Red-ruby. Aromas of blackberry liqueur. Sweet, warm and simple, with rather rustic flavors of currant jam and leather. "The most Australian cuvee," notes Clape. A mix of 30-year-old hillside vines and old vines from the foot of... Read More
Starting with his 2011 Cornas, it's a rocking wine in the vintage that's still showing every bit as well as it did on release. Massive minerality, violets, bloody meat and sweet blackcurrant and black raspberry-like fruit... Read More
The 2019 Syrah Rosella's Vineyard is a stunning 100% Syrah made with 20% whole cluster, aged in 20% new French oak and harvested just before the 2019 Kincade fire started in Sonoma County on October 23. Opaque ruby-purple... 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
I thought the 2008 Syrah Bionic Frog was insanely good. Checking in at 14.4% natural alcohol (the 2009 was 14.7 and the 2010 14.8), it has soaring notes of cassis, black raspberries, violets, white flowers, mint and olives to... Read More
Like the 2009 Cailloux, the 2009 Syrah Bionic Frog was closed aromatically, yet offered incredible depth, richness and purity on the palate. Reluctantly giving up lots of dark fruits, chocolate, mineral and roasted herbs, as well... Read More
This insanely good 2010 Syrah Bionic Frog offers incredible notes of blood orange, liquid violets, cassis, seared meats, licorice and crushed rocks to go with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannic structure, perfectly integrated... Read More
The 2011 Syrah Bionic Frog is another rocking Syrah from Christophe that does everything right. Creme de cassis, blackberry, smoked earth, toasted spice and violets emerge from the glass, and it flows onto the palate with full-bodied... Read More
While a lot of the 2012s came in near the bottom of the barrel score, that wasn't the case with the 2012 Syrah Bionic Frog and this beauty flirts with perfection. Inky colored and purple to the rim, it offers extraordinary... Read More
The only wine to see partial aging in foudre (20% new), the 2013 Syrah Bionic Frog has an almost Burgundian flair in its forest floor, olive brine, smoked earth, dried flower and darker fruit-styled personality. One of the more... Read More