The fruit for this wine was sourced from Syrah blocks on Airfield’s estate vineyard that are well known for delivering complex dark fruit aromas with jam-like flavors and a soft, silk-like palate. Harvested in the middle of October, the grapes were destemmed but not crushed, then pumped to various size stainless steel fermenters. The juice was cold soaked for 72 hours, then warmed and inoculated for alcoholic fermentation. Warm fermentation temperatures peaking at 90 degrees allowed for the optimal extraction of flavors for this wine. Fermented dry on the skins lasting about 13 days, the wine was separated from the skins and the skins were sent to the press to gently extract any remaining juice from the skins. After a settling period, the wine was then sent to a variety of French oak barrels and inoculated for malolactic fermentation, with 20% being new French oak and the remaining 80% neutral French oak. The new oak provides complexity and layers of creaminess while the neutral oak showcases the dark fruit nature of the wine. The lees were stirred twice a month for two months to help create a richer, rounder mouthfeel while naturally softening the wine. Aged for 11 months in French oak before being racked out of barrels and prepped for bottling.
The Syrah displays a gorgeous dark color with aromatics of plums and blackberry jam interwoven with rich layers of black olive. The palate is rich and bountiful in flavor showcasing layers of smoked meats, anise, and white pepper. The finish is smooth with lush tannins and a perfect balance of oak and dark fruits that envelops the palate with rich layers of exotic spices, followed by a lingering, lush finish that exhibits the gorgeous fruit elements with just a touch of French oak. Enjoy now through 2030.
