The wine from this vintage reminds me of some I have tasted that come off of the slopes in northern Rhône’s Cornas AOC. Blueberry fruit, full palate, obviously big bodied and possessing a level of suppleness that entices you back for another sip. Kind of like a big hairy beast that is able to tap-dance. There is also some spice here, typical of the variety and the vineyard, adding interest to the mid palette and finish, moving the fruit into the mocha zone. If a monster, it is a friendly one, of the type that will make you want to curl up with it in front of the fireplace. Go ahead and relax, this beast will make you feel great and entertain you at the same time.
White Hawk vineyard sits on the southern facing slope of Cat Canyon, some 21 miles from the Pacific and 2 miles north of the town of Los Alamos. The marine influence causes cool, early morning fog to envelop the site before giving way to bright sun. It is planted at an elevation of 900 feet on pure sands that immediately drain off water and nutrients, forcing the vines to work extra-hard to survive. Yields here are low due to the smaller berries inherent in the syrah noir clone, the cool climate influence of the Pacific, and these exceptionally challenging soils. Although vines in the region in general got off to a late start in this vintage, those on White Hawk benefited from their higher elevation where they avoided the hard frosts experienced in low lying vineyards and received more sunlight. This was the third drought vintage in a row for Santa Ynez, and the sandy soils at White Hawk gave nothing back to the vines this year, allowing us to totally control their access to water and thus their vigor and yield. Heat spikes in August and September more than caught the vines up and the fruit was ready to harvest somewhat earlier than usual on October 9.
Vineyards: White Hawk
Cooperage: Francois Freres and Sirugue French Oak (20% new)
pH: 3.65
Alcohol: 14.3%