Riverain Vineyards

Cardiac Hill Bennett Valley Syrah

9.121 ratings
8.93 pro ratings
Bennett Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA
Syrah
Lamb
Top Notes For
Isaac Pirolo

Riverain is Steve Nordhoff and Dean & Laurie Gray’s label that produces just a few hundred cases from some select vineyards in Northern California, including a Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Gamble Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc.

According to Dean Gray, Riverain is a historically French term meaning “local & friendly people who reside near the river.”
@Greg Ballington deserves credit for the reco, and while I’ve had a handful of Syrahs from the Cardiac Hill Vineyard in Sonoma County’s Bennett Valley, this is my first that’s made by Thomas Rivers Brown.

Screams old world, particularly Northern Rhône. Loved it from the get-go, but the acceleration at 90 minutes open is significant. Campfire grilled meat, finely ground pepper, black olive, and creosote, with a core of savory black fruit, and a beautiful secondary combination of cedar and lavender. There’s a distinctive combination of balance, purity of fruit, and savory structure that’s hard not to recognize.

Riverain is Steve Nordhoff and Dean & Laurie Gray’s label that produces just a few hundred cases from some select vineyards in Northern California, including a Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Gamble Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc.

According to Dean Gray, Riverain is a historically French term meaning “local & friendly people who reside near the river.”
@Greg Ballington deserves credit for the reco, and while I’ve had a handful of Syrahs from the Cardiac Hill Vineyard in Sonoma County’s Bennett Valley, this is my first that’s made by Thomas Rivers Brown.

Screams old world, particularly Northern Rhône. Loved it from the get-go, but the acceleration at 90 minutes open is significant. Campfire grilled meat, finely ground pepper, black olive, and creosote, with a core of savory black fruit, and a beautiful secondary combination of cedar and lavender. There’s a distinctive combination of balance, purity of fruit, and savory structure that’s hard not to recognize.

1 person found it helpfulJul 22nd, 2018
Mike Steffel

Just ok

Just ok

Dec 3rd, 2016
Jeremiah A. Flores

Food wine. Young. Not my bag.

Food wine. Young. Not my bag.

Dec 12th, 2015
Mike Evans

Ripe but with savory black olive and smoked meat to keep it from being cloying.

Ripe but with savory black olive and smoked meat to keep it from being cloying.

Nov 9th, 2017
Blake Foster

Priced very well

Priced very well

Sep 16th, 2017
Jake Rubash

Last of our 11's. Very nice

Last of our 11's. Very nice

Jun 9th, 2017
Jake Rubash

Black olives in your face, extremely dry finish. Love it

Black olives in your face, extremely dry finish. Love it

Jan 8th, 2017
Christian Bronstein

Teeth staining depth with blue fruits, spice and gobs of tannin here that will take a few years to integrate and unleash all the promise

Teeth staining depth with blue fruits, spice and gobs of tannin here that will take a few years to integrate and unleash all the promise

Dec 3rd, 2016
Jake Rubash

So good, still super young

So good, still super young

Nov 27th, 2016