The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   Applegate Valley

Varietal   Syrah

Retail Price   $35

ABV   13.2%

Score   5 Stars/97 points

In the Glass

Brilliant, deep ruby/purple color.

The aromatics are intense, offering scents of dried herbs, black currant, and forest floor with supporting notes of blackberry, earth, black tea, and rosemary.

The palate confirms the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of black plum, bramble, mineral, five spice, and slate. The finish is long and lingering with chewy tannins.

Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a meaty texture.

Cool Factor

We were fans of Troon Vineyard wines from the start but today the wines are better than ever and extremely cool by our standards.

Value Grade

The production of the Troon Syrah went up slightly and the price was reduced by $5! It was always great bargain but we rarely see wineries drop prices — especially when the wine is this damn good.

Analysis

Troon Vineyard has gone all-in on Syrah and they are setting a standard for Syrah on America’s west coast. Troon’s Syrah is more balanced and restrained than most New World Syrah with moderate alcohol and an ideal balance of acidity — it’s certainly made in the mold of the Rhone Valley. All of Troon’s Syrahs have been age-worthy but this 2021 vintage will improve for a decade or more. All Troon wines are made from biodynamic grapes spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts with no additives of any kind. After a three to four week fermentation the wine was pressed and aged in neutral French oak barrels for 18 months. The wine was then bottled unfined and unfiltered. There were fewer than 500 cases made so get yours fast. On the label you can find Valerian by Oregon artist Janet Ekholm. Valerian is an essential plant used in Troon's biodynamic preparations.

How to Enjoy

Serve at cellar temperature — decant and allow this wine to breathe for at least 30 minutes. Serve with a grilled meats or complex stews and red sauces.