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2007 Lucia Syrah Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/17/2010)
Decanted 2 hours and drank over 2 days side by side with the Susan’s Hill, big nose of boysenberry, black cherry, and smoke. The dark fruit flavors continue on to the palate with a nice burst of lively somewhat sweetness that is countered a bit by some oakiness that isn’t obtrusive, but adds some complexity. Nice finish of concentrated dark fruit, tar and pepper. I was fairly surprised that this is as open right now as it is ( I tend to like the more primary flavors and grip in younger Ca. Syrahs). Night 2- this has rounded out quite a bit and the oak that was apparent on night one is nowwhere to be found which for my palate leaves it a more concentrated simpler wine.
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2007 Lucia Syrah Susan’s Hill - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/17/2010)
Decanted 2 hours and drank over 2 days along side the Gary’s. Similar nose to Gary’s with dark fruits and smoke, Not quite as big on the palate as the Gary’s with the fruit seeming more muted and not as bright, definitely much more acidity and a leaner profile with some heat apparent but still nice- I’m thinking at this point it’s much more of a food wine than the hedonistic Gary’s. Night 2- O.K. this has held up real nice with the acidity more integrated and no evidence of the heat I got on the first night. Overall much better on day 2 and would seem to be more longer lived that the Gary’s.
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Side by side there wasn’t a huge difference with these. Night 1 went to the Gary’s simply because the fruit seemed more fresh and lively, but probably not fair to the Susan’s since it just seemed to need more time and was more structured and complete on day 2 where I felt the Gary’s was a little soft and simple. Just my take and I’m wrong more often than not.
Joe, good work and it’s nice to see another person showing the fire for CA syrah, especially SLH syrah. I know you and I talked a bit about these two wines before you got into them and I appreciate your summations for both. I preferred the Garys’ at this stage, which I am inferring from your notes you like the Susan’s? For me, I think the Susan’s vineyard may be in a change position, which is seen for me in this wine leaning up some now, becoming less flamboyant than say the 2004 or 2005. In fact, I tried the 2007 twice over the course of a week, to ensure my initial impressions of the first bottle were accurate. The Garys’ is 8-10 years ahead of Susan’s in vine age, I believe, and we’ll have to see how the wines in 2007 evolve, as where future vintages head.
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2007 Lucia Syrah Susan’s Hill - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/10/2010)
It’s not usually my path to taste a wine, then go back and pull the same wine 5 days later to try again. But, I wanted to retry my experience with the 2007 SH again and see if it differed or repeated. So, opened another tonight–pop and por. The nose shows some heat/stem, along with some crushed rocks. Fairly dense, with a mineral and leather note, with a pointed red/black fruit flavor. The fruit has a crushed feel, juicy and earthy. Bittersweet chocolate, tar and licorice on the finish…we put this into the decanter and then finished it over the last 2 hours. The fine has smoothed out, still showing a lot of the earthy, crushed dark fruit, some leather, and licorice. The finish has what I sometimes find in espresso that is done strong, a roasted red note. I do like it better this time but the stems and intensity can soften some more. I also note some heat (or perception of it) within the finish. More complex this time out but maybe also this vineyard is changing, becoming less opulent and sexy, as it matures. The wine is less about primary, more about earthier features?
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2007 Lucia Syrah Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/8/2010)
This was my week to drink both the 2007 Lucia syrahs. I drank the Susan’s Hill earlier this week, took a night off and then opened the Garys’, this being the second night it has been open. On par, this is much better than the Susan’s, as much as it was this past June. This garys’ stains the glass, drips dark ink down the inside of the stem. It’s darker, more concentrated, has more depth and complexity and overall, at this stage, it beats the Susan’s easily. Crushed dark fruit, liquified mineral, concentrated fruit flavors. You know, reminds me a lot of the 2007 Copain syrahs, with just a bit more oomph and richness. Really drinks well and still youthful, too.
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2007 Lucia Syrah Susan’s Hill - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/5/2010)
This is my second time with this wine, the last being six months prior. On pop and pour, admittedly disappointing–I expected weight, some grit and density and instead got a wine that seemed quite flat and boring. Indeed dark in color–that’s here so I am going to hold up hope that the wine unfolds over the next couple hours…at 90 mins, coming around, with some crushed rocks, garrigue, and some peppery spice, along with some juicy blackberry. It still needs to bring some mid-palate…and with an overnight rest in the bottle, I am very surprised with the softness of this wine. The palate weight is more medium, with a generous amount of juicy, earthier edged blackberry. There is some licorice on the finish, along with a loamy aspect–again, that earthier tone. Much softer than past Lucia SH bottlings, lacking the sexiness but still quite drinkable and likely much more food friendly at this stage. Will it change?
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