2005 Lagier Meredith Syrah |
| Vintage | 2005 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Lagier Meredith (web) | ||
| Variety | Syrah | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | USA | ||
| Region | California | ||
| SubRegion | Napa Valley | ||
| Appellation | Mt. Veeder |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2009 and 2018 (based on 38 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Lagier Meredith Syrah Mount Veeder on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 92 pts. in 197 notes) | |
| Tasted by winot on 6/17/2023 & rated 93 points: About the same as our last bottle. Not seeming overly woody tonight, but it does have that aspect. I'm finding it to be a delicate, even cerebral wine, and maybe that's not a surprise given who created it. It has a sense of delicacy about it, like it wants you to search for hidden clues. The nose is complex, without being obviously complex. The palate is smooth and balanced, with very good length, and again, some complex, but subtle flavours. It really repays attention. Would be lost at a big dinner party. (414 views) | |
| Tasted by HandmadeHomemade on 1/26/2023: In a good, mature spot. Aromas and flavors of dried and dusty black fruit, smoky bacon grease, black olive, dried herbs, oak, and dry red earth. Nose and mouth are well integrated, full bodied, + tannin, med acid, moderate alcohol burn, not juicy or so opulent in the mouth, more dusty, ferrous, tannin-brawny. I think this is in a sweet spot right now, though there maybe some upside to holding this longer, if you want less fruit and more tertiary components to show. Great with lamb. (660 views) | |
| Tasted by Acohen on 1/23/2023 & rated 91 points: Dark fruit, meat, olive tapenade and medium finish (568 views) | |
| Tasted by PSUSteve on 6/8/2022 & rated 93 points: 1 hour decant. Plenty of fruit still present but meat and olive take center stage. (843 views) | |
| Tasted by hsacks on 6/13/2021 & rated 91 points: Less fresh and less expressive than the 1/30/21 bottle. (1158 views) | |
| Tasted by hsacks on 5/30/2021 & rated 93 points: Similar to the 11/4/20 bottle. A delicious wine that was a perfect match with Mike’s awesome BBQ. (827 views) | |
| Tasted by Charlie C on 5/28/2021 & rated 94 points: Deep cherry red core with translucence at the rim. Beautiful, aromatic nose, violets, cherries. darkly fruited but bright and fresh. Black cherry, blackberry, pepper. Round tannins, sharp acidity, great balance. Finishes long with sweet black cherry notes. Excellent and will drink well for another 5 years or more. (715 views) | |
| Tasted by PSUSteve on 4/6/2021 & rated 92 points: Splash decant. Very enjoyable (808 views) | |
| Tasted by ASG24 on 2/26/2021: Just flat out delicious. (727 views) | |
| Tasted by Winiac on 11/27/2020 & rated 92 points: Very impressed with the acidity of the wine in the background of ripe fruit. The wine was properly aged and developed secondary flavors. full-bodied with medium length and pleasant finish. Very impressive effort worthy of Thanksgiving meal. (451 views) | |
| Tasted by hsacks on 11/4/2020 & rated 93 points: Richer and more complex than the 10/12/17 bottle. (420 views) | |
| Tasted by hsacks on 9/14/2020 & rated 92 points: Similar to the 12/12/17 bottle. (455 views) | |
| Tasted by GrapeScott on 8/3/2020 & rated 91 points: A very different syrah by California standards. Would be a great ringer in a Rhone tasting. On the nose, this exudes citrus, violets, sandalwood and eucalyptus. Bright acids, lemony bing cherry fruit, and a slightly clipped medium tannic finish. The floral lift of this wine is reminiscent of a young Cote Rotie, and I wonder (but will likely never know since this is my last bottle) if this has years of life ahead of it. That said, the fruit is a bit thin considering the acid-tannin structure, so maybe best to drink up. My wife called it "brawny" and too heavy to drink in summer, and I can't disagree, but it does have a bit of that iron fist in a velvet glove thing going on. (609 views) | |
| Tasted by dsimmons on 12/15/2019 & rated 93 points: Drank my next to last bottle of this beautiful Syrah with grilled pork loin chops. Delicious . Loads of fruit, forest floor and earth with good balance. This wine has gained the elegance which comes only with age. (1056 views) | |
| Tasted by king-bing on 9/25/2019: Actually pretty decent rather than OTT. Some volatile note on opening but the eventually blew off. Good black fruit. Wide in the mouth. Long finish. (904 views) | |
| Tasted by Not647f on 8/18/2019: Big family dinner with grilled lamb skewers, merguez, grilled vegetables, lots of other things. Wow, really in its sweet spot. Any less than stellar reviews make me wonder about storage conditions. This was savory, a little spicey, complex, and nicely balanced. Tannins were smooth but present, acid refreshing but not obtrusive, just enough to clear your palate with strongly flavored meats and smoky vegetables. Only my second bottle of L-M Syrahs, having drunk a gift of one previously. Definitely belongs on my list of go-to Syrah, although it can be a bit pricey. The proprietors are heroes of California winemaking and growing and to be praised for bucking the Cabernet trend to do what they do so well. (941 views) | |
| Tasted by texaswinelover on 12/31/2018: Not happy with this bottle. Overly acidic and out of balance. Fruit faded. Not sure what the issue was. Will revisit tmrw. (1264 views) | |
| Tasted by David_T on 9/9/2018: Largely unchanged from my 2014 note. Enjoyable well-made syrah, structural notes completely integrated. Not sure this will improve more so pop 'em if you got 'em but I also don't see this declining for several more years. (1271 views) | |
| Tasted by libero on 2/12/2018 & rated 90 points: By now this bottle and last of our collection is 12 years old and unfortunately is down hill. Drinkable but not pleasant to justify buying more. (1426 views) | |
| Tasted by btock on 11/7/2017 & rated 92 points: Continues to be tightly wound. Red garnet rims on a more dark purple core. Fruit is also higher toned that expected, black cherry. Minerality there and adds to the experience. Better on day 2, but plenty of life ahead. Enjoyable and ageworthy. (1478 views) | |
| Tasted by hsacks on 10/12/2017 & rated 92 points: Deep red color. Aromas of black fruits, licorice and black spices. Ripe, silky, well-balanced fruit in the mouth with very good depth and length and well-integrated tannins. Sweet and long on the palate. Delicious with the outstanding duck breast at Pumpkin Restaurant. At peak. (1437 views) | |
| Tasted by Andrew H on 5/3/2017 & rated 89 points: Full-throated syrah, dark red, a touch cloudy. Earthy notes, some ripe cherry and blackberry. A fair amount of heat on finish, and a slight whiff of chemical. (1940 views) | |
| Tasted by arthrovine on 3/5/2017: Beserker day purchase. Popped and poured. Followed over 4 hours. Last glass was the best. Lots of dark fruit, beautiful purple flowers - violets (gorgeous) on the nose. Palate showed good acidity. Not much secondary development at 11 years. Wine seemed thin with good acids. This is not a viscous mess at all. A little olive brine, peeking out here and there. I wanted more garrigue and dirty grill grates but that wasn't here. It did not have the tannin structure (but the acid was sufficient) to complement a Snake River Wagyu done simply. Nonetheless, this was a fine, satisfying wine that I would drink up within the next few years. I don't think longer term aging is likely to benefit and those great florals fade. (2330 views) | |
| Tasted by ljones on 1/28/2017 & rated 87 points: 14.8 ABV. Lots of acidity, it dominates. Odd for that level of ABV. Didn't diminish over an hour. (2018 views) | |
| Tasted by thalver on 11/27/2016: Vinturied as I didn't have time for a proper decant. Quite aromatically expressive, Smooth, yet with sufficient structure to provide balance and cut. A much better showing than a bottle of this wine a few years ago. A nice combination of new and old world characteristics 92-3 (1984 views) | |
| Tasted by thalver on 11/23/2016: Vinturied then poured about half an hour later. Smooth, well integrated, expressive nose. Some olive and old world syrah undertones. Much nicer than a bottle a couple years ago (1891 views) | |
| Tasted by jmw17 on 11/4/2016: A bit of a mess on opening--thin and with a touch of cardboard and heat. I served a backup bottle with dinner and came back to it 3 hours later. The second go-round was a different story. Still relatively light bodied, but now seeming correct. Tart cherry, mint, and a waft of charcoal. Maybe a hint of heat and modest tannic structure. This reads to me like the anti-Cali Syrah; all mountain chill and herb. Give air and enjoy. If I had more of these, I'd have no hesitance to drink them now. (1501 views) | |
| Tasted by grafstrb on 10/3/2016 & rated 84 points: -- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over 2-3 hours -- NOSE: expressive; ripe, dark red fruits; black licorice in the background; some alcohol fumes; medium-light oak note emerges after 1.5 hours; not complex. BODY: lots of fine particulate matter present; dark garnet color with bricking @ edges --- color is of medium-deep to deep depth; medium bodied. TASTE: very spiky acidity and alcohol; purple fruits; hint of leather; alcohol and acidity is very pronounced (in a bad way); very light oak; alc. is very distracting; porter (ale)/whisky-like when paired with mashed buttered carrots; overall, very disappointed given this winery's sterling reputation. 50, 5, 10, 13, 6 = 84 (1578 views) | |
| Tasted by Winiac on 10/2/2016 & rated 92 points: Very balanced with medium body and perfect maturity of wine. It more resembles a very old, and ripe Côte rotie. I am impressed! (1348 views) | |
| Tasted by Diane (LI) on 9/25/2016: This was terrific with tonight's burgers. Black pepper, smoked meat, dark cherry, and high acid. Tannins are softening but grip you at the end. I just love these wines with a bit of age on them. (1323 views) | |
| Tasted by Mr T on 6/22/2016: PNP...this wasn't doing much for me, but spent little time with it given the big crowd (1760 views) | |
| Tasted by ConnIntChicago on 6/12/2016: Deep purple, nose of black fruit (more like brambles than plum); slight meat on the nose, rich viscous mouth coating extract, balanced alcohol. with a long finish of black fruit. (1698 views) | |
| Tasted by hankj on 4/17/2016 & rated 92 points: Previous bottle was a little muted but not corked, this one lively if a little bit manufacturer by a textbook tasting. Well made, enjoyable wine that probably isn't going to beckme transcendent from more extended laying around. (1939 views) | |
| Tasted by whitmanlholt on 4/9/2016 & rated 88 points: Popped and poured. This is a dark red-purple wine with significant mouth- and teeth-staining capacity. On the nose, I get plum, meat, and some heat on both the front and finish. In the mouth, this is smooth with a bit of spice and a finish of chewy tannin. Overall, this is missing the pepper and fruit that makes a good Syrah. It also runs a bit hot. I think it is time to drink up. 88 points. (1825 views) | |
| Tasted by Buhever on 3/26/2016 & rated 93 points: A very well made Syrah that is at, or close to, it's peak for drinking. Very dark purple in the glass. Huge, aromatic aromas of blueberry, blackberry and pencil shavings when first opened. Bold flavors match the aroma with an addition of black raspberry and white pepper. The incredibly soft, silky texture is a real treat considering how bold the aromas and flavors are. An almost perfect balance of fruit, texture, tannin and acidity on the mid-palate. On the long finish the black raspberry flavors become more prominent. The wine changed after about 30 minutes in the decanter and then again at two hours. At the two hour point the black fruit faded slightly, and the red fruit, pepper and alcohol began to show more; especially on the finish. This is an incredibly enjoyable Syrah that is peaking, but I don't think it will improve beyond it's current point. I would say to pop & pour and then enjoy it over a two hour period. It was an outstanding pairing with the ribeye steak. Avoid serving it with anything with spice heat, like sirracha, jalepeno, etc. It will make the wine incredibly "Hot". (1865 views) | |
| Tasted by sastewart on 2/1/2016 & rated 92 points: Open 4 hours. Meduim bodied,cool climate Syrah profile. Some tannins, herbs, pepper, dark fruits. Still plenty of structure but this bottle was softer than one 2 years ago. 92 points (1753 views) | |
| Tasted by ucbeau on 1/26/2016 & rated 92 points: Opened an hour prior to serving. Black tangy cherries, tar, balsamic, mesquite on the nose. Smells awesome. Full and rich on the palate, but doesn't go into "too-rich" territory. Great acidity and black peppercorn on the finish. This seems like it's drinking at peak, with excellent density all the way through. Absolutely marvelous stuff. (1845 views) | |
| Tasted by btock on 1/16/2016 & rated 92 points: Excellent showing. Seemless, silky syrah. I liked the restraint of the purple fruit core balanced against a distinct minerality and slate element. There's mouthwatering acidity right on that tight rope. Holding up very well, plenty of years to go here. This with a ribeye now....now that would fun. (1242 views) | |
| Tasted by Eric Guido on 1/3/2016 & rated 90 points: The nose showed blackberry fruit, along with hints of savory herbs, raw meat and cedar. On the palate, I found silky textures of medium weight, displaying pliant dark fruit, licorice and spice, which became very prominent into the close. Notes of bitter chocolate, blackberry, black licorice and fine tannin lined the palate throughout the finish. Where this wine is going is hard to tell. I wanted more depth on the nose and palate, but the finish continued to make me wonder how it may evolve. I tasted this over the course of four hours as it sat in a decanter. (1981 views) | |
| Tasted by buckeye76 on 12/26/2015 & rated 92 points: DEEP BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH HINTS OF LICORICE AND SPICE. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH (700 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 12/19/2015: This wine appears to be in just a perfect spot right now. Paired with a garlic pork loin and the flavors in the pork and the wine came together beautifully. It's a meatier, floral, leathery wine. Definitely has some life left, but not sure it's getting much better. (1521 views) | |
| Tasted by MLipton on 9/13/2015: Fairly consistent with the last bottle, still big and brawny, with plenty of fruit and Syrah typicity, yet lacking enough acidity (for my tastes). Compared with how this wine showed early in its life, I think that it has now grown too big and glossy for my tastes. (1751 views) | |
| Tasted by libero on 9/3/2015 & rated 92 points: By now this wine is 10 years old and keeps improving. Dark red with purple nuances, large ring, this Syrah from Mount Veeder, Napa Valley has a subtle aroma of anis. It needs about half hour to breeze and it paired very well with heavy food and grilled beef. (1582 views) | |
| Tasted by jcha24 on 6/29/2015: disappointed....something seemed off about this bottle like it was oxidized or something....very little nose. hoping for better with my next bottle. (2210 views) | |
| Tasted by Pinotfanbg on 11/22/2014: Dark ruby color, but translucent rather than inky. This is evolving in the glass - revealing scents of white pepper, meat, mineral, earth, cinnamon spice and plummy blue fruit. On the palate, this is still a bit tight showing black raspberry fruit, earth and good structure with acidity, earth, chalky minerals and significant grip on the finish. Just a baby at nine years old. This should improve and unwind with more time in a cool cellar. (2801 views) | |
| Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 9/27/2014 & rated 91 points: Women in Wine - Mike G and Nola visit Cleveland; 9/27/2014-9/29/2014 (A Restaurant on Lee Road): I tried to wait on this to allow it as much air as possible. The nose has blueberries and black raspberries with a bit of pepper. Some coffee notes as well. On the palate, nice acidity. Good fruit. Still young, but starting to unwind. Medium tannins. These wines need time. (3568 views) | |
| Tasted by David_T on 9/26/2014 & rated 92 points: Structured and complex. Red raspberries/blackberries, red/black cherries and an herbal note. Everything is well integrated. Drinking great now but should last a long time. (2265 views) | |
| Tasted by LARich on 9/24/2014 & rated 90 points: First day was unimpressive, with no real character, but on day 2 was much better. (2664 views) | |
| Tasted by texaswinelover on 7/26/2014: I don't think I enjoyed this bottle as much as others. Seemed very primary, grapey, almost touch of heat. Appreciate the med-full body and balance of acidity. (2553 views) | |
| Tasted by Rich S on 6/8/2014 & rated 92 points: Decanted for sediment. Dark purple color. Ripe black and blue fruits on the nose along with white pepper, bacon fat, and some floral notes. Great syrah nose. Blueberries with smoke and a bit more bacon on the palate with some charred oak and vanilla coming through on the finish. Medium+ acid, medium tannin, smooth mouthfeel and finish. I think this wine is in a great spot right now. Amazing pairing with grilled leg of lamb. (2123 views) | |
| Tasted by dsgris on 6/4/2014 & rated 92 points: Inky dark purple, lilacs on the nose. Dry with lovely tart tannins, medium fruit with acid that hits the back of the throat. Cherries and blackberries with ferns and mushrooms. Great balance with an acid emphasis on the PnP, 91 pts. I love the acid profile that balances the bold fruit. Looking forward to tomorrow night. Not much change from last night which indicates this is as good as it's going to be. With the strong acid, it should hold for awhile. (2107 views) | |
| Tasted by libero on 5/20/2014 & rated 92 points: This 9 years old bottle has a dark red Bordeaux color, powerful taste, red berries taste and soft tannins. It paired very well with grilled beef. (2019 views) | |
| Tasted by GoBlue2002 on 5/3/2014 & rated 90 points: Intensely aromatic, with aromas of white pepper and dried red fruit. Unfortunately the flavors lag behind the nose. Pleasant full mouthfeel leads to a dry flat finish. I enjoyed this more than my wife. Disappointing given the price and reviews; however, those who prefer French syrah over Californian should enjoy this. (1952 views) | |
| Tasted by blakel on 4/15/2014 & rated 91 points: A lovely balanced syrah with rich dark fruit and a distinct top note of violets and roses. Very subtle secondary note of menthol and saline/olives. Not a tremendous value at $40, but distinctive, refined. Delicious. (1923 views) | |
| Tasted by Mootsie on 4/12/2014 & rated 91 points: Deep, earth, pepper and dark fruit. Sweetens a bit with time. Lots of acidic "pop" which I like. Not the most complex wine that I have had, but certainly enjoyable and well crafted. (1548 views) | |
| Tasted by Brownvino on 3/28/2014 & rated 90 points: Decanted for an hour. May have waited a little too long on this one. The fruit is faint, but it still has a smooth taste. Nothing extraordinary. (1692 views) | |
| Tasted by cartime on 3/12/2014 & rated 93 points: Blackberry and black cherry compote, chocolate, and minty herbs on the nose with a distinct meaty, almost foie-like note. Full-bodied palate, but not heavy. Great acidity. (1757 views) | |
| Tasted by Tarpon222 on 3/7/2014 & rated 91 points: Very enjoyable, balanced and I believe it will continue to evolve. (1769 views) | |
| Tasted by dsimmons on 2/7/2014 & rated 91 points: Very nice syrah in a good place right now. Delicious wine and consistently good from year to year. (2019 views) | |
| Tasted by libero on 1/14/2014 & rated 92 points: This bottle of Largier Meredith Syrah, 2005, has a dark red color, and I am waiting for decanting for over an hour...off course tasting meanwhile...we are pairing with grilled lamb...More notes to come.. (2100 views) | |
| Tasted by MLipton on 1/8/2014: Surprisingly lush and primary, this wine showed its California character in spades. Not gloopy or OTT in any way, but definitely on the big side for Syrah, it had enough acidity to go well with the food. I'll keep my hands off my other bottle for a few more years, though, in hopes that it'll develop more tertiary character. (1880 views) | |
| Tasted by lkatz on 12/15/2013 & rated 90 points: very nicely balanced good drinker, did not decant, but everyone enjoyed my last two bottles....but then they didn't have to pay for them! (1817 views) | |
| Tasted by btock on 12/13/2013 flawed bottle: corked (1702 views) | |
| Tasted by Rieslingfan on 11/26/2013 & rated 90 points: Very well made Syrah. There's lots of dark fruit, as well as herbs, earth and a bit of a briny/salty element. Good balance and a long, fruity finish. No hurry to drink this up, but it is in a nice place now. (2126 views) | |
| Tasted by iamandyc on 11/20/2013 & rated 92 points: Aged well. Still very muscular with deep, dark fruit. Big flavor but not juicy or flabby. Long finish. (1726 views) | |
| Tasted by MayValley on 11/9/2013 & rated 92 points: The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Red Currant, and Forest floor. It tastes like Black Pepper, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Medium. (1743 views) | |
| Tasted by Bluethunder on 10/13/2013 & rated 90 points: Garnet red with cherries, spice and soil. Smooth with mild tannins. (1716 views) | |
| Tasted by Mr T on 10/13/2013: still a lot of tannin here....good fruit with elements of olive and meat/iron (1631 views) | |
| Tasted by DRS-Inc on 9/28/2013 & rated 91 points: Slow ox'd for 4 hrs. & consumed over next 3 hours. Captivating fragrant nose undershadowed by palate. Dark berry fruit, spice, white pepper. Tannins fully resolved, low:moderate acidity, full-bodied & a lasting finish. (1010 views) | |
| Tasted by thalver on 9/24/2013: decanted and vigorously swirled..began drinking half an hour later..dark wine..dark fruits with maybe coffee and a hint of olive on the palate, long, lingering finish. Really good. It opened up a bit, but didnt change substantially over about 3-4 hours. 93ish (1738 views) | |
| Tasted by buffyst on 7/31/2013 & rated 94 points: Black velvet. Medium-plus body. Blue- and especially blackberry bouquet, perhaps the finest I've ever had the pleasure to inhale among California Syrah. Add raspberry on the palate, with notes of coffee, fig and violets. Tannins are firmly integrated. Elegant and rich. Long, textured finish. Wish I had more. 14.5% abv. Drink or hold. (2041 views) | |
| Tasted by kstoddard on 5/29/2013 & rated 93 points: Blind Night (Dale): Blackberry and cherry fruit on the nose. Black in color. Jammy fruit of blackberry, cherry, and violets. Rich finish with some good length and complexity. Sadly my last bottle. (2544 views) | |
| Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 5/3/2013 & rated 90 points: Lagier Meredith Vertical (1999 thru 2010) + (Loren's Home): Purple in color. The largest nose on the table. Lots of blue berries and blackberries with spice and pepper. On the palate, coffee, black raspberries, some heat, especially on the finish. Starting with this wine and for the rest of them, it seemed a wall of tannins rose up and really dominate the palate. I think this wine has a bright future. This got a huge Parker score. Glad to have some but wont check in for a while. (3434 views) | |
| Tasted by oenophilemoose on 4/11/2013 & rated 90 points: A fine, well made Syrah but just did not excel compared to the 2004 vintage. (2487 views) | |
| Tasted by kenhoeve on 3/27/2013: Big blast of white pepper on the nose, with some cured meat and a touch of smoke. On day one the palate was overwhelmingly briny with olive, so much so I had to put it back in the fridge. On day two this really came around with floral notes and perfumed wild berries to add to roasted meats. The entire package didn't quite come together at any one time, but it was super with food. The multiple personalities in this bottle are notable. (2429 views) | |
| Tasted by BklynNeophyte on 3/16/2013 & rated 89 points: Very smooth, without a lot of the over-extracted syrah nose and taste so common in California. Balanced is an understatement. My wife liked this a lot, and I have a feeling it would do very well in a blind tasting. Provided me by the famous AF herself. 3 on the AF scale. (2200 views) | |
| Tasted by Tim Heaton on 2/13/2013: Consistent with previous bottles, this is in a very sweet spot right now, and if I were to hazard a guess, I'd say consume this sooner than later as I don't see it getting better. Yes, it'll hold here for a few years, but open it soon if you have several and are curious. Delicious, polished. Long finish. Slow-O 6 hours, served non-blind at CT offline in Seattle. 14,8% abv (2615 views) | |
| Tasted by Brsed on 10/27/2012 & rated 91 points: Great nose. Blueberries and white pepper with a strong olive component that I found slightly distracting. (2487 views) | |
| Tasted by wequedad on 9/22/2012 & rated 92 points: Very dark ruby colorwith bricking at the rim. Nice, but not exceptional nose that speaks loudly "boysenberries" and a bit of garrigue. Was popped and poured and it continued to open as the evening progressed.What started as very nice progressed to excellent. The boysenberry theme continued and tar, graphite and white pepper in the background. Long finish. This is a very good syrah ... it lives up to the under the radar reputation...except to winos who KNOW! (2985 views) | |
| Tasted by libero on 7/6/2012 & rated 92 points: Very dense, Bordeaux color, red berries fruit and smoothtannins. Had itnwith spicembeef and paired quite well. (2952 views) | |
| Tasted by Eric_Starkloff on 6/23/2012 & rated 90 points: - Garnet color. It's in total harmony and has flavours of black pepper with a medium/full body with a medium finish. (2969 views) | |
| Tasted by Tim Heaton on 6/18/2012: Aerate to decanter 1 hour, served at cellar temp. Still very dark ruby core, no sign of age. Black and blue fruits, with baking spice, red floral and vanillin aromas. Seamless black and blue fruits with elegance and impeccable balance. The 14,8% is fully integrated, the tannins, soft, and inviting. A touch of savory and meaty blackberries on the back end, medium + finish. Very enjoyable. With steaks at beachrooster's place. recommended, drink thru 2017 (2775 views) | |
| Tasted by hankj on 5/28/2012 & rated 93 points: Much better than the last bottle. Deep berries, coffee, green notes. Big and full but doesn't run over food. Will hold last bottle 3 years, reload w/ the 2007. (2521 views) | |
| Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 5/7/2012 & rated 93 points: Lagier-Meredith, Girardin, Saxum (My backyard): Popped and poured. At first this seemed to be a typical cooler climate Syrah. The nose is nice but not complex. Boysenberries, some white pepper and just a bit of bacon fat. On the palate, this has a nice acidity with good boysenberry fruit. With air and time, this really unwound. At first, it was on the palate. Showing more layering and depth. Then the nose really opened up. This was at the four hour mark. It went from being a very nice wine to truly outstanding. It lost the "cool climate" quality which is perhaps my way of saying restrained and instead really began to show exuberance while not losing its sense of place. I have had very few Syrahs do this. As I said, it took about four hours to reach this point. The last glass from the bottle seemed to hold at that level. I will wait a bit on remaining bottles. (2964 views) | |
| Tasted by libero on 4/19/2012 & rated 91 points: DENSE, DARK, RED BARRIES AND SMOOTH TANIN. OPEN 1 HOUR BEFORE DRINKING. (2747 views) | |
| Tasted by wfdeacon on 3/9/2012 & rated 92 points: Opened, a splash out of the bottle and left in the cellar for two hours, and it needed it. Gained nose and weight. Purple tinged blood red color. Blackberry, stone, menthol on the nose. Medium body for a Syrah, understated elegance, sweet dark fruit, spicy/pepper on the finish. Tannins nicely integrated. (2820 views) | |
| Tasted by cbkamp on 1/24/2012 & rated 90 points: Upon opening, barnyard aromas overpowered everything but blew off over time leaving sweet blackberry with dried herbs and menthol. This is still incredibly tight and doesn't seem fully integrated even now. Really opened up over an hour or so. Still very tannic with dark black fruit on the palate. Loaded with pepper on the finish. Good, but I think this has better days ahead of it. I'm holding my other bottle for a few more years. (3126 views) | |
| Tasted by crsprout on 12/30/2011 & rated 88 points: Great nose of rose and dark fruit. I thought this was good, but a little thin. I was hoping for more... (3115 views) | |
| Tasted by gmbdds on 12/17/2011 & rated 91 points: Decanted. Very dark. This was a meaty wine but also very perfumed. Lots of character with earth and spice. The fruit did not stand out but provided a good support for the savory elements. (3294 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 7/17/2011 & rated 93 points: Truffle Burgers and Wine Chez Dan (Chez Dan, Palo Alto, California): Opaque purple red violet color; lovely, lifted, green herb, tart berry, blackberry, tar, mineral, graphite palate; medium-plus finish (3669 views) | |
| Tasted by lousall on 5/14/2011 & rated 93 points: Killer wine, drinking beautifully. Drank next to an '05 Dehlinger which was also delicious. (4752 views) | |
| Tasted by elamasters on 5/7/2011 & rated 92 points: Really outstanding syrah. Notes of black pepper and flowers. Deep and dark, yet has a really nice acidic lift that gives it incredible freshness. (4507 views) | |
| Tasted by winot on 4/28/2011 & rated 91 points: Opaque black-red - typical for the wine, big spicy berry nose - coffee, mocha, berries, a savoury element - well bal, dry, good length, I'd leave these a couple more yrs. (4595 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 4/21/2011 & rated 93 points: "What Says Napa to You?" eBob Offline with Antonio Galloni (PRESS Restaurant, St. Helena, California): Roasted plum nose; tasty, mature, tart plum, green herb, black fruit palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points (5641 views) | |
| Tasted by Laughs and Juice on 4/16/2011 & rated 92 points: took several hours to open, would wait at least 6 months for next bottle (4470 views) | |
| Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 1/10/2011 & rated 91 points: Drank over two nights with no degradation. This is more cool climate Syrah and not yet at its peak. Nice black raspberry and some blueberry flavors with a bit of boysenberry. Tight and needed some air to unwind. Layers of flavors. I think a few years will improve this. (5392 views) | |
| Tasted by dsimmons on 1/4/2011 & rated 95 points: This wine was popped and poured. Delicious from the git-go although a short decant will not hurt. the color is inky garnet with beautiful clarity. The nose is plum, spice, and soft earth tones. Fruity. The palate explodes with delight... dark fruit, blackberries, raspberries, fig, pepper, spice, and earth. Beautiful balance and complexity. Enough backbone for many more years. I am looking forward to following this wine for at least another 5 years. The finish is very long and enjoyable. Great wine from a great producer... and wonderful people to-boot! (5200 views) | |
| Tasted by toddmk on 12/31/2010 flawed bottle: Cork crumbled upon opening. Nose was ruined due to bottle being corked. I could tell on the palate and finish that this was probably a really good wine but definitely a defective bottle. (4942 views) | |
| Tasted by glg on 12/28/2010 & rated 94 points: In a really good place - perfect balance and abundant fruits. No intrusive wood or other notes to detract from the pure and balanced fruit. (5457 views) | |
| Tasted by alamoave on 12/26/2010 & rated 88 points: A once-very-big wine that is still big but isn't getting better as it gets less big. (5040 views) | |
| Tasted by joshwoodward on 12/2/2010 & rated 92 points: Interesting nose - red cherries, minerals. Balanced, elegant, structured, slight rubber/oak bitterness on the finish. Fading fruit. Complex, great food wine. $55 (5395 views) | |
| Tasted by grafstrb on 12/1/2010 flawed bottle: – popped and poured – – tasted non-blind over one hour – NOSE: restrained Nose showing hints of spice (cumin), meat, smoke, and oak; a bit volatile. BODY: medium-light to medium bodied TASTE: tart/sour; not big; some alcohol flavor; red fruits. A follow-up with the winery confirmed suspicions that this bottle was likely suffering from low-level TCA. (5181 views) | |
| Tasted by syrahz on 10/18/2010 & rated 92 points: Cherry fruit on the nose but not so much on the palate. Fine tannins, very smooth. It lost something in the middle and then picked up again on the finish. To me more old world style than new. This wine has room to age. It was enjoyable over two nights. I'm curious what it will be like a year or two from now. (5241 views) | |
| Tasted by btock on 10/3/2010 & rated 92 points: Good, but will get better. High toned, light in the midpalate, very smooth. Mint, baking spice undertones. Good stuff. (5134 views) | |
| Tasted by joshwoodward on 9/24/2010 & rated 89 points: Decanted 30 minutes, drank over 3 hours. Sadly, it seemed to be a little closed down. The fruit is there, but taking a vacation, while the slightly bitter oak was jumping out. Red cherries dominate, with a pleasant acetic sourness and decent tannic structure, with a medium body. Still tasty, but disjointed and a shadow of what I remember. I wouldn't mind trying another bottle in 5 years. $34 (5106 views) | |
| Tasted by chapel hill wino on 9/5/2010: enjoyable, but muted in the nose and palate. Maybe its me. (5065 views) | |
| Tasted by CTSV157 on 8/19/2010 & rated 91 points: Dark inky with rich nose of black fruit. Strong flavors , acidity and softening tannins. This is a big wine and is still early in its life with a demonstrative flavor and presence. It demands stout foods. (5344 views) | |
| Tasted by Zingrrl on 7/16/2010: Drank this last week and forgot to take notes. I remember it was not that good. Very raisiny. Surprising considering how good the other bottles have been. Hoping it was just an off bottle. Stored like the others so.... (5173 views) | |
| Tasted by silton on 5/2/2010 & rated 92 points: Opened and decanted yesterday, now having a glass watching the Lakers. Charred meat, plum, lava, aubergine, black fruit with a little spicy cherry lift along with tannic shoulders on the back half. Excellent, distinctive Sryah. PS: actually opened up for good later in the day, when it became harmonious. I'd love to taste this in 3-5 years. (5160 views) | |
| Tasted by iamandyc on 1/19/2010 & rated 89 points: Day one was tight and not much there. Day two it has opened up much more revealing lean fruit for a syrah with a red-ness to the fruit. There is a core of acidity and some structure. Overall very good but not outstanding for me as the wow is missing. (5426 views) | |
| Tasted by Tim Heaton on 12/25/2009: Slow ox for 6 hours. Dark ruby toward purple core with a wildly complex nose that shows great upside potential. This is confirmed on the palate where the fruit flaunts its mountain elegance and obvious purity and structure. The full body and firm yet very fine tannins sit atop a core of acidity that will see this begin to hit its stride in about 3-5 yrs and drink for another decade beyond that. Recommended. (5323 views) | |
| Tasted by goofy Yno on 12/13/2009: very rich fruity wine, good balance, dark fruits, long finish (5368 views) | |
| Tasted by keeno1 on 12/6/2009 & rated 92 points: Very pretty dark purple. Nose was very tight, but showed some floral notes and blackberry fruits. Palate was more expressive with blackberry, blueberry flavors with notes of mineral and pepper and good acidity. Not a fruit bomb at all, but very elegant. A nice wine that should benefit from additional time in the cellar. (5629 views) | |
| Tasted by tyvoodoo on 11/27/2009 & rated 91 points: Last time I had this it was a pop and pour. This time I decanted for 6 hours before consuming. Nose is very ethereal with sweet black berries, blueberries, soft warm oak and nice amounts of pepper. Palate is a bit sweet but nice and luscious with tons of fruit and polished tannins. (4765 views) | |
| Tasted by goofy Yno on 11/3/2009 & rated 90 points: started out very hot, dark concentrated fruit. little too much, but 2 hours into it the heat dissipated, some nice fruit emerged, a touch of depth, nice interesting wine. hold. (4366 views) | |
| Tasted by Acohen on 10/25/2009 & rated 91 points: Dark fruit with blueberry and tannins (4144 views) | |
| Tasted by Daego Red on 10/14/2009 & rated 90 points: Blueberries with little wet pebbles. Consumed over a 4 day period-not decanted. I think it would have improved with more time or a frothy decant. Great length but a bit shy and or sleepy. (4272 views) | |
| Tasted by tyvoodoo on 9/23/2009 & rated 92 points: Color of this wine is extremely dark, almost black in nature probably due to the mountain fruit. Nose gives off white pepper, cured bacon, brown sugar and toasty oak. Palate is extremely dense, concentrated, chewy and fat. This is a well made wine with time ahead of it. Tannins were present but nice and polished. Enjoyable now with air but will continue to improve for many years. (4373 views) | |
| Tasted by joshwoodward on 8/21/2009 & rated 90 points: Tasty, but more "hollow" than I remember it. The pleasant sourness didn't have enough fruit to drape itself onto. Still quite tasty, and I'm wondering how it'll open up with a couple days in the fridge. $55 on sale for $30. (4038 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 8/12/2009 & rated 92 points: California Syrah Tasting Dinner (Bistro 24, San Francisco, California): Dark red violet color; black fruit, tar, herbaceous nose; tart black fruit, herbaceous, charcoal, olive palate with depth, but tight yet; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (2nd WOTF) (3420 views) | |
| Tasted by glg on 7/15/2009 & rated 93 points: As good as advertised. Excellent expression of Mt. Veeder syrah - abundant dark fruits (blueberry and blackberry), but not syrupy. Expansive palate that builds in the mount. Long finish (3691 views) | |
| Tasted by jleg on 6/8/2009: This stuff has really pulled together nicely since the last bottle. Very nice. (3841 views) | |
| Tasted by AdamWallstein on 4/14/2009 & rated 94 points: Fantastic, elegant Syrah. Could have been a 75 dollar hermitage with it's wonderful fresh aromatics sporting farm-stand berries and ground pepper. Medium mouthweight and a full, interesting finish. Now back to that beautiful nose! My favorite of the tasting. (3850 views) | |
| Tasted by jasonh on 4/6/2009 & rated 93 points: I had not intention of drinking my bottles but then I came across another one at retail, so I grabbed it to get a peek. I had this next to the Alesia over a 3 day period. Nice and subtle aromatics. There is a richness on the nose. A bit of chocolate and vanilla. After two days the aromatics really came alive. Showed a cab franc quality. Quite flowery for a syrah. The first day the palate was pretty unyielding wit an acidic finish. Not loving at first but I know I need to wait. After a few days the acids integrated and the wine became a beuty. Rich and earthy. Not peppery. Lots of plums and minerality. A real transformation. The balance really came together. Wait at least 5 years. (3513 views) | |
| Tasted by nopat on 2/21/2009 & rated 93 points: Dark color, off-black with blue/blackberry and smoke/leather nose. Incredibly smooth at all stages during the past 6 hours! Spicey/peppery/jalepeno on the back end., obvious dark fruits with ripe pomegranate streak. Mid-palate persists with a certain game component and transitions into a medium/long finish. Somewhat earthy-herbal, elegant in it's own right but in a very masculine way. Varietally correct, and almost old-world, if not for the intensity and concentration. Needs a few years, but definitely good now with a few hours air. (3490 views) | |
| Tasted by silton on 2/7/2009: Consistent with previous notes. Worth holding longer. (Consumption date unknown.) (3357 views) | |
| Tasted by InternationalWineReport on 1/7/2009 & rated 93 points: Deep inky color, focused around Bluberries, blackberries, Cream, black pepper, along with grilled meat and some spice notes. Full bodied, well balanced and very focused. The silky tannins lead to a smooth, long lasting finish. (Best from 2009-2013) - JD93 (3566 views) | |
| Tasted by vinaigre on 12/20/2008 & rated 93 points: Montreal Offline: End of Year 95+ tasting 2008 (Restaurent le Bleu Raisin): Deep ruby red with purple edge. Nose of blueberriy pie, oak vanilla, toast and ripe blackberries. Nice body and texture of dark ripe red fruits with soft tannins and nice balance, Medium finish. (4221 views) | |
| Tasted by jleg on 12/17/2008: Pop and pour with a 10 minute wait. Dark ruby purple. Kind of a medicinal nose. Big tannins are present in the mouth. High strung and tight. Nice integration of acidity, tannin, and fruit but just not my favorite style of wine. After about 1 1/2 hour previous medicinal nose has given way to sweet oak. Tannin remains a little harsh in the mouth. A powerful wine. I will try to hold on to the remaining bottle to see how it develops (2-3 years?). Lots of dark fruit in the nose (blackberries?). Stiff tannins and acidity. (3090 views) | |
| Tasted by danseng on 12/7/2008 & rated 92 points: Very nice Syrah. A lot like some of the Pax wines in the sense that you get the great fruit without the fruitness. Smoky blueberries and licorice with a long finish. Not tannic at all after a couple hours of being open so I think you can drink this now. Obviously it will probably get better with time. (2907 views) | |
| Tasted by vanpe003 on 10/3/2008 & rated 92 points: Popped/poured. Dark smoky blueberry and meat on the nose. Blueberry and pepper on a surprisingly smooth and lush palate (however, this shuts down with some time in the glass). Fine tannins on a lengthy finish. Prime in 3-5 years (2011 - 2014)? (2921 views) | |
| Tasted by Brsed on 9/6/2008 & rated 93 points: Terrfic wine. Deep, dark color. Great fruit nose. Tastes of berries and earth. A little oak. Nice balance. (2873 views) | |
| Tasted by joshwoodward on 8/28/2008 & rated 95 points: Big juicy berry/blueberry nose. Soft, huge but still elegant. Lightish tannin and acid. So velvety! Not big alcohol? Full mouthfeel. Light spiciness. Still needs some aging. Finesse. (2516 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 8/25/2008 & rated 95 points: Family Winemakers San Francisco; 8/24/2008-8/25/2008 (Fort Mason, San Francisco): Remarkably smooth black fruit palate, deep; long finish (3783 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 5/30/2008 & rated 94 points: Morel Mushroom Madness at the Plumed Horse (The Plumed Horse Restaurant, Saratoga, California): Dark cherry red color; menthol, green bean nose; concentrated tart black fruit, green notes, pepper; long finish (3136 views) | |
| Tasted by rmalloy on 5/30/2008 & rated 83 points: Thick blackberry and pepper, overwhelmed by bitter, unpleasant herbs and spices, leaving a nasty finish, and lame but heavy oak notes. I recognize that this wine shows very good extraction, but is that the sole criterion for evaluating wine? A strong tannic structure and feeling of unexpressed power suggest this is not ready to drink. (I will note that as far as syrah goes, I have enjoyed more the fruit bomb Australian shiraz style.) Two days later the bitter herbs are subdued and integrated. Perhaps this wine will mature into something tasty, but the rating remains--I did not like this wine at all, for whatever reason. (3291 views) | |
| Tasted by scott davis on 5/29/2008 & rated 92 points: Pop and pour. Dark crimson in color. Briery black fruit, boysenberry, charcoal, tar, and a dusty herbal note show on the palate. Lots of stuffing, yet still a little tight. Full bodied, but not with the sometimes syrupy, burdening flavors exhibited by this varietal. A very balanced syrah. (3073 views) | |
| Tasted by silton on 5/14/2008 & rated 92 points: Big time wine that's not huge or big for the sake of being big. Olive tapanade, smokey bacon, dried blueberries on the nose, which are joined by black fruits, lead, earth, and subtle licorice in the mouth. Various phases with aeration, none bad, but actually most tannic here on day 3. (3118 views) | |
| Tasted by kstoddard on 5/10/2008 & rated 92 points: Almost black in color. Needed some air to open up. Smells of dark fruit and violets. Tastes of blackberries, load of tar and leather. Great balance with very fresh acidity to keep everything light. Still a bit closed down at this point. Rich and extracted but a touch monolithic at this stage in life. Rich finish with big depth of fruit. Will hold for at least five more years before trying again. Huge upside potential. (3008 views) | |
| Tasted by AndrewSGHall on 4/22/2008: Definitely a fruit-driven wine with plenty of charm and a nice depth with mineral and grilled meat notes. Nice acidity provides a framework. Enjoyed quite a bit by someone who despises most Cali Syrah. (3050 views) | |
| Tasted by tanglenet on 4/19/2008: Served as part of a tasting at K&L. Quick notes: very light in body with a very dry finish. Good. (2861 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul Lin on 4/11/2008 & rated 90 points: Syrah Blind Tasting (Newport Beach, CA): This is my second time trying this wine is the past month or so, and I'm happy that this wine showed just as well blind -- exactly the same in fact. Notes of plums, blueberries, hot rocks, minerals, and earth. Good acidity. (3551 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul Lin on 3/18/2008 & rated 90 points: Family Winemakers of California (Pasadena, CA): Notes of blueberries, grilled plums, with some earthy pomegranate creeping though on the finish. Balanced with excellent acidity. (4546 views) | |
| Tasted by J Dogg on 3/13/2008: Warning: I am an extreme beginner at this! There was a hint of a skunk type of smell in the very beginning, but it dissipated after a few minutes. Seemed to smell like cherries and caramel. Tasted of spice (black pepper?), oaky. Tannins were present, but not overwhelming. (2900 views) | |
| Tasted by dsimmons on 3/9/2008: I am puzzled by this bottle. The wine was not at all like the other notes here. You could sense the underlying complexity but it never came through over the course of the evening. Very expresive fruity nose but the wine was a bit sour. Could be flawed or heat damaged? (2888 views) | |
| Tasted by pgordon62 on 2/1/2008 & rated 90 points: High tone nose of white pepper, smoky blackberry and spearmint. Dark, peppery and sullen on the palate. The finish shows a little tannin but otherwise is surprisingly gentle. Will likely improve with another 2-3 years. An interesting wine but not my favorite vintage. I prefer the size of the 2003 and 2004. (3145 views) | |
| Tasted by Zingrrl on 1/28/2008 & rated 92 points: First night. Opened and let sit for 45 minutes in bottle. Poured in glass and first sniff was a rich, yeasty blueberry muffin. Bright fruit and finsh that goes on for over a minute. Good stuff. Second night was the 29th and I forgot to take notes. I do remember it evolved nicely although lost some of the bright fruit. Very nice wine that should improve. (3296 views) | |
| Tasted by N2Vin on 1/25/2008 & rated 93 points: A huge wine with powerful notes of blueberry and blackberry, holiday spice, smoked meat and sweet floral notes. Thick on the palate with black cherry, oak, asian spices, mint ans anise. Layers of flavor. Tannins are big in this wine, but not out of control. At one point in the mid-palate it seemed almost painful as the mouth reacted to all that tannin, but on the finish, where too much tannin typically shows itself, it was quite resolved and a captivating finish carried through. (3249 views) | |
| Tasted by goofy Yno on 12/7/2007 & rated 94 points: initial nose of horse manure (but in a good way), deep dark blackberry, grilled steak, anise, toast. big balanced mouth with blackberry , blueberry, a bity of complexity and a long finish. (3483 views) |
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Lagier MeredithProducer website"Syrah is our flagship wine. We’ve grown it since we began in 1994. Our vineyard site, with shallow rocky soil derived from an ancient uplifted seafloor and bathed in cool marine air from the nearby San Pablo Bay, brings out the best of Syrah’s savory, spicy, and floral attributes. Our wines are balanced, complex and long-lived. They reflect the restraint imposed on the vines by our mountain setting." SyrahVarietal 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-PetersonNapa ValleyNapa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Mt. VeederMt. Veeder (Appellation America) |