2023 Drew Family Cellars, Mendocino Ridge GSM "The Field Blend"

Yesterday we reminded everyone of the great Syrah master Philippe Desbos, but some might ask why are we always focusing on French versions of this wonderful grape? The truth is that few producers outside of the Northern Rhône are capable of capturing the most authentic and alluring expression of Syrah—one of these rare artisans is Drew Family Cellars in Mendocino. Although not yet a household name, we consider Jason Drew one of the most gifted winemakers in California: He has consistently proven to be a reliable blue-chip source for some of the finest and most site-transparent wines from the high-elevation, coastal-influenced Mendocino Ridge. Each wine we’ve tasted pushes the limits of precision, detail, and finesse but his Syrahs always seem to steal the show. True, the “Field Blend” is technically a GSM (and V for Viognier), but really it is a full blown Syrah–reportedly from cuttings of J.L. Chave’s Hermitage parcels, how’s that for authenticity!  By the time Jason started Drew Fam