Synapse Winery Tasting
Placerville, CA
Tasted Tuesday, July 9, 2013 by isaacjamesbaker with 422 views
Introduction
Synapse Winery is a relatively new project that focuses on El Dorado Syrah, although they also source grapes from other areas in Northern California. They have a trendy little tasting room on Main Street in Placerville, so my family and I stopped in for a tasting. I wasn't expecting much, but I had a great time. Synapse sources some wines from outside of the Sierra Foothills, and I was less impressed with these. However, as soon as we got to the El Dorado wines, it became clear to me that these Synapse folks grow some solid estate fruit and make some serious wines. The Syrahs wowed me most of all, but I would cellar both the 2007s and the 2008s for two more years. While delicious and complex, they're nowhere near full maturity. This tasting room is definitely worth checking out if you're ever in California gold country. You may be the only ones there, but the staff is really pleasant and helpful. Of course, the wines were good, so everything else is secondary.
2011 Synapse Sauvignon Blanc 86 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
Honey, white peach and a hint of grass on the nose. Really tangy palate, medium-bodied, with creamy white peach and honeysuckle. Slight herbal kick. Simple but good.
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2012 Synapse Symphony 82 Points
USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi
Really fruity and floral on the nose (mango, peach, acacia flowers). Juicy and full on the palate, with fresh peaches, lychee and cantaloupe. A plush patio pounder that would be a hit at summer parties. Symphony is a UC Davis cross between Grenache Gris and Muscat.
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2010 Synapse Chardonnay 84 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
Interesting nose of green pear, wildflowers and mint. Fresh and clean on the palate, with crisp acid. A salty note combines with the green melon fruit. A simple, brisk chardonnay.
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2009 Synapse Zinfandel 89 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
An impressive Zinfandel, with aromas of fresh cherries, raspberry candy, sweet roses and vanilla. Firm tannins combine with surprisingly fresh acid. This Zin has tons of bright red fruit and shots of black and green pepper. Endlessly drinkable but solid structure.
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2009 Synapse Grenache 90 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
Wow, what an impressive Grenache. Smells of cherries, red plums, BBQ sauce, dried flowers and pepper. Full on the palate with firm tannins. Dense, but the plum fruit tastes cool and clean. Black licorice, cracked pepper and sweet BBQ sauce make this a really complex wine.
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2007 Synapse Syrah Diffusion 91 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
I wasn't expecting this Syrah to be so damn good, but I'm really impressed. Intoxicating aromas of red and black fruit, flowers and rich earth. Firm tannins on the palate, with fleshy plum and cherry fruit, and it all combines to form a mouthfeel of pure silk. Vanilla and earth accents the fruit. Long finish. Really delicious stuff. 90% Syrah co-fermented with 10% Viognier.
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2008 Synapse Syrah Diffusion 90 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
More Old World aromas than the 2007, showing pepper and beefy notes along with rich blackberry fruit. Firm tannins and fresh acid make way for the pure black cherry and plum fruit. Notes of cola, pepper and meat. Long and pure, and worthy of a good decant or a year or two in the cellar.
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2007 Synapse Syrah Hangman's 91 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
Just as good as the Diffusion Syrah, but this 100% Syrah shows darker, richer themes. Aromas of plums, dense blackberries, dark chocolate and molasses. Plush and creamy texture on the palate, but firm tannins solidify the structure. Gobs of rich blueberry and blackberry fruit coat the palate, backed up by pepper, loam and mocha. I kept thinking of Walla Walla Syrah while drinking this, because it has that density and purity of fruit. Ridiculously long finish. The 2007 shows a much more bombastic style than the 2008, but I can't help but love this wine. Long time ahead of it, too.
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2008 Synapse Syrah Hangman's 92 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
I can't believe no one has posted notes about Synapse's Syrahs, because they are really something, this one especially. Hugely complex nose of blueberry, peppered steak, charcoal and earth. Pure and silky on the palate with juicy acid and fine-grained tannins. The blueberry fruit mixes with cranberry, making this lighter and fresher than the 2007. Beef broth, pepper and charcoal add lots of complexity. Seamless finish with a streak of minerals. Obviously California, but this wine pays homage to the Rhone Valley with its minerality and meaty tones. Loving this stuff.
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2011 Synapse Syrah CDI 87 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
This dessert-style Syrah is a lot of fun. An explosion of sweet, ripe berries on the nose. Juicy on the palate with rich black fruit and lots of molasses and chocolate. Also a flavor that reminds me of those raspberry Haribo candies. Hints of loam make this more than a simple sticky. 4% residual sugar. I can't remember what "CDI" actually stands for, but the tasting room attendant quipped that it should mean "chicks dig it" because of its easy-drinking, sweet approach.
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2011 Synapse Syrah Indulgence 88 Points
USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Placer County
Normally I'm skeptical of such sticky-sweet California "port" style wines, but this is one hooked me. Aromas of fig, molasses, dark chocolate and nuts. My brother mentioned a chalky aroma, and I think he's right. Dense and voluptuous on the palate. Rich, but easy to drink, with blackberry and fig combined with pepper and that same chalky aspect I get on the nose. A dessert-style wine with 11% residual sugar and 18% alcohol.
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