TN: Some Syrahs From The Archives...(long/boring)

We tried the other week (12/7/11) some Calif Rhones From The Archives:

  1. Eberle Syrah FralichVnyd/PasoRoblles (13.8%) 1995: Med.light color w/ no bricking; some horsecollar/
    brett fairly bright/strawberry/cherry/Syrah light spicy light pencilly/oak slight earthy fairly complex
    nose; very attractive bright cherry/strawberry/Syrah fairly smooth/velvety/balanced slight tannic bit leathery/
    horsecollar/brett flavor; med.long smooth/balanced/velvety slight tannic perfumed/strawberry/cherry/Syrah light
    pencilly/oak finish; maybe starting to fade slightly but still chugging along and offers up considerable
    pleasure in an elegant style.

  1. SierraVista Syrah HerbertVnyd/ElDorado (13.0%; EB) 1997: Med.color w/ little bricking; some earthy/piney/mushroomy/
    truffle rather perfumed/wet forest/loamy light toasty/oak slight Rhonish nose w/ little fruit; bit tannic/dried out
    wet forest/loamy/mushroomy slight Rhonish/earthy flavor; med.long slight tannic/dried out fairly smooth piney/wet
    forest/mushroomy/loamy RCCola/DrPepper complex bit Rhonish finish; drying out a bit, but very much alive, smooth on
    the palate and still gives pleasure and interest. $13.75

  1. Hamel Syrah SonomaCnty (Vitis Allobrigica??; 80% AlegriaVnyd/20% BradfordMtn; 14.4%) 1994: Med.color w/ slight bricking;
    some toasty/oak rather spicy/peppery/licorice/pungent slight volatile rather perfumed nose; slight tannic/dried out some
    spicy/peppery/pungent bit toasty/oak smooth complex flavor; long slight tannic/dried out some spicy/peppery/pungent
    bit toasty/oak smooth complex licorice/smokey flavor; long slight tannic/dried out smooth peppery/licorice/spicy
    light toasty/oak complex finish; starting to dry out but smooth on the palate and still gives pleasure.

  1. Dehlinger Syrah EstateBttld/RRV (13.5%) 1994: Med.dark color w/ slight bricking; bit piney/forest floor some
    blackberry/licorice/Syrah slight herbal/thyme/forest floor some pencilly/Burgundian/oak complex nose; very smooth/
    polished/velvety light pencilly/Burgundian/oak rather spicy/thyme light licorice/blackberry/Syrah slight tannic
    flavor; very long slight tannic light pencilly/Burgundian/oak spicy/thyme/licorice/blackberry/Syrah smooth/velvety
    balanced complex finish; in amazing shape and great pleasure to drink; rather Pinot-like, but still speaks
    of Syrah.

  1. JadeMtn Syrah ParasVnyd/MtVeeder/NapaVlly (14.5%) 1996: Med.color w/ some bricking; some TCA/musty/corked rather
    toasty/charred/oak/cedary slight blackberry/Syrah; rather smooth/velvety light tannins some musty/corked horsecollar/
    bretty flavor; smooth/polished bit alcoholic some musty/corked bit bretty/horsecollar finish w/ light tannins; come
    together rather well but the TCA has robbed this wine. $38.00

  1. EdmundsStJohn Syrah DurrellVnyd/SonomaVlly (13.6%) 1994: Med.dark color w/ some browning; some funky/vegetal/wet
    leaves some reduced/wet wool somewhat meaty/black olive/tapenade bit pencilly very strange nose; slight tannic/
    dried out funky/strange/decaying matter/wet leaves some meaty/tapenade bit pencilly/cedary/old wine flavor; long
    some tannic/dried out rather meaty/tapenade/black olive some wet leaves/vegetal/wet wool/mineral very strange
    finish; some interesting things therein but hard to like this wine; hardly any fruit evident. $25.00

  1. Next Morning: Bit more browning/murky color; strong smokey/blackberry/Syrah/peppery some roasted/Rhonish slight
    funky/herbal complex nose; fairly tart smokey/Rhonish/Cornas/roasted/coffee slight blackberry/Syrah slight funky/
    earthy/tapenade/smoky very complex flavor w/ some tannins; long slightly funky/earthy/tapenade light blackberry/Syrah
    very complex roasted/Rhonish/Cornas finish w/ some dried-out tannins; doesn’t seem nearly as old/tired & funky as the
    night before; a lovely old Calif Syrah but on its downside.

  1. EdmundsStJohn LesCotesSauvages Calif RTW (13.7%; 42% Mourvedre/17% Grenache/17% Cinsault/
    16% Syrah/8% Carignan) 1994
    : Med.color w/ slight bricking; rather spicy/pencilly/meaty some aromatic/floral/
    strawberry slight funky/CdP-like/garrigue quite interesting/complex nose; smooth/velvety/balanced light pencilly/
    meaty bit plummy/smokey/pungent flavor w/ light/smooth tannins; long smooth/polished plummy/licorice/strawberry/meaty
    light pencilly/cedary finish w/ little tannins; develops some lovely/floral aromatics w/ breathing; a lovely complex
    very drinkable Rhone blend. $16.00

  1. Jaffurs MatilijaCuvee (72% Mourvedre/14% Syrah/14% CabFRanc; 13.4%) 1995: Med.light color w/ some bricking; strong
    toasty/charred/oak some plummy/licorice/smokey/pungent complex nose; soft rather charred/toasty/oak light plummy/
    licorice/pungent/tarry somewhat dried out/tannic finish; some very nice/interesting things therein but getting on
    the shakey side. $18.00

  1. Jaffurs Syrah SBC (13.9%) 1995: Med.color w/ slight bricking; strong toasty/charred/oak some plummy/licorice/smokey/
    pungent rather complex nose; soft/smooth some olive/pungent/licorice light blackberry/Syrah balanced/elegant complex
    flavor; med.long soft/smooth/elegant/balanced some pungent/smokey/charred/oak light blackberry/Syrah slight herbal/
    rosemary finish w/ light tannins; dominated by the smokey/pungent character but still a bit of Syrah fruit; has come
    together well and not starting to dry out yet. $18.00

  1. OjaiVnyd Calif Syrah (13%) 1995: Med.color w/ slight bricking; very attractive licorice/Syrah/blackberry/strawberry
    slight rosemary/spicy light cedary/toasty/oak wonderfully aromatic/complex nose; soft/smooth/balanced/velvety light
    blackberry/strawberry/Syrah light cedary/toasty/smokey/oak complex flavor; very long/lingering some blackberry/Syrah/
    strawberry spicy/rosemary/herbal light pungent/toasty/smokey/oak complex finish; as come together beautifully, no
    signs of drying out and will probably just fade away quietly into the sunset.

  1. OjaiVnyd Calif Syrah RollRanchVnyd (13%) 1995: Med.color w/ slight bricking; slight brett/horsecollar strong Syrah/
    blackberry/strawberry fragrant/perfumed light cedary/toasty/oak complex nose; somewhat bretty/horsecollar/barnyardy/
    funky soft slight tannic/dried out perfumed/strawberry/blackberry/Syrah slight licorice/pungent bit alcoholic flavor;
    slight tannic/dried out rather bretty/barnyardy/funky some blackberry/Syrah/ripe/boysenberry finish; a bit too bretty
    for me; starting to dry out and getting shakey.

  1. Sunstone Syrah SBC (13.5%) 1995: Med.color w/ some browning; very strong coffee/coffee grounds/espresso/smokey/roasted/
    Rhonish slight pungent/gunpowder charred/oak beautiful complex nose; soft slight tangy/metallic strong bacon fat/coffee/
    espresso/roasted/Rhonish smokey slight blackberry/Syrah very complex flavor w/ light tannins; very long pungent/Rhonish/
    roasted/bacon fat/coffee grounds slight blackberry/Syrah rather smooth finish w/ little tannins; a beautiful complex
    very Rhonish Syrah that’s probably only going to fade. $35.00

  1. AndrewMurray Syrah HillsideReserve/SBC (13.5%) 1996: Dark color w/ slighht bricking; beautiful blackberry/boysenberry/
    Syrah slight pungent/gunpowder/used fireworks light toasty/oak light minty/menthol very youthful/big fruit some complex
    nose; tart/tangy lightly tannic very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah light toasty/oak flavor; very long bit menthol/
    minty strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah light charred/toasty/oak some complex finish w/ modest tannins; still seems
    primary and full of fruit; amazingly youthful; should go another five yrs or more. $22.00

  1. AlbanVnyds Syrah Reva AlbanEstate/EdnaVlly (13%) 1994: Very dark color w/ little bricking; very strong charred/oak/
    pungent/smokey slight Rhonish/Cornas-like strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah slight menthol nose; tart smooth/polished/
    velvety strong blackberry/Syrah some floral/violets strong toasted/charred/oak slight peppery/menthol/floral/violets
    slight Rhonish/Cornas-like flavor w/ light tannins; very long slight floral/violets strong charred/toasty/pungent/oak
    strong blackberry/Syrah/licorice light menthol/peppery finish w/ light tannins; still pretty primary and not a lot of
    complexity developed; hard to believe it’ll get any better; amazingly youthful w/ lots of charred oak; terrific Calif
    Syrah.

And the usual made-up stuff from TheBloodyPulpit:

  1. Eberle: The first Eberle Syrah, tasted in late '70’s from barrel was my first (of many) eye-
    opener to Calif Syrah. I had heard that GaryEberle, at EstrellaRiverVnyd, had a Syrah in the works,
    so I made an appt for a visit. At the time, Gary was getting some good reviews of his Cabs and Chards.
    So, we met at the wnry, exchanged a few pleasantries, tasted the standard EstrellaRiver fare. I then told
    him I was interested in trying his Syrah (and Barbera). Gary gave me this sorta cock-eyed look as to what
    kind of nut-case did he have on his hands here. When he realized I was serious, he brightened up like a
    JulyFourth display and waxed eloquent about his background w/ Syrah.
    Up until that point, the only Calif Syrah was the JosephPhelps, made by WalterShug. It was not
    a good case for Calif Syrah. Little fruit, lots of toasty/Fr.oak, more like a (simple) Calif Pinot, from
    badly virused vines. When I took my first sniff of this barrel-sample; the light went on. It had a very pretty/
    floral/strawberry aroma to it. It was a bit pencilly/oak on the palate w/ bright/cheerful/strawberry flavors.
    Not a profound Syrah in the sense of the RhoneVlly, but at last a wine that indicated that Syrah did have a shot
    at greatness in Calif. This bright/pretty strawberry character is something I still associate w/ wines from the
    Estrella clone in Calif. We bought a fair amount of this wine in LosAlamos because it was so good. One yr’s
    vintage ('78?) came in a neat cedar box, of which I still have several. And the Barbera, from the WestSide Norman
    vnyd was also quite lovely. I believe the first yr’s production, my group bought something like 20% of the tiny
    production.
    And the rest is history. In '82, Gary sold some of the Syrah to RandallGrahm, AdamTolmach, and BobLindquist.
    Those three, plus JohnMacCready’s '82 ElDorado Syrah, were the first truly great Syrahs in Calif. Both the Qupe
    and the SierraVista’s had grand & glorious lives out to 20 yrs and beyond. The original EstrellaRiver Syrah eventually
    succumbed to phylloxera and maybe was replanted. But the famed Estrella clone lives on in Calif, thanks to
    GaryEberle.
    This '95 Eberle may have been one of the first vintages from HarryFrahlich’s vnyd down in Templeton. Because it
    was not a particularly big/intense wine in its youth, I fully expected it to be dead & gone. It was not…and still
    had plenty of life and gave real pleasure. Maybe there’s something to be said for restraint & balance in a wine’s
    ageability after all.

  1. EdStJ Durrell: When we opened & poured that night, this was a hard wine to like. It had a lot of weird/funky stuff
    and seemed old & tired. Left in the decanter overnight, it was a totally new person the next morning and seemed to
    gather up all its strength for one last hurrah. But that next night, it was quite brown & murky and dead & gone.

  1. Alban: This '94 was when JohnAlban finally got it right w/ Syrah. It was totally dominated by charred/burnt oak, which
    is still pretty evident now. But the tannins have smoothed out considerably and it’s probably as good as it’s ever
    going to get, despite still being pretty primary in character. Another btl last week was pretty shot & over the hill.

  1. Ojai: The Calif Syrah was one of the best old Calif Syrahs I’ve had in quite some time. It’s one of those rare wines
    that has come together seamlessly. The RollRanch, OTOH, seemed to be getting pretty shakey. I like the RollRanch
    Syrah when they’re young, but don’t think they have the structure for long aging that Adam’s other Syrahs have.

  1. Sunstone: This wnry started out making some beautiful Syrahs and Viogniers. I seem to recall that JohnKerr was their
    first winemaker. They made a few good vintages and then seemed to lose it and the wines became rather bretty. Not tried
    any of them in a good many yrs now. But I was quite surprised how good this Syrah had held up.

  1. AndrewMurray: Made some mightly impressive wines when he started out. Some of the most spectacular vnyds in Calif up off
    FoxenCanyonRd. In the late '90’s, his wines started to develop a nasty streak of raging VA & I became disenchanted
    with them. Now that he’s making wines up behind Firestone from purchased grapes, I understand he’s back at the top
    of his game again.
    Tom

Cleaning out the cellar, are you, Tom?

What an amazing line-up. Thanks for the posting.

Interesting the the EStJ Durrell hadn’t held up as well as the Cotes Sauvage; I’ve have expected the opposite.

I stashed away a bunch of the early Rhone Rangers from the late 80s and up to the mid-90s, mostly with disappointing results. I remember that the regular Ojai I had held its own after 10 years or so, though.

Nice notes as always Tom!

Found this bottle of Phelps Syrah a couple of years ago. I figured the 20th HdR would be as good anytime to open it. IIRC, 1976 would be the second or third bottling of this wine.


phelps syrah, 1976 by Mel Hill Photography, on Flickr

This would have been their 3’rd btling. Probably their 1’st or 2’nd crop off their own estate in StHelena.
Tom

I do believe I’ve a last bottle of that Phelps as well!

Nice note on the 94 Dehlinger. I have a few of those, and it never disappoints!

They tore up the original Phelps syrah vineyard and now source it from someplace else, right? Does anyone remember when that was? Sadly, they aren’t what they used to be. Those were very special wines.

Tom, nice. You’re bringing up some great memories for me of my earlier wine. For Sierra Vista, god, it’s been 15 years since I went up there to taste and once in a while I still get an email offering from them. As for Sunstone, the Solvang area, where in the early days I did a helluva lot of tasting without spitting–yikes! I still have a photo that I took of my girlfriend (my wife now of 12 years) where we were sitting on what I think was the Sunstone porch back in 1997. I still kid Jill about that photo, which is framed here in our house. Holy smokes. And then Andrew Murray, probably the first real syrah that I followed closely, as part of their early wine club back again in the late 90s. I later dropped out and sold off all my old Murray wines but I remember visiting the old winery a # of times and some of their Harvest Days celebrations.

THANK YOU!

Not sure exactly when they tore out the Syrah on their StHelena Estate, John. I think is was called the TowerVnyd after the big electrical
tower right there. I believe for awhile they had a Syrah vnyd down in the Carneros, but I don’t know anything about.
On their WebSite, they have library offerings of '07 Napa Syrah and Napa Viognier…so they must still have some.
They used to get their Rhone stuff out of ArroyoSecco/Monterey…but don’t know if they still have that vnyd or not.
It’s not on their WebSite.
It was always a puzzle to me how they could do so good w/ Insignia and so miserable w/ Syrah. Their Viogniers
were very lean & tight/non-DollyParton. But they aged amazingly well.
Tom

So, Frank…I’d say Jill has pretty good tastes…if she liked both Sunstone and you. Maybe oughta think about keeping her??? flirtysmile
John&Barbara MacCready don’t get the credit they deserve for being early pioneers of the Rhone movement in Calif.
Of those first four truly great (OK…very/very good) Calif Syrahs in '82 (Ojai/Qupe/BonnyDoon/SierraVista), it was John’s that
outlived them all…but the Qupe was a close second.
Tom

Did you never like the syrahs? I remember back in the 80s that they were very good.

John,
Their first Syrahs ('74-onward), made by WalterShug, much like an overoaked Calif Pinot w/ no fruit, were dreadful.
Probably set the market back for Calif Syrah by 10 yrs I’d say. In the early '80’s they got somewhat better, but didn’t compare at all
to GaryEberle’s EstrellaRiver Syrahs of '77-onward. When the big 4 '82 Syrahs were released (SierraVista/Ojai/Qupe/BonnyDoon) in '84,
Phelps were pretty much left in the dust. When they started sourcing Syrah from ArroyoSecco, some of those were pretty good…much
like DougMeador’s early Syrahs. The only really great Rhone from Phelps I ever done did have was a special barrel they made for
the NapaVllyWine auction of a 50% Syrah/Insignia blend. It was quite good, but severly compromised by the addition of the Insignia!!! [snort.gif]
So…no…never particularly liked their Syrahs.
Tom

Dehlinger Syrah can really stand the test of time; they do surprise!

Thanks for the notes. Archives are different from the Orphan Stash, right?

It’s cool to see how different California Syrahs have stood the test of time.

These were much better storage.
Tom