Another wonderful wine from one of the central coasts best winemakers Clay Brock. Back in the mid-nineties, I fell in love with the wines from Zaca Mesa. It was very hard not to especially when they were served alongside with a freshly made pizza from Giuseppe’s in Pismo Beach or the rustic cuisine Chris Cherry was serving at Villa Creek Restaurant in Paso Robles. And the  barely above retail prices both restaurants charged for the wine helped to expand their customer base by matching the wine with the perfect food. The culmination of my adoration of this winery had to be during a stay at Hacienda del Sol in Tucson, AZ. During one of my meals at“The Grill” we opted for a Zaca Mesa Syrah called Black Bear Block. My expectations for Rhone style blends from the California Central Coast was changed forever. The Mesa Reserve wine with five years of aging has developed such an expansive flavor profile it is just a smidgen away from being as good as the original Black Bear Block. This block was planted in 2004 using three clones 174, 470 and 877 and it is located less than a half mile away from the Black Bear Block.

If you are looking for great Syrah to stock your cellar, this is a great wine to buy as it probably has another ten to fifteen years left before the fruit starts to fade. If you like foods with big bold flavors rest assured there is no dish that will be too big for this wine to pair up with including Texas hill country smoked BBQ brisket from Lockhart either Kreuz Market or Blacks or your local favorite as long as they smoke at 225º for at least 18 hours.

The broad fruit spectrum offered up from the glass as soon as you pour this wine is impressive. Olfactory assault begins with a strong smell of overripe blackberries that carry the dusty smell of rain right before it happens. The bouquet continues with more fruit smells mingled with other components like a raspberry mocha shake then the signature spice and sage. On the palate, this wine spreads across your flavor receptors with silky smooth textures exhibiting non-tannic characteristics that are a joy to experience. The bold fruit, soft structure and smoky oak on the finish completes this package making it the best wine I have consumed this year. Get some before this vintage disappears.

Rating: Excellent (94) | $65 | 14.5% ABV

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