Sometimes a rookie suffers a case of the jitters.
When Gregory Graham harvested his new plot of syrah grapes for the first time, the vines could not summon the courage to produce. He coaxed just over a ton per acre, well below the yields expected from veteran vines.
And that was just the start of a difficult debut. A plague of fruit flies forced Graham to abandon one crush facility for another. When he tried to calm the wine in good French oak for a quiet 16 month spell, it responded with an immature thumb to the nose.
After more than a decade, the 2004 Gregory Graham syrah has settled — a bit. Instead of maturing into a serene, contemplative wine, it gained an expressive, almost flippant edge.
“It’s young,” Graham said of the 13-year-old vintage. “It’s not showing a lot of bottle bouquet.”
What it offers after a swirl of the glass instead are bowls of fresh berries — basking blueberries sweetened by a spread of blackberry jam. As these impressions begin to soften, a delicate side emerges. Gentle plum, still hanging on the branch, red licorice like you used to find in five and dime bins, white pepper and a sprinkle of vanilla dashed over unvarnished wood.
It is a vibrant introduction and — yes — like a much more recent vintage.
Intense berry flavors spill onto the palate and gather for a grand march. Again, hearty blueberry and sharp blackberry lead the parade. It is full of pomp and color and joy. And then the bands pass by, yielding the route to rich chocolate sparked by the sheen of pepper and earthy spice. A twirl of vanilla slips ahead of a more deliberate hint of red licorice.
Berries return for the finish, this time draped in chocolate and countered by a bitter, earthy, herbal note.
It’s a wonderful wine, yet one that still challenges the winemaker.
“I’ve made as good or better later on,” Graham said of the following vintages. “It’s still showing young, but I like the fruit.”
Saturday during Lake County’s Barrels and Verticals tasting, held at participating wineries, Graham will line up his 2004 with syrahs from ’05 through ’09 for comparison. After the first harvest, the vines began to shake off their rookie nerves.
Yet there is something special in the 2004. The other vintages may display greater maturity. But Graham’s initial foray has settled into its own niche — comfortable, finally, and excited to share its youthful spirit.
To find a 2004 that is still so fresh is indeed a reason to celebrate.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
