Jessica Lauren Syrah 2023

Stolpman’s Pre Clonal, Own Rooted Projects
The Great Places began in 2006, when vigneron Ruben Solorzano visited Côte Rôtie.  There, the oldest “Serine” clusters looked and tasted more delicate than the widely available, modern-day Syrah clones.  In 2007, Ruben replicated those ancient parcels on Stolpman’s steepest east-facing hillside.  The wines subsequently produced proved to us that ancient pre-clonal material had the potential to revolutionize the quality of Stolpman Syrah.   
The illustration of this first pre-clonal vineyard “Ruben Solorzano” now adorns all of The Great Places labels.  As of 2020, the project includes five different strains.  It takes more than six low-yielding vines to create one bottle of wine and all vineyard work must be done by hand on the tightly packed, symmetrical steeps.   
2023 Great Places Jessica Laurén Stolpman represents the follow up vintage to the heralded, inaugural 2022 vintage.   The even, moderate weather in 2023 lends a more supple, open, and delicious profile giving us a second transcendent wine that might even outdo the 2022.  
Jessica’s pre-clonal strain represents the brand’s namesake Côte Rôtie parcel “Les Grandes Places” Serine.  The current parcel stands at just shy of an acre so production will remain tiny in the medium term.  In February of 2025, La Cuadrilla own-rooted 1.3 more acres of the Grandes Places strain so production might jump up to a whopping 200 cases once the new vines prove worthy of classification.     
Crack of pinpoint, firm red fruit over tarry depth. Wonderfully mysterious savory ‘Syrah World’ of plump olive, bramble, and Sangre. Menthol and Sage pop with bright freshness. In the mouth, a feathery polish merges into chalky tannin - a hypnotic texture that can be smelled and sensed even before felt on the palate. JLS’ signature ‘fiery red lightning bolt into its black abyss’ is cushioned this year with Mocha and immensely purple pillowy stuffing. These dense, thick mid palate textures deliver more pleasure than the ’22 but they don’t detract from the wine’s serious sophistication.  The 2023 will hit a whole new high gear once the chalky tannin becomes fully enveloped – at that point I don’t recommend the wine with food but rather a vehicle of reflection and revelation.