Tried these four over the last week:
- Drew Viognier ValentiRanch/MendoRidge (13.3%) 2017: Med.gold color; strong pear/Viog/ripe peach light mineral/perfumed talc/bit herbal/spicy slight valve oil quite interesting/attractive nose; fairly tart/tangy/slight metallic fairly strong pear/peach/Viog/quince some mineral/perfumed talc/bit valve oil fairly rich/structured very interesting flavor; very long/lingering strong pear/peach/Viog/quince slight herbal bit mineral/perfumed talc some tart/tangy complex finish; quite a lovely subtle Viog way far away from DollyParton territory; not the effusive fruit of Condrieu but much the same minerality in a quiet way; a lovely Viog. $34.00
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Drew Syrah ValentiRanch/MendoRidge 2018: Very dark/near black color; very strong blackberry/Syrah/very spicy very strong c-c/cracked black pepper light roasted/Rhonish/bit w-c beautiful complex nose; quite tart/tangy bit hard/angular strong very spicy/blackberry/blueberry/Syrah some c-c/black pepper bit roasted/w-c/Rhonish/pungent some complex flavor w/ modest firm/chewey tannins; very long fairly tart/tangy strong blackberry/Syrah/very spicy/black pepper slight Rhonish/w-c quite structured finish w/ firm tannins; a beautiful c-c Syrah that needs another 3-6 yrs and should go out 10 yrs; beautiful Syrah.
$55.00
- Drew Syrah PerliVnyd/MendoRidge 2017: Very dark color; very strong deep/Syrah/blackberry/spicy slight w-c/Rhonish/roasted light toasty/oak lovely fragrant nose; fairly tart strong blackberry/Syrah/spicy almost Zin-like slight w-c/Rhonish light toasty/oak slight peppery flavor w/ modest brisk tannins; very long strong blackberry/Syrah/spicy slight w-c/Rhonish fairly tart finish w/ light brisk tannins; a lovely very spicy Syrah w/ a bit more spicy fruit. $54.00
- Drew Syrah ValentiRanch/MendoRidge 2017: Very dark/near black color; bit deeper strong blackberry/Syrah/blueberry bit more Rhonish/smokey bit licorice/pungent lovely less fragrant nose; bit softer strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah/spicy less ripe lighter toasty/oak/pencilly bit more roasted/w-c/Rhonish pungent flavor w/ modest brisk tannins; very long/lingering strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah light pencilly/oak some Rhonish/w-c/roasted finish w/ modest tannins; a bit softer & more Rhonish than the Perli; lovely Syrah. $54.00
A wee BloodyPulpit:
- I have, of course, followed Jason & Molly Drew from the very start, down in their SantaBarbara days. When they moved up to Elk in the Mendo Highlands, they changed their style a lot and became darlings of the IPoB crowd. Though they cut back on the alcohol & ripeness, their wines are still packed w/ flavor.
I buy their wines because I love their Syrahs. Their '18 Valenti, just released, may be one of their best Syrahs yet.
I’ve long thought it was a shame that Syrah was not planted up in the AndersonVlly/MendoHighlands back in the late '70’s. At Edmeades, JedSteele made some fantastic Zins and Cabs from those grapes. I oft wondered just how great his Syrahs would have been were it planted there.
Tom