Wine Advisor
Arnot Roberts, Clary Ranch Syrah 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2017 Syrah Clary Ranch is striking. Deep and resonant on the palate, the 2017 has so much to say. Some of the angular edges and intense savoriness the Clary Ranch can show have been soften by the intense heat of the year. Silky, fine tannins wrap around a core of dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and pepper. A Syrah of power and structural intensity, the Clary Ranch is incredibly distinctive, and that is in a lineup in which many of the wines are exceptional. Two thousand-seventeen is a superb vintage for the Clary Ranch Syrah.
About the Producer
Arnot-Roberts is a small Californian wine producer, specializing in small-lot single-vineyard wines. The main focus is on Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though wines are made from several other less-common grape varieties like Trousseau and Ribolla. The business was founded in 2001 by winemaker Duncan Arnot Meyers and cooper Nathan Lee Roberts, childhood friends and Napa Valley natives. The first commercial vintage – a couple of barrels' worth – was 2002. Only around three to five barrels are made of each wine, and production totals about 5000 cases across around 17 different wines. Wines are typically released four times per year via allocation to the estate mailing list. Vineyards Fruit comes from around 20 different and well-dispersed vineyard sources from the Sonoma Coast, Napa Valley, Clear Lake and other AVAs. Most of the supply comes from partnerships with growers, with smaller amounts from leased or managed vineyard plots. In 2013 Arnot-Roberts took over management of the postage stamp-sized Que Syrah vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA. This is an unusual, cooler climate site for that particular variety, located only two miles from the Pacific Ocean. Winemaking Arnot-Roberts aims to focus on acidity and tannin rather than fruit characters. Grapes are often picked at lower ripeness levels than the norm, achieving fresh acidity but resulting in wines that can struggle to reach 12 percent abv. Natural yeasts are used, sulphur dioxide additions are kept to a minimum, and wines are often bottled without fining or filtration. Roberts makes all their barrels from oak sourced directly from Alliers in France.
