2007 Next of Kyn Syrah No~1 Cumulus Vineyard

Drank this from a friends cellar who also made the list, and just doesn't know any better (but a HUGE thanks for sharing - LOL).   Needless to say, he came walking down the street, we popped and poured it "on the bistro," poured about a 1/2 glass, and I suggested we decant it in the cellar for a couple hours while we sipped some non vintage Krug. 

After a 2 hour double splash decant, we poured glasses for the 3 of us and let them warm up outside for about 15 minutes.  It was still below the temperature that I would probably drink this at, but it still showed wonderfully.  Gorgeous DARK purple in the glass!  And I mean dark! 

On the nose, great blackberry, raspberry, black cherry fruits, with some nice floral notes of violet, lavender, licorice, and spice.  On the palate, the first thing you'll notice is just how smooth this wine is.  As the wine warmed up, it actually seemed to gain a little acidity, which wasn't a bad thing in the least.  More dark fruits on the palate, with blackberry and black cherry dominating.  Some smokey notes, black pepper, and spice round out the palate, and the alcohol seemed to be integrated very nicely at this stage.  The finish was long and lingering, and I wouldn't expect anything less from Manfred. 

This is definitely a venture that I am very glad to have gotten in on from the ground level, and probably one of the most exciting wineries I look forward to watching evolve.  95 points now, and I can definitely see this getting a few points better with time.  What a treat, and I am glad to have our entire allocation in storage!  Cheers!