Wild black raspberry, pink peppercorn, tart blueberry. Sour cherry, young rosemary, underripe red plum. Crunchy boysenberry, strawberry, and currants radiate with incredible freshness and nerve, somehow spewing tremendously bright and expressive aromatics while remaining exceptionally crisp and lean. Blooming lavender, cherry blossom, and violet emerge to expand upon the playful and delicate expanse while fresh sage and pine contribute rugged natural flair. Notes of paprika and white pepper reveal a whimsically spiced dimension complicated by Himalayan sea salt and ocean air. Subtle impression of feathered game expose a wild and untamed edge that completes the captivating and cerebral attack. Beguilingly racy; sporting clean rocky minerality and an undeniable crunch-factor while managing to maintain massive depth and complexity. Light bodied and pleasantly low in alcohol with moderate tannin and beautifully elevated acidity. This 2016 Cherry Camp Vineyard Syrah by Joseph Jewell Wines is a masterful yet unpretentious cool climate gem from the Sonoma Coast.

Although Sonoma County's coolest coastal reaches were once thought to be too cold for viticulture, gradual improvements in vineyard management along with a general warming of the climate have resulted in grapes continuously being planted further and further west. This bottling, crafted by Joseph Jewell Wines using Syrah from the Cherry Camp Vineyard located just outside of Occidental, proves that great things are possible when implied boundaries are challenged and pushed. Through its lean and lively profile this wine differs dramatically from what one might typically expect from California Syrah, and its emphasis on freshness without sacrificing complexity is an intriguing breath of fresh air. At merely 12.2% ABV this is far from a heavyweight and yet it still carries exceptional profundity and pizzazz. A deliciously authentic and fascinating creation.