WTN: 2003 Barrel 27 Syrah, Paso Robles
California's Central Coast has a reputation for great wine grapes. Everyone knows about Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, but Rhône grapes from Paso Robles inspire their own rabid fans. The hot weather recalls the warm Mediterranean climate of southern France, while the cool breezes that flow off the Pacific allow the grapes to hang on the vine longer and develop more flavor. I know a bunch of the wineries in Paso, but I hadn't heard of either McPrice Meyers or Herman Story, the wineries behind the small-production 2003 "Barrel 27" Syrah in our wine club shipment.
2003 "Barrel 27", Herman Story Winery, Syrah, Paso Robles - $17
Here's a wine to serve with a nice rack of lamb. It smells like ripe plums and smoke, with the occasional whiff of vinyl and vanilla. It's a curvaceous wine, full-bodied but smooth and appealing. The generous acidity lightens up the whole package. The flavors suggest plums and meat at first, but the taste of ripe cherries lingers the longest. Maybe it's not a complex wine—there aren't layers of aroma that develop and tease—but it tasted rich and I thought it was fairly well balanced. It seems like a good value at $17.
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