It looks like Pinot and it smells like Pinot but it’s not.  Medium ruby with garnet edges.  Earthen, peaty smell, dust and funkily floral.  A bit of chocolate and leather over a gym-sock layer of pond-water.  Totally could be Pinot.  In the mouth, light fruit is immediately apparent as overt acidity takes over and moves smoothly into road-tar and ureaic leather nuances.  Fairly thin over the middle but bright and captivating, before moving on to another Pinot-sighting of barnyard before a fairly heated tannin takes over.  What an interesting wine.  I really do not dislike it as a package even though dissected it sounds a tad awkward.  The whole situation works quite well together although I am only moderately convinced it is truly Syrah in the bottle.   2012 Carys Syrah Monterey County  ♦♦