2010 Alban Vineyards Syrah Patrina Alban Estate Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (45) Avg Score: 90.7 points

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  5/23/2020 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 93 Points

  With BBQ Chicken & Roasted, Rosemary Potatoes on opening night of the D&S Lounge.
  
  John Alban’s wines remind me most of all the California producers/versions of North Rhone or Côte-Rôtie wines. Côte-Rôtie translates into for us as “Roasted Slope.” I assume that’s why his craft was dubbed as the “Original Rhône Ranger.”
  
  Although this has the roasted characterizations of those wines, this certainly has more ripe, ruby style fruits. Also, more purple & blue fruits.
  
  John’s higher end wines, Reva & Pondora remind me of the a French producer, Rostaing. Those two vineyard productions more closely mimic the Rostaing style.
  
  The Patrina is a good intro into Alban wines. You can tell it is a direct descendant but, for far less money. The others are better but, this carries the best wine value in their line up.
  
  The nose reveals; roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, limestone & volcanic minerals, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender.
  
  The body is; lush, ruby, big and like velvet. The tannins are round but, still pack, chewy, tarry, meaty tannins that are 45-50% resolved. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a good place but, will hit a peak in five to seven years. The 2010 Patrina still has room for improvement and will last another 10-15 years. It is simply wine candy. Roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices with just the right amount of palate heat, grilled meats, chestnuts, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, moist clay, limestone & gritty volcanic minerals, dry stone, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, steeped black tea, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender. The acidity is phat & round. It holds the slightly elevated alcohol level nicely. The finish is excellent & consistent wire to wire. It’s long, ruby, candied fruits with just the right balance of earth that persists endlessly.
  
  Just misses 94.

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  1/13/2020 - Binkey Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Nice nose but not supported from the same level of body.
  Best pairing is with no food.

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  10/28/2019 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 92 Points

  I like the Patrina for its quality and QPR. Its quality is not all that far from the Reva but, about half price.
  
  I also find the roasted or roasted chestnut quality I find in Rostaing wine out of Rhone. It is my belief, they have more or less styled their wines from Rostaing.
  
  The nose reveals; dark, ruby & slightly candied, currants, purple fruit mix, blue fruits, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy black raspberries, baked, spiced plum, roasted chestnuts, smoke, grilled meats, touch of bacon fat, heavy expresso roast, dark, rich earth, dry crushed rocks, dry brush, pepper notes, some caramel, mid, nicely layered baking spices, dry herbaceousiness with bay leaf dominance, with fresh, blue, dark flowers with greens topped of with field of lavender.
  
  The body is rich, lush and full. The tension, structure, length and balance are about five years from its peak. The tannins round yet, grainy and speak to another 10 years of excellent drinking ahead. Dark, ruby & slightly candied, currants, ripe; purple fruit mix, blue fruits, blackberries, dark cherries, creamy black raspberries & baked, spiced plum. Anise to black licorice, roasted chestnuts, smoke, grilled meats, touch of bacon fat, heavy expresso roast, dark, rich earth, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil with clay mixed in, dry brush, pepper notes, some caramel, mid, nicely layered baking spices, dry herbaceousiness with bay leaf dominance, with fresh, candied, purple, blue & dark florals with greens topped of with field of lavender. The acidity balances the alcohol like a waterfall over the palate. The long, ruby, ripe, slightly candied, well balanced finish slides into dry tannins & earth and persists several minutes.
  
  Paired well with our slightly spicy Kentucky Bourbon Chicken Skews, Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Green Beans.

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  9/22/2019 - buckeye76 wrote: 88 Points

  My score may reflect a little bias. The first bottle we opened was foiled but had no cork underneath! That was a first for us! The second bottle at least had a cork, though the nose was a bit funky and didn't really blow off for at least 30 minutes which was too long to fully enjoy it with the grilled burgers. I've had many great Albans over the years but had only opened one other bottle of Patrina until tonight. Fortunately that bottle of 2011 was superior to this one. Blackberries and raspberries in the nose and flavor with licorice, cloves, licorice, earthiness, and some floral. Medium to full bodied with a medium length finish.

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  9/22/2019 - buckeye76 wrote: flawed

  First time since I've been collecting and drinking wine seriously, this bottle of 2010 Alban Patrina was foiled but had no cork underneath!!!! Color was brown, nose was awful, dumped in the sink as soon as I could. I have no idea what it tasted like, and I do not want to know!!!

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