Bright dark ruby with pink edges.  Possibly not perfectly clear.  Massive funk initial settles down to an awesome green vegetal and spice, exotic and hot.  Southern-European but steely in focus.  Rabbit in Cayenne and blood sausage but tempered with birch branches in snow with maple syrup.  Your Cote Rotie ideals are shattered by a massive California warm oakiness and concentration.  Holy wow what a beautiful wine.  Weedy and extracted.  Suggested by the indefatigable Tom Pelter at Calistoga Wine Stop after he overheard me coughing on AL numbers over some other labels.  In the mouth, a fairly thin but beautiful acidic round entry struts out its ample fruit stuffing while desperately trying to keep the fine-grain tannin at bay.  Black cherry and cola, but all effervescent and glowing.  This is not everybody’s wine, but I am so loving these Mendo Syrahs.  Pay special attention to the AL on this one.  It tickles a fine line between austerity and extraction with amazing balance and verve.  
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2011 Meyer Family Cellars Syrah Yorkville Highlands Mendocino 12-7