg and Stephen follow the Côte-Rôtie model, and incorporate 7% Viognier into their Syrah. Both varieties were harvested at the same, given a cold soak, then fermented spontaneously with 50% whole cluster. The wine was aged in large oak barrels, ⅓ of which was new.

• The nose here is downright explosive. Purple fruit like black raspberry, purple plums, blackcurrant, and blueberry roar forth, surrounded by violets, white pepper, bacon fat, smoke, and granite. This is a masterclass in California Syrah aromatics, the sort of wine we struggle to pull our noses from

• On the palate, it’s all breed and class. Mouthcoating in texture and generously plush, it also sings with freshness. Sleek, spicy blackberry fruit and mineral tones. Think Hermitage with an extra dose of California warmth and you’re close. 

• Utterly delicious and just entering its prime drinking window now, there’s also no doubt it’ll go for a good ten years in your cellar. A wine to break out once a year at special occasions, over the course of a decade. 

How To Enjoy It

• Drink now or any time over the next ten years. It’ll be ready to go right now, but a quick decant will only allow the complex aromas and flavors to unfurl even more.

• Serve just above cellar temp, around 65 degrees. Cool enough to keep it refreshing but not so cold as to shut down aromatics!

• If you’re drinking a wine this regal, you’re probably already pulling out all the stops. Serve alongside a bone-in leg of lamb with socca cakes and jus.