St. Joseph meets Sonoma. Green and grainy with un-resolved brash fruit but a tincture of ripeness hits the palate, raising everything through a course of concentration. But the vegetal is pitch-perfect, the mash of raisin and briary berry, the old-world cellar nuances with maybe even a touch of brett. Then there’s the California portion: explosive and direct. This is stupidly good Syrah. The 99 will hate this wine: this is absolute geek nectar, and one you should search out.
2020 RAILSBACK FRERES ‘Cuvee Chloe’ Syrah Nolan Ranch Santa Barbara Co. 12.7
Stephen McConnell 