Morlet Bouquet Garni Syrah 2018

Morlet doesn’t make much of it, but their Syrah is beautiful and well worth seeking out. The 2018 Syrah Bouquet Garni comes from the cool climate, higher elevation Bennett Valley in Sonoma and offers a big, exotic nose of blackberry and blackcurrant fruits as well sandalwood, dried flowers, new leather, and white pepper. The fruit is ripe and opulent, yet it still holds onto loads of classic cooler-climate Syrah gaminess and peppery notes. Full-bodied on the palate, it’s balanced and has a lively, clean texture, beautiful depth of fruit, and a great finish. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming decade.

Luc Morlet represents the fifth-generation of a French winemaking family. Growing up in Avenay-Val d’Or, he spent all his spare time working on his family’s estate. His university studies of viticulture and winemaking were put into practice during years of work in vineyards and wineries in Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the south of France.

When Luc left France in 1996 to join his wife Jodie in her native California, his goal was to adapt the old world principles he knew so well to his new home. The Morlet style results in wines which are harmonious in their intensity, richness, complexity and refinement. Morlet wines clearly display personality, seamless character and graceful ageing capability.

In 2006, Luc and his wife Jodie began crafting wines, in limited quantities, from unique vineyards of Napa Valley and Sonoma County, under the Morlet Family Vineyards label. In 2010, the couple restored a pre-Prohibition winery located in the beautiful St. Helena appellation, as their family’s winery. With over 20 vintages under his belt, and with his own zest for innovation, Luc uses century old principles and classic Burgundy and Bordeaux methods adapted to California’s natural conditions. Passionate for both the expression of terroir, as well as for the continuous pursuit of ultimate quality, Luc calls his winemaking philosophy ‘neo-classic laissez-faire without compromise.’