2016 Greywack Vineyard Eddies Patch Syrah

From the Greywacke Vineyard (this is a new vineyard for this cuvée), the 2016 Syrah Greywacke Vineyard Eddie's Patch is reminiscent of a release from the Côte Brune side of Côte-Rôtie. Ample crushed rocks, smoked meats, ozone, pepper, and ripe back fruits give way to a full-bodied, seamless and elegant Syrah that continued to gain in stature and depth as it sat in the glass. Perfectly ripe, impeccably balanced, and long, give it a year or two and enjoy over the following decade or more. I still remember tasting with Andy Smith while I was writing The Rhône Report and I was thrilled to be able to sit down and go through all of his wines on this occasion. Stylistically, Smith makes a fresh, vibrant style of wine, yet I never find them lacking for depth and or texture. Looking at the Chardonnays, these are made in a reductive, age-worthy style and the clear majority have distinctly Burgundian profiles. These are beautiful wines that, at least to my palate, surpass the quality of the Pinot Noirs, which are slightly more variable. Nevertheless, the top Pinot Noirs are certainly up with the crème de la crème of the region. While Andy favors a tight, age-worthy style of Chardonnay, the Pinot Noirs are made in a slightly more forward style. In addition to the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, DuMOL also produces a handful of world-class Syrahs, as well as one of the top examples of Viognier coming out of California. Both the 2015s and 2016s reviewed here are terrific wines, with the 2016s showing slightly more balance and elegance, but you can’t go wrong with either vintage here.

The 2016 Syrah Eddie’s Patch displays a deep garnet-purple color, with notes of blackberries, blueberries and plums plus hints of espresso, fertile earth, smoked meats, Indian spices and violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals a built-like-a-brick-house structure with ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with lots of exotic spice layers on the finish.

Intensely mineral and savory, the 2016 Syrah Eddie's Patch Greywacke Vineyard is much less overt than the Estate Syrah. Powerful tannins drive a core of dark stone fruit, graphite, crushed rocks, black pepper and exotic spice notes. The 2016 is marked by its soaring aromatic intensity and structure. Even at this early stage, it is clearly exceptional.