Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

@Delectable Wine This is Elie Bancel Cornas. Thanks!

The last remaining unicorn in Cornas. The great Elie Bancel. He is finally coming to America. The new Sozet. What an amazing wine. Nose is superb but a bit reticent upon opening. Meaty, red berry, blackberry, some olives but what stands out is the absolute harmony of the aromas. Just elite. Gorgeous granitic background and some flowers as well. This is a 9.8 nose and it’s not barely aired out. This is old man Cornas at its best. My god how aristocratic this nose is. That palate is like if Noel Verset and Louis Sozet had a love child. Juicy and wow the granite. More Beliando on the palate now with some air. Big, granitic tannins and some major structure. Gorgeous sleek fruit and some wildness as is par for the course for old man Cornas. This needs air but my goodness this is wonderful wine. Authentic as they come and full of character and soul. So juicy and intense with stunning energy and slate like granitic tannins. Toothsome. Nose now getting more floral with violets and some lilacs. This smells like history. Terrific inner mouth aromas and balanced between olive and meat. Juicy and so deep. This is more structured than Sozet and reminds me of a Bordeaux, structurally speaking. It’s got a finish that doesn’t quit but will expand mightily once it’s given air. This seems like it will greatly improve with an unlimited amount of air. Seems almost like an “oxygen-proof” wine. I will be back. Oh man the tannins and fruit are separating and wow this is getting insane. — 2 hours ago

Jim McCusker

9.6

This was absolutely fantastic. Every once in a while, Adam Tolmach and Fabien Castel cull away a few barrels of something for these Special Bottlings. Bought this at the winery a number of years ago, and it is awesome. A totally underrated winery in my opinion, I’d put this version of grenache up against pretty much anything coming out of CA (or southern Rhone, for that matter). Adam used to get criticized years ago because he left his grapes on the vine “too long”, and now he gets grief for picking too early. I think he does it just right. His wines have terrific fruit and great acidity that are perfectly in balance yet provide for fantastic aging potential. Great stuff, with an even better QPR. If you can get your hands on this specific wine, though, do yourself a favor and snag it! — 4 years ago

with Vanessa

Scott Soren

9.5

As a long time lover of Pax Wines. These have changed with age. Once a powerhouse, it’s become more sublime. Aged Syrah is awesome, just different. Dry and elegant, with a dark fruit on the nose, the palate reveals blackberry and spicy and lots of black pepper. Rich mouthfeel and medium acidity. It’s all still there, but on it’s last leg. Still so good @Pax Mahle — 5 years ago

Zach D

9.1

On the nose black raspberry, black cherry, Asian five spice, some black tea. Good dose of acidity for a zin based wine; some tannin as well. More black raspberry, black cherry, hint of smoke, blackberry and spice on the palate. I don’t usually go for this type of wine (higher etoh, somewhat warmer and riper style) however given the old vine character, Ridge is a producer I do come back to every once and a while. Did hit the spot on a cold night. — 3 months ago

Tom Casagrande

8.9

Initially, upon opening, I thought this was too extracted and scorchy, but after just a bit of air that sensation receded and the wine softened and developed. Nose is classic Zin black raspberry fruit, and nice briary, soft herbal note, and some moist gravel, river stones notes in the background. Ripe, but not too ripe, and extracted, but not too extracted, in the mouth. Has a dry, full-bodied feel, with a bit a peppery heat and some scratchy tannin in the finish. Seems like fewer and fewer Zin producers are interested in anything other than a loud wine, but at least this isn’t too loud. — 4 years ago

Dolores Padron

9.8

Well deserved rating! This wine has a peppery aroma upon opening, but once it airs, pure chocolate in both aroma and taste. Smooth tannins with a lovely body to it! — 5 years ago

Richard Rosensweig

9.0

Once upon a time, one could argue that Vacqueras was a poor man’s CNP. But at this point CNP may be the fool’s Vacqueras. A little menthol on the nose. Lots of dark fruit, leather, crushed stones, maraschino cherries and a hint of leather on the palate. Rustic and sublime at the same time. Great wine for fall and colder weather. — 7 months ago

michael pandolfo

9.0

Really enjoyed this ganache-based blend. Upon opening the wine shows much restraint, and this is where I think it shows its sense of place. Once it’s been open for a bit you get that hit of ripe cherry with a baking spice edge. Medium finish. — 2 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The thrilling 2018 ‘The Psychedelic’ Syrah is another impressive wine made by the superstar winemaking team of Trey Busch, Keith Johnson and Jerry Solomon. Sourced from the ‘Stoney Vine Vineyard’ in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, the stem included wine spent 16 months in 23% new French oak prior to bottling. Once on the nose this takes on layers of green olive tapenade and bacon fat that combine with iron, bulls blood and high-toned red fruits, providing a wonderful range of complexity. The soft and silky mouthfeel offers an err of elegance here as the wine effortlessly glides across the mid-palate. Charcuterie and green olives are woven together with wild blackberry, Umami and satsuma orange on the palate. Fresh and vibrant, yet beautifully textured, with great length, this is one of the great bottling of ‘The Psychedelic’ that has been made. While glorious in its youth, this has another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2028- 95 — 4 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.0

Very good selection, in the Under $10 range ($5.97 at Total Wines)

Having been to the Ravenswood winery, and trying a good portion of the portfolio, grabbing this was a no-brainer. Decanted for an hour, good fruit in the Boysenberry range (Blackberry x Raspberry, Loganberry being a similar hybrid), nice spicey character. Would purchase again in the price range.

Ravenswood has a nice portfolio, and I hope after this Pandemic period, Gina Gallo opens the doors to the tasting room once again. — 5 years ago