Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
REVEAL NUMBER ELEVEN Dierberg 2008 Star Lane Vineyard Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley ($34) Representing Santa Barbara County and its winemaking legacy, the Dierbergs purchased properties in Santa Maria and the Sta. Rita Hills as well as the Star Lane Vineyard in the relatively new up-andcoming region of Happy Canyon in the Santa Ynez Valley. The 100% Dierberg Syrah goes through no iltering, maceration or pressing. The grapes, on their own, are small and generously pigmented. Hand-harvested and grown in the warmest part of the Valley, the juice is aged for 20 months before bottling. Our Panel's Notes "Reminds me of a very ripe Châteauneuf-du-Pape; sweet, smoky with sunshine and red fruit. It possesses an intense cedar clove/allspice middle that mingles throughout Dierberg Estate General its meaty proile." —Jonathan Mitchell Manager Kurt Ammann. "Dense violet core with a touch of blackberry liqueur, rose petal and fresh fruitiness. White pepper and spearmint lace the acid-bright, ripping inish." —Jerry Garbus REVEAL NUMBER TWELVE Folin Cellars 2010 Misceo SMG, Folin Vineyards, Rogue Valley, Oregon ($34) Latin for "blend," Misceo is a Rhône blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvèdre and 20% Grenache from the familyowned and -operated Folin Cellars estate vineyard in southern Oregon. Like all of their wines, Misceo is sealed with the innovative Vino-Seal closure to ensure all of our wines are as their winemaker intended them to be: "No Cork, No Worries." The southernmost wine-growing region in Oregon, the Rogue Valley, with its steep hillsides, is well-suited for warm-weather varieties such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Our Panel's Notes "Wonderful nose of cinnamon, pink petals and raspberry. Soft, playful, easy-drinking wine with smooth, integrated tannins." —Jonathan Mitchell "Open and approachable. Slightly earthy nose backed up by pretty red fruit and baked notes. Acidity in check all the way—a great structured Syrah." —Benny Bohm Rob Folin, winemaker, Folin Cellars. january 2013 / the tasting panel / 133