Santa Maria Valley
It is hard to describe this wine because it breaks all the rules;
in fact, it teaches the lesson that there really are no rules. Decades
ago I believed that a wine type should have a particular acidity level
and pH and if they were not correct, one adjusted them. I realized
this logic was wrong back in 1989 when Jim Clendenen and I made a
chardonnay from Rancho Vinedo. By the numbers, it seemed slightly
deficient in acidity, so I added a little grape (tartaric) acid during
its barrel fermentation.
As it turned out, Bob Lindquist also got a batch of the same grapes
but made the wine without added acid. After harvest, when we tried
the two wines together, it became obvious to me that Bob's wine was
delicious while the added acid in our wine stuck out like a sore thumb.
Despite a decade of winemaking experience, until then, I hadn't figured
out that I shouldn't rely on numbers.
Although unmanipulated in any way, this Bien Nacido syrah is wrong
as far as numbers go--it is too high in acidity and too high in alcohol,
but the aroma and flavors are truly fantastic. From its near black
color, you can tell you're in for a mouthful, but it's surprising
how balanced this large-scale wine is. The aroma grabs you with an
appealing toasty quality which is quickly overwhelmed by luxurious
dark-plum fruitiness, and then finishes with a strong peppery, floral
brightness. The flavor is so concentrated and rich, yet it feels light
on the palate because of the wine's juicy acidity. This special and
delicious wine is ready to enjoy now, and it will continue to evolve
for at least a decade more.
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