Showing more fruit and depth, the 2010 Syrah Thompson Vineyard is a beautiful cool-climate Syrah that delivers, deep, layered aromas of smoked black berry fruits, wild herbs, sage, pepper and roasted meat. A blend of 100% Syrah that spent 22-months in 20% new French oak, it is a knockout effort that has a core of sweet fruit, beautiful focus and freshness, and solid length. It will evolve effortlessly for upwards of a decade. Drink now-2022. Craig Jaffurs continues to produce a bevy of brilliant Rhone blends from his winery in Santa Barbara. While his 2010s are spectacular, his 2011s are lighter in color and weight, with more upfront characters. They should pick up additional weight with some bottle time, yet most will require drinking over the coming 5-6 years. Tel. (805) 962-7003; www.jaffurswine.com

The 2010 Syrah Thompson Vineyard explodes from the glass with layers of intense red fruit. Hints of savory herbs, licorice, mint and wild flowers appear later, adding an element of lift, but this remains an essentially full-bodied, fruit-driven style of Syrah. There is a lot to like here, but the 2010 needs another few years in bottle to lose some of its baby fat. The 2010 spent 22 months in barrels, 20% new. Drinking window: 2015 – 2022

Shows spectacular ripeness, with flavors ranging from ripe blackberries and currants to mocha, moo shu plum sauce, sautéed mushrooms and gingersnap cookies. All this is folded into firm but gentle tannins, brightened by brisk acidity and enriched by a gentle touch of oak. A beautiful Syrah for drinking now and over the next few years.