2002 Ventana Vineyards Syrah

Ventana Vineyards are located just south west of Salinas in Monterey County. This vineyard is unique in that the syrah vines are planted on their own rootstock, not grafted. The sandy soils prevent the development of the phylloxera bug, a root louse that likes to feed on the susceptible roots of viniferous vines. We believe that allowing the Syrah to be on its own rootstock provides a more true expression of the variety and the vineyard.

Historically, the Ventana Syrah is always the last fruit to come in at harvest. The cool climate allows for more "hang time"; giving the fruit more time to mature and gain complexity without having it become overripe.

Our Ventana Syrah is chosen from four different blocks within the vineyard, each contributing different flavor components to the wine.

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Varietals:	100% Syrah
Appellation:	Monterey
Alcohol:	14.6%
Comments:	The 2002 is the finest Syrah we have produced from this vineyard to date. Amazing aromatics of lavender, violets, black and red fruits with fresh cracked white pepper that soars from the glass. Beautifully concentrated, this opaque purple colored wine is loaded with flavors of red raspberries, black cherries, smoke, olives, white pepper, and crème de cassis.
Reviews:	Connoisseurs' Guide: 90 points This wine breaks away from the overripe/oaky model and finds greater amounts of spice, herbs, and smoke in its mix while also delivering an insistent line of fruit that never quits from front to back. Its slight turn to herbs in the nose is echoed in its finishing narrowness and in touches of dried bark and leaves. Far less of a bruiser, this one has interest aplenty on its side and, while some will find quibbles in its "green" notes, others will find refreshing complexity and a lighter hand.
	James Laube, Wine Spectator: 88 points This wine offers a heady mix of stewed beef and tomatoes, basil and bay leaf, along with sage and white peppers, which become the dominant flavor. Drink now through 2008.
	Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate: 89 points From a more northern, cool climate site, this dense ruby/purple-colored wine, harvested on November 1st, emerges from sandy/loamy soils. Floral scents intermixed with aromas of black fruits, pepper, earth, and underbrush are followed by a sleek, medium-bodied, nicely concentrated mouthfeel, sweet tannin, and an attractive, long finish. Enjoy it over the next 5-6 years.
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