2001 Orion Syrah
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
(14.7% alcohol): Saturated deep ruby. Wonderfully primary flavors of blueberry, blackberry, huckleberry, black olive, licorice and mint hint at a liqueur-like ripeness, but a subtle suggestion of chlorophyll gives the nose pungent lift. A wine of outstanding intensity and sap, conveying a lush texture and lovely savory complexity to its Syrah-dominated flavors of black fruits, minerals and smoke. Boasts an exhilarating balance of sweetness and acidity, with the extremely long finish energized by floral and pepper notes and framed by perfectly buffered tannins. This splendidly complex and concentrated wine still needs time to achieve its full potential.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Deep, bright ruby. Aromas of blackberry, chocolate, eucalyptus, garrigue, pine resin and mint, complicated by balsamic and animal fur notes as well as porty high tones and a whiff of walnut. Sweet, thick and exotic, with flavors of blueberry, blackberry, orange liqueur and spices, along with a lightly oxidative note of black walnut. Showed hints of dried fruits with aeration. Finishes thick, firm and long, with a slight dryness I do not pick up in the 2002. With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this showed bright notes of cassis and orange peel, even greater concentration, and a sweeter finish.
The 2001 Orion (100% Syrah from the Rossi Ranch) is a massive, primordial offering boasting a saturated black/blue color as well as a big perfume of graphite, animal fur, blackberry liqueur, cassis, and hints of tar, earth, and truffles. This huge, full-bodied, textured, young Syrah needs 3-4 years of cellaring. This is wine gone wild ... and is all the better for it. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. Tel. (415) 868-1781