The 2022 North Coast Syrah is an incredibly aromatic and textural expression of this grape, medium weight with a lovely balance of fruit and savory, which the best examples of this Rhone varietal always showcase. Sourced from two organically farmed vineyards, one high atop Mendocino Ridge at 2,200 feet above sea level and one in the heart of the Russian River Valley, both are dry farmed.
Vineyards
70% Perli Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge. Organically farmed by hand, Dry-farmed, no-till, Fractured sandstone, loam soils, 2,200-foot elevation, 11 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
30% Saint Marks, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast. Organically farmed by hand, No-spray vineyard, dry-farmed, Goldridge Sandy Loam soils, 150 feet above sea level.
Winemaking
Hand-sorted directly into fermenter, 100% whole cluster, Native primary fermentation, natural malolactic conversion, aged 10 months in neutral French oak, bottled unfined, filtered for stability
Handcrafted, extraordinary, minimal-intervention wines for those who seek the best for themselves and their communities.
Darling Wines began in 2017 with two barrels of Syrah. Up to this point, Tom had worked just one harvest and was beginning his second when he and Ashley came across a listing of certified organic, cool-climate Syrah in the Petaluma Gap. After visiting the site, they decided to take a chance and figured at the very least they would have some decent home wine to send to family and friends for the holidays. This first wine, the 2017 McEvoy Ranch Syrah, sold out in mere months and ended up on the One-Star Michelin restaurant, Bouchon Bistro, in the Napa Valley, owned by the famed Thomas Keller. The two were thrilled, to say the least, and dove head first into this new endeavor.
Today, Darling Wines produces Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Chardonnay sourced from coastal vineyards in western Sonoma County, Marin County, Anderson Valley, and Mendocino Ridge. The goal is to produce wines with character and energy that showcase purity and site through transparent winemaking. With this goal in mind there is minimal handling from grape to bottle, restrained use of sulphur; in most cases, no synthetic additives or perfecting agents, fining or filtration, in an attempt to produce the most honest wine possible.
This is one of the absolute best Syrahs I’ve ever tasted and I’m ordering a case.
No seriously. Let me start again. I got the email to expect the Lab Rat bottle end of last week and was happy to see a Syrah. Thinking of a food pairing - good lamb is not generally available locally but really good beef is, and I had a nice bone-in rib steak handy. And I like smoky meats with Syrah.
I waited until Monday to give the wine a chance to relax and threw the steak on the smoker low and slow for a reverse sear (California red oak, as we do here). I also whipped up some black garlic deviled eggs on a whim, which I’ll tell you about later if you are interested.
I already generally like North Coast Syrahs. They tend to be lighter and brighter than the typical warm climate Syrahs - that I also like, and used to make. But this is different. It’s bright, it’s refreshing, and it’s got some serious flavor. Like cherries and spice and just a little pepper. Almost reminds me of a Mexican jamaica or a less-spicy Peruvian chicha morada.
I circled back and read the label and saw it. 11.7%. Is that actually the ABV? I’ve never had a Syrah under 13% and if I did I would expect it to taste savagely underripe. But instead the acid is just right, and no green notes I could detect. That they finished it in neutral oak makes perfect sense. (In fact I would not be surprised to learn that some Viognier skins slipped in here, though I don’t see that they make a Viognier.)
So please forgive the hard sell. I’ve never actually bought a case here! And you should too. But this will be my first as soon as I figure out which article of clothing my wallet is hiding in.
ps almost forgot, this Syrah was in fact fantastic with the steak, and also the deviled eggs.
pps I checked their website and all of their wines are sub-12%. Hokey smokes Bullwinkle! I’m going to be tripping over towards Sonoma in a couple weeks, I think I need to drop in…
@eljefetwisted Wind Gap also produced a bunch of Syrah with sub-12% alcohol. They’re great, but Pax ended that label a few years back.
You’re making me want wine I have nowhere to put! (Maybe next to the 3.5 cases I got from you last fall that I had nowhere to put?)
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2022 Darling Family Wines Syrah - $70 = 29.16%
@hscottk I usually utilize the early post by @ilCesare when making my “case savings” posts, and had to do a little extra work today! About the only thing missing (I think) would be the leading “2022”.
I’ll throw out that the podcast “The Extradimensional Life” (Hardy Wallace and Kate Graham of Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah!) had an episode with Tom Darling about a year ago.
Black garlic deviled eggs. First, find some black garlic. My local little supermarket actually has them. I finely minced up one clove per egg and mashed them into the yolks. Then you want to mash in a little dijon and a sprinkle of salt. Go easy. After that start adding in mayo until you reach your preferred consistency, while adjusting dijon and salt. As with any deviled egg be sure to taste with the white. I garnished with fine diced green onions because I had one.
We visited their tasting room in downtown Sonoma a few years ago and fell in love with their wines, we have been wine club members ever since. This is an easy case auto buy………maybe two.
Dang, After listening to the podcast, I feel like getting on a plane to go to the tasting room. Instead, I picked up a second three pack. Why didn’t I get a case?
Late to the party here.
Verify aromatic from the start on the PnP. Got a mix of black cherry and raspberry on the nose with an herbal component I can’t place (allergies are messing with me). The palate is zippy right from the start, but stops short of being tart. Lighter fruit profile that reminds me of light strawberry and kiwi, which sounds weird, but it’s good! Minimal tannin with just enough grip. Had to have this solo on my first go, but it would go better with food. Seems like a great option for summer grazing at BBQs as it should pair with nearly everything at this alc level with balanced acid.
I’m more into the funky Syrah’s out of the Rocks District these days, but this is a really enjoyable wine.
Not sure about aging potential. Others could speak better to that considering the lower alc. Aren’t there more risks associated with lower alcohol levels? El jefe? Clark? Scott?
Tonnnnns of variables when it comes to aging potential. Pointing strictly to abv though, I think the lean is higher abv, less aging potential. I’m sure I’ll get a beat down for saying that…ha!
@kaolis
I believe I’ve heard the same, lower AbV ≈ better aging potential. But I also recall reading somewhere that lower pH is also significant and perhaps even greater factor.
Perhaps in that book from Clark.
I was under the impression higher abv in beer means it’s more stable and can age longer (if stored properly.) I’m not sure how well that translates to wine, if at all.
@kaolis Consider that European wines have generally had lower ABV and how many European wines are revered for their age-ability. Also consider that higher ABVs are a relatively recent development, also in beer for that matter. Acidity is king. A higher ABV wine “aging” just means your ethanol is acting as a preservative.
2022 Darling Syrah, North Coast
Tasting Notes
Vineyards
Winemaking
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $432/case MSRP
About The Winery
A Message From Darling Wines
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, May 19 - Tuesday, May 20
11.7? Unheard of!
@losthighwayz I know, right?!
I’m just going to cut straight to the TL;DR.
This is one of the absolute best Syrahs I’ve ever tasted and I’m ordering a case.
No seriously. Let me start again. I got the email to expect the Lab Rat bottle end of last week and was happy to see a Syrah. Thinking of a food pairing - good lamb is not generally available locally but really good beef is, and I had a nice bone-in rib steak handy. And I like smoky meats with Syrah.
I waited until Monday to give the wine a chance to relax and threw the steak on the smoker low and slow for a reverse sear (California red oak, as we do here). I also whipped up some black garlic deviled eggs on a whim, which I’ll tell you about later if you are interested.
I already generally like North Coast Syrahs. They tend to be lighter and brighter than the typical warm climate Syrahs - that I also like, and used to make. But this is different. It’s bright, it’s refreshing, and it’s got some serious flavor. Like cherries and spice and just a little pepper. Almost reminds me of a Mexican jamaica or a less-spicy Peruvian chicha morada.
I circled back and read the label and saw it. 11.7%. Is that actually the ABV? I’ve never had a Syrah under 13% and if I did I would expect it to taste savagely underripe. But instead the acid is just right, and no green notes I could detect. That they finished it in neutral oak makes perfect sense. (In fact I would not be surprised to learn that some Viognier skins slipped in here, though I don’t see that they make a Viognier.)
So please forgive the hard sell. I’ve never actually bought a case here! And you should too. But this will be my first as soon as I figure out which article of clothing my wallet is hiding in.
ps almost forgot, this Syrah was in fact fantastic with the steak, and also the deviled eggs.
pps I checked their website and all of their wines are sub-12%. Hokey smokes Bullwinkle! I’m going to be tripping over towards Sonoma in a couple weeks, I think I need to drop in…
@eljefetwisted Wind Gap also produced a bunch of Syrah with sub-12% alcohol. They’re great, but Pax ended that label a few years back.
You’re making me want wine I have nowhere to put! (Maybe next to the 3.5 cases I got from you last fall that I had nowhere to put?)
@eljefetwisted that is quite the hard sell from the person who makes my wife’s favorite red wine (The Spaniard)!
@TimW I know, right? Hard to find a more “trusted source” than @eljefetwisted. Absolutely do NOT need any more cases of red wine.
5 minutes later…
In for a case
@klezman right - I’d forgotten about that one.
@eljefetwisted Don’t forget to post or send the deviled egg recipe, sounds delicious!
@eljefetwisted think this would work as my chilled red for the summer?
@eastcoastmary I’ll put it down below as a new comment
@CruelMelody I did forget to mention that - yes absolutely, that’s exactly what I was thinking!
I’ve never done this before…
/giphy wayward-economic-drum
@eljefetwisted An appropos giphy for “twisted”!
@Mark_L
/giphy bumpy-versed-eye
In for a case
@losthighwayz Can you spare a couple?
@davirom yes message sent
@losthighwayz
@Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 How accurate is the shipping window? Thinking of sending a case to Wisconsin. Thank you
@kaolis we usually get it out much sooner than posted. and they are local and this stuff is yummy.
@Winedavid59 Probably won’t work for me then but appreciate the info. Don’t need to be in wine shipping limbo.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2022 Darling Family Wines Syrah - $70 = 29.16%
Paging ilCesare….did I do this right?!
2022 Darling Family Wines Syrah
3 bottles for $59.99 $20/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
@hscottk I usually utilize the early post by @ilCesare when making my “case savings” posts, and had to do a little extra work today!
About the only thing missing (I think) would be the leading “2022”.
@hscottk @ilCesare @Mark_L
Sold me on the “acid is just right”. In for a case.
/giphy damned-distasteful-shoe
“This is one of the absolute best Syrahs I’ve ever tasted and I’m ordering a case
.” MIC-DROP
In for a case operative-omnipresent-verse
@PLSemenza That’s why I got a case! Great review…
I’ll throw out that the podcast “The Extradimensional Life” (Hardy Wallace and Kate Graham of Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah!) had an episode with Tom Darling about a year ago.
Black garlic deviled eggs. First, find some black garlic. My local little supermarket actually has them. I finely minced up one clove per egg and mashed them into the yolks. Then you want to mash in a little dijon and a sprinkle of salt. Go easy. After that start adding in mayo until you reach your preferred consistency, while adjusting dijon and salt. As with any deviled egg be sure to taste with the white. I garnished with fine diced green onions because I had one.
@eljefetwisted sounds wonderful, I’ll have to be on the lookout for black garlic. How does that taste compare to regular garlic?
@eljefetwisted
Pictures, or it never happened!
@rjquillin The color balance doesn’t do it justice…
@eastcoastmary kind of hard to describe. Kind of like roast garlic but deeper and sweeter. Really complex.
@eljefetwisted Thanks, finding black garlic will be my latest quest. I bet it can be used in multiple recipes.
@eastcoastmary It’s great simply smooshed on to buttered sourdough. Here’s a picture of what I get at the local market.
We visited their tasting room in downtown Sonoma a few years ago and fell in love with their wines, we have been wine club members ever since. This is an easy case auto buy………maybe two.
Dang, After listening to the podcast, I feel like getting on a plane to go to the tasting room. Instead, I picked up a second three pack. Why didn’t I get a case?
Late to the party here.
Verify aromatic from the start on the PnP. Got a mix of black cherry and raspberry on the nose with an herbal component I can’t place (allergies are messing with me). The palate is zippy right from the start, but stops short of being tart. Lighter fruit profile that reminds me of light strawberry and kiwi, which sounds weird, but it’s good! Minimal tannin with just enough grip. Had to have this solo on my first go, but it would go better with food. Seems like a great option for summer grazing at BBQs as it should pair with nearly everything at this alc level with balanced acid.
I’m more into the funky Syrah’s out of the Rocks District these days, but this is a really enjoyable wine.
Not sure about aging potential. Others could speak better to that considering the lower alc. Aren’t there more risks associated with lower alcohol levels? El jefe? Clark? Scott?
@trifecta
Ditto on WA Syrahs….love m
Tonnnnns of variables when it comes to aging potential. Pointing strictly to abv though, I think the lean is higher abv, less aging potential. I’m sure I’ll get a beat down for saying that…ha!
@kaolis
I believe I’ve heard the same, lower AbV ≈ better aging potential. But I also recall reading somewhere that lower pH is also significant and perhaps even greater factor.
Perhaps in that book from Clark.
@kaolis @rjquillin
I was under the impression higher abv in beer means it’s more stable and can age longer (if stored properly.) I’m not sure how well that translates to wine, if at all.
@kaolis @kawichris650 @winesmith
paging Clark…
@kaolis Consider that European wines have generally had lower ABV and how many European wines are revered for their age-ability. Also consider that higher ABVs are a relatively recent development, also in beer for that matter. Acidity is king. A higher ABV wine “aging” just means your ethanol is acting as a preservative.
Interested in a couple also if any additional are floating around SoCal.
@klezman Did you end up buying? I forgot you’re an actual neighbor
@bfast No, was waiting to see who might have a couple extra bottles. I’m so overstocked that I’m not going to push it too hard!
Anyone Northern Indiana or SW Michigan want to split?
@StellaDarling I would take some
Well, with such a glowing set of Rats, here we go! In for a case.
/giphy sinister-nonsensical-neck
No room for more, so it’s a 3-pack for me. Given the Rat love, still seems like a good value at the higher tariff!
/giphy charming-hollow-spider
Dang…no more cases.
@Winedavid59, can you squeeze together a few more cases for us faithful?
@wardad trying. but unlikely.
@wardad @Winedavid59 in for a case if you can squeeze hard enough
@rjquillin I’m stocked to the gills, but happy to see this sell out; hope to see it again.
Hated to pass on this but have been a little too active on this site in 2025 (2024, 2023…)