ARNOT-ROBERTS Clary Ranch Syrah, Sonoma Coast Fruit for the Arnot-Roberts Sonoma Coast Syrah is sourced from six farmed organic and sustainable vineyards. At the winery, the grapes are 100% whole cluster fermented with native yeasts and aged in French oak. The wine is deep and concentrated, marked by flavours of plum, red berries, fresh herbs, and spice.

The Old Vine Syrah patch was planted in the 1930s and is on a slope of the property with a westerly aspect. These old gnarly vines are planted in heavily decomposed ironstone and quartz. The style of wine is completely individual and the winemaking team always comment on how light the style is and how exotic the spices are in this vineyard. The spices come across like incense mixed with deeply aromatic and smoky lapsang oolong tea. Exotic characters such as sandalwood, cocoa powder, sarsaparilla and cola elements top the roast meat and flinty, strawberry and cream palette of this wine. The lighter frame on this style is highly attractive and the intoxicating spices combine to create something highly exotic.

A limited production cuvée, from pure Syrah grown on (volcanic) basalt rock on the edge of the Coiron Mountains in the South-Eastern Ardèche in the wider Rhône Region of France. The properties of the volcanic soil hold the heat from the sun, helping get the best from the Syrah vines. The resulting wine is balanced, with powerful aromatics of spice and red fruit, and a texture of soft tannins. This specificity led famous critic and Master of Wine Julia Harding to chose this wine as her wine of the week for JancisRobinson.com, saying that it “combines irresistible fragrance with generous amounts of peppery red and black fruit flavours.”