In 1991, we produced the Carneros appellation’s first Syrah, from Lee Hudson’s vineyard. Then in 1999 we made the decision to select Hudson’s block “T” for a special bottling. This, our only single-vineyard bottling, comes from the fruit’s extraordinary qualities and Hudson’s long-term quality commitment.

“Hudson T” has several features we find conducive to the finest Syrah: first is light, rocky, volcanic soil. This soil drains well, forcing the roots down deep into fractured strata. Second is the general site, in the very cool Carneros district, where influence from San Pablo Bay and the North Pacific keep peak temperatures lower and of less duration than more inland sites. Third, and quite important, is the specific climatic situation: “Hudson T” sits about 250 feet above sea level, with its face directed straight at the Golden Gate. While facing soutwest gives intense sunlight, regular breezes have an important influence on fruit character: in the morning, it feels the southward flow of air through a saddle in the ridge from Milliken Peak. When the regular afternoon wind comes in off the Pacific, block T feels it quickly, slowing some forms of metabolism in the vines. Thus the floral, spicy “high tones” of the variety are preserved, even when sugars are high.

The 2002 growing season began in April with an odd frost nipping some vines in the upper portions of vineyards. Then isolated rains in May caused many clusters to shatter at bloom, further thinning the crop. After a long, mild summer, offshore conditions began to occur in late August, and persisted into mid September, raising sugars quickly. Our response to this was not to panic, but to wait for the signs of phenolic ripeness, softening skins and brown, lignified seeds, even though this meant allowing higher sugar levels than our usual preference in many instances. But the Hudson Vineyard Syrah shows how much site can over-rule weather: it’s greater structure, spice, and length express the upper Carneros terroir, even in this very warm vintage.

Again in 2002 we added a little Viognier from an adjacent block, crushing and co-fermenting it with the Syrah. While historical reasons for this practice may have been simply to add some higher sugar fruit to the mix, co-fermenting Viognier actually makes a darker wine, with more aromatic precursors, by a process called co-pigmentation. The resulting tannins are soft and fine, though substantial in total volume. This counter-intuitive trick has long played a part of many northern Rhone Syrahs.