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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 61 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Buddy318 on 2/25/2022 & rated 92 points: Still going strong. Probably at least a year or two left (719 views) | | | Tasted by jbaron on 3/6/2021 & rated 94 points: Here we are at age 19, and if I didn’t have those past tasting notes (of closed-ness) to look back to.m, I’d wonder whether this was a 2002 or a 2012 or a 2017.
Still quite structured, but the great nose is up to the task, as is the colorful and full mouth, and the (still a bit structured) length. Quite a thing.
Ps: needed an hour of air. (1010 views) | | | Tasted by jonahfactor on 10/11/2020: (Syrah Tasting in Ojai) THIS is the reason we remain in this wine club. Might be one of my Top 10 Syrahs ever. Elegantly mature, still hanging onto some youthful fruit. But it has also blossomed into secondary and tertiary phases. Enchanting bouquet of game, horse blanket, hillside brush and cedar. Explosive on the palate, yet focused with bay leaf, cinnamon, blueberry and beef blood. Tannins are fully resolved. Medium to full bodied. Drink now to 2025. Outstanding! (1083 views) | | | Tasted by swesthead on 10/23/2019 & rated 98 points: Really beautiful Syrah. Velvety texture. Soft mouth feel. Big and luxurious. Quite possibly at its peak. Thoroughly enjoyed it! (1290 views) | | | Tasted by Griffeyfan04 on 7/31/2016 & rated 92 points: Similar to my last notes. Very big and expressive and lots of time still on this one. Lots of sediment so pour carefully (2165 views) | | | Tasted by Griffeyfan04 on 7/20/2016 & rated 92 points: Wow what a big wine this still is, yet retaining fruit and tannins and acid. Lots of minerals, jammy notes of boysenberry and almost a port like viscosity. Truly a wine of new world taste that has the stuffing to go 10 more years with ease (1925 views) | | | Tasted by jbaron on 2/21/2016 & rated 92 points: At age 13 and a half, still going quite strong, and a very nice drink. A bit of tannin remains, along with a good acid spine. Right now, the wine seems like it's quite well balanced, so given the amount of fruit that remains, and the vivid structure, I'd drink my remainders - if I had any - in the near future. Alas, I don't!
The nose is reticent, the mouth is good, and the length is fine. Those things might have warranted a few more points. (1961 views) | | | Tasted by mjcchester on 5/8/2015 & rated 92 points: Chocolate fruit. Mellow tannins. Surprisingly little heat a nice long smooth finish. Beautiful. (2299 views) | | | Tasted by BVal on 4/4/2015 & rated 90 points: Color: dark, nearly opaque ruby core -> dark ruby rim; very youthful appearance given the 13 year age. Mature Cali-Syrah bouquet of dusty spice, menthol, blueberries, raisins and plums. Palate showing eucalyptus, anisette, dark chocolate, and a little earth. Good acidity with nice concentrated (menthol-ly) body and a moderately long finish, this was nice but (like other mature Cali Syrahs) not particularly complex. Less flavor development than the '04 Cayuse En Cerise served alongside it with a roasted lamb dinner; younger and more reticent (even with the same 60-90 minute decant) and taciturn. I must admit that this was certainly less funky than the Cayuse but, unfortunately, less compelling overall. I don't usually purchase much Ojai these days and I think the lack of overall flavor/bouquet development is probably why. (2133 views) | | | Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 1/10/2015 & rated 93 points: Some Syrahs on a Saturday afternoon (Loretta Paganini School fo Cooking): Another wine that was tight as a nun's knees (if you will forgive the expression). Purple in color. I let this sit in a glass for over an hour and eventually it opened up. The nose has grilled meats and herbs, with black raspberries. Unctuous texture. Nice acidity. This has a decade in it at least. Great fruit but took a long time to come out to play. (2236 views) | | | Tasted by levinml on 12/11/2014 & rated 92 points: Good Ojai Syrah. Not getting any better or more special with age, but not near decline either. Maybe a little mellower, but nice easy drinking. Enjoy anytime. (1572 views) | | | Tasted by DesMarteau on 3/22/2014 & rated 94 points: Nice aging syrah. Age 12…dusty….aging thick rich syrah. Plum, raisin, blueberries, tobacco, tar….really integrating well and nice. this is probably the age to grab these….nice fruit and complexity and everything is integrated. Great wine. (1830 views) | | | Tasted by GoBlue2002 on 12/16/2013 & rated 92 points: 3rd bottle of night @ WA Frost in St. Paul.
What a huge departure from the first 2 wines. I almost thought it was flawed, but soon grew to enjoy the deep dark fruits, smoke, roasted meat, and spice. Full bodied but not tannic by any means. Long, long finish which rolls on the tongue.
The group's favorite by far.
I enjoyed this more than my wife. (1791 views) | | | Tasted by whitmanlholt on 9/7/2013 & rated 92 points: Popped and poured. This is a dark purple wine, one with no signs of aging other than some minor sediment at the end of the bottle. On the nose, this conveys a combination of smoke mixed with sweet black fruits. In the mouth, it is rich, sweet, and flavorful, leaving a lingering sense of smoothness. Time has helped to integrate and tame this wine, which is in a great place right now. 92 points. (1933 views) | | | Tasted by Chateau Cabron on 3/9/2013 & rated 93 points: Dark garnet, opaque complexion. Initial nose of dried blueberries, espresso, roasted meat, nutmeg and peppercorn. Full bodied and polished on the palate. Finishes strong with a distinct bittersweet chocolate and herbal tinge. This wine is in a great spot at the moment. (2329 views) | | | Tasted by D.Callahan on 9/5/2012 & rated 93 points: Delicious syrah that is near or at its peak. Wonderful nose deserving multiple sniffs consisting of blackberry, licorice, herbs and meat. Smooth palate of medium weight with nicely balanced fruit, minerality and acidity. Wish I had more of these. (2288 views) | | | Tasted by jbaron on 9/2/2011 & rated 91 points: Here in 2011, this bottling is less structured and therefore more drinkable. I thought that the wine was still quite young, and I would prefer more resolution, but will the fruit last? Kevin, otoh, quite liked it.
More years probably can't hurt. Try again in early 2013? (2426 views) | | | Tasted by WetRock on 8/21/2011: EWG goes blind for Syrah (Elements Kitchen, Pasadena,Ca): Served blind. Sweet, candy like nose. Dense chewy palate that falls off very strongly leaving it very clipped. What a huge contrast from the Melville. (3167 views) | | | Tasted by DHMosier on 7/16/2011 & rated 94 points: - Garnet color with medium forming legs. (2264 views) | | | Tasted by Christoffer78 on 3/17/2011 & rated 94 points: (Tasted in a flight with 2002 Rolf Binder Veritas Shiraz Heysen, 2002 Clos Mimi Syrah White Hawk and 2002 Kaeasler Old Bastard Shiraz.) A lovely effort. Clean and almost fresh the tones of blueberries and sloes is surrounded by a pleasant acidity and wet granite. Behind the dark Syrah fruit there is an elegant freshness tone which makes this wine an excellent companion to food. I really like Adam Tolmach's wines and the 2002 Thompson Vineyard Syrah is a magnificent example of Ojai Syrah... Go buy if you can find anywhere. Highly recommended. (2573 views) | | | Tasted by peternelson on 2/21/2011 & rated 92 points: Silky, roasted blackberry, earthy minerals, touch dark floral notes. Very beautiful, could still use another 3-5 years. (1279 views) | | | Tasted by davergny on 10/31/2010 & rated 92 points: Open 3 hours, not decanted. Purple fruits, white pepper, and floral nose. Blackberries, charcoal & tar notes on the palate, expressive, balanced, mid-weight, good length & finish. In a good place now. Lovely. harmonious syrah, but somewhat monolithic. (2606 views) | | | Tasted by James B on 11/5/2009 & rated 92 points: Drinking beautifully now. Great structure; big on the nose; balanced palate; well-integrated tannins; medium finish. This has improved notably over the past year. (3019 views) | | | Tasted by kstoddard on 11/16/2008 & rated 92 points: Blackberry, Black cherry, earth, leather and spice. Medium to full bodied. Good balance. Nice depth and complexity on the mid palate and finish. A much better showing this time around. 14.5% alcohol. (3226 views) | | | Tasted by goofy Yno on 10/29/2008 & rated 89 points: big tight wine- licorice, spice nose, tightly wound cherry, coffee on mouth. (3194 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, July/August 2005, IWC Issue #121
(The Ojai Vineyard Syrah Thompson Vineyard Santa Barbara County) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Ojai Producer websiteSyrah Varietal article (Wikipedia) | (Wines Northwest)
Note that some producers in the Northern Rhone distinguish between simply Syrah and "Serine", the latter described as ‘an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah’ by producer Tardieu-Laurent. USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA WikipediaSanta Barbara County Santa Barbara County |
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