2019 Cruse Wine Company Heintz Vineyard Syrah

Cruse Wine Company was founded by Michael Cruse, a Petaluma garagiste on a mission to improve California sparkling wines. A one-time university microbiology student whose earliest wine jobs were at Sutter Home and Merryvale Vineyards, Cruse is a self-taught maker of sparkling wines that rival Champagne. He’s also a proponent of a complicated “natural” style of winemaking known as pétillant natural, a French method in which the sparkling wine is bottled while still fermenting. In 2016 The San Francisco Chronicle named him Winemaker of the Year. Cruse makes still and sparkling wines. He also makes single vineyard, single vintage California sparkling wine under his Ultramarine label.

Sonoma Coast AVA runs from San Pablo Bay in the south to Mendocino County in the north. It includes 7,000 vineyard acres and earned AVA status in 1987. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means it gets double the rainfall of nearby inland appellations and the ocean gives the appellation a relatively cool climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can thrive in these conditions, and there are numerous producers making critically acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

This grape is grown in milder climates and produces a medium-to full-bodied wine. It is also known as Shiraz, but should not be confused with Petit Sirah, which was developed by crossing Syrah with Peloursin.