2017 J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah
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Sunset International Wine Competition 2020
Presented by Brenden Wood, Red Winemaker
Carefully crafted in a food-friendly, balanced style, J. Lohr Estates wines flavorfully reflect their Monterey and Paso Robles origins.
Varietal aromas of blueberry, lilac, and black tea meld with notes of cocoa powder and tar from one year of barrel aging in a blend of American and French oak barrels. The spice and structure of the Syrah and Mourvèdre red varieties in this blend are lifted by a touch of floral Viognier.
— Steve Peck, director of winemaking
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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95%
Syrah
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4%
Mourvèdre
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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 mouthfeel and texture to improve over the first 2 years in the bottle, with the capacity to hold another 8 years or more.
10+ Years -
Food Pairings
Pair with a slow-roasted pork shoulder and herbed potatoes. For simple, casual fare, try a classic BLT.
Rich Paso Robles berry and plum married to Rhone-style spice and structure presents a perfect example of a Paso Robles Syrah wine.
Vintage
2017 will be remembered as a restorative vintage for our Paso Robles vineyards, with the return of generous rainfall following an unprescedented 5-year period of drought throughout California. Budbreak occurred at the normal time, with most vines waking from dormancy by the first week of April. This was followed by bloom in the middle of May. Crop set was good, with overall yields approaching 5 tons per acre for Syrah in 2017. In early September during Labor Day weekend, temperatures as high as 115 degrees along the coast from Los Angeles to North of San Francisco occurred. This triggered harvest for the early-ripening syrah variety at our warmest properties in the Estrella and San Miguel districts; we then took a nearly 5 week break waiting on ripeness in the Willow Creek and Adelaida districts. This vintage of J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah speaks to complexity and layers of intriguing spicy flavors.
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. Roughly 45% of this fruit was grown in the cooler districts of Adelaida and Willow Creek, which infuse the blend with aromatic white pepper and sandalwood notes. Another 30% is from blocks the the warmer Estrella and San Miguel districts where Syrah flavors trend toward black tea and camphor. 15% is from our high elevation Beck Vineyard in the Creston sub-AVA, which has an exceptionally dark color and bluefruit notes.
