Big Basin Coastview Vineyard Syrah 2012
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the stars of the lineup is the 2012 Syrah Coastview Vineyard from Monterey County. Cofermented with 7% Viognier and fermented with 20% whole clusters, it offers gorgeous notes of caramelized dark fruits, plums, olive, licorice and white pepper. Showing the meaty, gamy side to the variety, with full-bodied richness and excellent mid-palate concentration, it still has sensational purity and freshness. It’s already hard to resist but will drink nicely for 6-7 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
Plump black currant, lavender extract, bright purple flowers and touches of raw beef and tar show on the nose of this bottling, made with 20% whole-cluster and 7% Viognier. Black pepper and asphalt show first on the palate, where tannins softly coat the mouth and then stand up to boost elderberry flavors. Thorough, zesty acidity ensures long cellar potential. Drink 2017–2032. Cellar Selection.
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Robert
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Located in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Big Basin Vineyards is terraced into a steep hillside first planted to grape vines by French immigrants over 100 years ago. Their winery and the vineyards they work with are located at sites in the Santa Cruz and Gabilan Mountains that are as beautiful as they are exceptional for grape growing. They farm organically and practice minimal-intervention winemaking with the goal of producing wines that transparently and authentically express site and variety.
Big Basin believes that their choice of vineyards, picking at the right time to retain intensity and elegance, and minimalistic winemaking practices are the keys to producing more aromatic and ethereal wines - new world wines with old world soul. Owner and winemaker Bradley Brown has been on a 20 year quest to produce beautiful and soulful wines. Winemaker Blake Yarger joined the team in 2017 and together they are always fine tuning practices to more transparently express the vineyards.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.