The 2008 Syrah Estate is a big, full-bodied wine bursting with dark jammy fruit. It possesses good aromatic delineation and a voluptuous, caressing texture. This is a decidedly super-ripe, flashy Syrah with excellent balance but not a lot of subtlety. The 40% new oak is handled quite well, though. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. These two wines from Harrison Clarke are made in an overt, jammy style with tons of richness and textural opulence.Tel. (805) 686-0850; www.harrisonclarkewine.com

Two impressive efforts from Harrison-Clarke include the 2007 Estate Syrah, which reveals a dense ruby/purple color as well as a tight, but promising nose of acacia flowers, black raspberries, blueberries, and boysenberries. It exhibits a touch of graphite, good minerality, full-bodied flavors, and considerable elegance, purity, and texture. Aeration helps coax a few more nuances from this still youthful, unevolved, impressive Syrah built for a decade of cellaring. Another 1-2 years of bottle age will be beneficial. Fax: (805) 686-0950; www.harrisonclarkewine.com

Even if you’re a defender of high alcohol wines, this Syrah is over the top. Clocking in at 15.6%, it’s chili pepper hot, despite rich flavors of blackberries. ——S.H.(4/1/2011)—— 84

The dense purple-hued 2006 Syrah Estate exhibits a big, sweet nose of crushed rocks, graphite, licorice, lavender, blueberries, and blackberries along with a striking minerality, and a structured, spicy personality. It should drink well for a decade or more. Unfortunately, I was not able to taste Harrison-Clarke’s 2007s as they were just being bottled at the time of my visit. However, when I tasted them last year from barrel, they were unquestionably blockbusters. The bottled 2006s were both performing better than I indicated in last year’s report. This small 9-acre hillside vineyard in Santa Ynez, known for its pure chalk limestone soils, boasts Sashi Moorman as its winemaker.Tel. (805) 686-0850