Woot : One Day, One Deal (SM)

Let’s recap, shall we? 1999, age 27: The Chronicle names him a Winemaker To Watch. 2004, age 32: Food & Wine Magazine names him the #1 Taste Maker Of The Year, at the top of their list of under 35s. 2006, age 34: The Chronicle gives three stars to his 2004 Tous les Jours Syrah. 2009, age 37: sells a Syrah Trio on Wine.woot. Really, what more can a man do in life?

That’s why we’re so pleased to see the return of Andrew Murray’s exceptional Rhone varietals in today’s three pack of delicious wines. Take, for example, the 2007 Syrah Terra Bella Vineyard. With grapes from the hilly reaches west of the 101, in Pasa Robles, this Syrah comes from the best possible fruit the vineyard has to offer. Very ripe, yet well balanced, the wine it creates is the darkest in the cellar with distinctive aromas and the flavor of blueberries and raspberries. Sounds absolutely wonderful, doesn’t it?

Or what about the 2006 Espérance? Named in homage of the inn in Vezelay, where the young Andrew Murray first stayed while researching his varietals, this wine is a Murray-style recreation of the great reds of Southern France. It’s rich, concentrated, with aromas and flavors of ultra-ripe strawberries, black cherry, and blueberry, mixed in with the spiciness of cinnamon, vanilla, and crushed black pepper. And did you know that Espérance means hope?

And then, there’s the 2006 Grenache. As the grenache is one of Andrew Murray’s interests (he names it one of the best and most interesting of all the grape varieties in the world), this wine is handled very carefully. Planted on steep North-South facing rows in gravelly, lime-rich soils in a warm to hot climate, the grapes have been watched carefully, with very specific prunings, thinnings and the clean up of cluster wings and tips. This results in the best possible fruit at harvest, and an exciting wine at the very end of the rigorous winemaking process. As Winemakers has commented, “The aromas of this wine make it obvious that you are drinking a Grenache…they include the tell-tale wild strawberry, black cherry and a spicy peppery quality. It is a very powerful wine, with a medium-full body and soft lingering finish. It will be at its best if consumed within 3 years.” And who are we to argue?

These three wines represent the exciting growth of a man who is just now entering his prime. He’s respected by his peers, a master in his field, loves his work, and isn’t even forty. So, sure, we can understand why you might want to hate on him personally. It’s only natural to be jealous. We kinda hate him too. But one thing you won’t hate is his three pack of Rhone varietal wines. And we’re very glad to have Andrew Murray back with us again.

 2007 Syrah Terra Bella Vineyard:

•  Varieties: 100% Hillside Grown Syrah
• Vineyard Composition:
• 100% Syrah, Terra Bella Vineyard, Paso Robles
• Alcohol: 15.9%
• Production: 400 12bottle X 750 mL Cases
• Release Date: January, 2010

 2006 Espérance:

• Composition: 60% Grenache Noir, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre
• Appellation: Central Coast
• Vineyard Composition: 75% Brave Oak Vineyard , Paso Robles / 10% Terra Bella Vyds, Paso Robles / 15% McGinley Vyd, Santa Ynez
• Ageing: Aged 22 months in French Oak
• Production: 500 cases produced
• Bottling Date: August 1, 2008
• Alcohol: 15.1%
• pH: 3.75
• TA: 5.7g/L

 2006 Grenache:

• Composition: 90% Grenache Noir, 10% Syrah
• Appellation: Central Coast
• Vineyard Composition: 90% Brave Oak Vineyard, Paso Robles / 10% Watch Hill Vyd, Los Alamos
• Ageing: Aged 18 months in French Oak
• Production: 450 cases produced
• Release Date: March 1 2007
• Alcohol: 15.4%
• pH: 3.78
• TA: 5.7g/L