Saarloos and Sons '06 Purper Hart Syrah

Background: Purper? Yes. "Purper" is Dutch for purple, as in "Purple Heart." Uncle John Saarloos fought in World War II and won the Purple Heart for his enduring sacrifice.

Saarloos and Sons is located at the northern end of Grand Avenue in downtown Los Olivos. As you step into the tasting room, you can't help but marvel at the contemporary interior design within this historic building. For four generations, the Saarloos family has farmed the Santa Ynez Valley and crafted wines with a purpose and story to carry on.

Stats: Fruit harvested in 2006 from the Saarloos and Sons Estate Vineyard, Windmill Ranch. Barrel aged for 2 years; bottle aged for 1 year. 14.5% alcohol by volume. 347 cases.

Tasting Notes: Pop! Pour. Enjoy. The '06 Purper Hart Syrah elicits smoky, meaty notes and ripe fruit aromas, combined with black pepper and dark, jammy berry flavors. Without aeration, this Santa Barbara County single vineyard Rhône wine is firm, but eventually evolves into a wine exhibiting lush texture and ripe flavors demanding another year or two in the bottle for maximum enjoyment. How about the nose? Have you ever stepped into a winery during crush? Did you ever peek into a bin of freshly crushed Syrah grapes and take a good whiff? If so, you may pick up the faint resemblance of that ripe aroma when you first swirl a glass of the '06 Purper Hart Syrah. Can you relate?

Saarloos and Sons
2971 Grand Avenue, Los Olivos
(805) 688-1200
Twitter:@saarloosandsons
Facebook: Saarloos and Sons