The estate’s 2011 Petite Syrah Rattlesnake Ridge is arguably the most powerful and structured of these 2011s. Intensely varietal and tannic, the 2011 is imbued with the essence of blackberry jam, grilled savory herbs, menthol and melted road tar. The aromas and flavors grow beautifully in the glass, filling out the wine’s broad shouldered frame with aplomb. The Rattlesnake Ridge is not a wine for the faint of heart, but readers who love intense structured reds – and Petite Syrah in particular – will flip out over this wine. Simply put, this is a stunning showing, Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.
This is a thrilling set of wines from Larry Turley, Ehren Jordan and Tegan Passalacqua. Tasting this wide a range of 2010 and 2011 Zinfandels and Petite Syrahs is like taking a master class in California terroir. The house style favors an expression of Zinfandel and Petite Syrah built on aromatic intensity and elegance, which Jordan credits to gentle extractions. At times, the wines come across as quite Burgundian in the way they express richness but not excess heaviness. Over the last few years, the wines have become a little more laid-back and less overtly ripe, which is a net positive given that the starting point for all of these wines is fruit of exceptional quality. The Petite Syrahs in particular are noteworthy because they are among the few wines that find the elegance Petite Syrah is capable of, while avoiding the massive tannins that are so typical elsewhere. The 2010s are strong across the board, although Turley did not bottle a few of their wines from sites that got scorched by the heat spikes, which includes the Highway 101 and Zampatti. The 2011s are more variable, as befits a vintage that had much less favorable conditions overall.
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