The Flanagan Syrah Bennett Valley opens with notes of white pepper, cherry blossom, and Bay Leaf. The palate has ripe black fruit, bacon fat, and Herbs de Provence with a surprising amount of tannin structure for New World Syrah. The wine is ripe and generous and retains great acids. The small berries produced from the steep, volcanic hillside site gives the wine great color and concentration. This is a wine that can stand proudly with top Syrah from around the world.
"Coming from a south facing, rocky vineyard, the 2019 Syrah Bennett Valley (100% destemmed and aged in 30% new barrels) reveals an inky hue as well as medium-bodied, classic cool-climate Syrah aromas and flavors of black and blue fruits, bay leaf, bacon fat, and pepper. Nicely textured, with good acidity and plenty of fruit, it's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and should have 10-12 years of prime drinking after that."
- Jeb Dunnuck (July 2021), 92 pts
"Impressive dark fruit in the blackberry zone and sweetly fragrant spices with hints of pepper and oak toast. The palate has a very supple and juicy edge with a suave, plush and smoothly delivered, black-cherry and blackberry core of flavor. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (November 2018), 94 pts
"The 2013 Syrah Estate (100% Syrah) exhibits deep, briary wild mountain berry fruit with some blacker nuances. Some earthiness crops up along with hints of lavender and spice, and there is a peppery note as well. This medium to full-bodied, luscious Syrah should drink nicely for the next 5-7 years."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #223, March 2016), 88 pts
Eric Flanagan traveled extensively and was fascinated by how grape varieties expressed so differently around the world. In 1999 Eric purchased 40 acres on the side of Bennett Mountain and ...
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