To my taste, this is prototypical Syrah. When you want a textbook definition of what great Syrah should taste like, this should be the model. This wine exhibits all the glorious hallmarks that make it one of the true noble varietals. There are aspects of black olives, rosemary, smoke, and a fruit bowl of berries that ooze from the glass. The wine is plush with mouth coating texture yet compact and succinct enough to glide over your palate with authority. I suspect that this wine will soon be considered a benchmark California red as its trajectory is through the roof. Already a critics darling, the word is getting out about this one.

Vintage after vintage Peter & Amy from Holus Bolus have consistently impressed me with the quality & complexity they are able to evoke from the terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills, to a point where I feel "great Syrah" and Holus Bolus should be synonymous. The 2018 vintage of Franc de Pied is no exception, displaying this variety at its finest. Fruit from the famed John Sebastiano vineyard sets the stage for this wine with its concentration and depth the own rooted vines provide. This sends your palate on an adventure of dark juicy berries, lavender, smokey cured meats, black pepper, and an array of savory herbs and minerals. An outstanding addition to your cellar or a night of smoked BBQ.

This expression always excites the taste buds, and 2018 might be the best vintage I've tasted. Luscious, herbaceous and concentrated, it boasts a melange of ripe, dark berries, rhubarb and cracked black pepper, held aloft by a firm core of brilliant acid and minerals. Throughout it all, that smoky, meaty character of the Syrah adds dimension to an already gorgeous wine. Though a dream with ribs, brisket or pork chops, it quite frankly could be a meal in and of itself.