2003 Edmunds St. John Syrah Wylie-Fenaughty - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado County (8/15/2020)
Pristine cork and happily an equally pristine wine. It’s only been open for 30 minutes or so, and the the perfume is beguiling. Dark red fruit is still present at the core, and it’s wrapped in dusty worn leather, crushed herbs, roasting meat and just a hint of gamy/animal fur. Largely resolved, there’s still enough tannic structure to hold it together, and the acidity firms up on the finish, where the roasted meat and leather take center stage. Overall this is exactly where I hoped it would be, and while I want to open my remaining bottles ASAP to re-capture this moment, I don’t feel compelled to do so.
Classic ESJ Syrah.