2003 Radio-Coteau Syrah Timbervine

The Timbervine vineyard is a hillside site planted on fractured sandstone soils west of Forestville. This vineyard was first utilized by the Renard estate. While more monolithic than the 2002, the 2003 Syrah Timbervine possesses beautiful structure as well as loads of dense, concentrated, blackberry fruit interwoven with notions of dried herbs, pepper, smoke, and roasted meats. This outstanding Syrah needs another 12 months of bottle age, and should drink well for 7-8 years. This was the first opportunity I have had to taste a comprehensive line-up from new kid on the block, Eric Sussman. Sussman appears to be on a fast track to success with his hand-crafted, vineyard-based Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, and Zinfandels. All of the following wines are fermented with native yeasts, aged on their lees in French oak with no racking, and are bottled without fining or filtration. The vineyard sources are all cool climate sites west of Highway 101 in western Sonoma County. I suspect most of Radio-Coteau’s wines are sold via a mailing list, so readers are urged to sign up. Tel. (707) 887-8335; Fax (801) 340-6041

(Sussman had more vines in 2003 but still will offer 100 cases less than in 2002, as the crop level was just 1.6 tons per acre) Good bright, saturated ruby. Multidimensional nose combines black raspberry, bacon fat, gunflint, licorice, violet and cracked pepper, with a suggestion of exotic fruits. Dense and layered but rather closed, even a bit youthfully clenched, in the mouth. The flavors are similar to the aromas but the palate has not yet caught up with the nose. Best today on the very long finish. An extremely young wine that needs a few years in the bottle or considerable aeration in a decanter. Quite similar in aromatic character to the 2002, but this may ultimately be deeper.