2020 La Bruma Estate Syrah
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Tasting notes
The 2020 Syrah La Bruma is dark, dense and meaty. In most years, La Bruma is quite floral and red-fruited in its flavor profile, while the tannins have a suppleness to them, for Syrah. The 2020, on the other hand, is marked by strong game and smoke flavors, while the tannins are bruising in their coarse intensity. It’s hard to say if the 2020 is technically smoke tainted, but it is not at all pleasant nor typical of what this wine usually offers.
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Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Syrah La Bruma Sonoma Coast is ripe with lavender, boysenberry, pepper spice (but not pronounced), and a touch of iron richness. Full-bodied but not heavy, it has fine tannins, a good, elegant mouthfeel, and a long finish with a touch of black olive and turned earth. Drink 2024-2034. Peay was founded by brothers Andy and Nick Peay in the remote coastal region of Annapolis, where they found a unique break in the coastal range that cools and moderates the temperatures. They initially planted the first 30 acres in 1998, followed by another 17 acres in 2001, and six acres in 2007. 2001 was their first vintage, producing varietal wines dedicated to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Viognier from volcanic and nutrient-poor marine soils of silty loam with low clay content. Winemaker Vanessa Wong had previously been at Chateau Lafite-Rothschild in Bordeaux, Domaine Jean Gros in Burgundy, and with Peter Michael prior to joining Peay in 2000. The estate has been certified organic for the past eight years. Peay was one of the original five wineries who joined forces to create what is now the West Sonoma Coast Vintners Association. At Peay, the whites all undergo native fermentations and are unfined and unfiltered. The reds do not follow a recipe regarding oak and stem inclusion, but the philosophy is to highlight the purity and intrinsic character of the wines and not obscure it. Named after the natural features of the property, they are highly expressive and singular wines that reflect their cool climate and mountainous terrain origins with distinctive notes of sous bois and age-worthy structure.
About the producer
Peay Vineyards is a small, family-owned estate winery on the rugged West Sonoma Coast in California, crafting elegant, site-driven Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, and other varietals from organically farmed grapes grown just miles from the Pacific Ocean.