Domaine de Pergaud Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban Vieille Serine Syrah

Dark cherry/blackberry, leather, nice legs, on the heavier side

Excellent freshness and acidity from this vintage, displaying a lot of evolution over the hours. Aeration reveals finer tannin, more red fruit character, lavender, saddle leather, thyme and pepper. Perhaps not as impressive as the 2015, but still a fairly complex and interesting wine for the price. I appreciate Texier’s Syrahs very much; they are never dull or heavy.

As far as I know this is the same small parcel in the northern end of Ardeche as I’ve previously tasted- not the Southern Rhône as Delectable classifies it. 100% Syrah (technically Serine) from lieu dit, organically farmed and bottled with little or no sulfur depending on the vintage. Lovely wine that is a very stable and composed example of natural wine. Classic Northern Rhône aromatics of lavender, smoked meat, olive tapenade and dried herbs. Dense but never heavy. Much more supple and expansive on the 2nd night. Find the 2015, drink one now and hold at least one for the future as they do age very well.

Serious and gorgeous Syrah from Eric Texier. Silky black fruits, bacon fat and bursting with fresh violets sense and elegance you might associate with far more famous appellations, but in fact this is from a rather rare and under appreciated corner of the Ardéche 30 miles from Hermitage. Very soft, low alcohol, great purity of fruit. Black pepper and minerals intermingle with very fine tannins. This is actually made from the ancient Vieille Serine varietal, generally recognized as Syrah. Zero sulfur added before bottling, so it is on the natural side- some bottles will show some brett influence. My favorite Texier wine thus far. Unique and lovely wine.

When Eric introduced this wine he describes the terroir as similar to Cornas. This is the first vintage where that's really been apparent to me, and boy, is it ever. There is so much muscular tannin at first that it starts out totally dry and backwards. The fruit sweetens up in the glass a bit but it's really the leftovers two whole days later where it finally gets friendly and easygoing and brings the fruit into the foreground. At that point, it features the signature fresh, piercing purity and succulence that typifies the house style for me, with just a hint of the tannin that was totally dominant on day one.

Robbed the cradle, initially dismissed it as a generic natural wine, day two opened up to reveal some generosity and a hint of fruit. But this wine is really all about the minerals. Like drinking black stones.

I've said it before, but, again, this round of Texier's wines are simply stunning for the money. This a soft open accessible Syrah that has enough acid to reveal interesting roasted rosemary and savory, meaty notes.

Texier's wines are always delicious and amazing values, but this is a standout. Juicy but restrained; fruit driven, but mineral and lively.

#syrah

Digging this, liking it better today than last night