2014 J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah
Varietal aromas of plum, black tea and blueberry are lifted by barrel aging on the lees in a mix of American and French oak barrels. A touch of spicy white pepper on the palate opens up slowly to reveal baking spice and pomegranate fruit.
— Steve Peck, red winemaker
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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99%
Syrah
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1%
Viognier
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Origin
Paso Robles AVA, San Luis Obispo County, CA
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Cellaring
Expect the dense fruit signature and improving textures over the first 2 years in the bottle, with the capacity to hold another 5 years or more.
5+ Years -
Food Pairings
Pair with a slow-roasted pork shoulder and herbed potatoes. For simple casual fare, try a classic BLT.
Vintage
The third in a trio of strong vintages for Paso Robles, the wines of 2014 are showing dense and aromatically expressive and are reminiscent of 2004. With less than half the usual winter rainfall in the ground, spring growth rocketed as degree days racked up at a faster pace than we’ve seen in a decade. A somewhat warm veraison period at the end of July pushed tannin levels upward and led to the earliest picking dates on record for these vineyard blocks. Keen to preserve fruit character, we destem and ferment the berries whole. A base of plum character comes from the warmer vineyard sites in the Estrella and Creston districts, with spicy white pepper coming from the coolest sites in Willow Creek. In the end, a balanced expression of varietal character from the team at J. Lohr!
Vineyards
The J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah is grown on a combination of lime-laden and gravelly soils, which rein in Syrah’s rangy growth potential. The name South Ridge is derived from the orientation of its namesake vineyard, which sits on a south- facing hillside, resulting in fruit with intense flavors. As the popularity of Syrah has grown, we have planted two additional estate vineyards, one within a mile of the original planting, and the second eight miles south in a slightly cooler area of the Paso Robles AVA.
