Patrick Derdeyn

10

Made from grapes that we got to foot tread when the came into the winery in Napa. The were freezing cold when they arrived and the whole clusters are sharp, feels like walking on legos but then the cold makes your feet go numb, and then you start sweating from the 45 minute stomp session. It’s quite a surreal feeling and such an incredible experience. This is the first bottle we’ve opened and we popped it for our 10th anniversary. The wine itself is incredible. Dark fruited and plush, fresh yet with hints of garrigue and smoked meats that will further develop with time. Perfectly balanced acid and the 100% WC has already integrated very nicely. Like all of @Mike Smith wines its beautiful now and will be great down the road. This is one we will cherish for years to come. — 4 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.1

TRB made Syrah. On the richer side of the spectrum but nicely balances big red fruits with medium acidity and some still present tannin. Secondary development is starting to show, but the wine morphs over 30 minutes and puts on weight as the red fruits continue to grow. This has 5+ more years until peak. — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

8.5

Dark color with overt oak characteristics on both nose and palate. Extremely tropical with concentrated pineapple and lime zest flavors. Malo lends some creaminess to help subdue the tropical character on the finish. 14.5% is apparent from the midpalate through the finish and contributes to the whole package being just a bit out of focus. — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.4

This might be the best young Saxum I’ve had. Rich and velvety texture with raspberry, black cherry and cocoa nibs. Refreshing acidity and a whiff of smoke on the slight tannins help balance and keep things intriguing. — 4 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

Galloni was spot on here with his 93 pts. The soaring aromatics on this are ethereal. Gobs of young fresh fruit in abundance in a mid-weight, translucent wine. Has a little turpentine hint on the nose and a brambly strawberry character in the mid palate that I find fascinating. Drinks like a California Vacqueyras. Bravo 👏 — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.2

Always a favorite in our house. 60% pinot noir and 30% of it is aged in barrel. Its shows in the power of the wine, but there has been a turn towards a little more finesse in recent bottlings of this wine. This strikes a great balance. — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.2

Ehren Jordan winemaking paired with Ulises Valdez grape growing (RIP)? I’m in on both counts. This has evolved like crazy since opening a few hours ago. I enjoyed that little bit of funk it had on initial pop but it has continued to put on weight over the last couple hours. Fruit continues to darken in profile. Started a bit burgundian with some earthy profile on the nose and a lean palate, now much more classic russian river. I dig the evolution, well made wine. — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

8.7

Hard cherry candy that blew off after about an hour decant. It continued to improve from there as layers of red fruit piled on and carried through the finish. It fell slightly hollow in the mid palate where perhaps some additional age might help develop some complexity. — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.5

It’s unreal how good these are in their youth. Lush black fruits abound with a velvety texture that provide so much depth without ever being heavy. Then the brambly and iron notes come in to provide complexity to the mid palate and carry on through the silky finish. Gorgeous wine, best Syrah I’ve had all year. — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

With the annual release of these coming this week I needed to try one of these for research purposes. A couple years in bottle now has definitely helped it settle in and a splash decant is recommended. This marries the classic Rivers Marie style with a darker fruit profile from the Rhys estate vineyard fruit. Definitely on the list to buy from the upcoming release. — 5 years ago