Any experience with Terre Rouge "Ascent" Syrah?

I visited my off-site storage in Napa this weekend, and I pulled a bottle of 2001 Terre Rouge Ascent Syrah. No real tasting notes for this vintage on Cellartracker, so I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with this producer or this wine?

I visited my off-site storage in Napa this weekend, and I pulled a bottle of 2001 Terre Rouge Ascent Syrah. No real tasting notes for this vintage on Cellartracker, so I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with this producer or this wine?

Sure! I bought wine from Bill Easton for years before he sold Solano Cellars and moved into the hinterland to make wine full time. I've had a number of his wines (does this mean that I'm able to pull a TomHill and say that I've followed him "since the beginning"? Probably not...) and think that he's made some pretty damn impressive Syrahs. FWIW, the Ascent is not usually my favorite DdlTR Syrah, but is a well-made wine nonetheless. And, no, I haven't had the '01 either. '

Mark Lipton

I have no experience with this wine myself but I seem to remember a regular contributor on another wine board who absolutely loved the stuff.

If you open it up, please post a note - I'd be interested to hear what you think.

I will do a cross tasting-young Cozes Hermitages versus Hunter Valley versus the Ascent!

Brian,

I tasted the '01 "Ascent" in October of last year. The wine was part of a large, diverse BYOB(s) tasting and it did not stand out on the list of wines I tasted that night. I have tasted other Easton bottlings, but I have no other experience with the "Ascent". My brief note is included below.

2001 Domaine De La Terre Rouge Syrah Sierra Foothills Ascent

Nose: Muted

Taste: Dark fruit, pepper and some chocolate. Abrupt finish.

Sure! I bought wine from Bill Easton for years before he sold Solano Cellars and moved into the hinterland to make wine full time. I've had a number of his wines (does this mean that I'm able to pull a TomHill and say that I've followed him "since the beginning"? Probably not...) and think that he's made some pretty damn impressive Syrahs. FWIW, the Ascent is not usually my favorite DdlTR Syrah, but is a well-made wine nonetheless.
Mark Lipton

Harumph.....the corect term is "followed 'em from the very start", Mark!!
I've not had the '01 Ascent since it's release. At the time, I thought it was probably the best ShenandoahVlly Syrah ever made. I can't imagine it'd folded its tent up already....but who knows.
Tom

[Jenise]

I visited my off-site storage in Napa this weekend, and I pulled a bottle of 2001 Terre Rouge Ascent Syrah. No real tasting notes for this vintage on Cellartracker, so I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with this producer or this wine?

Adding to what the others said, Terre Rouge syrahs tend to age extremely well. We drank our last '98 last year (not the Ascent, but) , and every bottle had been better than the last.