Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
My favorite of his wines was the 2013 Syrah The Villain. An equal part blend of Susan's Hill and Garys Vineyard from the Santa Lucia Highlands, aged 14 months in 20% new French oak with 70% whole cluster and no fining or filtering, this is a beauty. Blackberry, roasted meats, a whiff of forest floor and white flowers are all present in this well-made, medium to full-bodied, lush, heady wine. It is best drunk over the next 5-6 years.
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.”
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.