2005 Relic Syrah Richard Perry Vineyard

(from a cool, steep, east-facing hillside featuring volcanic ash, next to Caldwell Vineyard in Coombsville; vinified with 30% whole clusters) Good saturated medium ruby. Expressive, complex aromas of black raspberry, smoked meat and white pepper. Sweet, ripe and rich, with firm acid and tannin spine framing the dark fruit, chocolate and smoked meat flavors. Still a bit youthfully unevolved but this is smooth, sweet, elegant and highly aromatic, with lovely lingering sweetness on the back. The pH here is close to 4.0 (the ash soil has a very high potassium content), but Hirby believes the wine has enough power and was afraid that acidification would have exaggerated the tannins and created a more muscular wine.