2021 J. Lohr Gesture Syrah
Showcases racy black cherry aromas paired with savory varietal accents of cracked pepper and thyme. The palate is lush and lively with succulent layers of blackberry, black cherry, and cassis.
— Brenden Wood, Red Winemaker and Steve Peck, V.P. Winemaking
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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100%
Syrah
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Origin
Paso Robles Adelaida District AVA, San Luis Obispo County, CA
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Cellaring
With proper cellaring, will gain additional complexity with up to 6 years of bottle aging.
6 Years -
Food Pairings
Pairs beautifully with a mushroom and wine-braised beef stew or a Neapolitan- style sausage pizza.
Vineyard & Vintage
The J. Lohr Gesture Syrah comes from plantings at our J. Lohr Stairway Vineyard (formerly McCornack), located in the Adelaida District on Peachy Canyon Road. This Syrah grows on soil series 113 which is described as Balcom-Calleguas complex, on 50% to 75% slopes. Hiking up the vine rows requires caution when traversing the steep, step-like chalk rocks. Only crawler tractors can be used to safely farm this mountainous site. This part of Paso Robles is an ancient uplifted sea bed so fossilized that sea shells are often found in the ground, even though the vineyard is perched at 1,500 foot average elevation.
The 2021 vintage in Paso Robles delivered unparalleled quality. Despite generous January rainfall, the following winter and spring months were extremely dry. The dry conditions led to small but concentrated berries, typical of drought years in Paso Robles. However, the consistent mild daytime temperatures and cool nights allowed for patience in harvesting grapes at optimal ripeness. Our Gesture Syrah was hand-picked from the challenging, gravelly slopes of Stairway on October 2nd and 5th. Whole berries were sorted into small 6-ton open top tanks and cold-soaked for 2 days prior to fermentation. The 2021 J. Lohr Gesture Syrah was aged for 16 months on light lees in 5th-fill neutral French oak barrels to retain purity of fruit expression.
