2008 Syrah
White Hawk Vineyard, Santa Barbara County
$36

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vital Statistics

Varietal:	100% Syrah (single vineyard)
Vineyard:	White Hawk Vineyard, Santa Barbara County AVA
Harvest Date:	October 8, 2008
Harvest Brix:	26.8
Release Month:	May 2011
Alcohol:	14.7

 

 

 

 

The Vineyard

White Hawk Vineyard sits on the southern facing slope of Cat Canyon about 21 miles inland from the Pacific and 2 miles north of the town of Los Alamos. The marine influence causes cool, early morning fogs to envelop the site before giving way to bright sun. The vineyard sits at an elevation of 900 feet on pure sands that immediately drain off water and nutrients forcing the vines to work extra-hard to survive. White Hawk is custom-farmed using sustainable and primarily organic viticulture methods. The yields are miniscule and the berries intense, making this an outstanding source of Syrah.

Winemaking Notes

The grapes were harvested on October 8, 2008 after a few weeks of relatively cool weather interspersed with a few days of warm weather. The wine spent 4 days in cold soak prior to fermentation. Following fermentation, the wine was aged in a combination of 25% new French oak and 75% neutral oak barrels. The wine spent a total of 24 months of barrel aging prior to bottling in late October 2010.

Tasting Notes

Upon pouring the 2008 White Hawk Syrah you can't miss the very intense rich and dark purple color of this wine. The nose offers up aromas of dark berries, fruit, and spices hinting at the incredible depth of this Syrah. On the palate, the wine presents a strong core of acidity complemented by the taste of dark berries mingled with spices.

Awards & Medals

GOLD MEDAL – 2012 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition
SILVER MEDAL – 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition