2019 LXV Reserve Syrah – Paso Robles Syrah with a Central Coast Twist
By Anna Hatfield
2019 LXV Reserve Syrah
WhiteHawk Vineyard
Paso Robles Syrah with a Central Coast Twist
“Today, from the redwood-jammed mountains of Santa Cruz to the hawk-hovered hilltops of Los Alamos, Central Coast Syrah is shining.” – Matt Kettmann
The growth in popularity of Syrah on the Central Coast can be attributed largely to its ideal terroir for this grape. As Matt Kettmann describes in a quote from his Wine Enthusiast Article, “the diverse terroir and wine regions somehow all seem suitable for this grape”. From the warmer Paso Robles climate to the cooler coastal climates, the Central Coast offers many variations for each winery’s impression on the grape.
Our 2019 Reserve Syrah from White Hawk Vineyard will capture and engage your senses with its elements and characteristics combining both warm and cool climates.
A Sensory Trip with LXV Owner, Neeta Mittal
The very first whiff of this Paso Robles Syrah reminded me of our time at Dario Cecchini in Tuscany where Dario the butcher cooked unapologetically large cuts of meat on open fire with curious faces staring on. Then, just as easily, I was transported to a Japanese ramen house where a nonchalant and seemingly uninteresting Japanese man toiled over super savory notes wafting out of a pot of miso cooked for hours. As my mind and heart vacillated between the two, there was always the company of a beautiful damsel carrying notes of violets and lilacs on her dainty wrist.
Strangely enough, these two seemingly opposite worlds faded with the first sip. I was now in my friend Simone’s kitchen on Thanksgiving Day taking a bite into a hearty raspberry pie whose crust was ever so laced with baking spices.
This entire journey between the three worlds was shepherded by a comforting, yet exciting, bouquet of white pepper – as if to say that terroir trumps imagination.
This wine is romance and sweetened passion balanced beautifully.
Pictured: LXV winery owner Neeta Mittal and Dario.
Winemaker Diaries
The wine is an explosion of red fruit on the nose, where subtle hints of violets and intense notes of pepper can also be detected. This wine, for laying down, is instantly seductive due to the power of its tannins and later, due to its smooth and velvety texture.
There is purity of fruit here with its brightness and its spice-saturated red character.
Although the tannins are less ferocious, there is still a tensile structure on display that bodes well for its development in the bottle.
Come try this Paso Robles wine for yourself at our LXV Tasting Room, voted as one of the Top 10 Wineries in Paso Robles due to our unique wine and spice tasting experience.
Check out what LXV Winemaker, Jeff Strekas, has to say about our 2019 Reserve Syrah from the backyard of our very own Armaa.N Vineyard located in the Willow Creek District – the heart of West Paso.
Check out what LXV Winemaker, Jeff Strekas, has to say about our 2019 Reserve Syrah from the backyard of our very own Armaa.N Vineyard located in the Willow Creek District – the heart of West Paso.
White Hawk Vineyard – A Tale of Two Climates
We couldn’t be happier to be sourcing the Syrah from the renowned White Hawk Vineyard. Located in Santa Barbara County’s Los Alamos, this “hybrid” site provides both warm and cool climate elements. The vines are planted on slopes approximately 900 feet in elevation with the land comprised primarily of sand. Daily temperatures begin with morning fog evolving into afternoon sunshine.
Take a walk with LXV owner Neeta Mittal and Winemaker Jeff Strekas through the “sustainable and primarily-organic farming methods!” at White Hawk Vineyard to see for yourself what makes this site so special for our Paso Robles Syrah.
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