2018 Myriad Cellars Syrah Halcon Vineyard

I always find a Côte Rôtie-like style from this vineyard, and the 2018 Syrah Halcon Vineyard from Mike Smith doesn’t break the trend. Offering a Jamet-like style in its meaty, smoky, black-fruited aromas and flavors, it shows incredible floral, violet, and pepper notes with time in the glass and is pure, cool-climate Syrah in all its glory. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, and seamless on the palate, it has building tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. It needs plenty of air if drinking anytime soon, and I suspect will be best with 3-4 years of bottle age and evolve beautifully over the following decade.