2010 Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard

Bright medium ruby. Classic, multidimensional Côte Brune-like scents of briary dark berries, mocha, licorice, black pepper, dark chocolate, soy, underbrush, campfire, salty minerality and smoked meat, lifted by an ineffable treble note of blood orange. An essence of Syrah on the palate but still an infant, offering deep, imploded dark fruit flavors complicated by saline, gunflinty minerality. Most impressive today on the rising, downright bracing whiplash of a finish. Kongsgaard notes that this wine is "in an intellectual period" of its development.

A deep, inky wine, the 2010 Syrah Hudson Vineyard boasts superb depth power and richness. Black/blue fruit, smoke, tobacco, licorice, incense and orange peel emerge from the glass. A huge, towering wine, the 2011 stands out for its intensity and sheer structure. Mocha, savory herbs, mint and licorice appear later, adding further dimensions of depth and complexity. The fruit is voluptuous, but the tannins are imposing, so readers are going to have to be patient. The 2010 is just beginning to show its pedigree and nuance, especially in its aromatics, but it should be even better in another year or two,

Saturated deep ruby-red. Higher-toned on the nose than the 2011, showing aromas of black fruits, brown spices, dark chocolate, licorice and roasted duck. Then broad and rich in the mouth, showing more obvious alcohol and less urgent crushed fruit character than the 2011 (this is higher in octane at close to 15%) but also coming across as more relaxed, savory and meaty. Finishes with substantial mounting tannins and a note of bitter chocolate.