2011 Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard

(15.7% alcohol; 4.0 pH): Saturated bright ruby. Brooding aromas of deep black raspberry, dark chocolate and meat pie, along with cooler peppery and licorice notes; reminded me of a more rustic Cornas style of Syrah. Supple but a touch medicinal, with its combination of dried fruits and pepper suggesting a wide range of ripeness. A wine of moderate flavor development, finishing with dusty, slightly drying tannins. The leanest vintage of the range except for the 1998, this 2011 doesn't quite come alive. This was Kongsgaard's 40th vintage making wine in California, as well as the year with the latest start and finish. He described 2011 as "our coldest vintage of all: we picked our entire red crop on November 2. We just waited and it remained miraculously mild after the mid-October rain." He went on: "We kept throwing away rotten fruit along the way and harvested just before the big last storm that was predicted for November 3. We ended up with just two tons of Syrah instead of a normal six."

(from fruit harvested on November 2): Bright, saturated medium ruby. Explosive aromas of black plum, licorice, dark chocolate truffle, orange rind and white pepper. Sappy and dense, with insinuating intensity to the flavors of dark berries, chocolate, smoke and spicecake. In the high 14s in alcohol but the wine's acidity gives it energy and a light touch. Finishes with broad, dusty tannins and excellent length. I'm not aware of anyone else who was able to make syrah from Hudson Vineyard fruit in 2011, as most of the fruit rotted before it got ripe. Kongsgaard was able to produce 4 barrels, vs. a normal 15.

Deep, layered and intensely savory, the 2011 Syrah Hudson Vineyard is endowed with stunning depth and structure. Ash, game, smoke and licorice all add complexity to a core of huge, dark fruit. With time in the glass, rose petals and crushed rocks add finesse to the rich, palate-staining finish. I can't wait to see how the 2011 ages. Production was down from 13 barrels to just 5 in 2011.