TN: 2005 Lillian Winery Syrah Blue Label (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County)

WINE TALK
1

Had a nice dinner at Nob Hill Tavern with a friend at CES. Decided to open one of my Blue Labels.

  • 2005 Lillian Winery Syrah Blue Label - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (1/9/2010)
    Fantastic bottle, popped and poured at Nob Hill Tavern in Vegas. Plum, tar, white pepper. Velvet in the mouth, long finish. With all that extra time in barrel, you’d expect an oak bomb, but it’s not. (96 pts.)

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2

Ken - [thankyou.gif] for opening it and providing insight.

Cheers, Ramon

3

Believe me, it was MY pleasure. A really great bottle of wine.

4

Love the Lillian, haven’t yet had the Blue Labels. Need to open one up next to one of my Saxum James Berry 32 or 44 and compare these longer barreled wines.

5

Ken, thanks for taking one for the team. There are so few of these out there. Are you advocating that the rest of us consider consuming one of these now or ought we wait a bit.

6

I’m still waiting for mine to come in :frowning:

7

My thinking was that since I had two of the '05s, I’d give one a try and it was great. The guy I shared it with thought it was the best bottle of wine he’d ever had. For me, that made it worth it by itself, just to see someone have an experience like that.

And I, too, want to try one along side one of the Saxum extended agers, and maybe throw in the Herman Story 239 days to go along with it.

8

Thanks for taking one for the team.
I have no clue when to drink these, although I thought I read somewhere Maggie said consume on the earlier side?? Anyone?

9

And I, too, want to try one along side one of the Saxum extended agers, and maybe throw in the Herman Story 239 days to go along with it.

I’m doing a bit of work in Burbank every other month or so, if you are serious we could try to plan something like that.

10

Ken, thanks a ton for the insights. I got lucky enough to make the cut on these and I am really glad I ordered based on your note.

11

Ken, how did the Blue Label compare to the non Blue Label Lillian if you have opened both?

12

Just looked back at my lone note from an '05 which was last March–I used a lot of similar descriptors, but I remember thinking that the regular needed some time. This Blue Label felt more complete, round and overall it just went to 11, if you know what I mean. That said, I put in my note on the regular that I thought it might surpass the '04, which I loved. Good think I have more. And I haven’t even tried an '06 yet.

13

Sounds like fun. Maybe we should get a group together to hit Palate over in Glendale and crack some syrahs…

14

Know what you mean. Had the 05 and 06 Lillian, but not the Blue Label. Suggest holding off on tasting the 06 for a bit if not in a rush, it is really in a barrel sample like state right now, but should evolve into something very similar to the 05 in time.

15

If you guys are in Burbank I would love to bring maybe a Sanguis Kubernetes (42 months) and see how it shows among other extended syrahs…

16

Not sure when I’ll be down there next, but will PM you guys or post a thread when I know, probably within next 2 months.

17

Randy got a bottle of Blue Label for his b.day and he’s been trying to decide when to drink it but I know it will be with me, I can’t wait.
flirtysmile

18

Throw some roasted meat at it and it will thank you…the wine, I mean.

19

Liking the idea of an extended aging OL…