TN: 2007 Roar Syrah Rosella's Vineyard (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands)

WINE TALK
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  • 2007 Roar Syrah Rosella’s Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/13/2010)
    Opened this last night and had only one glass. Herbal nose, deep purple(smoke on the water) color, first taste right out of the gate lots of white pepper with earth and subtle fruit, good finish. As I gave it some time in the glass started to come around, but I knew as it was evolving to wait and get it on night two. Very good decision by me. On night two this is a wine that is just coming together a singing a song in my glass(this probably would have happened with a good decant on night one, but I popped and poured) The pepper, herbs and fruit are in perfect balance complementing each other, just a touch of heat, but I am liking it. More chewy fruit showing on night two. super finish. For some reason I just keep seeing myself in a mountain lodge on a snowy night in front of a fireplace enjoying this wine. One thing is I am amazed how well this is drinking so young. Quick note I left the bottle open all night and put a cork in it the morning and back into the cellar. Both this wine and the Gary’s are definitely WOW wines for me.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Ok, SPK, I opened one tonight. Jill made a homemade chicken pot pie and we kept it simple and it was the pie and the wine. I will lob a final TN tomorrow but for tonight, the wine really opened up, book it took a good hour and a half, adding weight over that span. Funk, pepper, citrus, blackberry, bit of chocolate. Ed did a good job with this bottle, showcasing the terroir of Rosella’s.

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I like it but I got a little green both times Ive opened it that stopped me from saying wow…Decided to let the remaining ones rest to see if the fruit fills in and kills the green.

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I’m not a fan of the SLH Pinots…but all of the 07 Roar’s are really good. I think folks will be surprised with how good they are.

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Indeed Tim, this is very good. One needs to I believe develop an appreciation for Rosella’s, what it can do in the best years. This is the year, this wine is in a great spot with life to go. Humberto, I don’t get green. I get all of the savage and sometimes pungent qualities of Rosella’s but not green. Sean, adding to your archive in CT…

  • 2007 Roar Syrah Rosella’s Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/16/2010)
    I have been drinking this bottling since 2003, when Adam Lee was making it for Gary. Since then, Ed K took over and I think with the 2007s that Ed has the full process, start to finish. I opened the wine last night, let it breathe and it needed to aerate, as it started out feminine and delicate, which evolved to a more full weighted wine with about 2 hours of air. The TN here is based on my usual overnight time left in the bottle, cork just closing the top. First, the bouquet: pepper, brush (light garrigue), some inclusion of flower but it’s buried under the earthier, more robust pepper notes. Perhaps a hint of smoke too, which is not unusual for Rosella’s. Dark in the glass, as I said earlier, medium+ palate weight that still has some grip. Dark fruit but as with the aromatics, the same notes of pepper and herb really shade the fruit into an earthier, more savage quality. Inky in nature, too. And of course, the Rosella’s citrus/grapefruit, with a hint of pickle–for me, this is what Rosella’s should be. Bittersweet espresso and a licorice element (as I have found on a # of 2007 cooler-based syrahs) and a long finish. Much better than the 2006, has terrific life and flavor, very satisfying and dinstinctive–this is real Rosella’s, with the citrus and pepper and smooth fruit.

PS–I’ll mention that the Roar website indicates this bottling got only 16% new oak. BRAVO. Ed, I like the fact you let the vineyard talk without being obscured by all the french oak. Thank you!

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For some reason I only purchased the '07 Roar Pinots, But the '07 Novy Rosella’s is probably my favorite SLH wine from this year. After sitting with the Lucia’s ( Susan’s and Gary’s) over the last two nights I really do believe the Rosella’s was the winner this year.

I’m gonna have to try and find some of the Roar locally as the shipping direct from Roar is ridiculous to Vegas.

Frank, I’ll post notes on the Lucia’s later this weekend.

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Look forward to the Lucia notes. I had some back and forth discussion with Jeff Pisoni recently about both Lucia syrahs so I will be interested in your notes, Joe.

Why would the Roar shipping to Vegas be so ridiculous? Did you try contacting Ed or Gary about it?

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They apparently don’t have the license to ship direct and have to go 3 tier, I paid something like $40 for 4 bottles last time.

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That blows. [swearing.gif]