BULK BUY!
100% Syrah from the Central Coast of California. The 2008 is a new release available at the SRP of $16 directly from the winery, but previous vintages have been available widely for $14-$15 so I would expect the same as the 2008 becomes widely available.
Sample received courtesy Andrew Murray Vineyards for review purposes.
From the winemaker:
"The 2008 vintage is remarkably dark and full-bodied, and yet it has such gentle tannins. It is truly a pleasure to drink, especially at the price. Lots of fruit and spices here...no need to wax poetic about this one as it tastes just plain yummy.Fresh off reviewing the very nice 2007 Tous Les Jours Syrah, we come now to the new 2008 vintage. And unlike the 2007 this one is 100% Syrah. "Tous les jours" translates from French as "everyday" and Andrew Murray's intention with this wine is that it be an affordable option for everyday consumption. Not only that, but a wine that can hold up to being consumed over multiple nights. Sounds right up our alley!
We feel the wine makes an ideal 'House Wine' the wine you open just for the heck of it, or just to pour a single glass, the rest to be enjoyed later. And at this price, why not? However, we do not skimp on the winemaking for this wine. We start with great grapes from Paso Robles and the Santa ynez Valley and use the different climates to create a wine that is both fruity and spicy at the same time. I use my experiences with both new world and old world style winemaking to make the most drinkable Syrah imaginable.
14.5% Alcohol"
The 2008 Andre Murray Vineyards Tours Les Jours Syrah begins with strong, pleasing aromas of ripe plum, blackberry, blueberry, and spice. The wine tastes smooooth with lots of dark berry flavors and has a rich texture that is balanced with pleasing spice. Maybe a bit more full-bodied than the 2007 and even though it is the same alcohol percent (14.5%) it doesn't show any heat. The 2008 ends with a really fantastic finish. To top it all off, we found the wine to be even better on day 2. Luscious is a great word to describe it.
To borrow a phrase from Sly and The Family Stone, this is definitely a great wine for "Everyday People". Tous Les Jours indeed!
Taste Rating: 9 Cost Rating: 6
Overall Rating: 8.3
All ratings use a simple 10 point scale with 10 being the best. Find out more about my rating system here and check out the Interactive Wine Rating Chart to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive spreadsheet.
I got to agree bro! Andrew Murray Vineyards just makes awesome awesome wines! He's been doing it for years.....in fact when he was 25 yrs old he was listed as being a winemaker to watch by some of the biggest wine media......and that was nearly 15 yrs ago.....he has received some amazing press over the years and recent big scores.....and he is totally humble.
ReplyDeleteSome might be bigger alcohol, but the man knows how to balance!
If you can spend $10 more without snubbing, check out his Esperance (GSM) it drinks like a $50-$60 bottle.....I bought a half case.....$30 and make this your special occasion wine. He also has an RGB (Roussanne/Grenache Blanc) for $25 that is pure happiness! They might be above $20, but super value wines.
Glad to see this post!
Thanks Shawn, great interview with Andrew on your site by the way.
ReplyDeleteI actually see the Esperance as low as $20 on Wine Searcher so it would work with no nose thumbing :) Actually I'll still review wines over $20 they just get a 0 on my Cost rating so they need to be 10/10 on taste to get a Buy rating...not impossible, but probably hard. If the Esperance is better than the Tous Les Jours (9/10) it has shot!
Thanks!