Rust Wine Co. 2020 Okanagan Valley Syrah 750ml

The folks at Rust are celebrating single vineyards with a trio of syrah releases finished under colourful wax capsules from three different soil types. The South Rock Vineyard on the Naramata Bench comes in orange, Lazy River Vineyard in the Similkameen Valley in blue, while this yellow capsule marks the Ferreira Vineyard Syrah from the Oliver area. Grown at 333 meters above sea level on volcanic, granitic soils, it presents much cleaner this year with less new oak (27 percent). Black pepper dominates the front end, leading to vibrant back fruits, dusted with a light covering of smoke and savoury, gamey notes. I love the freshness and lightness of this wine, one that tends to punch you with a lot of alcohol in the South Okanagan, but not here, not at 13.5 percent. Drink or hold for five to seven years.

Score: 90 points -- Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com. 2021