2013 SAMsARA Syrah Turner Vineyard Sta Rita Hills

The inky colored 2013 Syrah Turner (50% stems and two years in neutral oak) is a classic cool climate Cali Syrah. Olive tapenade, game, smoked bacon, searing pepper and ripe dark fruits all emerge from this medium to full- bodied, nicely concentrated, textured, balanced and incredibly enjoyable effort. Like a lot of better 2013s, it will need short term cellaring to show at its best.

The 2013 Syrah Turner Vineyard is one of the more distinctive wines in the SAMsARA range. Rich, bold and powerful, with plenty of edge from the 100% whole clusters, the Turner offers notable depth and exoticness. Black pepper, game, smoke, licorice, tobacco and game give the Turner much of its personality. The 2013 is certainly solid, but it is not one of the most moving vintages of Turner at SAMsARA. Here, too, the alcohol feels a bit pushed.