Sean O'Donnell

9.6

Fig, butterscotch, banana, cognac & alcohol dominate the nose. This wine is a monster. So intense and vibrant. Like it could not wait to be freed from the bottle. Nice tannins and acid. Flavors of biscuit, rhubarb & ripened light fruit. This wine makes you happy to love wine. Very fortunate to come across this bottle. 2006 vintage
— 7 years ago

Rose’s Cafe

9.3

Very interesting merlot...the story I got was that this wine was tied up in some sort of legal dispute and had to stay in the barrels for a few years longer than intended. It shows. A mature, complex red with lots of oak, toast and vanilla. — 9 years ago

Candice Aiston

10

Lovely grapefruit undertones. Absolutely delicious with a lemon-butter pasta we had. — 9 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.0

Beautiful label by Wes Freed and perfect for the holidays.

Deep and dark ruby red. Layered nose giving off a bit of mystery, with notes of anise, vanilla, black currants, violets, oak and lavender. Lush palate with medium tannins (6/10) and medium bodied. Complex palate with layers of blackberries, crushed gravel, cinnamon, and even a touch blue. Medium plus to long finish with a touch of dryness. Drink till 2021. — 7 years ago

with India

Candice Aiston

10

My favorite Syrah and favorite overall red for this price range. — 9 years ago

John Behrens

8.9

A $12 French Chardonnay. Un-oaked, IGP Ardèche, which is northern Rhone valley, west bank. Light greenish straw, and a surprisingly meaty nose: creamy mineral, green and golden apple, the slightest brush of lime, and Asiago cheese bagels. Yes, that. On the palate it's wonderfully clear and poignant. Acid is medium, no RS whatsoever, and the bracing fruitiness of the Chardonnay grape, grown on the quick-draining limestone foothills of the Cévennes mountains, shines through. The richness remains: the taste is something between green apple, pear, and sun-ripened citrus. It finishes clean, but somehow lingers pleasantly too. The juicy fruit on the palate is intoxicating. This is balanced and engaging, and a tour de force of the Chardonnay grape freed from the much-maligned oak that (while potentially delicious) turns off many white wine drinkers. $12? No brainier. Buy. Drink. — 8 years ago

Candice Aiston

10

One of the best Syrahs I've ever had. — 9 years ago