2007 Novy Syrah Party + A Pile Of Other Things

We tasted most of the 2007 Novy syrahs, getting a first look at how Adam translated the vintage. In addition, we had a # of related wines, such as Pax, Carlisle and other things to theme-in with the Novy. BBQ and a good time!

• 2006 Arrowood Viognier Saralee's Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Next to the Melville Verna's viognier, two pretty different styles. This Arrowood shows some fennel/anise, some pineapple and some spicy tropical notes.

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• 2008 Novy Family Wines Sauvignon Blanc Judge Family Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  I just can't warm up to sauvignon blanc, nor the flavors in this wine. Others who attended the event may be able to provide a different perspective but what I found was some minerally, lemony notes and a pickled element.

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• 2007 Curtis Heritage Blanc

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Way back when in 2000, I served Curtis at my wedding, as we had picked up some of the reds as a house wine kind of thing. 10 years later, back full circle. This wine may appeal to some but it did not much to me. Little candied and sweet, with lemon hard candy and a 7-Up type of acidity.

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• 2007 Melville Viognier Estate Verna's

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Glycerine texture, orangle blossom, honey. There is a tangerine/orange element to the fruit and some apricot. As with past vintages, I really like the flavors this wine shows and again, 2008 seems to have it.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Napa Valley

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Big, juicy and full of dark fruit. Medium weighted with pure blue flavor, little leaner than past versions, which I like. Retasting the wine tonight with a full day of air, just a really dialed in and fruit forward syrah with all the flavors in complement to each other. And, no heat that I can sense. For me, heralds the QPR that Adam is so talented with in terms of syrah and a wine that is delicious and excellent.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Page Nord

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  More wound up and tight than the Napa bottling, with more oak evident, too. Tihcker and bigger with more blue and vanilla. At this stage, I prefer the Napa bottling over this P-N.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  I'd like to find out from Adam how much Susan's Hill made it into this final blend, as I can taste and sense what I think is terroir for the Susan's fruit....the apricot and stone fruit pit character. There is also a hint of merde from the Rosella's, along with a good dose of black pepper--good to see the pepper shining. Black fruit, some saddle leather and some game and citrus, medium weight. Easy and smooth, as the AVA oughta be. Pretty good and has all the SLH fruit doing its thing.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Rosella's Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Hitting and doing it right here. Packed with flavor, dark and juicy, game and licorice. After about 3 hours open, add more peppercorn, some spicyness and a richer core. Don't get much oak, just a really great bottle of Rosella's. Excellent and a stand out for the night.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Garys' Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Plush but seemed to laxk some of the complexity of the Rosella's. Consistent with Garys' terroir, blackberry, teriyaki and a blueberry juicyness. At 3 hours open, spicy, meaty, plush with beef jerky and teriyaki, which these last two characteristics being what Garys' is for me. I would be interested to re-try this wine in 6 months to see if it can add on some complexity. Good enough now but want more.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Russian River Valley

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Nose of potpourri, lavender. Rich wine with black fruits and a very dark color. While it may lack in some complexity and acidity, this is a fruit bomb kind of a wine. For me, this is the kind of wine you take out if you want to do a table top discovery with some people about what dark and deep syrah can taste like, look like. Don't look for complexity and nuance here, just some hedonism. Dig it for what it is.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Christensen Family Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Mixed impressions here. This bottle was one of the first to drain, yet for me, I did not warm to it as some others did. Brighter with more raspberry lift, blackberry and chocolate. What it seemed like to me was kind of a one note, one dimensioned wine. Bit sweet with a little pepper. Would be interested to see how others at the event saw this bottling. For me, I'll take the RRV syrah over this one.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Syrah Judge Family Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  Smoky and peppery with a mix of blue and red fruit, some meat and a tight finish. One of the wines of all we tasted from 2007 that seemed the most wrapped up. Need some time.

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• 2007 Novy Family Wines Grenache Judge Family Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  This wine went fairly fast. Strawberry, spice, good balance and like the Judge syrah, some grip on the finish. A number of people seemed to like this wine a lot, as did I. I prefer syrah more but I can see drinking this, if I was to do more grenache.

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• 2001 Carlisle Syrah Dry Creek Valley

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

  Based on some talk with Mike Officer, I let this rip, as it's putting on some age. 2001 is going back some for me, as my TNs on Mike's wines really start to engage in 2002/2003. There is a core of blueberry in the palate, what my note said was syrupy, but it was not thick or overdone so keep my comment in context. Also blackberry and what I still think is enough acidity to carry the wine another year. While I did find the 2001 Carlisle petite to be pruny, this wine is less so, although there is a hint of it on the edges. Drink now or hold another year. As for comments during the event, several people indicated they really dug the bottle, as did I.

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• 2003 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Well, to my good fortune, this is the 2nd bottle of this wine I have now drank in less than 3 months, thanks to generous friends. And, yet for me another confirmation as to why I have this wine on my short list for 2009 WOTY. Nose of pepper and bacon fat, along with cooked meat. Just a bitchen bouquet of all things I like in syrah. Purity, smokre and a menthol note in the palate. Classic, balanced and so complex. What a treat in a bottle. Still WOTY candidate and it's going to be a horse race.

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• 2006 Wind Gap Wines Grenache Booker Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Pulled on a whim so I could let a few other people get a look at this wine. We decanted it the best we could, given that I pulled it out mid-stream into the event. Sweet strawberry, chalk and this time, seemed like some higher oak edges. I would like to revisit my other notes and see how much oak Pax put on this to affirm or refute my perception. Even at 2 hours open, seemed to still have a barrel sample quality so I think this wine will need some more time to unwrap, integrate.

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• 2006 Denner Syrah

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Also got drained during the event. Had a bit of a funky nose with blue fruit, crunchy red fruit and fair bit of acidity. Did not get the chance to revisit a second time during event so consider notes here accordingly.

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• 2007 Black Sheep Finds Syrah Holus Bolus

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  This is a big wine, for sure. Dark and fruity, with what seemed like a good amount of density and extraction. Big texture too so in general, I would say lay this down for a year, let some of the brawn settle and then enjoy.

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• 2002 Pax Syrah Walker Vine Hill

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Gerry told me he decanted prior to drinking and returned to the bottle. I tasted this wine early in the event and did not get back to it but reminded me a little bit of the Thierry Alemand Cornas that Wells poured for me last week, with that sweet cherry and soy element, along with blueberry and tarry, but smooth in texture. Aging very well and I consistently seem to find great pleasure in the WVH fruit. Another nice version, with a few years of age on it, too.

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• 2004 Pax Syrah Walker Vine Hill

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  This time out, the wine smells a little boozy. Blueberry, spicy, and seems a bit hot. At 4 hours open, retasted with what seems to be more fruit but still wrapped up kind of tight. My notes say "needs more time" and I know this got decanted and returned to bottle before we drank it so measure accordingly.

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• 2004 Pax Syrah The Terraces Alder Springs Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Juicy with blue and black fruit, higher toned acidity and a lemony type grip. Some chalk, too. Likely needs to sleep.

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• 2005 Pax Syrah Obsidian Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Had kind of a funky, soapy nose when I first tried it. I did decant the bottle when it arrived and got some air onto the wine. Liquid mineral, chalky and rocky with some black olive on the finish. The wine did not seem to move even after a couple hours. Recommend a longgggg decant or 3 years more in the cellar.

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• 2002 Pheasant Farm Shiraz Home Block Barossa Valley

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Sweet leather, core of sweet fruit, soy and some brown notes.

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• 2007 Carlisle Syrah Rosella's Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Tasted next to the 2007 Novy Rosella's. Some similarities between Mike and Adam..........both wines show a big peppercorn nose, fresh pepper. Blackberry, toast, cooked meat (with an underline), with some oak poking through. Even with air, the wine shows more distinctiveness, light citrus and espresso. I think where Mike and Adam's versions differ is for me how the wood seems to talk much more at this stage in the Carlisle. At this stage, Mike's version is more flamboyant, with Adam's more focused. I liked them both and just know that Mike's wine needs some additional time to let some of the barrel flavor settle out.

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• 2004 Novy Family Wines Syrah Judge Family Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  We had this along side the new 2007. This 2004 is a big ass wine, rich and fruity, with grapey flavors and blackberry. Has tons of fruit left in it so no rush here to open. Enjoy when you like.

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• 1959 Torres Cabernet Sauvignon Penedès Gran Coronas Reserva

  Spain, Catalunya, Penedès

  a 1959? my god, Eric....nice bottle to share. 50 years old. Brown and caramel in color, with spice box, molasses, some herb and caramel. Probably the oldest single vintage wine I have drank to date. What history.

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• 1975 Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  To go along with the 1959, Eric then adds this 1975 Stags' Leap. Kind of astringent, cherry, lime and drying. Past prime but thanks for sharing, E2A.

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• 1979 Robert Mondavi Winery Gamay

  USA, California

  Crap, this wine did not even exist in the CT database. Added. Eric yeat again with another old bones wine to go with the other 2 he brought. Still some fruit in this bugger, with some spice but the finish is dilute to me. Probably on the way down but was cool to see the old Mondavi label and try it. Thanks again E2A.

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• 2007 Black Sheep Finds Genuine Risk

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Very big, smells and tastes like a ripe syrah. Rich, dark with a ton of fruit and some oak. I liked the wine for being big but I could not find the typicity.

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