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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 96.2 pts. and median of 96 pts. in 26 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by csimm on 6/18/2022: I’ve written a ton on this wine, so I’ll spare everyone even more of my usual drivel and just say that this MG continues to impress. Though it offers upfront, chewy pleasure now (and a decent amount of unctuous power), I still say the best is yet to come. With more swirling and air, this becomes further layered. I’ll hold my remaining bottle for another 5 years if I can help it. I’m too greedy with these wines and need to pump the brakes a little here. Awesome wine now. Awesomer wine later. (3725 views) | | | Tasted by bsumoba on 4/11/2022 & rated 97 points: Spring 2022 Dream Napa Trip; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022: A great expression of his wines as they are built for aging. Great to see what the Tynan MG’s will become and if they are like this, then this is an easy buy. More classically structured and a treat to taste some of his earlier bottlings. If you are not on his list, you are missing out. (2505 views) | | | Tasted by WineBurrowingWombat on 4/11/2022 & rated 99 points: Napa Trip - Trying new wines and meeting new people; 4/11/2022-4/12/2022 (Napa): This wine showcases the skill and talent of Christopher Tynan and how well his wines age. Such an amazing example of how good balance and integration should be like. The nose was a melding of deep dark earth, brooding red and black fruits, and a subtle running of dark oak. Palate matches the nose completely but with the addition of well integrated acidity and minerals. Everything was just so beautifully integrated and balanced. There was a lovely weight to this but nothing heavy; a sensual coating on the palate as if the wine wrapped her legs around your tongue, caressing it. The crazy part? This wine seems to have just started showing off its goods. The only reason this did not get 100 points is because it can and will get there with another 4-6 years. Magical elixir level stuff. (2870 views) | | | Tasted by LiteItOnFire on 4/11/2022 & rated 98 points: Won’t change the long winded top part for each Tynan, only the specific wine. Feels like I just gave away the ending… good news if you are part of the CRAFT club like I am apparently a new member, you can read the entire thing each time and act surprised.
Damn Tynan makes great juice. Looking at the two lonely barrels we almost felt bad watching him thief that glorious juice out… almost but at the same time I was like a fat kid in a candy store hopping from one foot to the other waiting for the Closed sign to flip to Open. This was one of four barrel samples and while Inwould like to say nah, it’s not very good to don’t buy it, only for me to be able to buy more, that would be a flat out lie. These were my first peak into 2021 following the horrific fires so I went in a bit tepid, curious and a realist (for Promontory 2020 I can’t say I went in with an open mind, more on that later if I ever get to it… although not good odds with a stupid amount of 2021 EP samples headed my way in near hours.)
This is a generic Tynan wine comment- are there better wines Year after Year at this price point that no one knows of? Not to my knowledge. Note as others have said, Tynan builds his wine for depth, complexity and agining however his one offs are typically more ready to go earlier on. This doesn’t mean his wines aren’t good young- all great wines need to be good young and older, it’s just they blossom into something even greater once they get some bottle age. Suggested not to open MGs before their 8-10th birthday and that’s really just the beginning (and I appreciate both young and - 30 year old wines with exceptions of course).
All wines were PnP with little time in the glass. I can confirm the last sips were the best but we all marveled about just how damn great these wines are.
Will try and only update my notes on the wine it is linked to in order to avoid a war and peace novel.
4 Tynan barrel samples all 2021
1) Meleagris Gallopavo
2) Judge Syrah
3) Old Game Farm
4) Ch La Paz JH
18 C. Corbet Hillside Blocks
18 Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo
12 Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo- Wow. 98. I don’t give out many on this category but this wine deserves it- and it’s just getting started. It’s stupid good.
11 Judge Family Vinyeards Syrah
13 Judge Family Vinyeards Syrah (2724 views) | | | Tasted by csimm on 4/30/2021 & rated 100 points: 3 days in Napa: Arkenstone, Memento Mori, Maxem, The French Laundry, Christopher Tynan, Kinsman, Harlan, Vice Versa, Accendo, Fairchild, Macdonald, and a truckload of others (Napa): Two years since I've last sampled this juice. One of the most phenomenal wines I’ve had all year, the 2012 Tynan MG absolutely soars from the glass with aromas of ripe blackberries and earth. On the palate, this is a stunning expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. Unreal levels of concentration and intensity expand and drive massive but controlled flavors of blackberry, earth, campfire, pencil lead, and spice. Loaded with so much complex flavorings undulating repeatedly, with a mid-palate drop that lingers on and on, cruising through to a finish that lasts even longer. The density and concentration is matched only by the complete drive and concerted speed by which the flavors are executed.
This is exceptional winemaking my friends and it just goes to show with a few years of bottle age what Tynan is able to produce with the MG. If you happen to have this vintage of MG, consider yourself extremely lucky. If you have more than one, then slap yourself and thank your lucky stars you scored on these when you did. I would encourage those to muster up a bit of courage and pop the cork and see what’s under the hood on one of these bad boys because it is absolutely without question one of the wines the vintage. It’s just starting to come into its optimum drinking window now and will drink exceptionally for decades. 99-100 points.
During this trip, I was continually impressed with all of the wines we were fortunate enough to drink. I will say also that there were three wines in particular for me that totally crushed my cranium with their unbelievable representations of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2012 Harlan, 2012 Tynan MG, and 2018 Macdonald were next-level juice that dominated the landscape even among their otherwise remarkable peers. (7162 views) | | | Tasted by Cristal2000 on 4/23/2021 & rated 98 points: Getting a chance to taste this wine was a real treat. Chris' wines are so built for age that it can be hard to get a real good read on them early. This showed without a doubt that these are going to age gracefully and gain significant complexity over time.
What I found unique and interesting about this wine was its ability to show off really massive levels of concentration without it being dominated by fruit. Reminded me a bit of Harlan in that respect, although I am not ready to put this wine at that level.
TN: Blackberries, forest floor, loamy soil and hints on smoked meat and char on the nose. Concentrated and super savory on the palate, this is a bigger version of a nicely aged BDX. Showing super complexity, deftly integrated tannins and plenty of freshness, it's still a baby in the lifecycle. I expect it to get better for another decade, and that's not common in Napa. (2531 views) | | | Tasted by LiteItOnFire on 4/2/2021 & rated 96 points: Dream Trip - Napa On A Mission - All My favorites Plus A Few New Ones; 4/1/2021-4/4/2021 (Napa Valley): Question: Who is Christopher Tynan and what the heck is the MG vineyard?
Answer: A new favorite winery and vineyard that no one knows about.
Apparently it is made from some really old vines with elevation in St Helena and named after wild turkeys, not the spirit although a good drinking game would be to drink wild turkey and then see who can spell this vineyard name. Each letter they get wrong is a drink... ok I have a problem and might have just veered off topic.
I wanted to stay with this wine for a couple hours but then I would have missed all the other goodness being poured in my glass plus my liver was having another side conversation that I obviously was ignoring as it had no idea what it was talking about. Biggest problem is there was no way I was pouring this out it was too good (note to self, bring a box of glasses for my next visit). Big but with great structure built for the long haul with a rich, complex deep dark black and dark red fruits, flowers, great minerality and enough lift to keep things honest.
I never had the opportunity to taste the MG previously however I was able to buy the 2016 release after coming off the wait list. These wines are built for the long haul but unlike others are super enjoyable with enough time in the decanter but are awesome with time in the cellar. These are not fruit bombs rather delicious must have age worthy wines.
Tynan wines were the surprise of the trip for both the group and me. Get on this list before it’s too late.
EDIT: I just read Geaux's tasting notes and in it he said AG gave this an 88- NO WAY that is even close to accurate. I am a super tough but fair grader and that is literally not possible. Maybe AG is envious or jealous of Chris's good looks but there is no way that this wine scores anything close to that (and I respect AG). I would say he needs to re-taste but who cares as this wine is badass, and so is the rest of Tynan's portfolio. (3727 views) | | | Tasted by Geaux Tigers on 2/19/2021 & rated 97 points: I finally lost my patience on my Tynan wines and had to pull one now that the power is back on in TX.
2 hr decant and this was singing. Deep opaque red black in color, inky on the front of the palate, somewhat tannic on the back, but a long finish that kept dragging me back. The nose was heavenly.
Red and black berry fruit dominant with complimentary floral and perfume notes and berry fruit nose, with a touch of oak in a good way. On the palate, fresh red and black cherries and black raspberries, sweet and acidic but not tart. Herbs, burning embers, pine tar, and wet rock notes complimentary on the palate. Some coffee and toffee notes bouncing around as well.
As noted, some oak apparent from the notes but not overpowering, a tannic backbone holding it all together. No hard edges. Hides the 15+ a/c well. I think this could use another 1-2 years, but it’s damn good now. I’ve been wondering how long it would take for these to come around. 8-9 years is the answer, but I think 10-12 will be the peak for me. I can see why AG gave this 88 early on, but challenge whether that number is even close to the wine that has evolved since then.
Post-script: at 3-4 hours the tannins took over and the nose simplified into crushed blackberry, while palate became a bit leaner and linear on the red/black fruit scale. Not bad, just pointing it out (1785 views) | | | Tasted by msuwine on 9/15/2020 & rated 97 points: This rich and integrated wine is stunning right now, with an incredible interplay of fruit, tannin, and acidity. The intensity here is almost too much to handle (and I say this as a fan of modern Napa Cabernet), but the complexity and nuance are undeniable. The wine has softened and deepened since a few years ago (1/17 - 95 points), but it still needs a few years to subside and integrate. Unlike many 2012s, this wine is still on its way to becoming something even better. If you're currently looking for a roller coaster of flavor, though, this is your ticket.
Dark purple, almost black, in color; full in body; nose of graphite, boysenberry, espresso grounds, dried herbs, and grilled ribeye. Pungent and more ripe flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, black licorice, leather, and cocoa beans, with a lingering finish that has mostly integrated its tannins but not quite shed its sweetness. 15.1% alcohol. 97 as of now, but it should be even better, if approaching perfection, in 2022 or later. Decant at least two hours.
P.S. And now, boys and girls, it's time to critique the critic. In 2018, AG called this wine "flat and one-dimensional," with a "jammy" and "forbiddingly tannic" profile (VN 88). Um, no. Even if that combination of descriptors made sense (cough, it doesnt), it doesn't describe the wine. This is rich and multi-layered, with ripe fruit that is nowhere near jammy, and tannins that are a long way from being forbidding. In short, this wine is beautiful, and I can't wait to open my other bottles in another few years. (3074 views) | | | Tasted by twwatson100 on 8/2/2019 & rated 95 points: Two hour decant, might need six! Looks like a very young wine in the glass - no bricking at all. Some of the peppery profiles from last year have dissipated. Silky smooth but still a really big wine full of dark fruits. Lots of time left on this wine. (1895 views) | | | Tasted by csimm on 6/8/2019 & rated 99 points: So this wine didn’t suck at all. A massive wall of tannins and grip formed an outrageous skyscraper of scaffolding for the pitch-black fruit core. Shockingly, the immensity of the structure didn’t pull away from the voluminous flavor expansion gushing from the center-punch of fruit and black rock gushing from this wine. So much speed and intensity here as well. Finishes with a wave of flavor and tannin (with no bitterness at all). I’m still tasting this wine in my palate memory… goes on foreverrrrrrrrrr.
Some wines grab you by the ears and shout in your face to get your attention, waving spastically around to get noticed. This wine damn-near rips your ears off and, instead of screaming obscenities about wanting to be noticed, starting singing the best song you’ve ever heard in your life.
After a hard-to-read experience with the 2012 Tynan MG a year-and-a-half ago, this glass of “Holy Christ, life really IS good today” juice totally floored me, and then lifted me back up to give me the best of embraces. It still needs another few years to become a “perfect” wine, but I have little doubt it’ll get there. A conservative 99+ points from me for the time-being. Awesome juice. (4347 views) | | | Tasted by 9 and 3/4 on 5/8/2019 & rated 96 points: -double decant over 6 hours for a friend's BD along with a 55 Slope HR
-this wine is just dark with a brooding scent of earth, forest and dark powerful fruit
-very coy and seamless this statuesque wine just goes down like a Victoria Secrets model fits in a slinky gown
-beautiful on the nose candy and oak, more more more (1721 views) | | | Tasted by ledwards on 12/9/2018 & rated 93 points: Drinking young and a very slight bit closed compared to a year ago. The material is top notch and as the palate has a bit of restraint, it is a bit more elegant and less exuberant which works in it’s favor. Long life ahead and once it gets to it’s plateau, it will be a wow wine. (1945 views) | | | Tasted by Lateva on 5/5/2018 & rated 95 points: Interesting experience with this wine. It was decanted for 6 hours prior to drinking. My first glass had this very weird aroma, that smelled like an old lady’s cheap perfume, and then morphed into pine-sol cleanser. I was so shocked I asked the owner if the glass may have had some detergent in it from a recent washing. Nope. Oh well. I kept swirling and swirling and finally that element dissipated to reveal very pleasing black fruits, hints of coffee, and yes, a bit of pine needle. The palate on this wine was truly remarkable. The fruit was pure and inviting, without a lot of the “spoofilated” culty Napa cab elements that I have come to dislike. But what really stood out to me was the structure of this wine. The tannins and acidity were really incredible, with tremendous balance. Unfortunately, I don’t feel this in many modern Napa cabs these days. This wine was built to age. In fact, the structure of this wine and purity of the fruit reminds of MacDonald Cabernet. And that’s one of the best compliments I can give. Anxious to try another one and see if that weird element on the nose is present. (2332 views) | | | Tasted by ledwards on 12/9/2017 & rated 92 points: Woah- this wine has a very deep, dark brooding palate. Crazy amounts of dark fruit. Full of stuffing. Reminds me of a young Levy & McClellan in youthful intensity where it is all there but will benefit for more time in bottle. I will wait 3 years for next one and expect this to be better-possibly phenominal once it settles down a bit. I am excited for what this may become. (2239 views) | | | Tasted by pdemaio on 12/1/2017 & rated 95 points: PDQ94+ (2011 views) | | | Tasted by csimm on 10/4/2017: Farmstead BTK Taste-Off (Saint Helena): Notes of black currant, black earth, dark loam, and dark chocolate. In terms of flavor, the overall profile of this wine is undoubtedly in my wheelhouse, with a brooding, gothic type of quality about it. This seemed like a well crafted wine indeed.
This wine was opened a few days prior, so its mid-palate and back end unfortunately came off a little flat. Amazingly, it did not initially display as over-oxidized or bitterly acidic the way some wines can after an over-abundance of air. The flavors were all there, but some of the intensity and push had weakened some. No rating just due to the ultimate service of the wine, but definitely a wine I'm curious about revisiting if the opportunity presents itself. I do like what Tynan has done for a number of the higher end Cliff Lede wines.
Thanks to #1Winelover for bringing this wine to the table! (3721 views) | | | Tasted by pdemaio on 9/10/2017 & rated 96 points: Tremendously plush and full bodied.
PDQ96 (1901 views) | | | Tasted by #1Winelover on 9/4/2017 & rated 97 points: It took 5 hours in a wide-bodied decanter, back in the bottle and then back in the decanter on day 2 for this wine to open up. Black and purple coloring with strong tannins that have yet to soften. Blackberry, mocha, earth and, after 2 bottles, something that I still cannot ID. This wine has the potential to improve with age. In the future, I will decant it for 2 days. Really interesting. Patience is a virtue and I can only imagine how long the 2013 will need! (2525 views) | | | Tasted by mjf@ulkner on 7/15/2017: Inky black. Dark and brooding, with a fairly reticent nose. Extremely primal, the fruit is buried under massive tannins and dense graphite and leather flavors. I'm withholding judgement on this because I think I opened this at least 6-7 years too early. (1649 views) | | | Tasted by pdemaio on 5/2/2017 & rated 95 points: PDQ95 rich and lush. Long finish (2059 views) | | | Tasted by FlyPig on 4/9/2017: Meant to grab the Judge Syrah, didn't realize until cork was out. Slow ox with half a glass poured in glass to expose surface for 5 hours, drank over the next 7 hours.
This is so big and such a shame to drink now. If scoring would say 94-96, but in 5-10+ years my guess is this is near perfection. Decadently rich, layers of mouth coating flavor, cassis, blackberry, boysenberry, chalk, loamy earth, dark chocolate. Kept getting better and better as each hour went by. Sustained finish for 45+ seconds. Massive structure, relatively well integrated for its youth, but lots of integration ahead. Not a hair out of place.
No reason to drink these before 2022, so many other good options that won't reward the wait so generously. (1787 views) | | | Tasted by #1Winelover on 3/5/2017 & rated 95 points: This is a complex wine and I am still figuring out what to post. Really interesting with a unique taste. More to come.
Well, after the 3rd day, this finally opened up! It's a big tannic wine that needs to be forgotten for a couple of years. The color is dark red and purple and the fruit matches the color: blackberry, raspberries and blueberries. Very solid structure to the core that says "open me up in 3+ years." Charcoal notes. This is a very unique wine that I will tag to try in 2019 and I bet it's singing by then. I will have to check out the vineyard as I am unfamiliar with it. (2521 views) | | | Tasted by msuwine on 1/24/2017 & rated 95 points: A rich and savory Cabernet that delivers layered fruit in a graceful, though powerful and somewhat raw, package. Dark violet in color, full in body, inviting nose of boysenberry, pencil shavings, and gravel. Tastes of black cherry, blackberry, mocha, crushed rocks, and cedar, with an impressive purity and depth. There are serious tannins that subside (only somewhat) after two hours. 15.1% alcohol.
This wine strikes me as more complex and dark than Tynan's work at Cliff Lede, in a way that resembles a young Futo OV or Larkmead Solari - comparisons that I mean as compliments. This still needs a few years to unwind, but it is quite tasty - and very promising. (2603 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Napa Valley’s Extraordinary 2016 Cabernets (Dec 2018) (12/1/2018)
(Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Meleagris Gallopavo Vineyard Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (12/12/2016)
(Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Old Vines, United States) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JamesSuckling.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonOld Vines Old Vine/Vieilles Vignes (Wikipedia)USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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