2016 Gramercy Cellars ‘John Lewis’ Syrah

WA95 Wow, from the first sniff of the 2016 Syrah John Lewis you know this is something special. Aromas of blackberry, black raspberry and dusty cherry skin burst from the glass with black peppercorn and red spice notes. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, structured and lifted, with a touch of sweet red fruit, presumably from a semi-carbonic maceration, showing elegance and ease on the mid-palate that is firm and focused, with a mineral tension of wet rock. A long and thoughtful expression on the finish continues to evolve on the aftertaste well after the wine has left the palate. It’s an impressive wine, and with only 322 cases made, this is a safe bet for any Syrah lover. It’s devastatingly beautiful. 
Estate Notes:100% Syrah. Vineyards: Forgotten Hills, Les Collines, Red Willow. 85% whole-cluster fermented in concrete with no inputs other than minimal sulfur. Unfined, unfiltered.
Two new 500-liter French oak puncheons and the rest in neutral 500-liter French oak puncheons and a few 225-liter barrels for 17 months. Production: 200 cases