2004 The Ojai Vineyard Syrah Melville Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills

None of The Ojai Vineyard's impressive family of Syrahs is in any way lacking for richness and mass, and, of the three, this is the one that leans a little more to ripeness and fat. Its deep, well-extracted aromas are rife with blackberries, sweet oak and defined varietal spice, and its immense flavors follow suit with suggestions of pepper and roast beef as accents to its on-going themes of blackberries. Very full on the palate, yet nicely balanced for the big wine that it is, it offers lots to like now but will grow for a half-dozen years.

Ruby-red. Deep cherry and blackberry scents are complicated by licorice and smoky herbs. Sweet kirsch, musky underbrush and minerals are complicated by a kelp-like herbal character, with the back end showing gentle tannins and a slow-building mocha quality. Give this deeply concentrated wine some air, or cellar time.