2019 Booker ‘Fracture’ Syrah Paso Robles

Winemaker Notes: Often described as a Booker flagship, Fracture is one of the world's great Syrahs. Only the softest Syrah in barrel makes the cut for this dense and powerful wine. The namesake pays homage to the calcareous soil in their vineyard, the limestone causes it to 'fracture.' Fracture is their most consistent wine and the1'9 vintage is no different. Inky black as always, it shows off intense aromas of graphite, gun powder, and blackberry cobbler. The flavors on the palate mirror the aromas and yet are almost completely eclipsed by the sheer weight, volume, and length of this graceful giant. The finish is even bigger than the previous 2017 or 2018 vintage with notes of double espresso and seared rib eye on the close.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Jeb Dunnuck - "The 100% Syrah 2019 Fracture comes all from the Booker Estate Vineyard and is another pure, balanced, incredibly classy wine from this estate. Loads of darker fruits, ground black pepper, crushed stone, and scorched earth give way to a medium to full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Syrah that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 10-15 years."


Vinous - "Dark purple. An exotically perfumed, expressive bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, Moroccan spices, olive paste, licorice, potpourri and incense. Densely packed and impressively energetic in the mouth, offering intense blackberry, cassis, kirsch, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors that firm up slowly through the back half. The floral and spice notes repeat emphatically on an impressively long, youthfully tannic finish that leaves smoky mineral and licorice notes behind."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "The 2019 Fracture is energetic and mineral-driven this vintage. It has a medium ruby-purple color with rich cassis on the nose, accented by nuances of tar, iron, bergamot and charcuterie. The medium-bodied palate has a silty structure and fresh acidity that highlights its spicy undertones, and it finishes very long. It's drinkable now but has a long life ahead in the cellar."


James Suckling - "A serious syrah with black-ink, violet, blueberry and crushed-stone character. It’s full and tight with layers of fine tannins that spread across the palate. Chalky finish. Chewy at the end. Drinkable now, but better in 2026 and onwards."


Wine Spectator - "Inky dark and deeply layered yet not weighty, this red features black raspberry and blueberry flavors laced with crushed stone, black olive and cured meat, finishing with fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030."