- 2005 Chateau St. Jean Syrah Durell Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (4/16/2025)
From my late father’s cellar, this was a bit of a surprise, as I did not realize CSJ made Syrah from Durell Vineyard. I approached the wine with some degree of skepticism, as my deep familiarity with the great Durell Syrahs from Steve Edmunds set a very high bar. While this bottle didn’t cleanly clear the bar, it at least made a credible jump. Still showing dark fruit, there was also a leathery, earthy component that spoke to Syrah. I can’t really put it into words other than to say this bottle resembled Durell Syrah as I remembered it, but some of the mid-2000s excesses (15% ABV on the label, and it was obvious at times) left a hazy barrier, even a touch of thickness to the palate, without much in the way of acidity to cut through the richness. All that said it was a very good wine, just brawnier than I prefer. Glad to have tasted Durell Syrah again.
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Good note, letting us know exactly what to expect.
I don’t think I ever had a Durell Syrah. Feel like I drank a ton of Durell Chards in the 90’s, though.
I have poured a few CSJ Durell Chards down the sink at my mom’s house.
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I still think the 1992 ESJ Durrell is the best CA Syrah I’ve ever tasted.
The 1995 for me, but still ESJ Durell.
IIRC, myself, Steve Edmunds, Marshall, Christine & a few others drank a mag of the 1995 ESJ Durell Syrah at HdR 10 to 15 years ago…
It was great! But my vote goes to the ‘92
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Mel, I remember that, but I think the last year I was a HDR was 2005? 
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