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Vintage 2011 / There is enormous beauty to be found in the 2011 vintage! The experiences of the season are what help distinguish the pedigree of the Colgin vineyard sites from others. The 2011 growing season in Napa Valley seems only to be recognized for its challenges, yet a great site can take challenges in stride. With a wet start to the season, we have a significant advantage in that each of our sites is planted on hillsides with well-draining rocky soils. Given the wet spring, we experienced one of our latest blooms on record in June. The summer followed with relatively mild temperatures during which time we worked diligently in the vineyard to reduce the canopy and bring the vines into balance. At veraison in late August, we removed enough clusters to ensure a consistent, even ripening. We began our harvest the final week in September and picked virtually all of our Merlot and Syrah in this period. Two small rain events the first week of October hastened the progress of the harvest-yet what followed was altruistic, sunny weather which remained through the completion of the harvest season. We picked the Cabernet Sauvignon the second half of October and our conscientious team ensured only the most pristine berries were sorted into the fermentation tanks. The wines were made with a slightly more delicate hand in order to capture their freshness and respect the fruit. The resulting wines of the 2011 vintage are brilliantly aromatic. They have deliciously round tannin and are bolstered by a bright and balanced level of acidity. The flavors of each site truly stand out in this vintage, and the quality of the wines is a testament to the quality of the terroirs upon which they are grown.
Wine Description
The Story
From low yielding clonal selections originating in the Cote-Rotie and Hermitage regions of France, the IX Estate Syrah is characterized by the Old World aromatics of the Northern Rhone and a remarkably nuanced bouquet of cured meat, pepper, blackberry, coffee and acacia, graced with a black floral uplift. Its voluptuous texture, savory palate with mouthwatering tannins, and dense black color is truly irresistible, smooth and expressive. Considered “one of the most unique Syrahs being made in California today.”
Wine Information
Syrah was our earliest ripening variety on the steep rocky slope of the "IX Estate" and prospered in this vintage. The cooler temperatures helped to capture aromas with a striking level of purity. Yields were tiny in 2011 and the intensity of flavors is very high.
The perfume on the nose of the 2011 "IX Estate" Syrah is instantly captivating. The wine jumps out of the glass with seductive scents of tangerine peel, candied violets and jasmine tea. The wine captivates with its ethereal floral perfume, and also with the classic Syrah notes of cured meat and olive. The umami flavors of bacon fat, and smoked meat marry beautifully with the dark floral notes. This is one of the most salivating Syrahs we have crafted in recent memory, with an intense minerality and saline quality on the palate. The texture is luscious, with a beautiful round mid-palate and a caressing, silky finish. The tannins are broad, layered and unctuous. This vintage of "IX Estate" Syrah will bring great enjoyment in the near term for its silkiness, yet like other vintages, it will add more layers of complexity and breadth with time in bottle.
