J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah 2019
-
Tasting
Panel -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Varietal aromas of blueberry and black tea are accented by floral notes, bergamot, and lilac in the 2019 J. Lohr Estates South Ridge Syrah. The native spice and structure of this Northern Rhône cultivar is lengthened and lifted by the inclusion of Grenache, Viognier, and Mourvèdre.
Pair with a slow-roasted pork shoulder and herbed potatoes. For simple, casual fare, try a classic BLT.
Blend: 93% Syrah, 3% Grenache Noir, 2% Viognier, 2% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
-
Tasting Panel
Winemaker Brenden Wood must truly love this variety. Taking fruit from three of Paso’s subAVAs—the Estrella, Adelaida, and Creston districts—he has composed a generous and luxurious red that overdelivers for the price. The addition of Grenache Noir, Viognier, and Mourvèdre adds complex layers. A juicy wash of blueberry, plum, and espresso comes in on the seamless entry with a woodsy tea note. Cured meats leave salinity behind as spiced cedar and rhubarb enhance the finish
-
Wine & Spirits
A lot of wine for the price, there’s a rich purple core of flavor that gets lifted by a high-toned thrust of acid, with a decadent texture for barbecue. Best Buy
Other Vintages
2021-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Tasting
Panel
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wilfred
Wong
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Enthusiast
For fifty years and through two generations, the Lohr family and their team have been leaders in the California wine industry. Founder Jerry Lohr and his three children Steve, Cynthia, and Lawrence oversee one of the country’s most successful and trusted fine wine labels. With first plantings in Monterey in 1972 and then in Paso Robles in 1986, the J. Lohr team helped write the book on sustainable winegrowing on the Central Coast.
Today, J. Lohr farms more than 4,000 acres of estate vineyards in Monterey’s Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands appellations, Paso Robles, and St. Helena in the Napa Valley. J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines produces eight tiers of award-winning releases: J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, J. Lohr Cuvée Series, J. Lohr Vineyard Series, J. Lohr Gesture, J. Lohr Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine, J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Monterey Roots, and ARIEL Vineyards. J. Lohr was honored with the 2020 Green Medal Leader Award in recognition of the company’s decades-long commitment to sustainability.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.