USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(5/27/2013)
Really dark. Started out early tasting like a barrel sample, as the fruit was pulled back and some new mocha oak was quite dominant. At this stage, a more fruit centric version of the cuvee, although with air and time there is nice Rosella's citrus in here, and some of the sexy Susan's too I would guess. Lots of blue fruit, sweet leather, dark chocolate. This is a first glass (one hour of aeration) pass, so we'll try it again tomorrow....with a full day of slox ox, the aeration helped bring out further complexity. A reminder of the important role of aeration for really enjoying wines that need this advantage. The air adds a light whiff of SLH pepper to the aromatic but the real gain here is the palate, where a juicy core is now added, replacing all that oak signature from yesterday, which has now disappeared. Leathery tannin, a mix of red and black fruit versus the blue of yesterday and tasting overall more youthful with good richness. Still gettting the Rosella's grapefruit and Susan's decadence in the finish, too, along with tar. Overall, a good blend cuvee, as it is every year.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(5/29/2013)
This follows the 2011 SLH syrah blend I finished over the last few nights. As I work through the entire SLH syrah lineup for 2011, I settled on the Sierra Mar next. This drinks more open textured right out of the chute as opposed to the SLH I did a few nights ago. While that wine came together nicely on Day 2, this one shows better without really much air. Aromatic of metal shavings. Pours darker, has a plusher texture than that wine and is more sexy in tone, too. Similar tar note to the SLH but more black fruit here, this is all about the texture, a 'look at me' syrah. Citrus note in the palate, black licorice (which stays with the wine into the last glass on the 4th day), charcoal and an opulent but balanced dark-toned finish. Structure wise, oddly enough, the 2011 SLH has better structure and this is akin more to short-term pleasure. As with the SLH bottle, I'll do this over 2-3 nights and add notes along the way but in terms of sensory attraction, this shines more flashy than the SLH blend cuvee....so for night 2, I really notice the color today--it stains the side of the glass, reminding me of the 2007 Carlisle RRV syrah that was that same pitch black stainer. Overall, this is terrific. As I commented yesterday, this is plush, fruit driven, although I will say that I get some whole cluster in the aromatic tonight, and in the palate, which comes through as some black olive that I missed yesterday, adding some contrast to the dark-edged fruit. Overall, I see this like the 2010, as a near term drinker: front end intensity, color, plushness and tarry, inky profile with dark fruit that is very compelling. I really enjoy the way this shows and like the 2010 last year, I will buy 3-4 of these to keep for the near team drinking. FWIW--this wine held up just fine into the 4th day and showed no fade.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(6/2/2013)
Next in the string of Novy 2011s, this follows the Sierra Mar. This is listed with about 1 point more abv than that wine, too--shows 15.2%. Opened this about 2 hours ago, will drink over the next 3 days. For today. pours dark, although maybe one shade lighter than the really staining color of the Sierra Mar. The additional abv is noticeable here, there is some extra pop of alcohol in the aromatic. Like the Sierra Mar, this is fruit intense, although against that wine, this SH has a shade more depth of fruit. Really dark black fruit, with a bitter chocolate coating and a big swath of iron mixed in. Think of these three palate drivers--this is Susan's in this glass. In comparison to the Sierra Mar, similar acidity, shows up in the finish to a degree. Finished with the same bitter/dark chocolate and black licorice. I'll let this settle for Day 2 and follow back with another added note....Day 2, pretty well fleshed out now. This is very fruit centric--plush, deep fruit and not a lot of structure this vintage. Sexy and full bodied but still seems balanced, too. This will be an earlier drinker I believe, seeming ready now and will go another 3 years. Attention getter.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(6/5/2013)
Opened this yesterday, writing the note today having given the wine some air. This is the 4th bottle of 5, working through the entire 2011 SLH lineup over the past couple of weeks (Rosella's is next and last). Tasting with a moderate chill, just to get it down below room temp. Color-wise, this is dark like the Susan's Hill, not as dark as the Sierra Mar, which was opaque and inky. Of all the wines so far, this shows the characteristic SLH black pepper, which I didn't get on any of the cuvees that preceded this Garys'. Little bit of syrah funk on the nose, too, along with maple and a mix of white flower and whole cluster (?), in sum a high tone to the funk aromatic. On the palate, very true to the plot and AVA, showing the Gary's terroir of funk, blueberry, soy, cooked meat/jerky, citrus and lots of licorice: a solid mix of terrific syrah flavors. Finish is dominant with the dark licorice and some chocolate, more milk-like yesterday but today really falls into the bitter dark realm. The finish shows lots of citrus, really what I'd call a pink grapefruit--all Garys' again. The overall weight on this wine is more like the SLH AVA blend, less full bodied than the Sierra Mar or Susan's (the latter being the biggest bodied).....Day 3, what a nice bottle this has turned into, as it needed the long slow ox to really flesh out. The texture on this is plush, yet there is some structure here that gives a bit of astringence. What wows me is the fruit, as it pushes dark with an earthy tone in it, mainly blackberry but not of the sweet variety. Some of that structure fades out as the wine warms, and the texture broadens, too. Of the 4 bottles so far, this is the most opulent yet true to the AVA, and I really enjoy this a lot. Probably a mid term drinker, as it does fine now and will go I'd say another 5-6 years, so through 2018. Next bottle....the 2011 Rosella's, and always my favorite from Adam and the AVA.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(6/7/2013)
My last of the 5 2011 SLH syrahs, this one the Rosella's. I saved this one for last as it represents for me several things--the wine that caused me to find Novy back in the 2001 vintage, the vineyard I think best represents the AVA as it regularly shows terroir and the wine I most often enjoy when it comes to the Novy bottlings. I'll follow the same line as the last 4 bottles, open and post some impressions and then track over a couple of days. Have to say on first impression, this has a similar texture to the Garys'--plush, broad and fruit concentrated, although I'd say at this stage the Garys' is a more complete package. This version of Rosella's seems softer, although I'm expecting some air to build in some complexity. It has as much black pepper than that wine, I'd say more. It also has the expected citrus, jerky/cooked meat and smoke. Very good in that respect. A bit more gentle then I expected, we'll see how tomorrow treats it...Day 2, and I'm taking this to an event so I don't foresee any left for tomorrow so this is it for notes. Insert additional acidity and structure from yesterday, which helps complete the wine. In fact, at least with the 30 mins of re-airing I gave it from bottle just now, the finish has tightened since yesterday too, giving the red but delicious blue fruit a zesty quality. Of all 5 wines, this is the one that rings the most youthful, showing minimal oak and suspect will be the longest lived, including being the most different in that the opulence of the Susan's Hill or Garys', that's much less here.
2011 Novy Family Wines Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(5/27/2013)
Really dark. Started out early tasting like a barrel sample, as the fruit was pulled back and some new mocha oak was quite dominant. At this stage, a more fruit centric version of the cuvee, although with air and time there is nice Rosella's citrus in here, and some of the sexy Susan's too I would guess. Lots of blue fruit, sweet leather, dark chocolate. This is a first glass (one hour of aeration) pass, so we'll try it again tomorrow....with a full day of slox ox, the aeration helped bring out further complexity. A reminder of the important role of aeration for really enjoying wines that need this advantage. The air adds a light whiff of SLH pepper to the aromatic but the real gain here is the palate, where a juicy core is now added, replacing all that oak signature from yesterday, which has now disappeared. Leathery tannin, a mix of red and black fruit versus the blue of yesterday and tasting overall more youthful with good richness. Still gettting the Rosella's grapefruit and Susan's decadence in the finish, too, along with tar. Overall, a good blend cuvee, as it is every year.
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2011 Novy Family Wines Syrah Sierra Mar Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(5/29/2013)
This follows the 2011 SLH syrah blend I finished over the last few nights. As I work through the entire SLH syrah lineup for 2011, I settled on the Sierra Mar next. This drinks more open textured right out of the chute as opposed to the SLH I did a few nights ago. While that wine came together nicely on Day 2, this one shows better without really much air. Aromatic of metal shavings. Pours darker, has a plusher texture than that wine and is more sexy in tone, too. Similar tar note to the SLH but more black fruit here, this is all about the texture, a 'look at me' syrah. Citrus note in the palate, black licorice (which stays with the wine into the last glass on the 4th day), charcoal and an opulent but balanced dark-toned finish. Structure wise, oddly enough, the 2011 SLH has better structure and this is akin more to short-term pleasure. As with the SLH bottle, I'll do this over 2-3 nights and add notes along the way but in terms of sensory attraction, this shines more flashy than the SLH blend cuvee....so for night 2, I really notice the color today--it stains the side of the glass, reminding me of the 2007 Carlisle RRV syrah that was that same pitch black stainer. Overall, this is terrific. As I commented yesterday, this is plush, fruit driven, although I will say that I get some whole cluster in the aromatic tonight, and in the palate, which comes through as some black olive that I missed yesterday, adding some contrast to the dark-edged fruit. Overall, I see this like the 2010, as a near term drinker: front end intensity, color, plushness and tarry, inky profile with dark fruit that is very compelling. I really enjoy the way this shows and like the 2010 last year, I will buy 3-4 of these to keep for the near team drinking. FWIW--this wine held up just fine into the 4th day and showed no fade.
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2011 Novy Family Wines Syrah Susan's Hill Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(6/2/2013)
Next in the string of Novy 2011s, this follows the Sierra Mar. This is listed with about 1 point more abv than that wine, too--shows 15.2%. Opened this about 2 hours ago, will drink over the next 3 days. For today. pours dark, although maybe one shade lighter than the really staining color of the Sierra Mar. The additional abv is noticeable here, there is some extra pop of alcohol in the aromatic. Like the Sierra Mar, this is fruit intense, although against that wine, this SH has a shade more depth of fruit. Really dark black fruit, with a bitter chocolate coating and a big swath of iron mixed in. Think of these three palate drivers--this is Susan's in this glass. In comparison to the Sierra Mar, similar acidity, shows up in the finish to a degree. Finished with the same bitter/dark chocolate and black licorice. I'll let this settle for Day 2 and follow back with another added note....Day 2, pretty well fleshed out now. This is very fruit centric--plush, deep fruit and not a lot of structure this vintage. Sexy and full bodied but still seems balanced, too. This will be an earlier drinker I believe, seeming ready now and will go another 3 years. Attention getter.
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2011 Novy Family Wines Syrah Garys' Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(6/5/2013)
Opened this yesterday, writing the note today having given the wine some air. This is the 4th bottle of 5, working through the entire 2011 SLH lineup over the past couple of weeks (Rosella's is next and last). Tasting with a moderate chill, just to get it down below room temp. Color-wise, this is dark like the Susan's Hill, not as dark as the Sierra Mar, which was opaque and inky. Of all the wines so far, this shows the characteristic SLH black pepper, which I didn't get on any of the cuvees that preceded this Garys'. Little bit of syrah funk on the nose, too, along with maple and a mix of white flower and whole cluster (?), in sum a high tone to the funk aromatic. On the palate, very true to the plot and AVA, showing the Gary's terroir of funk, blueberry, soy, cooked meat/jerky, citrus and lots of licorice: a solid mix of terrific syrah flavors. Finish is dominant with the dark licorice and some chocolate, more milk-like yesterday but today really falls into the bitter dark realm. The finish shows lots of citrus, really what I'd call a pink grapefruit--all Garys' again. The overall weight on this wine is more like the SLH AVA blend, less full bodied than the Sierra Mar or Susan's (the latter being the biggest bodied).....Day 3, what a nice bottle this has turned into, as it needed the long slow ox to really flesh out. The texture on this is plush, yet there is some structure here that gives a bit of astringence. What wows me is the fruit, as it pushes dark with an earthy tone in it, mainly blackberry but not of the sweet variety. Some of that structure fades out as the wine warms, and the texture broadens, too. Of the 4 bottles so far, this is the most opulent yet true to the AVA, and I really enjoy this a lot. Probably a mid term drinker, as it does fine now and will go I'd say another 5-6 years, so through 2018. Next bottle....the 2011 Rosella's, and always my favorite from Adam and the AVA.
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2011 Novy Family Wines Syrah Rosella's Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
(6/7/2013)
My last of the 5 2011 SLH syrahs, this one the Rosella's. I saved this one for last as it represents for me several things--the wine that caused me to find Novy back in the 2001 vintage, the vineyard I think best represents the AVA as it regularly shows terroir and the wine I most often enjoy when it comes to the Novy bottlings. I'll follow the same line as the last 4 bottles, open and post some impressions and then track over a couple of days. Have to say on first impression, this has a similar texture to the Garys'--plush, broad and fruit concentrated, although I'd say at this stage the Garys' is a more complete package. This version of Rosella's seems softer, although I'm expecting some air to build in some complexity. It has as much black pepper than that wine, I'd say more. It also has the expected citrus, jerky/cooked meat and smoke. Very good in that respect. A bit more gentle then I expected, we'll see how tomorrow treats it...Day 2, and I'm taking this to an event so I don't foresee any left for tomorrow so this is it for notes. Insert additional acidity and structure from yesterday, which helps complete the wine. In fact, at least with the 30 mins of re-airing I gave it from bottle just now, the finish has tightened since yesterday too, giving the red but delicious blue fruit a zesty quality. Of all 5 wines, this is the one that rings the most youthful, showing minimal oak and suspect will be the longest lived, including being the most different in that the opulence of the Susan's Hill or Garys', that's much less here.
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