February 4, 2014 · 6:37 PM
![IMG_0184[1]](https://coolclimatewine.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/img_01841.jpg?w=225&h=300)
Carr Paredon Syrah
California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara
Wine Tasting Note:
The fruit originated from an estate vineyard south of Santa Barbara (city). One of the few ocean-facing vineyards in the area. Copious amount of fruit on the nose and palate for such a cool, foggy location. I will track future vintages… as the vines age this will become one of the better syrah producing sites on the Central Coast. – Fruit forward nose of thick plum, blackberry and eucalyptus. Fruit forward palate of plum, blackberry and milk chocolate. The mid-palate transitions to loads of sweet vanilla, with a medium-long finish of bitter chocolate. Medium-high acidity and high tannins. The tannins have the good grace to wait and present on the finish. Wonderful thick texture and mouth-feel. Missing some savory aspects of Northern Rhones, but all in all… a nice new world cool-climate syrah. Almost like a black-fruit zin… but more texture. This will improve with some time in the cellar. I enjoyed the wine today, but give it 3-4 more years for the fruit to subside and the tannins to soften and this should become a superior, balanced wine.
Filed under Cool Climate Wine, Santa Barbara County, Syrah/Shiraz, U.S. Wines by Region, Wine Tasting, Wine Tasting Notes
Tagged as aged wines, California, complex wine, cool climate wines, fine wine, Syrah, wine, wine blog, wine critic, Wine Tasting, wine tasting notes
December 19, 2013 · 4:20 PM
Andrew Murray Vineyards
Wine Tasting Note:
This is drinking beautifully right now. Just a great nose of blackberry, plum, chocolate and earth. The nose follows though to the palate, with the the fruit forward, the earth and some white pepper on the mid-palate and a medium length finish of rich dark chocolate. Medium acidity and medium-low tannins. The alcohol is nicely integrated. The texture is lighter and very, very soft, but not quite silky. This has just enough backbone to support the fruit forward approach, but is definitely not a wine to lay down. The drinking window would be now through maybe… another year, or two. The price-value ratio is good for a high quality, drink-now Syrah with some complexity. This is not for aging, or to accompany all but the richest foods. Which easily could have brought this down, but I am really enjoying its softness and fruit-forward character before I grab some supper.
Filed under Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, Syrah/Shiraz, Wine Tasting, Wine Tasting Notes
Tagged as aged wines, Andrew Murray Vineyards, California, complex wine, cool climate wines, fine wine, Santa Ynez Valley, Syrah, wine, wine blog, Wine Tasting, wine tasting notes
December 11, 2013 · 6:14 PM
Delectus Syrah Mount George Vineyard
California, Napa Valley
Wine Tasting Note:
Strong alcohol on the nose. Hard to pick-up the other aromas. The palate is much more balanced. Less complex than I would have hoped for an old-world style mid-priced syrah, but it was still very enjoyable. Fruit-forward blackberry, plum and black currant flavors moving to rich dark chocolate and a short bitter finish. Good effort on the texture… not silky, or velvetty, but still soft and refined. An amazing feat, considering the alcohol content at 15.8%. Medium tannins and medium-high acidity. The value here was good for a Napa Syrah with some old-world character. Though, this was missing the cool climate complexity I would expect from this style, in higher priced wines.
Filed under Napa Valley, Wine Tasting Notes
Tagged as aged wines, California, fine wine, Napa Valley, Syrah, wine, wine blog, wine critic, Wine Tasting, wine tasting notes
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Douglas Levin - Trained, Certified Advanced Sommelier and Wine Writer
Cool Climate Wine 