This stylish Syrah perfectly expresses the Bradford Mountain terroir along with the elegance of the varietal. Rich aromas of ripe plum and dark chocolate mingle with hints of loamy earth and kid gloves. The first sip reveals plush flavors gently wrapped with mocha oak notes and supple tannins. A slightly chewy palate exposes cherry, Santa Rosa plum, and dried strawberry, along with traces of minerality, leather, and a defining wild game essence. Well-integrated with a nice balance of finesse and robustness, these mountain-grown grapes shine through in this elegant wine.
Enjoy with coffee-crusted beef tenderloin steak and a side of twice-baked potato, or eggplant lasagna served with a crusty garlic butter laced French baguette.
Intriguing aromatics fill the nose with black plum and white pepper mingled with traces of leather, smoking meat, creamy vanilla and mocha, hinting at the delicious flavors to follow. The smooth entry slowly exposes a midpalate of bright blackberry, dark plum, and a touch of blueberry, long with a hint of chewiness. Secondary flavors of cracked peppercorns, creamy coffee, and semi-sweet chocolate add to the wine’s depth and appeal. The rich yet balanced flavors linger as the subtle integrated structure appears, showing just a bit of muscle in the finish.
A great wine to pair with smoked duck breast served with a cremini mushroom and wild rice pilaf, or blueberry balsamic braised brisket.
The layered aromas indicate the complexity and structure of this restrained, elegant wine. The nose fills with traces of blackberry and cherry preserves, along with loamy earth, violet, and white floral notes. The wine’s rich texture adds to its finesse, enhancing the depth of flavors. Allspice, cedar, leather, and a flinty mineral essence weave through Chelan cherry, boysenberry plum, and huckleberry that linger in the finish. Delicious now, this Syrah will continue to develop with additional bottle aging.
A great wine to pair with an authentic jambalaya loaded with sausages, chicken, and shrimp, or a medium rare tri-tip with plenty of chimichurri on the side.
Our Gravity Flow Block Syrah is a big, flavorful wine, displaying the classic “iron fist in a velvet glove” qualities that are very representative of both the vintage and the vineyard on Bradford Mountain. By co-fermenting the Syrah and Viognier (a nod to the methods of the Northern Rhone Valley in France), the union of aromas and flavors begins at the wine’s birth. The Viognier contributes significant yet subtle influences with its delicate floral and fruit components. The resulting wine is head-spinning with seductive aromas, big chewy, juicy flavors, and lots of fruit. And, at the core of this wine, you’ll discover that amazing mineral essence, the trademark of Bradford Mountain terroir.
Peterson Winery has been producing wine in Dry Creek Valley for 30 years and, like most wineries in the Valley, produces Zinfandel as well as other wines. Yet a closer look shows that is where the similarities end.
Owner Fred Peterson is an iconoclast with an old-world winemaking philosophy and a reverence for sustainable farming. The Peterson approach is to capture the essence of vintage and vineyard—a philosophy they call Zero Manipulation—with low tech, yet high touch, to produce wines of a place, wines with soul. The evolution of Peterson wines and winemaking accelerated when Fred’s son Jamie became assistant winemaker in the summer of 2002. In 2006, after moving from the tiny red barn on Lytton Springs to Timber Crest Farms, Jamie was given the overall responsibilities as winemaker. As a winegrowing team, Fred and Jamie assess the grapes from each vineyard and vintage as the season progresses, evaluating how the weather, soil and site are interacting for the particular vintage. At Peterson Winery, the winemaking process begins while the grapes are still on the vines. Zero Manipulation is a discipline the Petersons follow to capture the character and balance inherent in the grapes. Zero Manipulation means using the most gentle, traditional winemaking practices possible to maximize the flavors, aromatics and texture of the wines. Fred and Jamie celebrate vintage differences and don’t tweak or homogenize the wine to obtain consistency of flavors, a common practice in mass-market wineries. For Fred and Jamie, Peterson Winery is all about the wines. But if you look a little deeper, you’ll see the heart and soul that goes into every bottle.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, RI, SC, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
2018 Peterson Gravity Flow Block Estate Grown Syrah Sonoma County
TL;DR: Peterson delivers an exceptionally well made Syrah that is great on its own, but also pairs well with food.
On Christmas day I discovered Casemates had a surprise in store for me thanks to a UPS notification for a pending delivery. Thursday evening I received the coveted email from Alice confirming I had been selected as a labrat and letting me know the offer would be going live tonight. The single bottle package arrived Friday. When I opened the box there was no Casemates glass (certainly no room for one) but the bottle was well protected with two layers of bubble wrap to help ensure its safe arrival and I think that’s what matters most.
I opened the bottle Sunday evening. Per usual, I recruited a friend to have another person’s insight and we used a De Long tasting note sheet as a framework to form the following notes.
Color depth: Deep
Color hue: Red
Clarity: Clear
Aroma intensity: Powerful
Development: Some age
Aromas: Strawberry, plum, cherry, a bit of alcohol, black pepper, and a hint of oak.
Dry/Sweet: Bone dry
Body: Full-bodied
Acidity: Crisp
Tannins: Medium and round.
Balance: Good (great honestly)
Flavor intensity: Flavorful
Flavors: Strawberry, sour cherry, plum, black pepper, dark chocolate, and a wonderful dusty/chalky texture.
Finish: Long
Style: Traditional
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Misc notes:
On night one this was paired with Ossobuco and it worked really well. There was roughly 6 ounces left in the bottle and that was stored at room temp. No vacuum pump was used.
Tonight I’m drinking that last bit of wine on its own and it’s great as a sipper. The alcohol that was previously noted on the nose is gone and the wine seems a little softer on the palate. I could see this continuing to age nicely for several more years, but honestly… it’s in a really good spot right now.
Conclusion:
It’s no secret Peterson makes great wines and this is an exceptional example of a quality Syrah. I didn’t do any research of the wine prior to tasting, and I asked my friend how much he thought this wine would retail for. Considering the classic Northern Rhone style and method used to make this wine, he guessed it would sell for $50 to $60. I agree that would be a reasonable MSRP for a wine of this caliber. We both really enjoyed this Syrah. I’m curious to see what the Casemates price will be, and whether this will be offered on its own or as part of a mixed pack.
Many thanks to @PetersonWinery , @winedavid49 , @wccwinegirl and the entire Casemates crew for all the work you do. It’s much appreciated, and I’m always grateful for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat.
Cheers and happy New Year everyone!!!
For anyone interested, here’s a link to the wine tasting note form that can be downloaded for free.
First off the color. Clear, ruby red with slight plum. This struck me immediately out of the bottle. I had to take second look at the label, asking myself if this really was a Syrah. I looks more like a medium bodied Pinot, a Sangiovese or light Barbera. Then I noticed, this is a gravity flow wine, so I’m guessing this is the free run only, before pressing the grapes??. It’s a novel approach, typically used on high end exquisite Pinot Noir or delicate Provence style Rosé. I’ve never seen it used with Syrah and I’m all for it. I could be off here so winemaker please enlighten us.
Up front, nose is slightly tart with notes of under-ripe berries. Strawberry, cherries, plums over hay, earthy, woody notes with a hint of mushroom. I recognize Sonoma. Then again I’ve come to expect this level of fidelity coming from this winemaker.
Ahhhhh the body is just beautiful. In a blind tasting this would easily be mistaken for a Pinot or a Nebbiolo/Barbaresco. Soft, gentle, silky on the front strawberries and cherries, accompanied by a nice secondary punch of oak vanilla. Relaxed tension and thin, clean, crisp fully integrated tannic structure sets the stage. Full dry. Good minerality adds hints of bitter cola, and renders the palate moist. This gradually dissipates across the palate leaving behind slightly waxy lips and smoldering spice.
Okaaay. So I was first introduced to their wines on Casemates. I think this is my new favorite Peterson wine. This wine is a hidden gem. It is a refreshingly unconventional take on Syrah. Every cellar should have a wine like this. The winemaker (Jamie?) had the right idea with this wine. Nicely done my friend.
2016 Peterson Gravity Flow Block Estate Grown Syrah Sonoma County
I’ll start by saying I am a huge fan of Peterson wine, recently purchased a case from the last sale on here. So when I saw this bottle my wife and I were pretty excited.
Nice clean POP! Cork had lots of sediment which is typical with Peterson wines, not too surprised to find this.
Color is dark burgundy with light edges.
Aroma of light floral bouquets hits the nose followed by dark berries, some cinnamon and slightly peppery.
Starts off feeling very silky around the mouth and easily rolls off the tongue and finished off medium tannin feel. Wife and I were thrown off on how subtle this wine was, we were expecting more. Picked up on some subtle white pepper, maybe hint of cherry, but did have a nice long finish. Day two did not change much. This wine did not have the mineral finish as experienced with past Peterson wines, which I quite enjoy.
Overall much to my surprise, my wife and I enjoyed this wine but not enough to want to load up on some bottles.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Peterson Bradford Vineyard Estate Syrah Vertical - $70 = 23.33%
Happy New Year to all!
A quick hello from the quiet and peaceful winery while I put away the tasting room Christmas decorations and check on some 2024 barrels going through malo-lactic.
We are down to the tail end of the 2016 and 2017, with the 2018 just being released, and thought a mini vertical would be a nice way to get it out for folks to enjoy. I appreciate the lab rats reviews, and they line up with my own feelings on the three vintages.
Its a unique spot on the mountain where we grow the Syrah; a rocky knoll with very little loose soil on top of clay and the red, iron rich rock. The vines don’t produce much of a crop, and with Dry Creek being a warmer climate, one might expect darker and richer side of Syrah, but the wines most vintages present themselves as elegant and nuanced. We just put some even older versions in to library grab bags that we sold to our club and mail list, and got to open a few other vintages for the holidays, with the 2005 and 2010 being a couple highlights… All vintages with the balance and natural acidity to age beautifully.
Happy to answer questions and will check in later!
@PetersonWinery Hello Jamie, thank you for participating. I opened a 2015 from a previous offer tonight, which I quite enjoyed. I would not describe the 2015 as soft or Pinot-like, which the Rats seem to be saying about the 2016 and 2017. Do you agree that those vintages are softer, or are they consistent with the 2015? I’m not a fan of Pinot, so I am hesitating.
Thank you for the question, and support of the wines! Glad you like the 2015 as well. 2015 was the tail end of drought here, and those bottlings were all much bigger and riper. I only half joked that we didn’t make a '15 under 15% (alc) when the wines were released… These three vintages are definitely not as dark as that one. We also used to have some Petite Sirah in the block that was taken out after the 2015 vintage that adds to the depth and richness. Having said all that, I just stuck a Coravin into a 2015 here to try along with the other three, and it is strikingly different. Side by side I do enjoy them all, but if your preference is for that really rich style, I might hesitate as well… To be completely honest.
@PetersonWinery
Does this comparison also flow back the the '13 and '14 vintages, regarding style, being much more similar to one another, than the '16 forward?
It would have been appreciated to know the split at 15/16 earlier, but at least we have the Rats.
@rjquillin I was about to compare these three to be more in line with the 2013 but wasn’t sure how many had gotten that offer when we did the 12/13 a few years back.
It’s been almost a decade since we were Rhone Rangers members, and an on-again-off-again membership since the early 2000’s… might be time to revisit with the number of Rhone varietals we are doing currently.
When we decide on levels of new barrels, we are mindful of the varietal and barrel type, with the goal of making sure that the flavors won’t come through as recognizable, oak and instead just be a background layer. I’ve picked a couple wines that we overdid through the years to be described as having “oak taint.”
The Syrah qualities can handle 50-ish percent most years, and we find helps round the wines out. Call it 10% manipulation… We have talked about omitting any new oak over the years, but are friends with a number of small cooper families that we like to continue to support. Burgundian coopers and very tight grain selections.
@PetersonWinery that certainly makes sense - any use of whole clusters with syrah? And reach out to me re: Rhone Rangers - I am now president of the board of directors . . . and we will be doing a tasting in Sonoma in late June
@tercerowines Yes most vintages I have done some whole cluster, from 10% up to 40%… Other years we don’t do any at all, depending on how we assess the stems and berries to be looking at harvest. 2018 was at 30%, with 16 and 17 only 10%… Probably should put that on the tech sheet going forward!
Will talk with the boss about rejoining and look to connect soon! Good to know about the June Sonoma event.
2016 Peterson Syrah, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Specs
2017 Peterson Syrah, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Specs
2018 Peterson Syrah, Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not all wines for sale on winery website, $576/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, RI, SC, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Tuesday, Jan 21
Peterson Bradford Vineyard Estate Syrah Vertical
3 bottles for $74.99 $25/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $229.99 $19.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016
2017
2018
2018 Peterson Gravity Flow Block Estate Grown Syrah Sonoma County
TL;DR: Peterson delivers an exceptionally well made Syrah that is great on its own, but also pairs well with food.
On Christmas day I discovered Casemates had a surprise in store for me thanks to a UPS notification for a pending delivery. Thursday evening I received the coveted email from Alice confirming I had been selected as a labrat and letting me know the offer would be going live tonight. The single bottle package arrived Friday. When I opened the box there was no Casemates glass (certainly no room for one) but the bottle was well protected with two layers of bubble wrap to help ensure its safe arrival and I think that’s what matters most.
I opened the bottle Sunday evening. Per usual, I recruited a friend to have another person’s insight and we used a De Long tasting note sheet as a framework to form the following notes.
Color depth: Deep
Color hue: Red
Clarity: Clear
Aroma intensity: Powerful
Development: Some age
Aromas: Strawberry, plum, cherry, a bit of alcohol, black pepper, and a hint of oak.
Dry/Sweet: Bone dry
Body: Full-bodied
Acidity: Crisp
Tannins: Medium and round.
Balance: Good (great honestly)
Flavor intensity: Flavorful
Flavors: Strawberry, sour cherry, plum, black pepper, dark chocolate, and a wonderful dusty/chalky texture.
Finish: Long
Style: Traditional
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Misc notes:
On night one this was paired with Ossobuco and it worked really well. There was roughly 6 ounces left in the bottle and that was stored at room temp. No vacuum pump was used.
Tonight I’m drinking that last bit of wine on its own and it’s great as a sipper. The alcohol that was previously noted on the nose is gone and the wine seems a little softer on the palate. I could see this continuing to age nicely for several more years, but honestly… it’s in a really good spot right now.
Conclusion:
It’s no secret Peterson makes great wines and this is an exceptional example of a quality Syrah. I didn’t do any research of the wine prior to tasting, and I asked my friend how much he thought this wine would retail for. Considering the classic Northern Rhone style and method used to make this wine, he guessed it would sell for $50 to $60. I agree that would be a reasonable MSRP for a wine of this caliber. We both really enjoyed this Syrah. I’m curious to see what the Casemates price will be, and whether this will be offered on its own or as part of a mixed pack.
Many thanks to @PetersonWinery , @winedavid49 , @wccwinegirl and the entire Casemates crew for all the work you do. It’s much appreciated, and I’m always grateful for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat.
Cheers and happy New Year everyone!!!
For anyone interested, here’s a link to the wine tasting note form that can be downloaded for free.
https://www.delongwine.com/products/wine-tasting-note-form
2017 Syrah (Gravity Flow Block) by Peterson
First off the color. Clear, ruby red with slight plum. This struck me immediately out of the bottle. I had to take second look at the label, asking myself if this really was a Syrah. I looks more like a medium bodied Pinot, a Sangiovese or light Barbera. Then I noticed, this is a gravity flow wine, so I’m guessing this is the free run only, before pressing the grapes??. It’s a novel approach, typically used on high end exquisite Pinot Noir or delicate Provence style Rosé. I’ve never seen it used with Syrah and I’m all for it. I could be off here so winemaker please enlighten us.
Up front, nose is slightly tart with notes of under-ripe berries. Strawberry, cherries, plums over hay, earthy, woody notes with a hint of mushroom. I recognize Sonoma. Then again I’ve come to expect this level of fidelity coming from this winemaker.
Ahhhhh the body is just beautiful. In a blind tasting this would easily be mistaken for a Pinot or a Nebbiolo/Barbaresco. Soft, gentle, silky on the front strawberries and cherries, accompanied by a nice secondary punch of oak vanilla. Relaxed tension and thin, clean, crisp fully integrated tannic structure sets the stage. Full dry. Good minerality adds hints of bitter cola, and renders the palate moist. This gradually dissipates across the palate leaving behind slightly waxy lips and smoldering spice.
Okaaay. So I was first introduced to their wines on Casemates. I think this is my new favorite Peterson wine. This wine is a hidden gem. It is a refreshingly unconventional take on Syrah. Every cellar should have a wine like this. The winemaker (Jamie?) had the right idea with this wine. Nicely done my friend.
@winesnob snazzy presentation—thanks!
@takethefarm cheers buddy
How do I even follow up those two reviews!?
2016 Peterson Gravity Flow Block Estate Grown Syrah Sonoma County
I’ll start by saying I am a huge fan of Peterson wine, recently purchased a case from the last sale on here. So when I saw this bottle my wife and I were pretty excited.
Nice clean POP! Cork had lots of sediment which is typical with Peterson wines, not too surprised to find this.
Color is dark burgundy with light edges.
Aroma of light floral bouquets hits the nose followed by dark berries, some cinnamon and slightly peppery.
Starts off feeling very silky around the mouth and easily rolls off the tongue and finished off medium tannin feel. Wife and I were thrown off on how subtle this wine was, we were expecting more. Picked up on some subtle white pepper, maybe hint of cherry, but did have a nice long finish. Day two did not change much. This wine did not have the mineral finish as experienced with past Peterson wines, which I quite enjoy.
Overall much to my surprise, my wife and I enjoyed this wine but not enough to want to load up on some bottles.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Peterson Bradford Vineyard Estate Syrah Vertical - $70 = 23.33%
Happy New Year to all!
A quick hello from the quiet and peaceful winery while I put away the tasting room Christmas decorations and check on some 2024 barrels going through malo-lactic.
We are down to the tail end of the 2016 and 2017, with the 2018 just being released, and thought a mini vertical would be a nice way to get it out for folks to enjoy. I appreciate the lab rats reviews, and they line up with my own feelings on the three vintages.
Its a unique spot on the mountain where we grow the Syrah; a rocky knoll with very little loose soil on top of clay and the red, iron rich rock. The vines don’t produce much of a crop, and with Dry Creek being a warmer climate, one might expect darker and richer side of Syrah, but the wines most vintages present themselves as elegant and nuanced. We just put some even older versions in to library grab bags that we sold to our club and mail list, and got to open a few other vintages for the holidays, with the 2005 and 2010 being a couple highlights… All vintages with the balance and natural acidity to age beautifully.
Happy to answer questions and will check in later!
@PetersonWinery Hello Jamie, thank you for participating. I opened a 2015 from a previous offer tonight, which I quite enjoyed. I would not describe the 2015 as soft or Pinot-like, which the Rats seem to be saying about the 2016 and 2017. Do you agree that those vintages are softer, or are they consistent with the 2015? I’m not a fan of Pinot, so I am hesitating.
@MIwolverine @PetersonWinery watching this as I’m also quite interested in this question.
@MIwolverine
Thank you for the question, and support of the wines! Glad you like the 2015 as well. 2015 was the tail end of drought here, and those bottlings were all much bigger and riper. I only half joked that we didn’t make a '15 under 15% (alc) when the wines were released… These three vintages are definitely not as dark as that one. We also used to have some Petite Sirah in the block that was taken out after the 2015 vintage that adds to the depth and richness. Having said all that, I just stuck a Coravin into a 2015 here to try along with the other three, and it is strikingly different. Side by side I do enjoy them all, but if your preference is for that really rich style, I might hesitate as well… To be completely honest.
@PetersonWinery thank you for your response!
@PetersonWinery
Does this comparison also flow back the the '13 and '14 vintages, regarding style, being much more similar to one another, than the '16 forward?
It would have been appreciated to know the split at 15/16 earlier, but at least we have the Rats.
@rjquillin I was about to compare these three to be more in line with the 2013 but wasn’t sure how many had gotten that offer when we did the 12/13 a few years back.
@PetersonWinery
count me in for holding '12 ~ '15, with these on the way as well…
@PetersonWinery @rjquillin
Interesting about the differences between the vintages, and I’m excited to taste for myself! Thanks for the discussion you two!
Anyone in Syracuse interested in splitting a case
@spdemonjwd I am interested.
Love me some Syrah - now just need to get @petersonwinery to join the @rhonerangers!
Quick question - if ‘zero manipulation’, why the use of so much new oak? And nothing negative about the question - just wondering.
Cheers!
@tercerowines
It’s been almost a decade since we were Rhone Rangers members, and an on-again-off-again membership since the early 2000’s… might be time to revisit with the number of Rhone varietals we are doing currently.
When we decide on levels of new barrels, we are mindful of the varietal and barrel type, with the goal of making sure that the flavors won’t come through as recognizable, oak and instead just be a background layer. I’ve picked a couple wines that we overdid through the years to be described as having “oak taint.”
The Syrah qualities can handle 50-ish percent most years, and we find helps round the wines out. Call it 10% manipulation… We have talked about omitting any new oak over the years, but are friends with a number of small cooper families that we like to continue to support. Burgundian coopers and very tight grain selections.
@PetersonWinery that certainly makes sense - any use of whole clusters with syrah? And reach out to me re: Rhone Rangers - I am now president of the board of directors . . . and we will be doing a tasting in Sonoma in late June
@tercerowines Yes most vintages I have done some whole cluster, from 10% up to 40%… Other years we don’t do any at all, depending on how we assess the stems and berries to be looking at harvest. 2018 was at 30%, with 16 and 17 only 10%… Probably should put that on the tech sheet going forward!
Will talk with the boss about rejoining and look to connect soon! Good to know about the June Sonoma event.
Anyone in the Boston/Salem NH area wnat toi split a case?
Don’t sleep on Peterson! 2011 and 2013 vintages of the Syrah were outstanding! My local wine shop stocks this wine for $44.99.
In for 2 cases, bringing us up to a 7 year vertical!
We have really enjoyed Peterson wines, and previous vintages of this syrah are fantastic, especially once they get 8 - 10 years of maturity on them!
/giphy terrestrial-lonesome-card
