2008 John Lewis Reserve Syrah
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Tasting notes
A selection of the top barrels, the 2008 Gramercy Cellars Syrah John Lewis Reserve is 100% from the Les Collines vineyard, made with a fare bit of whole cluster, and aged predominantly in larger, neutral 500L French oak barrels. Sharing some aromatic traits with the straight ’08 Syrah, only more focused and slightly more rich, the wine is beautifully complex with smoky cassis, wild herb, hung game, smoked meats, pepper, and olive characteristics all showing on the nose. This is followed by a medium to full bodied palate that shows brilliant finesse and elegance to go with loads of fleshy, ripe fruit, a superb texture, and a classically styled, focused and very long finish. This needs considerable airtime if drinking anytime soon, and showed best on the second and third day after opening. It should be ready for prime time drinking in around 3-5 years, and have 15+ years of longevity. In short, this stunning Syrah highlights the uniqueness and profile that only Walla Walla can deliver and should not be missed!
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Good medium ruby. Sweet aromas of blackberry, black raspberry and spun sugar. Juicy, tight and intense; quite closed now but aeration brings red berry flavors nicely lifted by a touch of new oak spice (the wine was aged in puncheons, one-third of which were new). This very young and tight wine needs at least a couple years of patience. Harrington compares this 2008 to the 2005 version, but believes this has more structure.
The 2008 Syrah John Lewis is 100% Les Collines fruit that received the same aging regimen as the two preceding Syrahs. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it sports an alluring nose of smoke, Asian spices, incense, lavender, game, bacon, and blueberry. A bit bigger in scale with more structure, density, and volume, it also has greater depth of flavor, more complexity, and an overall opulent personality. Give this rich, hedonistic Syrah another 3-5 years of to fully blossom and drink it through 2028. Gramercy Cellars was started by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington in 2005. In a short time he has established a high bar for himself. Tel. (509) 876-2427; www.gramercycellars.com