As I expected, the 2007 Crozes is pretty much gone. Not its fault–it should have been dranken 5 years ago. All burnt rubber and toasted spice and extreme vegetal and fruit gone pruny and vapid with tannins completely overpowering.
So… Syrah Number 2: Fairly impenetrable ruby, ridiculous massive floral in the nose–lilac and lily alongside a fat slab of American oak and deep rich hot black cherry. Creamy funk roils up the heat in the nose a bit–there’s no doubt this is a BRUISER–but there’s also a nice steely edge of mineral pushing through. So much perfume and fruit though.
In the mouth, black bitter sharpness pummels the fruit from the get-go, the whole thing quite monstrous but with ample acid. I’m gonna guess this 15-2. If you’re into big Ballard Canyon or Paso Robles Rhones, or some of the fatties from Napa like Krupp or Agartha, this is your gig. Meaty and blustery and not taking prisoners.
2013 ARIL WINES Syrah Atlas Peak Napa Valley 13.9
Stephen McConnell 