Steele Stymie Syrah Founder's Reserve 2012

This wine towers over the competition, and not only because the bottle is an inch and a half taller than most. Its aroma is exotic and compelling, like singed rosemary branches (in a good way).

The flavors bring clove, blackberry, ripe blueberry and dried-cherry notes. The texture is buoyed by fine tannins and firm acidity for a feeling of agility and strength.