2017 Charles Smith Wines Syrah Royal City Stoneridge Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Balsamic spice, sweet herbs and black cherry sauce gain richness through notes of molten chocolate as the darkly alluring 2017 Syrah Royal City opens in the glass. This is velvety, almost weighty, with a core of red plum and citrus-tinged spice that adds lift as fine tannins saturate. This finishes tense and structured, with a saturation of warm vintage fruit concentration kept in check by a bump of residual acidity. This powerful rendition of Syrah Royal City is not for the faint of heart, yet the balance is impeccable.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Eric Guido, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright dark red. Extravagant Syrah scents of raspberry, smoked meat, pepper and olive, with good spicy lift. Very dense, suave, concentrated and deep, offering lovely breadth and sweetness as well as a savory pungency to the high-pitched flavors of red raspberry, pepper and herbs. This smooth, mouthfilling, classically dry wine is balanced from day one but has the dusty tannic support for at least a decade of aging. These vines typically yield between 1 and 1-1/2 tons of fruit per acre, according to winemaker Leighton. A big boy at 15% alcohol but not hot, and with an ideal balance of salinity and fruit sweetness. (from Stoneridge Vineyard vines planted in 2003)