Maggie Harrison was assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non for eight years before moving to Oregon to take over the wine making position at Antica Terra. Lillian Winery, founded in 2004, represents Maggie’s personal project and reflects everything that she learned during her time at Sine Qua Non.
The fruit for the Lillian Syrah comes from the White Hawk, Stolpman and Bien Nacido Vineyards in Santa Barbara County.
Purple in color. 14.7% ABV. Breathtaking nose of red and blue fruits, smoke and violets. Medium to full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Exceptionally lush and rich. Black cherry, cassis liqueur, olives and barbecued meats on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Last bottle of a three pack and this wine has never disappointed. Stunning right now and I’m certain this will drink well for another 2-3 years.
My rating: 97 points.
Lillian belongs in the discussion of best domestic syrahs with the likes of Cayuse, Saxum and Sine Qua Non.
The wine is available via the web site once a year and current vintages run about $75. The 2019 was recently released to the mailing list and is likely available at retail in the Portland area.