2009 Quivet Cellars Syrah Las Madres Vineyard- USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros (7/19/2011)
1 Hr decant. Great nose of black and blue fruits with pepper and floral notes. On the palete the black and blue fruits really taste fresh with more savory notes and a long spicy finish. Nicely balanced. (93 pts.)
Great note, Bob. A agree, great wine indeed!
Greg, although you had asked Bob, I will interject and say yes, there is great upside for a 3/4 year wait. I would be curious to see what Bob says as well.
2009 Quivet Cellars Syrah Las Madres Vineyard- USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros (4/2/2011)
30 minute decant, then through a Vinturi. Although a baby (Just received yesterday from the winery), this shows tons of potential. Nose of sassafras and blackberry. A beautiful and intoxicating purity with notes of soy and leather. There is a hint of spring flowers as well. The palate has some warm blueberry pie with blackberrry, hint of soy, hint of bacon fat, some mild white pepper and more. A light to medium body weight with fantastically woven tannins and a perfect high wire act of acidity. Long finish really completes it nicely. Released with 12 months bottle age I am surprised this need so much coaxing. It only proves how wonderful this will be in about 2 years. If mine last. (93 pts.)
I agree with Mike, a few more years in the bottle and it should only get better, but it is really drinking well now. The fruit is so vibrant and fresh right now it’s hard to recommend waiting.
vibrant and strong, I’d chime in with those notes—I just had my one bottle of 07 at a dinner party over the weekend and it was quite big, but also pretty pure plum, boysenberry and cassis fruit. Somewhat thick and over-rich for my liking on its own, the most remarkable aspect of the wine was its interaction with the short ribs in ancho chili marinade that I’d cooked—the wine literally surfed on top of the spice in the food…it was quite the sensation to feel this—really matched tremendously well.
Last Monday, Susan & I did a visit to John&JeanPainter’s LasMadres vnyd. We tasted an '05 NicholsenRanch Syrah, made by ThomasBrown
w/ 60% WholeCluster. Absolutely amazing, very Rhonish style wine…one of the best I’ve had in several yrs.
LasMadres is a very special Syrah vnyd in my book. BryanKane/VIE also does wonderful things w/ these grapes.
Thanks for the note, Bob.
Nice notes, and could not agree more Tom. Have had the pleasure of lunch/dinner with the Painters several times at their beautiful property. Remember trying a 2003 Nicholson Ranch Carneros Syrah and 2004 Nicholson Ranch Las Madres Vineyard Cosentido Syrah that were outstanding. Have had a few opportunities to taste various years of Quivet, Myriad and VIE Las Madres Syrah that were equallly delicious. Short of SQN, strongly prefer this cold climate style of Syrah!
Tom,
Great to see your note on this. It is a mystery to me why syrah is so diffcult to sell when there is so much high quality at a reasonable price.
Thomas and I started a project this year (first vintage 2011) which includes a Cardiac Hill syrah bottling. I think I will nudge TRB about 60% being the right amount of whole cluster lol. Your note made my weekend.