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Drew Family Cellars, Syrah, Valenti Ranch

California, United States 2014 (750mL)
$38.00
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Drew Family Cellars, Syrah, Valenti Ranch


Drew Family Cellars is a labor of love and a lifelong dream realized. After Jason Drew studied Agricultural Ecology with an emphasis in Viticulture, he left California to obtain his Masters’ in Enology from the University of Adelaide in South Australia. Upon returning home, Jason quickly fell in with some of the most respected names in the business including Joseph Phelps, Luna, Corison and Babcock. After serving as assistant winemaker under Brian Babcock, Jason, along with his wife Molly, realized their ultimate dream of buying their own vineyard and winery in 2004. 

Their 26-acre plot within the Mendocino Ridge appellation boasts every element necessary for world-class wine production – perfect exposure, complex soils, and an ideal coastal climate. The Valenti Ranch parcel is a special coastal site, only six miles from the Pacific, with soils that were a byproduct of ancient floor uplift, boasting decomposed sandstone, shale, and ample iron. This challenging, east-facing site greets the vines with maritime winds, fog, and cooler temperatures, which results in concentrated, lower yields and an environment that forces the grapes to struggle and reach their most profound, elegant expression while retaining old world acidity and balance.
 
Jason feels he is merely, “the steward,” of his fruit in the winemaking process and strives to craft his wines in the traditional, hands-off approach of the Northern Rhône. When the hand-harvested fruit arrives at the winery, he ferments the Syrah utilizing 50% whole clusters and adds 5% Viognier, as is the custom in Côte-Rôtie. Only native yeast are used during the fermentation process. The wine is gently gravity-racked twice then placed in 50% new French, 500-liter puncheons where the wine ages for 11-18 months. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration, which results in incredible purity and an authentic sense of place and varietal expression. Jason only made 100 cases of this beautiful wine and we are thrilled to offer this special lot from Jason’s library.
 
The Valenti Ranch Syrah exhibits a light purple core with lavender reflections on the rim. After 30-45 minutes in a decanter, the nose on this wine takes a breath and spreads its wings to reveal intense and fragrant aromas. Freshly picked blueberry, just ripened blackberry, black plum, and wet, fresh violets are deepened by notes of dried beef, a touch of black olive, black pepper, wet forest floor, tree moss, wild herbs, a light touch of grape stems, and that overarching perfume that only the finest examples of Syrah can capture. Just over medium in body, the palate delivers beautiful elegance and purity of flavor reminiscent of the nose including flavors of barely ripe blue and black fruit, a touch of leather, meat, black pepper, and olive that evolves into a nuanced floral finish. Near impossible to put down, this wine is at a magnificent point in its life, although it will prove even more magical in the years ahead. Put a few bottles away, but be sure to experience at least one in its youth. That said, proper decanting is essential. This is not a wine to pop and pour just as dinner is served. It requires ample oxygen and should be decanted 30-45 minutes or opened and left to breath for 3-4 hours before enjoying. Serve this beauty alongside this slow roasted leg of lamb with potatoes for an incredible marriage of flavors.
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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesMendocino RIdge
Soil
Various
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Syrah
Alcohol
12.8
OAK
Mostly Neutral French

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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