2011 Copain Syrah Tous Ensemble

The 2011 Syrah Tous Ensemble is one of the great values in California Syrah. Violets, plums, cloves and savory herbs all jump from the glass. The 2011 is distinguished for its floral, vinous perfume and mid-weight, gracious personality. A dollop of whole clusters adds lift throughout. Quite simply, this is a fabulous wine for the money.

Dark purple. Sexy, smoke-accented aromas of cassis, cherry pit, Asian spices, dried flowers and olive. Is this syrah or what? Silky red and dark berry flavors are tightly focused and clean, offering a deft blend of sweetness and spiciness. Gains weight and power on the finish, which features juicy redcurrant and bitter qualities and lingering smokiness. There's a northern Rhone thing going on here that I really like. (JR)

The 2011 Syrah Tous Ensemble is one of the great values in California Syrah. Violets, plums, cloves and savory herbs all jump from the glass. The 2011 is distinguished for its floral, vinous perfume and mid-weight, gracious personality. A dollop of whole clusters adds lift throughout. Quite simply, this is a fabulous wine for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2017. 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