Stumbled across this wine last and cracked it open:
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CoastviewVnyd Syrah NorthBlock/MontereyCnty (U/U; 120 cs; 14.5%) C&B by ChularCanyonWnry/SantaCruz 2007: Dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah rather herbal/thyme/rosemary some peppery/black pepper bit smokey/earthy/toasty/oak quite complex beautiful nose; fairly tart ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/chocolaty/RCCola some herbal/thyme/pungent bit mineral/graphite quite complex flavor w/ light smooth/tangy tannins; very long/lingering some herbal/thyme strong spicy/blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/Syrah peppery/RCCola light smokey/oak quite complex finish w/ light smooth/resolved tannins; strong on the herbal/thyme side but a unique/complex expression of Monterey Syrah; should go out another 4-8 yrs. $35.00
A wee BloodyPulpit:
- Not sure why I originally bought this wine. I suspect it was because I tasted it when I first met IanBrand at a RhoneRangers in LosAngeles I attended w/ DaveYates.
This wine was made by IanBrand, who now makes wine under his Le P’Tit Paysan label. Not sure if he still makes the Coastview wines or not. Looking at the Coastview WebSite, it look pretty stale, so don’t know if they’re still making wine or not. The vnyd is located on the hilltops in the GabilanMtns on the East side of the SalinasVlly.
The wine is a terrific expression of cold-climate Syrah. It reminded me a lot of the first Ventana Syrahs of DougMeador, some of the JCCllrs Syrahs from VentanaVnyd, a bit of the early-on Priorat Syrahs before they became so overripe/over-the-top.
- Ventana: The was the vnyd originally founded by DougMeador in ArroyoSecco in the mid-'70’s, up on the benchlands above the valley floor, on the west side of the SalinasVlly. Well afore the SantaLuciaHighlands were developed. I did a visit w/ Doug in the early '80’s at his Ventana tasting room (then located in the old MontereyPeninsulaWnry tasting room below the MontereyAirport) and we drove over to walk his ArroyoSecco vnyd. Very cold and the wind screaming like a banshee. At that time he was making some very good Chards and PinotNoirs and some outstanding dry Rieslings (loaded w/ Mosel valve oil/gout de petrol). We then walked up to this small block of new vines and he proudly stated “Syrah” with this $hit-eating grin. I gave Doug this incredulous look and said “Uhhhhhh…Doug…don’t you know that Syrah is a warm-climate grape”?? and pointed skyward at the cold/howling wind. He sorta shrugged “We’ll see”.
His Ventana planting was, of course, the first true cold-climate planting of Syrah in Calif. When I eventually tasted his first Ventana Syrah, I was blown away by its herbal/peppery character, something never before found in Calif Syrah.
I long thought that Doug has never gotten the recognition he deserves for the remarkable contributions to Calif viticulture he made at Ventana. Anybody remember the vegetal/green-bean Cabernets Mirassou use to make? He learned how to farm Cabernet in the SalinasVlly. Don’t water the hell out of the vines. Make 'em struggle. He spotted a variety Sauvignon Musque lurking on the FPS list, tried it, and the rest is history.
Doug eventually sold Ventana and started up MeadorEstate wines. It appears to no longer be in business. He has a blog (meadorestate.blogspot.com), but it no longer appears active. So I don’t know what he’s doing these days. A Google of “Doug Meador Obit” shows nothing. That’s usually a good sign!!
Anyway…a great guy who’s made some great wines over the yrs. He should be better known.
Tom
I’m 99% positive that Ian no longer makes wine for Coastview. I think that ended about 5 years ago. I loved the 2007 Syrah when it was young and forced myself to hold onto 2 or 3 more to see how they aged. I hadn’t checked in on one in quite some time so glad to hear its doing fine. I will probably wait a few more years now. I still have a few of the 2008s as well which are also nice but I have always preferred the 2007.
Tom,
Don’t you realize that you have to put a ‘sexier’ winery in the title in order to get folks to take a look and reply??!? Oh well . . .
Interesting notes - and no surprise that this wine has hung on so nicely.
Have not had any of the recent Ventana wines since they started making their own - have you? I used to enjoy the Vin de Mistral wines put out by Phelps from this vineyard as well.
Cheers.
Tom,
Thanks so much for the tasting note. That 07 Syrah seems like a lifetime ago, I made it in my last vintage in the Big Basin Vineyards cellar and was very much influenced by the prevailing style in that cellar at that time. I’m very happy to hear that the wine continues to develop in the bottle.
The vineyard continues up in the Gabilans, about 5 miles south of Calera’s Mount Harlan planting at roughly the same elevation. Bradley at Big Basin continues to take the majority of the fruit, though I have seen a ripping Maidenstoen Riesling, a Ser Coastview Chardonnay, and an Odonata Coastview Syrah in the last couple years. I don’t have much contact with the vineyard anymore; my partnership with the vineyard owner ended in 2012. It’s especially disappointing because I felt the 2010 and 2011 Syrahs I made off that vineyard had potential, as I had begun to get a good grasp of the vineyard at that point and the cool vintages are often the best in the Gabilans. I can’t tell you how they turned out as I think John sold all remaining wines to a discounter and I didn’t have any cases of those vintages in library. I know Bradley’s wines off the vineyard have continued to evolve and improved, as has the vineyard management. They are worth checking out.
Doug sold Ventana maybe five or six years ago. The vineyard persists with most of the same vines. There are still some great grenaches and syrahs coming off there. The new owners shut down the old milk barn winery, which still sits empty, and moved production to a more modern facility. As of three years ago, Meador Estate was still selling grapes. The vineyard is still there, though I’m not sure Doug still owns it. He really was a pioneer of the region. I don’t think he’s living locally anymore.
I’m so happy the wine is still holding up. I think the 08 will come around, too. That vintage just had too much fruit when young.
Best,
Ian
Hi Tom,
Interesting to see your note regarding Coastview. I have been working with John Allen, the owner of the vineyard, since 2007 when I first discovered this incredible vineyard. It is only 6 miles south of Mt. Harlan with similar elevation and soils, though even more exposure to the cooling influence of Monterey Bay. Last year was our 10th vintage making Syrah from this vineyard and there has no doubt been an evolution as we have gotten to know the vineyard better. I contracted John to plant a special block of Syrah on steep terraces for us using the Alban Baby Block selection in 2008. These vines started producing enough fruit in 2014 that we were able to bottle this wine separately and it is substantially different from the clone 1 planted in the rest of the vineyard. I have also experimented with varying amounts of whole cluster over the years and now routinely use 2/3s whole cluster without it being stemmy. Inspired by my trip to the Northern Rhone cellar of Jamet, we used 100% whole bunch in one lot this past year and mainly just did very gentle pump overs. Incredibly, it did in fact produce a wine very reminiscent of that incredible spice and secondary character that defines Jamet Syrah. No doubt the decomposed granite soils that look almost identical to those in the Northern Rhone had something to do with it.
These days, our Coastview Syrah sees very little new oak, abundant use of whole cluster, native fermentation, virtually no additions, and typically finishes at or below 14% alcohol. Some lots are co-fermented with Viognier. I truly believe this is one of the great sites for Syrah in California for those who appreciate the finer Northern Rhone examples. To see the full progression of our style, you might have to come barrel taste at the winery. Let me know if you want to take me up on that.
Thanks, Brad. Will you be pouring this at RhoneRangers in June??
Every time I taste your wines, I always think this is a wnry I should be
following more closely.
Tom
Slow oxed a bottle of 08 Coastview to accompany an aged New York for dinner tonite. What a marriage! The Coastview nose soared after an hour with dark berry, bramble, leather and a bunch of other stuff going on- quite complex! On the palate, deep rich fruit, a strong mineral streak and fine-grained tannins that synced well with the fat in the steak. This is singing right now, especially with some air time and the right food companion. Thanks Tom for the note on the 07 that prompted me to open my 08. I can see a reprise of this dinner in a few years with equal enjoyment!
I remember being blown away by late-90s examples of Ventana Vineyard fruit that Chris Howell made at Cain. That flavor profile is what I will forever chase in West Coast SB.
Also, Bradley, I love what you do with Coastview Syrah.
Opened both a 2007 and a 2008 tonight. Prefer the 2008 tonight even if a slight rough on the finish as the 2007 tastes a little sweet. Something I don’t remember from prior bottles. But the best is a blend of the too that smooths the toughness of the 2008 and reduces the perceived sweetness of the 2007.