Issue Feb 2010
2007 MANDALA SYRAH – 93 points
2008 Mandala Syrah: "The 2007 Big Basin Vineyards Syrah Mandala spends 20 months in 40% new French oak barrels and offers up stunning cassis and blackberry fruit, smoked meats, graphite and spice notes. This opens up with air and shows impressive complexity and a perfumed, bright character. The palate is full bodied with lots of sweet, rich fruit, a lush texture and a long finish. There’s ripe tannin on the finish. This drank beautifully over the 3 days I had the bottle open."