Winnie Bayon

9.2

Delicious cab. Dry but with chocolate, dark fruit, leather and vanilla notes. Not fruity at all but balanced with a touch of minerality. — 6 years ago

with Robero

Brad Taylor

9.2

Big and fruitful. A true delight. — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.2

This is Palmaz’s second wine. I’ve been fortunate to have visited Palmaz once...one of the most incredible winery tours with their high tech tools.

This is a nice second wine. Still required a 30min+ decant due to age, but it was easy to drink after. A lot of toasted graham cracker, blackberries and fig on the nose. Palate was similar with little tannic bite. Smooth. There was a unique aspect to the finish of this wine...cinnamon bread wrapped in dark fruit. Very interesting. — 8 years ago

with Mark

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Nice Cab Sauv with just a bit of Cab Franc and Petite Verdot added. Herbs, tea leaves, dried cherries and tobacco on the nose. Cherries and dark berries on the pallet. Nice and dry. Good value. Drink now or hold. — 9 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.3

Still very tight and in need of air. Black olive, pepper, dark fruit. Best on day 3. — 9 years ago

Louie Christensen

9.2

Lush, loaded and well built. Dark fruits with pops of ripe red fruits throughout. Vanilla, graphite, licorice, and a lovely dark cocoa note on the finish. — 10 years ago

Reid Kinnett

8.9

Juicy dark fruit and brooding earth and herbs. Slightly smoky. — 10 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.0

This 2012 red blend is inky in the glass and expressive on the nose. Black fruit and oak are what are most notably expressed, with the fruit running second to the vanilla, clove, cinnamon, tobacco and cedar. Must be the 26 months in French, American and Hungarian oak. The palate is brawny and dark, with savory flavors barging into the profile. 50% Tempranillo, 27% Syrah, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Graciano and 4% Tannat. 85% of the grapes are from the Dunnigan Hills AVA. — 11 years ago

Michael Descamps

9.2

One of the best IPAs around, in my mind. — 11 years ago

Jerry Raphael

9.0

Nice dark fruit with a very slight mint nose. Great brambly cherish fruit taste. Nice long finish with a bit of tannins at the end. Very nice and balanced. Having with Moroccan Spiced Spatchcock Grilled Chicken — 12 years ago

Willie Carter

9.0

Garnet in the glass with wet dirt, cherries, and floral notes. Talk about fresh. This baby is alive and kicking. Tannins providing so much excitement here that couple with the wondrous acidity and delivers a stunning package. Wet funk, subdued cherry tartness, and dark fruits on the palate. This isn’t anything like the other New World Tempranillos I’ve had before. Head and shoulders above the rest. — 7 years ago

Mike Mayer

9.1

Another wonderful Merlot. Mountain wines are known for beautiful dark color, intense aromatics and full bodied flavors. This Howell Mountain wine does not disappoint. Beautiful ruby red color and great aromas of blue fruit, cedar and a little earthiness. The tannins on this young wine are very apparent but seem to integrate nicely with the intense flavors of blueberries and baking spices while in your mouth. I am sure this wine will improve with age but it drinks very well today. — 8 years ago

with Lisa

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The 2015 Syrah Charles Heintz Vineyard is an outrageously beautiful, vivid wine. A rush of blue and purplish fruit, lavender, licorice and dark spice make a strong opening statement. Today, the tannins are a bit overpowering, but time in bottle will do the trick. The 2015 was fermented in concrete, with 10% whole clusters, and aged in a combination of concrete and oak. Readers who can find the wine should not hesitate. Heintz is one of the top vineyards in California. Getting a glimpse of the site through the lens of Syrah it makes for a deeply fascinating experience. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Mar 2017) — 9 years ago

DB

8.9

Brown sugar, dark berry, sweet at first taste ... Perfect. Bastille Day 2017 — 9 years ago

with TB

Sanford Peisner

8.9

Dark Star could use few more years in bottle drank well. Plenty of currant and cherry — 9 years ago

John Willison

8.9

Muted cherry & cocoa nose. Crushed cherries, blackberries, with a drying tannic finish. Dark fruit, earthy. — 9 years ago

Robert Lim

9.2

I'll echo the consensus - a lovely, elegant expression of Napa terroir in a Syrah. Vanilla notes give way to spiciness - fruit is at a balanced concentration with silky tannins. Vegetal tobacco notes from stems. Wish I bought more. John is an absolute rock star. 2012 vintage — 10 years ago

David C

9.5

Wow. Sweet, viscous, woody, dark chocolate. Amazingly good. — 11 years ago

Spencer Cutter

9.3

Fantastic summer BBQ or steak wine. Very dark ruby red with a nose that is a mix of freaks black and red berries...blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, a hint of forest floor, cloves, and leather. Loads of fruit but not cooked or jammy. Similar profile on the palate with medium tannins and plenty of acid to keep what might otherwise be a heavy wine very fresh. — 11 years ago

Matt Austin

Owner/Winemaker, Grosgrain Vineyards, Walla Walla, WA

9.3

This is the Spice Wars version. A work of art. — 12 years ago

R D B

8.9

Inexpensive Red blend. Nice with heavy d’œuvres and red meat or Italian dishes. The blend is reminiscent of a chianti though this is a French vintage. Black and spicy fruits with some herbs. Dark, rich color. - TJ NOLA — 7 years ago

David Brown

9.0

Talk about bang for the buck! This is a big, jammy Zin that drinks very well. Another solid vintage from Dark Star. — 8 years ago

Jeff Miller

9.6

Thank you to my good friend Andy Bunch for bringing this beer to try tonight. A rare treat for sure. Took a while to open up, bit man, it’s hitting its stride a couple hours later with notes of semi sweet chocolate, espresso liquor, brownie batter, vanilla, toasted nuts and almond oil. A rich brew with a 15%+ ABV. Black as old motor oil and super mouth coating. Yum yum yum. — 8 years ago

MV

9.1

Dark and jammy with a touch of brown sugar. Opened up quick. No decant. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose, dark sour cherries, dates, burnt figs, grilled meats, burnt ambers, liquid smoke & dark dry florals. The core color is dark with garnet edges. The palate is; slightly sour but mostly sweet dark cherries, stewed plum, cooked strawberries, rhubarb, dates, figs, tomatoes, smoke, grilled meats, brewed coffee, light tarry notes, dry crushed rock powder, volcanic minerals, dark rich earth, dusty tannins, dry dark florals, soft chewy leather, nice round acidity with a decent, soft, elegant finish...50-50 fruit & earth. This is the largest co-op producer in Europe with 50 members. They collectively have 250 acres; which is about 1/6 of the total under vine. Photos of; the town of Barbaresco (their tasting room near the tower), Produttori cellar and their tasting bar. No appointment necessary. Close to Gaja and the town has one of the best one star Michelin lunches as well as the best service we've experienced. Just right of Gaja. Good with our Veal Bolognese. — 9 years ago

Alex Mayes

9.7

So damn good!!!! — 10 years ago

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Dark near-black purple that clings to the glass. Blackberry, black blueberry, caramel on the nose and full palate. Medium acidity. Medium tannins (appropriate for its age). Lengthy dark finish. Fine New World representation of the variety. — 10 years ago

Eric Linderman

9.6

You must let these wines age. My God is this good. A nose of funky earth and berry.with a palette of dark fruit that lingers. Impeccably balanced. What a wine and I'm glad I have 2 more. Margo you are rainman. — 11 years ago

Matt Mitchell

9.5

Chad Melville knocks it out the park with this luscious Syrah. Dark fruit, super soft mouthfeel, smooth finish. Like butter. 14.8% I'm gonna buy a case. — 11 years ago

Sandy Shearer

9.9

Dark Star / Left Turn — 13 years ago