2014 Sanguis Syrah Pilgrim
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Tasting notes
"We bottle four wines per year that are Syrah centric," comments Matthias Pipping. "Being the German that I am, I’m very picky. Rarely do I taste something where I’m like, this is awesome. But there’s always that one barrel that shows something really special. So I bottle that as it is, no blending. Bossman is the biggest, most muscular, dark and brooding Syrah. The Pilgrim, which is now called the Modern, is another of these special barrels. The other two Syrahs we make are different selections of barrels blended to fit a certain character. With Bossman and Modern, it's purity. Clean, no oak, no masking and no funny stuff, just a very pure expression." A blend of Syrah with Grenache and Roussanne, the 2014 Syrah Pilgrim has a vibrant ruby-purple color and opens with woodsmoke, grilled meats, cracked pepper and fried sage with beef drippings, violets, cocoa, olive and warm blackcurrants and blackberries at the core. It's medium to full-bodied with very pretty, detailed fruits in the mouth, spices and savory notes blossoming with time. It has a fine, ripe, grainy frame and seamless freshness, finishing very long and energetic.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Pilgrim is going to need at least another year to come together, as the tannins are a bit imposing today. Even so, there is good depth and persistence in the glass, both of which make me optimistic for the future.
White pepper, cedar, currants and hints of black olive all emerge from the 2014 Pilgrim (75% Syrah, 20% Grenache and the rest Roussanne), and while it has a decidedly cool-climate style on the nose, it's rounded and supple on the palate, with present, yet ripe tannin. It needs a year or two of cellaring and will have 15 years of ultimate longevity. Based out of Santa Barbara, Sanguis’s Matthias Pippig continues to make a singular lineup of wines that run the gamut from rich, unctuous Syrahs, to old-school Pinot Noirs, to borderline orange wines. There’s some true gems in the lineup, with the 2014 1/1 Syrah being the best wine I’ve tasted from the estate.