DuMOL Wild Mountainside Syrah Russian River Valley 2021

There is a fervent following for the fantastic DuMOL wines, and there has been since winemaker and partner Andy Smith started making his superior Sonoma County Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah back in 1999. Andy and the DuMOL team believe in wine quality through precise viticulture and reasoned sustainable and organic farming. We are more likely to find them in the vineyard focusing on original grape quality rather than in the winery trying to find ways to ‘improve’ finished wines. As the name suggests, DuMOL's Wild Mountainside Syrah (which replaces their Russian River Valley bottling) is grown exclusively in high-elevation mountain vineyards, where the vines struggle to produce small crops of truly unique character and incredible quality. Andy Smith considers these among a small handful of the finest Syrah vineyards, not only in Sonoma County but in all of California. The wine itself is inky and concentrated. Blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry fruit characters dominate both aromas and palate. There’s vibrant grapefruit zest, floral lilac, wild thyme and roasted meat characters. The fruit is plush and deep, but there’s always a sense of mountain precision and detail. A savory ferrous note adds intrigue to the full-bodied, chewy palate but the wine remains fine and polished throughout. It holds 15 years of aging potential in a cool cellar.