Samuel Louis Smith, “Sandstone Terrace” Syrah
Other, United States 2018 (750mL)
Regular price$32.00
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Samuel Louis Smith, “Sandstone Terrace” Syrah
Our tastings at SommSelect are a little like Thunderdome. For example, today’s seemingly unassuming, gently priced Syrah found itself on a table packed with battle-tested titans from places like Barolo, Bordeaux, and yes, the Northern Rhône—the spiritual homeland of Syrah and the standard by which all other wines from the variety are judged. I’ll spare you the suspense: Samuel Louis Smith jousted with the greats and walked away a triumphant winner.
It went up against a bottle from a respected Saint-Joseph producer, and while it was close (both were delicious), “Sandstone Terrace” was the better wine. Many Rhône-obsessed sommeliers would consider such a statement sacrilege, but we call ‘em like we see ‘em, and besides, it’s not like California, and the Santa Cruz Mountains, don’t already have a sterling track record with Syrah. I don’t consider this an “upset” in any way, merely a confirmation of the potential of Syrah in the best terroirs of Coastal California, especially when a talented winemaker is involved. Samuel Louis Smith is exactly that—a true talent with an eye for great terroir—and when we saw what he was charging for this 2018, it emphatically sealed the deal. I was immediately reminded of another Central Coast Syrah sensation (Bien Nacido Estate’s “Well-Born Cuvée,” also offered recently) and I thought: The state of California Syrah is strong. What an exciting find!
The name Samuel Louis Smith might suggest one of the founding fathers or some other historical figure, but it is in fact the name of the young, inspired winemaker behind this project (he goes by Sam). Like many winemakers from around the world, he traces his “eureka” wine moment to France, where he spent a semester studying during college. Perhaps most of us would have become winemakers if we were able to be in Bordeaux ourselves with some duck confit and a bottle of ’89 Margaux. With the wine bug securely implanted, Sam went on to make wines in the Willamette Valley and the Northern Rhône (especially relevant experience for creating today’s wine). It was during his time as assistant winemaker for Margerum Wine Company that he learned more about how to apply his “old world” palate to the cool Central Coast mountain terroir. The Samuel Louis Smith label was born as an exemplar of Sam’s personal ethos to winemaking: organic viticulture, mountainous sites, and minimal cellar intervention. With these as the founding principles as the structure, Sam applies them to some very specific growing regions and grapes along the Central Coast.
Sandstone Terrace is a 50/50 blend of two sites in the Santa Cruz Mountains, each adding a slightly different take on Syrah. “Gali” is located at the southern end of the region, only six miles from the Pacific and the über-chilly Monterey Bay. With subsoils of ancient marine sediments, the soil on top includes a combination of clay, loam along with sandstone and shale. There are no herbicides used and minimal irrigation. The other vineyard is “Zayante,” located in the Central Santa Cruz Mountains and facing the ocean at an elevation of 1,200 feet. This is a fully organic, own-rooted, dry-farmed site that is truly the best of what a California mountain vineyard can be. The soils here are Lompico clay/loam with sandstone, shale and conglomerate.
Once harvested, Sam treats these wines in a neo-classical style and a light hand, with no new oak used for aging. The Sandstone Terrace bottling is made using 85% whole grape clusters and fermented using ambient yeasts only. After aging for 10 months, the wine is bottled without filtration. Only eight barrels (that’s less than 200 cases!) were produced, of which we received a precious few.
The care and attention to detail throughout the process results in some of the most lithe and vividly aromatic Syrah I’ve ever had from the New World. That’s not hyperbole, that’s just fact: this really is a game-changer! With a color of deep magenta moving to pale ruby at the rim, the wine is medium-bodied and nuanced. The nose has a classic Syrah profile with blackberry compote, black currants, black plum, smoked bacon, black pepper and dried sage. The palate is full of deep, black fruits but stays light on its feet with bright acidity and a long, persistent finish. I would highly encourage a 15-30 minute decant for this wine before serving at 60 degrees in Bordeaux stems. As it opens up, the deeper, darker Syrah aromas come to the fore and it begins to show why we mistook it for a Northern Rhône. I can see this aging for 3-5 years easily, but good luck keeping your hands off the bottles for that long. Given this wine is a dead ringer for a traditional Northern Rhône, I recommend pairing with a traditional Rhône meal, a leg of lamb. You won’t be disappointed. Or surprised. California Syrah is the real deal!
