A woman walked into Lake County Wine Studio on Sunday asking for some local bottles that would ”knock the Sonoma” out of her smug friends.
The wine shop”s owner, Susan Feiler, selected four labels, including a 2011 Syrah from Obsidian Ridge.
Few are aware that Obsidian Ridge produces Syrah. After all, the boutique producer devotes less than ten acres of its Red Hills vineyards space to the grape, selling much of the output to other labels. In 2011 they ended up with just five barrels of their own.
But the result, as Feiler noted, is “unique.”
The 2011 quickly dispels expectations of the charming sweetness many associate with the varietal. On the nose it instead offers deep, rustic currant notes seasoned with sharp pepper with a background of weathered leather. After allowing it to breathe, a bitter chocolate hint nudges into the mix, as well.
This profile resonates on each sip. It is fruity without being cloying, prickly without losing its nuanced calm. Ripe dark berries, plucked and sampled without sweetener; crushed earthy spice toasted to tame any sharp edges, like lemon pepper and powdered cinnamon—that”s what comes to mind. The finish is reserved, fading imperceptively.
Unlike the jammy versions from Australia or the bold, juicy Syrah”s from the U.S., this is a more grounded style. It”s akin to a leashed in Rhone.
“The scourge of Syrah is that it makes such good wine, but people don”t buy it,” Obsidian Ridge winemaker Alex Beloz explained.
He remains dedicated to the grape, he added, because “we like it.”
Some of the character may be explained by the vintage. After all, 2011 was a notorious year in many California vineyards. The summer was cool and harvest tardy by several weeks.
“I never want to relive that vintage again—it was stressful,” Beloz observed. “But Obsidian is its own place. It fared a lot better.”
Their land is perched on a slope in the Red Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) at some 2,640 feet. It benefitted from more sun than other vineyards and the late rain hit that year after harvest.
Of course, the winemakers were forced to leave the grapes on the vine longer than is typical. Still, they picked the Syrah at 25 Brix, a bit down from the 27 considered normal under the circumstances.
Obsidian Ridge barreled the 2011 in 60 percent new oak. Instead of French or American, they prefer Hungarian oak from the Tokaj region. The wood is noted for its fine grain, similar to French. And they take great care in personally selecting material for cooperage.
“They have the luxury of a controlled chain of custody,” Feiler said, pointing out that staff members from Obsidian Ridge—or its parent, Tricycle Wines, which also produces the Poseidon label—direct the entire process. “They are doing things right.”
New oak imparts more of its character into the wine, so the balance is always in play. Clearly, though, the crew behind Obsidian Ridge”s 2011 Syrah managed it right.
It is indeed a unique wine.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
