Jay Kline

9.1

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. In the glass, the wine pours a pretty ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with beautiful notes of strawberry, cranberry, red flowers, mushrooms, forest floor, sandalwood, and eastern spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. There seems to be some winemaking choices happening here with signs of whole cluster fermentation. Initial conclusions: this could be Pinot Noir, Grenache, Sangiovese or Gamay from either France, United States or Italy. Because I think the fruit is the star of the show, my final conclusion: this is Pinot Noir from the United States, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola-Amity, 2020 vintage. Sooooo close! The 2017 Bjornson Vineyard is in a really nice spot but has years to go yet. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine is a deep ruby color with a slightly purple hue; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of black and red fruit: Ranier cherries and blackberries along with some dried earth, soft wood notes, some faint baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (that seem to build) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and comes off a touch reserved in the end. Initial conclusions: this could be a Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Grenache-based blend or Bordeaux-blend from either Spain, Italy, France, the United States or Australia but the fruit doesn’t impress so I’m leaning away from the New World. I don’t get enough candied fruit to put me in the Southern Rhone and I think the oak treatment seems a bit liberal for that. And if this Sangiovese, I would be pissed. So I’m calling Tempranillo, from Spain, Rioja, Reserva, 2018. Daaaaang. I was close. Drink now with patience and enjoy through 2036.
— 8 months ago

Mike Duffy

9.4

A floral forward nose leads to over ripe citrus and under ripe tropical fruit. As it opens up it shows heft and complexity in terms of parmesan rind and white peach fuzz. Just a bit of white mushroom rounds out this exquisitely expressive example of pinot gris from the infamous winery that brought the grape to the states. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy Valentines Day!

If you have not looked for this wine on WineSearcher.com or other, you should. Dan Standish has no American Importer. However, you can mail order off his list. Good luck with the Australian/United States import costs. Very prohibited.

Most quality Barossa wines take 15 years in bottle to show their ultimate beauty. Dan’s wines are no different. His Estate vines are 100 years old and produce 500 pounds of fruit per acre...very concentrated. Contrast that to extremely expensive & high quality Napa fruit, those Napa producers are at 2,000-2,500 pounds per acre.

We visited Standish in April 2017. We found Dan to be extremely talented & definitely marches to his own drum. He is salt of the earth and has traveled & worked in many of the world wine regions honing his craft and landing as Torbreck’s Winemaker in Barossa before starting, “The Standish Wine Company.”

As good as the 04 is tonight, it has 15 years of good life ahead...properly stored of course.

The nose is very intoxicating. It is a nice blend of purple, black & blue fruits. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, medium dark spice, black pepper, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender.

The body is full, rich, ripe, lush and creamy on the palate after a two-hour plus decant. The structure, tension, length and balance are a little short of its peak and will hold there for 5-8 years. It’s a glorious glide on the palate. The fruits are ripe & lightly baked. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, cherry kirsch, red & black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, the dark spices are heavier on the palate & bring just the right amount of heat, sweet, dark tarriness, black pepper, used, dark expresso roast grounds, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone, moist clay, with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender. The acidity is round, flush & perfect. The long finish is a unique even balance of; lush fruits, spice, herbs and earth that persists on the palate for minutes.

Photo on the left of Sofia’s 2 dozen long stems. Love you so much!

@Oswald — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine presents a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of blue, black and red fruits: blueberries, blackberries and Marionberries, olives, roasted meat, black pepper, purple flowers and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and the texture seems a touch thin. Initial conclusions: this could be Syrah, Malbec, Gamay or Cabernet Franc from France or the United States. Because I felt the non-fruits leaned a bit more heavily, my final conclusion was Syrah from France, Northern Rhône, Côte Rôtie with a little age in a cooler vintage like 2014. Wow! This is really tasty stuff and so varietally correct. I shouldn’t be surprised. It seems like every time I taste Arnot Roberts, the quality is high. Already quite the charmer in its youth, the 2020 “Que Syrah” should drink well through 2035. — 2 months ago

Vanessa

9.0

Happy National Red Wine Day!! 🙌🙌

We’re excited to celebrate with this Columbia Valley Syrah blend from the family-owned L’Ecole No. 41 winery in Washington State. 🇺🇸 @lecole41

Washington State is an important region for Syrah within the United States; however, this grape variety finds its true home in northern Rhône Valley, France. 🇫🇷

Syrah can fare well in warmer (e.g., Hunter Valley or Barossa Valley, Australia) and/or cooler (e.g., northern Rhône) climates. The climate has a pretty big impact on the style and expression of the resulting wine. Try tasting a Barossa Valley Shiraz next to a Syrah from Cornas, Rhône Valley and you may see (and taste) what I mean. 🤔 🧐 😆

The Columbia Valley region benefits from what’s called a “rain shadow” effect thanks to its location to the east of the Cascade mountains. 🏔 🏔The Cascades shield the region from the wet, intense weather coming in from the coast. As a result, the climate is warmer, drier, and sunnier, which supports the ripening process and stresses the vines, enhancing concentration of the fruit. 👍👍

This wine is a blend of 77% Syrah, 21% Grenache, and 2% Mourvedre varieties hailing from the vineyards of Candy Mountain, Stone Tree, Estate Seven Hills, Bacchus, and Summitville. It was fermented in stainless steel and was then racked in small, mostly neutral oak barrels over the course of 18 months.🍷🍷🍷

This wine is medium purple with heavy tearing; it’s full-bodied and jam-packed with ripe blueberry, black cherry, blackberry, and black currant notes, also black pepper, licorice, and leather. 💕💕We’re pairing it, initially, with a bite of Gruyère, Manchego, and fig, followed by grilled brats, portabellas, and zucchinis. It stands up well to the intensity of flavors. — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Sarah O'Kelley

9.5

Belated Thanksgiving wine pic ... this wine is so lovely and yummy wish I could afford to drink it more often 😍🍒🌿🪵🍄🍁 hope everyone in the states enjoyed A nice holiday despite the weirdness 🤣 — 4 years ago

Dennis Hogenkamp

9.1

12.5% ABV Light thin mouth feel. Pear and apple. Ancient ocean & Volcanic soils. Proprietary white blend. “Spirit of Oregon in a Bottle” label states.
Dry blend:
50% Riesling
30% Gewürztraminer
12% Early Muscat
5% Pinot Blanc
2% Sauvignon Blanc
1% Indicator Planting — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine is a deep garnet color a near opaque core and some significant rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous and showing some signs of maturity. There are fascinating notes of tart, ripe and dessicated black and red fruits: blackberries, black currants, tart red cherry, accompanied by some tobacco, cigar box, green bell pepper, some leather and beautiful baking spices. It smells like money (expensive, lavish oak treatment). On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (well integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose with some coffee and cocoa also showing up to the party. The finish seems to go on forever. This is a very balanced wine in a very fun spot.

Initial conclusion: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend, a Tempranillo or Sangiovese-based blend from the United States, France, Spain or Italy with 25+ years of age. However, the fruit was kinda the star of the show so, final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine from the United States, from California, from Napa; vintage 1990. Ha!! 1992 Bryant Family!? Suhhhhweet! This is in the zone. Drink now through 2032. — 6 months ago

Vanessa

9.0

Popping a bottle of Paul Bara to celebrate a number of things, not least of which is a four-month suspension of the tariffs previously imposed on most French, Spanish, and German wine imports to the United States 🍾 🥂

Let’s hope this pause signals a forthcoming, permanent solution and favorable path forward.

This beautiful bottle of bubbles from Bouzy, Champagne, offers notes of citrus and orchard fruits such as lemon pith, tart apple, and pear, also white blossom, marcona almond, brioche, biscuit, bread dough, sourdough, and wet slate. It is nicely balanced and complex.

Cheers, friends! — 4 years ago

with Deked1