2013 Stolpman Syrah Hilltops Ballard Canyon
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The 2013 Syrah Hilltops is picked riper than some of the other Syrahs in the range and also shows more oak influence, so it is naturally a bigger, more powerful wine. But there does not appear to be a correspondingly greater level of complexity here. If anything, the oak and overall tannin profile overpowers the dark blue/purplish-hued fruit. Today, the Hilltops appears a bit forced in style. The 2013 was done in open-top concrete vats, with 50% stems and three weeks of skin contact, followed by 20 months in 500L French oak barrels.
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Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
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From a high-density planting in 2004, the mostly opaque purple/ruby colored 2013 Syrah Hilltops Estate is a downright sexy, forward and voluptuous beauty that has plenty of purity and focus in its creamy licorice, vanilla bean, black raspberry and cassis-driven bouquet. medium to full-bodied, ripe, textured and simply hard to resist, it has enough tannin and mid-palate depth to keep it drinking nicely through 2023.