“There is truth in wine,
but you never see it listed in the ingredients on the label” — Josh Stern
I’ll
get to that quote later. For now, let’s talk about the wine. More specifically,
let’s talk about the winery, Kendal Jackson / Jackson Estates and the wine:
their Alisos Hills Syrah. The estate is
grand: near the vineyards are rows of walnut trees and areas in which organic
produce is grown and used in preparing dishes made in their kitchen.
Sitting outside under a patio umbrella and
enjoying a glass while also enjoying the view is a joy anyone experiencing will
want to experience again. Problem
is most of us don’t visit vineyards. We don’t tour wineries. Problem is,
Kendall Jackson, as a brand, is so available it’s become commonplace in our
minds and, in the process, devalued. We
want something different, something exotic or assumed to be expensive - especially
when entertaining - perhaps to impress?
And perhaps it’s true that “success breeds contempt.” Yet the brand being as successful as it is speaks
to the fact that lots of people are buying it.
So is it an issue of image regarding how we project ourselves when
discussing the wines we admit to drinking? Gee, you’d think 1976 would have erased all
that nonsense. Quality has always been
about what’s inside the bottle; not
the front label on it.
I’m
proposing that we remove that veil of snobbery that we wear in public and let
the truth of the marketplace’s private reality be admitted. This is some delicious wine. And that it’s commonly available and at
budget friendly prices should be celebrated, not secreted.
 |
| One of the Walnut Trees |
 |
| The "Mizer" with Chef Matthew on the patio in Oct. 2014 |
Syrah
is noted for being high in tannins and low in acidity. But with site selection, blending and
meticulous vinification by Kendall-Jackson (and six years from vintage), I
found the tannins silky and with sufficient acidity to make the wine food
friendly and its pairing versatile. In
cool months, it begs for beef stew or braised beef. Great with lamb and Osso Bucco, it can also be
casually enjoyed with sausage and barbecue or grilled steaks. Enjoy it with smoky blue cheese melted on a
hamburger, or alone against an English styled Cheddar.
Inky
purple in the glass, the wine gifts aromas that (for me) are strong with
blueberry and black plum, then blackberry and cola with spicy hints. Complexity,
I find, starts in vineyard selection. And while the wine is 100% Syrah, grapes are
selected from special blocks
within two of their many estate vineyards: (1) In
the upper Southeast corner and a separate Southwest facing bench of the Barham
vineyard having mixed soil of clay, sandy loam and gravel. Clay brings density and structure to the
grapes. The lightness balancing this is
from the very sandy soil of (2) the upper Northeast beach corner of the Neely
Vineyard. These cool coastal vineyards of Santa Barbara are dotted with warmer blocks
that hold heat better than others – ideal for Syrah. Alisos Hills is a blend of those special
blocks. Grapes from these two vineyards
grow at elevations of 700 to 1100 feet from “mountain” tops, ridges, hillsides
and raised bench land.
 |
| Alisos in the Glass |
Syrah
is noted for being high in tannins and low in acidity. But with site selection, blending and
meticulous vinification by Kendall-Jackson (and six years from vintage), I
found the tannins silky and with sufficient acidity to make the wine food
friendly and its pairing versatile. In
cool months, it begs for beef stew or braised beef. Great with lamb and Osso Bucco, it can also be
casually enjoyed with sausage and barbeque or grilled steaks. Enjoy it with smoky blue cheese melted on a
hamburger, or alone against an English styled Cheddar.
 |
| Loin Lamb Chops, Baby Broccoli, Fresh Herbs and Alisos |
 |
| Just as good with Split Peas soup with diced bits of smoked Ham Shanks |
On
the palate, the wine is smooth and luscious and super “malo-mellow”. Medium
plus bodied but rich and palate coating enough to be considered full. Black
cherry, vanilla, dark chocolate; hints of blackberry and currant and baking
spice and herb notes. Dry, but fruit
rich, yet restrained and in balance, its only threat is its roundness and easy
drinking quality which makes it too easy to enjoy.
And
finally, to that quote: As only one
among a very few wineries, Kendall-Jackson makes a practice of providing information
about each wine on its back label. Imagine!
No stories about why a wine is named after a neighbor’s pet bird or other
similar nonsense. Useful information.
Respectful of the process, as we should be of this wine.
 |
| The Back Label of their Los Robles Pinot Noir |
Cheers!
……………..
Jim
 |
| Back Label of 2013 Alisos |
Follow and like Wine
Mizer on Facebook for mini-reviews, industry news and more.
winemizer.net
does not accept any advertisements, nor is it affiliated with any winery,
vineyard, importer or distributor. You may be assured that any opinions
are not economically biased (though they may not be appropriate to your
individual and unique palate).
TECH SPECS:
Kendall-Jackson Vineyard
Estates https://www.kj.com/
Varietal: Syrah,
100%
Vintage: 2013
Source: Los
Alamos, Santa Barbara County
Appellation: Santa
Barbara County
Vineyards: Barham
and Neely
Elevation: 700-1100
Feet
Aging: 13
Months, 88% French Oak (34%) New 1
ALC: 14.5%
TA: 0.57
g/100ml
pH: 3.75
ARP: $37.00
U.S.
Current Vintage: 2019
1 Changes are
made as needed for vintage. 2016, for example, was 11 Months, 100% French and 28% new.
Note: This wine was previously labeled as “Highland
Estates.” Names are changed to confuse
the innocent,
No comments:
Post a Comment