2015 Donelan Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2015 Syrah Kobler Vineyard, which includes a full 10% Viognier, is a silky, yet structured effort (as are most of the 2015s) from this team that needs forgotten for 2-3 years. Blueberries, exotic flowers, crushed herbs, and cracked pepper all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, tight, backward effort that will see its 15th birthday in fine form. This is another brilliant lineup of wines from the Donelan Family, with the wines made by Joe Nielson. While their estate Obsidian Vineyard was lost in the fires last year, they’re already in the process of planning and replanting the site, and I was thrilled to taste through a small retrospective from what’s unquestionably one of the great terroirs in California. Looking at the 2015s, which are by and large the current releases, these are structured, tannic wines that are going to benefit from short term cellaring.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Containing a 10% splash of Viognier, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard reveals a stunning perfume of violets, black cherries and licorice with nuances of Indian spices, cracked black pepper and fertile loam. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully savory with firm, rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and spicy.
The 2015 Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard dense, powerful but also very closed in on itself. Sweet red cherry, iron, mineral, tobacco, cedar, mint and dried leaves give the 2015 its distinctly feral flavor profile. The flavors are deep, dark and boldly sketched in this brooding, intense wine. According to winemaker Joe Nielsen the Kobler has both the highest level of ripeness and acidity of the Donelan Syrahs. Perhaps for that reason it comes across as needing time in bottle to be at its most harmonious.