2012 Stolpman Vineyards Angeli California

“(all syrah): Bright purple. Smoky cherry compote and dark berry liqueur on the deeply pitched, highly aromatic nose. Powerful blackberry, cassis and spicecake flavors stain the palate, picking up intense floral and Indian spice nuances with air. The smoky note comes back strong on the youthfully tannic finish, which lingers with serious persistence and building sweetness. This fruit was grown on ungrafted vines. Peter Stolpman and vineyard manager Ruben Solorzano, who lives with his family in the middle of the estate, took me on a mind-altering tour of the property's vines in mid-August, showing me some of the most ambitious plantings I've yet seen in America. A new site is being planted via provinage, where vine shoots from a "mother vine" are directed back underground to set up their own root system; another section, in full production, is planted via the traditional Cote-Rotie vertical method, with densely planted vines trained on a narrow tripod. Prices here are very fair given the wines' quality.” – Josh Reynolds Review Date: December 2014

“In the same ballpark, the 2012 Angeli is 100% Syrah that comes from a single block of own rooted vines. It too is medium to full-bodied, rich and textured, with pretty violets, purple fruits, spring flowers and edgy minerality. Seeing 80% whole clusters and 18 months in puncheons, it has bright acidity and clean, nicely focused feel. It is another outstanding Syrah that will evolve for a decade.” – Jeb Dunnuck Review Date: August 2014