In search of the successful Syrah
If the top end of Syrah is getting better - and the arrival of new labels like Ledge makes me think it is - the lower ranks are struggling more than ever.
2010 Ledge Adams Ranch Vineyard Paso Robles Syrah ($55, 14.5%): As a Templeton native, Mark Adams has a great loyalty to the Paso area, and this new effort from own-rooted vines on his family's land - sand, versus the limestone prevalent in the area - about a mile from the famed James Berry vineyard shows how Paso can yield big, lusty red wines that sacrifice neither focus nor savory nuance.
Fermentation of whole grape clusters in neutral oak leaves this pungent, inky and intense: sweet meaty aspects and black licorice, violet liqueur, crushed plum.
2011 Martian Ranch Red Shift Santa Barbara County Syrah ($24, 13.5%): The Helgeland family and winemaker Mike Roth have devised another bottle from their biodynamically farmed Los Alamos property of the sort that California needs more of: charming, juicy, a weeknight pleasure.
2011 Ancient Peaks Margarita Vineyard Renegade Paso Robles Red ($23, 13.9%): A curious mix of Syrah, Petit Verdot and Malbec that pushes the edge on tannin - 28 percent Petit Verdot is a bold move - but also reveals the beauty of Margarita's high-elevation limestone soils.