Syrah

From Magnum.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, plums, grilled meat, white pepper and char.  On the palate, this has an incredible texture.  Smooth and velvety yet powerful and muscular.  Notes of black raspberries, spice and slight charred earth.  This is deep and complex yet still has a long life left.  This vintage has opened and shut a few times since release but seem like it has settled and is open.  There is a lot of alcohol but it doesn't show up anywhere in the glass.  One of those wines that each sip makes you want to have another.  Spectacular wine. 

This is really in a nice place right now.  Mature but enough fresh fruit to keep it edgy.  Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has opened up on this showing black cherries, cherries, and plums along with spice and slight dried floral notes.  On the palate, there is plenty of vibrant black cherry fruit.  Deep with layers that open up quickly.  Good acidity.  Nice balance.  No hurry but I think a few more years and it starts moving the other direction.  Works well with a wide variety of foods.  A great example of why cellaring top wines in ripe vintages might be a good strategy.  

This is a special blend made from the best barrels of Jaffur's Thompson, Verna's and Bien Nacido Vineyards.  Deep purple in color.  The nose is very nice.  Black raspberries, grilled meat with a bit of burnt crust, and white pepper.  On the palate, this is seriously ripe.  It will not be for everyone.  Not so much powerful (although it is) bit ripe/sweet.  It took some time to get used to and then it was wonderful.  Sweet and jammy black raspberry fruit.  There is some depth here.  Still drinking quite young.  Nice finish.  This makes a great drink on the back deck but may prove to be a mor

Having had the 2006 just a few days prior to this, it was surprising how much younger and tighter this was.  It does seem like there was a bit of a style shift starting in 2007 and rather than the wines really opening up at age 5, it is now closer to 10.  This one took a few hours to really open and then was singing if still on the youthful side.  Inky purple in color.

Great showing for this wine and in a great place.  Probably not yet at peak though.  Who says these wines won't age?  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, roasted meats, slight roasted herbs and char.  Not a super ripe wine, but certainly plenty of bold black raspberry fruit on the palate.  Deep and complex.  Tightly layered, it unwinds in the glass.  Fruit, char and grilled herbs.  Smooth.  Long finish.  Plenty of alcohol, the label lists 16.6%, but no heat.  It is noticeable in the lush texture and of course, standing up.  Just a gorgeous wine.  Not sure that this will g

Inky purple in color.  The nose is bright black raspberry fruit with some char.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Black raspberry fruit.  Works well with food.  This is an outstanding wine, but at age 9, it is not showing the depth and complexity that might have been expected.  The question is whether it will develop.  2009 had heavy rains at harvest and pick dates often separated the great from the almost great.  It will be interesting to see where this goes over the next five to ten years.  Regardless, this is at a minimum, still a great wine.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries, char and black pepper.  With air, a chalky quality emerges along with more concentrated black raspberries.  Good acidity.  Deep, still young and complex on the palate.  At ten years of age, this is ageing quite slowly.  Delicious and complex.  It slowly unwinds in the glass.  Still plenty of fruit and firm tannins suggesting much more room for development.  Long finish.  Worked great with hearty food.   

Great showing for this.  Tasted over two nights with little change.  Of course, 2015 is young and a great vintage in the northern Rhone.  Purple in color.  The nose is pretty classic if a bit riper than typical.  Black raspberry fruit with spice along side some bacon fat, slight grilled meats and black pepper.  On the palate, this has a lovely rich texture.  Good acidity to balance that out.  Black raspberry fruit with an underlying crushed rock and slight roasted herbs.  Primary now but it unwinds in the glass.  A step up from a recent 2012 of this wine I had.  Not yet at peak, this needs

Sadly, this vineyard was burned in 2017 in the fires of Sonoma and Napa.  It is being replanted which is good news as this was the star of the Donelan line-up.  This was tasted from Magnum.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, and some grilled meats.  With air a nice floral note emerges.  On the palate, this has a softer accessible side which is nice, but don't mistake that for a lack of structure.  Black raspberry fruit with underlying char.  It is classic Sonoma Syrah that should last a couple of decades more and continue to improve along the w

Made from a blend of Niellucci, Syrah and Grenache.  Nielluci is genetically identical to Sangiovese but to the Corsicans, it is a native grape.   Very interesting as Corsican wines often are.  The nose has raisins, and spice along with a bit of sweet red currants.  On the palate, this is quite tannic so perhaps it is just young and will develop.It has a sweet tart quality which is fun.  Raisined cherries with a slight chocolate note.  Long finish.  This retails for $16 and is probably more interesting than great, but it is solid.  Seemingly grown in hot conditions, it would work with or wi