The 2007 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard is rich, powerful and dense, but also shows some rough contours that aren’t typical of Ojai. Herbal, green notes run through the wine that are also unusual here. The wine stayed longer in barrel than is typically the case. Of course, it is impossible to know if extended barrel age ultimately helped or hurt this wine. According to Tolmach, the 2007 vintage did not present any heat spikes that might have ultimately baked out some of the wilder elements in the wine. Ultimately, this isn’t as convincing as the best wines in the lineup. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. I admit I have mixed feelings about the wines I tasted at Ojai with proprietor Adam Tolmach and winemaker Fabien Castel. On the positive side, the wines are classy, elegant and also very fairly priced considering the quality of what is in the bottle. At the same time, it is obvious yields aren’t particularly low, which is somewhat mystifying considering Tolmach works with first-rate sites and is clearly getting pristine fruit. Don’t get me wrong, these are excellent wines?but they could be truly great, and maybe beyond great. The cellars are kept cold year-round, while the approach to winemaking remains quite minimalist. All of the whites are fermented in barrel, with full malolactic fermentation and very low levels of new oak. The Pinots are aged on their lees and are racked only before bottling. The Pinots see 25-35% new oak, while the Syrahs see even less. In recent years Tolmach has begun experimenting with whole clusters for both his Pinots and Syrahs.Tel. (805) 649-1674; www.ojaivineyard.com
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