2022 Wood Family Vineyards Syrah – A Masterpiece
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Photo from Wood Family Vineyards website
Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on her background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2
Some of the most recent awards are as follows, but not all are listed.
2019 Cabernet Franc – Double Gold
2021 Malbec – Double Gold
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Clone 30” – Double Gold
2021 El Loco Rojo Red Blend – Double Gold
2021 Captain Red Blend – Double Gold
2022 Chardonnay – Gold
Their 2019 was awarded 95 points & won Double Gold at the Orange County Wine Fair. 2022 is surely destined to win awards also.
For a complete listing see their website listed below.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine is destined to be one of the Wood Family Vineyards quick sellers. First on the eyes, a deep almost “blackish” color but with a rim of mesmerizing magenta/purple hue and medium heavy viscosity. On the nose, dark berries and violets are the predominant aromas that waft into your senses. But on the palate are robust, dense and lively blackberry and blueberry flavors, along with red plums engulfing the mouth with the fruit and black pepper. Tertiary flavors of clove and cherry cola are present. On the finish, velvety texture and very subtle tannins caress the back of the mouth to provide a long-lasting enjoyable tasting. Listed at $38/bottle and only 60 cases produced. The wine was aged 18 months in a mixture of French and Hungarian oak with 30% being new oak, 20% Hungarian and 10% French. 100% Syrah varietal from the Clark vineyard in East Livermore.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine will make my annual Best Wines Tasted in the year for 2026.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The slow cooker Birria Tacos were cooked 8 ½ hours. Besides chuck roast, ingredients included chopped yellow onion, garlic cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cumin, Hatch Valley green peppers, cinnamon, chipotle in adobo, crushed fire roasted tomatoes, beef broth, white vinegar, kosher salt, bay leaves, shredded Oaxaca cheese and chopped fresh cilantro. Dipping sauce was on the side. This recipe was much easier than previous ones especially having to find all the fresh ingredients (see previous story at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2023/08/05/2020-jessies-grove-winery-fancy-quest-old-vine-zinfandel-and-birria-tacos-and-sauce/ .
Sláinte,
Michael