Alban Vineyards, Patrina Estate Syrah, Central Coast, California, 2020

Overview of the Wine
Alban Vineyards is the first America winery and vineyard established exclusively for Rhone varieties. Conceived at a time when there were virtually only two "flavors" of wine produced in the U.S., they set out to introduce wine grapes that would offer oenephiles a new world of possibilities. Pioneering Roussanne, Grenache Noir and Viognier to go along with meticulously selected clones of Syrah, Alban Vineyards has guided consumers and producers to the enormous potential of Rhone varietals in California.

Sustainable.

Grape / Blend
Syrah

Origin
Edna Valley, Central Coast, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
While the grapes for Patrina are raised with the same detail and attentiveness as the rest of the vineyards and then fermented open top with indigenous yeast, gentle pump overs and a few punch downs once soft, it is bottled unfined and unfiltered after 'just' 22 months in barrel to preserve its youthful exuberance. It offers all the density and concentration folks have come to expect from their reds with black and blue fruits, mineral notes, and flowers.

94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Bottled in January of 2023, the 2020 Syrah Patrina opens with iodine and cassis, taking time to blossom with scents of tar, blueberry candy and peppermint patty. The palate is full-bodied and highly polished with abundant, velvety tannins, bursts of mouthwatering acidity and a surprisingly ethereal finish.

93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the 2020 reds and the only one tasted out of bottle, the 2020 Patrina sports a deep purple hue as well as a massive bouquet of ripe darker berry fruits, peppery herbs, and violets. It's full-bodied, wonderfully textured, has ripe tannins, and is just a killer bottle of wine to drink over the coming 7-8 years. If you've never had a wine from Alban, give this a whirl.

Product size: 750ml