2005 SYRAH “PURISIMA MOUNTAIN VINEYARD” - Notes Coming Soon

2004 SYRAH “PURISIMA MOUNTAIN VINEYARD”

This wine is 100% Syrah for the Purisima Mountain Vineyard, in the hills just west of Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez Valley – this vineyard shares a fenceline with the Stolpman Vineyard.  Planted in 1997 by the Beckmen family, farmed by Steve Beckmen (a local pioneer of biodynamics), this vineyard has quickly elevated itself to the top rungs of the quality ladder in the Central Coast.

These grapes managed to escape pretty much unscathed by the September heat wave.  Harvest was on September 20 at a very reasonable 24.0° brix, with good acid balance and plenty of ripe flavors.  Other than Bien Nacido, this is my personal favorite of our ’04 syrahs, and probably because it’s more in the style I like to make.  Full of spice and earth with perfumed berry notes.  Balanced and refreshing on the palate.

Alas, I kept only 4 barrels separate of this beautiful, and for the vintage, elegant syrah.  This is definitely one for the cellar.  96 cases were bottled without fining or filtration in January 2006.