Jolie-Laide Syrah North Coast 2018

VINTAGE : 2018

COUNTRY : USA

REGION/APPELLATION : California, Yorkville Highlands

VARIETALS : Syrah

VINEYARD :  Halcon Vineyard and Hawks Butte Vineyard 

Jolie-Laide is a two person operation based in Sebastopol where winemaker Scott Schultz makes only 500 cases of wine a year. The name Jolie-Laide translates loosely to “Pretty-Ugly”, a French term of endearment to describe something that is unconventionally beautiful. Scott makes some of the most unique and highly sought-after wines in California that are true to their name.

A blend of two Yorkville Highlands vineyard sites, the rugged high elevation Halcon Vineyard and the equally compelling Hawks Butte Vineyard (Made Famous by Wells Guthrie @ Copain Wines back in the early 2000’s) Hawks Butte is made up of rocky soils on a south facing slope and adds slightly more density and fruit while still wildly fresh with supple tannin. The Halcon compliments the wine with brooding structure. This is the first vintage experimenting with 100% Syrah, Grapes are left on stems, crushed by foot and fermented with very light punch downs. The wine is indicative of the earthy region, dense yet fruity with a large expression of light wood and wet earth.