2011 Rhys Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (7/19/2015)
First of all, God bless air conditioning, so I could drink this while it's 90 degrees and humid outside.
Deep, dark red color, then even darker aromatics, with blackberry, pepper, meat and a fresh herb accent that makes for a very complete and complex experience. The palate presence is excellent, with good sustain from front to back. I am surprised that the tannins are not more prominent, but no matter, as it keeps it quite drinkable. There's plenty of fruit and the acid structure is fine, so there should be room for moderate aging, but I don't think this is a long haul wine.