Garrett Pierce & Sophie Drucker have been quietly making some of the most compelling and exciting Syrah in California. Inspired by two of their favorite things, the Syrah grape & black chanterelle mushroom that... Read More

Garrett Pierce & Sophie Drucker have been quietly making some of the most compelling and exciting Syrah in California. Inspired by two of their favorite things, the Syrah grape & black chanterelle mushroom that graces their labels, they began production of the Black Trumpet label in 2012. Lovers of both the great California Syrahs of years past and those whose Syrah palate vier towards the northern Rhone will find a lot to enjoy in these brooding and complex wines.

The recipe is simple; harvest grapes from one of the state's legendary vineyards, Heintz on the Sonoma Coast, and keep production small. Very small. Since the beginning they have only ever produced two barrels per vintage and as far as I know that is never going to change. Though the wine in each barrel are made the same exact way one gets a tiny dose of sulphur while the other gets none at all.

No matter what variety is planted there, grapes from the Heintz vineyard produce wines with relatively high acidity and minerality that have a conspicuous ability to age for a surprisingly long time while remaining extraordinarily fresh. Located in Occidental, Heintz is a cool site at the extremes of ripening Syrah. Farmed by Charlie Heintz the block is a mix of traditional clones and massale selections and is farmed organically.

Garrett & Sophie know that their job is to guide this incredible fruit without getting in the way. Fermented with partial stem inclusion, in open top fermenters with native yeasts the wine are never fined or filtered. This helps preserve the full flavor profile of what is honestly my favorite red variety.