Barrel 27
2006
Central Coast
"Right Hand Man"
Syrah

“Power to the (Wine) People”

Something we can all agree with these days, I’ll start this blog out with this Barrel 27's “Mission Statement”:

“We work. We work hard to make good wine. You work. You work hard and need good wine. You might have money, but maybe you’re like us. We make Barrel 27 wines for people like us. If you work, and we mean work hard, and you need to drink good wine, and still make your mortgage payments, car payments, kid payments and pet payments, we’re here for you. Our goal is to make wine that works hard at helping hard working America relax for a minute, take a load off, and remove the nose from the grindstone for a while. We hope you enjoy them.”

I could not agree more for about $15. It’s a few shillings more than what your true bargain hunter may splurge on, but for $15 it would be hard to find something finer in the form of Syrah from California. I think it drinks more like a $20-30 bottle – don’t tell the winemakers please! It’s all there: vibrant in color, a nose that jumps from the glass and a taste and finish that keeps you coming back for more. The characteristics are telling me that this wine was made from some dudes who know what they are doing with the grapes. In fact it is.

“Right Hand Man” Syrah is what we would call a “second” wine from a primary winemaker or winery. Russell From and McPrice “Mac” Myers, who both make their own central Californiacoast wines under their own labels (Herman Story and McPrice Myers respectively), got together to create this generous offering of well priced Syrah from Central Coast grapes.

Also commonly found with the RHM Syrah, Barrel 27 also crafts at this time “Rock and a Hard Place” Grenache and “High on the Hog” white – a Rhone styled white blend of three primary grapes: Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne.

Color: Dark red and purple center, solid red edges

Nose: Violets, tar, cherry, some pepper and smoky oak

Palate: Powerful. Black cherry, black raspberry fruit and vanilla dominate, some tar and spice accent the powerful structure and explosion of fruit. Big fruit and a spicy oak finish, some meat, and firm but supple tannins trail on to the end. Drink now 2011.

Cheers!

-Tom

Pax Castelli-Knight Ranch Syrah 2005

Tasted over 4 hours and decanted.

Color - Dark red with garnet edges, not inky black - but it did gain weight and seem to darken with airtime in the decanter.

Nose - Tight at first and needed air to coax out after an hour or so the pepper aromas, blackberry fruit, crushed flowers: maybe lilac/purple flowers. Subtle leather and some meat notes emerged later after a few hours.

Palate - That wonderful pepper again, refreshing blackberry and some blueberry, crushed rocks and minerality. Firm tannins and refreshing acidity clean the palate and leave behind a long minute plus finish of blackberry and spicy pepper notes. Very well made and a true tribute to the Rhone - just as the folks at Pax Wine Cellars try to do it.

The most Rhone like wine I have had from outside the Rhone Valley. It can easily age another 8-12 years. I can't wait to get my 2006 Griffin's Lair, Kobler, Castelli-Knight, and Cuvee Keltie. I will try to not touch this wine again for a while or the 2005 Griffin's Lair Syrah.

CHEERS!