I hate it when wine scribes tout every current vintage as “maybe the best ever.” Can every vintage be better than the last? I am not going to do that here. However, the 2007 vintage did give us the most concentrated wines in the short history of Kingston Family Vineyards. I will say that at least.

In 2006, we completed construction of our own winery, and this allowed us much more flexibility in making the wines than we had before—nothing like having your own place! But we also made some other, more subtle adjustments in the Syrah winemaking that had an equally big impact on the finished wines. First, we backed off on the extraction. What we discovered over the first few years of making Syrah at Kingston is that the wine can sometimes be almost too concentrated. Seems strange to say that, but it’s true. So we started using a lighter hand with punchdowns and pumpovers (almost eliminating the former), to guide the wines more towards aroma, flavor, and balance, and away from sheer power. Second, we left the 2007 Syrahs in barrel longer. Rather than bottling along with the Pinot Noir just prior to the next harvest, we left them in barrel about three extra months. Even with those changes, the Syrah is pretty backward upon release but—I think—a bit more evolved than in the early days.

Bayo Oscuro means, loosely translated, black stallion, and in 2007 that title is especially apt. It’s as black as night. Despite my attempts to soften our approach to the wine, it still needs some air after pulling the cork. Once it opens up, it has what I’ve come to know as the typical Kingston Vineyard black fruits and meaty, savory notes, along with a bit of smoke, tar, and India ink. It’s a bit more tannic than the 2006. Intense stuff. I often think of wines more in the context of pleasure and not so much as objects of contemplation, but this one I think could stand up to some scrutiny. Put it in a big glass and swirl it a few times before gulping it down!