My Siduri/Novy winter holds hit the doorstep late last week and after listening to all these squeaky/whiney voices in my living room..."Try me..No, try me...NoNoNo, I'm the one to try", I broke down and cracked:
1. Novy Syrah Rosella'sVnyd/SantaLuciaHighlands (14.2%) 2006: Very dark/black color; some toasty/charred/pencilly/oak very strong blackberry/black cherry/Syrah bit herbal/dusty slight Rhonish/roasted/smokey wonderful nose; tart very rich/lush strong blackberry/black cherry/boysenberry/Syrah some herbal/coffee some pencilly/toasty/oak bit Rhonish/pungent some tannic flavor; very long tart/rich/lush licorice/herbal blackberry/black cherry/Syrah some toasty/pencilly/oak bit tannic finish; needs another yr and will go out 5-8 yrs easily; speaks loudly of SLH Syrah w/ the somewhat herbal character; a terrific Syrah at a great price. $24.50
_______________________________
And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. The Novy Syrahs, though not always as profound and complex as some in Calif, are consistently some of the best Syrahs being made...and at very fair prices. They always speak of their origins and they're all different amongst the various vnyds.
I often find some Syrah taste like they're made by a Pinot producer...like the Dehlinger and Radio-Coteaus. They bear a strong stylistic resemblance to the outstanding Pinots those producers craft. Originally, I thought the same of the Novy Syrahs (followed 'em from the very start I did)...they seemed like a variation on Adam's Pinot style. But over the yrs as Adam has tweaked his winemnaking technique (I'm presuming), they have taken on their very own style....distinct from his Pinots. Though they do speak loudly of their vnyd sources, they also speak of Adam's winemaking style as well...his Novy winemaking style. Wonderful/wonderful Syrahs that seldom disappoint.
Tom