2019 Shafer Vineyards Relentless, Napa Valley, USA (750ml)

WINEMAKER'S NOTES: The 2019 Relentless is a bold, complex vintage with a juicy core of classic Syrah gaminess and an enticing range of savory aromas and flavors. The wine opens with grilled meat, black pepper, roast almonds, and baked earth. On the palate, the wine is mouth-filling and soul-satisfying with vivid flavors of black pepper, wet stone, blueberry, and black tea. The finish is lengthy and its underlying acidity and ripe, structured tannins means it is built for long term age-ability. TASTING NOTES: The 2019 Relentless is mostly Syrah, yet the cuvée always includes a good bit of Petite Sirah, with 11% in the 2019. A deep purple-hued blockbuster of a Syrah, it offers loads of ripe blackberries, ground pepper, sappy herbs, and violet-like aromas and flavors. One of those wines that delivers richness and intensity with no sensation of weight of heaviness, it has terrific balance, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Enjoy bottles over the coming 10-15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck, 96 pts.