2003 Syrah, Estate Bottled Santa Ynez
Valley
Growing Season and Harvest
A cool spring brought uneven berry size in most varieties, but the weather remained moderate all the way through the growing season and harvest, which gave a very evenly paced crush. With low yields and no adverse weather, 2003 gave us exceptional quality and one of the easiest harvests to date.
Winemaking
Our grapes were hand harvested and quickly delivered to the winery where they were gently destemmed and placed into open-top fermenters. 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 finished wine was minimally filtered before bottling.
The Wine
Our Syrah displays rich blackberry, cassis and our signature sage spice aromas and flavors. The 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 leg of lamb marinated in rosemary and garlic. However, a peppercorn steak or mushroom risotto would work incredibly well.
Others' Opinions 2003 Vintage "Rich, silky, well-concentrated, black plum, spice and sweet oak vanillin flavors." 5-stars Best of the Best California Syrahs, Quarterly Review of Wine, Summer 2008. "Harmonious, complex and slick aromas. Rich, dark fruits, broad tannins and backbone from oak. A well-crafted wine. Up to 5 years." Recommended, 3-stars, Decanter, November 2007. Silver Medal, Japan Wine Challenge "Good, rich Syrah, dry and tannic, although the tannins are finely ground and easily negotiable now. Satisfies for deep blackberry, cherry, cocoa and oak flavors, with extra points for its upscale, fancy quality. But it's a little thin for aging. Drink now." 87 Points Wine Enthusiast, September 2007 "Full bodied, rich, and chewy with multitextured, ripe blueberry, blackberry and black cherry; lingering finish with a hint of black pepper. Steak au poivre." Sante June 2007 "This is the vintage where it all came together for Zaca Mesa Syrah. Blackberries, cassis, and smoke provide the canvas for a wine that is eminently ageable. Serve with grilled meat, steak or lamb." Quarterly Review of Wine, Summer 2007. "In California's Santa Ynez Valley, north of Santa Barbara, Zaca Mesa Winery is growing it at high elevation, 1,500 feet, within reach of Pacific fogs for slow, even ripening, aging it in 100 percent French oak barrels. And turning out a powerful, spicy red wine. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 2003 Zaca Mesa Syrah, Estate Grown, Santa Ynez Valley: deep purple color; aromas and flavors of plums, cinnamon and mocha; smooth, long finish; $22." Miami Herald, Syrah: Chameleon of grapes, June 7, 2007 Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards, May 2007 "Intense, bright black fruit, mostly cassis, but not over the top; some spice and a hint of leather" 4-Stars (Fine), Michael Lonsford, Houston Chronicle, April 15, 2007 Gold Medal - Cincinnati Wine Festival March 2007 "Another excellent bargain is the 2003 Syrah Estate. Made in a mainstream, somewhat commercial style, it offers a deep ruby/purple color, lovely purity of fruit, good texture, medium body, and no hard edges. This luscious Syrah will offer plenty of enjoyment over the next 3-6 years." 88 points. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 31, 2006. "Appealing in a rustic sort of way. Aromas of white pepper, roasted herbs, plum and licorice lead to intense flavors and chewy, cedary tannins. Drink now through 2008." 85 points, Wine Spectator, March 31, 2006. 2002 Vintage Included in "California's Best in 2006" The Wine News, December/January 2006/07 "What a good job Zaca Mesa has done over the years with Syrah. Their block and barrel selections are typically the best, but this is their best Estate bottling yet, a rich, dense, complex wine brimming with blackberry, cherry, coffee, dry chocolate and wild herb flavors and a distinguished mouthfeel." 91 Points, Editor's Choice. Wine Enthusiast, October 2006. Silver Medal -- Decanter World Wine Awards, May 2006
Silver Medal -- Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, May 2006
"Highly Recommended" California Grapevine, May 2006 "[Zaca] Mesa is on a roll, especially with wines made from Rhone - grape varieties viognier, roussanne, grenache, mourvedre, and especially syrah. The good Zaca Mesa wines display plenty of ripe, sun-drenched California fruit flavor, but they never seem excessive. Instead, with spicy, often earthy undertones, they taste elegant and refined.
This recently released syrah tastes of ripe plums and dark berries, with a peppery accent and hints of leather and spice. Those secondary characteristics give it complexity, making the wine interesting to contemplate as well as delicious to sip. Most impressive is its sumptuous texture, the result of fine-grain tannins that contribute structure but never feel pasty or astringent."
Wine of the Week, The Washington Times, March 29, 2006, Paul Lukacs "Our Editor's Pick: a Syrah with grip and plenty of concentrated pleasure. Meaty -- not the little fruit bomb here -- satin textured, much like a Gigondas. 'We don't set out to make big wines,' says Winemaker Clay Brock, 'but we do aim for elegance.'" Patterson's Beverage Journal, February 2006
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