Alban Vineyards Alban Vineyards Lorraine 2019 750ml

The 2019 Syrah Lorraine is ultra-classic and is about as textbook an example of this cuvée as I can recall. Black raspberries, cassis, spring flowers, and baking spices all flow to a full-bodied, round, velvety textured, utterly seamless Syrah with ripe tannins, a great mid-palate, and a gorgeous finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s impossible to resist today (and I see no need to delay gratification), yet it will continue to deliver the goods any time over the coming 20–25 years. (Jeb Dunnuck)

This wine shows dimension and detail, showing impeccable structure and multilayered blackberry, mocha espresso and fruitcake spice flavors that build richness and density toward big but polished tannins. Drink now through 2035. 450 cases made. (Tim Fish)

I tasted the 2019 Syrah Lorraine on July 8, shortly after its bottling in June. With air, it unfolds steadily from cassis, blueberries and aniseed to nuances of violet, mint and botanicals. The full-bodied palate is plush and silky, refreshing and lifted, with tremendously perfumed fruit and a long finish with generous, graphite-laced fruit. This graceful, juicy Syrah is approachable straight from the bottle but will benefit from another 3-5 years in bottle to unwind. It will be released in the spring of 2024.