Layered aromas of plums, black cherries, leather, bark and iron. Full-bodied with a lot of nuance. Firm, gripping tannins. Dried roses and crushed blackberries mix with dark, mineral complexity, leaving a buzz on the palate. A clear note of cocoa powder comes through. Concentrated and dynamic. Superb. Best after 2024.

I always seem to love this cuvée and the 2019 Syrah Motor City Kitty is no exception. Coming all from a single block in the Boushey Vineyard, it was not destemmed, spent a full 47 days on skins, and was raised 21 months in 25% new French oak. It has a great nose of darker, gamey black fruits as well as iron, ground pepper, black olives, and violets. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, this balanced, rich, gamey, Northern Rhône-like beauty is terrific today and will be terrific in 8-10 years as well.

The 2019 Syrah Motor City Kitty (MCK) is sourced from the Oldfield Block in the Boushey vineyard, set on sandy volcanic soils. On the nose, bright black fruits with citrus ember and sagebrush undertones all meld in the glass. The palate brims with acidity and finesse throughout the drinking experience. Medium-bodied and less fleshy than the 2018 edition but equally good, this excellent Syrah isn’t going anywhere for another eight years.