2004 August West Syrah Rosella's Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (24) Avg Score: 90.8 points

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  11/17/2020 - Fractalage Likes this wine:

  Yes, love it.
  Such a great Syrah and still drinking very well.
  Pulled this one from my art studio fridge and let rest upright for 2 weeks until clear. Full glass left behind with sediment.
  47 cases produced!
  https://www.augustwestwine.com/index.cfm?method=products.productDrilldown&productid=6178D2CE-2264-112B-B1C3-21FDE19F8AEC&pageID=05574288-1CC4-81AE-75EB-E1B1DFBC3AB5&sortBy=DisplayOrder&maxRows=6&
  
  Wow, such a small allocation and here I get to buy 5 bottles, the entire lot that K&L had at the time. Don’t regret that nab!
  
  Initial decant brought out big flowers and meats.
  It's real and authentic, very well made and deserves to be sought after.
  
  Big floral nose with meats and earth with unique complexity going on, but it's assuredly a classic Syrah.
  Santa Lucia Highlands are such a great terroir with Monterrey winds pulling out from the bay past these gorgeous mountains. This is a must stop if you're in the Bay Area as just two hours south you can taste prime wine country’s finest vineyards that are not Napa nor Sonoma, but unique in every way to California. While there travel inland to Carmel Valley for more unique tastings and make it a week of adventure with a stop in Chalone and the peaks Pinnacles to catch a glimpse of the last great birds: The Condor.
  For the more unique experience plan to travel not on the 101 but through the Gabilan Mountains via Hollister on the 25. Take some hikes into Pinnacles, camp and then wine taste back through to the coast.
  
  The dreamy beach town of Carmel By The Sea is a must stop for romantic dining and art shopping. One night there and then you can drive back to Santa Cruz, but not until after you stop at the Dali museum in Monterrey. Betcha didn’t know Salavdor Dali had a huge gala there decades ago with Bob Hope and other celebrities. While there take a promenade on the Warf and eat at Alvarado St. Brewery, as they have the best beer in California next to Russian River Brewing Co. The food isn’t bad either.
  
  California is such a great State.

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  8/1/2020 - Fractalage Likes this wine:

  Just an excellent Syrah: Balanced and complex.
  This is a classic.
  After two hours roasted meats showed with the usual tart fruit and excellent texture finishing with herbs, anise and concentrated flowers.

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  5/10/2019 - Fractalage Likes this wine: 95 Points

  If you like Syrah, this has it all, the fruit, the meat, the spices, the funk, the minerals. Just a great cuvée.
  Took it out of the locker a week ago. Let rest. Decanted all but 8oz which had to stay due to sediment. Cork was in perfect condition. Color was vibrant purple to black. Hardly any hint to age by its color.
  Initial nose held copious funk of barn that blew off in an hour to my sadness. Love that horse barn.
  Blackberry oozed out with dirty back cherry. There were lots of spices, tar, roasted meats and more spices. As it opened more roasted meats showed, then backing spices.
  Such a great wine.

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  12/26/2018 - PIntag wrote: 91 Points

  14.7% abv. Recent purchase from WineBid.
  Quite opulent and rich, soft with plenty of ripe blueberry, meat, and iron notes. Great depth and length with fleshy mouthfeel. Could have used just a touch more acidity, but that is nitpicking. Just a slight touch of heat noticeable. I didn't find this to be very complex like the previous note suggests, but this is drinking beautifully right now. Very nice new world expression of the Syrah grape.

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  7/22/2018 - Fractalage Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Crazy good Syrah.
  I made the vendor open one bottle while in the store because they had 5 for sale and wanted to taste before getting the rest.
  Oh wow, hardly showed any signs of age with gorgeous color of opaque black to purple with the edge barely showing orangish purple.
  The initial nose was funky barnyard, black fruits, asphalt and tar.
  In the mouth it was a complex, layered delight showing savory ripe cherries of black and red, sour cherries, lemon, spicey blackberries ripe and sour tart mid-ripe, with crushed rocks making me feel like I was walking through a quarry. It opened to lots of mushrooms, then with more air - about an hour - bitter tar soaked garrigue joined the party.
  Wonderful.
  9/10

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