The label.
2011 Apsara Syrah Las Madres Vineyard
Tasting Notes: Blueberries, blackberries, bacon fat, with a background of floral notes and vibrant spice. The first bottle of this was very fruit forward, while the second bottle (6 months later) was showing a lot more bacon fat, eucalyptus, and green olive notes up front. After a slow-ox (20 hours), the fruit came out again and this was layered with fine tannins and a bright acidity.
Cost: 35 dollars a bottle. This wine is a steal at this price point.
Las Madres Vineyard: One of the great cool-climate Syrah vineyards in California. Situated in the Carneros region of Sonoma (south western), this site provides the fruit for many great Syrah-producing labels, including Myriad, Quivet, Vie, and Eric Kent. The vineyard has at least two different clones – the 300 and 174 – and the cool temperatures make it perfect for cool climate Syrah and creating wines that are reminiscent of Northern Rhone.
Winemaker: the winemaker is Robin Akhurst who made wine under Mike Smith (Myriad) and Thomas Rivers Brown (Schrader, Rivers-Marie) before starting his label, Apsara. Currently Apsara has two wines, a Sauvignon Blanc and the Syrah, but with this newest release (Feb 2014) a third wine – whole cluster Syrah – will be added. Can’t wait!
Wine Pairings: Cool climate Syrah often has a bright acidity that makes it pair very well with food and makes it quite versatile. Lighter red meat dishes, poultry and pork, and roasted vegetables all pair well with this. We have paired this successfully with chicken and roast vegetables, Thanksgiving dinner, and chicken and beef curries.
Wine Style: Fruit forward with nice acidity, medium to fine tannins, and light smoke and earth. If you like this, you would also like an earthy and acidic Pinot Noir. The dominant category here is fruit forward. You might not like this, however, if you don’t like any acidity, so you like rounder, smoother, or sweeter wines, or if you like a really heavy wine with heavy fruit and heavy tannins (many large, modern California Cabernets). However, this wine is particularly versatile for a wide variety of palates.
Find out more: apsaracellars.com
WINE-AUX(S) 
$35 is direct from producer? Or what u would find at a liquor store? Prices vary by states, right?
Yes, this is direct from producer. Apsara is a very small producer and it will be difficult to find this wine in stores outside of California. Prices do vary by state. Under the 21st Amendment, regulation of alcohol is under state control, so there are taxes and licensing fees that will increase prices for in-state distributors and drive up prices. Additionally, some states only allow sales through state liquor stores, which unilaterally set prices. Wine Law is fascinating – maybe I will do a blog post about it!