TN: 1999 Arcadian Syrah Robert O. Fleming Cuvée Garys' Vineyard

WINE TALK
1

Hadn’t tried this wine since our comprehensive Arcadian tasting 2+ years ago (where does the time go?) Really terrific showing last night. Always fun to drink a wine named in honor of my 'ol buddy Bob Fleming. Hi Bob! Cheers, all.

  • 1999 Arcadian Syrah Robert O. Fleming Cuvée Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (11/30/2019)
    What a great showing and better than my last bottle at our big Arcadian tasting two summers ago. The nose: Floral, smoked meat, cracked pepper, olive-a savory essence. Very NRhone. All about the nose here. Wow. Palate shows rather rich plummy dark fruit, black pepper and whispers of acidity remain to provide some backbone to the fruit. Drinking very well right now. Kudos Joe. Hi Bob!

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2

Nice! I do love this. The first vintage of this one and always special.

3

I had no idea! What a great tribute to a erudite and fascinating man. Wish we saw more of him here.

4

Indeed! [cheers.gif]

5

Thanks for the note. I have a few of the 00 and 01 left - 01 is one of my favorite domestic syrahs !

Cheers

6

Hi Jeff- The 2001 version of this wine is one of my top domestic Syrahs as well. My last bottle was last October. According to CT it is the highest score I’ve ever given an Arcadian Syrah) The '01 has always had a little more power and a bit more balance. Great wine. Cheers.

7

Thanks for the kind words Dennis, I know that it means a lot to me and I am sure it brings a smile to Bob that folks have enjoyed this wine over the years.

8

Right on, Joe! Always enjoy your work over the years and this one is another fitting nod to Big Toe. Great wine [cheers.gif]

9

Always lovely to see a note on BT’s wine, thanks Dennis. My note on the 2001 from a year and a half ago visiting Joe–I include it for the super-fun story about the label:

"2001 Arcadian Garys’ Syrah Bob Fleming Cuvee

We finished with a wine Joe feels is ready to drink. And great fun, since I know BT myself. So Joe gleefully told me the “label tales”, how it first ended up as “Robert O’Fleming” and then “Roberto Fleming” before the labelers finally got it right! They were 4 year vines and this checks in at 13.8% Joe told me that he did the root grafting for the PN for Pisoni and Francioni and in return he got to plant 5 acres of Syrah. Some pencil shavings, some baked herbs, black cassis and blackberry in the aromatics. Palate is definitely ready to drink. Beginning of its window, very sappy, sticky fruit—cries for a steak or southern pulled pork. So much guts to the wine."

10

[cheers.gif] Love it. Thanks, Mike!

11

Yea I miss his posts as well. Hope all is well with him.

12

+1.

I just overcooked one of his Mama’s Pecan Pies last night :frowning:.

I blame the dogs, they were barking non stop yesterday evening.

13

Fleming is a legend and he never believes how much he is beloved and missed. What a label! If there are any left over or framed on etsy, I want one…

14

He is in good form and doing very well. He has a small group of wine groupies that hang out at Cellar 13. Doesn’t spend too much time on the web. To me, these bottles are some of the finest syrah you can imagine from California. I know he is still tickled to have his name on the bottle. I have loved every bottle I have tasted. BTW, hi Joe!

15

Very happy to hear it. I was sorry to have missed him on my one trip to Atlanta many years ago.