WTN: 2003 Hug Cellars Syrah Bassetti Vineyard

• 2003 Hug Cellars Syrah Bassetti Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County (11/24/2006)
  
  We have been so off big, over-blown, gobs-of-fruit CA Syrahs lately that I approached this bottle with some trepidation. Balance between the red and black fruit and the acidity. A bit of rustic feel in the mouth, that just made the wine easier to drink and enjoy. Not monolithic at all, so the wine actually was `interesting' to drink. We took this to Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone, including non-wine people, enjoyed it before and during dinner. For me, it was refreshing to drink, not a descriptor that typically comes to mind when I think of the CA Syrahs I have drunk recently (Alban is an exception to this blanket statement). (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Jenise]

I brought only nine bottles home from Paso Robles, and this was one. Your notes bring much relief--some of the wines that were "more decent" there haven't tasted as good back here. In the tasting room I thought this had some major funk potential--you didn't notice any? Did you decant?

Any idea how this compares to the ESJ wines from Bassetti? (I guess the refreshing aspect is a common factor, obviously in part vineyard based)

No decanting on this...straight from the bottle..

No funk, either. A Hug from an earlier vintage (2000) had major funk going on it... I think I remember Augie telling me that there had been some problem with the 2000 vintage. Lorena, who is funk intolerant, also had no problem with this.

I have no experience with any ESJ Bassetti, so no help there.. in fact, I have only had 3 ESJ wines.. a gap in my wine tasting I soon will try to fill.

Jenise.. as an aside, do you buy/recommend Swan Zins? I"m going to order a few bottles from them, so any recos in general are very welcome....

[Jenise]

Jim, I love Swan zins and you will, too. Expect them to be medium bodied at best (pinot weight, and this is a good thing) and very very expressive of the vineyards they come from; also, they age well. We've got 94's that are showing beautifully.

Jenise.. any specific vineyard recos? and how about the Pinots.. I have been hearing things that make me think I would really like these...

[Jenise]

Jim, Rod doesn't make a vineyard you wouldn't like. My two favorites are the Stellwagen and Frahti. The Stellwagen is the more delicate of the two and has a lot of pinot-like Asian incense-y notes. The Frahti's bolder and quite spicey. But don't take my word for it, buy two of everything.

Jenise.. I'd need a sugar mama to be able to do that!!!!

...and everyone, including non-wine people...

James,

For some bizarre reason I kept reading that passage as "non-white people"! I thought it very strange that no one else saw fit to comment.

...and everyone, including non-wine people...

James,

For some bizarre reason I kept reading that passage as "non-white people"! I thought it very strange that no one else saw fit to comment.

Is this Michael Richards???