Alpha Estate 2016 Syrah Florina Turtles Vineyard 750ml

The 2016 Syrah Turtles Vineyard was aged for 12 months in an equal mixture of new and used French oak. It comes in at 13.7% alcohol. This isn't the fleshiest or richest Syrah you'll find—it's on the elegant side—but if you like them fresh and lively, this is for you. Graceful and persistent, this has a crisp edge and a refreshing feel. The juicy finish lingers nicely. Focused and precise, this is also supported by a reasonable backbone. The tannins aren't hard, so you can approach this now, but they do support the fruit. This is a perfect food wine at a pretty nice price. It will certainly hold for several years and may improve over the next year or so, but it probably lacks the mid-palate depth for very long aging.

Score: 89 points -- Mark Squires, The Wine Advocate, 2019