Lillian Syrah 2004
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Formerly an apprentice winemaker for Elaine and Manfred Krankl’s Sine Qua Non winery, Maggie Harrison has fashioned a superb 2004 Syrah. It boasts a dark ruby/purple color as well as beautiful aromas of black fruits, licorice, spice, pepper, and flowers. The expansive texture sails smoothly over the palate with elegance yet authority. This medium to full-bodied Syrah offers copious flavors of blueberries, blackberries, and black currants.
Other Vintages
2018-
Jeb
Dunnuck
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James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker
What Maggie tries to capture with her wine is a certain sense of balance; a particular sensation of restraint. For a complete lack of a better word... a prettiness. She is making wines that are at once voluptuous, powerful and rich without ever being overbearing. Wines with a strong structure, but with a fine-ness and a lushness and a purity that for us is the embodiment of true femininity
The fruit for her Syrah is sourced from White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara County, Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley and Stolpman Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley. The wines are fermented with native yeasts in small, open top fermenters, siphoned, warm into barrel without the use of pumps and are in barrel for 24 - 36 months before being bottled without fining or filtration.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!