1997 Edmunds St. John Syrah Higher Ground - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado County (1/27/2015)
The 1997 Higher Ground Syrah is a recent pick up from ESJ. It's a very fresh, bright rendition of Syrah. It shows the earthy, meaty character that I expect, but also has strong aromas of violets. The floral element didn't carry through to the palate, but it sustained on the nose as the wine opened up. Overall the wine is barely medium bodied, and the acids make it feel even lighter. I would expect this to work well with rich meat dishes that need the acids to cut through the fat.
Whenever I drink Steve's Syrahs I am always grassing for old world comparisons, and in this case the wine sent me directly to Graillot Crozes Hermitage. For whatever that's worth.