Unti

So, a word about Unti... The Italians settled in the Russian River Valley to make primitivo (cum zinfandel). Among them are Rafanelli, Teldeschi, Forchini, Unti, Pedroncelli, and others. Unti is a winery that sets a standard in Syrahs, on most occasions. This is a small winery run by a father and son, where the tasting room is little more than some free space at the south end of their barrel room. They put up a few walls to create some offices and a bar for tasting. No charm to speak of, but they have a generous offering of wines to tast and some exceptionally notable varietals. They have a Benchland Syrah that is quite coveted and a classic Barbera that won't stay on the shelves for more than a couple of months (rightfully so). If you want a bottle of the best Barbera in northern California, then you better get there quick. They usually release their Barbera in May and you can count on it being sold out before the summer’s over. While we didn't have the chance to taste the Barbera, we didn't leave without it. There are many good reasons it’s popular and there’s no such thing as a bad vintage for this wine.
Pomp, posh, and pinache are merely words that start with a "p" for these folks. Nonetheless, find twenty minutes out of your day to stop in.

2007 Grenache Dry Creek Valley
80% Grenache/10%Syrah/10% Mourvedre Unfined/unfiltered

Lively nose once it warms, with notes of boysenberry and red currant. It has no acidity, is medium bodied, and possesses a modest earthiness. As grenache’s go, this is atypical…which is why I like it.

2007 Zin Dry Creek Valley 28/-/26
88% Zin/8% Petite Sirah/4% Barbera

This is zinfandel is a primitivo clone. If your unfamiliar with the genesis of zinfandel in America, you should hit Wikipedia; some say it started from the mission grape, but it definitely has roots in primitivo. (That pun was for you, honey.) What's important to note is that a primitivo clone is like a second generation Italian... the first descendant of the immigrant whose name was shortened on Ellis Island. That said, it has an unusual floral nose, but a delicious palate. It's a bit spicy without the acid. If I could be a little pretentious, I'll add that the Petite Sirah definitely shows itself in this wine.

2007 Syrah Dry Creek Valley $30/-/$26
This wine is dark, rich, and earthy. The nose confused me, but I went through a few glasses before I found one that presented the wine appropriately. The wine could benefit from a smaller glass (in lieu the Bordeaux glass, in which it was served). This is one of the best syrahs for the price. There’s still a note of anise, but the other syrah characteristics are still present. The principal reason my guilt-free price was so low as because we struggled to get a good taste of it, struggling with the glass as we did.

2007 Benchland Syrah Dry Creek Valley $35/-/$35You have to get past the initial shock of the dark earth, mildly fungal, but no-spice salami-like (no pepper qualities) earthiness in order to get the fruits on the nose, but let it sit a moment in your glass (decant it if you like), and you’ll get the full black currant fruits with deep earth tones you like in a sirah. -Lisa

The dark fruits are plentiful, to be sure. The earthiness that you expect in a Syrah would be a stretch to say. The black currant and anise (typical of the area) contribute to the lightly velvety finish. I’ve had better versions of this wine, but it’s still a good value.

2006 Benchland Syrah Dry Creek Valley $28/-/$35Since this was a cooler vintage, the tannins should be rougher. As it happens, though, this is a better rounded Syrah than its younger brother. Let the wine open in the glass before you stick your nose in it... It could just be the way things were being presented, but my first snootful was filled with the smell of bad meat. As it warmed up a little, and the wine settled. While it is better rounded, the nose is of some concern
Winemaker notes are of intense blackberry, smoked meat, and spice. I get the meat…but if it’s smoked, it’s a gamy, smoked meat.