Summer Fun

As we head into the last few weeks of Summer, what better way to enjoy the weekend than poolside with a beverage? Ended up getting together with some friends we haven’t seen in awhile. Kids splashed in the pool and the parents sat around reminiscing about the old days, catching up on new happenings, and of course popping a few corks. Ended up bring the 2010 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah and the 2017 Lucia Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir and neither disappointed. The Clarendon Hills Syrah presented a beautiful aged smoky palate of blackberries and dark cherries with its signature white pepper finish. Layers of complexity, full and rich, love this Syrah. The Lucia Pinot Noir was a great compliment, smooth and rich, with dark red cherry and strawberry flavors. Definitely fruit forward but not overpowering with super fine tannins that coated the palate with great acidity.

2010 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah

Winemaker Notes
The Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah opens with aromas of mineral iodine and graphite, quickly melding into crushed rock and eventually a floral perfume emerges. Lifted, polished characteristics are offered from the broad base of ambient red and black fruits. The expression really comes alive with airing. The densely structured palate has great clarity through naturally solid acidity. Acting almost like salt to cuisine, the acidity provides definition to the tidal surge of rich, dark varietal characteristics.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 93+ Points
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2010 Hickinbotham Vineyard Syrah flaunts a nose of cassis, blueberry compote and spearmint with touches of baking spices and licorice. Concentrated, full-bodied and generously fruit with tight-knit, minty, blackberry flavors, the flavors are supported by firm grainy tannins, lively acid and a long finish. Drink it 2014 to 2024+.

2017 Lucia Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes
A deep and rich ruby color, the 2017 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir impresses from the moment it’s poured. Notes of Bing cherry, violets, and blackberry crisp shine within this purity, and aromas of orange blossom and cedar add enticing complexity. The ample rainfall of the 2017 season energized the vines at Garys’ Vineyard, resulting in a wine of incredible concentration and freshness from the start. Bright, juicy flavors of black cherry, plum, and baking spice add impressive volume on the palate, while soft, supple tannin gives the wine a well-rounded structure. Lively acidity swirls amongst the fruit flavors, adding brightness that bursts from start to finish while hinting at a graceful, long life in bottle.

Wine Enthusiast 97 Points
Rich, clean and powerfully mineral-driven on the nose, this single-vineyard expression shows black cherry, tangy raspberry, crushed slated and damp gravel on the nose. There is tremendous depth of flavor to the intensely elegant palate, where strong but perfectly ripe dark fruits are balanced by tightly woven tannins, fresh acidity and more rock and soil flavors.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 95 Points
This vineyard was planted in 1995 by Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni. Medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard is shy on the nose at first, opening slowly to red fruit sparks over a core of dense black fruit with classic notes of tobacco leaf, cola, woodsmoke and violet hints. Medium to full-bodied, it’s dense and concentrated in the mouth with tons of dark, savory fruits and floral notions. It has ripe, tight-grained tannins and wonderful freshness to energize the dense, layered finish.