by Tom Hill

A self-admitted wine geek, Tom lives in Northern New Mexico and works as a computational physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory doing numerical neutron transport & large scale code development. He has been tasting wines since 1971, participates locally with a couple of large tasting groups in his area, and is practically a fixture at most California wine festivals, such as the Hospice du Rhône, Rhône Rangers, and ZAP. Other interests: Tom is heavily into competitive sport fencing (foil & epee), biking, cooking, basketball, skiing, backpacking, mountain climbing.

 
1. Wine@Work (later, Ampelos) Santa Ynez Valley Grenache (BeckmanWnry) 2001: Med.light color; attractive strawberry/ Grenache quite spicy/cinammon&cloves light oak nose; tart bit astringent some buttery/oak quite spicy/cinammon pleasant Grenache/strawberry flavor; med.short buttery/oak bright/spicy/strawberry finish w/ some astringency; bright/spicy/attractive Grenache w/ nice touch of oak.
2. Yalumba Tricentenary Vines Barossa Valley Grenache (13.5%) 2000: Med.color; strong vanilla/Am.oak some deeper blackberry/strawberry/Grenache some eucalyptus bit dusty/complex nose; tart somewhat astringent bit dusty strong vanilla/buttery/eucalyptus/Am.oak light strawberry flavor; med. astringent strawberry/Grenache rather eucalyptus/vanilla/oak finish; pleasant bit astringent Grenache but little intensity nor old-vine character; overpriced at $30.00.
3. Hug Cellars Edna Valley Grenache Alban Vnyd (14.1%) 1999: Black color; intense pungent/ toasty/oaked rather reduced/ stinky very intense blackberry/Grenache nose that clears some to strong toasty/pungent/ charred/Fr.oak intense boysenberry/Grenache nose; very tart/screechy/citric intense boysenberry/ Grenache some toasty/charred/oak bit earthy very extracted flavor; very long intense Grenache/ blackberry/boysenberry toasty/charred/oak very tart/acid finish w/ ample tannins; needs much age; bit stinky but huge/extracted Grenache that may be a great one.
4. Alban Vnyds Alban Estate Grenache Edna Valley (15.0%) 2000: Black color; very intense boysenberry/ Grenache/blackberry loads of intense fruit some smokey/gunpowder/used fireworks/pungent bit charred oak/toasty complex nose; tart very intense/extracted blackberry/Grenache minerally/valve oil some toasted/pungent/Fr.oak rich/mouthfilling flavor; very long/lingering tannic huge/Grenache/ blackberry/boysenberry slight toasty/charred/pungent/oak finish w/ ample tannins; huge/extracted incredible world-class Grenache; fairly priced at $42.00.
5. Jerome Bressy Gourt de Mautens Rasteau Cotes du Rhone Villages (14%) 2000: Black color; very intense boysenberry/Grenache/licorice some pencilly/toasty/Fr.oak/pungent loads of fruit nose; hard/chalky/tannic astringent some intense/Grenache/blackberry flavor; long hard/astringent/tannic light blackberry/Grenache slight pencilly finish; terrific nose but pretty hard & astringent on the palate.
6. Qupe Los Olivos Cuvee (55% Syrah, 27% Mourvedre, 18% Grenache) Santa Ynez Valley (68% Ibarra-Young Vnyd; 32% StolpmanVnyd; 13.5%) 2000: Med.color; rather Grenache/ strawberry/blackberry bright fruit perfumed/f ragrant slight volatile/aromatic spicy/minty nose; tart spicy/bright strawberry/Grenache light buttery/oak flavor; med.long bright/spicy strawberry/Grenache finish w/ light tannins; shows a lot of Grenache character plus the strawberry characteristic of Estrella clone Syrah; very nice drinking red wine at a great price $20.00
7. Qupe Central Coast Syrah (13.5%) 2001: Med.dark color; somewhat corked/musty some mushroomy/earthy light spicy/perfumed nose; tart some musty/corked/cardboardy flavor; bit too corked to get much out of it.
8. Los Olivos Wine & Spirits Emporium White Hawk Vnyd Syrah LosAlamos (13.5%); P by BobLindquist 2000: Med.dark color; very attractive blackberry/Syrah some spicy buttery/oak fragrant nose; tart bit astringent some Syrah/ blackberry light buttery/oak flavor; med.long light blackberry/Syrah rather spicy/cloves light buttery/oak finish w/ some tannins; much like the Qupe WhiteHawk Syran but a bit rougher and more tannic.
9. Qupe Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Hillside Estate (13.5%) 2000: Med.dark color; med.strong blackberry/ Syrah/licorice some meaty/gamey slight smokey/pungent nose; tart bit tannic/astringent rather strong blackberry/Syrah some licorice/meaty/gamey light toasty/pungent/Fr.oak flavor; long light licorice/ pungent some blackberry/Syrah light toasty/oak light meaty/gamey finish w/ some tannins; seems lighter than previous vintages but will probably put on weight.
10. Dutton-Goldfield Syrah Dutton Ranch/CherryRidgeVnyd Russian River Valley (13.5%; 6 brls) 2000: Med.dark color; rather meaty/gamey Syrah/blackberry black cherry some pencilly/toasty/pungent/ Fr.oak complex nose; very spicy black cherry/blackberry/Syrah some meaty/gamey light pencilly/pungent lovely flavor; very long/lingering pencilly/toasty/Fr.oak strong blackberry/black cherry light gamey finish w/ some tannins; needs some 2-5 yrs; lovely/beautiful Syrah w/ almost a Pinot-like brightness; much like a Dehlinger in style but bigger & more extract.
11. Margerum Syrah Great Oaks Ranch Vnyd (#664 of 1150; www.MargerumWineCompany.com) RTW 2001: Very dark/black color; intense boysenberry/blackberry/black cherry/Syrah some licorice bit gamey tons of fruit nose; big/rich slight herbal intense licorice/blackberry/black cherry/Syrah light pungent/smokey/roasted bit ripe/alcoholic flavor; very long/lingering big/ripe boysenberry/ black cherry/Syrah light gamey/meaty smokey/pungent finish w/ fair tannins; dynamite wine w/ tons of fruit but lots of interesting things therein and great structure; killer Syrah at a great price. $30.00
12. Margerum Syrah Purisma Mtn Santa Barbara Cnty (#123 of 1150) RTW 2001: Black color; very intense black cherry/blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry some licorice/pungent some meaty/gamey slight roasted/ toasty complex nose; big/rich/intense/extracted loads of boysenberry/blackberry/Syrah/licorice nice meaty/gamey slight toasted/roasted/mocha mouthfilling flavor; very long/lingering intense licorice/black cherry/blackberry/Syrah light meaty/roasted/coffee flavor w/ fair tannins; huge complex fruit but the structure to age; slightly more intense & complex than the GO's version; killer Syrah at a great price. $30.00
13. Hug Cellars SLO Cnty Syrah Bassetti Vnyd (14.0%) 2000: Black color; some reduced/stinky bit mercaptan intense blackberry/Syrah/valve oil some roasted/roasted grain/mocha strong toasty/pungent/Fr.oak rather Graillot-like complex nose; tart some reduced bit metallic/valve oil intense licorice/ blackberry slight bretty smokey/pungent/toasty/oak coffee complex flavor; very long tannic some reduced very intense licorice/blackberry/Syrah complex toasty/roasted/pungent flavor; needs much age but will probably become a great Syrah down the road; much like some of the Graillot Syrahs; worth laying away to see what happens.
14. Alban Vnyds Reva Alban Estate Syrah Edna Valley (14.2%) 2000: Black color; very intense blackberry/ boysenberry/Syrah some gamey/roasted very perfumed/aromatic very spicy/fragrant bit toasty/smokey/ charred/Fr.oak complex nose; tart rather tannic intense blackberry/spicy/licorice/Syrah/boysenberry some toasty/charred/Fr.oak smokey/pungent/bit roasted/coffee mouthfilling flavor; very long intense spicy/licorice/boysenberry/Syrah/blackberry toasty/pungent/smokey finish w/ ample tannins; needs some 2-8 yrs; dynamite Syrah at a reasonable price. $42.00
15. d'Arenberg The Laughing Mag Pie Shiraz/Viognier (5% Viognier; 14.5%) 2001: Black color; very intense blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah some aromatic/perfumed/insecticide-like strong vanilla/oaked bit menthol nose; some tannic/hard intense blackberry/boysenberry/jammy rather vanilla/oak some menthol/ eucalyptus very perfumed flavor; med.long intense jammy/blackberry/Syrah rather exotic/perfumed/ insecticide/aromatic finish w/ some tannins; a very exotic bright/perfumed character (from the Viognier??); good Oz Shiraz for the price.
16. Domaine Brusset Gigondas Les Grand Montmirial (13.5%) 1999: Dark color; bit musty/ earthy/mushroomy some Grenache/roasted/CdP bit Mourvedre/gamey slight bretty/SouthernRhone nose; tart earthy/ mushroomy slight bretty/funky bit Grenache/strawberry flavor; med.long earthy/roasted SouthernRhone some bretty finish w/ modest tannins; interesting/tasty Rhone at a fair price. $25.00 Howard&Rhoda's mystery wine.
17. Dehlinger Estate Syrah (14.2%) 1999: dark color; strong blackberry/Syrah/black cherry slight roasted/ pungent light toasty/pencilly/oak very fragrant/perfumed some complex nose; tart very spicy rich/ blackberry/Syrah some toasty/pungent/oak bit tannic flavor; med.long toasty/pungent/oak rather blackberry/Syrah/black cherry finish w/ some tannins; lovely RRV Syrah but not showing much development yet.

1. 1. Wine@Work: This is a new vnyd operation started by Peter&Becky Work in Buelton, on the hgwy West right off Post Rd, just to the East of Melville&Foley, on the South side of the road. They have about 20 acres planted in Pinot & Chard and a little Syrah that is destined to go to Brian Babcock and Royal Oaks. Their son, Don, was formerly asst. winemaker w/ Brian. Eventually, they will make their own wine from their grapes. To stick their toe into the winemaking waters, they bought three barrels of Grenache and Syrah from BeckmenWnry and this is the first of their results. Not available for sale, alas. A Syrah/Grenache blend will be btld later.
   2. AugieHug: Great guy, good winemaker, but marginal bowler. I've followed AugieHug from the very start. A good friend of John Alban, he's made his wines there for a number of yrs, some from Alban grapes, some from purchased grapes. These two wines got a mixed reception from my group. They are both some reduced and stinky at the start, some felt they may have a bacterial problem. The reduced/stinky character doesn't bother me; that will disappear w/ age. With their high acidity and huge extraction, I think these wines are going to be outstanding down the road w/ some age. It'll be interesting to follow them. But they do (now) need some time in the decanter to breathe.
   3. TheGourt: I've followed TheGourt from the very start. It's a pretty unusual wine for CdR and Rasteau, incredibly intense. Or Grenache on steriods. This '00 strikes me as the least Gourt that I've had because of it's hard/astringent/chalky character on the palate on not the intensity of fruit on the palate I've come to expect from TheGourt. It may just be a phase and will turn into an incredible wine down the road... who knows??
   4. Qupe LosOlivosCuvee: I've followed the LOC from the very start. This is BobLindquist's Rhone blend, originally just Syrah/Mourvedre, but now w/ Grenache included therein. Chateauneuf it is not (that's a plus), but good drinking red wine it definitely is. It consistently represents one of the best red wine bargins around. Never particularly big or intense, balance is its hallmark. Because of that (probably), it also ages amazingly well. I've had 10 yr old versions that were still great drinking/pleasurable wines, not just intellectual experiences.
   5. Qupe CentralCoast Syrah: The '01 CC Syrah is normally released at SantaFe Wine&Chile Fiesta in September, right after bottling. Because there still remains the '00 in stock, the '01 has not yet been released in 750's, only in 375's. I had tasted it several weeks ago from hlfs and thought it was Bob's best CC Syrah since the early-mid '90's, when it was primarily SantaBarbara Syrah. I'll revisit the 750's when they're eventually released.
   6. WhiteHawkVnyd: This is a relatively new Syrah vnyd up on CatCanyonRd just east of Hwy101, next to the highly acclaimed SutterHome (jeez..... can't imagine what SutterHome's doing w/ grapes from a quality growing area) vnyd and a second Melville vnyd as well. Bob made his first single-vnyd Syrah from WhiteHawk w/ the 2000 vintage. I expect it to be another very good Syrah vnyd.
   7. MargerumSyrahs: Doug Margerum, of WineCask fame, has been making wines for a fair number of yrs w/ BobLindquist/Jim Clendennen for the WineCask futures program. He has now struck out on his own (still very much at the WineCask, though) with his own label. The first, a PinotGrigio released this summer, was a lovely wine from a variety that tends to make rather boring wines. I tasted these two wines at the SantaBarbara Harvest Festival, under not the best of circumstances, and thought them two of the best Syrahs there. Now, back home, under more ideal circumstances, I was even more impressed with the wines. It took WS/RP a few yrs to "discover" Adam Tolmach and John Alban, so we can count on these gems for a few more yrs as "our secret". These two Syrahs remind me a lot of Joey Tensley's Syrahs, with that same intensity of pure Syrah fruit, but a bit more complexity and structure.
   8. BassettiVnyd: This is a relatively new vnyd midway twixt Paso and Cambria and, like QueSyrah vnyd, one of the really cold-climate Syrah vnyds in Calif. He sells Syrah to Steve Edmunds and Mat Garretson in addition to Augie. Based on the first wines from here, it is undoubtedly one of the great Syrah vnyds of Calif. It's going to be a fun journey to follow these wines... from the very start... as they say!!!
   9. Grenache: There seems to be a growing interest in Grenache in Calif, we're starting to see a lot more varietal versions, not just considering it as blending material. The reason is pretty obvious; people taste JohnAlban's version and, all of a sudden, realize that you can make great/world-class wine from this variety, as great as any other variety in existence. When I pour an Alban for someone who has never had one; they invariably have the same reaction I had when I first had John's Grenache; they can't believe this is Grenache... surely it's gotta be a Syrah!! As far as I'm concerned, the Alban Grenache is the gold standard by which all others are measured; either Rayas or many of the Oz versions.
   10. AlbanReva: Named after John's Mom, I've followed them from the very start. This is John's "entry level" Syrah, and better than most other producer's top-of-the-line Syrah. This '00 version is fully up to snuff, and then some. Back in the days when they were priced in the mid-$20's, they were absolute steals. Even now at $40, they are not unreasonably priced I feel.

   
   TomHill