2003 Fess Parker's Vineyard Syrah

Formally known as Rodney's Vineyard, Fess Parker Vineyard Syrah is chosen from different blocks of the 38 acres of syrah planted. The combination of warm daytime temperatures and cool evenings resulting from the unique east-west orientation of the Santa Ynez Valley creates ideal conditions for grape maturation. The Syrah is planted on the upper mesa behind the winery, well above the valley floor.

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Varietals:	100% Syrah
Appellation:	Santa Barbara County
Alcohol:	14.8%
Comments:	Every year this wine seems to get better. In 2003 we started incorporating some of the new French clones that have become available, and the results are in the bottle. Smokey black cherry, roasted earth, hints of raspberry and just a touch of creamy cassis. Every time I try this wine, it causes me to contemplate how great it is to make wine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Reviews:	Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate: 90 points This Syrah exhibits a dense ruby/purple-tinged color as well as a big, floral bouquet revealing hints of olives, garrigue, and pepper. Medium to full-bodied with moderate tannin, restraint, and finesse, it is the most elegant Syrah in this portfolio. Give it another 1-2 years of bottle age and drink it over the following decade.
	James Laube Wine Spectator 87 pts Distinctive for its unusual yet appealing cream soda flavor, showing lots of oak, a hint of nutmeg and a medley of blueberry, wild berry, and raspberry. Drink now through 2009.
	Charlie Olken Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: 91 pts This wine simply bursts with ripe, vital fruit seasoned with notes of white pepper, rich, creamy oak and vanilla crème brulée sweetness. In the mouth, it is supple and balanced with a fair bit of openness as it enters and a firmer frame as it finishes.
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