Wine Recommendation
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Wine Recommendation

Poetic Cellars 2005 Syrah, Rios-Lovell Vineyards (San Francisco Bay)

Poetic Cellars

2005 Syrah, Rios-Lovell Vineyards
(San Francisco Bay)



Long-time winemaker Katy Lovell has significant acreage in Livermore to tap from in making her wines, even though her brand new winery is located in Soquel, near the original winemaking belt off Jarvis Road known as Vine Hill. In the cellar, though, she has some very yummy wines from her Livermore stash. She owns many acres of vineyards in the Livermore Valley courtesy of a previous venture with ex-partner Max Rios, with whom she established and operated Rios-Lovell Winery. Katy has so many great red wine grapes to choose from, and this Syrah is one of them.

This Syrah is definitely Livermore: rich, sweet, ripe and very easy to drink. Picked at 27.3° Brix, with a PH of 3.57, this is a rich, rich wine, made all the richer by a heavy oak program of 14.5 months in barrel, 85% French and 15% American with approximately a third new. Sweet plush aromas of baked plum tart, spicy sausage, ham and baked Brie. Did I say rich? This wine has wonderful flavours of plum tart, baked chile peppers, and sundried tomatoes. It is quite weighty on the palate, and wants to be paired with something like a pepperoni, Italian sausage, Provolone cheese and Roma tomato pizza – with a generous oregano and basil topping. And maybe a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano. If you like your Syrah as big as you like your Petites, this one will please.

Reviewed June 10, 2008 by Laura Ness.




Other reviewed wines from Poetic Cellars

 

The Wine

Winery: Poetic Cellars
Vineyard: Rios-Lovell Vineyards
Vintage: 2005
Wine: Syrah
Appellation: San Francisco Bay
Grape: Syrah / Shiraz
Price: 750ml $28.00

Review Date: 6/10/2008

The Reviewer

Laura Ness

A wine writer and wine judge for major publications and competitions around the country, Laura Ness likens wine to the experience of music. She is always looking for that ubiquitous marriage of rhythm, melody, and flawless execution. What is good music? You know it when you get lost in it. What is good wine? It is music in your mouth.