2018 Force Majeure Syrah Force Majeure Vineyard Red Mountain

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 93 points

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  4/12/2024 - ThatFrenchieGuy Likes this wine: 95 Points

  **What is it:** There's the term "Cult Cabernet" kicking around out there. I'm not sure we'll ever agree on what is and isn't on that list, but there's a reasonable claim that Force Majeure is a cult winery.
  
  While famous for their cab, I think the syrah is a better wine. 97% Syrah off Red Mountain with a 3% Viognier coferment and 15% whole cluster. Aged 18 months in 23% new large format French oak.
  
  **Price Paid:** $89/btl as part of the membership program
  
  **Nose:** Violets and peppercorns, a sort of burnt dirt smell that I've been told is "volcanic soil". Fresh currants, ripe blueberries.
  
  **Palate:** A lot of extract, to the point where this is mild infanticide -- if you've had 2009 Bordeaux, it's got the same heavy powerful mouthfeel. Slightly savory with iron and earth, but then a layer of fully ripe black fruits, peppercorn, and violets on top of it. I think it's a very impressive middle ground between Australia and the Rhone, but I want just a touch more acid to balance out the richness.
  
  **Takeaway:** It's utterly fantastic and I see why critics give it such high scores. It's more of a syrah for Napa enjoyers, but there's nothing with doing that if you do it this well. 5/

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  2/10/2024 - mojotojo Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Gorgeous Syrah. Red and black fruits, super savory, Asian spices, licorice, bitter chocolate, minerals and more minerals. Sweet, soft lush tannins and firm grip on the finish. Drank this to see how it is drinking now. This will benefit from another 5-6 years in the bottle and then it will go another decade. Really well made wine.

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  1/6/2023 - Musinus wrote: 85 Points

  Initially, the wine offered up rich and seductive scents of red berries, black cherries, plums, and mocha. The mouthfeel: creamy, fruity, and alcoholic. After several hours, however, this seemingly promising creation was overwhelmed by alcohol and unrelenting bitterness. The fruit seemed to have retreated into submission, leaving behind a very muted wine whose structure was lacking. Is this merely a passing phase? Hard to say, but I’m not sticking around to find out.

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  12/18/2022 - jeagle Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Oooh mommy, is this wine savory. I couldn't just let it sit, but at least I decanted for a full eight hours. Absolutely delicious from entry to finish.

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  11/23/2022 - ThomasB99 Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Hands down one of my favorite syrahs. The fruit is dark cherry with underripe raspberry; with dark chocolate and very slight coffee notes. Medium full body but glass-coating viscosity. What's surprising is the dryness... so hard to pull off with syrah. This tells me I should have waited a few more years.
  The tannins are integrated but at this stage are somewhat effervescent. This wine is very well made indeed!

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