Only savvy consumers have come to understand just how good West Coast Syrah can be. Why? Because there just aren't a lot of these sensational, purple-fruit beauties. And when you find them, they tend to be made by young winemakers who are putting out just a few barrels from a great site. Little by little, not only the top vineyards, but the top blocks within those vineyards are being sorted out. And when a great vineyard emerges, the young upstarts pounce on them, pushing up the price for the best fruit.

It's no wonder that Syrah masters from Pax Mahle to Paul Hobbs have jumped to get a few barrels from Kick Ranch. It lies in Rincon Valley, outside of Santa Rosa, where Spring Mountain descends steeply from the east. The site has great soils for Syrah -- light, gravelly, low-yielding -- and faces the southwest. Off in the distance is the famous Petaluma Wind Gap, bringing cooling breezes into this site virtually every afternoon.

Winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson

When we first tasted this super-concentrated but terrifically lively Syrah in barrel, it had what all the best Syrahs have -- a certain "wound up" quality, with tremendous pent-up power and verve. Now, it's inky ruby in color, with notes of dark fruits, baking spice, anise, and charcuterie on the nose. On the palate, this shows layers of black fruit, with nuances of white pepper and great persistence.

Pair this bold but bright California Syrah with braised veal shanks seasoned with thyme and rosemary.