2006 Syrah Rodger Creek
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Tasting notes
Deep, bright ruby. Highly expressive bouquet of blackcurrant and boysenberry, with sexy floral and spice notes adding vivacity. Lively red and dark fruit flavors gain an exotic floral quality with air and become spicier on the back end. Impressively vibrant syrah, with excellent finishing clarity and sweet persistence. As with the barrel samples of '07 that I also tasted, this is more energetic than the Shanel.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The dense opaque purple-hued 2006 Syrah Rodger’s Creek Vineyard offers aromas of melted chocolate, ground pepper, exotic peach and lychee nuts (5% Viognier is co-fermented), and an earthy, blackberry, smoky mid-palate as well as finish. Enjoy this superb Syrah over the next decade. David Ramey’s Healdsburg operation is becoming bigger and bigger, as evidenced by his 60,000-case production in both 2006 and 2007. However, quality continues to be exciting, offering a broad array of Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, and more recently, a handful of Syrahs. The entry level Chardonnays include three generic appellations, Carneros, Russian River, and Sonoma Coast. All three need to be consumed sooner rather than later. The three single vineyard Chardonnays are all from top sites, the Hudson and Hyde vineyards in Carneros, and the Russian River’s Ritchie Vineyard. Production is much smaller for these cuvees, from just under 1,400 cases for the Hudson to over 2,500 cases for the Hyde. Tel. (707) 433-0870; Fax (707) 433-0871
Deep ruby color. Intensely spicy scents of blackberry, cassis, kirsch, white pepper and violet; very syrah. Peppery and sharply focused, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors, supple tannins and terrific mineral snap. Becomes sweeter and deeper on the long, juicy finish. A wine of noteworthy finesse.