2017 Kalen's Big Boy Blend - 46 bottles found in cellar

ARTIST: Kevin Keul bottle

Tasting Notes

A gushing, 14th annual love letter to California Syrah. In the glass is it the deepest purple, fronting classic blackberry, black cherry, framboise and spicy bramble aromas. Possibly our most fruit-centric and outwardly pleasing iteration of this grape, it also holds a consistent track record for aging potential if you have the patience.

This year we found the ideal blend in a marriage of 50-50 Sonoma Mountain and Russian river fruit. Raised in a combination of new puncheon (an excellent vessel for Syrah) and neutral barrique, the juice matured into a boisterous mouthful of wine. Atoosa’s vineyard (partially whole cluster fermented) brings inky black fruit, cocoa powder and pepper while Steiner vineyard lends exuberant lifted cherry, fine, dusty tannins and a rugged mountain character.

Kalen’s is, by design, a cuvée that pulls no punches yet stops well short of overbearing on any level. Thrilling and satisfying as a young wine, we once again highly suggest (beg?) you to cellar at least a few bottles as long as possible to allow the true wonders of Syrah to fully emerge. We find ourselves reaching for the older bottles whenever we have the opportunity.

DRINKING WINDOWS

Prime drinking: 2020 through 2028
Graceful ageability: 2029+

VINEYARDS

50% Steiner / 50% Atoosa's

CLONES

50% Alban 1 / 50% 470

STATS

pH: 3.9  |  TA: 6 g/L  |  Alcohol: 14.8%
Bottling: May 24, 2019  |  Pre-Release: Fall 2019
Cases Produced: 149