2011 Arrowood Saralee's Vineyard Syrah

Arrowood Vineyards and Winery was founded in Sonoma, California, in 1986 by Richard and Alis Arrowood. Richard was the original winemaker at Chateau St. Jean and while there produced some of the state’s first single-vineyard wines. Arrowood’s first vintage under his own label was 1987, and in 1990 Richard left Chateau St. Jean to devote himself full time to Arrowood. Since then the 20-acre estate, half of which is in Sonoma Valley and half in the Russian River Valley, has been acquired first by Robert Mondavi then by the wine and spirits conglomerate Constellation. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that despite the change in ownership “things have changed little, which is good news for wine consumers, as this has long been a noteworthy source for beautiful white and red wines. Arrowood has no weak spots in its portfolio.”

Russian River Valley AVA is named for the river that meanders from Mendocino County in the north until it finally runs into the Pacific Ocean north of San Francisco. The AVA is cool thanks to its proximity to the northern California coast and the river, and grape growers must learn to deal with regular fog. Nevertheless in recent decades the AVA has become one of the best in the state, meaning that its wines often earn excellent reviews and have considerable cachet. The AVA status was awarded in 1983 and today the appellation has 15,000 vineyard acres. Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape though Pinot Noir has also been very successful in recent decades. Russian River Valley Pinot Noir are known for being rich, lush and filled with concentrated fruit and berry flavors. Russian River Pinot Noirs are today considered some of the best domestic Pinot Noirs.

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.