cropthreash

 

 

1998 SYRAH ROLL RANCH
SPECIAL BOTTLING, LOT E.H.
California
 

How nice it is to hold a wine an additional year before sale. A year ago this one would have been more difficult to comprehend than the 1999 Roll. The nose is still brooding a bit, but packed tightly with the typical Roll apricot and plum fruits. The mouth is unbelievably concentrated and the wine has amazing length-- seamless in texture from the first burst of fruit in the mouth to the very copious but fine textured tannins in the finish. If the 1996, 1999 and E.H. are the biggest of the bunch, the E.H. is the most elegant of the big boys. You really can drink this one today, and I recommend you try one now, but certainly hold on to a few bottles as this wine has the structure for years and years of positive development.

For those of you who buy 6 bottles, they will come in a cute little Ojai Vineyard wooden box. Magnums are also available, packed individually in a special wooden box crafted by a local artisan.