Listed at 14.0%, seems richer than the 2006 at 14.6% which we tasted side by side. Wells said the 04 had some new oak on it, yet the 06 saw none--shows what oak does for texture and impact to a wine. Showed a honey and some texture, yet had plenty of acid in the wine's core. Banana, mint with a nice, long spicy finish driven by anise seed. The juxta of richness and acid makes this very good and it doesn't show any signs to me of oxidizing or aging. Continue to age if you have some but just know there is richness here versus the leaner 2006.

Tasted next to the 2004, this 2006 listed alc was about 1/2 point higher, yet this 2006 is leaner to me. Shows a lime skin, guava, some green apple and like the 2004, lots of anise seed defining the wine and adding a zip and intensity to the finish. I prefer the 2006 at this point, and fortunately have one 750 left in the cellar and this wine will continue to age nicely for many more years. FWIW, Wells told the group that this is the best white wine he's ever made, and while I think the 2011 Laureles Grade chard may rally the Roussanne here, this is really a nice wine.

Listed alc is 13.4%. Drank next to the 2011 Copain Laureles Grade. The Brosseau shows good precision of pure chard flavor, mainly pippin apple, a bit of honey too. Pear and lots of tangerine, too. The core of the wine then finishes with a nice, smooth green apple and orange citrus note. This Brosseau lacks the chiseled marine notes of the Laureles, yet what I like about the Brosseau is that suits a richer mood, and the flavors are intense with a nice long finish. FWIW, like the Laureles, this wine sees no new oak, and is barrel fermented in 7-8 year old wood.

Listed alc is 12.8%. This is quite Chablis-like, showing a presense of marine notes, which were not present in the 2011 Brosseau. This is grown very near the ocean, I believe about 5 miles from the Pacific and from the vineyard, Wells indicated the view of the waves in the Carmel area are visible. It's also grown in similar soils to that of Saxum's home vineyard. Sea shell, yellow apple and lots of intense chard fruit in the core of this wine. Then into the finish, lemon rind, mandarin orange and slate. All in, reminds me of Montee de Tonnerre, the same kind of fruit and texture qualities. And like the Brosseau, this is barrel fermented in 7-8 year old neutral oak so what's here is pure and clean. Delicious and look forward to the shipment of these in the Fall.

Strong showing last night, affirming the same perception as the last 2 bottles over the course of the last couple years. Lively aromatics of asian 5 spice. Blue fruit, rocky, spicy, will age gracefully and while this is bigger boned than the 2010, this 2007 is opulent yet balanced. Was my red WOTY for 2011 and last night maintained that class.

Drank alongside the 2007 and 2010 last night. Of the three, this finished behind those 2 wines, as the riper vintage shows here. Black cherry, cherry hard candy, sappy and fleshier than the 2007. Has some acid in the core and will need a few more years to soften. I was not able to retaste the wine again today, as well.

Like with the 2010 En Haut, it's been over 2 years since I had this wine, too. So, last night from magnum during the dinner with Wells and the OC gang, I got to unfold this wine alongside the En Bas 2007 and 2009 (2008 was smoke damaged and was not made). This 2010 is a burg ringer, would in my view fool the burgophiles, the best of them. Labeled at 12.4%, shows a tangy blue and red fruited profile. Truffle and soil, lots of acid and just a lean, lithe body and all said, just excellent. These 2010 Copain Kisers are both strong, and while not as opulent as the 2007, which is fantastic with a "f", this 2010 is equally as good, just a leaner and meaner form. Will go for several more years.

Was tasted last night within a flight that included the 2009 and 2010. As with the recent bottle I had, this one too is tight. Blueberry, raspberry and similar to the 2007 En Bas, this En Haut has the same spicy core. And, a really longggg finish. Rocky, more coiled than the En Bas, too. This needs 2-3 more years before being ready and will go for 10 more years after that. Right now, all about upside and future potential....belt it for the ride!

Listed at 13.4%. Shows juicy blue and huckle fruit. This seems richer than the 2007 and 2010, just bigger in feel. Cherry hard candy and a little tight....having some wine leftover from y/day, retasting again. The wine rings up like I noted it from y/day, although I can pick up a soil note today and do see the larger frame of the wine that I picked up on last night. While good, not up to the level of the 2007s balance and richness in tandem, nor the delicacy of the 2010. I'd say this wine will drink best over the next 3-5 years, as there is some light tartness in the finish that helps liven up the darker fruit.

It's been 2 years since I tasted one of these and had not opened any of my inventory so I appreciated having a look at this wine last night, alongside the 2007 and 2009 in the same flight. Listed alc is 12.8%. Last night, the wine showed a rocky, red raspberry and blueberry skin. Retasting again today, this really suits me and having just tasted the 2009 again from last night's dinner, this 2010 for my palate is just a better wine. The 2010 is better balanced, the fruit is even, a bit rocky, the acidity is beautifully integrated. And as further credit to the wine, I am drinking it at room temp, 73 degrees, which is not my preferred temp for pinot. Yet even at this temp, the wine holds together very well, drinking super without any warts or flaws that I can find. Love Kiser En Haut, this 2010 is smashing good. As for a drink window, I would say now but some additional age won't hurt it either, so through 2018.

Listed alc is 12.4%. I've discussed this wine before in previous notes, how it's more pinot-like than syrah. Intentionally placed this wine last night as the first syrah we tasted after finishing the Kiser pinots that preceded it. Last night it was a bit grippy, with cooked meat and floral tones, along with red and blue fruit. Retasting now a day later, this remains quite gentle and if tasted blind, it might be hard to guess the varietal. It's softened up since y/day and the red fruit is glossier and smoother. Where is gets syrah-like is the sweet leather, the light game note and hint of pepper in the aromatic, ending with blueberry and licorice. There is light tension in the structure, despite the glossy mid-palate, so this wine can age and while it drinks well enough currently, I think 1-2 more years would be best, than 2-4 more after of optimum drinking.

Of the 16 Copain wines tasted last night, this is the one I spent the least time understanding, and unfortunately none left to retaste today! My notes last night say pepper, and I do recall that being the feature most distinct of the 2010 syrah flight (Baker Ranch and Hawks Butte that were alongside it). Purple flower, grapey. They'll be plenty of time over the next couple years to open and enjoy a few more of these so for now, this is my short check-in on the Halcon, FWIW.

I drank one of these recently from the cellar so I could have had a sense of what to expect. Listed alc is 13.0%. Approaching the wine objectively, it's a treat to drink this again. It pours dark, and sitting next to the 2010 Baker Ranch syrah, it's kind of a funny sight. While the Baker Ranch exhibits pinot noir like qualities, not Brosseau. This is about slate, deep blueberry, iron and color. Juicy. I splash decanted this from magnum y/day and it's been open for over a day so the structure has softened up. This is such a great bottle of CA syrah, one that I have such high regard for what it is. I told Wells last night that this is perhaps the best syrah he's ever made, and while it won't age like the 2007s (i.e. Hawks Butte and James Berry), it will drink better sooner and with some aeration, it does that very well now. Or, age for another few years and enjoy it. Classy juice, I love this stuff.......FWIW, I finished this mag finally on Day 3 and the wine was just beautiful. Pepper in the aromatic, the blue notes. Smoothed out with depth. Fantastic.

Opened last night from magnum, for a dinner we did with Wells. There was about 3 ozs left in the mag, which sat out overnight and I also splash decanted it y/day before we started the dinner so all in, had plenty of air. This is pretty stellar today, showing tremendous balance, silky and pure, yet these is still some rocky notes in the wine giving it structure. Black olive, saline, cooked meat, dark earthy fruit. This is right up there with the 2007 James Berry and 2010 Brosseau and while these are in my top tier for all the red syrahs Wells has made for the past 10 or so vintages, this Hawks Butte is probably the winner of that great trio and one of the finest he's made to date. Where does this wine go from here? Well, with all the air this magnum saw, it shows plenty of life ahead so I still think this is a 10 year wine from today, so age if you like another 3-4 years and drink through 2020.

Listed alc of 13.9%. Drank in the same flight as the 2007 and 2010. Like with the 2009 Copain pinots we had during the dinner, this 2009 shows the riper tones like those 2009 pinots did, too. Alc here is about 1/2 point higher than the 2007. Where the riper year shows in the wine is that the fruit I perceive to be sweeter, a sweeter cherry, black raspberry and blueberry, versus the 2007 where that wine is earthier, more savory. Aromatically has a dried flower/potpourri note, some drying astringence, green and black olive, tar and a finishing sweet blueberry tone. There is acid here so enough freshness to allow some further aging and it will go another 4-6 years.

Opened y/day as part of the Copain dinner we did with Wells. The alc on this is 13.3%, so it's in line with the 2007, versus the near 14% of the 2009. So to this 2010, which I splash decanted y/day and it's slow oxed in the bottle of the mag bottle since last night, I offer this note with a full day of air. Bacon fat and purple flower aromas, silky, smooth and fleshed out with all the air I mentioned. The flavors here are more in line with the 2007, in that savory direction, yet the way the fruit expresses itself in 2010 is much like that of Brosseau, the blueberry core, also huckleberry. As I said in my last note earlier this year on this wine, I don't see this as a long ager and in fact, I'd call this a more short term drinker. There is some light structure here, some slate in the finish so you can sit on this through the end of 2014, and I would say drink through 2016.