The first whiff of this wine testifies to its complex and robust nature. Layers of saddle leather, loamy soil and minerality weave through the rich aromas of blackberry and plum. The qualities found on the nose are repeated on the palate, where dark chocolate, espresso, black licorice, mocha and roasted herbs join the plush dark fruit flavors.

The concentration of flavors increases mid-palate, expanding and lingering in the finish.

This intense Syrah will benefit from decanting an hour or more before enjoying with a hearty meal. Try pairing it with dry-rubbed St. Louis-style ribs, a bison New York steak or beef bourguignon.

Fred Peterson’s Vineyard Notes

The “Gravity Flow Block” Syrah is the realization of a dream of mine to produce a Syrah grown on the most exposed, well-drained location on our Bradford Mountain vineyard. This rocky hillock directly behind my house on Bradford Mountain got its name from the fact that at the top sits our 10,000 gallon water tank that serves our house and garden via gravity flow.

Our Gravity Flow Block Syrah is a big, flavorful wine, displaying the classic “iron fist in a velvet glove” qualities that are very representative of both the vintage and the vineyard on Bradford Mountain.