2013 Alban Syrah Lorraine Estate

Dark purple. An explosively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe blackberry and cherry preserves, complicated by notes of cola, anise, olive paste and vanilla. Broad, palate-staining black and blue fruit flavors show impressive depth, and a zesty mineral quality provides spine and back-end cut. Gains weight and richness with air while maintaining vivacity, and finishes very long and smooth, displaying outstanding clarity and lingering dark berry notes.

Almost always my favorite cuvee from this estate, the 2013 Syrah Lorraine Vineyard offers quintessential notes of black raspberries, crushed flowers, spice, smoked meats and chocolate. It's deep, full-bodied and layered, with plenty of chalky minerality on the finish, yet still has the 2013 approachability and sexiness of the 2013 vintage. If I had to come up with a list of the greatest wine estates in the world, Alban Vineyards would certainly be in there. Readers need to understand that this estate is an anomaly, lying at the very end of the Edna Valley, and the only estate in 50+ miles making wines of this quality. Vintages here marginally track the larger Central Coast theme, yet not always. These are singular wines. John commented that he thinks 2015 is a step down over 2012, 2013 and 2014, but that it’s better than 2011. I only tasted his whites, but like everyone else in 2015, his yields were decimated, so there’s very little of these to go around. I report on the red from barrel next year. His 2014s are all terrific as well, with full-bodied, ripe, classic Alban Style. Where this estate doesn’t track with the rest of the Central Coast is with his 2013s and 2012s; in general, the 2012s are the sexier, more open-knit, and the 2013s more concentrated and structure. In John’s case, the vintages are reversed, with the 2012s showing more structure and the 2013s just packed with sweet fruit. As I’ve written in the past, for the life of me, I can’t understand why no one else in the Edna Valley tries to make wine anywhere close to this level of quality.

Full purple. Mineral- and smoke-tinged boysenberry and cherry liqueur scents are complemented by suggestions of candied violet, incense and cola, along with an exotic pit fruit element in the background. Vibrant and focused on the palate, offering intense black and blue fruit and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out steadily in the midpalate. Deeply concentrated yet energetic, showing a compelling marriage of power and elegance. Velvety, slow-building tannins frame a strikingly long, seamless finish that eventually leaves sweet blue fruit and floral notes behind.