2017 Halcon Vineyards Elevacion Estate Syrah Yorkville Highlands 750 ml

We don’t always get invited to themed wine dinners at the French Laundry, but when we do, we say yes—especially when that theme is Syrah. Soon after we arrived, we found ourselves surrounded by a king’s ransom of pricy Northern Rhônes, and with one or two Australian Shiraz blockbusters on the table.

But as soon as we saw that Halcón was on the wine list, we did something audacious: We ordered a bottle of their Elevación Syrah... Our hosts were gobsmacked—by the quality of the Halcón. 

Not us. 

Generous, savory, and seductive, the 2017 Elevación Syrah from Halcón Vineyards is a cool-climate over-performer from the estate’s hidden Mendocino outpost in the Yorkville Highlands—one of the highest elevation vineyards in California. And the day after the dinner,  we had this double 92-point jewel locked down at $28.

Closer in expression to a peppery Northern Rhône red than the Elevación’s more sun-drenched California counterparts down the mountain, this 2017 is classic Syrah at its best, with character and complexity in spades. It hums with tension from the moment it hits the glass, with savory layers of fresh cracked black pepper and wild game that continue to unfold on the palate along with black olive tapenade and dried red rose petal. Dark fruit and pomegranate provide density and lift to the beautifully structured finish.

That Old-World style is exactly what Paul and Jackie Gordon were going for when they established Halcón in 2004 after falling in love with Mendocino. As natives of England, the husband and wife duo wanted to seize the fruit character for which California is recognized, but deliver it with the precision and minerality more closely associated with Europe. “We want them to be California wines, but France is our model,” Paul says.

At 2,500 feet atop a windblown mountain top overlooking the Pacific, the cool, high-elevation aspect is helped along by the same schist soils found in Côte-Rôtie, emphasizing the savory intensity, minerality, and drive that’s evident in every sip of the 2017 Elevación Syrah. The result is a medium-bodied wine that’s remarkably similar to those found in France.

The Gordons produce such little wine—only 185 cases of Elevación Syrah were made—that they don’t bother sending the wines out for press. But the critics still seek them out. The Sacramento Bee’s legendary critic Mike Dunne romantically christened the winery as the “lonely Mendocino outpost yielding wines of uncommon authority,” while Wine Advocate alum Jeb Dunnuck recently said, “I’ve always been a fan of Halcón, and if you like cool-climate wines that have depth, texture and balance, you’re going to love these latest releases...Given the quality, these wines are seriously under-priced.” Vinous critic Antonio Galloni clearly agreed, calling the 2017s “a terrific set of releases from Halcón.”

Halcón Vineyards remains one of those tiny, word-of-mouth producers that Northern California sommeliers and wine buyers hold back for themselves. An insider go-to at The French Laundry, we’ve also spotted Halcón at Meadowood and San Francisco hot spot State Bird Provisions. The estate’s wines command $95+ a pop at these lauded Michelin-starred institutions—which makes our under-$30 price all the more impressive.

Which is why at The French Laundry, 70 miles south of Mendocino and surrounded by a wealth of incredible inky reds, we still couldn’t resist the Halcón Syrah. Our guilt was absolved within a single sip of this thrilling wine, and we’re still convinced our lamb entrée couldn’t have found a more perfect pairing 6,000 miles east in the Northern Rhône itself.

Galloni flipped for Halcón’s 2017 Petite Sirah and Syrah bottlings when he tasted them in January, and Wine Access members who helped the former sell out within hours after we offered it a few months ago will find a whole new cool-climate red obsession with the latter—this 2017 Elevación. For those new to Halcón, we envy you this terrific discovery. And suggest starting with at least a case.