2003 Syrah Reviews
 

Baldassari Syrah Bennett Valley 2003
91 points | $30 | 122 cases made
Creamy vanilla bean oak adds a nice flavor and textural
dimension, rounding out the berry, roasted plum
and exotic spices. Drink now through 2010.—J.L.

November 30, 2005

2003 Baldassari Family Wines Syrah

Rating: 90 points

Drink: 2005-2011

A limited production (122 cases) cuvee from one of California’s newest AVAs, this impressive, dense ruby/purple-tinged 2003 Syrah reveals a striking perfume of chocolate, barbecue spice, smoke, and blackberries along with a touch of smoky oak in the background. Supple and velvety-textured, with an opulent, fleshy, full-bodied finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years.

—Robert Parker (Dec 2005)

Copyright © 2005, The Wine Advocate, Inc. — Reprinted with permission

VineSugar

Incredible color.  Deep garnet with awesome intensity that glimmers in the glass.  Swirl it... enjoy the color for a moment.  Now gently inhale, slowly picking up the subtleties.  The intertwining of spices, rich soil and earth nuances, wild berries - all beautifully integrated.  You'll get a great sense of the terrior.  At first, aromas of fresh cracked pepper then quietly followed by hearty oak traits all encompassed by raspberries and black cherries.  The flavors bring similar sensations all the while filling your mouth with a silky smooth feel offering rich flavors with great structure and balanced.  The finish lingers- teasing you with hints of vanilla and touches of mocha.

Ryan ODonnell, Oct 24, 2005

Dark, nearly opaque ruby in the glass, this wine initially had a very tightly closed nose, but with some time and air, opened up to reveal notes of blueberries, tobacco, carob, and coffee.  In the mouth it is young and tightly wound, with thick dense flavors of black cherry, ripe plums, and boysenberries underscored by a hint of earthiness and mineral elements.  The wine has slightly green tannins that need some mellowing with time, but in general has a good balance (thankfully NOT a fruit bomb) and to my mind an excellent potential to improve with some age.  The finish is relatively substantial, though marked at the moment with a slight bitterness from the tannins that I found less than exciting, this may fade over time.  A very promising first release.

Food Pairing: As this wine is so very young, if it is drunk soon it must be with charred meats -- grilled lamb or grilled sausage is always a good bet.  You could try it, for instance, with this spicy jerked pork.

Originally posted on Vinography.Com.   Alder, November 02, 2005

From Alder at Vinography comes yet another Syrah (I guess now we know that Syrah yields aren't huge, huh?) -- Baldassari Family, Bennett Valley ($30). Considering that this is the inaugural release of a brand new winery, the high score Alder gives it is quite impressive.