2019 Donelan Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard

The 2019 Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard was done with 10% Viognier and 45% stems. Stern and classically built, the 2019 is one of the more reticent wines in this lineup. Dark red fruit, blood orange, sage, mint, crushed rocks and dried flowers all race across the palate. I would be in no rush to drink this, as it is very tightly wound, almost linear in feel, but also hugely promising. It is an especially reticent Syrah in a vintage that generally yielded more opulent wines.

The 2019 Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard is sourced from a cooler-temperature site for the Green Valley Of Russian River, and has the addition of 10% Viognier and a 45% proportion of whole clusters used in the fermentation, with no new oak. Taking on a rich and meaty profile, it is layered and sanguine with crushed black cherry, olive, and sage aromas. Full-bodied, with layered richness and ripe broad shoulders, it continues to open and reveal notes of lavender, smoked meat, and savory herbs that coat the palate. Another age-worthy red, it will benefit from another year or two in bottle and drink well 2025-2035. Joe Donelan came to the wine world after he received what he calls “a life-changing education” from a sommelier on Nantucket in the 1980s. Today he is joined by his two sons, Tripp and Cushing, who oversee sales and marketing respectively. David Milner has been the head winemaker since 2017 after previously working at Groth and Eisele Vineyard. Donelan himself has worked with the Obsidian Vineyard in Knights Valley since 2001 and was able to purchase the site in 2015. Sadly, in 2017, the vineyard fell victim to that year’s fires, but they have since put a new emphasis on replanting with greater vine density. The style of the estate certainly does not shy away from ripeness, although they are wines with finesse and elegance. I am especially a fan of the wines they’re producing in the cooler Bennett Valley. The wines for this report were tasted at their Santa Rosa winery in May.