2021 Fingers Crossed Unanswered Prayers Syrah | Oak View, Ventura County California 750ml

The tomahawk steak of the vintage - the king - the dark, brooding, noble Syrah. The fruit sources are the same as our Grenache, and thanks to meticulous farming, we harvested perfectly ripe clusters in pristine condition with marvelously lignified stems (think brown/woody, not green/sappy), which allowed us to include 35% stems during fermentation. They bring spice interest and aromatic lift to the mix. The newborn wines spent 20 months inside of 63% new French oak, concentrating and maturing into their final form that towers above us today. Built like a Hummer, moves like a figure skater; gliding across the palate in smooth and effortless fashion that has us scratching our heads in confusion and grinning with delight.. 438 cases made. | Nikolas & Julia Krankl, Fingers Crossed

...ever so slightly more successful than the Grenache (which, given the differences in the vintage, certainly makes sense). It has an incredibly pure, flawlessly balanced, full-bodied style to go with perfumed aromatics of darker berry fruits, ground pepper, smoked game, and iron. With a vibrant spine of acidity, utterly flawless balance, and ripe tannins, it's going to flirt with perfection at maturity. | 97-99 points, Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com