2007 Ojai Syrah Roll Ranch Vineyard
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Tasting notes
A big, meaty Syrah, with a deep, rich aromatic profile of chocolate laced black fruits, dusty earth, roasted herbs, licorice, and rolled stone, the 2007 Ojai Syrah Roll Ranch Vineyard is full-bodied on the palate and possesses a rounded, voluptuous texture (2% co-fermented Viognier may account for this), serious concentration and a firm, tannic core. Slightly unformed now, yet with brilliant potential, this needs to be hidden in the cellar for 5-6 years, and should drink beautifully for 15+ years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Dark purple. Highly aromatic nose displays textbook syrah aromas of dark berries, violet, pipe tobacco, licorice and olive. Dense, lush, sweet and fine-grained, with a pliant, velvety texture and energetic red and dark berry flavors. Finishes seamless and lively, with echoing floral and berry notes.
The 2007 Syrah Roll Ranch comes across as decidedly powerful in style. This is the warmest microclimate Ojai works with, but it is the year that speaks loudest here. The vintage follows the drought year of 2006, and the berry size was quite small according to Adam Tolmach. The Roll Ranch is an intense, tannic wine that needs time to come around, but it is hugely fascinating. There is 2% Viognier co-fermented in the blend.
The 2007 Syrah Roll Ranch comes across as decidedly powerful in style. This is the warmest microclimate Ojai works with, but it is the year that speaks loudest here. The vintage follows the drought year of 2006, and the berry size was quite small according to Adam Tolmach. The Roll Ranch is an intense, tannic wine that needs time to come around, but it is hugely fascinating. There is 2% Viognier co-fermented in the blend. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022. I admit I have mixed feelings about the wines I tasted at Ojai with proprietor Adam Tolmach and winemaker Fabien Castel. On the positive side, the wines are classy, elegant and also very fairly priced considering the quality of what is in the bottle. At the same time, it is obvious yields aren’t particularly low, which is somewhat mystifying considering Tolmach works with first-rate sites and is clearly getting pristine fruit. Don’t get me wrong, these are excellent wines?but they could be truly great, and maybe beyond great. The cellars are kept cold year-round, while the approach to winemaking remains quite minimalist. All of the whites are fermented in barrel, with full malolactic fermentation and very low levels of new oak. The Pinots are aged on their lees and are racked only before bottling. The Pinots see 25-35% new oak, while the Syrahs see even less. In recent years Tolmach has begun experimenting with whole clusters for both his Pinots and Syrahs. Tel. (805) 649-1674; www.ojaivineyard.com