Review & Rating: Chez Ray Syrah, Lodi, CA, 2007

This is Chez Ray Syrah from fresh Lodi grapes, 2007 vintage.

Immediately below are notes from our 2011 blending party:

S7 (2007 Lodi Syrah, CA): Ray: color, mid brick; aroma, bold, some black cherry, alcoholic; flavor, chocolate and sweet, bright; 3+ for depth.  Jim: color, deep red/pink; aroma, spice; flavor, good fruit, slight tannic finish, 4+.   Eric:  aroma, not much aroma; flavor, thin, a bit spicy and acidic; 2.  Rob: color, very deep red;  aroma, grassy, fresh; flavvor, smooth, tannic; 3.

Updated review:  This tasting is a few months after the blending party, now June, 2011:   Medium deep burgundy in the glass, some bricking at the edge.  Aroma is deep and bold, with black cherry and distinct oak.  There is a brightness on the palate accompanied by a charcoal darkness, all surrounding a sweet fruit core.  Fresh sweet blackberries.  Depth with a hint of chocolate.  Retain the three stars on the five-star Spirit of Wine scale, with a plus for continued promise with additional age or decanting.

With some confusion in records for this grape, I'm more thinking S7 is actually AVS7, the labeling 525 AVS7 from Brehm Alexander Valley syrah for 2007.