Failla "Hirsch" Syrah, Sonoma Coast 2013

92 Points Vinous

The 2013 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard is another of the more reticent wines in the range, but it retains an element of tightly wound inner tension that is palpable. Today just a hint of the wine's true potential is on display, but there is a lot to look forward to. As always, the Hirsch is complex, multi-dimensional and pedigreed. Expressive spiced notes wrap around a core of dark fruit on the highly expressive, nuanced finish. This is a fascinating set of wines from Failla and Ehren Jordan. With this many selections of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, what comes across is an excellent representation of the year. The 2013 Chardonnays are fabulous, while the Pinots and Syrahs are more uneven in terms of quality. The best Pinots and Syrahs in the range offer gorgeous texture and fine overall balance, but some of the wines come across as a bit light and faded. I tasted the 2013 reds twice, with consistent results. Of course, the wines had been bottled for only a short time, so that could be a factor as well. Time will tell.