Wine Enthusiast Review
Rated 96
If the first duty of a wine is to be delicious, this tiny production bottling succeeds beyond all measure. The Black Bear Block is almost always Zaca Mesa's best Syrah among its many releases, and so it is again in 2009. Take one sip and you're dazzled by the refined tannins, dryness and complexity of flavors: blackberry, cassis, plum sauce, mocha, bacon, smoky oak, white pepper, chamomile tea and licorice. What's harder to express is the sheer pleasure of the mouthfeel. This is an exciting Syrah, and may just be at the beginning of a long journey. Drink now and for many years as it slowly changes.

Wine Tasting Notes
This wine displays rich blackberry, cassis, mocha, cedar and our signature sage spice aromas and flavors. Powerful, yet elegant, this wine coats the palate, and the finish lingers with sophisticated tannins and exquisite fruit. This full-bodied wine should be enjoyed over the next ten years.