Potentially one of my favorite vintages of Reckoning to date, 2019 really shows what Syrah is capable of in the Templeton Gap. Fruitful and layered with texture to boot, this side of Reckoning is what we are likely to see more often in the future, and I can’t say that I’m upset about it. 470 clone Syrah still provides the base of the wine, but we also used some whole cluster Estrella clone Syrah to add some complexity. While Petite Sirah and Malbec provide additional texture, Grenache returns a hint of fruitfulness to an otherwise savory masterpiece. 

Ripe strawberry and raspberry compote along with barrel spices of anise, cardamom, and brown sugar are the most obvious aromatics, but a supporting savory note of seared, bloody steak lurks just behind. More ethereal notes of lavender blossom, smashed blackberry on slate, and violets diffuse into the senses, layering and freshening the aromatics. The wine begins fruitful and lively with cranberry juice and passion fruit with additional violets that translate from nose to palate beautifully. The core of the wine is more earthy and spicy with notes of clove and allspice with a sweet undercurrent of dark chocolate and red currants. The tannins are velvety smooth and long, creating a lasting display of flavor from beginning to end, where the wine finishes with a grippy punctuation of leather and strawberry.