Ojai Syrah Santa Barbara County

Surely I waited too long on this. Heavy sediment, but still very drinkable. Highly tannic, almost black in color, mildly and darkly aromatic, with black raspberry and hints of bitter chocolate.

Still very vibrant; needed a bit of time open up, with strong bramble, leather and coffee tones. Not chewy, but full bodied and full of flavor. Not particularly long finish. Delightful with a good burger.

Dark garnet with a syrupy texture in the glass. Anise and nutmeg dominate the spice component with velvety rich back and blue berries rounding out the tight integration. This is one heady wine! It seemed more like 16% based on how we felt after the bottle- no hint of alcohol to be tasted however. Be careful!

Aromas/flavors of blackberry,cherry, spice, earth and a hint of licorice. Elegant mouthfeel delivered by the round tannins. Long, lucious finish.

Expressive nose: lead pencil, red fruit, meaty flavors starting to come through more and more. Full bodied without being Syrah-thick, long finish, but somewhat bitter at the end. Not really layered. Tight? Mostly fruit on the palate, a little "savory". Smooth, until that bitter finish.

Purple hue in the glass. The nose is full of animal notes with a spice kick. Sold core of viscous-feeling fruit on the palette. Dark berries, spice, bacon fat and more animal. Very northern rhone in nature. Solid finish.

Great value wine that will drink well now and last for another 5 years. More forward version of this wine than past vintages.