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2004 Melville Syrah High Density - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (12/20/2009)
Opens with earthy (and perhaps slightly funky) aromas of saddle leather, anise seed, and mixed peppercorns over raw meat and iron. Rich and full-bodied, this wine delivers a smooth and seamlessly-integrated palate of black plum skin, rosemary, wood char, iron, and pink peppercorns. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of cool-climate Syrah, as I prefer a more fruit-forward profile, but I do recognize this wine as a well-made example of this genre. 87-88 points. (87 pts.)