February 9, 2024 - 68% Petite Sirah, 11% Syrah, 3% Viognier. A dense, inky, chewy wine. I gave it 2 hours out of the bottle.
February 20, 2023 - It's a Petite Sirah, so it should last for many more years without a dramatic decline, but I think it peaked in 2019-2021 when its structure had relaxed from its youth, but still had all that rich purple fruit. It's still plenty fruity, along with cocoa and herbs, teeth staining to be sure but not as good as some other Sumos. More fussy on day 2. There was a lot of fine grained sediment that required patience as cheese cloth wouldn't do and the metal strainer drained slowly and needed to be rinsed after every 6-7oz pour.
June 7, 2019 - I don’t like wines like this much anymore as my palate has shifted to more old world style wines. This is definitely new world. Decanted briefly. Dark purple with a sweet bouquet of charred rustic oak and blueberry compote. On the palate, bursting with smoked blueberry with a silky finish and fine tannins. This wine is BIG and it’s well made. Finish is long, and it appears to have many years ahead of it given the powerful fruit and still integrating oak. If you’re into these wines, you’ll be well rewarded. Nice as a cocktail wine...not sure what I’d pair this with (a stew?).
April 16, 2019 - 4 hour decant. Dark inky color. Black fruits and pencil lead flavors give way to blue and black fruits with a long soft grip. Wow. This wine is why I joined the Keplinger list 6 years ago.
March 14, 2018 - A nice sumo. I really like the lower use of Viognier. But the 2013 is by far the best Sumo of all time, in my opinion. As with all Sumo's needs lots of air time. Decanted for 2 hours and still continued to open up and fruits really started to come out at the end of the dinner.
March 11, 2018 - Too jammy for my taste.
December 3, 2017 - 1 hour decant. immensely improved after four. dense, inky purple. tar, gravel, dry brush, licorice, meat, and black fruit nose. some licorice. VA. full, gravelly tannin. alcohol. huge. blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, iron, and black soil palate with a long finish. general impression is austere but royal. a stalwart.
August 29, 2017 - This is fabulous. Layers and layers of persistent rich ripe flavors, spices and textures. In near perfect balance. Maybe the best wine I have tasted in 2017.
January 14, 2017 - Taninos muy rusticos, buena fruta. Muy mineral y monolítico.
July 28, 2016 - Has tightened up since bottle #1 but drinkable. Hold.