TNs: 2007 Lucia Syrahs--Susan's Hill and Garys'

WINE TALK
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I tasted both of these in June, with Jeff Pisoni during our annual wine visit. At that time, I enjoyed the Garys’ more than the Susan’s and still six months later, that hasn’t changed. Hands down, at least for 2007, the Garys’ is the winner and seems to me more representative of the vintage with the flavors and structure–it’s very good and will continue to do well. The Susan’s…let’s wait and see. It’s been a bottling that has thrilled me many times since the 2004 vintage so that remains to be seen for 2007.

  • 2007 Lucia Syrah Garys’ Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/8/2010)
    This was my week to drink both the 2007 Lucia syrahs. I drank the Susan’s Hill earlier this week, took a night off and then opened the Garys’, this being the second night it has been open. On par, this is much better than the Susan’s, as much as it was this past June. This garys’ stains the glass, drips dark ink down the inside of the stem. It’s darker, more concentrated, has more depth and complexity and overall, at this stage, it beats the Susan’s easily. Crushed dark fruit, liquified mineral, concentrated fruit flavors. You know, reminds me a lot of the 2007 Copain syrahs, with just a bit more oomph and richness. Really drinks well and still youthful, too.
  • 2007 Lucia Syrah Susan’s Hill - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/5/2010)
    This is my second time with this wine, the last being six months prior. On pop and pour, admittedly disappointing–I expected weight, some grit and density and instead got a wine that seemed quite flat and boring. Indeed dark in color–that’s here so I am going to hold up hope that the wine unfolds over the next couple hours…at 90 mins, coming around, with some crushed rocks, garrigue, and some peppery spice, along with some juicy blackberry. It still needs to bring some mid-palate…and with an overnight rest in the bottle, I am very surprised with the softness of this wine. The palate weight is more medium, with a generous amount of juicy, earthier edged blackberry. There is some licorice on the finish, along with a loamy aspect–again, that earthier tone. Much softer than past Lucia SH bottlings, lacking the sexiness but still quite drinkable and likely much more food friendly at this stage. Will it change?

Posted from CellarTracker

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Frank, still haven’t tried the my Susan’s yet but here is my note on the Gary’s. From 11/09/09:

Lucia Syrah Garys Vineyard 2007:
Here is a wine/winery I am generally fan of . . . and one that really shows off the alleged excellence of 2007 as a vintage. The nose is a hodgepodge of super-ripe berries, freshly cut flowers and campfire smoke. Those ripe fruit flavors dominate the flavor profile but bits of complexity come from notes of caramel (oak?), charcoal, blackberry compote and bramble. The last glass yielded further notes of damp earth and camphor, along with pure milk chocolate and tar. Opulent, pure and simply delicious . . . Like most California Syrahs I would like to see a touch more acid and a little less globular fruit, but all-in-all this was very successful. 92 points

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Thanks for the notes Frank



I still have only tried the '06’s once since release and this is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while ( maybe next week )

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John, thanks for the reply on my note. As I sit here and get ready to call it a night, as my folks are here in town and we drank this together, I am polishing this last bit of Garys’ up. I can see your point about some chocolate, and there is some oak trimmed up in the wine, although I would say that it’s intregated nicely. The camphor–yes, and I think you can credit that to the stem inclusion, and not recalling the exact amount, I think Mark has it up to about 40% in this wine (if someone else wants to correct me, go for it!). The stems say more licorice for me than camphor but I can see your point. On the acidity, like with the oak, I’d say it’s right where I would like it and given all the other flavors, for me the Garys’ is well, excellent. There is something about 2007 for CA syrah, especially for folks that got it right, as I mentioned the Copains, Adam with the Novy, etc. The balance, color, flavors and intensity is just terrific–this Garys’ is in that arena. [thumbs-up.gif]

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Side by side them and come back with a take on these two, Joe. Would be interested to see if we line up or differ.

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Agreed on the Gary’s showing better than the Susan’s now. I also popped an 04 recently and it was much better than my last go around though not on the 2nd night.

WineX also has some Novy Susan’s on the floor right now for $35 for the interested.