Showing more fruit, with an essence of blackberry, flowers, toasted bread and roasted meat-styled bouquet, the 2009 Syrah White Hawk flows onto the palate with superb purity, medium to full-bodied richness and a seamless, elegant feel. It’s a big Syrah, yet beautifully done. Enjoy it over the coming 7-8 years or more. Drink now-2021+. This was one thrilling lineup of wines by Adam Tolmach and assistant winemaker Fabien Castel and this is always one of my favorite visits during my trip through the region. After making wine for close to 30 years, Adam continues to push for improvement and is subtly tweaking his wines to get more freshness, focuses and elegance out of them. Minimal new oak, low SO2 and few rackings are all the norm here, and these 2009s, 2010s and 2011s are some of the strongest wines I’ve tasted from this estate. They’re all highly recommended. Tel. (805) 798-3947; www.ojaivineyard.com