Hartford Court "Outer Limits Vineyard" Syrah 2017, 750ml
The Outer Limits Vineyard Syrah originates from an estate vineyard on a windswept ridge near Annapolis. This cool site, surrounded by redwood forests and located over an hour north of the Russian River, also produces Far Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Situated four miles from the Pacific Ocean at a 900-foot elevation, the vineyard features Goldridge soils atop older volcanic bedrock, fostering a balance of fruit, complexity, and structure.
Grapes are hand harvested at night, with clusters and berries hand sorted. They undergo a pre-fermentation cold soak, indigenous yeast fermentations in small open-top fermenters, and are aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (48% new). The wine undergoes no fining or filtration.
Tasting Note:
Black and blue fruits drive the aroma initially in this Sonoma Coast Syrah, with slight gamy characters, garrigue, blond tobacco and lilac aromas. Tasting the wine one finds ripe blueberry and black currant flavors, and tannins that express the wine's mountaintop sourcing.