2007 Spicerack Vineyards Syrah "Punchdown", Sonoma Coast

• Sustainable farming practiced in two superb, cool climate sites on Sonoma Coast brings intensity of flavor balanced by bright acidity
• Maturation in 100% neutral French oak allows purity of site and varietal to show through. Touch of Grenache adds "pop"
• Careful harvest and winemaking decisions showcase intensity – but within a balanced framework

Price: $25/bottle

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• Awards & Accolades •

2007 Vintage

EXCEPTIONAL
"Dark fruit, pepper, clove, and a complex underbrush note with perfect balance. Fruit is from the same Rodgers Creek ranch that went into the 2006 Ramey Syrah ($65) that is superb. This wine is its near equal and is an absolute bargain! Another stunner from Jon and Susan Pey."
- Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences

The San Francisco Chronicle Recommends
"From Marin residents Jonathan & Susan Pey, the 2007 Spicerack Syrah is even better and spicier than the previous vintage. Bold pepper, coriander and charred branch aromas edge plum skin and blueberry. Downright autumnal!"
- San Francisco Chronicle, November 15, 2009

2006 Vintage

91 POINTS - EDITORS CHOICE, EXCELLENT & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
"With its black pepper, cassis, beef jerky and Provençal herb flavors, this Syrah offers rich, complex drinking at a fair price. Fully dry, its tannins are thick, but very finely ground. Shows class and elegance through the long, spicy finish."
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine

EXCEPTIONAL
"Blue and red berry fruit, elegant entry, perfectly honed tannins, and no new oak to contend with the superb cool-climate fruit. Another Pey wine of true style and potential."
- Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences

WINE OF THE WEEK
"What a little beauty of a Syrah from Jonathan and Susan Pey of Spicerack Vineyards. Their "Punchdown" Syrah comes from two cool-climate sites on the Sonoma Coast. Rich and spicy with scents of cassis, black pepper and wild herbs, this is an elegant, moderately priced Syrah, a great buy for the price and a California Syrah that plays well with food. Open a bottle for some grilled or sautéed calves' liver, a pasta with chicken liver or gizzard sauce, some lamb chops or a simple roast chicken."
- Richard Derk, Los Angeles Times, March 4, 2009

2004 Vintage

92 Points - Good Value!
"Sporting aromas of smoked meats, blackberries and creamy oak with a whiff of wild flowers, this very tasty wine is equally complex and rewarding on the palate where its well-concentrated fruit flavors showcase the same panoply of spot-on varietal characteristics. Its solid fruit is nicely buttressed from front to back by integrated tannnins, and while the wine could benefit from a few years of cellaring, there is nothing preventing it from being enjoyed now with savory meats hot off the grill."
– Connoisseurs Guide to California Wine

90 Points!
"Spicerack is a project from Marin winemakers Jonathan and Susan Pey, and they've done a fine job capturing the savage Syrah possibilities in Paso Robles. This wine has classic scents of briar and white pepper, overlaying a dark fruit profile of fig and cassis. On the palate, the wine's flavors are very deep and intense, with a dark Petite Sirah-like intensity and gripping but supple tannins. What I like about this wine is that it's not a fruitbomb; its flavors and especially its texture seem to come from the earth."
– Patrick Comisky, Wine Review Online

• Vintage 2007•

Winter precipitation in 2007 along the coast north of San Francisco was much lower than in 2006 and we consider 2007 a drought year in many regards. After a moderate Spring and early Summer a heat spike in August was followed by a welcome cooling trend in September and the vines ripen slowly through harvest.

• Two Cool Climate Vineyards•

Our "Punchdown" Syrah comes from two unique sites. The "Rodgers Creek" hillside vineyard, planted in 1997, is next to the "Durrell" and "Les Pierres" vineyards and is the home of David Ramey’s critically-acclaimed ($65) Syrah. Thin, sandy soils and gusty winds define the site and deliver superb cut and white pepper notes reminiscent of Rhône Valley Syrah. The soil profile is of volcanic origin and provides good drainage. The balance of the blend hails from southwestern Sonoma and provides a fullness and "meatiness" we like. In short, these are exceptional cool-climate environments for Rhône varietals.

• Winemaking•

Compact bunches of tiny Syrah berries were hand-harvested on September 26 and October 9. Our Syrah clusters were hand sorted, destemmed & crushed (5% whole berry) and "cold soaked" for four days in open-top temperature-controlled fermenters. Warm fermentation temperature (85°) moved fermentation along and multiple "punchdowns" kept the cap well immersed in its dark and delicious fermenting must. On Day 11 the still-fermenting Syrah was gently pressed into French oak barriques where it completed primary and secondary fermentations. Press fractions were kept separate (and ultimately not used). Our neutral French barrels were very high quality, but all were fully "seasoned" and imparted no measurable oak flavor to the wine. This let the purity of this noble variety and its superb vineyard sites shine through. Twelve months maturation in these French neutral barrels was supplemented with five rackings which contributed exotic spiciness and wonderful, smooth but subtle mouth-feel. Our assemblage in November 2008 included a touch of Grenache which built brightness and balance.

We call our Spicerack Syrah "Punchdown" to reflect the many times the cap was punched down during fermentation. It is very enjoyable now as it displays the richness and varietal typicity of great California Syrah with nuances of Rhône-esque white pepper. Oak and alcohol are very minor players. Under proper cellar conditions it should improve for several years.

• Wine Facts •

Regional Composition: 100% Sonoma Coast: Quarry Hills Vineyard 65%, Rodgers Creek Vineyard 31%,
4% Sonoma Valley
Varietal Composition: 96% Syrah 4% Grenache
pH: 3.69
TA: 0.66 g/100mL
Alcohol: 14%
Total Production: 19 barrels

Fact Sheet

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Price: $25/bottle

Join our waiting list to be notified when the next vintage of Spicerack is released.