2010 Kuleto Estate Syrah
| Vintage: | 2010 |
| Wine Type: | Red Wine |
| Varietal: | Syrah |
| Varietal Composition: | |
| 82% | Syrah |
| 8% | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 5% | Cabernet Franc |
| 5% | Petit Verdot |
| Appellation: | Napa Valley |
| Acid: | 5.0 g/L |
| PH: | 3.80 |
| Barrel Aging: | |
| 20 Months | |
| 22% | New French Oak |
| 11% | New American Oak |
| Alcohol %: | 14.8 |
| Vineyard Notes: | Kuleto is one of the most complex and diverse wine producing properties in the world. Located in the volcanic mountains of eastern Napa our estate features 761 total acres and 82.9 acres of vines perched along ridges and clinging to steep hillsides. Our soils, exposures, elevation changes and sub-climates are so complex that we’ve delineated our property into more than 100 micro-blocks. Each of these tiny plots is treated as an individual vineyard with varieties, clones, rootstocks, density, trellising and farming methods tailored specifically to the site. For winemaker Dave Lattin, there is a mutual understanding that all but a small percentage of the winemaker’s work is done in the vineyard. Keeping the vineyard’s serpentine twists and exposures in mind, the best-suited varietals for each block have been selected. Working with the land, not against it, the individually terraced lots are not oriented to one central direction, but instead are planted to maximize the benefits of their natural location. |
| Winemaker Notes: | The growing season in 2010 was the coolest on our estate since its inception in 1999. Compared to the weather data for 1998 and 1997, it was still the coolest in recent history. Lucky for us at Kuleto Estate, we have plenty of sunshine despite the lack of heat. The majority of our vineyard blocks lie above the fog-line, so even if the Napa Valley is socked in, our vines enjoy the first sun of the day. What does a cool vintage mean for a mountain-top vineyard? It means wines that strongly express their varietal character, have tremendous natural acidity for length of mouth-feel and aging, and modest finished alcohols. Whenever you hear that the valley has suffered a cold or damp vintage, look to the mountains for exceptional wines. While I love the super-ripe, meaty quality of our 2009 Syrah, our 2010 version comes closer to what I think is the ideal for the variety and perfectly illustrates the point above about cool vintages. Rather than alcohol driving out aromas of syrupy fruit and smoke, it wafts out aromas of fresh blue fruit and resinous herbs. It’s analogous to fine perfume as opposed to well-aged brandy. In the mouth, you’ll notice an immediate juicy mouthfeel up front and eventually great length at the back of the palate. It’s loaded with flavor and structure but lacks the heat often found in Syrah. The small amounts of other varieties in the blend are artifacts from co-fermentation at harvest and add further to the complexity and structure of this wine. Open your first bottle at the beginning of grilling season 2013 and enjoy it for 5 to 10 years beyond. |
| Production: | 414 cases produced |
Kuleto is one of the most complex and diverse wine producing properties in the world. Located in the volcanic mountains of eastern Napa our estate features 761 total acres and 82.9 acres of vines perched along ridges and clinging to steep hillsides. Our soils, exposures, elevation changes and sub-climates are so complex that we’ve delineated our property into more than 100 micro-blocks. Each of these tiny plots is treated as an individual vineyard with varieties, clones, rootstocks, density, trellising and farming methods tailored specifically to the site. For winemaker Dave Lattin, there is a mutual understanding that all but a small percentage of the winemaker’s work is done in the vineyard. Keeping the vineyard’s serpentine twists and exposures in mind, the best-suited varietals for each block have been selected. Working with the land, not against it, the individually terraced lots are not oriented to one central direction, but instead are planted to maximize the benefits of their natural location.
The growing season in 2010 was the coolest on our estate since its inception in 1999. Compared to the weather data for 1998 and 1997, it was still the coolest in recent history. Lucky for us at Kuleto Estate, we have plenty of sunshine despite the lack of heat. The majority of our vineyard blocks lie above the fog-line, so even if the Napa Valley is socked in, our vines enjoy the first sun of the day. What does a cool vintage mean for a mountain-top vineyard? It means wines that strongly express their varietal character, have tremendous natural acidity for length of mouth-feel and aging, and modest finished alcohols. Whenever you hear that the valley has suffered a cold or damp vintage, look to the mountains for exceptional wines. While I love the super-ripe, meaty quality of our 2009 Syrah, our 2010 version comes closer to what I think is the ideal for the variety and perfectly illustrates the point above about cool vintages. Rather than alcohol driving out aromas of syrupy fruit and smoke, it wafts out aromas of fresh blue fruit and resinous herbs. It’s analogous to fine perfume as opposed to well-aged brandy. In the mouth, you’ll notice an immediate juicy mouthfeel up front and eventually great length at the back of the palate. It’s loaded with flavor and structure but lacks the heat often found in Syrah. The small amounts of other varieties in the blend are artifacts from co-fermentation at harvest and add further to the complexity and structure of this wine. Open your first bottle at the beginning of grilling season 2013 and enjoy it for 5 to 10 years beyond.
414 cases produced
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