Stumbled across this wine last and cracked it open:
1. CoastviewVnyd Syrah NorthBlock/MontereyCnty (U/U; 120 cs; 14.5%) C&B by ChularCanyonWnry/SantaCruz 2007: Dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah rather herbal/thyme/rosemary some peppery/black pepper bit smokey/earthy/toasty/oak quite complex beautiful nose; fairly tart ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/chocolaty/RCCola some herbal/thyme/pungent bit mineral/graphite quite complex flavor w/ light smooth/tangy tannins; very long/lingering some herbal/thyme strong spicy/blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/Syrah peppery/RCCola light smokey/oak quite complex finish w/ light smooth/resolved tannins; strong on the herbal/thyme side but a unique/complex expression of Monterey Syrah; should go out another 4-8 yrs. $35.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Not sure why I originally bought this wine. I suspect it was because I tasted it when I first met IanBrand at a RhoneRangers in LosAngeles I attended w/ DaveYates.
This wine was made by IanBrand, who now makes wine under his Le P'Tit Paysan label. Not sure if he still makes the Coastview wines or not. Looking at the Coastview WebSite, it look pretty stale, so don't know if they're still making wine or not. The vnyd is located on the hilltops in the GabilanMtns on the East side of the SalinasVlly.
The wine is a terrific expression of cold-climate Syrah. It reminded me a lot of the first Ventana Syrahs of DougMeador, some of the JCCllrs Syrahs from VentanaVnyd, a bit of the early-on Priorat Syrahs before they became so overripe/over-the-top.
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2. Ventana: The was the vnyd originally founded by DougMeador in ArroyoSecco in the mid-'70's, up on the benchlands above the valley floor, on the west side of the SalinasVlly. Well afore the SantaLuciaHighlands were developed. I did a visit w/ Doug in the early '80's at his Ventana tasting room (then located in the old MontereyPeninsulaWnry tasting room below the MontereyAirport) and we drove over to walk his ArroyoSecco vnyd. Very cold and the wind screaming like a banshee. At that time he was making some very good Chards and PinotNoirs and some outstanding dry Rieslings (loaded w/ Mosel valve oil/gout de petrol). We then walked up to this small block of new vines and he proudly stated "Syrah" with this $hit-eating grin. I gave Doug this incredulous look and said "Uhhhhhh...Doug...don't you know that Syrah is a warm-climate grape"?? and pointed skyward at the cold/howling wind. He sorta shrugged "We'll see".
His Ventana planting was, of course, the first true cold-climate planting of Syrah in Calif. When I eventually tasted his first Ventana Syrah, I was blown away by its herbal/peppery character, something never before found in Calif Syrah.
I long thought that Doug has never gotten the recognition he deserves for the remarkable contributions to Calif viticulture he made at Ventana. Anybody remember the vegetal/green-bean Cabernets Mirassou use to make? He learned how to farm Cabernet in the SalinasVlly. Don't water the hell out of the vines. Make 'em struggle. He spotted a variety Sauvignon Musque lurking on the FPS list, tried it, and the rest is history.
Doug eventually sold Ventana and started up MeadorEstate wines. It appears to no longer be in business. He has a blog (meadorestate.blogspot.com), but it no longer appears active. So I don't know what he's doing these days. A Google of "Doug Meador Obit" shows nothing. That's usually a good sign!!
Anyway...a great guy who's made some great wines over the yrs. He should be better known.
Tom


Edited by TomHill (03-28-2017 08:04:53)