October 29, 2022 - 2022: Top Ten Wines; 1/1/2022-12/31/2023 (Redwood City, CA): This is not a big fat Syrah, if you're looking for that. It has some density, but it's showing development and refinement, showcasing structure and subtlety as much as fruit. Deep purple color. Aromas of blackberry, fig, coffee, crushed gravel, nutmeg and hard cheese. velvety texture, lush on the palate, with the fig, coffee shining through and giving way to a lingering spicy finish. Chunky tannins have loosened up since 2021, but still add a scaffold to show off the wine. Well worth pulling out of the cellar at this stage.
October 9, 2022 - Forward, fresh, ripe, and loaded with espresso, smoke, black and red fruits, the wine leaves you with a lush, creamy, spicy finish. Drink from 2022-2030.
March 29, 2021 - A deep wine, with a nose and palate of dark fruit, earth notes, a little licorice/anise, slightly taut tannins and solid acidity. Longer in finish, this can age for several years still and improve.
March 20, 2021 - Garnet Purple in complexion this wine opens up with rocky minerality, anise with healthy licorice and hints of wild, dark fruit. On the palate this is well balanced acidity, refined with good complexity and medium to full bodied. This is a young wine and the tannins are plush and the finish has a good length.
January 14, 2021 - Quite a lovely Syrah, with plenty of berry fruits, a bit of cocoa and spice, and with considerable length and nice acidity. No intrusive oak, stays true to the N. Rhône style. Drink now or hold several years, likely will improve over the medium term.
November 2, 2020 - This wine is too modern / California for my tastes, but it is a good wine. Aromas of ripe black and blue berry fruits, fresh lumber, and hamburger patty. Ripe, smooth, and silky on the palate. Tannins and acidity are rather low. Reminds me of blueberry / blackberry pie filling.
September 21, 2020 - Couleur somble, trace d elevage au nez, fruits noirs, bouche caressante mais un peu fluide, complexe mais il manque d'intensité pour se différencier réellement
May 1, 2020 - COVID-19 "Shelter-in-Place"; 3/17/2020-5/31/2020 (Redwood City, CA): Aged for 15 months in 70% new barrels and 30% in 1-year-old barrels.
Dark purple color. Prune, blackberry, leather, nutmeg, coffee, thyme. Full-bodied, dense, with a skeleton of chewy tannins enveloping dark fruit, spice and hints of coffee and thyme in the finish. A bit firm, but should be a gem in a few years.