Located in the Mendocino County appellation of Yorkville Highlands, Halcón Vineyard overlooks Anderson Valley and the Pacific beyond. At 2500 ft. it is one of the highest vineyards in California. The northerly location, ocean exposure and altitude combine to produce a climate remarkably similar to the Northern Rhône region of France. Halcón Vineyards sit on a geologic band known as Yorkville Complex, a rare soil type based on fractured shale, mica-schist and quartz-rich rock. This ancient rock erodes into a thin layer of extremely low vigor soil; the very same soils that garner fame in Côte-Rôtie. The organically grown 2016 Estate Syrah is a Côte-Rôtie style blend Syrah with 3% of co-fermented Viognier and the inclusion of 50% whole-clusters. Crop level was just 1.25 tons per acre. The wine was aged in 15% new French oak, in the form of a 500L Ermitage puncheon. The traditional pairing for Northern Rhône Syrah is lamb.