Sonoma Vineyards is owned by Tom Klein, who along with his family also owns Rodney Strong Vineyards. The wines under this label are Sonoma designated and aimed at the folks who are starting to discover their passion for wine to the point that their palate has graduated to
varietal wines. In addition to the Syrah I'm looking at today, they produce Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and an un-oaked Chardonnay.
The 2007 fruit for the Sonoma Vineyards Syrah was primarily sourced from Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley. It was barrel aged in a combination of French and American oak for 8 months. The suggested retail price for this selection is $15 and it's finished with a screw top.
Dark plum is the most prominent characteristic of this wines nose. The palate is loaded with dark berry, plum and currant notes. Black cherry emerges on the mid-palate and lingers throughout. Spice, mocha, tobacco and leather notes emerge on the finish followed by a touch of sour cherry that provides the very last note. This wine is solidly built with good balance. It drinks nicely on it's own and will pair with an array of foods.
There's a sea of mediocre wine out there in the $15 and under price range. Finding the bargains is always fun. The Sonoma Vineyards Syrah is a solid little wine that provides good varietal character, a fair amount of complexity and a good finish in its price point. This wine is built to drink now. It seems the intent of this offering is to provide solid everyday drinking for a reasonable price. Sonoma Vineyards has achieved that goal.
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