Bonny Doon Vineyards’ 2012 Syrah, “Le Pousseur,” is made from Syrah grapes grown in some nice Central Coast spots – 48% Alamo Creek Vineyard, 18% Bien Nacido Vineyard, 18% Spanish Springs Vineyard and 16% Ventana Vineyard. These are cool-climate sites and the website states that with “a fair amount of whole clusters included, this is a savory Syrah of great restraint.”
Randall Grahm writes that he finds Le Posseur “enchanting and captivating rather than overpowering.” He labels it as a “feminine” Syrah. I don’t make it a habit to argue with a winemaker about his wines, but I was taken to task once for the use of the term “feminine” as a sexist way to describe a wine. PC or not PC, it does not strike me as feminine. Maybe it’s feminine in a masculine way. Or masculine in a feminine way. Maybe it’s just a wine having a crisis of sexuality. Or maybe it’s just a Syrah of great restraint. It retails for $26 and 2,126 cases were produced.
Under the screw cap is a wine which is opaque indigo. Big blueberry fruit dominates the nose with a savory undercurrent. It is possibly the fruitiest nose I’ve experienced from a Bonny Doon red, which usually lean savory. The palate shows dark fruit too, with just a hint of that black olive note Grahm’s wines often exhibit. Very nice acidity and a good tannic grip top off an entirely enjoyable experience. The oak touch is nice, just right in fact.
90 points from PlanetGrape.com: “Seductive notes of red rose, lilac, raspberry and cherry mingle with earthy notes of game, bacon and underbrush. Smooth and silky. Decant to let oxygen do its thing.” (02/2015) According to the winery: “We’ve been in a nice aromatic groove of late with Le Pousseur, largely in virtue of the string of very cool vintages, and sourcing our fruit exclusively from cool climate sites. The ’12 Pousseur (who is to say why) is still in a Marlon Brando-like bit of a sullen funk, but there is no question that underneath that brooding exterior, there beats the heart of a Wild One. The Alamo Creek component (possibly in virtue of its extremely gravelly soil) seems to add a strong mineral/earthy/bloody note, not utterly unreminiscent of Cornas. With more air, you begin to gradually discern the characteristic anise/licorice character that typifies Syrah. On the palate, the wine has a refreshing acidity, tannins well-resolved and is remarkably savory with an exceptionally long finish. This wine is still amazingly young and will benefit from several years of ageing (if you can wait). If you can’t wait, decanting is well advised.”