We tasted in our Syrahs last week two EdmundsStJohns:
1. EdmundsStJohn Syrah WylieVnyd (14.2%) ThumbnailMoonlight/Fairplay 2009: Dark color w/ slight bricking; lovely blackberry/Syrah bit floral/strawberry/smokey/very spicy light cedary/pencilly light earthy/dusty bit cinammon quite complex nose; lightly tart gentle some earthy/dusty strong Syrah/blackberry/fairly spicy bit floral slight cedary/pencilly fairly complex flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long/lingering light earthy/dusty fairly strong blackberry/floral/spicy/Syrah finish w/ light slightly tangy tannins; a bit earthy/rustic compared to the 2011 & starting to fade a bit but speaks of ElD Syrah and fully mature.
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2. EdmundsStJohn Syrah FenaughtyVnyd/ElDoradoCnty (13.1%) ThumbnailMoonlight/Fairplay 2011: Very dark color w/ little bricking; very strong floral/strawberry/very spicy almost C-R-like/floral light pencilly/cedary/oak slight smokey/pungent/graphite very perfumed complex nose; bit soft slight metallic strong floral/violets/Syrah/very spicy light pencilly/oak quite complex flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long/lingering slight cedary/pencilly bit smokey/graphite strong floral/Syrah/violets/very spicy quite complex finish w/ light smooth tannins; a floral character that almost suggests C-R; a very complex smooth/graceful fully mature classic EdStJ Syrah that probably not going to get any better. $30.50
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Two really classic mature EdStJ Syrahs. The '09 was not showing any signs of going over the hill but will probably just quietly fade away into the sunset.
A pity that Alban's or SQN can't age into something like these two gems.
Tom