Hammell Wine Alliance
Hommage a Francois Durif No. 1 Red Blend
California, USA
2012 Hammell Wine Alliance Hommage a Francois Durif #1
Petite Sirah. Rather restrained nose. Anise, a hint of vanilla, coffee and an open bottle of nail polish. Palate of dark fruits and road tar. A boatload of tannin predominates the finish. Not exactly unexpected given the youth and the varietal. Rich and full-bodied, the wine continued to evolve and give up more nuance over the course of the evening. @Hammell is a talented Dude! If I had another bottle, and I do not, I would set it aside for quite a few years to allow those monstrously huge tannins to mellow out. If nothing else, this bottle is a great reminder to exercise patience with Petite Sirah. Particularly the SQN “The Writing On The Wall” which was only bottled in Magnum format. I wish Manfred had at least given us one 750ml bottle with the set. Oh well...
2012 Hammell Wine Alliance Hommage a Francois Durif #1
Petite Sirah. Rather restrained nose. Anise, a hint of vanilla, coffee and an open bottle of nail polish. Palate of dark fruits and road tar. A boatload of tannin predominates the finish. Not exactly unexpected given the youth and the varietal. Rich and full-bodied, the wine continued to evolve and give up more nuance over the course of the evening. @Hammell is a talented Dude! If I had another bottle, and I do not, I would set it aside for quite a few years to allow those monstrously huge tannins to mellow out. If nothing else, this bottle is a great reminder to exercise patience with Petite Sirah. Particularly the SQN “The Writing On The Wall” which was only bottled in Magnum format. I wish Manfred had at least given us one 750ml bottle with the set. Oh well...
What a lovely wine. Congrats @Hammell. It is understated yet seductive. Blueberries and graphite with subtle notes of lavender and baking spices. Long finish. Wish I had more than one of these!
What a lovely wine. Congrats @Hammell. It is understated yet seductive. Blueberries and graphite with subtle notes of lavender and baking spices. Long finish. Wish I had more than one of these!
1 person found it helpfulSep 13th, 2015What an extraordinary wine. The first word that comes to mind is voluptuous. So this is quite the hedonistic experience. But the balance is impeccable. The purity is amazing. And the finish goes on forever. Consider that this is the first release of this wine and you begin to appreciate the extraordinary potential of this winery. Well done Chris!!
What an extraordinary wine. The first word that comes to mind is voluptuous. So this is quite the hedonistic experience. But the balance is impeccable. The purity is amazing. And the finish goes on forever. Consider that this is the first release of this wine and you begin to appreciate the extraordinary potential of this winery. Well done Chris!!
1 person found it helpfulMay 18th, 2015Crazy great petite sirah from Krankel SQN disciple. Wonderfully rich yet balanced.
Crazy great petite sirah from Krankel SQN disciple. Wonderfully rich yet balanced.
1 person found it helpfulMay 18th, 2015
If it didn’t have such a weird name I probably wouldn’t have bought it, hefty decant needed but 😳👍🏼
Wine Advocate 95,
Reviewed by Jeb when he was with Parker,
Showing beautifully from barrel and not disappointing from bottle, the 2012 Hommage a Francois Durif No. 1 (I reviewed this last year as the Petite Sirah) is a blend of 100% Petite Sirah that's certainly one of the finest examples of this variety coming out of California. Inky colored and a big, voluptuous and decadent beauty, it offers terrific notes of blackcurrants, plum, toasted spice, leather, graphite and espresso. Full-bodied, concentrated, rich and yet always balanced and light on its feet, it has sensational purity of fruit, a big, rich mid-palate and tons of sweet tannin that coat the palate and lengthen the finish. I wouldn't open another bottle for 2-3 years, but it will have 15-20 years of longevity.
If it didn’t have such a weird name I probably wouldn’t have bought it, hefty decant needed but 😳👍🏼
Wine Advocate 95,
Reviewed by Jeb when he was with Parker,
Showing beautifully from barrel and not disappointing from bottle, the 2012 Hommage a Francois Durif No. 1 (I reviewed this last year as the Petite Sirah) is a blend of 100% Petite Sirah that's certainly one of the finest examples of this variety coming out of California. Inky colored and a big, voluptuous and decadent beauty, it offers terrific notes of blackcurrants, plum, toasted spice, leather, graphite and espresso. Full-bodied, concentrated, rich and yet always balanced and light on its feet, it has sensational purity of fruit, a big, rich mid-palate and tons of sweet tannin that coat the palate and lengthen the finish. I wouldn't open another bottle for 2-3 years, but it will have 15-20 years of longevity.