7/16/2016 - terroir junkie Likes this wine:

Unfiltered light ruby, with GORGEOUS aromatics. Silkier and drinking wonderfully right off the bat without the youthful grip of it’s sibling the ’13 Peters. Slightly prettier too, this is an elegant and understated beauty showing their signature flavors of wild strawberry and cherry, citrus blossom, cola, deep damp earth, baking spice, and savory tomato skin. But at 12.9%abv it’s almost as much about what’s NOT in this bottle than what is. Absolutely fantastic winemaking, and as always my hat goes off to the Anthill Farms team.

7/16/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine:

Blackberry, ladies locker room, a little game and tons of crushed rock. Long, layered and ultimately velvety, with a silky edge. So much going on and yet could use a little more time in the cellar. Alas, this is a true-to-form Santa Lucia Syrah. Drink 2018 - 2025.

5/28/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine:

Grilled pear, lemon blossom, marshmallow and granite. Focused, this caresses with a suave acidity. A medium finish and ultimately refreshing, with a little melon at the end. A special wine from the RRV. Sadly there are only 40 cases made - not even two full barrels ... All estate fruit, a few yards from the head-pruned Syrah, which is behind the 1910 block of Zinfandel. Truly special. Drink now - 2020.

4/17/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine:

This is the best Sonoma County bottling yet. Lovely raspberry vinaigrette, elderberry, chalk, earthy elements and neutral oak. A refreshingly long finish and laser beam focus. Cunning. Take her to task now or you can wait a few years. Drink now - 2021.

8/12/2015 - Matt Scott wrote:

Refreshing and focused, the '13 Gruner displays pineapple skin, died mango and roasted almonds. A wonderful summer sipper, with a light, crisp finish. Drink now - 2019.

11/6/2014 - terroir junkie Likes this wine:

Medium to dark ruby red in color, with a more crystalline appearance than the Malbec.

Aromas of sour cherries; black peppercorn; an invited green steminess; a whiff of flower petals smashed underfoot. A primal, old-world bouquet with little to no presence of barrel. Pretty and even more feminine than big sister Malbec just for comparison's sake.

The palate is fresh and delicious with small red berry fruit; red wine-poached pears; black pepper for days; distant barnyard and again a hint of flower shop. Light of body; perfectly balanced; very feminine and innocent, but with an inner strength at its core like a young skinny country girl wielding a large sword with confidence and impressive skill.

Finishes respectably-not with weight-but a pleasant lingering trueness that will keep you thinking of it long after you've shaken every drop from the bottle.

The wonderful terroir in these Mérieau reds is like a trip to the French countryside, and at $15 for the Gamay and $25 for the Malbec there's just too much to like here. I'll be revisiting these multiple times and will definitely seek out forthcoming vintages.

11/13/2014 - terroir junkie Does not like this wine:

Light to medium straw color, with a nutmeg glint.

Pineapple, spun cotton candy, touch of spice and beeswax, and and a nice stoney minerality on the nose, which while not complex shows some potential and turns out to be the best part of the bottle.

Then this happened. An awkward and flabby over-malo'd palate of baking spices, canned mandarin orange, caramel apple and Splenda, and very little of the stoniness on the nose coming through here. Out of balance and cloying. Needs considerably more acidity to pull it all together.

Finish is medium to medium plus, but lingers with artificiality. At around $20 this is a pass. Sentimental purchase. Long story. I've had good bottles of this in years past and may try again in an exceptional vintage, but would not recommend this '12.