2006 Bell Wine Cellars Syrah, Block 6, Canterbury Vineyards, Sierra Foothills (Special Offers) -- Bell Wine Cellars Shopping Cart -- Foothills Sierra Vineyards, Canterbury 6, Block Syrah, Cellars Wine Bell 2006

<H1>2006 Bell Wine Cellars Syrah, Block 6, Canterbury Vineyards, Sierra Foothills -- Bell Wine Cellars Shopping Cart</H1> $37.00 -- 2006 Bell Wine Cellars Syrah, Block 6, Canterbury Vineyards, Sierra Foothills <IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/bellwine/images/CV%20Syrah.gif" WIDTH=150 ALIGN=right ALT="2006 Bell Wine Cellars Syrah, Block 6, Canterbury Vineyards, Sierra Foothills" NAME="2006 Bell Wine Cellars Syrah, Block 6, Canterbury Vineyards, Sierra Foothills" BORDER=0 HSPACE=10> Vineyards In 1997 we produced our first Syrah from Ian and Elena Renner’s Canterbury Vineyard at the 2,000 foot elevation in the Sierra Foothills. Uniquely situated on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the deep and cold New Mellones Dam, and with full western exposure, the vineyard enjoys a microclimate with warm sunny days, no fog, and cool afternoon breezes off the dam. Block 6 is situated on the highest, steepest slopes of the vineyard, on shallow, well-drained schist soils, yielding intensely flavored grapes. In 2006 we began keeping fruit from Block 6 separate from the balance of the vineyard, aging the wine longer in newer French oak barrels, producing a deep, dark, moderately tannic red wine capable of many years of maturing. Vintage Notes The 2006 growing season began with heavy rains and floods around the Napa Valley. Rainfall continued well into spring with later than usual bloom and set in June. A record heat wave in mid-July failed to damage vines as they were slightly behind in the cycle. Normal, mild weather returned in August and continued, allowing for paced ripening. Cold weather with rain in October slowed sugar accumulation while allowing extended hang time, which enhances maturity and optimal development of flavors. Overall, the season was an outstanding year and has produced wines with beautiful structure, great color, and high natural acidity. Vinification Syrah grapes were gently crushed to minimize crushing of berries and maximize fruit character. We fermented at 85 degrees-F with a Syrah yeast strain, and extracted color utilizing gentle irrigation over the skins. The wine underwent malo-lactic fermentation and was barrel aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 13 months. The wine was not fined and received one filtration prior to bottling. The resulting blend received three months of bottle age prior to release. Tasting Notes This wine is deep ruby in color, with spice and anise highlighting ripe fruit aromas, underlain with sweet oak. The wine has good acidity, with a rich, luscious mouthfeel and firm, ripe elegant tannins. Fruit, oak and acidity are in excellent balance, and yield a brooding wine, with great texture, depth and concentration, and a long finish. This wine will pair well with strongly-flavored foods such as grilled lamb and venison, cassoulet, or smoked ribs. Delicious today, this wine will benefit from an additional five years of aging. <A HREF="http://www.nexternal.com/bellwine" TITLE="Bell Wine Cellars Products">Bell Wine Cellars Products</A> <A HREF="http://bellwine.com">Bell Wine Cellars</A> Bell Wine Cellars <A HREF="http://www.nexternal.com" TITLE="ecommerce software">ecommerce software</A> powered by Nexternal