2013 Donelan Cuvée Keltie
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In the same ballpark as the 2012, the 2013 Syrah Cuvee Keltie comes from the Obsidian, Richard, and Walker Vine Hill vineyard and was not destemmed and spent the normal 20 months in neutral French oak. Smoky, rich, and incredibly powerful, it's nevertheless silky and seamless, with sensational notes of smoked black fruits, asphalt, black licorice, and peppery herbs. Deep, full-bodied, and concentrated, its tannins are slightly more polished and elegant compared to the 2012, and it's another profound Syrah from this incredible estate.
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Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
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The 2013 Syrah Cuvée Keltie is a wine built around three single-vineyard choices – Walker Vine Hill, Obsidian and Richards. One hundred percent of the stems are used during fermentation. No new oak is employed, and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered after 20 months. Terrific aromatics of black olive tapenade, sweet blackberry and cassis, licorice, truffle and spice all jump from the glass of this full-bodied, tightly structured, spicy and very layered wine that builds incrementally and finishes with extravagant richness and rather big structure. Forget it for 2-3 years and drink it over the following 15-20.
A dense, powerful wine, the 2013 Syrah Cuvée Keltie is also one of the most reticent wines in the range. A host of floral, savory and gravel notes open up first, followed by layers of dark blue/purplish fruit, cured meat, bittersweet chocolate, smoke, tobacco and licorice. This virile, imposing Syrah is going to need time in bottle, but it is striking, even at this early stage.