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2021 OVID Napa Valley Syrah | Three-Bottle Collection

Three-Bottle Collection 2021 OVID Napa Valley Syrah

$750.00
Enjoy With:
The Wok: Recipes and Techniques
by J. Kenji López-Alt

The Syrah Story

In art, there is the concept of negative space, defined as the area in or around a subject that is not the subject. “Negative,” in this case, is neither pejorative nor signifies emptiness. Rather, negative space’s power is to differentiate the subject it surrounds, creating compositional balance and contrast. When viewed a certain way, negative space can even have its own form and meaning (e.g. the famous black-and-white image “Rubin’s Vase”), throwing the understanding of positive and negative into disarray.

Our Syrah’s origin is a story of negative space. In 2006, after we finished planting our main vineyard blocks and constructing the winery, a small, three-quarter acre area between the vineyard and winery remained. We saw it as negative space, but not in a way that meant it should remain unplanted. Rather, it was an opportunity to contain something that creates contrast and compositional balance with the vineyard as a whole. We chose Syrah to perform that function. Unlike the earnest and well-behaved decisiveness of Cabernet, its color is purplish black and its nature is wild and primordial, passionate and animalistic. Rich and savory, it deliciously casts a different perspective on all our other wines and vines.

Tasting Notes

2021 OVID Napa Valley Syrah

The estate Syrah is hand-crafted in tiny batches, and our non-interventionist methodology has steadily evolved since its first bottling in 2009. During the 2021 vintage, we included a portion of whole clusters in our tiny, open-top tank to add structure and intrigue. Following spontaneous fermentation, the wine was aged in Burgundian French oak barrels with minimal racking until bottling in June.

Dense and unctuous, the 2021 OVID Napa Valley Syrah brims with notes of fresh blueberry, jasmine, toffee, Madagascan vanilla, bresaola and flint. Rich and broad across the palate this wine delivers power and depth that beguile its poise and balance. Expect this wine to continue to reveal its layers of complexity for decades to come.

Critical Acclaim

Jeb Dunnuck

This beauty is full-bodied, ripe, and sexy, but holds onto a remarkable sense of purity and freshness.

I always love the Syrah from this team, and the 2021 Syrah is no exception, possessing a majestic, opulent, singular style in its black and blue fruits as well as exotic floral, pepper, candied orange, and subtle game nuances. This beauty is full-bodied, ripe, and sexy, but holds onto a remarkable sense of purity and freshness. It reminds me of Guigal's Cote-Rotie La Mouline and will have 15 years or more of overall longevity. 97 points.