Navarro Vineyards - 2005 Syrah

2005 Syrah
Mendocino
- (750 ml) Sold Out!

Unfortunately this product is no longer available!

You may still be interested in:

Fine tuning

We only started making Syrah in 1995 so we're still fine tuning our winemaking routine. Twelve years ago there was little Syrah planted in Mendocino. We produced two Gold Medal winners as rookies but then the grower decided to take advantage of a seller's market and promised his grapes to a winery with deeper pockets. We were disappointed about losing future harvests from this proven field but since several other Syrah vineyards were being planted we kept a sharp lookout for other growers. It takes several vintages to assess a vineyard; we've found some good ones and we've dropped some disappointing ones. While all of our Syrah once came from the Russian River area, 42% of this vintage was grown in the cooler Navarro River watershed. The cooler weather means this wine is tauter, higher in acid with less alcohol. The aromas suggest white pepper which is a signature of cool climate Syrah. Syrah grapes grown by Kurt and Heather Schoeneman in Boonville are the most recent addition to our blend.

Winemaker Jim Klein with Kurt and Heather Schoeneman who own and operate Ferrington Vineyards in Boonville. Their Pinot Noir is a regular part of our Méthode à l'Ancienne bottlings so we had good reason to expect excellence from their Syrah.

Navarro's largest red fermentors have detachable lids so that we can seal up the tanks at night or after the fermentation ends when we want to retain the carbon dioxide that is emitted during fermentation as a blanket of protection against the oxygen in the air.

We added 23% Grenache for mid-palate fruit and a touch of Mourvèdre for a hint of forest. Like Syrahs from the Rhone this wine ages gracefully and the hints of leather, cherry and eucalyptus weave a particularly intricate design over time. Gold Medal Winner.

During harvest the crush pad is busy from 7 AM until midnight. Winemaking is like cooking; the last one in the kitchen has to wash the pots and pans. Late at night the winery is spic and span, ready for the next day's harvest.

Specifications

Harvested: Oct.11 to Nov. 1, 2005
Sugars at harvest: 24.3° Brix
Bottled: Aug. 21, 2006
Cases produced: 938
Alcohol: 13.7%
Titratable acidity: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.86

2013 Syrah, Mendocino

The 2013 Syrah ($27) is good, with a strong note of cherry and a bit of chocolate. .- Anne Valdespino, The Orange County7 Register, April 5, 2016

2009 Syrah, Mendocino

This dark ruby colored Syrah opens with a mild pomegranate bouquet with a hint of black raspberry and gentle oak. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, and savory. The flavor profile is gentle plum with notes of mild minerality and faint old oak. I also detected a hint of black pepper and spice. The finish is dry and its mild tannins are friendly and linger nicely. This Syrah would be perfect with a Kobe bacon burger with sauteed mushrooms. Enjoy – KenKen Hoggin, www.KensWineGuide.com, March 16, 2013.

2006 Syrah, Mendocino

Has a nose of blackberry, soft pepper, light earth, and dried plum all accented with a sweet note. All continue as juicy flavors with the additions of baked Montmorency cherry and a hint of oak plus light, fine, dry tannin. The finish is medium-long and medium-broad. The wine is medium bodied and well structured, integrated, and balanced. Good. Harold Baer, www.haroldbaerwine.com, February 8, 2011.

Tight and well structured, delivering a reigned in mix of tar, dried berry, anise and mineral. Gains depth and complexity with tannins that give this traction. Drink now through 2017. - James Laube, Wine Spectator , March 31, 2010.

2004 Syrah, Mendocino

Huckleberry and cranberry dominate the fruity notes in this syrah. Good acidity... I think this wine will continue to develop, though. - Good Wines Under $20, October 12, 2007.

1996 Syrah, Mendocino

Very dark color; fragrant, gamey, licorice, spicy light pepperminty, black cherry with some toasty oak nose. Fairly rich and long. Needs 2-5 yrs age. Interesting wine. - Tom Hill, Los Olivos Wine & Spirits, March 22, 2000.

1995 Syrah, Mendocino

Of the eight Syrahs (entered in the Mendocino County fair), we awarded three bronze medals, two silvers and a gold medal, which went to Navarro Vineyards' first effort in this varietal, a stunning 1995 Syrah made from grapes harvested at the Scharffenberger family's Eaglepoint Ranch in inland Mendocino County near Ukiah. It won't be released until next March, but even now offers a complex, fragrant, appealing nose of plumy black fruits, leather, mint, raw red meat and vanilla, reminiscent of the finest Syrahs from the northern Rhone. The palate is silky with broad, deep, generous flavors that replicate the nose. - Steve Picher, Vintner's Choice, "Syrah Grows Brighter", 2001.

Highly recommended. Solid ruby. A little reduced from recent bottling, but surely very typical Syrah in a St. Joseph, supple style. Lots of sweet blackberry flavors, with a light peppery undertone. Hints of anise. Rich fruit and soft tannins, well-balanced finish. - The Wine Authority, November 1998.

From its Eaglepoint vineyards, Lonetree also sells Syrah to Navarro, which made a beauty in 1995. - Norm Roby, The Wine News, "Rhone Winemaking with Attitude", August/September 1998.