Winemaker Notes
Our flagship Syrah, The Hedge, remains one of the most popular and sought after wines in our lineup. It was the first wine produced by TH Vineyards, and the name pays homage to the famed hedges of UGA, where Terry got his football start playing for Coach Vince Dooley. The 2002 and 2003 vintages were made by Justin Smith, of Saxum, who mentored the Hoages in the beginning. The fruit he used came from a part of our vineyard that was planted under the guidance of John Alban. This small block of Estrella clone Syrah was the only fruit growing on the property when the Hoages acquired it in 2002. The Hedge is the truest expression of Syrah from our west-side property. It is a blend of all of our estate clones, including Estrella, 174 and 383, to name a few. This wine exhibits classic dark fruit and beefy, bacon fat notes characteristic of Syrah grown in a warmer climate. It is rich, round and apt to please both wine novices and connoisseurs alike.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium garnet, the 2015 Syrah The Hedge has a deep core of red and black currants and savory accents of charcuterie, mushroom powder, fried savory herbs and graphite. The full-bodied palate offers powerful, grainy tannins, plenty of refreshing acidity and a long, layered finish.
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.”
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.