Lot Overview
- Region: 100% Anderson Valley (Broken Leg Vineyard, “deep end” of Anderson Valley)
- Vintage: 2023
- Varietal: 100% Syrah
- Oak Aging: 100% French oak puncheons, all second fill (~0% new oak)
- Alcohol: 14.0%, pH 3.8, TA 6.8 g/L, Malic >0.1 g/L, Lactic 2.0 g/L
- Cases Available: ~169
- Cam Price: ~$8.25/bottle ($99/case)
- Retail Estimate: Not stated (market for AV Syrah currently weak per Cam)
- Claude’s Source Guess: Ernest Vineyards — Broken Leg Vineyard Syrah, Anderson Valley (confirmed by Cam; same producer as Lots 4, 82, 83 & 85)
- Wine Berserkers Guess:
- Drink Window: 2025–2033 (peak 2026–2030)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Another fantastic offering from Ernest Vineyards, Lot 84 2023 Anderson Valley Syrah hails from the 45+ year old, incredibly steeply terraced vines of Broken Leg Vineyard located in the “deep end” of Anderson Valley. A perfectly-weighted, beautifully elegant, cool-climate Syrah with pretty florals and ripe fruit wrapped in a deep, peppery earthiness. The wine is a bit riper than previous vintages, weighing in at 14% alc vs. 13% — attributable to the fantastic 2023 vintage and its hang-time galore. The market for Mendocino County/Anderson Valley Syrah is a bit weak right now so I am able to offer this fantastic single-vineyard Syrah for just $99/case.
If you liked my previous release from the days of yore, Lot 303 2017 Minervois La Livinière GSM from France, I think you’ll love Lot 84 — same price too!
Tasting Notes
Medium/deep ruby in the glass. The bouquet explodes with damson plum, rhubarb and lilac florals wrapped in meaty, cracked black pepper notes complexed with pencil lead and gravel. Juicy and fleshy on the palate with fine-grained tannins and gravelly minerality making for an elegant yet robust drinking experience. The wine finishes long and clean with excellent fruit purity, terrific length and a nice peppery kick.
✅ Bottle Shock Status: Drinking well now per Cam.
Claude’s Source Guess: Ernest Vineyards — Broken Leg Vineyard Syrah, Anderson Valley (confirmed by Cam)
Cam names Ernest Vineyards directly — no identification needed. This is the fifth Ernest Vineyards lot in the CAM X catalog, following Lots 4 (Freestone Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay), 82 (Joyce Vineyard Chardonnay), 83 (Occidental + Cleary Ranch Pinot Noir blend), and 85 (Mariola Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay). Together these five lots represent Cam’s acquisition of most of Ernest’s remaining barrel inventory following the winery’s 2025/2026 closure.
Broken Leg Vineyard is one of Anderson Valley’s most distinctive Syrah sites — 45+ year old vines on steeply terraced hillsides in the “deep end” (inland, warmer portion) of Anderson Valley, farmed with the kind of old-vine intensity that produces the “gravelly minerality, cracked black pepper, lilac florals” profile Cam describes. The 100% second-fill puncheon aging preserves the cool-climate fruit character without new oak influence — a classic Northern Rhône-inspired approach consistent with Ernest’s Burgundy/Northern Rhône winemaking philosophy throughout their portfolio.
Cam’s reference to the Anderson Valley Syrah market being “a bit weak” is consistent with the broader soft market conditions driving the CAM X catalog — and at $99/case for 45-year-old vine Syrah from a critically acclaimed producer, the value proposition is exceptional regardless of market conditions.
✅ Confidence: Confirmed — producer and vineyard named directly by Cam.
Drink Window
Early: 2026 — Cam says it’s drinking great right now.
Peak: 2026–2030. Cool-climate Anderson Valley Syrah from old vines and neutral puncheons peaks 3–7 years from vintage.
Hold: 2033. Cam says 5–10 years of improvement potential, and the 6.8 TA supports that.
My Call: ✅ Drink window: 2026–2033 (peak 2026–2030)