2018 Pride Mountain Vineyards Syrah Sonoma County 750 ml

High on Spring Mountain, Pride Mountain Vineyards crafts Cabernets and Merlots that have gained a worldwide following. They also make a couple of small-production reds that the Pride mailing list has been happy to keep to themselves. 

In normal times, more than 90% of Pride’s Syrah goes to the mailing list. The other 100 cases are left to Yohannah, Pride’s Director of National Sales, who judiciously allocates them to top restaurants across the country. And while most retailers have little chance, our Master Sommelier Sur Lucero just happens to have known Yohannah for more than a decade, which is why today, Wine Access members get their first-ever allocation of this under-the-radar Syrah. 

The 2018 Pride Syrah is one of the diamonds hiding behind Pride’s famous name. Sourced from stellar Sonoma County sites and two tiny parcels at the estate, it’s a stunning dark-fruited Syrah that combines Pride’s trademark intensity and concentration with the kind of spice and savoriness that will thrill fans of the Northern Rhône. 

Antonio Galloni of Vinous agrees, saying the 2018 Pride Syrah “impresses for its precision and nuance,” and has tons of the “textural richness readers have come to expect from Pride.” It's a flawless mix of New World and Old that's capable of elevating every dish on the table, from a cast-iron-seared ribeye to Oaxacan molé.

Straddling Napa and Sonoma counties high on Spring Mountain, Pride Mountain Vineyards still feels about as far-flung as it did in 1989. That’s especially true at the back end of the 235-acre, 2100’ site, where Pride—inspired by their love of elegant Northern Rhône Syrah—planted their tiny "Sunset Vineyards."

Aside from that cool northwest corner of their estate, Pride’s mountaintop site is a bit warm for the kind of elegant Syrah they want to produce, which is why they turn to some of Sonoma County’s top sites for spicy and expressive Rhône grapes. The 2018 features fruit from the Greywacke Vineyard, a small and steep spot on the eastern side of Black Mountain in the Russian River AVA, and the Jemrose Vineyard in Bennett Valley. 

The “striking aromatic definition” described by Vinous’ Antonio Galloni comes from the Northern Rhône-style vinification, in which the Syrah is co-fermented with about 3% Viognier, a process that also rounds out the mouthfeel and adds mid-palate presence to the wine. Winemaker Sally Johnson incorporates a small dollop of Grenache (just 2%) into the blend, which is then aged in only neutral oak—another Northern Rhône touch that keeps the aromatic purity of the grapes at center stage.

This is a seldom-seen bottling from one of the most recognized and respected names in California wine, and we’re thrilled to bring it to you.