Tasted over the past two evenings. A trifecta of deliciousness.
Big Basin “Rattlesnake Rock”, Santa Cruz Mts. The biggest, brawniest, most packed and stuffed. Great structure, still a baby with years of potential ahead.
Pax “Castelli-Knight Ranch”, RRV. The most balanced, poised and suave at this point in time. Just flawless.
Copain “Hawks Butte”, Yorkville Highlands. The most dashing and flamboyant of the three wines. Explosive red and black fruit. Sensational.
Three lessons I took away:
2003 must be considered an excellent year for Northcoast syrah.
Aside from favorable vintage conditions, these beauties were the product of great vineyards and winemaking. We all know about the skills of Bradley, Wells and Pax.
I may be drinking my syrahs a little too early. These six year olds are just getting going.
I am not a big drinker of CA Syrah…at all…but I LOVE the Copain Hawk’s Butte in 2003. It’s my favorite domestic Syrah ever. That wine has more complexity than any Syrah from the US that has ever crossed my lips.
Thanks for the impression Mike, and though I havent had the 03 Copain HB, this helps strengthen my resolve to get the 04 HB to about 8 years from the vintage date
I have definitely found that the Pax syrahs improve significantly with some bottle age. I’m trying to hold all of them for at least five-six years out from vintage. I have a single '03 C-K in my cellar. Sounds like it’s soon time to pop.
Thanks for these notes and your impressions on these wines. I agree with your lessons, especially #3. I too have found that ageing my syrahs allows for a great deal of complexity to emerge with these wines. They are so tasty when young that it is hard to leave them alone. I have tried to be diligent about storing at least one of each of my syrahs at the furthest offsite location that I have so it is more difficult for me to go and get.
To further your lesson #1, I had a wonderful 2003 Jaffurs Larner syrah a couple of weeks ago that was delicious. It seems like 2003 was an excellent year throughout California for syrah.
Steve,
I couldn’t agree more. The earliest I open Pax is 5 years from vintage, and some need even more time than that.
Steffen - even in this exaulted company the bright, complex fruit of the Hawk’s Butte stood out. I found the Copain 3-pack in a coat closet last weekend stashed below a bunch of Bords. My overflowing cellar situation is pathetic - I forgot I had any of it (yes, I really need Cellar Tracker).
I’m thrilled that I have two more of these gems. I probably won’t touch another one for at least a year.
Great to hear the Hawke’s Butte is drinking well. Possibly the best syrah I have ever had. The fruit is there, but the wine carrys a savory/olive component that is just beautiful and the wine goes brilliantly with food unlike many modern syrahs. I still have a few bottles left. I bought 3 on release, then picked up 3 more on WC at cost! I would love to load up some more as I think these will be drinking well for years. I just saw some at BPWine for $85 if anyone is interested. About twice release cost, but worth $85 imho. Anyone had more recent bottlings? I have not touched my later releases.
I love the Hawks Butte and it’s been interesting watching its progression over time. Through 3 of my 6, but it’s been about a year, so one will get added to the queue.
The Castelli-Knight I opened last year was corked and I’m down to my last bottle of that. Have to decide if now’s the time or hold.
