2008 Kuleto Estate Syrah
| Vintage: | 2008 |
| Wine Type: | Red Wine |
| Varietal: | Syrah |
| Varietal Composition: | |
| 100% | Syrah |
| Harvest Date: | September 5, 8, & 13 2008 |
| Barrel Aging: | |
| 100% | French Oak |
| 40% | New |
| Bottling Date: | May 20, 2010 |
| Alcohol %: | 14.9 |
| Ratings: | 93 points, Wine Spectator May-2011 |
| Winemaker Notes: | Our 761-acre ranch is located in the rugged wilderness of eastern Napa Valley overlooking Lake Hennessey, Prichard Hill and the towns of Rutherford and St. Helena. Our neighbors include Chappellet, Colgin, Bryant Family and David Arthur. Our ranch is a patchwork of steeply wooded hillsides interspersed with tiny vineyards that have been divided into 100+ micro-blocks based upon topography and soil structure. Each block, the majority are less then one acre, is farmed and picked independently with harvest often lasting up to 50 days.
At Kuleto Estate, four clones of S yrah are planted in eight blocks at an average of 1300 feet. While this Rhone Valley native can set huge crops on some sites, our thin-soils and windy ridges give us slow growing, small statured plants that naturally produce moderate yields. The 2008 vintage featured severe frosts when the shoots w ere already 12-18 inches in length resulting in a 30% crop loss in a number of blocks. Fortunately, the hilltop and shoulder locations of most of our Syrah allowed the freezing air to drain away without causing any damage. A warm summer without heat spikes enabled the grapes to develop incredibly pure flavors along with mature seeds. Extended macerations (up to 36 days)added to the tremendous depth of this wine . Our 2008 is perhaps the most varietally intense Syrah we have ever produced. It is packed with all of the non-fruit aromas that make this grape so intriguing and make me love it so much. Be prepared for lavender honey on a sweet baguette, a freshly mown field, a wheel of sheep’s milk cheese and a bushel of rocks, leather and pepper. It’s as evocative as it is delicious. |
| Production: | 816.5 cases |
93 points, Wine Spectator May-2011
92 points, Connoisseurs' Guide July-2011
Our 761-acre ranch is located in the rugged wilderness of eastern Napa Valley overlooking Lake Hennessey, Prichard Hill and the towns of Rutherford and St. Helena. Our neighbors include Chappellet, Colgin, Bryant Family and David Arthur. Our ranch is a patchwork of steeply wooded hillsides interspersed with tiny vineyards that have been divided into 100+ micro-blocks based upon topography and soil structure. Each block, the majority are less then one acre, is farmed and picked independently with harvest often lasting up to 50 days.
At Kuleto Estate, four clones of S yrah are planted in eight blocks at an average of 1300 feet. While this Rhone Valley native can set huge crops on some sites, our thin-soils and windy ridges give us slow growing, small statured plants that naturally produce moderate yields. The 2008 vintage featured severe frosts when the shoots w ere already 12-18 inches in length resulting in a 30% crop loss in a number of blocks. Fortunately, the hilltop and shoulder locations of most of our Syrah allowed the freezing air to drain away without causing any damage. A warm summer without heat spikes enabled the grapes to develop incredibly pure flavors along with mature seeds. Extended macerations (up to 36 days)added to the tremendous depth of this wine .
Our 2008 is perhaps the most varietally intense Syrah we have ever produced. It is packed with all of the non-fruit aromas that make this grape so intriguing and make me love it so much. Be prepared for lavender honey on a sweet baguette, a freshly mown field, a wheel of sheep’s milk cheese and a bushel of rocks, leather and pepper. It’s as evocative as it is delicious.
816.5 cases
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