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2010 Syrah

2010 Syrah

The 2010 growing season was challenging with cool weather and record rainfall during spring and late summer. Fortunately, warm fall weather arrived in mid-September and continued throughout October. This warm fall allowed harvest to take place under excellent conditions. Low yield in the vineyards, starting from the time of bud break, were essential to achieving good physiological ripeness in 2010. Ongoing vineyard management and rigorous sorting were the key words in the vineyard and winery. When executed correctly the result was vibrant and elegant wines. Whites and rosés are particularly aromatic with focused, pure flavours. Red wines are lower in alcohol with higher acidity level and have firm structured tannins. 2010 is a vin de garde vintage.

The 2010 Syrah is comprised of fruit grown in two different sub appellations in the South Okanagan Valley. As in previous vintages it was fermented with a couple percent Viognier; the resulting effort is a very complex wine with deep colour, great acidity and cool climate fruit profile.

While it combines elements of both the old and new world, our Syrah leans more toward what you would expect from France. The wine is nuanced, elegant and refined. Black peppercorn, grilled herb crusted game meat dominate the nose.

Slideshow Items

  • Peppery, black cherry with meat and bacon aroma from maturity. Not as voluminous as the Violette bottling, but beautiful  all the same. (RH)13.5% Drink 2012-2016

    Jancis Robinson & Richard Hemming Purple Pages
  • 95 points

    The emergence of syrah in Canada, and in particular in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, has been one of the most pleasant developments of the last few years, in Canada, and this wine is one of the finest examples of what that grape can do in that particular region. Born of the 2010 vintage, which had winemakers in the Okanagan stressing over record rain and exceptionally cool weather, it shows the mix of tension and aromatic expressiveness that makes people crave for Northern Rhône syrahs like Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph. Multilayered and complex, it makes you constantly want to go back to the glass and take in its ripe and young aromas of black pepper, black fruit, herbs and spices, bacon and a touch of anise – the descriptors could go on and on. The tannin structure is fine and tight, and the wine has as much freshness as depth. Definitely worth keeping around for a few years.  Very highly recommended.

    Remy Charest palatepress.com  |  Tasted: April 26, 2013
  • 92 Points

    Le Vieux Pin’s syrah 2010 is a wine of remarkable freshness for the Okanagan, with a lovely lifted, white pepper, sagebush, cranberry-red currant, vibrant raspberry flavour. The palate is mid-weight, balanced, with nicely integrated wood and moderate alcohol (13.5%); tannins are firm but sufficiently enveloped in fruit extract to compensate, and ensure future development. Here’s a wine of refinement and class to be sure, better in 2-3 years.

    John Szabo, MS Tasted: December 2012
  • 91 Points

    This is an excellent, firm yet well-appointed syrah that nicely balances fresh, lively currant fruit, great pepper, nutmeg and Okanagan sage. It has fine tension, energy and structure if not the greatest length. This is a very honest, authentic and focused syrah. No over-extraction, no over-oaking, no attempt to seduce through artifice. Some sourness and tannic grit suggest you age it for awhile. Best 2015 to 2020.

    David Lawrason