Pulled cork an hour before dinner with no decant. It doesn’t need decanting now. So smooth now. Tannins have subsided now and it’s drinking great. Not sure more cellaring improved this. Yes it can age further but I think it’s so great right now. A great balance of just the right sweetness with the right amount of dryness.
This wine is in a beautiful, possibly perfect spot right now. It also happens to hit on many areas we desire in a Syrah: it's totally balanced between savory and fruit components. White pepper mingles perfectly with dark fruit on the nose with a touch of cured meat rounding it out. The palate is complex, more old world than new, but only slightly so. It sees the same dark blue and black fruit, pepper and earth as the nose, but a pleasant acidic component introduces itself here. The flavors evolve as it sits on your palate, and the finish is medium long. Drink lighter than its 14.5% abv. Not leaning too much in any direction, it's in the perfect center for a California Syrah. One of our favorites, out of many, and an incredible value.
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Medium+ bodied, modern styling with traditional elements. Rich mountain berries, garrigue and wet earth, raspberry yogurt, backed by some sweet oak. A bit more "Napa" stylistically than other LM Syrahs I've had since 2000. Sweeter (riper?) and less structured as well, with nice acid and finish. Drinking well now, should cruise into 2030s. 91-92
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Rich, larger scaled wine than I was expecting, with rich plummy fruit, roasted game, and a hint of roasted fruit, which is an interesting but not altogether simpatico contrast to the riot of exotic florals (peony + jasmine + others that I can't identify). Decent acid, but still would love a bit more structure and tension to balance the richness. Soft sweet tannins, velvety texture, and a hit of heat. Ready to drink now.
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2016 Lagier-Meredith Mount Veeder Syrah Alc 14.5% 440 cases made Dark purple Starting to soften Rich blackberry and dates swaddled in earth Mild to Moderate tannins Very smooth
Classy Syrah. Has the prototypical Syrah characteristics including pepper, spice, dark fruit. Not too jammy, well balanced with med+ acidity and a long finish. Well done
Fairly viscous mouthfeel, Light hit of dried dark fruit (unsweetend prunes?) on the tip of the tongue, Stoniness or earthiness as the wine passes back, Quite noticeable tannins. Very good, but patience will be rewarded,
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I tasted when I first opened it -- initial blast of black pepper, then leathery tannins and elevated acidity with some blueberry fruit. Very savory. After two hours in the decanter, the acidity remained and the pepper had disappeared. It was better without food than with, and I think it will continue to improve with at least another two years in the cellar. I am very happy that I have another five bottles.
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Huge floral nose. Blackberry, raspberry, pepper and big but balanced mouth. The taste of too little, it guided two helpings of stuffed bell peppers. Would have been lovely on its own but shines with a bold dish. I'll try this with a goat or Lamb curry too. Lots of life, gonna track this one for another 10 bottles over the next 10 years. Other vintages will help pass the time lol
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Strong minty nose with bright red fruit and sawdust. Deep black cherry fruit with dry blackberry, bacon fat, lavender, and smoked meat. Light black pepper, smooth supple tannins, bright cherry, zesty red pepper, and a subtle oak note on the long finish. Very balanced and drinking well now.
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This really is a great wine and I can’t say enough about the value. I’ve had this over two nights. Strong aromas of red and black fruit with those undertones of savory down there.. somewhere. A solid zing of acidity with red and black fruit strongly present. It wasn’t until the second day that I got any notes of pepper or any other savoryisms. The acid was more approachable on the second day. Tannins are present buts the acidity that is the star. There is a lot to unpack here and I feel that will take a lot more time. I won’t touch any of these (all the vintages I have) for at least 4-5 years. I have a little left tonight and I’ll add to the note if I get more. Great wine but this needs some time to fully unlock its potential.
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This was consumed over several nights and was best on the final two nights. This is my first experience with this producer and it was not what I expected. I was expecting more of a cooler climate classic old world-ish Syrah profile. On PnP I was greeted with sweet oak notes that followed through to the palate. Very dense and quite ripe. Label abv 14.5%. Tongue coating dark purple. It came across as new world ripe and overly dense, though I got that there was quality fruit in the bottle. With exposure to air the fruit settled in and I was able to get some bacon fat and other nuances.
A glance at the CT drinking windows for recent vintages confirms this is meant to age. I've got a bottle of this '16 and a couple each of the '17 and '18 and I think I want to lay them down for at least another 4 years. My guess is that the high quality barrel characteristics will integrate with the fruit to produce something noteworthy with time.
On night one I thought this was the most open/giving Lagier Meredith Syrah I had ever tasted. 48 hours later I go back to it, and while I am still convinced as of its forward nature, there is so much more that it was initially holding back. The deep, plummy/blackberry fruit co-mingles with black olive, roasted meat and a scent that I can only describe as violets on a wood fire. The texture is plush, with the tannins buried beneath bucket loads of fruit and savory flavors that coat the palate. These L-M Syrahs seem to take forever to mature, and given the density of the 2016, forever might be too short. Thankfully, given the density, it will likely be engaging and pleasurable at any point along that long road to eternity.
Decanted 6 hours. Really nice wine with great potential. Lovely nose of floral, fruits and a touch of white pepper. Bigger on the palate and more savory flavors evolve, more olive and tapenade and some salinity. Surprising from CA, drinks more like a Washington Syrah but perhaps more delicate like N Rhone. I will leave my other bottles to sleep because I know I will like them better that way.
Delicious Syrah with precise structure and smooth transition across the palate. Elegant from start to finish with nice blackberry, tar, earth, but light on its feet.
A little herbaceous and pepper with rather soft tannins. Left it a little flat on the mid-palate with a short finish. Cooler temperatures for growing have buried the complexity deep in the wines. Likely this will mean a longevity style wine. While fruity early in life, it may start to shine later. This would have to wait a long time to see if it develops old world character.
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Beautiful expression of CA Syrah. Day one was reticent, but showed lots of fruit after 45 minutes. Day 2 came out of the gate with lots of olive and cherry pipe tobacco on the nose, while blackberries, plums and blueberries explode on the palate. Medium mouthfeel with great acidity, and tannin kicks in on the finish. This is young, but has the guts to age well.
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I found this to be very peppery and rather one dimensional. It was abrasive and youthful across the palate. I would give this a good five more years before trying again, though I have my doubts about significant improvement.
What a great wine! Yummy! Just delicious. Substance. Steak wine. Delicious by itself for lingering sipping. One of the best Syrahs I've ever had the pleasure to taste. Mountain fruit, but oh so smooth. This did not factor into my rating of the wine, but know that Carole Meredith and Steve Lagier of Lagier-Meredith are terrific people. Two people who carved out a vineyard and a livelihood on top of a mountain in Napa Valley. I admire their guts. I doubt 99% of people have their courage and their intelligence to make it work. They did, but moreover, as a consumer of wine, you will be rewarded. I pledge to buy more. This is soooooooo good!
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Very floral on the nose. Not terribly smoky or peppery, but minerality shows through. Blueberries . Elegant like a Pinot noir. Nose descriptors carry through to the palate, though the pepper comes through more strongly there. Not too tannic. Comes through on the back palate. Strong finish. Great with food.
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First night it showed on the thin and reticent side, but the glass left for the second night had lots of black fruit, with peppery, savory depth, nice balance, and a powerful finish. Score reflects second night. Give it a year or two or a very long decant, and it’ll be a delight.
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Recently bottled, popped and poured without much air time, so this is just an early snapshot. So tasty, fabulous depth black/boysenberry fruit, good acidity, fairly well structured with tannins that sneak up on you. A lot going on in this delicious, complex Syrah. A great 20th vintage from the vineyard.
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5/23/2024 - Macenn77 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not sure what the other notes were saying, NEEDS MORE TIME! Still good, but let it age.
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3/15/2024 - wiscgrad wrote: 94 Points
wasn't planning on drinking another 1 so soon but this is drinking so well right now
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3/10/2024 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pulled cork an hour before dinner with no decant. It doesn’t need decanting now. So smooth now. Tannins have subsided now and it’s drinking great. Not sure more cellaring improved this. Yes it can age further but I think it’s so great right now. A great balance of just the right sweetness with the right amount of dryness.
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12/2/2023 - wiscgrad wrote: 94 Points
this is surprisingly open for a 7yr old mt veeder syrah. tons of red fruit and smooth tannins. wonderfully expressive nose.
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5/29/2023 - Quarked wrote: 93 Points
A nice intermediate between the cold-weather and hot-weather syrahs, with deep blue fruits but also the olive brine and hints of smoke. Really lovely.
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1/28/2023 - WineGold wrote: 95 Points
This wine is in a beautiful, possibly perfect spot right now. It also happens to hit on many areas we desire in a Syrah: it's totally balanced between savory and fruit components. White pepper mingles perfectly with dark fruit on the nose with a touch of cured meat rounding it out. The palate is complex, more old world than new, but only slightly so. It sees the same dark blue and black fruit, pepper and earth as the nose, but a pleasant acidic component introduces itself here. The flavors evolve as it sits on your palate, and the finish is medium long. Drink lighter than its 14.5% abv. Not leaning too much in any direction, it's in the perfect center for a California Syrah. One of our favorites, out of many, and an incredible value.
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1/27/2023 - sdahar wrote: 92 Points
Agree with other recent tasting notes. Definitely Napa style without being overdone. Wine is currently in a very nice place.
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11/22/2022 - aero Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium+ bodied, modern styling with traditional elements. Rich mountain berries, garrigue and wet earth, raspberry yogurt, backed by some sweet oak. A bit more "Napa" stylistically than other LM Syrahs I've had since 2000. Sweeter (riper?) and less structured as well, with nice acid and finish. Drinking well now, should cruise into 2030s. 91-92
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11/4/2022 - ohne_musik wrote: 88 Points
Rich, larger scaled wine than I was expecting, with rich plummy fruit, roasted game, and a hint of roasted fruit, which is an interesting but not altogether simpatico contrast to the riot of exotic florals (peony + jasmine + others that I can't identify). Decent acid, but still would love a bit more structure and tension to balance the richness. Soft sweet tannins, velvety texture, and a hit of heat. Ready to drink now.
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11/1/2022 - ssouth wrote: 94 Points
2016 Lagier-Meredith Mount Veeder Syrah
Alc 14.5%
440 cases made
Dark purple
Starting to soften
Rich blackberry and dates swaddled in earth
Mild to Moderate tannins
Very smooth
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6/24/2022 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blueberry, blackberry, pepper, stony granite on the palate. Plenty of tannins left. Full bodied with a long finish. Great with our barbecue dinner.
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4/13/2022 - WineJ2019 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classy Syrah. Has the prototypical Syrah characteristics including pepper, spice, dark fruit. Not too jammy, well balanced with med+ acidity and a long finish. Well done
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2/3/2022 - EMark Likes this wine:
Fairly viscous mouthfeel, Light hit of dried dark fruit (unsweetend prunes?) on the tip of the tongue, Stoniness or earthiness as the wine passes back, Quite noticeable tannins. Very good, but patience will be rewarded,
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1/28/2022 - ares77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Day 1 - good energy and structure, pure and elegant.
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11/27/2021 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I tasted when I first opened it -- initial blast of black pepper, then leathery tannins and elevated acidity with some blueberry fruit. Very savory. After two hours in the decanter, the acidity remained and the pepper had disappeared. It was better without food than with, and I think it will continue to improve with at least another two years in the cellar. I am very happy that I have another five bottles.
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11/27/2021 - TC16 wrote:
Really enjoyed this syrah. Very dark.
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9/19/2021 - twain Likes this wine: 93 Points
Huge floral nose. Blackberry, raspberry, pepper and big but balanced mouth. The taste of too little, it guided two helpings of stuffed bell peppers. Would have been lovely on its own but shines with a bold dish. I'll try this with a goat or Lamb curry too. Lots of life, gonna track this one for another 10 bottles over the next 10 years. Other vintages will help pass the time lol
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6/16/2021 - yasha Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice syrah
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5/11/2021 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 93 Points
Strong minty nose with bright red fruit and sawdust. Deep black cherry fruit with dry blackberry, bacon fat, lavender, and smoked meat. Light black pepper, smooth supple tannins, bright cherry, zesty red pepper, and a subtle oak note on the long finish. Very balanced and drinking well now.
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4/26/2021 - Rywyine Likes this wine:
This really is a great wine and I can’t say enough about the value. I’ve had this over two nights. Strong aromas of red and black fruit with those undertones of savory down there.. somewhere. A solid zing of acidity with red and black fruit strongly present. It wasn’t until the second day that I got any notes of pepper or any other savoryisms. The acid was more approachable on the second day. Tannins are present buts the acidity that is the star. There is a lot to unpack here and I feel that will take a lot more time. I won’t touch any of these (all the vintages I have) for at least 4-5 years. I have a little left tonight and I’ll add to the note if I get more. Great wine but this needs some time to fully unlock its potential.
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3/26/2021 - yasha Likes this wine: 93 Points
very nice
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3/1/2021 - tward wrote:
This was consumed over several nights and was best on the final two nights. This is my first experience with this producer and it was not what I expected. I was expecting more of a cooler climate classic old world-ish Syrah profile. On PnP I was greeted with sweet oak notes that followed through to the palate. Very dense and quite ripe. Label abv 14.5%. Tongue coating dark purple. It came across as new world ripe and overly dense, though I got that there was quality fruit in the bottle. With exposure to air the fruit settled in and I was able to get some bacon fat and other nuances.
A glance at the CT drinking windows for recent vintages confirms this is meant to age. I've got a bottle of this '16 and a couple each of the '17 and '18 and I think I want to lay them down for at least another 4 years. My guess is that the high quality barrel characteristics will integrate with the fruit to produce something noteworthy with time.
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2/22/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:
On night one I thought this was the most open/giving Lagier Meredith Syrah I had ever tasted. 48 hours later I go back to it, and while I am still convinced as of its forward nature, there is so much more that it was initially holding back. The deep, plummy/blackberry fruit co-mingles with black olive, roasted meat and a scent that I can only describe as violets on a wood fire. The texture is plush, with the tannins buried beneath bucket loads of fruit and savory flavors that coat the palate. These L-M Syrahs seem to take forever to mature, and given the density of the 2016, forever might be too short. Thankfully, given the density, it will likely be engaging and pleasurable at any point along that long road to eternity.
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2/17/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 6 hours. Really nice wine with great potential. Lovely nose of floral, fruits and a touch of white pepper. Bigger on the palate and more savory flavors evolve, more olive and tapenade and some salinity. Surprising from CA, drinks more like a Washington Syrah but perhaps more delicate like N Rhone. I will leave my other bottles to sleep because I know I will like them better that way.
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2/5/2021 - ChrisinCowiche wrote: 93 Points
Delicious Syrah with precise structure and smooth transition across the palate. Elegant from start to finish with nice blackberry, tar, earth, but light on its feet.
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1/28/2021 - vesuvius wrote: 87 Points
A little herbaceous and pepper with rather soft tannins. Left it a little flat on the mid-palate with a short finish. Cooler temperatures for growing have buried the complexity deep in the wines. Likely this will mean a longevity style wine. While fruity early in life, it may start to shine later. This would have to wait a long time to see if it develops old world character.
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9/6/2020 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Next one will decant 2 hours prior
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8/8/2020 - MTC2 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful expression of CA Syrah. Day one was reticent, but showed lots of fruit after 45 minutes. Day 2 came out of the gate with lots of olive and cherry pipe tobacco on the nose, while blackberries, plums and blueberries explode on the palate. Medium mouthfeel with great acidity, and tannin kicks in on the finish. This is young, but has the guts to age well.
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8/2/2020 - twain Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of blackberry and acidity, pepper finish
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6/21/2020 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 89 Points
I found this to be very peppery and rather one dimensional. It was abrasive and youthful across the palate. I would give this a good five more years before trying again, though I have my doubts about significant improvement.
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5/1/2020 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a great wine! Yummy! Just delicious. Substance. Steak wine. Delicious by itself for lingering sipping. One of the best Syrahs I've ever had the pleasure to taste. Mountain fruit, but oh so smooth. This did not factor into my rating of the wine, but know that Carole Meredith and Steve Lagier of Lagier-Meredith are terrific people. Two people who carved out a vineyard and a livelihood on top of a mountain in Napa Valley. I admire their guts. I doubt 99% of people have their courage and their intelligence to make it work. They did, but moreover, as a consumer of wine, you will be rewarded. I pledge to buy more. This is soooooooo good!
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4/16/2020 - jkvedar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very floral on the nose. Not terribly smoky or peppery, but minerality shows through. Blueberries . Elegant like a Pinot noir. Nose descriptors carry through to the palate, though the pepper comes through more strongly there. Not too tannic. Comes through on the back palate. Strong finish. Great with food.
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8/20/2019 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
First night it showed on the thin and reticent side, but the glass left for the second night had lots of black fruit, with peppery, savory depth, nice balance, and a powerful finish. Score reflects second night. Give it a year or two or a very long decant, and it’ll be a delight.
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3/28/2019 - mtaczak Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark berries and tapenade! plenty of structure, another LM for the ages.
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8/28/2018 - alanr wrote: 93 Points
Recently bottled, popped and poured without much air time, so this is just an early snapshot. So tasty, fabulous depth black/boysenberry fruit, good acidity, fairly well structured with tannins that sneak up on you. A lot going on in this delicious, complex Syrah. A great 20th vintage from the vineyard.
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