2002 Caldwell Vineyards Syrah

The Caldwell Vineyards is 123 acres, with 60 of them planted to grape vines. It sits 500 feet above sea level giving panorama views of Napa Valley, the Mayacamas and Vaca ranges. The soil is very shallow at 2 1/2 feet deep. It is primarily reddish soil with volcanic ash and rocks mixed in. Cool breezes brought in from the San Pablo Bay help moderate temperatures during the summer, providing a long growing season.

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Varietals:	100% Syrah
Appellation:	Napa Valley
Alcohol:	15%
Comments:	A perfect combination of California ripeness and the soul of the Northern Rhone are found in this Syrah. This will blackberry and cassis fruit bomb is laced with hints of smoked game, roasted herbs, vanilla bean and lavender.
Reviews:	Connoisseurs' Guide: 93 points If a tad less sizable imposing than Cohn's Rockpile bottling, this wine is just enough more refined to rate very highly on its own. Its sweet, jammy, concentrated aromas are certainly keyed first on ripe blackberries and chocolate, and it picks up peppery and richly oaky characteristics along the way. Plush and coating in feel, it is not unexpectedly hot at the finish, and it asks for a few years of quite cellaring to come into its own.
	California Grapevine: 90 points Medium-dark purplish ruby color; attractive, complex, spicy, herbal, earthy, plumy, dark currant and black raspberry fruit aroma with notes of vanilla (though not quite as intense as some of the other top rated wines in this group); full body; big, dense, concentrated, highly extracted, cedary, jammy, creamy, very rich, ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors; well balanced and structured; lingering aftertaste. Shows distinctive varietal character and developed with airing in the glass too. Should reward a few more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.
	Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate: 92 points From the southern Napa Valley, this wine (from the sol-called Aiken soils, primarily reddish soils with volcanic ash and rocks) is a French-styled, Côte Rôtie-like effort offering notes of crème de cassis, dried herbs, black fruits, flowers, underbrush, subtle toast, and roasted meats. This dense, full-bodied beauty reveals admirable purity, a wonderful texture, and a long finish. It should drink well for 7-8 years.
	James Laube, Wine Spectator: 94 points Dark, plush and deeply concentrated, with a pure, rich, syrupy core of amazingly complex blackberry and wild berry fruit, yet it manages to retain a sense of elegance and finesse, finishing with potent vanilla and espresso bean flavors. Drink now through 2009.
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