Thursday, December 10, 2020

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Syrah 2016

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Syrah 2016

For casual mid-week sipping we opened this Napa Valley Syrah. We discovered, tasted and acquired this wine during our Whitehall Lane Napa Valle Vineyards and Winery Estate visit and tasting during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in August of 2018

Syrah, aka Shiraz is one of our favorite wines for causal flavorful sipping, or for hearty cheeses or tangy spicy pizza, pasta or bbq. Whitehall Lane, and more and more Napa producers are releasing Syrah varietal wines and in some cases including it or featuring it in Red Blends.

The estate winery and vineyards sit right on Whitehall Lane on the St Helena Highway, Rt 128 just south of the Del Dotto Estate Winery and Caves as you approach the town of St Helena. The modern winery facility includes the production facilities and a hospitality center and tasting room that overlooks the vineyards to the west nestled up against the Mayacamas Range. 


Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Syrah 2016

As written in our earlier  tasting notes when we opened this on release and receipt and again last year, "This showed dark inky purple colored and full body with layers of blueberry and currant fruits accented by notes of subdued pepper and hints of cinnamon and a hint of mocha. I defer to the eloquent and artfully drafted tasting notes from the winemaker below."

"The 2016 Luchtel Vineyard Syrah offers fragrant notes of mixed berry compote, violets, blueberry fritter, white pepper, and baking spices. On the palate, the tannins are soft and supple, while the flavors are showing sweet red currants, stewed black plums, beetroot, rhubarb, and a touch of cinnamon."

Consistent with earlier tasting notes. Not a big full throttle fruit bomb like some of the bold concentrated Aussie Shiraz' or some Napa's, but tasty none-the-less. Dark inky purple, medium full bodied, dark black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of blue fruits, cinnamon spice, white pepper and hints of sweet mocha on the moderate tannin laced finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2990406

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Estate Vineyards and Winery - https://whitehalllane.com/

@WhitehallLane