Young and pure, lithe (it's only 12.6%) and full of sappy, extremely primary berry fruit. Hints of liquorice, smoke, sage and incense come and go, and there's dark chocolate on the finish. Mmm! A fully mature bottle of this would be brilliant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
needs at least an hour to open up; black plum, chocolate covered cherry, black pepper, baking spices, and a touch of smoke. Next bottle I will open up a couple hours ahead of time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep black-garnet with clear ruby edges. Classic aromas of black raspberry & smoked plum skin, with cracked peppercorn, fresh rosemary, pressed lavender, bergamot, mesquite char and juniper berry. Fresh and succulent, cool-toned red berry fruit on the palate with exotic secondary floral and herbal depth not unlike the nose along with a dense mineral core, very nice intensity. Medium-bodied, sinewy throughout, with firm fleshy dense tannins listed with taut acidity and finishing with zesty black fruit depth.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of cherries, cola, and complex earthy tones. Quick hit of strong dark cherry fruit on the palate with minerals, granite and some meaty notes adding themselves into the mix. Smooth, round tannins and earth on the finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for about 4 - 5 hours before drinking. I didn't pick up the astringency others have noted below, but agree with the general gist that this is a very enjoyable bottle of Syrah. Dark berry fruit, pepper, something floral, something meaty - Cote Rotie - plenty of intrigue & complexity even at this young age, and already the parts feel well integrated. Full bodied but with nice lift & freshness. Really amazing value at not much over £20 i/b in the UK. JG gives drinking dates from 2027 to 2060, but I don't see any crime in opening a bottle (or two or three) this year, although it will undoubtedly improve.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Murky purple color. Sulfite funk nose blew off pretty quickly. Juicy ripe dark fruit--blackberry, prune--on the tip of the tongue. Fairly noticeable tannin. I see from previous notes, that I had made a similar observarion of this wine. Nice savoriness mid-palate.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Appearance: deep ruby, violet highlights, moderate staining, medium tearing, fine sediment.
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, developing, blackberry, black olive, bilberry, violet, white pepper, crushed gravel, stemmy organic earth, bay leaf, new leather, smoke.
Palate: dry, medium+ acid, medium+ tannin, medium alcohol (12.7%), medium body, medium+ intensity, medium finish, blackberry, black olive, bilberry, violet, white pepper, crushed gravel, stemmy organic earth, bay leaf, new leather, smoke.
Overall: A very classic, aromatic cool-climate Syrah full of olive and pepper, with some violet and herbal notes as well as some savory whole cluster aromas. Elevated acidity and tannins provide solid structure, but for me the flavor intensity doesn't warrant long-term aging. Really well balanced and food friendly. Could use a tad more intensity and length to warrant a better score and more confidence for long-term aging, but this is certainly tasty, and a very good value!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This showed some real development over a couple of days open. Initially it shows ripe blackberry fruits with greener stem, seeds or skin notes. The tannin is astringent that way. Almost vegetal but not quite with a green peppercorn aroma.. The fruit is remarkably ripe and forward given the 12.7% ABV. No way I would have guessed that low blind. It still shows a lot more CA than some other vintages. This all integrates quite a bit on night two and three. While the tannin still has an astringent edge it doesn't stand up so green. The fruit shows more classic adding a distinct olive note. Lovely depth and richness that again surprises. This still shows more CA than say the '16 that has a real N Rhone side. But it's the sort of CA Syrah that is classic in style. It definitely stands out as singular in CA even amongst the other producers I favor. And it trashes many that cost many multiples more. I hope some more bottle time will let that astringent edge soften off the tannin but that with the acidity and fruit depth gives this vintage time to burn. I'd leave this one be at least a couple more years. Very good.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Informal notes over two days. Very alive and feral, drinking a lot younger than 2016 or even 2018. The fruit has a hard time pushing through the iron, smoky meat, and pepper right now. The acid is up there and the tannins are still very chewy. Probably going to wait on the rest of the 2017 for a while!
Forest floor or, maybe, a mushroom nose. Initital tongue sensation is shy red cherry. Then I get some herbalness--almost minty. Some salinity. A slight amount of tannic puckeriness. Medium body. Pleasant finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium-dark ruby color. Plum, blackberry, violet, bacon, coffee thyme. Medium-full body, satin texture, chewy tannins. Red fruit and blueberry on the palate, with bacon in the mid-palate and a bit of stalkiness in the finish. Drinking reasonably right now, with room to evolve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured into Zalto Bordeaux glasses. Blue fruit dominated aromas with hints of forest and olive tampanade. Painfully young. Needs time. Hopefully it settles down.
UPDATE: day 2 saw 1/2 bottle left uncorked on counter. Blueberry is now pie filling with vanillas. The exuberance has tamed, but persists.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A beautiful cool climate Syrah. Some brine and bell pepper on the nose, great stay fruit on the palate initially, and then a bunch of more vegetal and olive like notes at the end along with a hefty dose of minerals. Restrained and medium light bodied. Medium high acidity and light soft tannin. This is certainly still a ways from the peak but it's a beautiful drink right now if you're so inclined!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This 2017 Halcon Alturas Syrah is an excellent, young California Syrah made with restraint and with lovely mineral-infused stuffing. The nose is filled of black peppercorns and chewy blackberry pie. I don't think this comes across as particularly cool climate, but it was crafted to show a fine balance in the face of the sun-kissed, true-berry fruit-laden palate. There's an procession of minerals and pepper on the fourth quarter of the palate that lingers pleasantly. It's great to see a wine of this caliber coming out of Yorkville Highlands, an area I pass through frequently year to year. This may not have the transparency of a Drew Syrah from down the road, but it makes up for it in pure, delightful, delicious mountain berry fruit. This drinks like other favorite CA Syrah wines I've loved through the years, for example: - "2006 Arcadian Syrah Sleepy Hollow Vineyard" - Any John Cabot Syrah - Some of the better Edmunds St. John offerings - Havens of old time; and... - the "2008 Man O' War Vineyards Syrah Dreadnough" from New Zealand (a dead ringer for this, if not from CA)
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/14/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young and pure, lithe (it's only 12.6%) and full of sappy, extremely primary berry fruit. Hints of liquorice, smoke, sage and incense come and go, and there's dark chocolate on the finish. Mmm! A fully mature bottle of this would be brilliant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2024 - JimSlatin Likes this wine: 88 Points
needs at least an hour to open up; black plum, chocolate covered cherry, black pepper, baking spices, and a touch of smoke. Next bottle I will open up a couple hours ahead of time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2023 - MattMauldin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep black-garnet with clear ruby edges. Classic aromas of black raspberry & smoked plum skin, with cracked peppercorn, fresh rosemary, pressed lavender, bergamot, mesquite char and juniper berry. Fresh and succulent, cool-toned red berry fruit on the palate with exotic secondary floral and herbal depth not unlike the nose along with a dense mineral core, very nice intensity. Medium-bodied, sinewy throughout, with firm fleshy dense tannins listed with taut acidity and finishing with zesty black fruit depth.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/30/2022 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of cherries, cola, and complex earthy tones. Quick hit of strong dark cherry fruit on the palate with minerals, granite and some meaty notes adding themselves into the mix. Smooth, round tannins and earth on the finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2021 - VinoCast wrote: 85 Points
Somewhat muted and astringent. Wait another 1-2 years for the other bottles.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
9/26/2021 - Guillaume-en-égypte Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for about 4 - 5 hours before drinking. I didn't pick up the astringency others have noted below, but agree with the general gist that this is a very enjoyable bottle of Syrah. Dark berry fruit, pepper, something floral, something meaty - Cote Rotie - plenty of intrigue & complexity even at this young age, and already the parts feel well integrated. Full bodied but with nice lift & freshness. Really amazing value at not much over £20 i/b in the UK. JG gives drinking dates from 2027 to 2060, but I don't see any crime in opening a bottle (or two or three) this year, although it will undoubtedly improve.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2021 - EMark Likes this wine:
Murky purple color. Sulfite funk nose blew off pretty quickly. Juicy ripe dark fruit--blackberry, prune--on the tip of the tongue. Fairly noticeable tannin. I see from previous notes, that I had made a similar observarion of this wine. Nice savoriness mid-palate.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2021 - bvivio Likes this wine: 91 Points
Appearance: deep ruby, violet highlights, moderate staining, medium tearing, fine sediment.
Nose: clean, pronounced intensity, developing, blackberry, black olive, bilberry, violet, white pepper, crushed gravel, stemmy organic earth, bay leaf, new leather, smoke.
Palate: dry, medium+ acid, medium+ tannin, medium alcohol (12.7%), medium body, medium+ intensity, medium finish, blackberry, black olive, bilberry, violet, white pepper, crushed gravel, stemmy organic earth, bay leaf, new leather, smoke.
Overall: A very classic, aromatic cool-climate Syrah full of olive and pepper, with some violet and herbal notes as well as some savory whole cluster aromas. Elevated acidity and tannins provide solid structure, but for me the flavor intensity doesn't warrant long-term aging. Really well balanced and food friendly. Could use a tad more intensity and length to warrant a better score and more confidence for long-term aging, but this is certainly tasty, and a very good value!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2021 - Stephen Rash Likes this wine:
Purple in color and semi-opaque in the glass
Nose:
Day 1 - a little muted at first, but then blackberry, smoked meat, olive,
herbs, pepper
Day 2 - Blackberry, olive, iron/blood, pepper
Palate:
Day 1 - Tart fruit, herbs, pepper
Day 2 - Blackberry, black cherry, olive, and pepper
Medium(+) body with soft tannins
I really enjoyed this on Day 2. It definitely needs more time in the bottle
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2021 - WetRock wrote:
This showed some real development over a couple of days open. Initially it shows ripe blackberry fruits with greener stem, seeds or skin notes. The tannin is astringent that way. Almost vegetal but not quite with a green peppercorn aroma.. The fruit is remarkably ripe and forward given the 12.7% ABV. No way I would have guessed that low blind. It still shows a lot more CA than some other vintages. This all integrates quite a bit on night two and three. While the tannin still has an astringent edge it doesn't stand up so green. The fruit shows more classic adding a distinct olive note. Lovely depth and richness that again surprises. This still shows more CA than say the '16 that has a real N Rhone side. But it's the sort of CA Syrah that is classic in style. It definitely stands out as singular in CA even amongst the other producers I favor. And it trashes many that cost many multiples more. I hope some more bottle time will let that astringent edge soften off the tannin but that with the acidity and fruit depth gives this vintage time to burn. I'd leave this one be at least a couple more years. Very good.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2020 - CPSchoeff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Informal notes over two days. Very alive and feral, drinking a lot younger than 2016 or even 2018. The fruit has a hard time pushing through the iron, smoky meat, and pepper right now. The acid is up there and the tannins are still very chewy. Probably going to wait on the rest of the 2017 for a while!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
10/8/2020 - joraesque wrote: 89 Points
Medium-bodied, with high acidity, and an overall understated flavor profile. An excellent food wine. 12.7% ABV.
88-89
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2020 - EMark Likes this wine:
Forest floor or, maybe, a mushroom nose. Initital tongue sensation is shy red cherry. Then I get some herbalness--almost minty. Some salinity. A slight amount of tannic puckeriness. Medium body. Pleasant finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2020 - daveyk39 wrote: 89 Points
COVID-19 "Shelter-in-Place"; 3/17/2020-5/31/2020 (Redwood City, CA): From a vineyard at 2,500' altitude in Anderson Valley. Aged in mostly neutral oak, about 10% new oak.
Medium-dark ruby color. Plum, blackberry, violet, bacon, coffee thyme. Medium-full body, satin texture, chewy tannins. Red fruit and blueberry on the palate, with bacon in the mid-palate and a bit of stalkiness in the finish. Drinking reasonably right now, with room to evolve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2020 - arthrovine wrote:
Popped and poured into Zalto Bordeaux glasses. Blue fruit dominated aromas with hints of forest and olive tampanade. Painfully young. Needs time. Hopefully it settles down.
UPDATE: day 2 saw 1/2 bottle left uncorked on counter. Blueberry is now pie filling with vanillas. The exuberance has tamed, but persists.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2020 - lessthanjoey Likes this wine:
A beautiful cool climate Syrah. Some brine and bell pepper on the nose, great stay fruit on the palate initially, and then a bunch of more vegetal and olive like notes at the end along with a hefty dose of minerals. Restrained and medium light bodied. Medium high acidity and light soft tannin.
This is certainly still a ways from the peak but it's a beautiful drink right now if you're so inclined!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2019 - z_willus_d wrote: 92 Points
This 2017 Halcon Alturas Syrah is an excellent, young California Syrah made with restraint and with lovely mineral-infused stuffing. The nose is filled of black peppercorns and chewy blackberry pie. I don't think this comes across as particularly cool climate, but it was crafted to show a fine balance in the face of the sun-kissed, true-berry fruit-laden palate. There's an procession of minerals and pepper on the fourth quarter of the palate that lingers pleasantly. It's great to see a wine of this caliber coming out of Yorkville Highlands, an area I pass through frequently year to year. This may not have the transparency of a Drew Syrah from down the road, but it makes up for it in pure, delightful, delicious mountain berry fruit. This drinks like other favorite CA Syrah wines I've loved through the years, for example:
- "2006 Arcadian Syrah Sleepy Hollow Vineyard"
- Any John Cabot Syrah
- Some of the better Edmunds St. John offerings
- Havens of old time; and...
- the "2008 Man O' War Vineyards Syrah Dreadnough" from New Zealand (a dead ringer for this, if not from CA)
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment