2003 Rio Seco Vineyard Syrah, Paso Robles.
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This Syrah is a deep, brooding garnet color with amethyst hues at the rim and very good clarity. The nose carries a slightly confected character with hints of volatile acidity. A medium intensity barny, horse blanket character becomes light in intensity with airing. Medium intensity aromas of blueberry jam are backed by light tobacco pouch aromas. Notes caramel and a hint of fried maple bacon are also present. In the mouth, medium intensity blueberry flavors are accented by floral, caramel and spice notes. The body is medium with a smooth, lightly dusty texture. Bright acidity accentuates the juiciness of the fruit. A medium length, dry finish delivers blueberry, as well as some pepper and notes of tobacco and some heat. |
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15.2% Alcohol $20.00 Retail (from winery); 246 cases produced |
This aged Syrah offers subtle secondary characteristics and quite persistent pepper juxtaposed with a vibrant blueberry character. Its leaner palate deviates from most people's expectations of a Central Coast but its secondary characteristics should do well with BBQ. BOTTOM LINE: Fairly good. No serious flaws. Worth trying. |
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Production | Grapes | Producer | Vineyard | Vintage
Made from 100% estate fruit harvested at 25.5 degrees Brix and fermented in neutral oak.
Syrah is an ancient variety proven by DNA analysis (in part at U.C. Davis) to be a native of the northern Rhône region of France. Prior to this evidence, its origin was disputed between the Rhône region and that around the Persian city of Shiraz – hence the two names for the grape. Syrah is very tannic, rich, chewy and textured and is typified by high alcohol and a spice-over-fruit character. The latter tends to be more accentuated in cooler climates where the grapes develop a higher skin-to-pulp ratio. Syrah typically shows pepper, licorice, clove, thyme and bay leaf as part of its spice component. The dark fruit typically expressed are blueberries, black currants and blackberries. Syrah may also show cedar or sandalwood notes. As with just about all wines, bottle age brings out terroir and cedar, tobacco, earth and leathery notes. (read more)
Rio Seco Vineyards was acquired in 1996 by San Luis Obispo locals Tom and Carol Hinkle. They tend to harvest their grapes at slightly lower sugar levels and utilize natural fermentation (letting the native yeasts on the grapes ferment the juice rather than adding cultured yeasts) and give their wines at least 9-12 months in bottle before release. The wines from their nine year old winery have been producing rustic, wines with consistently improving quality since the 2001 vintage.
31 acres of the 63 acre estate are planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Roussanne, Viognier and Zinfandel. The property is located east of Highway 101 and Paso Robles proper and just south of Highway 46, in the warmer portion of the huge Paso Robles AVA. This location receives some of the cooling marine effect that makes it through the Templeton Gap of the Santa Lucia Mountains. As a result, the vines experience a longer (by several weeks) growing season. Although there are 45 different soil types identified in Paso Robles, they all share the general traits of being moderately deep, slightly alkaline and calcareous with shale underlying sandy loam, limestone, clay, gravel and chalky elements. The moderately deep soils of the Rio Seco Vineyards are a mixture of sandy marine sediment and the calcareous Huerhuero soils (named after the nearby and east of Huerhuero Creek) on gently rolling hills.
The 2002 year saw a large total crop of 3.1 million tons of wine grapes, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. A long and dry growing season of mild temperatures gave the fruit extended time to develop complexity and depth. In addition, minimal heat peaks allowed the grapes to develop high acid levels. Paso Robles wines grapes were expected to produce excellent, concentrated and balanced wines.
Rating
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Color |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Nose |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Palate |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Finish |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Tannins |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Acidity |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
(5 points max) |
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Overall quality |
7 points |
(10 points max) |
Cumulative Score: 88 Points
Rating System & Scoring Criteria explained
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