Dinner With DaveJones (3/23/12)
Got together w/ friend DaveJones and we tried to old Calif Syrahs:
1. Qupe Syrah BienNacido HillsideEstate SantaMariaVlly (EB; 13.5%) 1999: Med.dark w/ slight bricking; quite
smokey/pungent/roasted rather Rhonish slight blackberry/Syrah beautiful complex classiv old Qupe nose; slight dried
out/tannic quite smooth/velvety/gentle strong roasted/smokey/pungent bit tart/tangy lovely complex/Rhonish flavor;
med.long tangy/tart/slight grapefruity strong roasted/Rhonish/smokey/pungent slight dried out/tannic little Syrah
fruit quite complex/Rhonish finish; a lovely classic old Qupe Syrah that's starting to dry out a bit but is still
a lovely complex drink.
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2. OjaiVnyd Syrah Calif RollRanchVnyd (13%) 1996: Dark color w/ slight bricking; rather smokey/toasted/charred/oak
bit licorice/cinammon/spicy/chocolaty rather classic Ojai spicy fairly complex nose; tart rather big/chocolaty/ripe
strong charred/smokey/toasty/oak slight earthy bit plummy/blackberry some tannic/dried out flavor; med.long some
tannic/dried out/astringent big/spicy/chocolaty/licorice strong toasty/charred/oak slight plummy/blackberry/Syrah
finish; starting to get a bit shakey but still a pleasure to drink.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Both of these wines had lost much of their fruit and showing signs of cracking up on the shoals of old age; but
they both had very interesting/mature Syrah noses and very much a pleasure to drink. I somewhat preferred the
Qupe becauuse of its greater complexity and stronger Rhonish character. Bob's Syrahs are no-brainers when it comes
to aging; despite what certain Monktown attourneys have to say about them. They are not often very dramatic in
their youth, like some Calif Syrahs, but their impecable balance is what carriies them out so well.
Tom