2005 Syrah IX Estate

Who knew that an isolated spot in the eastern hills above St. Helena, in an area best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, would produce one of America’s most consistently spectacular Syrah bottlings? Apparently, Ann Colgin did.

Ann Colgin established Colgin Cellars in 1992 and then in 1998 purchased a 125-acre high-altitude estate on volcanic soil in the Pritchard Hill area overlooking Lake Hennessey. She and her husband Joe Wender named their property IX Estate because it was parcel #9 when previously owned by the Long Family and because Ann married Joe on September 9 (9/9). In 2000, they planted 20 acres of vines on IX Estate and in 2002 they completed their winery there and vinified their first harvest—not just the IX Red Wine (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) but a 100% Syrah that was stunningly rich and complex from the get-go. Subsequent vintages have only proven the site’s greatness for Syrah.

This was one of the most consistently outstanding set of wines on my March tour, as the fruit in both 2005 and 2006 benefited from good hang time. Despite high pHs and alcohol levels consistently in the low to mid 15% range, both of these vintages offer lovely verve and definition. To my palate, these wines are easier to drink than-and every bit as ageworthy as-many of the Colgin wines from 2002 and 2003 but with no loss of richness. According to Ann Colgin, in 2005 the team dropped crop no less than four different times during the season, ultimately throwing away up to 75% of the fruit. Following the departure of long-time winemaker Mark Aubert, Allison Tauziet vinified the 2007 vintage, with Alain Raynaud of Chateau Quinault in St. Emilion continuing to serve as consultant.

Following the departure of long-time winemaker Mark Aubert (he is now making wine for Bryant Family Vineyards in addition to his own label), assistant winemaker Allison Tauziet is at the helm here, with ongoing consulting assistance from Chateau Quinault's (St. Emilion) Alain Raynaud. The team bottled the 2004s last March, a few months earlier than usual, due to the vintage's high alcohol and ripeness and because they felt the wines were absorbing a lot of oak. These wines are remarkably rich, with alcohol levels typically in the mid to high 15% range. The 2005 growing season here got off to an early start and then benefited from a cooler summer and longer hang time. According to Ann Colgin, the estate dropped a lot of crop in August-"more than most people did." On my most recent visit, I was especially struck by the two Herb Lamb Vineyard bottlings, which showed more consistent ripeness than in some previous vintages. In fact, this is probably no coincidence, as vineyard management guru David Abreu got involved with this property in July of 2004 and immediately made the decision to open up the canopy and get better sun exposure in this north-facing vineyard.