Paz Syrah 2016

This is an expansive syrah that fills the mouth with soft tannins that then unfold on the palate. Medium-bodied, yet so soft and fresh with a sweet-tobacco, dark-berry and light chocolate aftertaste. Drink now.

The 2016 Gran Syrah uses more and more grapes from Pedernal; it's still a blend of grapes from the three valleys of San Juan, Tulum, Zonda and Pedernal, but now Pedernal is two-thirds of the blend, while in the past it was approximately one-third of each. This was cropped from an unusual year that was not as wet as it was in Mendoza. Pedernal is cooler and so was 2016, so the wine is fresher. It also contains a small percentage of Viognier and had different fermentations in oak, stainless steel and concrete eggs. The oak is nicely integrated (they only use some 10% new barrels), and it's varietal à la Northern Rhône. The palate is medium to full-bodied, and it's definitely saltier that sweet, serious and destined for the dining table. 100,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2018. - Luis Gutiérrez.