UNIQUE CLONE ALERT:

Today’s wine is a unique varietal that is rarely seen in this country. Syrah Noir is a close of Syrah that grows in the Northern Rhone, and is characterized by its unique fruit and aromatic profile. If you love Syrah, you’ll love this wine – and if you just love great wine, you’ll love this unique treat.

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Mission Codename: Mendocino’s Hermitage

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Visit Topel Winery and acquire an allocation of their delicious signature wine, their unique and astonishingly delicious 2007 Syrah Noir.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Topel Winery

Wine Subject: 2007 Cuvee Donnis Vineyard Syrah Noir

Winemaker: Donnis Topel

Backgrounder:

Today’s wine is made from a unique clone of Syrah. Cuttings of today’s Syrah Noir was rumored to be smuggled from a famous vineyard in Northern Rhone, where the varietal hails from. Syrah Noir is characterized as being bold and fruit-rich, with bright flavors and a rich complexity. Grown on Topel’s mountainside vineyard in Mendocino, today’s wine thrives in the Rhone-like environment of the vineyard.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Beautifully dark ruby and purple with a clear dense core. Along the edges, the color remains dense to the very meniscus. When swirled, this slightly more viscous wine settles quickly and leaves widely spaced slow thick color stained legs on the side of the glass.

Smell – Rich and brooding aromas of spiced dark ripe fruit including plum, black cherry and some blackberry blend with savory meat and leather notes. A touch of hot exotic spice, earth and woody notes leads you to your first sip.

Feel – Extremely smooth and plush upon entry and as this wine expands over the palate. Once the wine has reached the corners of your mouth the firm and finely grained tannins, textured minerality and acidity make their appearance drying the palate as you explore the luscious flavors of this wine.

Taste – Generous and plump dark fruit including plum, black cherry and other dark berries are surrounded by a spicy and earthy framework. Hot spice, soft smokey wood and savory notes along with leather and mocha adds complexity.

Finish – Extremely long with this wine’s rich and spice fruit lingering for several minutes. Once the fruit fades the smooth but textured mouthfeel lasts for another minute drying the palate and making the mouth beg for another sip.

Conclusion – The 2007 Topel Winery Cuvee Donnis Syrah Noir is a fantastic plush and complex wine. Its hard to describe our favorite part, the aromas lead you in, the plush but textured feel, the ripe dark and spiced fruit, or the finish? This wine really shows Syrah’s elegance and power well. Be sure to let this wine open if you plan on enjoying it now, or cellar for five plus years to see how it evolves.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Mark Topel

DATE OF BIRTH: January 11, 1945

PLACE OF BIRTH: Chicago, Illinois

WINE EDUCATION: Self-taught. Audited courses at UC Davis, mentored by some of the finest CA winemakers who are good friends, and OJT.

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Winemaker, Topel Winery 1996 – Present

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Minimal intrusion. Let the grapes express themselves.

SIGNATURE VARIETAL: Cabernet Sauvignon

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Tremendous positive feedback from satisfied customers

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Each vintage is like a new and unique poem—handcrafted and polished to perfection”

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WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Mark. We are thrilled to be showing your exceptional Syrah Noir today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

MARK: 1962/63 Penfolds Grainge Hermitage, discovered while I was in Australia, trying a legal case.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

MARK: From my co-winemakers whose families had been working with grapes from our area for five generations.

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

MARK: Minimal intrusion to allow the grapes to express themselves in the most profound manner possible.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

MARK: Three; The aforementioned Penfolds Grainge Hermitage style, Harlan’s Red Table Wine—Merlot/Cabernet Blend, and Chuck Wagner’s Caymus Special Select.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

MARK: Since 1993

RED: Who do you make wine for?

MARK: Simply, ourselves and our customers

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

MARK: There are no shortcuts, no tricks, only hard work, long hours, and dedication to perfection.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

MARK AND DONNIS: Our Syrah Noir is 100% of the Syrah Noir clone of Syrah. People sometimes think it’s a blend of Pinot Noir and Syrah, but that is wrong! This is a clone which was brought to the U.S. in the 1980’s from the Northern Rhone region of France. we love its concentrated flavors and inky appearance. You can almost chew it. Lucious on the palate and balanced for long life.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

MARK: Grilled lamb chops and pasta with pesto.

DONNIS: Braised short ribs, greens, and buttermilk mashed potatoes or creamy polenta!

RED: What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

MARK: Our Topel Estate Blend

RED: We’ll have to feature that one, soon! How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

MARK: In a not-too-serious, but appreciative mode, reflecting an understanding that they are about to experience a very pleasurable product, which has resulted from lots of loving and joyful careful preparation.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Hopland/Mendocino region so special?

MARK: We have a unique micro-climate in Southeast Mendocino. Very similar to Calistoga. Warm summer days with cool Summer nights.

DONNIS: And, our soil is challenging to the grapes, filled with iron and magnesium, which impart a Graves-like, minerally casing for the wine.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

MARK AND DONNIS: fine tuning our wines to increase and accentuate the natural flavors of each of our varietals. I do this by extended barrel aging. I am now convinced that extended barrel aging for Bordeaux and Rhone varietals is the key to great taste and concentration. The extra year or two in the barrel makes a huge difference.

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

MARK AND DONNIS: Likewise, thank you for the opportunity to introduce new people to our wines!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of Topel’s Healdsburg tasting room where today’s wine and other great wines can be tasted can be seen in this satellite photo.