2006 Relic Syrah Richard Perry Vineyard

Good deep medium ruby. Musky aromas of blackberry, white pepper, smoked meat, mocha and rosemary. Very rich, dense and peppery, if not particularly complex today; noteworthy for its fat middle and clarity of aromas. Finishes with fairly fine tannins. An intriguing syrah that was vinified with about one-third whole clusters. From an east-facing hillside planted on volcanic ash in the southeast corner of Napa. The pH here is a high 4.0, and yet the vines are in shade after 5:00 in the afternoon, according to winemaker Mike Hirby.