Celebrating the Great Noble Cepage
Out of the Shadows Syrah
Vertical of
2013 – 2014 – 2015
with
Forêt MonoClone® Pinot Noir
Vertical of
2013 – 2014 – 2015
Syrah is one of the great noble cépage, complex and mythical, dating back to Roman times in the Rhône valley, its spiritual home. At Soliste, our deep passion for Burgundy has shaped our entire winemaking vision. We craft Pinot Noir with a deep commitment to traditions.
After Pinot Noir, Syrah holds the most preeminent place in our cellar. Syrah creates wines of unique and intense aromatics and depth, with a deep robe of inky purple, a complex, captivating bouquet, and exquisite layers of black fruits, black pepper, black olives, licorice, violets, and exotic spice blend. Syrah is, before all, the best complement to winter cuisine, game meats, lamb sugo pasta, grilled steaks, smoked meats, truffles, duck confit, and yes, chocolate. Very few wines match better with Indian cuisine, as it holds up to spices and spiciness.
If you were thinking of opening a Cabernet with braised short ribs, think again; it will be no contest, Syrah wins.
We have great respect for the wines of Cornas (Auguste Clape, Thierry Allemand) and Côte Rôtie in particular, Jean Paul Jamet, Gangloff, and the wines of Marcel Guigal in Ampuis. We were exceptionally fortunate that Monsieur Guigal invited us for a lesson in his private cellar after a long afternoon turned evening tasting La Landonne, Mouline, and Turque. We listened, took notice, and just like our MonoClone Pinot Noirs, we went all in, aging the wines for 36 months in French barriques to tame the beast. Guigal is adamant about long aging time for Syrah; it is a commitment, and once you taste his wines and especially the silky texture, there is no turning back.
In 2008, we released our first Syrah, Out of the Shadows, from a magnificent hilltop vineyard in Bennett Valley, and it set the standard for the years to come.
This vertical release embodies everything we love about Syrah: a Powerful wine without the extraction or high alcohol of wines from the New World or Australia (except for the 1982 Penfolds Grange Ermitage). You will love the high tones of cassis, dry herbal notes, creamy mid-palate texture, licorice, Balinese black pepper, and a very long cocoa-nib, espresso finish. Syrah’s greatness lies in its balance of power and elegance; it is intense yet refined…Soliste.
Out of the Shadows
This Syrah is a muscular, powerful wine with trademark Soliste elegance, length, and balance. It has the finesse of a great Côte Rôtie or Hermitage but the animal power of a Cornas. It also has the ability to age for decades. Out of the Shadows comes from a sliver of a vineyard in the Bennett Valley hills. The site has a western exposure, gravelly soil, and sits on the side of a small mountain. This provides excellent drainage, even sun exposure, and a cool climate.
Tasting Notes
2013 | 2014 | 2015 Out of the Shadows
Forêt
Forêt…The Noble One. Forêt comes from a magnificent secluded vineyard near Occidental. The hillside vineyard has a northeastern exposure, a very steep slope, and is in the middle of a spectacular redwood forest. Just 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the western coastal range, is perhaps the most visually stunning vineyard we are entrusted with. The depth of aromatics and spice in Forêt is a pure reflection of this truly unique vineyard’s site, slope, climate, and clone.
Tasting Notes
2013 | 2014 | 2015 Forêt
La Sauvage
“If it is worth doing, it is worth overdoing.”
-C. Koeberle
From our first vintage of Syrah in 2008 we held a special barrel for an additional year of aging. The wine was hand bottled and La Sauvage was born – never to be sold, but given as special gifts for our friends and supporters.
In 2012, we singled out a unique barrique with the purest aromas and structure. The wine was aged for 45 months (nearly four years) until the Beast was tamed. La Sauvage is extraordinary in complexity and depth; a great paradox of muscular aromas and silky texture. Only 348 bottles were produced, only 36 bottles remain…not for long.
Tasting Notes
We have selected two verticals of Out of the Shadows Syrah and Forêt Pinot Noir to complement winter cuisine and long nights in front of the fireplace.
| Out of the Shadows Syrah and Forêt Pinot Noir Vertical [Order] 2013 – 2014 – 2015 | $282 6 bottles, 1 of each wine Shipping Included |
| 2012 La Sauvage Syrah [Order] Hand bottled, hand waxed, numbered | $125 bottle Only 36 available Shipping Included |
Each of these wines is also available a la carte. Please see the Syrah or Pinot Noir collection of our online cellar.
À Votre Santé,
*About the Shadows label: When we visited Burgundy and the Rhône in 2009, after a legendary lunch that ran well into twilight (very French), we captured this image on the wall of Château Bagnols.
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