The Wild Olive

Thierry Allemand

Chaillot Cornas Syrah 2017

Youthful that will need a few more years. Mostly showing blue & black fruits, inky with graphite, mineral, meat, olive, licorice & violet — a month ago

Tom, Ira and 14 others liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2009

Special bottle. Really in its sweet spot. Fragrant nose , with some Mourvèdre funk. Sweet tannins with dark red fruits. Some Tobacco and black olive. Matured further in glass over the hour and a half the bottle was consumed. Just left you want g more — 2 months ago

Joe, Paul and 16 others liked this

Mark Ryan Winery

Wild Eyed Red Mountain Syrah 2012

Purchased at release and like most WA Syrahs needs time to achieve its potential. This wine is now soft and fully integrated with black and red cherry graphite tar menthol spice cedar smoked meat all in balance with just enoigh acid to keep it bright. Color is still deep ruby with no rim variation. I've had every vintage ever made of the Wild Eyed and remain loyal. — 3 months ago

Thierry Allemand

Cornas Reynard (R) Syrah 2011

Another great btl that is structured showing finesse with beautiful aromatics of dark fruits, olive, iron, spice, crushed rock, graphite & violet. Still youthful that will continue to develop for many years. — 6 days ago

Shay, Tom and 10 others liked this

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 2020

Delectable Wine
9.6

The full-bodied 2020 Cornas is a wild thing. Concentrated and expressive, it combines all the elements that Clape-enthusiasts rave about: a juicy core of fruit, ferrous gradations, crushed flowers, meaty undertones, rustic funkiness and an herbal edge. Remarkably round tannins lend solid structure to the delicious 2020, an instant classic that shows excellent persistence on the savory finish. (Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous, March 2024)
— 22 days ago

Domaine Jamet

Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2012

Another great btl of this vintage showing pure flavors of black cherry, red berry fruits with graphite, mineral, smoked meats, licorice, spice, olive, pepper & violets. — 2 months ago

Jeroen, Jan and 9 others liked this

Pierre Gonon

Saint-Joseph Syrah 2013

Was a strange experience upon popping the bottle. Classic gonan hid beneath the surface of wild acid. With a lil decant it integrated and the black olive and stone Rhône emerged. Not a flawed bottle but an expression I haven’t had before. Perfect with chicken Marsala. — a month ago

Tyler liked this

Noël Verset

Cornas Syrah 1996

First, the Gentaz and now, Verset?! Be still my beating heart! Noël Verset is a freaking legend. His first vintage was during the period of peace between the first and second world war which means, for most of his career, Cornas was a tough place to make a living making wine. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that things began to turn around and by that time, Noël was in his 70’s. Talk about perseverance. By the time he made this 1996 vintage, he had already started selling off some of his vineyards and by 2006, he was done making wine altogether. 

And this 1996? It is lighter in color than the other wines in the Cornas line-up; almost a pale garnet with a transparent core. The nose is just crazy. I just wanted to smell it for the rest of the night. Wild mixed berries, dried purple flowers, garrigue, tobacco, and coffee. This was a Cornas of elegance and thinner on the palate relative to the Allemand and Clape. Long finish. Divine with venison, umami bomb, potato and pearl onion. Drinking very well now and could hold for longer but why?
— a month ago

Severn, Lyle and 6 others liked this

Michael Shaps

Wild Meadow Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

Even though 18 was a dramatically wet vintage, Michael knows how to coax enough tannin and acid from the rain logged clusters. Sorting must’ve been the real key here as the blend retained quite a bit of structure associated with other quality vintages. While a bit mellow and buttery, it was still very pleasant with the floral component. — 2 months ago