2020 Alban Syrah Lorraine Estate
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Tasting notes
Black raspberries, cassis, spring flowers, pepper, and spicy oak are just some of the nuances in the 2020 Syrah Lorraine, a more feminine style yet powerful Syrah that's full-bodied, has ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It's an interesting mix of the inherent elegance of this cuvée and the power and richness of the 2020 vintage at this estate. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047. Founded by John Alban in the mid-1980s, Alban Vineyards was the first estate in California dedicated exclusively to Rhône varieties and remains one of the world’s great wine estates. Based at the far end of the Edna Valley, it stands alone in the region, producing wines of a quality unmatched for miles in any direction. While vintages here sometimes echo the broader Central Coast, they just as often chart their own course, resulting in singular wines with a character all their own. A defining feature of the cellar is a long four-year élevage, which lends the wines their depth, exotic richness, and extraordinary ability to age. The portfolio centers on Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, and Roussanne, and Alban continues to be the reference point for Rhône varieties in California. Looking at the vintages reviewed here, you have two absolutely brilliant yet dramatically different sets of wines. The 2020s come from a scorching hot year and are classic Alban, showing massive richness and opulence. While Paso Robles and the North Coast were affected by smoke in 2020, the Edna Valley escaped unscathed, and these wines can be purchased with confidence. In contrast, the 2021s are more inward, concentrated, and built around good acidity and ripe tannins. Coming from a cooler, longer growing season with welcome rainfall (by California standards), they shine for their purity, balance, and vibrancy while still bringing incredible concentration. These are built for the cellar and will handsomely reward patience. They are unquestionably world-class wines not to be missed.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Tasted as a final blend to be bottled in June, the 2020 Syrah Lorraine is a concentrated and opulent example of this bottling that still manages nuance. Always a more deft, understated bottling within the Alban roster, the oak treatment and overall ripeness that tend to define these wines are clearly present, although a red-fruited core of supple succulence is discernible. The palate skews toward the more angular and focused side of the ledger, transitioning to a pleasing, grippy finish that doesn't show all its cards at once.