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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 25 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by sid_loves_wine on 2/16/2024 & rated 92 points: We've had only a couple of bottles from this wonderful producer that weren't *excellent*- still really good, but maybe a little out of balance. This was one of them. I really enjoyed it, and in many ways it seems to have aged well, but it wasn't totally convincing.
This is a super featherlight syrah on paper (I think it was 11.8% or 11.9% ABV, insanely low especially for CA)- you wouldn't have guessed that based on the nose. It was expressive immediately - you could smell the age a little bit with some leathery notes and slightly dried fruit, but there was still nice freshness and complexity there with a burst of red and black plums alongside a sort of glazed meat/bbq/pepper beef thing (always in the background just behind the fruit.) Just a bit of olive brine, too. It was sort of a warm, rounded kind of scent with savory nuance- not the kind of super precise expression I'm used to in their wines. Just a little more muddled. Still, one could easily have blinded it as a Northern Rhone syrah with some years on it. Really had an old-world thing, especially with the leathery/meaty notes. The ripe red fruit component almost reminded me of older southern rhone, in a funny way.
The palate showed the lightness of the wine a lot more clearly - it had a really delicate feel to it, even with plenty of plum and black cherry swirling around. The tannins were totally silky, and there was certainly no trace of heat or overripe fruit - very gentle and flavorful. The acidity was the weak point; I really value the high acid in their wines, but here it was a bit too salty and sour, as though it didn't match up perfectly with the fruit. Energetic, just not completely integrated.
This was excellent to sip on, even if it didn't blow my mind with freshness and precision as their wines usually do. I have firsthand experience with other older bottles of theirs that had aged perfectly (in particular the syrah!) but I think this was probably better earlier in its lifespan. The style doesn't work as well once the fruit starts to soften and relax too much. 2009 was their second to last bottling from this vineyard - I wonder if they were having trouble getting the grapes to work perfectly in their style or something. (326 views) | | | Tasted by Magnum PI on 9/24/2022 & rated 94 points: I enjoyed this bottle at the home of my very good friends Masey and Tyler, with a great Indian dish prepared by the master chef himself. Decanted for an hour, consumed over the following 2 hours alongside a magnum of '15 Behrens Syrah and an '07 de la Solitude CDP.
The wine is in a very good spot right now, and although I wouldn't expect it to improve, I did not detect any signs of decline, and I think it might hold for 3-5 years. No fading at the edges, continued opening in the glass, and the last glass was as good as the first. Resolved tannins, perfect balance, just enough acidity to pair with the moderately spiced but not hot Indian food.
Liquer and current notes, Tyler thought forest and new leather. Complex harmony of flavors, ending with a decent finish. The Behrens was definitely a New World style with much more extraction and in your face fruit. The de la Solitude was traditional CDP. The AR was right in the middle. Very solid bottle. (669 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 12/22/2021: Tasted over 2 hrs
-dark red purple, minimal clearing
-olive juice faint berry liqueur
-med/med+ acidity shows itself on finish, med- weight focused sour blackberry fruit profile tethered to an earthy mineral base, med tannins are a bit coarse
-still no signs of overt maturity though the fruit is fading a bit, should be fine for at least a few more years though not necessarily better (512 views) | | | Tasted by retired_and_roving on 5/30/2020: Wine in the time of Corona Virus - Quarantining in NYC & NH; 3/7/2020-9/1/2020 (NYC/NH): Opened as a 3rd bottle on night 1 and I was not interested enough to finish the glass. Revisited on Day 2 and it still wasn't wowing me, seemed to be a bit thin with high acidity - not nearly as interesting as some their other Syrahs from this time period I have opened recently. (1318 views) | | | Tasted by 560 B&W on 4/26/2020 & rated 92 points: Effervescence is gone. Lovely. (725 views) | | | Tasted by Magnum PI on 7/27/2019 & rated 87 points: I am a very big fan of Arnot Roberts wines generally, and have had many bottles from numerous vintages. This is the first negative experience I have had. I was a bit suspicious when the first taste, poured straight from the bottle, seemed a bit muddled with a cherry/walnut profile, but I thought perhaps some time in the decanter would bring it together. It did not. I am now home, 2 1/2 hours post opening, and this wine is not much improved. Brookie described it as Robitussin, pronounced cherry core. I am getting mostly meaty, acidic, tart flavors. Not very complimentary. My advice to anyone owning this bottle, is to pour it down the drain lest your friends turn on you. (1137 views) | | | Tasted by FLI on 3/21/2019 & rated 87 points: Almost Pinot like. Light, but very flavorful. I think it would be at its best, lightly chilled, on a summer night with grilled chick or seafood. (617 views) | | | Tasted by meistereder on 1/21/2019 & rated 79 points: Not a fan of this. Overly acidic, thin and not structured. (555 views) | | | Tasted by toddvh on 1/5/2019 & rated 91 points: Drinking well now. Softened a bit after some time in the glass. good structure and balance. (399 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 10/6/2018: Tasted one day after bottle opened
-saturated dark purple red
-dark berry smoked meat
-med+/high acidity, tart dark fruit profile
-a bit more rusticity than the prior bottle a year ago though this could be due to its extended air time (454 views) | | | Tasted by papabluez on 6/25/2018 & rated 88 points: Took to my Thursday blind tasting group. Very disappointing......it finished toward the bottom. Non-descript. Not aging well. Limited nose, texture, & taste. Was expecting way more from this bottle especially at this price. (473 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 11/29/2017: PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs
-solid ruby core purple tinge with slight clearing at edge
-high-toned lifted candied red-black fruit dark berry
-med+ acidity is well-integrated and shows its presence though to the finish where it leaves a slightly citrus sour note, a very fine spritz initially, lighter weight lifted energetic berry wholesome earth spice, barely present tannins leave a mildly chalky residue on the moderately long finish
-very interesting with a unique textural profile that feels like a white, delicious, I'd be inclined to drink over the next 2-3 years though (578 views) | | | Tasted by mjf@ulkner on 10/26/2017 & rated 90 points: Demure, restrained Syrah. Graphite, icy minerality, Black cherry and blackberry fruit. Austere for a new world Syrah- will appeal to the AFWE crowd. (577 views) | | | Tasted by 560 B&W on 6/20/2017 & rated 92 points: PnP. A touch of effervescence and delightful lift. Picked early, it seems, given the site. 11.8% (660 views) | | | Tasted by glou.sf on 7/10/2016 & rated 93 points: Great nose with violets, pepper, dark berries, and leather. Present tannins with blackberries and medium acidity. Nice lingering finish. (1043 views) | | | Tasted by Papies on 5/8/2016 & rated 89 points: Had a bid of gas on the palate and we decanted and swirled in the decanter to get this sorted and it worked. A quite light in alc wine, 11.8%, and although rich its not a heavy and tiring wine like the Arnot-Roberts of earlier vintages (especially the cabs) which are in the 15%. If nothing else this gives a ight and at times watery feeling and Nicol who tried this blind thought of it as a modern Burgundy. Good fruit, red berries, decent amount of spice , light sweet fruit on the palate. A touch watery at times. A very interesting wine nonetheless. 88-90 (1204 views) | | | Tasted by mogadore on 2/20/2016 flawed bottle: disgusting and sour. had to throw it out. (1035 views) | | | Tasted by ToddS on 12/19/2015: Hideous. Sour and unripe. RR got this one right. IWC was high on something. (1190 views) | | | Tasted by Tgood on 12/23/2012 & rated 90 points: Darkly pigmented; clean shy nose at black/ blue fruit border with hints of menthol and floral notes. Green astringent tannins take over early and close the wine down on the palate. Hopefully the fruit can hang in there for the tannins to smooth. Even if a bit tart and aggressively tannic it is refreshing to see someone in the new world breaking rank and picking early (I assume) as this wine has but 11.8 etoh. (3069 views) | | | Tasted by mmurry on 7/1/2012 & rated 94 points: Menthol and game on the nose, with some blackberry and black currant in the middle, and some leather, spice, and floral notes at the end. Rich and juicy on the palate, with lots of black fruit and gane, some floral notes and pepper on the mid-palate, and a good leather finish. (2547 views) | | | Tasted by t_moderne on 12/20/2011 & rated 88 points: Pop and pour; light, bright red color. Nose shows some menthol and fresh berries. This has a light, tart berry flavor. Some citrus notes and fresh crushed raspberries. Light in body. Finishes with tart citrus flavor. (2851 views) | | | Tasted by miller3324 on 12/9/2011: Almost spritzy at first so left in the decanter for a couple hours. After the spritz blew off, a beautiful red fruited medium weight wine appeared. Needs plenty of cellar time or a long decant (2819 views) | | | Tasted by freddyhan on 11/5/2011 & rated 93 points: beautiful ruby/crimson surprising to my friends who were expecting dark black inky syrah..... nice bouquet of raspberries, black cherries and fresh forest elements with hints of sage. tart fruit on the attack with smooth plush mid-palate supported by core of minerals and acidity. nice long finish with herbal elements hinting at high elevation fruits.... great balance of fruit, acidity that's really up my alley. kept me coming back for more. (2916 views) | | | Tasted by alanr on 4/2/2011 & rated 90 points: Rhone Rangers San Francisco 2010 (Fort Mason): On the leaner side, with dark red fruit, some tartness on the finish, needs some bottle time to judge better. (2573 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 3/27/2011 & rated 92 points: 2011 Rhone Rangers Tasting San Francisco (Fort Mason, San Francisco, California): Pre-release (set for Fall '11 release) - intriguing menthol, tart black fruit, berry nose; tight, tart berry, black fruit, tart raspberry palate; long finish (100% whole cluster) (2502 views) |
| By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Issue #10 (12/4/2011)
(Arnot-Roberts Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2011, IWC Issue #156
(Arnot-Roberts Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard Mendocino County) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (3/27/2011)
(Arnot-Roberts Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard) Pre-release (set for Fall '11 release) - intriguing menthol, tart black fruit, berry nose; tight, tart berry, black fruit, tart raspberry palate; long finish (100% whole cluster) 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JebDunnuck.com and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Arnot-Roberts Producer Website
Jamie Kutch left a highly paid career as a stock trader in 2005 to move to California and pursue his dream of making wine. People thought he was crazy, until the first Pinot Noir he released scored 93 points in Wine Spectator. That shouldn't come as a surprise as Jamie has cut his teeth among some of the best producers in the Pinot Noir world. From his time spent working at the revered Kosta Browne in Sonoma to receiving sage advice from none other than Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee Conti, Jamie has taken everything he has learned to produce some of the most compelling and terroir driven wines in California.
The Kutch wines are made as naturally as possible. After the grapes are harvested by hand, they are sorted meticulously and moved only by gravity, before being fermented in small open-top containers with hand and foot punch downs using indigenous yeasts. When fermented, the wine is gravity flowed into French Oak barrels, where they age sur lie (on the lees). The vineyard pursues a minimalist philosophy, trying to produce the purest expression of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from a particular place and time.
Since foundation 2001, Arnot-Roberts has been one of the most progressive and revolutionary producers on the California landscape. Initially their focus was just on making great Californian wines, but when the cool 2005 vintage gave them wines in a more austere, high acid style than the region was used to, Nathan and Duncan reacted completely differently to practically everyone else in California – they loved them and decided to pursue lower ripeness levels and higher acidity in all of their wines henceforth.
The intent is to produce wines that express the character of the sites in which the grapes are grown. No vineyards are owned. Fruit was sourced by arrangements with farmers from prime sites in Napa, the Sonoma Coast, the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Santa Rita Hills, Moon Mountain and the Sierra Foothills. The focus is on single vineyards, but some regional / appellation wines are also made if the grapes show strong association with their origins. The common thread is that most of the fruit is sourced from cooler vineyard sites.
Syrah Varietal article (Wikipedia) | (Wines Northwest)
Note that some producers in the Northern Rhone distinguish between simply Syrah and "Serine", the latter described as ‘an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah’ by producer Tardieu-Laurent. USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson North CoastThe North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) in California, covering more than three million acres, includes Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties, and portions of Marin and Solano counties. (see The Wine Institute for more information)Mendocino County Mendocino Winegrape & Wine Commission
Eagle Peak, Mendocino County AVA:
http://eaglepeakava.com/
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=139785
https://winesvinesanalytics.com/news/article/139898 |
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