2004 Alban Syrah Seymour's Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The most structured of the three Syrah, the 2004 Syrah Seymour’s Vineyard (100% Syrah from mostly flint and sandstone soils) is the most youthful in the lineup, with still obvious structure, incredible purity, and a finish that just won’t quit. Giving up notions of creme de cassis, smoked meats, crushed rock-like minerality, pepper and even hints of bacon fat, it’s more focused and precise than the Lorraine, yet has full-bodied richness, awesome purity and perfect balance between its structure and fruit. Benefitting from a decant, this fabulous wine will stand toe to toe with the best in the world, and will have another 15-20 years of longevity if well stored. The two Grenache based efforts both come from the original Grenache plantings on the estate which, according to John, were put in because he didn’t know what to do with the vines and was trying to build up cuttings. Moving to the Syrahs, each comes from specific soil types and is named after a family member, with the Reva named after John’s Mother, the Lorraine after his wife, and Seymour’s after his father. All of the Syrahs spend close to 42 months in oak. Tel. (805) 546-0305; www.albanvineyards.com
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
Opaque purple. Compelling aromas of blueberry, mulberry, graphite, cracked pepper, cola and incense are utterly room-filling. Sappy, palate-saturating dark berry flavors possess liqueur-like depth and texture but are shockingly lithe and precise. Whatever tannins are here (and you know they are) are completely absorbed by lush fruit. Tangy minerals arrive with air and carry through the strikingly fresh and palate-staining finish. One to buy, if you can find and afford it. This spent 40 months in barrel.
(scheduled to be bottled in December, 2007) Inky purple. Hugely aromatic nose boasts an exotic array of boysenberry, candied plum, cured meat, floral pastille and licorice; I was almost scared to taste this. Huge and utterly mouthfilling; stains the palate with concentrated but energetic dark berry liqueur flavors and baking spices, with large-scaled but amazingly harmonious tannins adding grip. Turns more red berry-flavored on the finish, leaving behind sweet raspberry and cherry preserves, along with cracked pepper and cinnamon. Pretty remarkable stuff. At this point in our tasting Alban said that he considers wine-making to be "a performance, with constant self-doubt and second-guessing. Show me a great winemaker and I'll show you somebody who changes his mind a hundred times during the harvest."