In search of the successful Syrah
If the top end of Syrah is getting better - and the arrival of new labels like Ledge makes me think it is - the lower ranks are struggling more than ever. 2010 Ledge Adams Ranch Vineyard Paso Robles Syrah ($55, 14.5%): As a Templeton native, Mark Adams has a great loyalty to the Paso area, and this new effort from own-rooted vines on his family's land - sand, versus the limestone prevalent in the area - about a mile from the famed James Berry vineyard shows how Paso can yield big, lusty red wines that sacrifice neither focus nor savory nuance.