2013 Inglenook RC Reserve Syrah
Winemaking Notes
Over the last few years, we’ve refined our winemaking methods, using smaller boxes for picking, a new destemmer that is gentler on the fruit, and we apply greater scrutiny during the fermentation process by evaluating individual blocks of fruit daily to determine which will benefit from pump overs. Also, this vintage, we implemented by-the-hour pay for our pickers rather than by-the-ton,
as an additional quality measure that encourages our vineyard staff to pick more slowly, be gentler with the fruit, and focus on selecting higher quality clusters as a means of pre-sorting. Because these methods greatly enhance the quality of the wine, it is our goal to continue this technique with all future vintages.
Tasting Notes
Highly aromatic with a lush, full-body, our 2013 RC Reserve Syrah offers a dramatic bouquet that blends aromas of raspberry, plum, tobacco leaves, and smoke. Balanced acidity and supple tannins support this well structured wine where increasing volume on the palate and notes of blueberries, blackberries, violets, and white chocolate create layers of complexity enlivened by sting of black pepper on the finish.
About Inglenook Winery
History
Roman Coppola, a Syrah aficionado fond of both the Australian heavyweights as well as the more pedigreed Syrah-based wines from the Northern Rhone, worked with the Inglenook winemaking team to create an estate Syrah that combined the nuance and texture of ‘old world’ Syrah with the powerful fruit of ‘new world’ Syrah. Although Inglenook is primarily planted to Cabernet, Rutherford’s temperate climate, alluvial soils and eastern exposure where our Syrah vines are planted offer envious conditions for producing a rich, opulent wine.
The Vineyards
In 1996, Syrah clones #1 and #7 from the Barossa Field Station were planted in the loamy soil of the Gate Vineyard. More recently, we budded a 12-acre parcel in the Chateau Vineyard Block S3 with clones #2, #4 and #6. Both fruit sources demonstrate ripe, clearly defined Syrah flavors with the Chateau Block offering exotic spice nuances and savory aromas.
Some years before his fortieth birthday, Roman Coppola––Francis and Eleanor’s son––wanted to mark the occasion with the release of a new wine and, being a Syrah enthusiast, brought his ideas to Inglenook’s winemaking team to develop what eventually became RC Reserve Syrah, the Estate’s first Syrah.
Roman also designed the label for RC Reserve Syrah, its ribbed edges resembling a postage stamp that features a trompe l’oeil fly on different spots of the label for each successive vintage. For Roman, this charming bug is reminiscent of a favorite dinnerware set used at family meals, but also reveals a clever way of identifying the respective vintage according to the insect’s whereabouts on the label.
Winemaking Notes
Over the last few years, we’ve refined our winemaking methods, using smaller boxes for picking, a new destemmer that is gentler on the fruit, and we apply greater scrutiny during the fermentation process by evaluating individual blocks of fruit daily to determine which will benefit from pump overs. Also, this vintage, we implemented by-the-hour pay for our pickers rather than by-the-ton,
as an additional quality measure that encourages our vineyard staff to pick more slowly, be gentler with the fruit, and focus on selecting higher quality clusters as a means of pre-sorting. Because these methods greatly enhance the quality of the wine, it is our goal to continue this technique with all future vintages.
Tasting Notes
Highly aromatic with a lush, full-body, our 2013 RC Reserve Syrah offers a dramatic bouquet that blends aromas of raspberry, plum, tobacco leaves, and smoke. Balanced acidity and supple tannins support this well structured wine where increasing volume on the palate and notes of blueberries, blackberries, violets, and white chocolate create layers of complexity enlivened by sting of black pepper on the finish.
About Inglenook Winery
History
Roman Coppola, a Syrah aficionado fond of both the Australian heavyweights as well as the more pedigreed Syrah-based wines from the Northern Rhone, worked with the Inglenook winemaking team to create an estate Syrah that combined the nuance and texture of ‘old world’ Syrah with the powerful fruit of ‘new world’ Syrah. Although Inglenook is primarily planted to Cabernet, Rutherford’s temperate climate, alluvial soils and eastern exposure where our Syrah vines are planted offer envious conditions for producing a rich, opulent wine.
The Vineyards
In 1996, Syrah clones #1 and #7 from the Barossa Field Station were planted in the loamy soil of the Gate Vineyard. More recently, we budded a 12-acre parcel in the Chateau Vineyard Block S3 with clones #2, #4 and #6. Both fruit sources demonstrate ripe, clearly defined Syrah flavors with the Chateau Block offering exotic spice nuances and savory aromas.
Some years before his fortieth birthday, Roman Coppola––Francis and Eleanor’s son––wanted to mark the occasion with the release of a new wine and, being a Syrah enthusiast, brought his ideas to Inglenook’s winemaking team to develop what eventually became RC Reserve Syrah, the Estate’s first Syrah.
Roman also designed the label for RC Reserve Syrah, its ribbed edges resembling a postage stamp that features a trompe l’oeil fly on different spots of the label for each successive vintage. For Roman, this charming bug is reminiscent of a favorite dinnerware set used at family meals, but also reveals a clever way of identifying the respective vintage according to the insect’s whereabouts on the label.