White Oak’s Napa Valley Syrah is a consistent medal winning selection at the winery, and the 2005 vintage is perhaps the most anticipated release to date with its high ratings and smooth, silky flavors. Winemaker Bill Parker has crafted quite the crowd pleaser here, with a dynamic balance of earthy pepper notes, ripe black fruit flavors, and smooth integrated tannins. Wine & Spirits awarded the 2005 Napa Valley Syrah 90 Points: “Brisk with cranberry and mulberry flavors, this has the black peppercorn spice of Syrah that places it with artisanal mortadella (Italian bologna) on a picnic or, more formally, with roast lamb.” This Syrah also garnered a Gold Medal from the Orange County Wine Society Commercial Wine Competition and was awarded 88 Points by Connoisseurs’ Guide: “This well defined Syrah very much smells of ripe berries and pepper, and it conveys a sense of concentration that is affirmed by its deep and proportioned young flavors. Full-boded, but not heavy, with fine fruity acids providing brightness and real lift at the finish, it carries its fine grained tannins effortlessly and finishes with a lively and lengthy cranberry tang.”