Vintage
2007
Vineyard Designation
Paolo’s Vineyard
Syrah
2007 was another stellar vintage at Montemaggiore. The growing season was ideal, and the harvest was picture-perfect. This manifests itself as a great wine with long age-ability.
- Vineyard
- Tasting Notes
- Recipes
- Accolades
- Vintages
Vineyard Profile: Estate Vineyard
Located on a mountainside high above Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, the rocky soils of Montemaggiore's estate vineyards produce intensely flavored grapes at naturally low yields. Using biodynamic practices and organic materials, we farm Paolo's Vineyard without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
2007 Vintage
The 2007 growing season proved ideal, with grape sugars ripening at the same rate as the flavors and tannins, whereas often the sugars get way ahead of the phenolics. The winter had brought half our usual rainfall, and an early spring led to early budbreak. The heart of the growing season was picture perfect, with moderate temperatures and significant cooling fog. Harvest started right on time. Although clusters were lighter and smaller, the grapes had excellent flavors.
Winemaker's Goal
The Paolo's Vineyard Syrah is Montemaggiore's flagship wine, thus the ultimate expression of our estate mountainside vineyards. Typically 100% Syrah, this wine has rich and intense flavors balancing black fruit with spicy, earthy, savory notes.
Food Pairings
Being medium to full-bodied, Montemaggiore Syrah goes well with foods that are likewise. The earthy flavors in mushrooms, the smokey flavors in grilled meats, the slightly gamey flavors in lamb echo the aromas in the Paolo's Vineyard Syrah.
This wine pairs well with marinated tri-tip, lamb kebabs, pasta bolognese, grilled portobellos, pork tenderloin, bacon rösti, and sheep's milk cheeses.
Consider our recipes for wild mushroom and brie crostini, salsa di parmigiano, mushroom risotto with truffle oil, chipotle sweet potato gratin, salmon grilled on a cedar plank, bucatini amatriciana, and lamb burgers.
Accolades
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
August 2010
“The 2007 Paolo’s Vineyard Syrah exhibits a complex, evolved nose of charcoal, damp earth, smoky barbecue, and dark currants. Medium-bodied and surprisingly elegant, it is clearly made in a mid-weight, European style meant to be drunk over the next 3-4 years."
San Francisco Chronicle
January 2010
The 2007 Paolo's Vineyard Syrah performed exceptionally well by winning a Gold Medal in the largest American wine competition, in which more than 4,900 wines were entered.