2020 Andremily nr 9

99/100

I loved the 2020 No 9 from barrel and this beauty does not disappoint from bottle. Based on 89% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre, and the rest Viognier that was only 50% destemmed, it spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. A wine that demands lots of air to show at its best, it reveals a deep plum/purple hue as well as a brilliant bouquet of red, blue, and black fruits, ground pepper, iodine, crushed violets, and wild sagebrush. With incredible purity and precision aromatically, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's a big, rich wine from Binns, but if anything, it shows another level of finesse and stays light on its feet and graceful. This world-class Syrah will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and evolve nicely over the following two decades. It's clearly one of the wines of the vintage in Santa Barbara, if not one of the greatest 2020s in the state.

The 2020 Andremily No 9 is composed of 89% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre, and 2% Viognier, made with 50% whole clusters. It spent 22 months in French oak barrels, 65% new. The wine was still in the barrel when I tasted it, due to be bottled in a few weeks. Very deep purple-black colored, it struts out with sassy notes of juicy black plums, boysenberry preserves, and fruit cake with hints of coffee beans, charcoal, and garrigue, plus a touch of black pepper. Full-bodied, the palate is vibrant and plush, featuring a firm backbone of grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and layered.

The 2020 No. 9 is a blend of 89% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre and 2% Viognier. Grapes come from Andremily's new Slide Hill estate, plus White Hawk, Larner, Harrison-Clarke, Kimsey and Alta Mesa Vineyards in Santa Barbara County. It was vinified with 50% whole clusters and matured for around 22 months in 65% new French barriques. It's powerful and ripe yet detailed, offering a soaring expression that begins with dark fruit and soft meaty tones and, with time, blossoms with nuances of coffee beans, garrigue, star anise, sagebrush and dark chocolate. The full-bodied palate explodes with layer after layer of spicy, über concentrated fruit. It has a support of powdery tannins and vibrant acidity that highlights flashes of floral perfume and spice, and it calls you back to the glass with its long, nuanced finish. It deserves plenty of time in bottle to unwind.