2020 Fingers Crossed, Head Held High Syrah, Santa Maria Valley, Bottle (750ml)
$195
98+LP97JD
Critic key
JD = Jeb DunnuckLP = Lisa Perrotti-Brown
- Rating
- LP98+/JD97
- Producer
- Fingers Crossed
- Vintage
- 2020
- Region
- California
- Appellation
- Santa Maria Valley
- Country
- United States
- Format
- Bottle
- Volume
- 750mL
- Type
- Still
- Color
- Red
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Product Description
LP98+ "The 2020 Syrah Head Held High comes from Bien Nacido and Sanford & Benedict Vineyards. It is a blend of 88% Syrah, 7% Grenache, 1% Mourvèdre, and 4% white wine, which is the 2020 White blend of Chardonnay, Roussanne Marsanne. It was made using 40% whole cluster and was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 79% new. It was bottled in July 2022. Very deep purple-black colored, it needs a little swirling to unlock notes of chocolate-covered cherries, tar, lilacs, and charcuterie with hints of truffles and licorice. The palate is full-bodied, rich, and concentrated, with bags of freshness delivering energy and tension to the densely packed layers. Plush, beautifully rounded tannins coat the mouth, and the finish is epically long and savory. Forget it in the cellar for 5-6 years and then enjoy it over the next 20-years+. 312 cases were made." LPB for TWI Aug 2022
JD97 "Lastly, the 2020 Syrah Head Held High is a rich, powerful wine that shows the warmer style of the vintage while staying focused, pure, and balanced. Blackberries, black pepper, violets, game, and a kiss of iodine all flow to a full-bodied Syrah with silky tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a gorgeous finish. It's another singular, remarkable wine from this incredibly talented team that I wish every reader could taste.Looking at the 2020s from Fingers Crossed, these show the richer, riper style of the vintage and are noticeably bigger wines than the 2021s. Nevertheless, they hold onto a beautiful sense of vibrancy and are flawlessly balanced. The 2021s come across as more cool climate-inspired, with bright, fresher styles that certainly had me thinking of comparisons from the Rhône (the Syrah in particular). One thing is sure, you can’t go wrong with any of these latest releases from Nicolas and Julia Krankl. In addition, I expect production to increase slightly here going forward, as they’ve been able to pick up a few additional parcels in top vineyards in Santa Barbara County." JD Aug 2023
JD97 "Lastly, the 2020 Syrah Head Held High is a rich, powerful wine that shows the warmer style of the vintage while staying focused, pure, and balanced. Blackberries, black pepper, violets, game, and a kiss of iodine all flow to a full-bodied Syrah with silky tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a gorgeous finish. It's another singular, remarkable wine from this incredibly talented team that I wish every reader could taste.Looking at the 2020s from Fingers Crossed, these show the richer, riper style of the vintage and are noticeably bigger wines than the 2021s. Nevertheless, they hold onto a beautiful sense of vibrancy and are flawlessly balanced. The 2021s come across as more cool climate-inspired, with bright, fresher styles that certainly had me thinking of comparisons from the Rhône (the Syrah in particular). One thing is sure, you can’t go wrong with any of these latest releases from Nicolas and Julia Krankl. In addition, I expect production to increase slightly here going forward, as they’ve been able to pick up a few additional parcels in top vineyards in Santa Barbara County." JD Aug 2023