2005 Syrah, Estate Bottled Santa Ynez Valley
Growing Season and Harvest
After a very wet winter, the 2005 season was very mild and dry. Our typical “June Gloom” persisted into July but it finally succumbed to the steady warmth of August and September. This gradual ripening allowed for greater flavor development at lower sugar levels than usual for a beautifully balanced wine.
Winemaking
After hand harvesting, the grapes were destemmed and placed into small open-top bins to ferment, some with native yeast. During fermentation, the rising grape skins were punched down three times a day resulting in wine of intense color, rich flavors and fine tannins. This wine was aged for sixteen months in French oak barrels; 25% of them were new.
The Wine
Our Syrah displays rich blackberry, cassis, espresso, mocha and our signature sage spice aromas and flavors. The silky finish lingers from the ripe tannins and smoky oak. This full-bodied wine should be enjoyed over the next ten years. A traditional pairing for this wine is a rack of lamb marinated in rosemary and garlic. However, a peppercorn steak or mushroom risotto would work incredibly well.
Others' Opinions 2005 Vintage "This is Zaca Mesa's basic Syrah, and it's quite a good wine. Dry and rich in tannins, it's showing complex flavors of black currants, black pepper, violets and cedar, with a meaty, leathery edge. Now through 2010." 90 Points, Wine Enthusiast, May 2009 "Top Values" Wine Spectator, March 31, 2009 "Tight and beefy, with focused blueberry and wild berry flavors that are spicy and complex. Full-bodied, with a hint of stewed plum and wild berry peaking through on the finish. Drink now through 2015. J.L." 92 points, Smart Buy, Wine Spectator, Jan 31-Feb 28, 2009 2004 Vintage "The winery has held this wine back for more than four years before releasing it, with excellent results. However tannic it might have been, it's now a softly lush, complex wine, even a dramatic one. Filled with blackberry, dark chocolate, tangerine zest, violet, anise, leather and tobacco flavors, it's a big wine, but a completely satisfying one." 92 points, Editor's Choice, Wine Enthusiast, April 2009 "This wine has more Old World earthiness, and maintains its vibrancy, grip and balance. Includes 2 percent Viognier." 2.5 Stars, San Francisco Chronicle, December 19, 2008. Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards, May 2008.
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