A couple of California syrahs from 1998. These two couldn't have been more different stylistically on release. The Failla Jordan comes from the Que Syrah vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. Due to the cold climate, that vineyard produced grapes ripe enough to make wine about every third year. This wine is very Northern Rhone in character with lots of black pepper and firm acid. It was enjoyable then and still is. Lighter now, but it was never a big wine, very aromatic. Not everybody's cup of tea and atypical for CA syrah, but I enjoyed it. 98 was the inaugural release for Eheren Jordan's own label, the name being a combo of his last name and his wife's maiden name. He was sued by Jordan cellars and had to drop the Jordan and now bottles his wines under the Failla label.
On release the Alban Lorraine was a huge wine, reductive to the point of being undrinkable. It's mellowed somewhat, lost the sulphur stink, and is still pretty hefty. When I first became interested in wine in the late 90's, Alban was one of my favorite producers. After a few years, I felt like virtually all their wines were overwhelmed by winemaking rather than representing any varietal typicity or terroir. This wine confirms that opinion, even at 14 years old. I don't really know how to describe it, but virtually all Alban red wines taste like Alban red wine more than they taste like syrah, grenache, etc., and this wine doesn't taste much different than what I remember on release.
On release the Alban Lorraine was a huge wine, reductive to the point of being undrinkable. It's mellowed somewhat, lost the sulphur stink, and is still pretty hefty. When I first became interested in wine in the late 90's, Alban was one of my favorite producers. After a few years, I felt like virtually all their wines were overwhelmed by winemaking rather than representing any varietal typicity or terroir. This wine confirms that opinion, even at 14 years old. I don't really know how to describe it, but virtually all Alban red wines taste like Alban red wine more than they taste like syrah, grenache, etc., and this wine doesn't taste much different than what I remember on release.
