2017 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Sonoma Coast $43
Praised else where for its distinctiveness, perfume, and expression, I found this wine to be a bit of an oddity. Bordering on effervescent and far lighter-bodied than any other syrah I've had from Northern California, the weight of this wine was more like a cool climate grenache. The nose was indeed perfumed, though muddled and seemingly searching for a north star. Whereas most syrahs take on either savory, roasted flavors or structured, fruit-centric profiles, this has neither. All of these outlying attributes make it interesting, for sure. But at $43, interesting alone is not enough. At that price, it needs to be great.
