Good color, quite dark, not quite opaque, nose shows off crushed fruit, anise, fennel, dried herbs, bit of creosote; lovely fruit on the palate, a dark foundation, with some higher toned notes riding on top, a hint of sweetness that is probably a little aged bottle sweetness, a good dose of the same dried herbs and anise are here too, with good balancing acidity, and mild/moderate fine tannins round out the wine. Still quite youthful, but in a beautiful drinking stage that should go for years. Fun to check in on this, will check back in a few years.
As this continues to open with air through the evening, it just gets better and better. The little streak of sweetness has disappeared, and the dried herbs/anise character has grown stronger, adding more interest and complexity. Just right dose of mouthwatering acidity makes you want to come back for another sip far too soon. Fabulous.
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PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Deep purple color. Dark fruit on the nose. Nice balance of fruit on the palate, not too overwhelming and solid finish. Great with food. 90pts. Aloha!
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Chili, BBQ, Syrah and Other Things With River Rat (Brian Tuite's Backyard): Poured blind as part of a 6 wine syrah flight. Didn't realize this was the first vintage of Halcon. Floral, some bacon fat and a core of blue fruit. Inky and chalky with espresso, blue-fruited juiciness and dark cherry. Enjoyed this a lot.
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This was much more open and accessible than a bottle two and a half years ago. Decanted and drank about 30 minutes later. Aromas were immediately expressive, tapering off about 2 1/2 hours after opening. More savory than fruity on the palate. Less interesting after about 3 1/2 hours. This is far and away the best showing I've had for this wine. Want more.
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From magnum. Decanted for 3 hours. Dark maroon color. Magenta around the rim. Hint of chambord nose and blackberry. Excellent palate, tar and blackberry attack. Underlying salinity through the end. Light jerky flavor. Good iron and light black olive at the finish. Good cold climate Syrah. Plenty of tannins but they're not aggressive, more chewy/gritty. Paired with short ribs like Russian ice dancers.
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This seemed muted in all respects. The fruit showed some plum and pepper, but it seemed very subdued. The plush fruit from the previous bottle was stripped, but it was not undrinkable.
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PnP, but kept improving over the next hour. A deep dark purple wine, that's surprisingly smooth and well made Cali Syrah... but shows a lot of Northern Rhone-like qualities.
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A relatively big wine, so needs to be a bit warmer than I often serve lighter reds. When given the space to shine, this is quite fun. Sort of like Ridge Zin, in that the oak and fruit are big, but it still feels well made and reflective of the site.
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The color belied the age on this wine. N: Funky at first, this opened up to reveal dark fruit and cool climate Syrah. P: So smoooth, but seemed to have less impact than before and a tad less fruit. F: Medium, with resolved tannins and acidity. Based on this bottle, I'll be drinking mine sooner than later. 90+
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A smooth and delicate wine despite the significant blue and red fruit coming through on the palate. The nose remains a bit muted at this stage (opened for four hours, no decanting). Tasting to determine whether I will buy on the upcoming release...most likely a yes...
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my last bottle and by far the best. ready almost out of the gate and had a wonderful balance of fully pronounced blue cali fruit along with a nicely balanced amount of minerality, spices and tannins. I would imagine some other comments about north rhone is that balance and minerality, but I find this just well made west coast syrah from a talented wine maker.
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Been on a California syrah kick the last few days, and this is definitely my favorite so far, probably because it's more Rhone-ish than the others. Blue fruits, some drying tannins, some olive-y astringency on the finish. Probably wait another year or two on my last bottle, though I don't think it will need more than that.
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Deep purple color...the nose was a little reticent at first (along with the palate). This opens up nicely after 30mins or so. Very much in a northern rhone style.
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PnP a glass showed a Northern Rhone-like quality of iron, black pepper, tart dark berry fruit, meat. Then consumed over 5 hours after 1.5 hrs. of slow ox, picking up more herbaceous and earthy qualities with minerality. Very fine firm tannins that continued to build the more it aerated with good dose of acidity, medium:full bodied texture, and a moderately lingering finish with some sediment. Still has good structure to last.
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Aging nicely, this bottle has aromas of dark fruit, soy and earth. The palate has blackberry, mineral, earth and herb notes. Medium acid/tannins/finish. Enjoyable now and should continue to age well through at least its 10th birthday.
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This really has opened up in the last year. Sweet and savory nose with sweet red fruit contrasted by Unami scents and leather, soy and stones. Opens with fruit and tightens on the finish with tangy acids and tannin.
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Bright floral nose, blueberry blackberry hints of olive and earth, medium plus acid nice tannic grip on the finish. Boy this was really good and a steal for $20. Should drink well for years.
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Decanted for 2+ hours. Color dark purple. Nose has a floral component. Violets, blueberry, blackberry. Palate is full bodied with a rich smooth texture. Nicely integrated tannin, acid, alcohol. Luscious, long finish. Fantastic syrah that is drinking great right now. 5,13,16,7=91
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Deep, rich purple color. Nose is fairly intense, with a perfumey note to the blackberry fruit and black pepper. On the palate this is brighter and more vibrant than the nose might have suggested, with more berry fruit and subtle hints of oak flavors. All in remarkable balance, with just the right tannin and acid level. Great bottle of syrah.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Color is showing bright translucent purple. Nose is sweet. Initial aroma of cream, then Vanilla and boysenberry. Palate is full bodied with a rich creamy texture. Smooth and elegant. Slight minerality followed by blueberry. This wine is evolving nicely drinks great right now. 5,13,16,7=91
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Informal notes, but this wine showed well despite being so young. Mild, cool climate fruit with firm acidity and tannins. Black olive, oregano and blue fruit. This laughed at the 1 hr decant as it really needed more, but went well with grilled burgers. I would have never guessed Cali Syrah. 91+. Thanks David T!
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Dark purple color. Nice nose of purple flowers, black licorice, dark fruit and a touch of black pepper. Similar flavors on the palate all wrapped up with well balanced acid and tannin. Not much perceptible oak on the palate and this wine drank light on its feet for a Cali syrah (under 14% abv and medium+ acidity) likely a result of being grown in some high elevation or cooler climate part of Santa Rosa. Either way, I enjoyed this quite a bit. Great QPR as well.
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Dark as night, though not heavy bodied or ponderous in any way; on the palate this oozes dark blackberry fruit, with a nice touch of acidity and some fine tannin structure; right now in somewhat of a simpler, primary phase, but still very enjoyable. I'd like to see the finish go on a bit longer, but as this was just the second harvest in the vineyard perhaps no surprise, and a very promising opening for this young vineyard. Good enough to make me keep coming back to the bottle and filling my glass, so that (unusually) the wine is gone on night one.
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Opened for 2.5 hours prior to this note. Cool blue fruited nose, graphite, sweet baking spice, vanilla oak and a touch of black licorice. Balanced profile in the mouth with lovely blue and red fruit, decent amount of oak toast, sweet glossy tannins, decent acid and overall it's polished. Screaming value, great wine for the money!
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Decanted for 3+ hours. Color is dense, dark purple. Nose violets, sweet boysenberry/blueberry. Palate full with a balanced flavor profile. This started off learning towards acidic on the first glass. Was more closed down than I recall from past bottles. Wine temperature was around 70 degrees. Was enjoyable to drink, but lacked any standouts on the palate and finish. Score withheld and will revisit again in a few months.
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Wanted to take a magnum of something to a party and grabbed this. Wish I had held on to it, as it was my last bottle of 2009. Good now but will be so much better down the road.
Somewhat primary nose, dark fruit compote, with a hint of creosote; palate is very youthful, primary, even a touch grapey at this point, dark, brooding blackberry fruit, with nice acidity, some medium fine tannins, excellent overall structure. A hint of a slight bitter note shows up on the finish, but nothing overly distracting. This has lost some of its youthful wildness, calmed down, and right now is very juvenile and uncomplicated. Since 2009 was just the first vintage, with no track record it's a bit difficult to predict its future, but my sense is that it has the stuffing and structure to age nicely for many years. Right now a great bbq wine, with time should develop some more complexity and interest. At it's combination of price and quality, I'm glad to have quite a few bottles to track development over the years.
Next night follow up: Has held up very nicely, and developed a bit more balance and interest. Plenty of structure, more brooding and complex, deep, dark fruit, still very youthful but much of the primary grapey character is gone. Definitely give this several hours after opening to show best. Upgrading my score based on tonight's taste.
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Drank from a magnum, notes on night 2. Nose of slate, charcoal, a little blackberry. Plenty of acid on the palate, with fragrant dark fruit, a hint of violets, silky texture. Medium+ finish with drying tannins. This will be tremendous down the road.
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Initially, big (almost huge) new world styled Syrah. Lots of acid, though, and plenty of both minerality and leather. Delicious and it's going to likely get better with some air.
Opened up with time somewhat, but still wound up pretty tight. Definitely some chalkiness to it, generally in a good way. This is very Ty Caton-esque to me.
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Tight, boozy and closed even with a 3 hour decant. Needs time. Day 2. More open, blue fruits, some anise, but a little medicinal and watery. Better syrah options at this price point.
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Still purple, but a bit lighter and threw off sediment on night 2. Finally, the fruit is beginning to mellow and a fine Syrah is emerging. It is delicious.
4 on the AFScale.
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This wine is really consistent and good. Decanted for two hours. Color dense purple. Nose floral, boysenberry, blueberry. Palate is med to full and very enjoyable right now. 5,13,15,6=89
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Not decanted, consumed over ~2 hours. Lean but concentrated, with notes of inky dark berry fruit, black licorice, oak, and hints of saline and mineral. The oak seems a bit awkward at this point and restrains my enthusiasm a little, but this has ample fresh acidity and enough tannic structure to age and let it integrate. If I had more, I'd give this at least another year or two before checking in. Attractively priced at $20. 89+
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Changed a lot on the first night. Tight rich fruit initially with some obvious oak coming out after a couple hours. On the second night the minerally, slatey notes show up though with the vanilla oak receding. There is some herby, wood type notes lingering but in a positive way. Offers more hedonistic pleasures today but should reward some medium cellaring for those that want to see that complexity integrate more completely.
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Notes from night 3. Deep dark purple. Nose showing lots of dark fruit, roasted meat and violets. Dense texture with tart blackberry, iron, charcoal and abundant chalky tannins. Took all of 3 days to show its stuff. Still very young but a joy to peek at. Potential to go many years but man is it good right now. If you have 1 hold it. If you have multiples give one a look.
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A truly solid bottle of ca Syrah, performing way over its price point. Mostly a blue and black fruit profile with some scents of spice cake, fresh cream and blueberries. Not overly firm in the mouth for its youth but has some acid to back up the fine grain tannins and concentration. Maybe a bit simple but it is young and should develop some complexity. Lovely all around and delicious now but no harm in laying some sideways for a few years.
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Decanted for 3 hours; could have used more. Nose was bursting on opening, with surprisingly high toned red fruits, minerals and a violets. Initially open on the palate with dark red fruits, streaks of minerals and a chewiness, but closed down after an hour. Too young to fairly rate, but promising.
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Tight and tart after a 3 hour decant. Not as good as the first bottle. Feels like it needs at least another few years. I do not get the high scores. Way too young.
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I wish I had followed this over a longer time period, but it was too good and went too fast. Celebration of completing moving day. The nose was gorgeous - floral, with hints of plums, mint, and blueberries. The palate was beautifully balanced, with medium tannins, wonderful acidity, and the same fruit from the nose, with maybe some hint of dried meat or tobacco. This is my kind of Syrah. I should've backed the truck up for this one.
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Wow. I did not get much time with this wine because the bottle was gone very quickly. This wine was an opaque dark purple. The nose was refined and subtle with plum, blueberry, and minerals, and the palate was stellar because of its balance. Plums opened the show with blueberry and boysenberry playing backup, and the finale was a streak of mineral down the center of your palate. Structurally, this is medium-bodied with balanced acidity to support the fruit and subtle tannins. The mineral tinged finish has good length. Overall, I am very impressed by the quality of this wine regardless of price. At this price, it is an absolute steal.
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Lots of cool climate fruit with sharp acidity. It tamed somewhat with a decant, but this wine is very young and screams for a decant. Tart red and blue fruit with a medium+ finish that is punctuated by the sharp acidity.
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Initially PnV & was instantly wowed, than let breathe for over 2 hrs. & consumed 5 hrs. beyond. Notes of red fruit (notably cranberry and boysenberry), blueberry, pepper w/a mineral quality, blood meat & just a hint of iron. Complex & pleasantly ever-evolving w/more air time, w/high acid which matches well w/food, moderate tannins, medium-bodied, and a caressing palate-staining medium:long finish. Brilliant effort. (92+).
Had previously spoken to Valerie Gordon of Halcon who says this is approachable now, but better to age for another 1-2 yrs. from purchase date. Glad to have a couple more.
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The nose is complex and layered showing blueberries, blackberries, licorice, pepper and meat. The flavors match the nose and both show the cool-climate origins. Medium to full bodied with lots of acid, moderate tannins and a long finish. Structured and delicious, drinking well now and many bright years ahead- a very good wine.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Color of bright purple. Dense and beautiful in the glass. Nose was some what closed with faint aromas of blue/bosenberries. A hint of floral. Palate is med to full. Nicely integrated components with the tannins finishing tight and dry. As we enjoyed the bottle it seemed to get better. Very smooth. I agree with other comments. This is still young and needs more time.
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Young, but already nicely integrated. I think this will be terrific with a few more years of bottle age, but already excellent +. A beautifully balanced syrah and a great escape from the over-extracted syrahs from California that have left me wholly underwhelmed. Comparable: Mike Trout.
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Quite opaque, purplish hue at the rim. Rich mix of mostly dark fruit, grape, blackberry, tangy raspberry, sweet essences, pencil lead. A good deal going on with the nose but still quite primary at this stage. Tastes downright delicious on the palate. Same big and rich mix of mostly dark fruit, quite primary, but has great backbone of ripe tannin that grips your palate from the midpalate on. Good acid as well, mouthwatering on the finish with great dark fruit and ripe tannin. Very young but just plain delicious.
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Lots of great Cabs, Syrahs and others NVW&C (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): A better showing than a bottle consumed about a month ago at home. The nose has boysenberries, iron and bacon fat. Great acidity. Juicy texture. Lots of boysenberry fruit on the palate. Very young and in need of time. Compared to a 2010 Copain Halcon, this is much more about red fruits and had a better texture.
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I'm holding off on a rating for now but this could be 92+ in the future. Just seemed really tightly wound tonight and never really came together. Underneath the tannins were notes of blackberry, smoke, and violet. I plan on opening a bottle in the near future and giving it a lengthy decant which I didn't do with this bottle but did try on the 2nd day. Looking into ordering more...
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Extremely dark and fruit forward, touches of spice and mineral help give it some balance. Thought it would be higher alcohol with the touch of heat it gave off.
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Opaque purple-ruby with blackberries, eucalyptus, and as Paul predicted, a conspicuous presence of oak strong enough that this seems almost like a barrel sample. Decanted for a couple hours then drank with dinner. Right now it's dense, showing some briny green olive with a meaty backbone, some minerals and a solid wall of fine-grained, mouth-coating tannin on the back end. Definitely structured for age and this is baby killing but there's an intriguing amount of complexity here. Day 2 this has started to show some more fruit, plums, blackberries and dark chocolate. The tannins at this point are teeth-staining and chewy. Highly structured and built for aging, give these 3-5 years.
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Opened and decanted for 2 hours. Still really tight with room to age but has great structure and the taste is already worth it. Chocolate and berry on the nose,taste was smooth with good mouthfeel. If you can wait, it's a great high altitude wine that will open in the next 2-3 years, otherwise still great now. 5-6 hours into the decant and still developing but tastes of boisenberry and cocoa. If I had a cellar to speak of I'd leave it in there for 5 years but still worth drinking now. Rebuy at $30ish many times over.
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Some Syrahs: My first time trying this wine. I liked it. Another cool climate Syrah. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, more minerals than most. Also a bit of cocoa, but lacking the black pepper notes. Interesting. Clean bright fruit. Accessible now, but should age out well for a decade. Nice acidity. Very nice wine.
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Incredibly dark and tight upon opening. This wine has great acid and tannin for aging potential. The aromas were pretty muted at first and definitely fills the role of a cool climate syrah, but as it warmed and gobbled oxygen it fanned out a bit to reveal more character. Not a lot of spice here, but a rocky character as described by others along with restrained black and purple fruit. Give this at least two years.
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Strange, buttered-popcorn nose. Oak and metal on the palate. Medium fruit, lengthy but acidic/metallic finish. Not a fan, but maybe it will be better tomorrow.
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Mixed Frenchies Offline (Craftsman, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Pop and pour. Drank one glass over 30 minutes. This came last in a line of French wines and probably got short shrift. It struck me as fairly ripe on the nose with blackberry, cassis, lots of herbs, vanilla, oak. The palate is dominated by firm tannins right now with black fruits and oak. I would like to see this again with a nice decant and some extra glass time as it looks to be better yet.
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Inky, opaque purple. Good concentration of pure, ripe black and blue fruit on the palate, while still retaining a taut spine of juicy acidity and elegant medium-medium-plus body. The wine definitely holds a core of mineral in its expression, though with sufficient aeration, I believe a fresh, pure, mouthwatering, blackberry/blueberry yogurt dominates... the finish lingers with pure persistence. Cheers to this wines purity of fruit! Love it!
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A brilliant rendition of cool climate California syrah, with a restrained intensity, deep black/boysenberry fruit, mouth-watering acidity, simultaneously refined and rustic structure that should allow it to age effortlessly for quite a few years. Comparisons to Northern Rhone are often silly, but this wine could probably fool some very good palates in a Cornas tasting. At its price point, this is a sensational value.
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A sneak preview of the upcoming inaugural release from Halcon Vineyards, a new winery from Paul Gordon, the owner/caretaker of the Halcon Vineyard (which is up the hill from Hawk's Butte, of Copain fame). This syrah has it all...fruit, acidity, structure, purity, energy, and a striking sense of place. You get the sense this wine came from somewhere, not someone. The pure blue/black fruit is complemented by a subtle stony/earthy element and juicy acidity that won't require dental work, and the tannins are fine and crisp. Held together nicely on Day 2, and a bonus savory/smokey element developed. An exciting wine to drink, and lovers of CA should check this winery out.
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Took one early for the group. Dark, dusty purple; berry nose; intense syrah, cherry, blackberry, pepper, brooding, mouth filling. Day two the wine had opened up and more accessible, so I'd suggest an overnight opening or at least a 6 hour decant. Next time I will try one is 2013, but you won't be sorry you opened one up sooner. Spouse enjoyed the intensity and richness. A great effort and QPR.
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My only experiences connected with this wine have come from drinking the Copain bottlings, which began in 2008. On several occasions, I have had the 2008, then the 2009 my last time to the winery and also a barrel sample of the 2010. This vineyard is one I like, just without the history of time with say great syrah vineyards like that of Rosella's or Hawks Butte, vineyards I have been drinking on repeated occasions across many vintages for several years. So to Halcon, it sits at 2500 feet, up the way from Hawks Butte. This 2009 here is labeled at 13.7%, made by the vineyard owner, Paul Gordon. I really enjoy the aromatics on the nose, a note that I have often labeled as potpourri, kind of like a dried blue/purple flower that comes out the glass. Not white flowered like gardenia but more fragrant in a darker way, with a kiss of oak here (but not much). The wine is quite dark, a stainer in the glass, with a palate that is inky/bloody note but it's not heavy, instead very much juicy in tone, with a big-sized dollop of blueberry skin and lots of crushed rocks, both of the latter being what I find in the Copain version. The rocky finish is a feature in syrah I have come to really enjoy and appreciate, much why I like Copain so much, and you will find it here, along with black cherry and some olive. There is good acidity and juiciness in this wine so I'd be interested to see where it heads in 2-3 years. Damn nice and a real nice surprise...........As a follow back, I finished the last pour of this wine last night, as it had plenty of air and a chance to come to room temp. It picked up some weight, along with a bit more of the oak impression, but overall maintained the flavor core I previously wrote about above. Just overall became a bit bigger but still IMO quite good.
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Ceritas and Halcon Wine dinner, March 30, 2011 (Camino Restaurant, Oakland): Deep, dark, brooding blackberry/boysenberry fruit, intense and rich, even at it's quite low alcohol level, with medium levels of fine tannins. A brilliant mouthful of intense, focused syrah that is a marvel to drink now and should age easily for a decade and more.
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Barrel sample: Dark, opaque violet purple color, this has Cornas written all over it, showing deep, secretive black and boysenberry fruits, violet undertones, beautiful acidity, and great tannic structure through the finish. A reserved but powerful style that doesn't announce itself up front, but by the time you're done with a swig, you know it's there! Great wine, a little too young to judge fully now, but shows tremendous potential.
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5/19/2023 - alanr wrote: 94 Points
Good color, quite dark, not quite opaque, nose shows off crushed fruit, anise, fennel, dried herbs, bit of creosote; lovely fruit on the palate, a dark foundation, with some higher toned notes riding on top, a hint of sweetness that is probably a little aged bottle sweetness, a good dose of the same dried herbs and anise are here too, with good balancing acidity, and mild/moderate fine tannins round out the wine. Still quite youthful, but in a beautiful drinking stage that should go for years. Fun to check in on this, will check back in a few years.
As this continues to open with air through the evening, it just gets better and better. The little streak of sweetness has disappeared, and the dried herbs/anise character has grown stronger, adding more interest and complexity. Just right dose of mouthwatering acidity makes you want to come back for another sip far too soon. Fabulous.
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2/20/2021 - fred o. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opaque violet.
Nose very nice, aromatic, red fruits. Perfumed, some roses.
Palate an earthy spice, red fruits, cherries.
Classy and open for business at this stage, still holding strong with a well-stored bottle. Would have guessed a balanced Pinot blind.
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8/28/2020 - bg3034 wrote: 90 Points
PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Deep purple color. Dark fruit on the nose. Nice balance of fruit on the palate, not too overwhelming and solid finish. Great with food. 90pts. Aloha!
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7/28/2018 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Chili, BBQ, Syrah and Other Things With River Rat (Brian Tuite's Backyard): Poured blind as part of a 6 wine syrah flight. Didn't realize this was the first vintage of Halcon. Floral, some bacon fat and a core of blue fruit. Inky and chalky with espresso, blue-fruited juiciness and dark cherry. Enjoyed this a lot.
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3/22/2018 - jhemming wrote: 90 Points
Really solid Syrah. Great fruit and structure. Not overwhelmingly savoy.
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8/14/2017 - thalver wrote:
This was much more open and accessible than a bottle two and a half years ago. Decanted and drank about 30 minutes later. Aromas were immediately expressive, tapering off about 2 1/2 hours after opening. More savory than fruity on the palate. Less interesting after about 3 1/2 hours. This is far and away the best showing I've had for this wine. Want more.
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4/8/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
From magnum. Decanted for 3 hours. Dark maroon color. Magenta around the rim. Hint of chambord nose and blackberry. Excellent palate, tar and blackberry attack. Underlying salinity through the end. Light jerky flavor. Good iron and light black olive at the finish. Good cold climate Syrah. Plenty of tannins but they're not aggressive, more chewy/gritty. Paired with short ribs like Russian ice dancers.
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1/21/2016 - David_T wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well now. The structural notes are fully integrated. Otherwise unchanged from my 2014 note.
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11/20/2015 - Meerlust wrote: flawed
This seemed muted in all respects. The fruit showed some plum and pepper, but it seemed very subdued. The plush fruit from the previous bottle was stripped, but it was not undrinkable.
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8/3/2015 - folsomarndt wrote: 91 Points
PnP, but kept improving over the next hour. A deep dark purple wine, that's surprisingly smooth and well made Cali Syrah... but shows a lot of Northern Rhone-like qualities.
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4/19/2015 - missionpk Likes this wine:
A relatively big wine, so needs to be a bit warmer than I often serve lighter reds. When given the space to shine, this is quite fun. Sort of like Ridge Zin, in that the oak and fruit are big, but it still feels well made and reflective of the site.
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2/18/2015 - RDHudak wrote: 90 Points
The color belied the age on this wine. N: Funky at first, this opened up to reveal dark fruit and cool climate Syrah. P: So smoooth, but seemed to have less impact than before and a tad less fruit. F: Medium, with resolved tannins and acidity. Based on this bottle, I'll be drinking mine sooner than later. 90+
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2/16/2015 - BklynNeophyte wrote:
Very good, but has not developed over the past few years.
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1/25/2015 - thalver wrote:
This continues to strike me as tight and somewhat closed. I hope it is holding something back.
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1/3/2015 - prof b wrote:
A smooth and delicate wine despite the significant blue and red fruit coming through on the palate. The nose remains a bit muted at this stage (opened for four hours, no decanting). Tasting to determine whether I will buy on the upcoming release...most likely a yes...
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1/2/2015 - prof b wrote: flawed
corked
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11/7/2014 - lolo66 wrote: 91 Points
my last bottle and by far the best. ready almost out of the gate and had a wonderful balance of fully pronounced blue cali fruit along with a nicely balanced amount of minerality, spices and tannins. I would imagine some other comments about north rhone is that balance and minerality, but I find this just well made west coast syrah from a talented wine maker.
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10/21/2014 - Tubulus wrote: 92 Points
Been on a California syrah kick the last few days, and this is definitely my favorite so far, probably because it's more Rhone-ish than the others. Blue fruits, some drying tannins, some olive-y astringency on the finish. Probably wait another year or two on my last bottle, though I don't think it will need more than that.
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9/14/2014 - Sennma wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple color...the nose was a little reticent at first (along with the palate). This opens up nicely after 30mins or so. Very much in a northern rhone style.
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7/31/2014 - scott w wrote: 92 Points
Getting even better than the last time I had it, blue fruits and iron mouthfull of acidity and good tannic grip
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7/20/2014 - DRS-Inc wrote:
PnP a glass showed a Northern Rhone-like quality of iron, black pepper, tart dark berry fruit, meat. Then consumed over 5 hours after 1.5 hrs. of slow ox, picking up more herbaceous and earthy qualities with minerality. Very fine firm tannins that continued to build the more it aerated with good dose of acidity, medium:full bodied texture, and a moderately lingering finish with some sediment. Still has good structure to last.
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3/25/2014 - David_T Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aging nicely, this bottle has aromas of dark fruit, soy and earth. The palate has blackberry, mineral, earth and herb notes. Medium acid/tannins/finish. Enjoyable now and should continue to age well through at least its 10th birthday.
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3/23/2014 - dgriffin3480 wrote: 91 Points
This really has opened up in the last year. Sweet and savory nose with sweet red fruit contrasted by Unami scents and leather, soy and stones. Opens with fruit and tightens on the finish with tangy acids and tannin.
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2/7/2014 - scott w Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bright floral nose, blueberry blackberry hints of olive and earth, medium plus acid nice tannic grip on the finish. Boy this was really good and a steal for $20. Should drink well for years.
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12/27/2013 - rodsjuice Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours. Color dark purple. Nose has a floral component. Violets, blueberry, blackberry. Palate is full bodied with a rich smooth texture. Nicely integrated tannin, acid, alcohol. Luscious, long finish. Fantastic syrah that is drinking great right now. 5,13,16,7=91
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12/5/2013 - wirelesswine wrote:
Deep, rich purple color. Nose is fairly intense, with a perfumey note to the blackberry fruit and black pepper. On the palate this is brighter and more vibrant than the nose might have suggested, with more berry fruit and subtle hints of oak flavors. All in remarkable balance, with just the right tannin and acid level. Great bottle of syrah.
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10/27/2013 - rodsjuice Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Color is showing bright translucent purple. Nose is sweet. Initial aroma of cream, then Vanilla and boysenberry. Palate is full bodied with a rich creamy texture. Smooth and elegant. Slight minerality followed by blueberry. This wine is evolving nicely drinks great right now. 5,13,16,7=91
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8/27/2013 - RDHudak wrote: 91 Points
Informal notes, but this wine showed well despite being so young. Mild, cool climate fruit with firm acidity and tannins. Black olive, oregano and blue fruit. This laughed at the 1 hr decant as it really needed more, but went well with grilled burgers. I would have never guessed Cali Syrah. 91+. Thanks David T!
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8/10/2013 - Rich S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark purple color. Nice nose of purple flowers, black licorice, dark fruit and a touch of black pepper. Similar flavors on the palate all wrapped up with well balanced acid and tannin. Not much perceptible oak on the palate and this wine drank light on its feet for a Cali syrah (under 14% abv and medium+ acidity) likely a result of being grown in some high elevation or cooler climate part of Santa Rosa. Either way, I enjoyed this quite a bit. Great QPR as well.
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8/4/2013 - alanr wrote: 91 Points
Dark as night, though not heavy bodied or ponderous in any way; on the palate this oozes dark blackberry fruit, with a nice touch of acidity and some fine tannin structure; right now in somewhat of a simpler, primary phase, but still very enjoyable. I'd like to see the finish go on a bit longer, but as this was just the second harvest in the vineyard perhaps no surprise, and a very promising opening for this young vineyard. Good enough to make me keep coming back to the bottle and filling my glass, so that (unusually) the wine is gone on night one.
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7/22/2013 - tyvoodoo wrote:
Opened for 2.5 hours prior to this note. Cool blue fruited nose, graphite, sweet baking spice, vanilla oak and a touch of black licorice. Balanced profile in the mouth with lovely blue and red fruit, decent amount of oak toast, sweet glossy tannins, decent acid and overall it's polished. Screaming value, great wine for the money!
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7/19/2013 - rodsjuice Likes this wine:
Decanted for 3+ hours. Color is dense, dark purple. Nose violets, sweet boysenberry/blueberry. Palate full with a balanced flavor profile. This started off learning towards acidic on the first glass. Was more closed down than I recall from past bottles. Wine temperature was around 70 degrees. Was enjoyable to drink, but lacked any standouts on the palate and finish. Score withheld and will revisit again in a few months.
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6/21/2013 - blakel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wanted to take a magnum of something to a party and grabbed this. Wish I had held on to it, as it was my last bottle of 2009. Good now but will be so much better down the road.
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6/17/2013 - alanr wrote: 92 Points
Somewhat primary nose, dark fruit compote, with a hint of creosote; palate is very youthful, primary, even a touch grapey at this point, dark, brooding blackberry fruit, with nice acidity, some medium fine tannins, excellent overall structure. A hint of a slight bitter note shows up on the finish, but nothing overly distracting. This has lost some of its youthful wildness, calmed down, and right now is very juvenile and uncomplicated. Since 2009 was just the first vintage, with no track record it's a bit difficult to predict its future, but my sense is that it has the stuffing and structure to age nicely for many years. Right now a great bbq wine, with time should develop some more complexity and interest. At it's combination of price and quality, I'm glad to have quite a few bottles to track development over the years.
Next night follow up: Has held up very nicely, and developed a bit more balance and interest. Plenty of structure, more brooding and complex, deep, dark fruit, still very youthful but much of the primary grapey character is gone. Definitely give this several hours after opening to show best. Upgrading my score based on tonight's taste.
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4/27/2013 - blakel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank from a magnum, notes on night 2. Nose of slate, charcoal, a little blackberry. Plenty of acid on the palate, with fragrant dark fruit, a hint of violets, silky texture. Medium+ finish with drying tannins. This will be tremendous down the road.
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3/29/2013 - rodsjuice Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice cool climate Syrah.
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3/14/2013 - klezman Likes this wine:
Initially, big (almost huge) new world styled Syrah. Lots of acid, though, and plenty of both minerality and leather. Delicious and it's going to likely get better with some air.
Opened up with time somewhat, but still wound up pretty tight. Definitely some chalkiness to it, generally in a good way. This is very Ty Caton-esque to me.
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3/6/2013 - Mootsie Does not like this wine: 72 Points
Tight, boozy and closed even with a 3 hour decant. Needs time.
Day 2. More open, blue fruits, some anise, but a little medicinal and watery. Better syrah options at this price point.
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2/26/2013 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 91 Points
Still purple, but a bit lighter and threw off sediment on night 2. Finally, the fruit is beginning to mellow and a fine Syrah is emerging. It is delicious.
4 on the AFScale.
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2/26/2013 - rodsjuice Likes this wine: 89 Points
This wine is really consistent and good. Decanted for two hours. Color dense purple. Nose floral, boysenberry, blueberry. Palate is med to full and very enjoyable right now. 5,13,15,6=89
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2/17/2013 - bretrooks wrote: 89 Points
Not decanted, consumed over ~2 hours. Lean but concentrated, with notes of inky dark berry fruit, black licorice, oak, and hints of saline and mineral. The oak seems a bit awkward at this point and restrains my enthusiasm a little, but this has ample fresh acidity and enough tannic structure to age and let it integrate. If I had more, I'd give this at least another year or two before checking in. Attractively priced at $20. 89+
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1/7/2013 - jaxpaj wrote: 90 Points
better on day 1. Day 2, more primary fruit, the wine lost its structure.
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1/2/2013 - WetRock wrote:
Changed a lot on the first night. Tight rich fruit initially with some obvious oak coming out after a couple hours. On the second night the minerally, slatey notes show up though with the vanilla oak receding. There is some herby, wood type notes lingering but in a positive way. Offers more hedonistic pleasures today but should reward some medium cellaring for those that want to see that complexity integrate more completely.
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12/19/2012 - River Rat wrote:
Notes from night 3. Deep dark purple. Nose showing lots of dark fruit, roasted meat and violets. Dense texture with tart blackberry, iron, charcoal and abundant chalky tannins. Took all of 3 days to show its stuff. Still very young but a joy to peek at. Potential to go many years but man is it good right now. If you have 1 hold it. If you have multiples give one a look.
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12/8/2012 - tyvoodoo wrote:
A truly solid bottle of ca Syrah, performing way over its price point. Mostly a blue and black fruit profile with some scents of spice cake, fresh cream and blueberries. Not overly firm in the mouth for its youth but has some acid to back up the fine grain tannins and concentration. Maybe a bit simple but it is young and should develop some complexity. Lovely all around and delicious now but no harm in laying some sideways for a few years.
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12/3/2012 - dgriffin3480 wrote:
Decanted for 3 hours; could have used more. Nose was bursting on opening, with surprisingly high toned red fruits, minerals and a violets. Initially open on the palate with dark red fruits, streaks of minerals and a chewiness, but closed down after an hour. Too young to fairly rate, but promising.
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11/28/2012 - Mootsie Does not like this wine: 64 Points
Tight and tart after a 3 hour decant. Not as good as the first bottle. Feels like it needs at least another few years. I do not get the high scores. Way too young.
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11/25/2012 - dk0s0v3c wrote: 93 Points
I wish I had followed this over a longer time period, but it was too good and went too fast. Celebration of completing moving day. The nose was gorgeous - floral, with hints of plums, mint, and blueberries. The palate was beautifully balanced, with medium tannins, wonderful acidity, and the same fruit from the nose, with maybe some hint of dried meat or tobacco. This is my kind of Syrah. I should've backed the truck up for this one.
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11/22/2012 - Meerlust wrote: 92 Points
Wow. I did not get much time with this wine because the bottle was gone very quickly. This wine was an opaque dark purple. The nose was refined and subtle with plum, blueberry, and minerals, and the palate was stellar because of its balance. Plums opened the show with blueberry and boysenberry playing backup, and the finale was a streak of mineral down the center of your palate. Structurally, this is medium-bodied with balanced acidity to support the fruit and subtle tannins. The mineral tinged finish has good length. Overall, I am very impressed by the quality of this wine regardless of price. At this price, it is an absolute steal.
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11/21/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 88 Points
Thanksgiving Eve 2012 in the Berkshires (Berkshires (West Stockbridge, Massachusetts)): Overall, the winner among 11 tasters on Thanksgiving eve, and my third of five. Smooth and enjoyable.
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11/21/2012 - BuffaloLou wrote: 88 Points
Nice fruit, but not much else. Perhaps I didn't let it breathe long enough (30 minutes).
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11/12/2012 - RDHudak wrote:
Lots of cool climate fruit with sharp acidity. It tamed somewhat with a decant, but this wine is very young and screams for a decant. Tart red and blue fruit with a medium+ finish that is punctuated by the sharp acidity.
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11/12/2012 - jdabrowski1027 wrote:
Wow, what an effort here for the price.
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10/5/2012 - DRS-Inc wrote: 92 Points
Initially PnV & was instantly wowed, than let breathe for over 2 hrs. & consumed 5 hrs. beyond. Notes of red fruit (notably cranberry and boysenberry), blueberry, pepper w/a mineral quality, blood meat & just a hint of iron. Complex & pleasantly ever-evolving w/more air time, w/high acid which matches well w/food, moderate tannins, medium-bodied, and a caressing palate-staining medium:long finish. Brilliant effort. (92+).
Had previously spoken to Valerie Gordon of Halcon who says this is approachable now, but better to age for another 1-2 yrs. from purchase date. Glad to have a couple more.
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9/17/2012 - Itriolo wrote:
Simple, high acid wine that tastes of cranberries. Not particularly interesting, even on the second day.
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9/13/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 91 Points
Better the second night.
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8/20/2012 - David_T wrote: 90 Points
Cool red fruit and a bit of mint/eucalyptus on the nose. Flavors of cranberry/raspberry. Some licorice. High acid, medium tannins.
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8/20/2012 - jimmythesaint wrote:
Decanted for 4+ hours. A decent wine but lacking on the finish. Based on the previous TNs, this bottle was not in the same league.
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8/18/2012 - ToddS wrote:
This is still really young. Delicious. Glad to have more. No lightweight, but not to be confused with a sweet fruit bomb either.
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6/4/2012 - David_T wrote: 92 Points
The nose is complex and layered showing blueberries, blackberries, licorice, pepper and meat. The flavors match the nose and both show the cool-climate origins. Medium to full bodied with lots of acid, moderate tannins and a long finish. Structured and delicious, drinking well now and many bright years ahead- a very good wine.
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5/26/2012 - EMichels wrote: 89 Points
Showed as a more straightforward California style this time around; Suffered from an unfortunate placement just after a much more earthy Italian
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5/24/2012 - JOsgood wrote:
A modern California style syrah with big fruit and oak.
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5/11/2012 - rodsjuice wrote:
Decanted for 2 hours. Color of bright purple. Dense and beautiful in the glass. Nose was some what closed with faint aromas of blue/bosenberries. A hint of floral. Palate is med to full. Nicely integrated components with the tannins finishing tight and dry. As we enjoyed the bottle it seemed to get better. Very smooth. I agree with other comments. This is still young and needs more time.
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5/9/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 91 Points
I'll try to hold off, but this wine is excellent. Comparable: David Robertson.
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4/19/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 92 Points
Young, but already nicely integrated. I think this will be terrific with a few more years of bottle age, but already excellent +. A beautifully balanced syrah and a great escape from the over-extracted syrahs from California that have left me wholly underwhelmed. Comparable: Mike Trout.
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4/1/2012 - ToddS wrote:
This is one of those wines that is so much better after 2 days. Just way too young to touch another any time soon. Leave 'em alone.
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4/1/2012 - DRod wrote:
Quite opaque, purplish hue at the rim. Rich mix of mostly dark fruit, grape, blackberry, tangy raspberry, sweet essences, pencil lead. A good deal going on with the nose but still quite primary at this stage. Tastes downright delicious on the palate. Same big and rich mix of mostly dark fruit, quite primary, but has great backbone of ripe tannin that grips your palate from the midpalate on. Good acid as well, mouthwatering on the finish with great dark fruit and ripe tannin. Very young but just plain delicious.
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3/4/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Lots of great Cabs, Syrahs and others NVW&C (Napa Valley Wine & Cigar): A better showing than a bottle consumed about a month ago at home. The nose has boysenberries, iron and bacon fat. Great acidity. Juicy texture. Lots of boysenberry fruit on the palate. Very young and in need of time. Compared to a 2010 Copain Halcon, this is much more about red fruits and had a better texture.
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3/2/2012 - pete s. wrote:
I'm holding off on a rating for now but this could be 92+ in the future. Just seemed really tightly wound tonight and never really came together. Underneath the tannins were notes of blackberry, smoke, and violet. I plan on opening a bottle in the near future and giving it a lengthy decant which I didn't do with this bottle but did try on the 2nd day. Looking into ordering more...
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3/1/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 91 Points
Extremely dark and fruit forward, touches of spice and mineral help give it some balance. Thought it would be higher alcohol with the touch of heat it gave off.
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2/28/2012 - MotoMannequin wrote:
Opaque purple-ruby with blackberries, eucalyptus, and as Paul predicted, a conspicuous presence of oak strong enough that this seems almost like a barrel sample. Decanted for a couple hours then drank with dinner. Right now it's dense, showing some briny green olive with a meaty backbone, some minerals and a solid wall of fine-grained, mouth-coating tannin on the back end. Definitely structured for age and this is baby killing but there's an intriguing amount of complexity here. Day 2 this has started to show some more fruit, plums, blackberries and dark chocolate. The tannins at this point are teeth-staining and chewy. Highly structured and built for aging, give these 3-5 years.
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2/25/2012 - RobertTassi wrote: 92 Points
Opened and decanted for 2 hours. Still really tight with room to age but has great structure and the taste is already worth it. Chocolate and berry on the nose,taste was smooth with good mouthfeel. If you can wait, it's a great high altitude wine that will open in the next 2-3 years, otherwise still great now. 5-6 hours into the decant and still developing but tastes of boisenberry and cocoa. If I had a cellar to speak of I'd leave it in there for 5 years but still worth drinking now. Rebuy at $30ish many times over.
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2/23/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Some Syrahs: My first time trying this wine. I liked it. Another cool climate Syrah. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, more minerals than most. Also a bit of cocoa, but lacking the black pepper notes. Interesting. Clean bright fruit. Accessible now, but should age out well for a decade. Nice acidity. Very nice wine.
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2/23/2012 - Ron Felthoven wrote: 91 Points
Incredibly dark and tight upon opening. This wine has great acid and tannin for aging potential. The aromas were pretty muted at first and definitely fills the role of a cool climate syrah, but as it warmed and gobbled oxygen it fanned out a bit to reveal more character. Not a lot of spice here, but a rocky character as described by others along with restrained black and purple fruit. Give this at least two years.
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2/21/2012 - 97edwardc wrote: 84 Points
Strange, buttered-popcorn nose. Oak and metal on the palate. Medium fruit, lengthy but acidic/metallic finish. Not a fan, but maybe it will be better tomorrow.
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1/24/2012 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Nice structure; Deep fruit; Not too much
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1/24/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Mixed Frenchies Offline (Craftsman, Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. Pop and pour. Drank one glass over 30 minutes. This came last in a line of French wines and probably got short shrift. It struck me as fairly ripe on the nose with blackberry, cassis, lots of herbs, vanilla, oak. The palate is dominated by firm tannins right now with black fruits and oak. I would like to see this again with a nice decant and some extra glass time as it looks to be better yet.
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1/12/2012 - Personal Opinion wrote:
Inky, opaque purple. Good concentration of pure, ripe black and blue fruit on the palate, while still retaining a taut spine of juicy acidity and elegant medium-medium-plus body. The wine definitely holds a core of mineral in its expression, though with sufficient aeration, I believe a fresh, pure, mouthwatering, blackberry/blueberry yogurt dominates... the finish lingers with pure persistence. Cheers to this wines purity of fruit! Love it!
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12/26/2011 - alanr Likes this wine: 94 Points
A brilliant rendition of cool climate California syrah, with a restrained intensity, deep black/boysenberry fruit, mouth-watering acidity, simultaneously refined and rustic structure that should allow it to age effortlessly for quite a few years. Comparisons to Northern Rhone are often silly, but this wine could probably fool some very good palates in a Cornas tasting. At its price point, this is a sensational value.
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9/3/2011 - Andrew Christiansen wrote:
A sneak preview of the upcoming inaugural release from Halcon Vineyards, a new winery from Paul Gordon, the owner/caretaker of the Halcon Vineyard (which is up the hill from Hawk's Butte, of Copain fame). This syrah has it all...fruit, acidity, structure, purity, energy, and a striking sense of place. You get the sense this wine came from somewhere, not someone. The pure blue/black fruit is complemented by a subtle stony/earthy element and juicy acidity that won't require dental work, and the tannins are fine and crisp. Held together nicely on Day 2, and a bonus savory/smokey element developed. An exciting wine to drink, and lovers of CA should check this winery out.
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6/19/2011 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 93 Points
Took one early for the group. Dark, dusty purple; berry nose; intense syrah, cherry, blackberry, pepper, brooding, mouth filling. Day two the wine had opened up and more accessible, so I'd suggest an overnight opening or at least a 6 hour decant. Next time I will try one is 2013, but you won't be sorry you opened one up sooner. Spouse enjoyed the intensity and richness. A great effort and QPR.
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6/4/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
My only experiences connected with this wine have come from drinking the Copain bottlings, which began in 2008. On several occasions, I have had the 2008, then the 2009 my last time to the winery and also a barrel sample of the 2010. This vineyard is one I like, just without the history of time with say great syrah vineyards like that of Rosella's or Hawks Butte, vineyards I have been drinking on repeated occasions across many vintages for several years. So to Halcon, it sits at 2500 feet, up the way from Hawks Butte. This 2009 here is labeled at 13.7%, made by the vineyard owner, Paul Gordon. I really enjoy the aromatics on the nose, a note that I have often labeled as potpourri, kind of like a dried blue/purple flower that comes out the glass. Not white flowered like gardenia but more fragrant in a darker way, with a kiss of oak here (but not much). The wine is quite dark, a stainer in the glass, with a palate that is inky/bloody note but it's not heavy, instead very much juicy in tone, with a big-sized dollop of blueberry skin and lots of crushed rocks, both of the latter being what I find in the Copain version. The rocky finish is a feature in syrah I have come to really enjoy and appreciate, much why I like Copain so much, and you will find it here, along with black cherry and some olive. There is good acidity and juiciness in this wine so I'd be interested to see where it heads in 2-3 years. Damn nice and a real nice surprise...........As a follow back, I finished the last pour of this wine last night, as it had plenty of air and a chance to come to room temp. It picked up some weight, along with a bit more of the oak impression, but overall maintained the flavor core I previously wrote about above. Just overall became a bit bigger but still IMO quite good.
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4/4/2011 - alanr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ceritas and Halcon Wine dinner, March 30, 2011 (Camino Restaurant, Oakland): Deep, dark, brooding blackberry/boysenberry fruit, intense and rich, even at it's quite low alcohol level, with medium levels of fine tannins. A brilliant mouthful of intense, focused syrah that is a marvel to drink now and should age easily for a decade and more.
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5/25/2010 - alanr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Barrel sample: Dark, opaque violet purple color, this has Cornas written all over it, showing deep, secretive black and boysenberry fruits, violet undertones, beautiful acidity, and great tannic structure through the finish. A reserved but powerful style that doesn't announce itself up front, but by the time you're done with a swig, you know it's there! Great wine, a little too young to judge fully now, but shows tremendous potential.
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