Drew Family Cellars, Mendocino Ridge “The Field Blend” GSM

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, I 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 I’ve tasted pushes the limits of precision, detail, and finesse but his Syrahs always seem to steal the show.  Because I’ve been so enthralled with them, I recently took a weekend road trip through the North Coast and stopped by Drews’ forested oasis. After touring and uncorking a large number of bottles, I couldn’t stop talking about today’s Rhône-inspired red. This 2018 “Field Blend” may say “GSM” (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre), but it’s mostly Syrah—supposedly from Chave cuttings!—which is yet another reason why I