2012 Bedrock Syrah Griffin's Lair Vineyard

Tasted from barrel, the 2012 Syrah Griffin's Lair Vineyard comes across as intensely aromatic, likely the result of 12% Viognier in the blend. Rose petals, sweet red berries and mint all take on high-toned shades of expression. This is a Syrah with distinctly bright, red-hued shades of fruit and fewer of the darker, gamier notes found in the Hudson. An expressive, mid-weight finish rounds things out nicely.

From the cold, windy Petaluma Gap, the 2012 Syrah Griffin's Lair used 80% stems and is co-fermented with 12% Viognier. A dead-ringer for a great Cote Rotie because of the Viognier component and cooler site, it exhibits fragrant notes of spring flowers, apricot marmalade, jammy black currants and cherries as well as hints of spice box and vanilla. Ripe, full-bodied, unctuously textured and gorgeously long and pure, this is a terrific offering from a vineyard with a long history of turning out top-flight Syrahs for different winemakers. One of my favorite sites is Mendocino's Alder Springs Vineyard. Morgan Twain Peterson, the son of Ravenswood's Joel Peterson, has hit the wine scene with a bang, producing vibrant, personality-filled, delicious wines from extremely old vines and, in some cases, virtually unknown grapes, such as Aubun, Teredalgo, Trousseau Noir, Le Noir, Mission, Trousseau Gris, Grand Noir and Abouriou, as well as Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Carignan, Alicante Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo. Many of these sites are heritage terroirs from the ancient past which, until Peterson's arrival, were largely ignored or were co-mingled into some innocuous industrial blend. Bedrock's portfolio is filled with exciting wines. The 2012s reviewed herein will all be bottled and released by Fall, 2014. Tel. (707) 343-1478