Wine is very astringent/tannic. May need time to breathe or more aging.

Lives up to the hype about the 2007 Rhone Valley vintage. Barely two years old, this red, from a humble appellation, is already singing. Ripe, round grenache and syrah fruit perfectly balanced by acidity and just enough tannin for grip. A hint of white pepper on the very long finish. Drinks well above its price point - should age well. Can't wait to try more 2007 Rhone reds.

Beautifully aged. Scents of anise, earth, dark berries, cola. Rustic old-world style. Very much in the tradition of a well crafted Crozes-Hermitage.

Great value for the money. Gets more interesting when pairing with red meats which brings out very distintive allspice and cinnamon notes.

Unexciting.

This is a 75%+ Cabernet Sauvignon wine with syrah added. The result is rich, fruity and even a bit sweet. "Cherry vanilla coke" was one glib descriptor but that is not quite fair given the mission of this wine. It does underscore the impact of blending that even a relatively small proportion of a second grape can substantially impact the final wine. This is a patio wine to be enjoyed young, but it does not deliver the firm acidity and cleansing tannins one often expects in a cabernet-dominant wine. The vines are relatively young, maybe 9-12 years old, so perhaps in future vintages the cabernet structure will assert itself and balance the over-riding richness of the fruit. But again, that may not be the target of the wine makers for this well-made wine. Still, I admire the effort. Sourced from WineAccess, a helpful internet-based retailer

Ripe berries, bacon fat, licorice. Bold, fruity. very nice finish.

After a 3 hour decant, nose is a bit muted with cherry and tobacco on the palate. In the glass it improves and finish builds.

Drinkning great right now. Cassis, pepper and medium finish.