2011 Failla Syrah Estate Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 91.8 points

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  4/5/2023 - JohnMcIlwain Likes this wine:

  Another crumbly cork, but the bottle is sound (no leakage or staining beyond the contact point with wine). Nose is polite and studied, with enough blackberry, sauvage, and peppercorn to indicate Syrah. There are some artifacts from elevage also, a hint of brûlée, café au lait, and cocoa nib—not deal breakers, but they’re there. The palate is a bit rounded with a bit of polymerised gloss leading on the attack with acidity, tannin and fruit following. A touch glossier than my last bottle. Not completely unexpected, but not exactly my steez either. Mr. Jordan has evolved his style and I prefer the current wines and will happily buy them, but this seems to be a transitional era (at least for Syrah) and is good quality if not exciting given my predilections. I’d say drink up, but keep an eye out for the current releases, as they are most satisfying. Re-buy? Maybe not. More than satisfactory with lamb chops, cannellini bean, and sautéed greens on a weeknight, just lacking a bit of excitement (or energy).
  
  *I have to add that I suspect these are young vines as well, so that seems like a fair qualifier.

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  10/21/2022 - JohnMcIlwain Likes this wine:

  A bit of a tough cork, but managed to extract it with the crumbling on the non-business end. A bit stinky upon opening. A decant for sediment and in influx of oxygen help things along. The robe shades more dark crimson than purple with some bricking at the meniscus. The nose offers aromas of red plum, wild blackberry, animale, and a whiff of oak barrel—not enough to derail the proceedings, but enough to push the black pepper notes from the fore. The palate shows fine energy and is a bit more black-fruited than the nose implies. There’s fine, lifted acidity and the tannins are resolving nicely, though the sweet wood from the barrels is an undercurrent her. The finish is lifted and fresh, not to mention persistent. Quite tasty with some grass fed beef and greens with the iodine/salty Syrah notes benefiting from the pairing. Very good, though the wood *just* pokes through. This is tasty, if more modern than I prefer. Failla has evolved since this wine was made, so I’d buy newer vintages. That said, if you find a well stored bottle there’s plenty of pleasure here with the right pairing.

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  3/24/2022 - gjv115 Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Pnp. Was best upon opening but cold have been our palates. Complex with a great mouthfeel. It's in a good place and don't see it improving, but could.

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  5/3/2021 - Jonny d Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Pale purple in the glass with a fading rim. Reconfirmed blind my score from 2019. This is classic Northern Rhone in a California bottle. Black olive, violets and slight scent of roses, and cardamom on the nose. Pure black raspberries on the palate with slight smokiness on the 10-15 second finish. Very nice. Sends me to the Failla site to check my allocation and stock up on some more to lay down. Key message for me: Failla ages very well-- it may be the exception to the Cali rule for Syrah and Pinot, but it's the truth. With Failla, generally ignore the drinking window suggestions and go out a bit longer; you'll be rewarded.

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  2/28/2021 - Zuperdaave wrote: 95 Points

  Delicious!

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