2015 La Serenne 750ml

At 1200 feet elevation, Boushey Vineyard is the highest altitude Syrah vineyard we farm. The “cooling effect” provided by this higher (than our other sites) elevation means it’s one of the last sites to experience bud break, flowering, veraison, and eventually harvest. The result of this “cooler” location is a greater amount of days from bud break to harvest, and more importantly from veraison (when the grape clusters are 50% colored) to harvest. This long hang time can allow more complex flavors to develop in the grape skins.

At Boushey vineyard, we farm 2 separate blocks of Syrah, each parcel being 1 acre in size. Both blocks were planted in 1996 to the Phelps clone of Syrah. This clone of Syrah is well suited to “cooler” vineyard sites, as its resistance to cold is strong. Despite only several hundred feet separating these two blocks, the character of each block can be markedly different. This unique difference in character lends complexity to the final blend.

This year, the character of our Upper block syrah was one of great ripeness, bringing black olive, lavender, and cardamom spice to a silky texture. The Lower block’s character was one of restraint, bringing plum and cherry tones onto a taut structure. The final blend is a combines a nearly 50/50 blend from each site, and reflects the wild side of Syrah.

In 2015, the Syrah grapes were 100% de-stemmed and fermented in a combination of vessels, including concrete for the lower block syrah. After a 10 day fermentation period, the contents of each fermentation vessel were pressed into a combination of 228, 300, and 500l barrels. The resulting wines were aged “sur lie” for 10 months, and bottling after 1 year.