10/3/2023 - MrOctoberfest wrote:

I know that a lot of people love this producer, but to me it tastes like a McLaren Vale Ooze Monster. Tons of heat and ripe fruits with zero finesse. Not my cup of tea, and joining the list was, for me, a very expensive misstep.

2/4/2024 - englishman's claret wrote:

Tasted out of a few different bottles with slightly different decanting times, so difficult to get a really clear bead on this - but it doesn’t seem related to the sublime Las Cases.

1/12/2024 - RodLloyd Does not like this wine:

Bought en primeur. Just opened two bottles. Considering the supposed pedigree here and vintage, very underwhelming. Remember the sales promotion back then was that 2010 was one of greatest vintage ever. Currently disjointed. Don’t bother with this until it decides to get in shape in x years time. I hope the true colors will be revealed.

8/14/2023 - Brutnature1999 Likes this wine:

Stunning Chablis. Reductive, chalky, waxy, with lovely acid. Has a nice silky/round texture from the age. Drinking fantastic now but should hold up for 5+ more years. Drink from 2023-2028.

5/14/2023 - MadeiraLev Likes this wine:

One of the best American syrahs... enjoyed by all with grilled leg of lamb...

1/23/2023 - Acohen Likes this wine:

Explosive red fruit with bright cherry, cinnamon and a great finish

3/21/2022 - ThijsV wrote:

WSET 3 - session 3 (Utrecht): [Tasted blind] Mix between red (cherry, red currant, cranberry) and black fruit (black currant, cassis). Medium+ acidity, medium finish

10/26/2021 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine:

Not rating this super-high on my scale right now, but I want to immediately note that there's probably a lot of improvement in the works for this wine. I've previously enjoyed their 2016 Bien Nacido, as well as the 2017 Rim Rock, both of which I ranked higher (94). This was similar in style, just didn't feel as complete this year.

One of my fave styles of syrah- such cool-climate, early-picked CA that I describe it as more Rhone than the Rhone. I love when they're so wildly savory and meaty like this- unfortunately, this example simply didn't have enough fruit to balance that earthy onslaught. Nose is 75% black pepper, and not very expressive yet. Also touches of smoky pine, some little bacon fat tones, and a dark herbal/floral note, close to lavender. Wisps of cigar and ash. By the very last glass (no decant, drank slowly over 7 hours), there was the faintest touch of wild blackberry that I loved. I feel like the fruit will get more obvious with a short cellar nap- at least I hope so.

Palate is great, energetic and pure, but also angular and not perfectly balanced at this stage. Good acidity, but it's super tart, not very well-integrated. I've had some less-expensive CA syrah in the same style with both more powerfully intense and better-integrated acids (Pax, Arnot-Roberts, Lioco...) Nearly-underripe red and black berry fruit that lingers for a nice long while but never really finds its footing- lacks a lot of depth, all soprano. Tannins are noticeably harsh- it's very drinkable, but really needs some fatty food (charcuterie!) at a minimum.

This is a great, fresh wine that I really appreciate- it's just that this 2018 doesn't currently feel like a $50+ syrah to me. It's everything I want in a syrah, but sort of jumbled up, out-of-order. This definitely has the complexity, structure, and energy to wake up pretty after a cellar nap- as long the lurking fruit doesn't fade too quickly.

12/2/2020 - jshufelt wrote:

Decanted 45 minutes before service. In the glass, inky magenta-black. On the nose, plums, currants, and potpourri. On the palate, about as bell peppery as cab franc gets - almost as forward as the plums, black cherries, and currants. There are dried herbs in the background, riding a deceptively silky texture that turns sharply tannic at the last split second before leaving the palate. I'm not sure where this is going, and that's a statement about my palate, not the wine; for me, this isn't a familiar profile. Best guess? Peak in 5-7 years, but it's a guess.

4/11/2021 - J'agnes Likes this wine:

Nice neat closure. Deep ruby with massive glycerol legs in the glass. Big cassis nose on opening and maybe sweet oak notes. Big plum and blackcurrant - slightly overripe and certainly a massive wine - very Parker early noughties style? Nice finish with plenty of tannins giving a good indication that this should have many years left. Having said that this is in a pretty good place right now. Drink or keep - win-win wine.