2004 Bionic Frog Syrah
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Tasting notes
(15.2% alcohol; harvested on September 24; this was a year featuring a big freeze in January; the crop level in Coccinelle was just one ton per acre and Baron had to wait for the proper balance of tannins and grape sugars, as he never waters back his musts): Good medium red with an amber edge. Wild, very ripe, fully mature nose offers slightly high-toned aromas of raspberry conserves, plum, truffle juice, balsamic vinegar, mocha, molasses and leather, plus a whiff of herbs. Fat and savory in the mouth, with good retention of plum fruit complicated by notes of garrigue and bay leaf. A rather exaggerated, slightly warm style but boasts very good intensity and finishes with a firm tannic spine and good grip. (Our first bottle of the 2004 showed higher volatile acidity and an oxidative suggestion of walnut on the nose but was also silky and concentrated; Baron noted that the much better second sample was a great, and perhaps atypically fresh, bottle of '04.)
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Coming close to matching the 2010, the 2004 Syrah Bionic Frog (which was also a cool vintage) came from tiny yields of 16 hectoliter per hectare. It’s an incredibly beautiful Syrah that exhibits lots of saltiness in its cassis and currant-like fruits, licorice, olive brine and crushed rock-like minerality. These all come together perfectly on the palate, where the wine is full-bodied, layered and awesomely pure, plus has a killer finish. It’s another monumental effort from this estate that will stand toe to toe with the greatest Syrah in the world.
(15.2% alcohol) Deep ruby-red. Explosive aromas of woodsmoke, minerals, coffee, mocha, gingerbread, olive tapenade and gunflint. Huge, lush and sweet, with a deeply layered texture and slowly mounting wild berry and gingerbread flavors. This boasts terrific depth of fruit. As fat and full as it is, it manages to hold its shape on the very long finish.
Red-ruby. Musky, complex nose melds raspberry, smoke, fresh herbs and gunflint. Thick and dense, with a fatness of texture similar to the 2003 En Chamberlin. This, too, suggests a high pH. Wilder than the 2003 was at the same stage, perhaps a tad less primary and more evolved. Finishes long and fat, with smooth, sweet tannins and terrific breadth.