Now, this is more like it. A big step up from the disjointed Les Chailles, the 2019 Cornas Vieilles Vignes is a classic rendering of Cornas, with hints of crushed stone, mint, blueberries and red berries on the nose. It's... Read More
Despite having over 40-plus acres of vineyards in the northeasterly sector of Napa just south of Calistoga, the production at Araujo remains relatively limited, with the flagship wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard, producing... Read More
The 2005 Syrah Eisele Vineyard displays an attractive meaty character along with smoky blackberry fruit and a hint of charcoal. Soft and lush with French-like elegance as well as complexity, and a delicious, long, supple finish,... Read More
WA 92 (12/2009): The sexy, opulent, floral, blackberry and black currant-scented and flavored, medium to full-bodied 2006 Syrah Eisele Vineyard displays a seductive quality that is hard to ignore. I would opt for drinking it over... Read More
The 2009 Syrah Cardiac Hill is a gorgeous, thrilling wine laced with bacon fat, tapenade, savory herbs and plums. It possesses gorgeous aromatic delineation and fabulous length. The intense, mineral-drenched finish argues for... Read More
Another longer-term prospect is the 2012 Syrah Armada Vineyard. One of the more burly, structured releases from this estate, it's always poured after the Bionic Frog and is the last Syrah we taste in a vintage. The 2012 gives... Read More
From a vineyard that has the highest clay content of all the estate vineyards, the 2013 Syrah Armada Vineyard is a classically built Syrah that has lots of northern Rhone-like meaty, gamey notes as well as ample dark fruits, beef... Read More
A wine that continued to change and develop in the glass was the 2013 Syrah en Chamberlin Vineyard, which is the smallest production cuvee of the 2013 single vineyard releases (there's 340 cases). Notes of smoke, charcuterie,... Read More
Not to be forgotten are the 400+ cases of Colgin's Estate IX Syrah. The French-styled 2006 IX Syrah Estate offers an exotic nose of roasted meats, bouquet garni, and flowers, silky tannins, and full-bodied blackberry and cherry... Read More
There are 475 cases of the 2007 IX Syrah Estate, which offers up flowery, roasted meat, balsamic, tar, and blackberry characteristics in a full-bodied format. The wine reveals sweet tannin, and layers of fruit, including a note... Read More
The wine that probably gets ignored, but shouldn't be, is their small production of 350-400 cases of Syrah from their estate vineyard. The 2012 IX Syrah Estate blew me away, and I've said many times that it always tastes... Read More
The 2010 Cote Rotie Seigneur de Maugiron has fleshed out since last year offering notes of black olives, garrigue, licorice, forest floor, bacon fat, raspberries and black currants. This medium-bodied Cote Rotie veers more toward... Read More
From the Cote Blonde, the 2009 Cote Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles reveals classic notes of black olives, black raspberries, sweet cherries, meat and earth. Ripe and medium-bodied with sweet tannin, it comes across as structured... Read More
Two stellar performances from the Jamet brothers, both the 1996 and 1995 are impressively-endowed, rich, highly-extracted yet beautifully harmonious examples of Cote Rotie. The spectacular 1995 Cote Rotie reveals an even more... Read More
Concentrated as well as aromatic, the 2001 Cote Rotie offers up scents of wild game, roasted meats, animal fur, berry fruit, and mountain flowers. Full-bodied, thick, concentrated, and tannic, it cuts a broad swath across the... Read More
Chave produced the best red Hermitage of this vintage. Yet for Chave 1985 was not a year he cares to remember. Holding back the tears, he sadly states that his beloved mother, as well as his faithful sidekick, his dog, passed... Read More
The magnificent 1995 Hermitage is one of the classic Rhones of the vintage. The wine, which had just been bottled, was revealing no signs of fatigue. The color is opaque purple, and the wine is beautifully made, offering up scents... Read More
The 1998 Hermitage is also gorgeous, yet has more concentration and depth. Described as a granite year? by Jean-Louis, this puppy has searing, liquid rock-like qualities to go with ample dark fruit, gunpowder and flint. Structured,... Read More
Along with the single vineyard offerings from Michel Chapoutier, Chave's 2000 Hermitage is a candidate for this appellation's "wine of the vintage." A dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by sumptuous aromas of licorice,... Read More
The hot summer with some rain in '88 made thick, full-bodied reds. This is no exception. Still young and closed, with tough and chewy tannins, with the terroir expressing a mineral, lead pencil and iron-tasting quality. Layered... Read More
From a low-yield, hot-summer vintage, this full-bodied Syrah is still very young and tough, with a plummy, ripe character, chalk, mineral and leather notes and excellent concentration. The tannins are beginning to integrate nicely,... Read More
From a low-yield, hot-summer vintage, this full-bodied Syrah is still very young and tough, with a plummy, ripe character, chalk, mineral and leather notes and excellent concentration. The tannins are beginning to integrate nicely,... Read More
From a low-yield, hot-summer vintage, this full-bodied Syrah is still very young and tough, with a plummy, ripe character, chalk, mineral and leather notes and excellent concentration. The tannins are beginning to integrate nicely,... Read More
Much more expressive on the nose than the '97--and darker and thicker--adding to the evidence that '96 is a better vintage in the northern Rhône. Delivers a round, clean, pure mouthfeel of vibrant, focused red berry and... Read More