Press


Reviews

October 2016, Jeb Dunnuck


2014 COASTVIEW VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 90 points
2014 HOMESTEAD BLOCK ROUSSANNE 91 points
2014 ALFARO VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 91 points
2014 COASTVIEW VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 90+ points
2014 LESTER VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 91 points
2013 ODEON SYRAH/CABERNET 91+ points
2012 FRENCHIES RANCH SYRAH 94 points
2013 RATTLESNAKE ROCK SYRAH 90+ points
2013 OLD CORRAL SYRAH 92 points
2014 HOMESTEAD 92 points
2013 GRIZZLY GRENACHE 92 points
2013 GABILAN MOUNTAINS GSM 93 points


2014 COASTVIEW VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 90 points:
“Juicy and lively, with racy acidity and medium-bodied richness, the 2014 Chardonnay Coastview Vineyard is 100% Chardonnay that spent 11 months in 22% new French oak. Giving up plenty of orchard fruits, hints of toasted nuts, buttered citrus and brioche, it benefits from a decant and will drink nicely for 4-5 years, if not longer. This is a classy Chardonnay that’s made in a more lean, fresh style.”

2014 HOMESTEAD BLOCK ROUSSANNE 91 points:
“The 2014 Roussanne Homestead Block is terrific. Offering up beautiful purity and focus in its buttered citrus, toast bread, honeysuckle and white flower-laced bouquet, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, vibrant acidity and a lively, layered, lengthy texture. This is an impressive Roussanne that can be enjoyed anytime over the coming 2-4 years, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it evolve for longer.”

2014 ALFARO VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 91 points:
“The 2014 Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard reveals a ruby color as well as savory notes of smoked herbs, cured meats, pepper and savory cherry and currant fruit, with just hints of flowers coming through with time in the glass. Medium-bodied, rounded and textured on the palate, with building tannin and a beautiful mid-palate, it has lots of stem influence, but I like its core of fruit. Give bottles 1-2 years in the cellar and drink through 2024+.”

2014 COASTVIEW VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 90+ points:
“Also seeing 100% whole clusters and 15 months in 75% new French oak, the 2014 Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard is completely different in style, with the oak hiding some of the stem influence and adding another layer of wood tannin. Black raspberries, toasted spice, rose petals and a touch of barrique all flow to a medium-bodied, rich, tannic Pinot Noir that has solid concentration, nicely integrated acidity and a good finish, where the tannin is front and center. This has potential though, and needs 2-3 years of bottle age and will drink well over the following decade.”

2014 LESTER VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 91 points:
“The 2014 Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyard reveals a vibrant ruby color to go with lots of spice-box, garrigue, licorice and both red and black fruits. Like the other cuvĂ©es here, it saw 100% whole clusters followed by 15 months in 25% new French oak. Comparatively, the stems are better integrated here, and it has a sappy, medium-bodied, structured feel on the palate that will benefit from short-term cellaring and evolve gracefully for a decade or more.”

2013 ODEON 91+ points:
“The more Syra- dominated 2013 Odeon (Syrah / Cabernet) incorporates 58% Syrah, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Viognier, and spent 21 months in 63% new French oak. It has a great bouquet of black and blue fruits, graphite, lead pencil (from the Cabernet) and spice-box to go with a balanced, finesse-driven, elegant style on the palate that doesn’t skimp on concentration. The tannin is beautifully polished and it opens up nicely in the glass. It’s still youthful and backwards, so give bottles 2-3 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following decade.”

2012 FRENCHIES RANCH SYRAH 94 points:
“A big, rich, beautifully textured wine that’s loaded with notions of black currants, toasted bread, licorice and asphalt, the 2012 Syrah Frenchies is full-bodied, layered and has a rockin’ mid-palate. A blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Grenache that spent 39 months in 68% new French oak, this is one of the standouts in the lineup and it will drink nicely over the coming decade or more.”

2013 RATTLESNAKE ROCK SYRAH 90+ points:
“Mulberry, blackberries, violets, and a savory dried pepper, graphite and crushed rock/dried soils characteristic all emerge from the 2013 Syrah Rattlesnake Rock. This wine is co-fermented with 6% Viognier and aged 21 months in 40% new French oak. Medium to full-bodied, nicely textured and balanced, it has notable tannin and a good finish. It will drink well through 2025.”

2013 OLD CORRAL SYRAH 92 points:
“Candied black cherries, black raspberry, violets and caramelized meats dominate the bouquet of the 2013 Syrah Old Corral (100% Syrah), which saw a small amount of whole clusters and 21 months in 10% new 300-liter barrels. Rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured and layered, it will drink nicely for a decade.”

2014 HOMESTEAD 92 points:
“The juicy, red fruited, spicy, meaty and leather-scented 2014 Homestead (35% Mourvedre, 27% Grenache, 19% Carignan and the rest Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon) is medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, balanced and loaded with character. It’s beautiful already, but has the density and balance to evolve through 2024.”

2013 GRIZZLY 92 points:
“Notes of savory currants, dried raspberries, herbes de Provence and sandy, loamy soil notes all emerge from the 2013 Grizzly. This medium to full-bodied, supple, sunny and layered Grenache has fine tannin, notable freshness and a great finish. Reminding me of a top quality Chateauneuf du Pape from a sunny vintage, it will drink well through 2023.”

2013 GABILAN MOUNTAINS GSM 93 points:
“A blend of 49% Grenache, 27% Syrah and the rest Mourvedre, the 2013 GSM Gabilan Mountains is a sexy, seamless, gorgeously textured red that offers tons of ripe black cherries, raspberries, blueberries, spice and floral aromas and flavors. Aged 21 months in mostly neutral oak, drink this pure, elegant 2013 over the coming 7-8 years.”