Nose opens with smoked meat, olive, leather, and dark fruit. Palate is mid-weight and shows ripe blackberry, cherry, thyme, black pepper, and briney minerality. Good finish and nice acid. Stellar QPR for a baby Reynvaan — 3 years ago
Rock star of a wine! Floral, peppery, bacon on the nose, BlackBerry, smoked meat, olive on the palate. Complex wine with a long mineral finish. Love the 13.5 Alc. Could easily mistake for Hermitage or Core Rotie — 4 years ago
Always enjoyed the Reynvaan offerings, but this was my first time with their Contender. It is co-fermented with Marsanne (as opposed to the traditional Viognier). 97 Syrah/3 Marsanne. Quick one-hour double decant.
I opened this alongside a 2015 No Girls Grenache and while there were obvious similarities in profile, this was distinctly different and the preferred wine from the group. Both sport the classical “funk” of Rocks district Rhône varietals, with perfumed dark florals, black olive and smoked meat. The co-ferment obviously lends toward a more aromatic wine but the palate was even more intriguing. Again, classical notes of peppered strip, spiced raspberries and blackberries, but the texture brought about a sweet-tangy finish as opposed to the typical overly savory profile of similar wines. It’s a note I’ve gotten on older Cote-Rotie wines and I love it. Drinking beautifully. Acidity is still vibrant and food pairs wonderfully at this point. Followed over two days and no change. Pop and enjoy. — 8 months ago
Spectacular if inelegant New World style Syrah. Great fruit flavors, bright grape and just so fresh. Complex flavors in the finish that are earthy. — 2 years ago
I wanted it to be better. Not worth $100. — a year ago
Really excited to have tried this after loving their reds.
For a Grenache Blanc, this has great weight and texture. There are zero “Rocks funk” notes to this wine, unlike their red wines. Light straw colored in the glass Aromatically, it’s quite subdued and closed. On the palate though, this shows great honeysuckle, slightly green herbs, and honeyed citrus. What does make this white stand out is a rocky mineral note that brings about a sense of place. It’s not iron like, but it is distinct and something I’ve found in other whites from the area. No need to hold, these are ready to go (like most Grenache Blanc). — 2 years ago
Lyn Farmer
Terrific example of Walla Walla Syrah with elegant, velvety tannin and good acidity giving a solid foundation to black cherry, black plum, blackberry, licorice, cedar, forest floor, and dried blackberry. Still developing but hard to resist at the moment. — 3 months ago