93pts Jeb Dunnuck

Blended from across several sites, the 2018 Syrah Cuvee Christine is fresh with mineral aromas of dusty earth, blackberry, and violet. The palate is soft and airy, with delicate black plum and turned earth. It is a lovely, classic expression of Syrah to drink now or over the next 5-6 years.

93pts Vinous

The 2018 Syrah Cuvée Christine is dark, flavorful and exceptionally beautiful. Black cherry, plum, spice, lavender and leather are some of the many notes that flesh out in a Syrah that hits all the notes. There's maybe a touch of sweetness from the oak that is not typically found in these wines, but that is a relatively small critique, especially for a wine meant to be enjoyed upon release. The Cuvée Christine delivers the goods. I would give the tannins a few years to soften. The blend is composed of top sites in Knights Valley, Green Valley, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley.

90pts Wine Spectator

Straightforward and well-built, with blackberry and cherry flavors accented by green peppercorn and coffee bean, finishing with refined tannins. Drink now through 2028. 500 cases made.

Tasting Notes

On the nose, mulberries, blood orange, white flower, coffee grinds.

Pair with: Sunday roast, wild game, or foraged mushrooms.

About the Wine

This 100% Syrah blend is an intense assemblage of some of our favorite Syrah vineyards in Sonoma County. Our sourcing for this wine is diverse, ranging from Knights
Valley to as far West as Green Valley of Russian River Valley, and the usual suspect vineyards are present in this blend; Kobler, Lawer, Steiner, Cardiac Hill, and Judge. We refer to the Cuvée Christine as our Sonoma postcard to Syrah. It runs the full gamut of flavor and personality with fruit, spice, and savory. There’s something in this wine for everyone and every meal, and the quality-to-price ratio is unmatched.

We take a similar approach to Christine as we do with Keltie. We assemble unique Syrah lots to create texture, mouth-feel, and intrigue. The difference in making Christine is we use lower whole cluster, new oak, and we age it for a shorter amount of time. The difference you can smell and taste is in the fruit-forwardness of the wine. Christine is not afraid to put on a show of red berries and purple fruit. It possesses not only great length but also great breadth on the palate. The whole cluster fermentation gives this wine backbone without being too firm, and freshness from our cooler-climate vineyards provides an uplifting finish that will weave well with your favorite fare.

Winery Notes

'We’re a boutique Sonoma winery producing Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Viognier. We have elected to prize quality over all other factors. Simply put, we think wine should taste great — with every vintage and every grape, this is our ultimate priority and our greatest motivation. Our working winery is located in Santa Rosa, where our small team puts in their passion and dedication to make Donelan one of the best Sonoma wineries for top-tier Syrah and private tastings.'