2019 The Pursuit | Slide Hill Vineyard

Dense and rich, the Slide Hill Syrah brings textural muscle to the party. Dark black and blue fruits emerge alongside dried herbs. Violets and black pepper interplay with leather and roasted coffee. There is an intensity here that proves age-worthy, as with all The Pursuit wines. It's full-bodied, has a good grip and showcases a complexity that will only multiply with time. 

 

Manual cluster and berry sorting. 100% destemmed. Cold pre-fermentation maceration. Fermented in stainless steel. Cap managed with punch down, pumpover and pneumatage. Lees stirring in barrel. Aged 20 months in 67% new French oak. 

 

VARIETAL: 100% Syrah I Clone Estrella 
VINEYARD: Slide Hill I Block 2 
APPELLATION: Edna Valley 
COUNTY: San Luis Obispo 
TERROIR: Sand, limestone, chalk, marine loam 
HARVEST: Hand harvested in October 2019 

 

Ratings

96 pts, Jeb Dunnuck | Lastly, the 2019 The Pursuit Slide Hill Vineyard (100% Syrah aged in 67% new barrels) comes from a great site in the Edna Valley, and it's another cool climate-like beauty offering fresh black fruits, smoked game, ground pepper, and sappy herb-like aromas and flavors. Rich, concentrated, and medium to full-bodied, it’s seriously good and well worth seeking out. I can’t imagine it not evolving gracefully for at least a decade.

95 pts, Wine Enthusiast