The 2022 Syrah The Initiation is compelling on the nose, lifting with notes of dark wet stones as well as blackberries, pepper oils, lavender, and black olives, all so well intertwined. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a silky texture, with sweet tannins (although it’s fully dry), and has a precise feel, with delicate, mouthwatering saline and fresh acidity. Drink it over the next 10 -12 years.

The 2022 Syrah The Initiation, from Soberanes, pours an opaque ruby/purple in the glass. Dark and somber but undeniably expressive, it oozes sweet blackberry, lavender and loads of exotic spices. Elegant and more red-toned on the palate, the archetypal SLH Syrah tannins are incredibly well-managed. Aged in 75% new French oak for 18 months, The Initiation soaked it up like a champ. It’s open and approachable with some air but powerfully structured for a long evolution. - By Billy Norris on August 2024

A deep color. Potent black fruit and dark spices with a tight texture and full-on fine-grained tannins. Blackberries, star anise, black pepper, graphite and ultra-dark chocolate flavors with meaty accents. The structure is strong and age-worthy. This rare wine comes from the Soberanes Vineyard, where only three acres are in syrah, planted with Alban clone 1. Drinkable now, but best from 2029.

From the Soberanes Vineyard, the 2022 Syrah The Initiation was matured for 15 months in 75% new French oak. It has savory, sanguine aromas of bacon fat, woodsmoke and iron over pure blackcurrant fruit. The full-bodied palate is ripe without going over the top. It’s structured by chalky tannins and bright freshness and has a long, mineral-driven finish. 99 cases were made.- EB