2009 Cowan Cellars Syrah Dry Stack Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley (11/6/2015)
Jim waited a long time to release this wine. I am very happy he finally let it out, as it's a beauty, and perhaps my favorite wine that he has produced. It's not typical Syrah (perhaps why he delayed release so long), but it is both interesting and delicious in its lack of typicity. Red raspberries and roses dominate the aromatics, rather than the darker fruit and tar/smoke elements that usually signal a Syrah wine. On the palate it retains the elegance the aromatics suggest, being barely medium weight, and quite transparent in expression. There is structure here, with both acids and tannins playing a role, and they work in concert with the fruit to create a balanced whole. I have not had a Syrah quite like this, so I am not sure what to say about aging it, though I think there is plenty of fruit to reward a few years in the cellar. I'm not sure my bottles will last very long, as it's very easy to drink.