2004 Copain Saisons des Vins Syrah L'Hiver

The 2004 Saisons des Vins Syrah l’Hiver is Wells Guthrie’s California version of a Crozes-Hermitage. A fruity, soft Syrah meant for early consumption, it offers up spicy notes of tapenade, black raspberries, and cherries. This medium-bodied, impressively pure effort would be a brilliant choice for restaurants looking for food-friendly Syrahs to drink over the next 3-4 years. It’s hard not to enjoy a visit with Wells Guthrie given his enthusiasm and passion for accessing top-notch vineyards and producing high quality wines. His impressive resume includes positions with Michel Chapoutier and Gerard Chave as well as a short stint as a journalist for The Wine Spectator. Guthrie is one of the Rhone Ranger mavericks who utilizes considerable stems in his winemaking as well as a variety of barrels, ranging from small casks to the large, 600-liter demi-muids. Such Old World winemaking techniques as minimal intervention, natural yeast fermentations, and no fining or filtration has resulted in thrilling wines of undeniable character and personality. Tel. (707) 541-7474; Fax (707) 541-7575