Benchmark Wines by
Donelan
The Winery
Donelan
Donelan Family Wines is a boutique winery, with vineyards located all throughout Sonoma. This family owned winery produces a delicious variety of wines such as Syrah, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Chardonnay, and Viognier. Despite this list, the star of the show is Syrah. This small family vineyard puts the grape and what it can give to man as its priority, which is an inspiration to most winemakers in California.
Tasting Notes
- WA96+
- One of Joe Donelan’s favorite vineyards and wines is his 2012 Syrah Richards Family Vineyard. (The 2013 was tasted from barrel but is not yet in bottle.) This vineyard is located in Annadel State Park in Sonoma County. It is considered a warmer region, but this is an east-facing, isolated vineyard. The wine is 100% Syrah aged in 45% new French oak for a whopping 34 months prior to bottling. The extended aging seems to calm down this wine, which has incredible density of fruit, mostly blackberry, blueberry and cassis, a brooding smell of subtle barbecue smoke and charcoal, full-bodied opulence, and a terrific finish with great density. This is a stunner and one of the superstars of a great lineup of wines. Drink it over the next 15 years.
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