The 2007 Syrah Stagecoach Vineyard Black Bart is a big, dense, chewy, meaty Syrah with abundant fruit as well as a boatload of tannin and earthiness. Northern Rhone-like in its structural profile, it should drink well for 7-10 years. Krupp Brothers is a winemaking entity from the enormous Stagecoach Vineyard (over 1,000 acres) in the eastern hillsides of Napa Valley. Much of the fruit is sold to other wineries, but after hiring consulting winemaker Aaron Pott, they began to estate bottle in 2008. The wines are attractively packaged in heavy bottles and appear to be taking on more finesse, especially the 2009s. The real stars of this portfolio appear to be the 2009s, a vintage when consultant Aaron Pott had full control.Tel. (707) 226-2215; Fax (707) 259-4512

As delicious as a pastry dessert, although it’s fully dry, showing chocolate-infused blackberries, raspberries and beef jerky, sprinkled with white pepper and anise. The tannic structure is beautiful on this elegant Syrah. ——S.H.(2/1/2011)—— 90