Wine Review – 2005 Stolpman La Coppa Syrah, Santa Ynez, California
Winery: Stolpman Vineyards
Bottling: 2005 La Coppa Syrah
Region: California
Sub-Region: Santa Ynez Valley
Estimated Retail Price: $19 (Winery price)
Purchase Details: Purchased for approximately $16 at Arlequin Wine Merchant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, California.
Tasting Notes: Blackberry and boysenberry flavors with an herbal, rosemary like finish. There was a grainy textural quality that I find very appealing and more often than not, I find this quality in wines that also possess a “delicious” quality, the kind that makes you just want to go back to the well over and over again.
I haven’t had a wine like this in awhile and it was exciting to be drinking it. I’ve tasted many wonderful wines that were well-crafted, impressive and downright outstanding. There are few wines I’ve tasted though, that had the same quality this syrah had to make me want to drink it in the same voracious manner in which I would eat a can of Pringles. Was there MSG in this wine, I wonder?
Food Pairing & Context in Which to Enjoy: How about a nice juicy rib-eye, or portobello mushroom if you’re a vegetarian, with a red wine reduction sauce. I’m also thinking of braised short ribs on a creamy bed of risotto.
Winery & Other Background Information: I forget how good the wines from this winery are. I haven’t had the opportunity to taste their wares that often, but when I do I’m always so impressed. They’re dense, flavorful and always well-balanced. The wine making duties are handled by Sashi Moorman, who definitely has quite the touch. Along with having his own label Piedrasassi, he also assists in crafting the fine wines of the Evening Land project, a line of ultra-premium, high-end Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from vineyards in both California and Oregon.
March 25th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Another great review. Succinct and to the point. Sashi Moorman is a great winemaker. Tried the 50.00 Evening Land pinot and it was pretty good. It is very difficult to justify 90.00 chardonnays and 150.00 pinot noirs from Oregon though. They produce some great wine up north, but how can they justify such high price points at this time? Just wanted to make a comment for further discussion.
March 26th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Thanks for your comment Mark. I’m glad you agree that Sashi is a good winemaker. I’m always so impressed by all these winemakers that don’t have formal wine making schooling. Lots of ‘em out there.
Yes, it is very difficult to justify $90 chardonnays and $150 pinot noirs even in a good economy, but I imagine that the proprietors and all those involved know that there are consumers out there who will always be willing to pay those prices. I’m sure an operation like Evening land is well-capitalized enough to weather the ups and downs of an economy like this. Ultimately though it will be interesting to see how consumers, even ones with well-endowed wallets, alter their buying habits once the economy returns to normal – whatever normal is.