The most profound wine of this group is the 2007 Syrah Rodney’s Vineyard. Blackberry, damp earth, white chocolate, cocoa, and pepper aromas jump from the glass of this inky/ruby/purple-colored wine. The sweetness of the tannins, full-bodied, fleshy mouthfeel, and layered, multidimensional finish add up to a stunning Central Coast Syrah to drink over the next decade. It was with considerable regret that I learned of the passing of Fess Parker this year. I knew him well, and have extraordinarily fond memories of the many discussions we had – always totally unrelated to wine. Fess was a hero for just about everyone of my generation. His starring role in Walt Disney’s Legend of Davy Crockett, and later as Daniel Boone rocketed him to superstardom in the 1950s and 1960s. But Hollywood was not Fess’s true calling, and he eventually gave that career up to become a visionary hotel developer and wine producer. Literally bigger than life, he was also extraordinarily humble (no doubt due to his Texas upbringing). Moreover, the true measure of anyone was met and exceeded by Fess, who made the world around him a better place. The United States has lost a great patriot and his family a beloved husband and father. My heartfelt condolences to them. The quality of the Fess Parker wines, made by his son, Eli, and his winemaking team, has always been very good, and the wines have long offered considerable value – a goal of Fess’s from the beginning.Tel. (805) 688-1545

I don't think the 2007 Syrah Rodney's Vineyard is aging quite as gracefully as the 2003. The wine offers up an attractive bouquet of smoke, grilled meat, tobacco leaf, roasted plums, rich soil and bay leaf. On the palate, however, it's medium to full-bodied and quite firm, with some angular tannins poking though as the fruit begins to dry out. Blair Fox observes that this wine was picked riper, and it predates Fess Parker's move to night harvesting and hand-sorting, so perhaps that explains it. It feels like something of a halfway house between the ripe, Barossa-styled 2003 and the more European-styled 2012.

Black pepper is the star of this bone-dry, full-bodied young wine, in both the aroma and the flavor. Below that are bold notes of black currants, plums and leather. The tannins are hard, giving it a mouth-stinging astringency. Your best bet is to cellar it for 3–4 years, but it’s somewhat risky. ——S.H.(10/1/2010)—— 87