Good bright, saturated medium ruby. Captivating aromas of high-toned candied raspberry, smoked meat and gunflint. Dense, lush and thick, but given shape by surprisingly firm acidity. Uncompromisingly dry and stony on the palate; not at all a fruit driven style of syrah. Finishes with substantial broad, dusty tannins and excellent length. Very interesting wine, from what winemaker Bob Foley describes as "a quartz gravel pile on the crest of the hill." The fruit was entirely destemmed, and no new barrels were used.

Immense and firmly tannic, blessed with lively acidity. The core blackberry and blueberry flavors are shaded by hints of beef, sage, herb and tobacco. Coming together nicely on the finish, but clearly needs cellaring to soften. Best from 2007 through 2013.

Mildly gamy, a touch smoky and simply brimming with sweet, caramelized, oaky spice, Pride Mountain's latest Syrah goes for complexity and depth while keeping overt fruitiness fairly quiet. It is full and fleshy in feel without the heaviness that sometimes comes with wines of such ripeness and weight. Its finish is a bit tough and dry, but this is a young wine with excellent potential for improvement, and all signs point to better if it is allowed to age for another five years.

Bob Foley continues to demonstrate a sure hand with Syrah grown in their Sonoma vineyard's gravelly/quartz soils. The medium to full-bodied 2003 Syrah offers fresh acidity (thanks to the high mountain elevation) as well as abundant blackberry and floral characteristics. Drink this beauty over the next 5-6 years.