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Alban
Vineyards
John
Alban |
1992
Viognier. Light stalky qualitythe the fruit in the
nose. Excellent mouthfeel, really nice floral and honey
flavors and long finish.
1998
Roussanne. Slight citrusy nose and flavor. Full
mouthfeel,almost heavy on the palate, with a nice seamless
finish.
1993
Grenache. Lighter raspberry and strawberry nose.
Heavy duty acids on the palate, the fruit is still there,
but largely on the wane.
1995
Reva Syrah. Slightly oxidized nose, but there is
still plenty of mouthfeel, with nice dark fruit flavors
and a very long finish.
2001
Reva Syrah. Huge, smooth and succulent. Lots of
blackberry, licorice, and tar, smooth and chewy, with
huge long finish. What a wine!
2000
Roussanne. Honeysuckle, jasmine, and clover, with
just a touch of butter rum. Thick and juicy with a long
somewhat crisp finish.
2001
Grenache. Whoa! Here's an attention grabber. Smoky,
slightly reduced aromas of dark fruit, espresso and
manzanita. Huge and dense,with a very tasty mouthfeel,and
gripping finish.
Beckmen
1999
Syrah. Big and smoky, with lots of tarry qualities
in the nose, and a firm grip in the mouthfeel. Another
excellent effort.
1999
Cuvee Le Bec. Nice plush nose with a trace of stem.
Fleshy, yet firm mouthfeel, chewy long finish.
Bedford
Thompson
1995
Syrah. Funky nose, but good mouthfeel. Not sure
what's going on with the nose, but may blow off.
1998
Grenache. Surprisingly sweet in the nose. Nice ripe
mouthfeel; gets a bit bitter into latter palate.
1999
Mourvedre. Ripe and somewhat sweet, it doesn't quite
push the overripe limits. Lots of animal in the
nose, clingy mouthfeel, long finish.
Callaghan
2002
Lisa's Cuvee (Viognier/Riesling). Crisp, citrusy,
lots of floral scents, and the distinct sense of tasty
Riesling.
2001
Syrah. Nose of blackberry, light blueberry and hint
of herbs in the nose. Firm on the palate, gets a bit
loose toward latter palate, and finishes smoothly. Syrah...from
Arizona? Yeah, that works.
2001
Back Lot Cuvee (50% Mourvedre). Dense nose of chocolate
and espresso. Good balance, with plenty of fruit and
flavor, and a toasty long finish. 15.7% alcohol! Hey,
whatever it takes to make it ripe.
Cayuse
2000
Syrah - Coccinelle Vnyd. Spicy blackberry/boysenberry
nose. Smooth on the palate, with lots of fruit, fabulous
texture, and a long tasty finish.
2000
Syrah - Cailloux Vnyd. Nose of blackberry, ad licorice.
Chewy mouthfeel, nice blackberry fruit, with lots of
tar and a smooth long finish.
2000
Syrah - En Cerise Vnyd. Big nose of asphalt, blackberry,
and tar. Rich and chewy mouthfeel, with lots of grip
and a very long finish.
Cedarville
2001
Viognier. Nose of mineral, pear, and a hint of stems.
Excellent acidity, clean and crisp on the palate, with
plenty of pear and light stemmy flavors, and long finish.
2001
Syrah. Thick blackberry nose with hints of licorice
and tar. Chewy, with lots of grip, excellent balance,
and plenty of blackberry fruit and tarry flavors.
2000
Grenache. Sweet and lightly spiced raspberry nose,
fleshy and chewy on the palate, with very good blalance
and long finish.
2001
Petite Sirah. (from Granite Springs fruit.) Dense
blackberry nose with hints of mineral and tar. Chewy
on the palate, with lots of grip, very good balance,
and plenty of fruit and licorice flavors. Nice job on
this first effort with Petite.
Clos
Mimi
2000
Syrah - Bunny Slope Vnyd. Ripe and quite sweet in
mouthfeel, with a chewy and concentrated center, fairly
rich on the palate and seems quite tasty, maybe wants
a little more backbone.
Copain
Wines
Wells
Guthrie and Kevin McQuown |
2001
Syrah - Corinelle & Coccinelle Vnyds. Big nose
of blackberry, bacon and a touch of steak sauce. Chewy
mouthfeel, with lots of blackberry, charred oak and
anise. Solid!
2001
Syrah - Eaglepoint Vnyd. Nose of roasted meat, toast
and spice. Fleshy and smooth on the palate, this is
all about in-your-face Syrah, and it tastes great!
Clarendon
Hills
2001
Grenache. Rich raspberry and boysenberry nose. Sweet
and smooth on the palate, very smooth through the long
finish. As one taster put it, 'I like it - and I don't
normally like Grenache.'
2001
"Moritz" Shiraz. Moderately spicy, rich
and smooth on the palate, pulls strong at mid-palate,
but seems to fall off a bit on the finish.
Clonakilla
2001
"Hilltops" Shiraz. Smoky and charred in
the nose and mouth, with a very nice hi-toned floral
quality.
Crysal
Basin Cellars
2001
El Dorado Reserve Syrah. Hi-toned syrah, with nints
of tar and ink. Tasty, with more of an acid balanced
structure, and a long finish.
2001
El Dorado Reserve Mourvedre. Fleshy and somewhat
earthy in the nose. Tasty, thich and chewy, with lots
of grip.
2001
Renegade Red. This GSM blend is relatively fruity
in the nose, with an acid balance to the medium body.
Eaglepoint
Ranch
Casey
Hartlip |
1999
Syrah -Mendocino. Very nice blackberry, tar and
chocolate in the nose. Full mouthfeel, with smooth silky
textures, and a long smooth finish.
2000
Syrah - Mendocino. Whoa! Huge nose of blackberry,
tar, mocha, and a touch of mineral. Excellent balance,
chewy texture, long tasty finish.
2002
Grenache. (barrel sample.) Very nice raspberry and
cherry nose, with fleshy sweet and seductive mouthfeel,
and long finish.
2001
Petite Sirah. Get back! This one has tannins, tannins,
tannins. My mouth felt like an electroplated car bumper
after a swish of this stuff. ...Must have this wine!
Okay, after I pried my lips off my teeth, I noticed
the amazingly concentrated fruit, fabulous balance,and
forever-long finish.
Elderton
1998
Shiraz. Smooth, succulent nose. Spicy and smooth,
the full core of fruit runs from front to back, and
finishes strong.
1999
"Command" Shiraz. Lovely nose of blackberry,
toast, clove, and hints of mocha. Beautiful mouthfeel,
refined and complex on the palate, with layers of flavors,
and smooth long finish.
Flinders
Bay
2000
Shiraz. Slightly herbal qualities to the dark fruit.
Youngish mouthfeel, with plenty of grip, a somewhat
tight mid-palate, but a long driving finish.
Fox
Creek
2000
Shiraz-Grenache. Slightly restrained black fruit
nose. Rich and tannic on the palate, this is going to
need some serious time to open up.
2000
JSM. Toasty fruit and spice in the nose. Thick and
lush, very chewy mouthfeel, loads of fruit, long smooth
finish.
Foxen
Bill
Wathen |
2002
Syrah - Williamson-Dore Vnyd. Real sweet nose. Huge
mouthfeel, with lots of fruit and a chewy texture; gets
just a bit bitter on the long finish.
Frankland
Estate
2000
"Isolation Ridge" Shiraz. Spicy in nose
and mouth, with a a lot of earthy qualities to the dark
fruit.
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Garretson
Amie
and Mat Garretson |
2001
Grenache - Rozet Vnyd. Fleshy raspberry nose. Just
a bit young in mouthfeel, the wine smooths out at mid-palate
and finishes long with some grip.
2001
Aisling Syrah. Full, rich blackberry and hints of
roasted meat. Sweet and juicy in mouthfeel, very smooth
and accessible, with excellent balance and long finish.
Terrific bottling.
2001
Craic Syrah - Central Coast. Very spicy nose, more
to the very ripe side of Syrah. Full and plush on the
palate, with a long, slightly hot finish.
2001
Bulladoir Syrah - Hoage Vnyd. Fleshy nose of dark
fruit and light toast. Smooth and velvety on the palate,
chewy and voluptuous, with a long smooth finish. Here's
another winning vineyard from Paso.
2001
Luascain Syrah - Rozet Vnyd. Lovely smooth seductive
nose of dark fruit, touches of chocolate, tar and toast,
along with a bit of sage and minera. Big chewy mouthfeel,
with a refined smoothness, delicious flavor, and long
finish.
2001
Mon Amie Syrah - Bassetti Vnyd. Slightly hi-toned
fruit, a bit reticent, with blackberry and tarry scents.
Slightly dense, with a nice core of fruit, and chewy
texture.
Havens
Wine Cellars
1995
Carneros Syrah. Gorgeous nose of black and blueberry,
with a touch of herbs and toast. Excellent balance,
very refined and integrated flavors, long finish. More
of a sleek black cat, than a Mack truck.
Hewitson
2002
"Old Garden" Mourvedre. Fabulous spicy-sweet
nose, with some light roasted hern notes. Full and rich,
lots of finesse on the palate, with a smooth long finish.
Hug
Cellars
1994
Syrah - Edna Valley. Lots of dark berry, along with
light black and green olive notes, and toasted herbs.
Plenty of grip in the mouth, but this is the fruit talking,
as the wine saw no oak...well, maybe from across the
room.
2002
Bassetti Syrah. Lots of hi-toned blueberry and blackberry
fruit, with white pepper, tar, and licorice notes. Big
and chewy from front to back.
Jaffurs
Wine Cellars
Craig
Jaffurs |
1997
Roussanne. Leesy nose; rich and heady. Minerally
in mouthfeel,with a light dried pasta/toast quality
from mid-palate onward.
1998
Grenache. Lighter aromas of sweet raspberry and
stems. Medium body, lightly sweet fruit that is either
slumbering or fading; picks up some oaky textures at
finish.
1999
HdR Syrah - Stolpman Vnyd. Lovely nose of blackberry,
dried floral notes, and a nice herb quality. Full and
gripping on the palate, excellent balance, very long
finish. Surper stuff!
JC
Cellars
1998
Ventana Syrah. Smoky and roasted notes, with a hint
of sulphur. Hi-toned in nose and mouth, the ample fruit
has an acid balance, and a very long finish.
Joseph
Phelps
1994
Le Mistral. Smoky and lightly charred aromas mingle
with some slightly more gamey/funky notes. Very nice
mouthfeel, lots of fruit left in this puppy.
1996
Le Mistral. Fruity and slightly smoky in the nose,
with a flesh, if seemingly less fruited mouthfeel, and
long finish.
1996
Syrah. Funky nose - sort of a standing water quality,
seems to override some of the fruit and spice. A bit
pinched on the palate, correct in flavors, but not particularly
extracted.
2002
HdR Blend. Nose of spicy dark cherry, with touch
of fennel. Nice and round on the palate, with excellent
balance and long finish. 68% Syrah, 18% Grenache.
Kaesler
Reid
Bosward |
2001
"The Bogan." Dense spicy blackberry nose,
big and chewy mouthfeel, and very long finish.
2001
Old Vine Shiraz. Smooth and hi-toned, with a nice
sage streak about mid-palate, and a long smooth finish.
2001
"Old Bastard." Here's a wine that makes
you want to ask "So, how is the old bastard."
Easy mouthfeel, smooth and succulent, with a nice gripping
finish. Single vnyd fruit from vines planted in 1893.
2001
Avignon GSM. Nice blend, plenty of fruity aromas,
bit of leather and spice. Slightly sweet mouthfeel,
spicy and easy drinking.
2002
Avignon GSM. Similar to the 2001, withmore of a
dark cherry flavor and just a bit more grip from mid
to latter palate.
2001
Stonehouse Shiraz. Nice enough nose, but seems a
bit under-fruited in mouthfeel.
Kongsgaard
Winery
1998
Syrah - Hudson Vnyd. Tasty, but either a little
too much to the acid side of balance. Also, seems to
either be slumbering or is dropping fruit.
2000
Nieman "Caldwell" Syrah. Blackberry and
light blueberry nose. Fabulous balance with plenty of
fruit, and delicious from start to finish. Nice stuff!
Kunin
Wines
Seth
Kunin |
2002
Syrah - Paradise Vnyd. Very nice licorice note to
the dark berry fruit. Nice chewy mouthfeel, excellent
balance, and long finish. This is from 3 yr old vines
in a new vineyard in the eastern Santa Ynez Valley.
L'Aventure
2001
Syrah. Nice blackberry, licorice, and touch of tar
in the nose. Delicious mouthfeel, maybe a bit pinched
on the back end. About 20% Eastside fruit.
2001
Estate Cuvee. Complex and seductive nose of dark
fruit, toast, some herbal notes, and nice streak of
mocha. Flat out delicious in the mouth!
Lagier
Meredith
2000
Syrah. Nose of tar, licorice, blackberry, and toast.
Smooth - almost silky, but thick and chewy as well.
Delicious long finish.
Linne
Calodo
2001
Nemesis. Plush and fleshy nose. Big tannins, acid-balanced,
with lots of grip on the palate.
2001
LC Red "Rising Tides." Nose of lightly
charred mushroom and dark berry. Very nice mouthfeel,
slightly thick and chewy, with nice long finish. GSM
blend.
2001
"Sticks & Stones." Hi-toned somewhat
bright fruit in the nose. Big structure on the palate,
with lip-smacking tannins. GSM blend.
2000
LC Red. Slightly sweet nose of boysenberry and raspberry.
Lovely sweet ripe mouthfeel, long finish.
Miner
Winery
2002
Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre. Deep seductive nose
of dark berry, toast, and dried flowers. Excellent flavors
and balance, lots of grip on the long finish. 75% Syrah
Neyers
Vineyard
1998
Syrah - Hudson Vnyd. Nose of blackberry with a touch
of blueberry. Tasty, excellent balance, very good fruit
and flavors, long finish.
Paraiso
Vineyards
1998
Syrah. Blackberry, tar and dried fruit, with a slight
sulphur background note. Very tasty mouthfeel, flavors
of dark fruit, chocolate, and toast, and long finish.
This is some nice Syrah!
Red
Car
2001
Syrah "Dreaming Detective." Wow! Huge
black fruit, tar and licorice in the nose. Big thick
and chewy, with lots of tannins and a massive yet smooth
long finish. (90% Thompson Vnyd.) 15% alcohol, but wears
it well. 200 cases.
2002
Syrah "Some Like it Red." Somewhat hi-toned
nose of black and red fruit, with touch of tar and herbs.
Very nice balance, lots of fruit-driven flavors, and
a very long finish.
Renard
1998
Syrah - Timbervine Vnyd. Seems slightly oxidized
in the nose, with a decidedly acidic mouthfeel and fading
fruit. Damaged?
1999
Syrah - Timbervine Vnyd. Nice dark berry nose. Well
balanced, slightly lighter than expeced in mouthfeel,
long finish.
Ridge
Vineyards
1998
Lytton Grenache. Light in color, but full throttle
in mouthfeel. Sweet and luscious on the palate, nice
long drawn finish.
1998
Lytton Syrah. A bit funky in the nose, but very
tasty in the mouth, with a nice long finish.
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GRENACHE
:
2001
Alban
2002 Villa Creek
SYRAH
:
2001 Alban Reva
2001 Copain C&C
2001 Copain Eaglepoint
2000 Eaglepoint Ranch
1999 Elderton "Command"
2001 Garretson "Buladoir"
2002 Hug Bassetti
1999 Jaffurs "HdR" Stolpman
2001 Kaesler "Old Bastard"
2000 Nieman
2001 Red Car "Dreaming Detective"
1999 Rocca
2001 Saxum "Bone Rock"
2002 Stolpman HdR
2000 Terre Rouge "Assent"
1997 Truchard
1999 Two Hands
RHÔNE
BLENDS :
2002
Miner GSM
2001 Silver Syrah-Mourvedre
2001 Linne Calodo LC Red
OTHER
NOTABLES :
2001
Cedarville Petite Sirah
2001 Eaglepoint Ranch Petite Sirah
2002 Hewitson Mourvedre
2001 L'Aventure Estate Cuvee
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Rocca
1999
Syrah. Slight funkiness to the nose of blackberry,
tar and Dunlop tire. Really nice mouthfeel - I mean
really nice! Chewy, delicious, excellent balance,
fabulous flavors of dark fruit, toast, and fennel, and
very tasty finish. Here's a find!
Rockblock
1999
Syrah. Lovely nose, a bit bright in mouthfeel, but
balanced well, and tastes great.
Rosemount
1996
Grenache. Nice aged nose of burnt raspberry, and
touches of sweet herbs. Sweet mouthfeel, very smooth
and tasty finish.
1999
Show Reserve Shiraz. Rich and spicy nose and mouthfeel,
with plenty of fruit, very nice balance, and delicious
aftertaste.
1999
Orange Shiraz. Slightly oaky in nose and mouth,
with dried berry and spices in the nose, and a suggestion
of orange zest in the fruity mouthfeel.
Saxum
Justin
Smith |
2001
Bone Rock Syrah. Rich, refined and beautiful nose.
Smooth and chewy on the palate,with flavors of dark
fruit, dried herbs, and a touch of mineral. Neato!
2002
Bone Rock Syrah. Slightly hi-toned with more touches
of raspberry and blueberry scents. Massive in mouthfeel,
the balance is terrific, and the full-blown fruit never
quits.
2002
Broken Stone Syrah. This final blend of Bone Rock
plus other fruit sources produces a wine that still
has plenty of in-your-face fruit, but seems more refined
and almost elegant. Killer!
Sierra
Vista
1995
Red Rock Syrah. Fruit, herbs and wet stone scents.
Very nice mouthfeel, medium body, nice balance, long
finish. Fruit seems like its starting to fade.
1996
Red Rock Syrah. Fruity and slightly stemmy nose.
Nice and tasty - still plenty of fruit left here.
1997
Five Star Reserve Syrah. Fabulous nose of coffee
and mocha complimenting black and blue fruit and sage.
Full mouthfeel initially, but seems to lighten up a
bit from latter palate onward.
Silver
2001
Viognier - Vogelzang. Crisp, almost delicate scents
of crushed flowers, peach, and pineapple. Excellent
balance, nice fruity taste.
2001
Syrah-Mourvedre - Larner Vnyd. Terrific nose of
dark fruit, toasted grains and herbs, and a light gamey
quality. Chewy mouthfeel, very nicely balanced, long
finish.
2001
Mourvedre - Larner Vnyd. Well balanced, striking
a nice blend of ripeness and richness. Touch of animal/gaminess
in both nose and mouth. Very nice!
Stolpman
Sashi
Moorman, Tom Stolpman |
2002
HdR Syrah. Sweet and rich in both nose and mouth,
with lots of blackberry, mocha, and tarry notes. Chewy
and smooth, with a long toasty finish. Excellent.
Swanson
Vineyards
1997
Syrah. Nose of blackberry, roasted coffee, toast,
and dried herbs. Lovely mouthfeel, with slight aged
tones starting to show, and a smooth long finish.
Tablas
Creek Vineyard
2000
Esprit de Beaucastel. Slightly earthy and pungent,
with tar, raspberry, and blackberry. Big mouthfeel initially,
then tightens up a bit at mid and latter palate, gripping
finish.
2002
Cote de Tablas Blanc. Nose of light peach, pear,
and baked apple aromas. Easy mouthfeel, excellent balance,
very tasty fruit, lightly crisp finish.
2002
Roussanne. Big floral and honey nose. Honeyed citrus
flavor, voluptuous mouthfeel, long finish.
2002
Rose. Light fruity and floral nose, with just a
touch of toast. Fruity flavors, with a nice light dried
grain quality.
Terre
Rouge
Bill
Easton |
1999
Mourvedre. Nice old vine flavors and texture, excellent
balance, long finish.
2000
Syrah - Sentinel Oak. Loads of tar and licorice
accent the thick blackberry in both the nose and mouth.
Really nice bottling.
2000
Syrah - Assent. Beautiful nose of blackberry, espresso,
mocha, tar and licorice. Rich, full mouthfeel, smooth
and very tasty, with lots of mingling flavors on the
finish.
Truchard
Vineyards
Jo
Ann Truchard |
1997
Syrah. Very fruit-filled nose, with gobs of blackberry,
and hints of raspberry and black cherry. Smooth and
toasty mouthfeel, excellent balance, and very long smooth
finish. This is a lovely wine now that seems bound to
get even better with time.
Two
Hands
1999
Shiraz. Whoa! This aptly named Syrah makes you want
a glass in each hand. Big ripe and rich, the spicy fruit
just keeps pumping.
Villa
Creek
Cris
Cherry |
2002
Grenache - James Berry Vnyd. Big rich raspberry
and boysenberry nose. Sweet and chewy in the mouth,
with a smooth long finish. Really nice!
2002
Mas de Maha. Here's a shocker - someone slipped
a Tempranillo into the tasting. Well, it's really a
blend but, either way, it was very very good.
White
Hawk
2000
Syrah. Nice ripe nose, plenty of fruit, with slight
sage note. Very tasty mouthfeel, sweet smooth finish.
Wits
End
Jock
Harvey |
2001
Shiraz. Slightly more hi-toned, with a touch of
raspberry and clove in the nose. Spicy, well balanced,
tasty fruit, and long finish.
Zaca
Mesa Winery
1996
Mouvedre. Suprisingly good. Slightly funky in the
nose, but still has plenty of fruit and mouthfeel, and
nice finish.
1997
Grenache. Ripe, moderately full on the palate -
nice fruit that starts to fade just a bit on the finish.
1999
Cinsault. Raspberry meets blueberry in the nose.
Slightly more raspberry on the palate, with a nice ripe
finish.
2002
"Z" Gris. Crisp and fruity, with a slight
meaty quality to the long finish.
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