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2007
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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2014 and 2019 (based on 5 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.5 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 41 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by dsgris on 2/14/2021 & rated 90 points: Medium ruby, light fruit nose. Lightly tart fruit, clean acid, light well integrated tannins, smooth mouthfeel, some rhubarb, zesty.
while I like this wine for it's austerity and reserved qualities, I had with dinner less austere a bit lusher So Italian which kept me tasting, when revisiting this again tonight, I kept comparing the restrainedness of this to the other night's. My tastes may have taken another turn. It's not the first time. (1045 views) | | | Tasted by dsgris on 3/21/2020 & rated 90 points: Still good after all these years. (924 views) | | | Tasted by Brian Glas on 3/16/2020 & rated 90 points: Tasted on day 2. Very expressive on the nose. Some good crunchy red berry fruit. Well balanced. I thought 2007 was a very cool year but there is still plenty of fruit. Medium finish. This is hanging on nicely and no need to rush to drink. (824 views) | | | Tasted by BURGHen Boy on 3/14/2020 & rated 91 points: Such great balance. Blue fruit is there in just the perfect amount. Doesn't jump out but keeps coming in elegant waves of soft supple notes. Has just gotten better over time. A joy to drink (858 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 8/20/2019: Last bottle of this, and they were all very enjoyable. (1964 views) | | | Tasted by mseeber on 2/13/2019 & rated 90 points: I can’t believe how much better this wine seems to get over time. As it approaches its twelfth year it is really a pleasure to drink. Very expressive nose, medium weight and sense of place. There is an elegant wine that will shine alongside a variety of roasted and braided dishes, or earthy vegetarian dishes. I’m guessing the screw cap is part of what enables this wine to avoid fading. At least five more years of enjoyment. (1043 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 7/24/2018: Earthy, spicy, and savoury. Some prune and plum fruit. Hints of oxidation here and there, but nowhere near too much. Still a delicious and comfort-food-worthy mid-weight Syrah. (2426 views) | | | Tasted by mseeber on 6/16/2018 & rated 89 points: This just keeps improving. Very restrained yet full of life. No need to decant, but a bit of sediment so pour carefully after standing up at cellar temp. Glad I still have half a case for future comfort food indulging (especially braised beef, pork, cassoulet, gratin of root veggies or fennel). (1167 views) | | | Tasted by mseeber on 3/25/2018 & rated 88 points: Not as bright as the last bottle, but consumed right after opening so not much time for the wine to express itself. Absolutely a food wine. Roasted vegetables, Wood-cooked meats, snowy cabins and the like. Cassoulet, grilled salmon with wild berries, duck or venison. Probably works with robust cheese plates or fondue. (1114 views) | | | Tasted by CMN on 1/23/2018 & rated 90 points: Quite pale. Nose of red fruit, white pepper, crushed rocks and tar.
The palate is lithe and light+ bodied. The raspberry fruit takes a back seat to the other elements in the wine -- black tea, white pepper, earth and some stemmy notes. Strongly leans AFWE, those looking for flavor bombs need not apply. (1314 views) | | | Tasted by BURGHen Boy on 9/3/2017 & rated 90 points: Minerality enhances the dry fruit, grape and blackberry. Subtle elegance in the finish (1201 views) | | | Tasted by CMN on 8/23/2017 & rated 92 points: Currant colored and somewhat darker than I remember, with a compelling nose of red fruits, white pepper and white floral notes. The palate is a kaleidoscope of flavors -- raspberry, white pepper, green herbs (stem inclusion?), minerals and a touch of licorice on the finish. Nice acidity with integrated tannins.
There's some bottle variation, which is to be expected of a 10yo wine. Occasionally the fruit is a touch sour, but this bottle is my favorite yet -- just rocking on all cylinders. I'm particularly fond of the nose -- the florals remind me strongly of an Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir. A feminine take on the Syrah grape and a delicious one to boot. (1027 views) | | | Tasted by dsgris on 8/15/2017 & rated 90 points: Another bottle starting off very well balanced and drinking well from the gitgo. Dark ruby with light cherry nose. Night two, dry with light acid and a sorrel mineral note, very restrained fruit with a good balance, well integrated tannins, sorrel and balsam are dominant flavors. (1047 views) | | | Tasted by dsgris on 8/4/2017 & rated 90 points: Medium ruby with jolly rancher cherry nose. Dry, tart red berry, medium fruit and body, some tart calcite mineral, sour evergreen blackberry with cane pith tannins. Tart fruit stands out (1078 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 7/1/2017: Delicious. Peppery and earthy with a nice medium body. (2085 views) | | | Tasted by dsgris on 6/23/2017 & rated 93 points: Medium ruby, some roses and raspberries on the nose. Dry with some light calcareous mineral, savory saline, medium body and fruit, light strawberry and raspberry. Well balanced acid and light integrated tannins. Drinking beautifully now on night two with ten years of age. Just keeps getting better. I think I found the secret to Todd's wines. Give them ten years. (849 views) | | | Tasted by dsgris on 4/29/2017 & rated 91 points: Dark magenta, mushroom nose. Lightly dry, chalky tannins, medium fruit with some sour cane pith tannins. Light body, restrained and showing no funky elements, well balanced and drinking superbly now after ten years past vintage. Ripe strawberries, some raspberries, huckleberries, balsam, sour sorrel result in a very nice woodsy wine. Lovely now. (840 views) | | | Tasted by dsgris on 3/31/2017 & rated 90 points: Medium ruby with a bricking rim. Opened and poured a glass and left on the counter for an hour. A little funk on the nose. Light body and fruit with a metallic flinty mineral note. Rather light acid and tannins, the fruit has a ripe plum in a restrained fashion. There is a good balance, but some open time is beneficial. It becomes better with more open time. This is not your CA or WA Syrah, but bespeaks an OR style and is akin to cool climate versions in the WV, restrained and gets better as the night moves on. (1022 views) | | | Tasted by jmc167@me.com on 3/8/2017 & rated 89 points: Light and refreshing for a Syrah, I thoroughly enjoyed this. This is definitely cool climate Syrah, but such a different experience than the Cabot, which is also cool climate - QPR is through the roof, glad I bought a bunch! (951 views) | | | Tasted by MrOctoberfest on 11/9/2016 & rated 92 points: White and green pepper and leather aromas mix with olives, wild herbs and red fruits on the palate. The first two bottles I had were also good, but I think they were suffering from the shipping process, and tasted more like red burgundy than syrah. Now that the wine has recovered, the syrah is now taking center stage. Clearly from a cool climate, the 12% alcohol is balanced by acrobatic acidity and minerality, and is so much different than the clumsy Clarenden Hills Moritz syrah I had a few weeks ago that it’s a wonder that they were made from the same grape. It pairs well with rich, meaty & fatty fare, and is highly recommended. (1259 views) | | | Tasted by mseeber on 11/5/2016 & rated 93 points: This wine is a phenomenal value, regardless of what you paid. Cranberry color, reminds me of a northern Rhone or Languedoc Syrah. Still singing so no rush to open. Good briny olive notes balance the fruit, still some tannin. An excellent partner for savory fare, I paired with beef short ribs (braised in beef broth, wine, celery root and onion) and roast butternut squash. Not as heavy as most Syrah, simply a pleasure to drink. (1124 views) | | | Tasted by BURGHen Boy on 10/30/2016 & rated 90 points: Nice acidity and minerality. Terrior shines though, crisp, clean and with a boost of red fruit in the background. A lovely cold climate style. Well sourced and well made (1035 views) | | | Tasted by CMN on 10/28/2016 & rated 90 points: Extremely pale. Aromatics of rock, white pepper and licorice with a gentle floral note. On the palate there's mild raspberry, white pepper, rocks, earth and subtle green notes. Light-bodied for a Syrah, this is the antithesis of a central coast monster and is an excellent food wine. Tastes like a cool climate Syrah, but drinks like a Pinot. At 12% abv, this wine is the vinous equivalent of a session beer. As the kids might say, the QPR is off the hook. (1069 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 7/8/2016: Rocks, earth, herbs, spices, licorice. Bits of raspberry that go back and forth with kirsch. Medium bodied, fairly light for Syrah, with nice acidity, some minerality, and a nice licorice and herb finish. Enjoyed this a year ago, and love it now as well. (2126 views) | | | Tasted by David_T on 3/31/2016 & rated 88 points: Last bottle. Mostly earth/soy/umami with a little raspberry left. Integrated light tannins/medium+ acid. Still drinking well but I'd drink up no later than their 10th birthday. (951 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, Oregon: Beyond Pinot Noir (Jan 2017) (1/1/2017)
(Biggio Hamina Syrah Deux Vert Vineyard Oregon) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Biggio Hamina Cellars Producer website2007 Biggio Hamina Cellars Syrah Deux VertStoryteller Wine:
It was a beautiful, sunny day here in the Willamette Valley. So I hopped in the car and decided to drive down to McMinnville to visit winemaker Todd Hamina. I wanted to check out Todd's new winery facility and I also wanted to taste a few of his Pinot Noirs to see if there wasn't something I could feature in a Storyteller newsletter. As we walked around the barrel room Todd gestured to one barrel in particular and said, "recognize this one?" After that it was "so long Pinot Noir (for now), hello Syrah!"
About four years ago my son and and I went to visit Todd when he was making wine at ADEA Wine Company. While Todd and I were talking, my son, looking for something to do, grabbed a black felt pen and had started to decorate a wine barrel with stick figure soldiers from the American Revolutionary War. It was a barrel that held one of Todd's experiments from the 2007 vintage: co-fermented Syrah (80%) and Viognier (20%) and it became rather famous around Portland as the "XX" (for 20%) Syrah. I loved that wine so much I pleaded with him to bottle it separately from the rest of his Syrah. He did and it sold out in record time.
As we laughed about that barrel decorating incident Todd asked if I would like to taste some Syrah from that cool, rainy 2007 vintage. I thought he was talking about a library bottle but no, it turns out Todd has stashed away some Syrah and it is available for purchase. I thought at first it was the infamous "XX" but Todd quickly pointed out that no, this was the wine that I didn't write about. Well after tasting it and hearing the deal Todd was willing to strike, I am more than willing to correct that oversight.
2007 Biggio-Hamina Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah
In case you aren't familiar with this label, allow me to introduce you to Todd Hamina. Todd has had the good fortune to learn alongside some of our best winemakers, including Adam Campbell (Elk Cove), Mike Etzel (Beaux Frères) and at Archery Summit with the late Gary Andrus. Those apprenticeships paid off as he got his first head winemaking job (as well as being named vineyard manager and national sales director) at Patton Valley. After Patton Valley Todd took over as the head winemaker at Maysara and helped oversee the fulfilling of the late Jimi Brooks' (Maysara's first winemaker) dream to see Maysara become a Demeter certified biodynamic producer. By 2006 Todd knew he had to become his own winemaker and in 2007 Biggio-Hamina had its first vintage.
The 2007 Biggio-Hamina Syrah is made entirely with Syrah (93%) and Viognier (7%) from Mike and Patty Green's Deux Vert Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. This is the wine that barrel of "XX" was supposed to be blended with. It is 100% whole cluster because Todd wanted to give the wine some "ooomph" in a vintage year that was wet and cold, even by our standards. After that it was aged in a combination of Oregon oak barrels (only 20% of which were new) and large demi-muids in order to minimize the oak influence.
Syrah and Viognier are rare enough in the northern part of Oregon, but the decision to co-ferment was definitely breaking new ground. In fact, It was Todd's decision to co-ferment northern Willamette Valley Syrah and Viognier that inspired friend and fellow winemaker Marcus Goodfellow to start making the Matello Fool's Journey Syrah-Viognier I wrote about in an earlier newsletter. So from here on out, whatever becomes of the Willamette Valley's grand Côte-Rôtie experiment, this bottle is where it all started.
I will confess that I tasted this wine soon after it was bottled and I wasn't super impressed. Part of that was probably due to being dazzled by the "XX" and part of it was tasting the wine too early, but a larger part of the equation was the fact that Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah fruit typically makes wines that are tight and unyielding at an early age. I remember writing a note to remind myself to check this wine out again in six months, then I promptly lost the note. I can kick myself for that given how this wine is tasting today.
When first opened, this wine has a nice, light plum color that looks like you took a purple crayon and dragged it sideways across a concrete sidewalk. The sidewalk metaphor makes even more sense when you get your first sniff of the wine. It has a dusty/chalky kind of mineral note that combines beautifully with aromas of tart, dark raspberry fruit. Take a piece of white chalk, dip it in raspberry juice and then write a sonnet on a chalkboard. That's how this wine smells. A few more sniffs turn up a bit of dried hay and violets, along with the slightest touch of seared meat.
If you have never had a Biggio-Hamina wine before, Todd makes wines in a lower alcohol, higher acid style that does really well with food. If you are looking for an over-the-top fruit explosive device, keep looking. So the 2007 vintage, while challenging in many ways, really played to Todd's strengths. With this Syrah-Viognier you are looking at a wine that clocks in at 12% alcohol and is so easy and elegant that it positively floats over your palate. There are flavors similar to what you find in the wines aromatics, with lots of raspberry fruit, wet rocks and what can only be described as a nicely coffee-charred flank steak. And somebody cracked some black pepper on that steak!
But that's after it has been popped and poured. Todd gave me a sample bottle to take home, one that had been open at the tasting room for three full days. It was really something to be able to try this wine after so many days of "airing out." Now it was way more floral as the Viognier seemed to have been awakened after a seventy-two hour nap. It had a sweeter floral note on day three, one that left the violets in the dust in exchange for all the lilacs my nose could handle. The palate had gone from stubborn to silky and now it tasted like a juicy little blackberry wrapped in bacon. It was still nice and chalky though, and the acidity hadn't exactly run off to hide.
This is an honest wine for an honest price. It also reminds me more of the Rhone River Valley or southwest France than it does the Willamette Valley. My friend Vincent Fritzsche makes his own wine here in Oregon but on the side he writes a nice wine blog called "élevage." Back in May of 2009 Vincent had a chance to taste this wine and he wrote, "it's not intense and deep, but so complex and savory I could smell this all night. In the mouth, it's nervy and lean, clearly built for food. It was delicious with grilled copper river salmon on a cedar plank. The wine is light in body, but captivating and piquant with a sense of meat and iodine and nicely gripping tannin. The finish is long and lean, a complete opposite to most domestic syrah that overpower with flavor but lack finesse. In sum, I love this wine." I wish I read this note on Vincent's blog years ago because it would have definitely jogged my memory!
Syrah 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. Deux Vert On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican 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.Oregon Oregon Wine, Oregon Wineries (Oregon Wine Board)Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley (Oregon Wine Board)
On weinlagen-info including some single vineyards
Willamette Valley Vintage Reviews
Yamhill-CarltonThe vineyards of the Yamhill-Carlton District were planted mostly in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The primary soil of this area is called Willakenzie, named after the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. It is a sedimentary soil with a sandstone base rock. The sand content is quite high and the soil therefore very well drained. The sites are generally on the lower slopes of a volcanic ridge. Wines of the area possess aromas of red and black fruits, with added elements of cocoa, leather and fresh-turned earth. Acidity levels are generally lower than other regions, prompting these wines to be lush and agreeable in their youth.
The single vineyards on weinlagen-info |
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