TN: 2005 Lucia Syrah Garys' Vineyard (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands)

WINE TALK
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This bottling is likely one of my most frequently TN’d wines in my CT account. Having now tasted and chronicled this wine 6 times, I have a 2 1/2 year survey of this wine, with my TN below probably most resembling the attributes of my November 2007 TN, as I look back. The wine has moved along, but still showing the youthful acidity and structure that keeps it fresh and engaging. Probably leaving another glass for tomorrow would help add some more perspective but in the end, sometimes I just enjoy actually drinking a wine and enjoying the wine itself, leaving the academics behind (god, I try) so I will polish the bottle tonight as the Ducks get ready to take to the Kings from across town. I dig the SLH, dig Garys’ and the wines that Mark and Jeff P continue to kick out.

  • 2005 Lucia Syrah Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (11/30/2009)
    This is bottle #6. Pop and pour but with intent of tracking the wine over the next couple of days as I finish it. Initial impression? Tight and wrapped up still, which was my summary impression to some degree when i drank bottle #5 about 14 months ago. Grapey, with a quality of dark fruit that covers the palate. Charcoal, red fruit and blue fruit. Let’s see how this bottle does with more air…at 2 hours, the wine is unfolding further, with more chocolate, iron and some better depth but not anywhere near former bottles I have enjoyed. Plan to finish tomorrow but safe to say this wine is surely not a ‘pop and pour’…and finally, a full day open and finishing the bottle tonight, in summary, much better. Clearly, this wine is still IMO young and needs to aerate to show properly and this also portends a wine that can likely age for some time. Nose shows a mix of stems, graphite and some florals with a listed alc on bottle @ 14.5%. The palate profile is inky and grapey, with a twangy citrus woven through it along with steak sauce, which are both common terroir threads I find in this vineyard. The finish carries the citrus, some bitter espresso and licorice. This wine should continue to evolve, meld and live for some time so decant or age through 2010 and then I think this can go for another 3-4 years after that.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Frankie, your note is spot ON for this wine, really.

It’s not really my thing - a bit ‘big’ in the Syrah category for me, but I prefer more the dirty, earthy Frenchie types that Eldon so detests.

However, almost anything from the Pisoni family intrigues me, as they have this unique and attractive aroma profile and flavor profile that is uniquely theirs.

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Thanks Frank. I think they really nailed the 04 and 05 Syrahs. 06’s are a question mark for me as is the 07 now that I tried the Susan’s Hill. Have an 04 Gary’s and the 07 here at home to under go examination soon.

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Rock and Frenchenstein…I like the Lucia syrahs and I continue to enjoy and add them each year. They are not french or old world, but they are not sweet or ripe driven, IMO. Dark, inky and I know Jeff has pushed the stem inclusion to about 50% so there is that piece woven in, too.

Cris, we oughta do something with the 2006 and 2007 Lucia syrahs and see if your suggestion holds up or not. I have not drank any of the 2007s since I visited Jeff in June and I also barrel tasted the 2008s. But, it’s time to try both vintages and start that history to see how they stack up.