2010 Sumo
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Tasting notes
The 2010 Sumo is showing beautifully today. Everything comes together in the glass. The 2010 is rich, powerful and intense, yet wonderfully nuanced for such a big wine. Floral and spice notes add lift, but it is the dark blue/purple Petite Sirah fruit that dominates. This utterly irresistible wine is just beginning to hit its stride. The blend is 88% Petite Sirah, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier.
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Sumo is a tremendous wine endowed with serious depth. Explosive and powerful, the 2010 covers every inch of the palate with black cherries, plums, menthol, and melted road tar. Hints of exotic spices develop later, adding layers of complexity and nuance. This is another 2010 that needs bottle age to settle down, but it is fabulous, even today. Here, too, though, the road comes to an end, as 2011 is the last vintage for the Sumo. The 2010 is 88% Petite Sirah and 10% Syrah, co-fermented with 2% Viognier, from Shake Ridge in the Sierra Foothills. This is another brilliant showing from Helen Keplinger.
(88% petite sirah with 10% syrah and 2% viognier): Saturated bright ruby. Expressive aroma of crushed black fruits, licorice pastille, violet and lily. Dense, chewy, rich and sweet, with captivating flavors of dark cherry, cocoa powder, flowers and saline, rocky minerality. Finishes with huge, dusty tannins, lingering cocoa powder and floral nuances and very good black pepper lift. This highly concentrated and unusually classy petite sirah benefits from its syrah component.
The 2010 Sumo is a tremendous wine endowed with serious depth. Explosive and powerful, the 2010 covers every inch of the palate with black cherries, plums, menthol, and melted road tar. Hints of exotic spices develop later, adding layers of complexity and nuance. This is another 2010 that needs bottle age to settle down, but it is fabulous, even today. Here, too, though, the road comes to an end, as 2011 is the last vintage for the Sumo. The 2010 is 88% Petite Sirah and 10% Syrah, co-fermented with 2% Viognier, from Shake Ridge in the Sierra Foothills. This is another brilliant showing from Helen Keplinger. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Helen Keplinger has turned out a gorgeous set of 2010s to follow up on her 2009s. Now that Keplinger has moved on from her post at Bryant, hopefully she will have even more time to dedicate to her own wines. In addition to the 2010s, I also re-tasted the 2009s, most of which were a bit closed, perhaps in bottle shock. Tel. (707) 252-7417