Tyler Thomas, our Chief Winemaker, recently attempted to pin down the elusive notion of terroir on Cork’d:

“Here is the working definition I use: Terroir is a confluence of soil, microclimate, material (Syrah, Grenache, etc.), and deft touch that produce unique changes to the governing components of a wine’s taste.”

We think this is just about perfect, since we are all about the journey of wine – the experience. The whole picture (or glass, as the case may be) is complex, never truly final, always evolving, and lives on in the palate of memory long after the bottle has been recycled.

Winemaking in California is its own special journey, to be sure. We feel especially blessed that our diverse Sonoma County sites allow us to produce distinct and – hopefully – world class Syrah wines. After sampling some terrific Cote Rotie and Saint Joseph Syrah, and then bottling our own 2008 Cuvee Christine Syrah by way of a few tastings (someone has to…), our love for Syrah wine has become more intoxicating than all those little sips put together.

Tyler was asked in an interview not too long ago if it is our goal at Donelan Wines to try and make wines like those from the Rhone Valley? Or Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Châteauneuf du Pape?

The short answer he gave: Nope.

The Rhone Valley wines have certainly supplied ample inspiration for our winemaking: cool sites, native yeast, stem inclusion, zero racking, and limited amounts of new oak. But we think that Californian winemakers have done themselves a disservice by constantly linking our wine to kindred regions in Europe.

This is especially true if the area does not easily translate to our consumer’s palate consciousness. If we believe in terroir, as we do, then let us discover and promote California terroir. Our goal is to use the diversity of Sonoma County and Syrah’s ability to manifest itself along a mysterious spectrum of savory and fruity flavors to unveil unique and unequaled terroir right here.

Syrah wine in particular has some of the most palatable diversity of any red variety we have had the opportunity to imbibe. In cool areas it can have a decidedly meaty, brothy, and earthy tone along with flavors like oregano, black pepper, and lavender. Cuvee Keltie, Richards Vineyard, and Kobler Vineyard Syrah are built around a core of such nuance and dark fruit aromas provide a finishing accent.

In warmer areas like Obsidian Vineyard, we’ve observed a general shift in the core of the wine from savory to fruitier and sweeter associations – think baked berry crisp.

With the right balance, the wonderful cherries and blackberries of Syrah wines can be complimented with meaty and spicy flavors that add layers and elevate the pleasure of sipping.

If in our process of discovery and distillation of what about a particular terroir makes a wine taste the way it does people remark how our Californian wine reminds them of a reference point such as Hermitage – fabulous! We love and are inspired by those wines, and any association with them is a compliment. But we are not setting out to make Cote Rotie; we are searching for sites right here in Cali that produce peerless Syrah.

We can all drink to that. Enjoy!