McPrice Myers Les Galets Syrah 2004
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The dense purple-colored, ripe, medium to full-bodied 2004 Syrah Les Galets Vineyard (produced from fruit purchased from Laetitia Vineyard) offers beautiful black currant, blackberry, floral, crushed rock, and subtle wood aromas. With lovely layers of fruit as well as a superb finish.
A lifelong, self-proclaimed "food and wine geek,” Mac was a quick study and almost immediately had the press lauding his wines from near and far. His passion for unique sites in Paso Robles and California's Central Coast, combined with his meticulous attention to detail in the cellar, result in stunning wines that more than live up to the hype.
Over the last two decades McPrice (Mac) Myers has been crafting wines of depth and balance that showcase the multiple terroirs and climates of the Central Coast – from Santa Barbara to Paso Robles. Mac produced his first vintage in 2002 with half a ton of grapes in a small cooperative in Paso Robles. From that humble beginning Mac has developed a growing portfolio of wines with broad appeal. In 2014 Mac moved the winery to the current site nestled amidst the rolling hills of the Adelaida District. Over the years, McPrice Myers wines continue to garner increasing attention from wine lovers and critics alike.
On a cold December day, a wine enthusiast walked into the rustic McPrice Myers tasting room to try Mac’s wines for the first time. Immediately wowed by the depth and sophistication of the wines, Venus Lai signed up for the wine club. Little did anyone know that this would be the beginning of a journey that two years later would lead to a partnership to purchase the property - 84 acres of Adelaida District land that they named Belle Terre (a play on Beautiful Earth – one of Mac’s flagship wines), which was home to the winery, 20 acres of vineyards, and a house sitting atop the hill.
The property had good bones - rich terroir, excellent climate, and a top-notch production site, but there was so much more potential to be realized. Mac and Venus shared a vision to transform the property into an experience that would live up to the quality and breadth of the wines. In 2018 the Hilltop House was transformed into a luxurious modern vacation home. They plan to showcase both the wines and the property by increasing the vineyard acreage, creating a new hospitality & tasting facility (opening 2023), and elevating the experience for wine club members. Beginning in 2020 McPrice Myers will release wines from The Estate Vineyard, opening a new chapter in its growing list of diverse offerings. Above all else they will remain true to their roots in delivering the wines and experiences their loyal customers have come to expect!
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.”
One of the coolest growing areas in California, the Arroyo Grande Valley runs from the southwest to the northeast, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean and is part of the Central Coast AVA. Situated so that cold Pacific Ocean air and fog is allowed to filter into the valley, Arroyo Grande also has an incredibly long growing season. Bud break occurs in February in most years with flowering in May and harvest in late September; the area is classified as cool Mediterranean.
These weather factors combined with the soil types—continental and marine rocks, greywacke, limestone, shale and volcanic—create wines with great concentration and fresh acidity. The cooler end of the valley is perfect for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and is a good producer of sparkling wines. The warmer, more inland part of the valley is home to some of California’s oldest Zinfandel vines.