Sine Qua Non Syrah The Hated Hunter 2017

The 2017 Syrah The Hated Hunter is a dense, powerful wine. Super-ripe black cherry, leather, spice and licorice are all amplified by the warmth of the year, which is very much felt. Unctuous, exotic and flamboyant to the core, the 2017 offers tons of immediacy if a bit less of the delineation found in more balanced years. Then again, that is 2017. The blend here is 82.4% Syrah, 7.8% Petite Sirah, 5.2% Mourvèdre, 2.0% Grenache, 1.4% Viognier and 1.2% Petit Manseng. Vineyard sites are The Third Twin Estate, Eleven Confessions, Cumulus and Molly Aïda.-- Antonio Galloni