Cline Syrah Syrah Single Vineyard Series Los Carneros 2019

Were it not for the film "Sideways", and the coinciding rise of pinot noir (sales, bottlings, and plantings), you’d likely see a far larger focus on syrah in Carneros… it is just such an ideal climate for the grape. Cline Cellars' estate grown syrah is an ideal example of how the wine can thrive under such conditions. Typically reserved as an exclusive wine for their club members, this beauty is classic California, cool-climate syrah. Bold and unyielding with inky, primordial notes of blackberries, blueberries and toasted peppercorn – the wine is brooding and youthful to start. Over time, dark, bittersweet chocolate and Summer savory develop and accentuate the aforementioned fruits, extending the highly expressive and silky finish.

Just west of the winery, perched high on a hillside overlooking the Carneros wetlands is where these grapes are exposed to the crisp morning fog from the San Pablo Bay, with continuing afternoon breezes flowing in from the Pacific. Their hillside locale ensures they get first access to the ample sunshine, allowing for steady and even ripening. Once harvested, the grapes are destemmed and cold-soaked for 48 hours before undergoing a native yeast fermentation. Pumped over thrice daily and fermented warm and fast to secure proper color extraction, the wine is immediately pressed once dry, before aging in French oak for the next 18 months.

If “decline” means “to refuse” it only stands to logic that Cline means “yes”...right? In the case of this limited production syrah, we’re definitely voting yes!

PAIRING IDEAS: One of my go-to cook books is Naoko Moore’s (with Single Thread Farms chef Kyle Connaughton) "Donabe: Classic and Modern Japanese Clay Pot Cooking"...for this wine, her Kamo Tofu Nabe (Duck and Tofu Hot Pot) is my match.

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: One of the most energetic live shows of my life, Flogging Molly is the Red Hot Chili Peppers of Irish music. Get a sense with the foot-thumping romp of “Devil’s Dance Floor”.