I was given this by a client from their rack indoors. I think it was once stocked by Waitrose

This Syrah is 71% Mendocino & 29% Monterey county grapes. It is the '06 with some bottle age. The cork is a good composite version, and had sealed very well indeed, no creep whatsoever.

I drunk this this syrah in the week and it was a tad better than expected. Not too strong and extracted in flavour, not too baked either. The 14.5 alc it not welcome, but the hotness is not overly intrusive, as the spirit wains in the glass.
This has benefited from age I'm sure, the American oak is good with this varietal, and does complement the fruit, which does exhibit a bit of blueberry, cedary meggy & cinnamin spice note, touch of black olive and very mild peppery finish. Hess say trad winemaking techniques were employed, and it's not a brute at all - thankfully.

A cut above the norm for my taste, a little drier than some of them, and a welcome change. I'm not sure it would have been as satisfying for me straight off the production line though....... But I don't know how much evo has taken place.

Dont know the money either. Snoot say $14.90 USD previously.

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Duncan

Looked them up. Loads of organic vines, and many varieties. They also own Glen Carlou and Peter Lehmann.

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.

Cheers for looking that up Mr B, any whites in their portfolio that you fancy ?

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Duncan

Hess, per se, only available at a couple of non high st. outlets, and it looks all Cab. Had a couple or three Lehmann's of course and an '07 Glen Carlou Char (with which I was not impressed).
Whilst on the rare stuff, I also had a pair of '06 "Very Sexy" shiraz a couple of years ago. One went down the drain, and the other given away.

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.