Our Operatives are just plain bonkers over the wines of Croze. One sip and we here at Wine Spies HQ were hooked, too. Today’s wine is the Croze 2015 Smith Wooton Calaveras County Tanner Vineyard Syrah. The Smith Wooton moniker is the label that Croze’s higher-end wines sport. Today’s Syrah is one of the best we’ve featured in some time!

We find a wine with a color that straddles ruby and garnet with a fine clarity and consistency of color from core to rim. This nose instantly calls to mind a freshly opened package of dried apricots, while a wonderful honeysuckle aroma drifts in. Then comes the red fruit, ripe cherry, plum, and boysenberry. The distinctive and very delicious apricot flavor dominates on the palate too. Here we also find the classic white pepper of Syrah, with additional notes of papaya, bergamot, and brown spice. This is a medium-bodied wine with bright acidity that dances mid palate and tannin that rolls off of the sides and back of the tongue. The slight tartness would pair excellently with a contrasting flavor such as bleu cheese. Go for a fully loaded iceberg wedge salad with bacon crumbles!

The next time you are planning a trip to Wine Country, consider a visit to Calaveras County. This county forms the middle layer of eight adjacent counties in which the Sierra Foothills American Viticulture Area (AVA) sits. This is a land of twisted hills, whitewater rivers, and sequoia trees of dizzying proportions. Oh, and some fantastic vineyards and wineries. This AVA (including five sub-AVAs) is one of the largest wine regions in California, but only produces less than one percent of wine grapes in the state from its 6,000 acres that are under vine. There are just over two dozen small family wineries to choose from, most of which can be experienced simply by walking down Main Street in Murphys.

Please enjoy today’s fantastic wine, with our best compliments - and highest recommendation. Cheers!!