The 2009 Syrah Garys’ is a big wine packed with black fruit, violets and spices. This is a decidedly explosive, opulent and structured Syrah that needs another year or two for the tannins to start settling down. Hints of smoke, game, and tar add further complexity and depth to this brooding, inward wine. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019. Adam and Dianna Lee of Siduri make the Novy wines in partnership with Dianna’s family. Essentially the Lees use the Novy brand for all of their non-Pinot wines. The range is quite broad, and quality generally excellent although a few wines I tasted suggest the Lees may be stretching themselves too thin. After tasting virtually all of their wines, it seems like they might be better off focusing on fewer bottlings, but that is just one person’s opinion. The wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands are consistently much more interesting than the wines made from other appellations in the state.Tel. (707) 578-3882; www.novyfamilywines.com

The 2008 Syrah Garys’ Vineyard is a seriously endowed, voluptuously textured, opulent effort. It possesses an opaque ruby/purple color, a sweet, peppery, meaty nose with lots of black fruits and forest floor characteristics, a seamless personality, gorgeous fruit concentration, and a long, layered finish. It, too, should be consumed over the next 5-7 years. From the Lee family, who also runs the reliable Siduri winery, they have produced four outstanding Syrahs from their fruit acquisitions in the Santa Lucia Highlands.Tel. (707) 578-3882

This extraordinarily rich Syrah swamps the mouth with jammy blackberries, raspberries and cherries. There’s nothing subtle about it. But it’s basically dry and properly balanced with acids and tannins, which gives it needed balance. Drink now and through 2014 to experience the youthful opulence. ——S.H.(12/15/2010)—— 89

The finest of this trio is the sensational 2006 Syrah Garys’ Vineyard. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color in addition to a sumptuous perfume of blackberry liqueur, charcoal, incense, and spring flowers. With fabulous fruit purity, a full-bodied, voluptuous texture, and a long, heady, 40+ second finish, this is a compelling Syrah to drink over the next 7-8 years.These are three of the finest wines that the Siduri team (Novy is their Rhone Ranger operation) has yet produced.Tel. (707) 578-3882