Kendric Vineyards 2006 Shenandoah Valley Syrah
From the Winery
Kendric Vineyards is a vigneron's operation, making wine from the ground up. We've tended our wines through every stage of their development, from site selection, to planting, to farming the vineyards, to making the wine. We are based in Marin, but have roots (viticulturally and otherwise) in Amador County in the Sierra foothills. We produce Pinot Noir from the maritime climate and shale/sandstone soils of Marin and Syrah from the continental climate and granitic/volcanic soils of the Shenandoah Valley.
Tasting Notes
Boysenberry and a more savory game and herbs de Provence nose. A sweet, darker fruited core, firmed up with a tar note and a stony grip on the finish. A step more restrained than the '05 in terms of ripeness and oak-- less mocha and more meat and spice. Closer to the '04, but a bit more Rhone-like. For me, the most interesting Syrah release to date. This wine has been purposely bottled without a foil capsule.
Click HERE to read reviews of the 2005 vintage!
| Composition | 100% Syrah |
| Appellation | Shenandoah Valley |
| Alcohol | 13.9% |
dhonig
The nose has a bit of mustiness, lots of fruit- raspberries and blackberries, and milk chocolate. It also has just a touch of sage.
This is not a terrific wine on the palate- it seems overworked, even unnatural. Raspberry is the primary fruit, but it is more artificial raspberry licorice than fresh raspberry. That is followed by too much vanilla, and the aftertaste of artificially flavored candy. No, I'm not loving this, but I will stick it out and give it a second chance on Night Two.
A few hours later and it has improved significantly. At this rate, it could be good by tomorrow night. Stick around and find out with me.
Night Two
The mustiness from Night One is gone. The fruit is darker than on Night One. Blackberries and mulberries give a sweet dark aroma, which is sharpened a little with a few raspberries. There is some underling milk chocolate and the same touch of sage noted on Night One.
The palate is different on Night Two. There is a tremendous amount of chocolate to go with jammy dark fruits. Imagine Chocolate covered cherries, but instead of cherries, fill them with mixed blackberry and mulberry fondant and fruit. That hint of sage and some meat shows up on the mid-palate, but only as faint echoes under the fruit and chocolate. The finish is mid-length. Tannins are faint but smooth, acidity is light.
This is drinking well on Night Two, but gives no indication it has huge cellar life in front of it. Based upon the performance on Night One, significant improvement over a few hours, and its performance on Night Two, this might have a year, but could just as easily be served now after a few hours of decanting.
