2014 Piedrasassi, Syrah “PS” Santa Barbara County.
Sashi Moorman’s Piedrasassi PS Syrah 2014 is outstanding. Period. True Story. I mean, wow, this is beautiful and seductive wine that if was labeled Cote-Rotie or Cornas no one would blink an eye if told it was $75 or $100 a bottle, the fact is this stuff sells for under $25 a bottle! Only 1,200 cases of this sexy and intriguing Syrah were made, and it will sell out fast, and with good reason, this is dark, perfumed and texturally layered and wonderfully spicy showing great length and detail. The deep blue and black fruits, richly flavored boysenberry, black currant, wild plum, blueberry and kirsch unfold on the palate with a background of violets, peppercorns, graphite/mineral tones, black olives, anise, cedar, clove and chalky/loamy pebbles. Impressively dense without being flabby, vibrant and complex, but seductively opulent and pleasing this Syrah delivers loads of pleasure and while structured, it drinks wonderfully now with it’s sweet tannin and youthful fruit added to the charms. It was stunning with grilled street tacos, and is lovely enough to admire on it’s own, this is a stellar example of California Syrah from a studied and talented winemaker on top of his game, all the current releases Moorman crafts are seriously good efforts from Stolpman to Evening Land and of course the partnership wines with Raj Parr at Domaine de la Cote and Sandhi as well, but be sure to look for his own label Piedrasassi, and in particular this PS Syrah, drink this over the next few years, best from 2017 to 2024.
($22 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive
