WTN: 2002 The Shadow Syrah Wayward Pilgrims of the Vine California.

2002 The Shadow Syrah Wayward Pilgrims of the Vine California. 13.9% alcohol. $8.00 from a shop in South Jersey.

Deep red color, deep hue, shy aroma of fruit, spice and smoke, very good tastes of fruit, spice, smoke, bacon, pepper, earth, medium mouth feel, good tannins, long, rather single note finish. Great wine for the price, but somewhat restrained and perhaps travel shock? Let's see how the rest of the case develops. 3*.

Notes: Steve Edmunds: The 2002 harvest was unlike any other I recall. Nothing seemed normal. Things ripened too quickly, or they fell into a kind of suspended animation. Some vineyards raisined. Some didn't color up. We didn't harvest any Grenache. We bottled only four wines under the Edmunds St. John label, none of which was a Syrah. Nearly all the Syrah we harvested ended up in a tank that I mostly tried not to think about for almost three years. It's hard to buy fruit from four or five of what have been considered some of California's best Syrah vineyards (names like Durell, Bassetti, Wylie and Fenaughty) and not find much to get excited over from the whole vintage. So when I put the blend together, I told myself "I'll figure this out later."

By the Spring of this year ('06), after the wine had been racked a few times, I began to notice what seemed to be an emerging cohesiveness to it, and by June it was starting to act like it might have found its legs, its Syrah-ness. Now it's out there in the world, casting a handsome shadow. GRAPE SOURCES: Durell and Parmelee-Hill Vineyards (Sonoma Valley), Wylie and Fenaughty Vineyards (El Dorado County), Bassetti, (Central Coast) Rozet (Paso Robles) WINEMAKING: Average cuvaison 10-15 days, open-top stainless, manual puchdowns. Pressed at dryness into old French puncheons. Racked to stainless in May of '03. Bottled, June '06.

WINEMAKER'S TASTING NOTES: Fine, deep ruby/garnet red. Smoky, meaty aromas at the outset, some pepper and earth, too. Lovely flavors of plum and berry, juicy, fine-textured, with pretty tannins. Medium bodied, good length. Not unlike good Crozes-Hermitage.

That is a great price on the Shadow and worthy of a B.U.T.T. designation. While I love bargains on ESJ, I hope the spate of bargains that seem to be springing up around the country doesn't ultimately devalue the brand. That would ultimately be bad for both Steve and consumers.
Now back to the Shadow. I think you note is pretty spot-on. Did you decant? I've found the wine benfits from a couple/three hours in the decanter FWIW.
Bill

I didn't decant, Bill -- I'll try that next time. It will be soon; I tasted this wine back in late March and am just cleaning up my notes.

While I love bargains on ESJ, I hope the spate of bargains that seem to be springing up around the country doesn't ultimately devalue the brand.

When I heard about the K&L blowout on the 01 Los Robles Viejos I thought the same thing (after I cursed myself for not being in CA to take advantage)

Rahsaan, I figured I was wasting my time, but I tried to order a case of the LRV and since I live in Ky, K&L respectfully declined.

Bob, just for my interest, they indicate that they can't accept Internet orders, but suggest you call them.

I've done so -- KY and NJ are on the Baddie List -- and they were willing to take my order over the telephone. I've purchased from them several times -- they ship direct and not through one of the shipping companies.

Did you talk to them on the phone?

Regards, Bob

Bob, just for my interest, they indicate that they can't accept Internet orders, but suggest you call them.

I've done so -- KY and NJ are on the Baddie List -- and they were willing to take my order over the telephone. I've purchased from them several times -- they ship direct and not through one of the shipping companies.

Did you talk to them on the phone?

Regards, Bob

Bob, I did call them on the phone, and the young lady with whom I spoke indicated they had 3 cases of the wine. She asked if I had ordered from them before and I said that I had not, she then said they could not do any business with me.

Wow!

You're better off, Bob, although you missed a nice wine.

Regards, Bob

Soner or later there will be another bargain and I will try them again. In the meantime, there is a lot of wine out there. I won't go thirsty.

I just opened our first bottle of this wine tonight with a simple dinner of roast chicken, caprese salad and a baguette. As per 'Winger's instructions, I decanted for an hour ahead of time. The wine struck me as classic Syrah, something like a slightly heavier Crozes. There was a clear licorice note in it that I found intriguing and the wine went well with both the chicken and the tomatoes. Very nice stuff, indeed.

Mark Lipton

Mark, stop it! I'm trying to save my last few (think they'd benefit from a little more bottle time) and not buy more. YOU ARE NOT HELPING.

As per 'Winger's instructions, I decanted for an hour ahead of time.
Mark Lipton

Mark,
One hour is not = a couple or three hours. Some people just can't follow simple instrctions.
'Winger

As per 'Winger's instructions, I decanted for an hour ahead of time.
Mark Lipton

Mark,
One hour is not = a couple or three hours. Some people just can't follow simple instrctions.
'Winger

Ah... but, being of a scientific bent, I factored in the time differential between your post and my opening of the bottle and concluded that a 1.04 hour decant would approximate the 2-3 hr decant that you gave it back in June. I hope that that clears the whole matter up

Mark Lipton

As per 'Winger's instructions, I decanted for an hour ahead of time.
Mark Lipton

Mark,
One hour is not = a couple or three hours. Some people just can't follow simple instrctions.
'Winger

Ah... but, being of a scientific bent, I factored in the time differential between your post and my opening of the bottle and concluded that a 1.04 hour decant would approximate the 2-3 hr decant that you gave it back in June. I hope that that clears the whole matter up

Mark Lipton

I'll ask EARL and get back to ya.
Redwinger

Mark, stop it! I'm trying to save my last few (think they'd benefit from a little more bottle time) and not buy more. YOU ARE NOT HELPING.

Dale, if you keep placing restrictions on what I can drink around here, pretty soon I'll be reduced to 2BC and YT -- what's a poor wine geek to do?

Mark Lipton

My small stash of 2002 ESJ Shadow was consumed many many months ago and I've been in agony that I didn't buy more when the opportunity had presented itself. You can only image my delight when I stumbled on some at local retail this morning.
I will open a bottle sometime in the next day or two and report back.
Life is good!
Wm.

Bob,

Redwinger put me onto The Shadow. We've tasted two bottles now. One bottle we let take air for about 30 minutes due to last minute planning. It was a solid wine, but was over "shadowed" by the second bottle which we were able to decant for around six hours (few months later). The air really brought out the complexity and I picked up earth and spice notes that I had completely missed in the first bottle. I bought my three bottles for approximately $12, and it was a steal at that price. I plan to let my third bottle age for a couple of year before uncorking.

Sam,
I'd concur with your plan to let your remaining bottle sit a couple of years. We had a bottle of The Shadow last evening with some grilled pig. It was decanted a tad over 4 hours and it still was pretty tight with tannins taking the lead. Meat/licorice/plum notes were there. I have no idea where this wine is headed, but it seemed to be pleading for more time in the cellar.
Bill

I agree with what others have posted here. The Shadow is still developing. I opened one of the six bottles I had left about a month ago. I had about a glass and a half with dinner for three nights in a row (stored in the refrigerator and then allowed to return to serving temperature between evenings). It was nice the first night, but outstanding on nights two and three. I made a mental note to let the five remining bottles alone for at least six more months.

Have to agree and disagree here.

To me, the Shadow is okay juice, not great, but does require age. I had a bottle when it first came out and found it a bit rough, slight alcohol bent that didn't seem integrated, and somewhat simple. I'm not trying to diss it here, but this was my impression. However, I also put a bottle away to try in 3-4 years, because Steve's wines have a way of beautifully maturing. So I'll report on this in a couple of years, hopefully to the better.

Soner or later there will be another bargain and I will try them again. In the meantime, there is a lot of wine out there. I won't go thirsty.

BobH..any sign of the `06 Tahbilk yet?

Sounds like you had a great McCool.

I had a bottle when it first came out and found it a bit rough, slight alcohol bent that didn't seem integrated, and somewhat simple.

Mark,

Did you give the bottle some decanter time? As Bill mentioned, air time makes a tremendous difference for this wine. I have been able to find very few wines which are as solid at the price point.

I had a bottle when it first came out and found it a bit rough, slight alcohol bent that didn't seem integrated, and somewhat simple.

Mark,

Did you give the bottle some decanter time? As Bill mentioned, air time makes a tremendous difference for this wine. I have been able to find very few wines which are as solid at the price point.

Sam -
No deacanting (seldom do, unless there are others to share it, I need to preserve it for 2-3 days) and perhaps I caught it in an awkward stage, so that is why I'm letting my other bottle sleep. One definately can't argue about the price(!)

Best,

Mark

I've had several bottles over the past few years and they have all been excellent value if not one of Steve's 'best' wines.

But, now I'm all out.

So, somebody please save a few bottles so we know what they taste like with more age on them!