The 2022 Cattleya Initiation SLH Syrah is a standout wine originating from the Soberanes Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, a sub-appellation of Monterey, California. This Syrah is known for its deep color and potent black fruit flavors, with a complexity that's accentuated by dark spices. As James Suckling notes, this wine features "blackberries, star anise, black pepper, graphite, and ultra-dark chocolate flavors with meaty accents," highlighting its robust and age-worthy structure. Suckling rated it a notable 94, emphasizing its strong aging potential, suggesting it's best from 2029.

Jeb Dunnuck offers high praise, awarding the wine an excellent score of 96. He describes the nose as "compelling," with notes of dark wet stones, blackberries, pepper oils, lavender, and black olives, intertwined beautifully. On the palate, Dunnuck finds it medium to full-bodied with a silky texture and sweet tannins, despite being fully dry. He recommends enjoying this wine over the next decade to fully appreciate its delicate, mouthwatering saline and fresh acidity.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gives it a solid 92, mentioning its maturation for 15 months in 75% new French oak. The wine exudes savory aromas of bacon fat, woodsmoke, and iron, complemented by pure blackcurrant fruit. It is described as full-bodied, with chalky tannins and a bright freshness that leads to a long, mineral-driven finish.

Vinous, with a score of 95, describes the wine as dark and somber yet undeniably expressive, with sweet blackberry, lavender, and exotic spices. The tannins are well-managed, and the wine, aged in 75% new French oak for 18 months, is both open and approachable. This Syrah promises a long evolution, embodying the archetypal elegance of SLH Syrah.