WE KNEW THEM WAY BACK WHEN...

We’ve all heard it before, the inferred compliment of “oh, it’s undiscovered, still under the radar” as if obscurity confers greater quality than something already discovered. Who hasn’t at one point boasted about listening to a band BEFORE they made it big, or better yet, you went to the concert! So it’s with great trepidation that I pull that “compliment” when describing how I feel about the Clos Saron “Sacre Bleu” Syrah, 2003. Only 100 cases were made by this micro-producer (in the Sierra Foothills no less, you know that “undiscovered” region) by winemaker Gideon Beinstock. With no plans to ever make more than 2000 cases a year total for all his different varietals and blends, Gideon is assuring himself and us, that quality will always be the first priority. Interestingly, Syrah isn’t even the winery’s first priority, it’s Pinot Noir, which couldn’t be more opposite from a Syrah, though it does explain his attention to purity and craft.

Still a baby at 4 years old, this wine has so much going on that it’s hard to truly nail down what I like the most about it. Inky, intense, with sharp berry flavors balanced by a stone minerality rarely found in CA wines under $70 are a few for starters. The nose is almost archetypal with violets, black pepper and a hint of smoked meat, reminiscent of a serious Cote Rotie. What really strikes me about this wine though is the line it walks between typical full fruit-forward CA Syrahs and the more mineral, earthy and restrained Rhone style Syrahs I really love. It will take at least an hour of decanting however for this balance to show, as when you first uncork it is so massive and tight that you get more texture than actual flavors on the palate. But wait a bit and sit back and enjoy a wine experience you’ll be hard pressed to find again from under-$40 Syrah from California. Wait a few more years and you’ll really have a hard time figuring out where it came from. E SMITH
WI Score: 94pts