Medium dark ruby with pink right out to the edge. Big roily rooty squished-bug briar dried spit and hairy citrus Kalamata asphalt goodness with beautiful plum and cola peeking out around the corner. An absolutely gorgeous-smelling Syrah, hitting funky notes with sterile ease and fruity ones with slip-sliding evasion.
In the mouth, thin clarity is almost surprising after all that funky goodness. Brilliant bright strawberry, açai and kiwi blast in on controlled wings, an almost-spritzy chewable-Vit C streak of searing acidity landing firmly on the tongue and quickly morphing to tannin while gorgeous dark cherry promotions drip tar and leather around the edges. Multiple-multiple-multiple-swallow finish, as your mouth tries to cleanse itself of the intensity somehow broadcast from this light wonder and your palate desperately clings to anything it can savor until the next fix.
I started to say, “This thing is stupidly young.” and then decided I should probably check the label. 2015, so…. not exactly. Is it designed for long aging? Who cares. It’s so fucking beautiful right NOW, but still it’s fun to wonder what a case of this and a *one per year* programme would do. I have an almost undefeated record with Yorkville Highlands–young and especially old–and this represents a fresh outlook with its low alcohol and blistering acidity. I think this thing’s probably under 13-oh and yet the depth of all factors make for a luscious glass of wine DEFYING Paso and Napa and Washington and Santa Barbara and most of Sonoma and just flat-out EVERYTHING.
It’s a stunning wine.
2015 JOLIE-LAIDE Syrah Halcon Vineyard Yorkville Highlands Mendocino Co. 12.5
Stephen McConnell 