Mark Farrell

9.2

Medium garnet color with a nose of strawberries and tart cherries. It also has floral and cola notes. Very smooth with nice fruit. I think it is a drink now wine. Give it longer and it will flatten out. Very nice. Had with my father and mother-in-law with pork chops. Did scotch and cigars before dinner so hopefully my palate is accurate on this. A fun time with family. My favorite aspect of wine is its attachment to positive memories. Definitely had that as we enjoyed this wine. — 17 days ago

Mark Farrell

9.5

Brilliant ruby with aromas of black cherry jam, blueberries, clay pot, and cedar chest. Nice balance for a wine with this complexity. Full-bodied. Tannins are integrated perfectly. Acid may be a tad high, but makes it savory. Very nice finish, this wine punches way above its price point. Best value wine I have had in years. Picked this up for around $35!!! Predominately and equal mix of merlot and cab franc, with a little cab. sav. and petit verdot. — a month ago

Mark Farrell

9.5

Color is still a deep ruby/garnet with a nose of plums, black tea, black pepper, and hints of dark chocolate. Amazingly smooth, this Petite Sirah has developed nicely over 13 years. Fruit is still there, but florals are popping out and the texture is wonderful. Full-bodied, bold, powerful wine given to me by a friend. Paired with prime NY strip and ribeye = perfection. — 2 months ago

Mark Farrell

9.2

Medium ruby with a nose of very little fruit. Mostly pepper and meat. Gravel and blackberries in there, as well. Definitely old world styled, lots of earthiness and spice. Very good finish, but I’m not necessarily a fan of the old world style. Definitely was better with food. A good pairing wine for sure. 21st anniversary wine with the wife — 19 days ago

Mark Farrell

9.8

Prior tasting notes apply. I really like this wine. Aromas are very powerful on this complex, multi-dimensional wine. — a month ago

Mark Farrell

9.4

Medium ruby with a very powerful Ripe👃 of blue and red fruits. Blueberries, dried cranberries, a bit of dried herbs, and blood orange. The wine is drier than the nose and the Paso Robles location led me to assume. Plenty of body (full) and tannins, this is what I would call a brooding wine. Medium acidity. Nice, pleasant finish. Would probably have gone better with a heavy stew and fall/winter weather. It’s 90 degrees and I’m drinking it on a walk. That being said, I’m the kinda guy that will eat pizza for breakfast, so it’s still good. — 2 months ago

Mark Farrell

8.0

Medium purple in color with notes of strawberries and pencil lead. Mouthfeel is much lighter than I would expect. The wine is also flat and unexciting. I honestly would have guessed it to be $10 wine. I paid $60. I really hate to give bad ratings to small producers, but this is just not delivering. Both my wife and I rated it last in a blind Syrah tasting with Modus Operandi and DuMol. — 2 months ago

Mark Farrell

10

Deep ruby/purple with a mesmerizing nose of casis and blueberries. There is also a big violet floral component and hints of cacao nibs. This full-bodied wine has an amazing, silky texture with a balanced structure and flavors that pump through a thought-provoking finish. I think this is one of the best wines I have had. Really spectacular, I had it over a client dinner at Fleeting in Savannah, GA. Also, my first experience with Realm. As one of my favorite wines ever, it gets the 10.0! — 20 days ago

Mark Farrell

9.1

This wine has notes of a saline sea breeze on the nose. Crazy as it seems maybe even like a salt marsh. Maybe a little tart cherry there as well. Very pleasant and refreshing. This is a very pleasing, elegant style rose. Enjoyed on the back patio on a summer Sunday evening. — a month ago

Mark Farrell

9.2

This is actually the 2018 Modus Operandi Caldwell Vineyard Syrah. Color is deep purple with scents of bacon fat, plum sauce, cigar box, and maybe camphor. After opening up a bit, I get cardamom and vanilla, as well. Nose is a little funky, but not in a bad way. Bold, medium to full-bodied wine. Medium to high acidity. Medium level of tannins. This was the best wine in a blind tasting of Syrahs with DuMol and Kimsey. Both my wife and I ranked it #1. The finish was significantly longer and more pleasant than the others. — 2 months ago