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South Ridge Bottle Shot

2019 J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah

92 Points The Tasting Panel, September 2021
South Ridge Syrah Video Image

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.

Watch Video

Varietal aromas of blueberry and black tea are accented by floral notes, bergamot, and lilac in the 2019 J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah. The native spice and structure of this Northern Rhône cultivar is lengthened and lifted by the inclusion of Grenache, Viognier, and Mourvèdre.

— Brenden Wood, red winemaker & Steve Peck, director of winemaking

Wine Details

  • Composition Blend
    • 93%

      Syrah

    • 3%

      Grenache Noir

    • 2%

      Viognier

    • 2%

      Mourvèdre

  • Origin

    Paso Robles AVA, San Luis Obispo County, CA

  • Cellaring

    Expect 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

Preseason rainfall was higher than normal in 2019. An additional inch of rain fell after budbreak that helped to fill out canopy growth prior to the onset of summer weather. We normally see budbreak a bit later in wet years, as was the case in 2019. This delays the phenological stages for the entire vintage, including bloom, veraison, and harvest. This worked to our advantage in 2019, as the summer heat spikes had subsided by the time we harvested our first block of Syrah on a mild, 83 degree day in the Estrella District. We rounded out the fruit, floral, and spice notes in this blend with the inclusion of Grenache, Viognier, and Mourvèdre.

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. A third of this fruit was grown in the Adelaida district, which infuses the blend with aromatic white pepper and sandalwood notes. Another third is from blocks in the the warmer Estrella district, where Syrah flavors tend toward black tea and camphor. The balance is from our high elevation Beck Vineyard in the Creston sub-AVA, adding exceptionally dark color and blue fruit notes.

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