Beautiful and elegant Syrah with everything you’d want from a cool climate expression: olive brine, herbs, and meat on the nose with a dense, focused core of darker red fruit. The texture is soft and silky with a touch of tannic grip to balance the striking lifted acidity - just glides over the palate into a long, earthy, peppery finish. I think this is in a great place to drink now, but I wouldn’t say no to revisiting it in a couple of years.
I’ve been a touch obsessed with American Rhône lately (and trying to purchase as much as someone living in Ontario can have access to) and when I saw a local wine bar taking advantage of the new laws allowing booze with takeout - $3 almonds and few hundred bucks worth of wine - this was such a knockout and a rare treat.
If I love this, who else would I love from California making Syrah in this style? Would be much obliged to get a few suggestions on producers to look out for.
Perhaps it’s their best Syrah. But it’s pretty expensive and not, I feel, a great expression of QueSyrah. I much preferred the KurtBeitler/Boheme (and before that…the Failla). Had more ripeness and richness to it. Not as lean/pinched as the A-R rendition of that Vnyd.
Tom
the Radio Couteau Syrahs ive had have been really fantastic. the Dusty Lane 2013 I had recently was one of my favorite American Syrahs ive had in memory
Not sure exactly why, as I didn’t follow the vintage conditions closely, but Radio Coteau made particularly good wines in 2013. The syrahs and the Lemorel zin are outstanding. I think the 2013 zin may be the best Eric has ever made.
