The 2005 Syrah The Deal – Sundance Vineyard is purple-colored with a fragrant nose of mineral, scorched earth, game, espresso, blueberry, and blackberry. Opulent on the palate, rich, and full-flavored, the wine has gobs of spicy fruit leading to a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Give it 2-3 years to evolve and drink it through 2018. K Vintners is where the larger-than-life Charles Smith presides. He is an innovator, marketing genius, outspoken, you name it – but above all the man is a brilliant winemaker who knows where all the great fruit is hidden. In a region where blending is the rule of thumb, he is the ultimate terroirist. Each wine reflects the vineyard from which it was produced but there is also a house style which lets you know immediately who made the wine. While it’s way too soon to put K Vintners on the same level as a Domaine Leroy or Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, the experience you get tasting in the cellar is much the same as in those legendary wineries, brilliantly made wines reflecting the terroir but also a winemaking signature that makes it totally clear which winery made the wine. www.kvintners.com

2005 is the first vintage for this particular K Syrah, which has also been produced in ’06 and ’07. It opens with a beautiful gamy nose, followed with big, meaty, rich and supple fruit flavors of berry and plum. What stands out are the gamy, earthy, meaty notes, in both nose and mouth. The wine has a wonderful, concentrated mid-palate, which wraps the fruit in spice, hung meats and earth.——P.G.(11/1/2008)—— 93