2010 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte

The 2010 Syrah Hawks Butte boasts gorgeous density and mid-palate pliancy. The blue and black fruit is center stage in this deeply resonant, expressive Syrah. Savory herbs, black pepper, violets and cloves emerge over time, add layers of nuance as the wine flows through to a focused, vibrant finish. This is a terrific showing in a very challenging vintage. Guthrie used 50% whole clusters here, all of which the wine seems to be handling nicely. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022. I have to say, it is a bit strange to visit Wells Guthrie’s beautiful Copain winery in Healdsburg, as none of the wines are made from fruit grown on the estate! Guthrie prefers to source fruit from cooler parts of Sonoma, most notably Anderson Valley and Yorkville Highlands. Today the Copain wines are mid-weight, gracious and delicate in style, a far cry from a few years back, when they were much more overt. In cold years like 2010 and 2011, some of the wines are a touch on the fragile side. Readers on a budget should be sure to check out the Tous Ensemble range, as those wines deliver tremendous quality for the money. All of 2011s I tasted from tank were scheduled to be bottled a few days after my visit. Tel. (707) 541-7474

Inky purple. Explosively perfumed scents of red and dark berries, potpourri, anise and incense. Spicy black raspberry and boysenberry flavors stain the palate, picking up violet pastille, succulent herb and cracked pepper nuances with air. Both powerful and lithe, finishing with excellent cut and spicy thrust.

The 2010 Syrah Hawks Butte presents the sleek, silky side of Syrah. Dark red cherries, flowers, mint are woven together beautifully in this sublime Syrah. The elegant, polished finish speaks eloquently to the femininity and grace that Syrah is capable of expressing. This is all class. The Halcon emerges from a mid-slope parcel with deeper soils than those found in Halcon.