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Bodega Rancho, Syrah “Vivio Vineyard”

California, United States 2009 (750mL)
$28.00
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Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Bodega Rancho, Syrah “Vivio Vineyard”

When I think of “cool-climate” California Syrah, the first place that comes to mind is Santa Barbara County, where one of the original “Rhône Rangers,” Bob Lindquist of Qupé, makes distinguished examples from legendary sites like the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria. After tasting this wine, I’ve got another reference point from a different region and vineyard: Bennett Valley, up north near Sonoma Mountain, and its Vivio Vineyard, source of superb Syrah for Derek Beitler’s Bodega Rancho and several others.
Situated close to the Petaluma Gap, which funnels in Pacific air and shrouds it in fog, Bennett Valley has the microclimate, elevation, and mineral-rich volcanic soil to deliver nuanced, aromatic Syrah that evokes the best aspects of the northern Rhône combined with the pristine fruit we love from California. We were mightily impressed with the vitality and spicy savor in this 2009 Vivio Vineyard Syrah from Bodega Rancho, and its combination of breed, bottle age, and bargain price made it a no-brainer choice for us to share here. This is a wine, and winemaker, to watch. Die-hard Francophiles who rarely venture out of the classic regions should consider it; California rarely over-performs like this at this price point!
Close readers may remember the name Derek Beitler from our offer of his 2013 Cerro Merlot, another wine of his that shines a light on a lesser-known appellation (Napa’s tiny Chiles Valley AVA). Beitler is a grandson of Caymus founder Charlie Wagner, and, in addition to putting in time at that legendary estate, he and his cousin, Joseph Wagner, have partnered up on several diverse wine projects, including Bodega Rancho. Their model revolves around finding great vineyard sites and letting them speak—which is a model we can enthusiastically get behind.

Bennett Valley is just north of Sonoma Mountain, right where the Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations meet just southeast of Santa Rosa. While well inland from the actual coast, a gap between Sonoma Mountain and Mount Taylor called Crane Canyon serves as a funnel for cool Pacific air (and fog). Soils here are clay-based loams laced with lots of volcanic material. Vivio vineyard is planted on the side of Mount Taylor, at an elevation of about 800 feet, and its Syrah grapes aren’t typically harvested until late-October—a nice, long “hang time” for the development of flavor complexity and preservation of acidity. Beitler’s notes on the 2009 vintage describe it as a relatively cool growing season, but also quite dry; luckily, what rain that fell was well-timed, and the end result for Bodega Rancho was a wine with both great concentration and elegant balance. Beitler fermented the wine on native yeasts and aged it 16 months in neutral oak barrels, and bottled it unfined and unfiltered.

Two things jump out right away in this 2009: an appealing meatiness that suggests Cornas, coupled with a floral/lavender aromatic note that skews more Côte-Rôtie. In the glass, it’s an inky purple/black, with only slight bricking despite its bottle age. The explosive aromatics mix blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, damp violets, coffee grounds, dried herbs, roasted meat and exotic spices, sensations with carry over to the full-bodied palate. The magic of this wine is its acidity, which keeps fruit sweetness and alcohol in check, and allows the savory/floral components to really shine. The tannins have matured nicely, showing no sharpness whatsoever at this point, and the wine is voluptuous without being ponderous or sweet. Though it will continue to age nicely for a few years to come, I’d say this is ready to roll now: Decant it about 30 minutes before serving in large Burgundy stems (there’s enough perfume to warrant it) and pair it with something rich and Rhône-inspired. This garlic-studded leg of lamb would be a winning choice. Enjoy!
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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesBennett Valley AVA / Sonoma Valley
Soil
Clay/Loam & Volcanic
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Syrah
Alcohol
14.2
OAK
Neutral Barrels
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Bordeaux Stems
Drinking
Now
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Leg of Lamb w/ Garlic & Rosemary

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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