Domaine Garon Jardins de Rome Syrah de Seyssuel 2018

This stunning Syrah comes from the plot Seyssuel situated just across the Rhône River from Côte Rôtie. It was first created in 2009 and checks every delightful nuance you would expect from a well-crafted Côte Rôtie, but for a lot less dough. The Seyssuel vines are between 40 and 50 years old growing in loose, decomposed blonde soils of gneiss and granite. I often refer to Seyssuel as Côte Rôtie's “little brother” but it kicks way more butt than any little brother could. First, aromas of violets and black cherries hit you going in and then flavors of blackberry, pepper and graphite come through. The finish keeps going with subtle hints of smoked meat, licorice and round, mouth-filling tannins. Syrah de Seyssuel is pure precision and fills your mouth with soft, silky textures that open more and more the longer the bottle is open. Unlike the bright ripeness you would expect from Chateauneuf, Seyssuel Syrah exhibits dark, savory berry and mineral with all kinds of polish and style. This is classic, northern Rhône character and nowhere else on earth does Syrah develop into something this good. Wow!