Syrah is the great grape of France's Rhone Valley (particularly the northern section). It is also called Shiraz, and therefore has been said to originate from the ancient Persian city of the same name. All modern research indicates, however, that syrah is indeed from the Northern Rhone. While perhaps less romantic, the wines made from this grape in the Rhone (especially Hermitage and Cote-Rotie) rival the best wines from any other region in the world.
We realize that California has its own unique soil and climate, and that syrah grown here will not be exactly the same as that grown in Hermitage. Instead of trying to make Hermitage we let California syrah speak for itself. Our nights are cooler than in the Rhone, providing a slightly brighter, more acidic version of syrah than found in the Northern Rhone.
