TN: I guess I prefer California Syrahs over the Rhone (and some other stuff)

Tasted Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by Loren Sonkin with 949 views

Introduction

I was invited to sit in with a different group last night. They were tasting Syrahs, California vs. France. We had 4 wines from each place. All wines were served blind over the course of about 1.5 hours. The wines were popped and poured and is the groups preference. They like to watch it is as it comes out of the bottle and starts to evolve. All the wines were good or better. I was surprised though that my top 4 wines were all from Cal.

Perhaps my tastes have changed as I always have said I like the northern Rhone wines best. Interesting if not definitive. As it turned out 3/4 from France were from Guigal and the other an 03. I don't think that was representative as I have trouble with the oak in Guigal until it has a fair amount of bottle age.

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2002 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 89 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    I keep hearing how well these age, but this is the second 02 I have had in the last year. The other, back in November showed even older than this. Both were showing some age though. Deep golden in color. The nose is waxy with lemons and some oxidation. On the palate, this is oily with a hint of sweetness. Also a hint of heat on the finish. Certainly seemed past prime for me. All that said, as an older wine, I enjoyed it. There was a nice robustness to it and certainly a good complexity.

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  • 2002 Domaine Dujac Morey-Saint-Denis Blanc 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey-Saint-Denis

    This took some time to open up, but after an hour it showed much better. Deep gold in color. The nose went from honey suckle to a green apple quality. Medium bodied. On the palate, there is some citrus and plenty of green apple. Some heat on the finish though. One taster noted anise which I did not get. A nice wine and my first Dujac white. This showed far younger than the Mt. Eden.

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Flight 2 (8 Notes)

  • 2000 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    I liked this far less than the group. My comment was that I would have liked it better alone on a dinner table than as a cocktail or wine tasting. That said, I was somewhat under impressed with this vintage. I will say that it kept getting better all night long and I think a few hours in a decanter would have really helped this wine. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is dusty with violets and black raspberries and a ton of oak. Soft in texture. Mulberries and light tannins. Slight heat on the finish.

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  • 2003 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has some VA on it, which made me wonder if it was a Saxum. Dusty with black raspberries and grilled meats. On the nose cocoa, and juicy black raspberries. This seemed quite balanced although the finish turned a bit jammy sans the heat. The group was a bit polarized with this wine. Many have a eurocentric taste and I can see why the jamminess and the VA was off putting. I, however, continue to really enjoy these wines. And since it did not come from my cellar, even better!

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  • 2005 Dehlinger Syrah 94 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    I continue to be impressed with this winery and for the life of me, I don't know why I have never signed up. I am not sure about the bottling, I thought it just said RRV. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose shows leather, iron, black raspberries and slight charred meats. Sweet black raspberry fruit on the palaate. This is balanced and juicy. Really the most elegant of the CA wines, which made it in the middle stylistically. The groups WOTN and my #2. Very pretty wine.

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  • 2003 Ojai Syrah Roll Ranch Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, South Coast, Ventura County

    This may have been my favorite showing from this winery ever! I did like it more than the group, but it is everything I want in a SoCal Syrah. Purple in color. The nose is dusty, grilled meats, bacon fat and tons of black raspberries. Maybe a hint of blueberries. This is complex and in a really good spot right now. Showing some secondary (or tertiary depending how you keep score) complexities but plenty of fruit as well. A really interesting soft fade on the finish, but perhaps the only nit picking thing to complain about.

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  • 2003 Domaine de la Mordorée Lirac Cuvée de la Reine des Bois 88 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Lirac

    Don't get me wrong, I like this wine, but of all vintages, this was one I disliked on release. I thought it was a mess. I know many liked it though. This has come around a bit, but was still the groups last place wine. Purple in color. The nose shows boysenberries and toast. Port like on the palate with some black raspberry jam. Slightly clipped and heat on the finish. So why the 88, there is a certain drink-ability and lushness to the wine that is not as overwhelmed by alcohol and heat as it has been in the past. By the end of the night, this was smoother. New world in presentation, but there is some power/enjoyment that makes it worth drinking.

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  • 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Purple in color, shimmering bright. The nose has a ton of oak, cocoa and black raspberries. On the palate, lots of tannins. Black raspberries and BIG tannins. Of all the wines, this seemed the most out of balanced. Will time help? I think so as I have enjoyed this wine in the past. It has some complexity. The group liked this much better than I (although no 1st place votes. By the end of the night, it did seem to come around a bit and my score went up a bit. Another wine that I think decanting would have helped.

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  • 2002 Clos Mimi Syrah White Hawk Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

    Inky purple in color. The nose is still showing a ton of oak (fresh cut lumber) which was distracting. Also some dust and black raspberries with a bit of charred meats. On the palate, this is much better and more integrated. Juicy and delicious with lots of tannins. Very young still and in need of time. I found it to be balanced and despite the alcohol, lacking in heat. The euro-centric group found it a bit cough syrupy though. This is definitely California here. I would hold these for a few more years.

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  • 1999 E. Guigal Hermitage 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    My second time drinking this in the last couple of months. Purple in color. The nose has spice, camphor, raspberries and violets. This was the most focused wine of the night with light tannins and plenty of raspberries and some black raspberries. A long finish. This wine is in a good place, but no hurry either.

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

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