2015 Sangiacomo Syrah

The 2015 Syrah Sangiacomo Vineyard comes from a site on the edge of San Pablo Bay and was fermented with 33% whole clusters. There’s only a tiny amount made, but it’s a total thriller of a Syrah that has a cool-climate wildness as well as terrific concentration and fruit. Blackcurrants, wood smoke, exotic pepper, game and hints of damp earth all emerge from this beautifully complex, seamless, elegant effort that’s reminiscent of a classically styled Côte Rôtie from the likes of Levet or Jamet. It needs a decant if drinking anytime soon, and it should easily keep for 10-15 years.