2014 Edmunds St. John Syrah Barsotti Ranch- USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado County (8/22/2018)
The Edmunds St. John Syrah journey has been a wandering path. It moved through winemaking facilities, as well as vineyards. The one constant has been Steve. His style has evolved over the 30+ years, but has always been on the unvarnished end of the spectrum. The grape and the site allowed to shine through.
So it’s no surprise that the 2014 Barsotti Ranch Syrah is Syrah without makeup. Barely medium bodied, it’s limber and constantly in motion. Upon first opening it appears fresh, crunchy and uncomplicated. Twenty four hours later the layers appear. Savory compliments fruity. Earthy and menthol elements persist on the finish. Forward and inviting now, it will likely age as ESJ Syrah always has, long and with great profit.
Wow this wine has completely changed since a year ago. Just astoundingly good and (I think I understand this word now) complete. Bought two from wine.com but wish I could get more somewhere. Other vintages/bottlings of ESJ I should seek out?
2014 Edmunds St. John Syrah Barsotti Ranch- USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado County (8/3/2021)
Sometimes a wine just catches you by surprise. Opened a bottle a year ago but, given the beginning of lockdowns etc, didn’t have the patience others on here had to wait until the second day.
Tonight, acidic and unexpressive on opening but with something promising and animal on the nose. About an hour in it is a completely different wine. Animal musk still there, but now coupled with something truffly, floral. Dark fruit in the background and a saline (olive) finish. One of those wines where all these elements mesh into a hard-to-delineate whole. In fact I’m not sure I’ve had one where the nose so seamlessly becomes the palate. Leaves a fragrance in the mouth that left me contemplating in silence. Posted from CellarTracker
All of the Syrahs. Like David said, there have been various vineyard sources over the years. I think they’re all excellent and ageworthy. Many require age to show their best.
Steve’s (relatively) new El Jaleo bottling (a multi-grape blend from Shake Ridge Ranch) is also well worth pursuing. The first vintage was good but not stellar. Steve quickly got his arms around it though, and the 2018 is really good and also an interesting drink. El Jaleo also has a bonus of the single best label in U.S. wine.
Grape blend is slightly different, but Steve has also gained some experience with the fruit. 2016 was his first time with that vineyard and with making a blend like that. His prior red blends were almost all Mourvedre/Syrah/Grenache in varying proportions. 2016 was OK IMO. 2017 was better, and 2018 is even better.
I didn’t have any luck emailing Steve, but I was able to snatch a mixed case through my local wine shop, including their entire allocation of the 2014 Barsotti Syrah which was all of 6 bottles.
That’s odd. He’s quite responsive at most times. He did have an injury not long ago (he’s fine now). I wonder if that was coincidental with your email.
Could be! He did reply to me very quickly and said it would be easier for me to go through a local shop (which I did), and never really addressed my question about buying directly from him. It’s all good! I got what I wanted and at a great price. Currently working on practicing restraint.