Clary Ranch Syrah

Translucent purple with aromas of plum, lavender, and mint as well as herbal notes from stem inclusion. Flavorful but weightless with only 12% alcohol. Lovely now and unencumbered by excessive ripeness, extraction, or oak influence but will certainly improve as tannin and stem elements integrate.

I'm so impressed by the complexity in this for such a young wine. How often do you hear CA syrahs being compared to N. Rhone? Way too much right? Well, how many CA syrahs out there are cold climate, coming in at 12.0%, and bringing the funk? This starts interesting with a soft fruit nod and then ends with an earthy funk punch. Could potentially be a dead ringer for a fine St. Joseph with another 7-8 years.

Almost certainly one of my favorite California wines. Gorgeously floral, with electric cassis and violets sizzling across the palate with incredible acidity, backed by darker herbal and earth tones. Amazing to have so much dark flavor at a mere 12% alcohol. Stunning.

Couldn't help myself, even as I know this needs another five years in the bottle at least. Painfully young, dense and compact, blue fruited, briny cool climate California Syrah at its best. Past experience tells me the meaty and savory olive tapenade is lurking in there, waiting. For my taste, Clary Ranch sits at the top of the heap of Cali Syrah vineyard sites, and A-R lets that terroir shine through vintage after vintage. They try my patience, tho. 😉

What American Syrah want to be

A little faded and disappointing. Possibly a flawed bottle as it had almost disappeared by day 3.

In a perfect spot right now. Savory and sweet, bright and blue, fresh and fleshy.

Resolving nicely into a St Joseph ringer. Perfect with Filets.

Love this 2015 Syrah!!! One of the best in US.

Wow. The nose is a dead ringer for Cornas. And then the palate totally delivers also. Not quite as rich and dense as an equally young N. Rhône, but man is this amazing. Fresh and light but complex and interesting. A real pleasure. I was stunned.