2010 Syrah Kick Ranch Sonoma County

Morgan Twain-Peterson admitted that the August 23rd through 25th heat blast that decimated many Sonoma Valley vineyards "seriously challenged the vines and it was a huge advantage to work with old vineyards, which are equipped to handle climatic stress." He added that "a lot of younger vines got completely fried, especially up in the Dry Creek area; it was pretty awful." Despite the obvious danger of fruit getting overripe in 2010, if not completely cooked, Morgan said that he was able to harvest pretty much all of his Sonoma Valley fruit at under 25 degrees Brix, "which is my sweet spot for zin, syrah and mixed blacks."

Morgan Twain-Peterson is one of the most impressive young winemakers I have ever met, and it's not just because he grew up the son of a famous producer. Making wines at this level requires talent, passion, hard work and a great palate, none of which is easily inherited. Along with Mike Officer of Carlisle, Twain-Peterson is on a mission to rediscover what he calls California's old-vine ‘heritage' vineyards. These historic sites planted by California's early immigrants, often home to unknown field blends, remain some of the most fascinating vineyards in California. Officer and Twain-Peterson were tired of seeing these old sites gobbled up by industrial-scale wineries, so they decided to do something about it. Bravo. Vintage 2010 was not kind to Twain-Peterson. Five vineyards were totally scorched by the late summer heat spikes and the crop from those sites were lost. But back to the positive, and there is plenty of that here. This lineup includes several wines that deliver phenomenal quality for the money.