The 2009 Syrah Watch Hill Vineyard is a distinctly cool-climate wine endowed with considerable nuance. Open, floral aromatics meld into a core of beautifully delineated fruit in this layered, multi-dimensional Syrah. Dark raspberries, flowers, spices and star anise are some of the nuances that linger on the impeccable finish. The Watch Hill Vineyard includes 5% of Viognier (from Grundoon Vineyard) that was co-fermented. The wine was aged in 50% new oak barrels, all of which it handles quite beautifully. Ideally, this could use another year in bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. This set of wines from Andrew Murray is remarkable for its breadth of quality and sheer value.Tel. (805) 686-9604, info@andrewmurrayvineyards.com

If more Syrah tasted like this, the variety just might overtake Cabernet in popularity. It’s really good, combining a dry, firm structure with lush flavors, in the way of blackberries, blueberries, currants and a meatiness like the sweet, charred fat on a steak. Kudos to vintner Murray for bottling it in a screwtop.——S.H.(4/1/2012)—— 93

The 2008 Syrah Watch Hill Vineyard is deeper and richer than the Thompson Hill. It virtually implodes on the palate with masses of blackberries, blueberries, tar and licorice. This is a decidedly plush style that is first and foremost about the sumptuousness of the fruit, while aromatic complexity and nuance play more of a supporting role. In 2008 the Watch Hill is 100% Syrah. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. This set of wines from Andrew Murray is remarkable for its breadth of quality and sheer value.Tel. (805) 686-9604, info@andrewmurrayvineyards.com

More monolithic, tight, and structured, the 2007 Syrah Watch Hill Vineyard is an earthier style. The aromatics were slightly reduced, making the evaluation more tricky, but this is definitely a structured, more austere and angular style of wine that behaves more like a northern Rhone St.-Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage. Tel. (805) 686-9604; Fax (805) 686-9704