“This attractive 2004 Patianna Fairbairn Ranch Syrah exhibits a dark ruby/purple color as well as an interesting nose of damp earth, truffles, and broodingly dark fruit. In the mouth, Syrah’s meaty/underbrush character emerges from this European-styled red. With medium to full body, soft tannin, and good acidity as well as purity, this is a lovely wine to drink over the next 3-4 years”
By: Robert Parker
Wine Advocate
June 2008

SILVER MEDAL WINNER
Orange County Fair Wine Competition
Certified Biodynamically Grown category
June 2008

SILVER MEDAL WINNER
The Consumer’s Green Wine Competition
Certified Biodynamically Grown category
May 2008

PATTI FETZER’S MENDO SYRAH IS ORGANICALLY GOOD

“I was so enthused by last week’s cool-climate Syrah that I rooted through dozens of bottles in my stash looking for something else that might come close.I found it in this week’s wine, an organic entry from Mendocino County’s Patianna.You may remember this winery from a previous column I wrote: Owner Patti Fetzer, of the famous Fetzer family, is producing wine from a 126-acre biodynamic vineyard alongside the Russian River in Mendocino County.The grapes for this wine (the winemakers call them berries) were handpicked and hand-sorted in late September of 2004. The clusters were destemmed and the whole berries soaked for four days, which allowed the indigenous yeasts to begin fermentation. Eventually the must was pressed and the juice drained into oak barrels, where secondary fermentation took place and the wine was aged for 14 months. This is (in case you haven’t been doing your homework) quite a lot of hands-on work, the type seldom seen in Syrah bottled by big producers. The Wine show’s caramel, cassis and roses on the nose. On the palate, roasted blackberry and black tea dominate, with lots of aromatic, earthy components from the native yeasts. As a big fan of red wine, I liked this wine right away. That’s not surprising. But my wife, who will drink only the most approachable of reds, immediately liked this one as well.This style of Syrah is very versatile, great with roast pork or turkey, beef stews and soups, and perfect for a winter warm-up, whether it’s snowing in Mendocino or the surf is up in the O.C.”
By: Chris Knap
The Orange County Register
December 2007

  90 Points

One Puff
“Intriguing notes of white pepper, smoked meats and stones sit to the side of fairly ripe blackberries in the deep, well-defined nose of this nicely built wine, and the equally deep flavors that run true to promise with extracted fruit leading the way.”
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
July 2005

 
“California produces superb Syrahs, fruit-driven wines with a spicy, rustic edge that make a nice match for the version of a hunter’s stew, like the ripe 2003 Patianna Fairbairn Ranch.”
Food and Wine
November 2005

  90 Points

One Puff
“Intriguing notes of white pepper, smoked meats and stones sit to the side of fairly ripe blackberries in the deep, well-defined nose of this nicely built wine, and the equally deep flavors that run true to promise with extracted fruit leading the way.”
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
July 2005

“A complex Syrah…round, very distinctly flavored.”
Ronn Wiegand
Restaurant Wine
Issue #107

91 Points
“It combines the best of the Old and New Worlds in its beautifully knit, deep ruby/purple-colored personality. This graceful 2003 should evolve nicely for a decade.”
Robert Parker
The Wine Advocate
June 30, 2005

Wine Find 4 1/2 Stars
“A big boy, chock full of rich, dark fruit and just the right amount of oak.”
Michael Lonsford
Houston Chronicle
June 15, 2005