Shay A

9.3

This is my second Herman Story wine. Normally, I’d sock my ‘16 Syrahs away for years, but I’ve seen reviews say this is so enjoyable young, so I decided to experiment. This is like rocket fuel...full throttle. BUT, it stops short of being out of balance/gloopy. These wines make me think this winemaker, named Russell, is like the Russell Bevan version of Paso Rhône varietals...big, bold, & delicious in style.

After only 30mins, this revealed some smoked meat, peppercorn, olive and underripe blackberry. Some sage as well. Massive on the palate...all sorts of dark, ripe fruit with a sweetened core. Bacon fat, roasted plum, and baked berry pie. This is hedonistic in style and not for the faint of heart, but it does a good job of restraining itself from where it could go. A fun wine. — 4 days ago

with Weston and Mark

Shay A

9.1

January Wednesday Wine Committees are always a great as the red wines are required to be 11yrs old, making all of the reds 2008 vintage. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine were served today, all blind.

I called this WA state Syrah. It was between that and northern Rhône...the fruit here was more prevalent and while the aromatics matched with both options, the funky, iron, stewed meat notes didn’t translate to the palate. Smoky and dark fruited. Drinking a little thin. I’d drink up if you have them. — 6 days ago

with Weston

Chris England

9.5

I grabbed these at £65 and have loved watching them evolve 😍 Probably my favourite St Joseph 😉👍 .. so far

📍 E. Guigal St. Joseph Vignes de L'Hospice 2010

🏵 95 points & could improve more 😉

🍇 Syrah

🍷 Deep blackened ruby w/ a purple tint

👃 Blackberry & raspberry through minerals & violet purple flowers, bathed in cocoa cream w/ hints of blackcurrant, smoke, minerals, pencil lead, subtle farmyard & liquorice

👄 Med++ body of rich ripe creamy chewy blackberry jam & blackcurrant barged in cocoa w/ slight dry minerals, raspberry & liquorice

🎯 Long touch mineral dry deep dark fruit creamy blast w/ a raspberry cocoa liquorice slap
— 3 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Laura Catena, a 4th generation winemaker who grew up in a traditional Argentine-Italian winemaking family in Mendoza. The wines are named after her children - Luca, Dante and Nicola - the background of the label is the McDermott coat of arms of her American husband, Daniel McDermott. Single-vineyard wine from land belonging to the Laborde family. Deep red with big ripe fruits and smoky oak. On the palate plum and jammy blackberry, spice with nice earthy character. Tannins are a bit rustic, lingering ending with toasty oak and spice. Nice value. — 4 days ago

Noah Raizman

9.3

If you like Northern Rhône, I dare you to find me a California Syrah that you’d like better. This is a sun-kissed version of a good Côte-Rotie - take out some of the rusticity and replace it with fruit, and you ha e this mineral driven wine with a mouthful of flowers, white pepper and violet. A little bacon and meat and olive are missing, to my tastes, and these are somewhat more present in the Alturas bottling. But this is on the elegant side. Good long term upside here. — 4 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

17 is gonna blow some minds. Huge nose of blackberry fruit, classic, deep granite, menthol and even pine. So aromatic. Smells deep. Incredible power and concentration. Superb freshness and depths. Loads of blackberry and deep rich fruit. Awesome acids. Amazing purity. Epic value. Terrific structure and depth. Will age 15+ years. — 4 days ago

Chris England

9.3

I’m a huge Paul Jaboulet fan & grabbed this @ £125 - great wine but overpriced 😉 I love the 2011 at the moment but this is delish to with loads of life left 😎

📍 Paul Jaboulet Aine La Chapelle Hermitage 2005

🏵 93-94 points

🍇 Syrah

🍷 Deep blackened ruby

👃 Peppered cherry mud pie, raspberry bakewell tart & cocoa sprinkles w/ a light earthy dry cured herbed meat herby smokey oak backbone & black berry fruits then a coffee kick

👄 Med bodied creamy smooth dark cherry & raspberry chocolate pie w/ a rich blackberry jam undertone, black olive & light dry minerals

🎯 Med+ touch dry dark cherry & raspberry chocy licky lips w/ a dark fruit berry, olive tapenade & mineral linger — 4 days ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.2

I wanted to try another Hudson #syrah from the same vintage to contrast against the Keplinger. Similar fruit profiles, but very different winemaking. Where the Hangmans was rich, lush and open this is more tightly coiled. A little less alcohol, a touch more acidity, and a more savory wine with more meaty and iron notes. The Keplinger drinks great now but this wine should vastly improve and should really be something in about 10 more years. — 3 days ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

From a single block in the Hudson Vineyard. This is a Hermitage clone of 93% Syrah cofermented with 7% whole cluster Viogner. Clove and cinnamon spice jump from the glass in this mid weight ruby wine. The spice carries into the palate where it’s met with a blast of black fruit and pepper. The medium acidity punches in on the back which helps carry it into a long finish where you get a bit of the french oak and medium tannin. This will only get better as both of those integrate. — 4 days ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Big, ripe nose with tons of mineral. Really refined. Also a bit closed aromatically. Palate is glorious. So elegant yet deep and concentrated with amazing granite minerality. Huge concentration. Tiny berry fruit intensity. So pure and so deep. Amazing detail. Suave tannins. Nose opens up after a bit with deep mineral and wet earth. Stunning wine. — 4 days ago