Ashley Mercado

9.6

Wow, I have been missing out… First time tasting Blaufränkisch and impressed! The deep rusty red brick red wine has aromas of wild blueberries, violets and potting soil. Rich blackberry, raspberry, cherry, dark chocolate loaded with allspice, cinnamon and pepper notes. I love the boisterous acidity, dense structure and prominent tannins. I imagine this would go nicely with smoked sausage, Gailtaler Almkäsewiener cheese, schnitzel, red cabbage and spaetzle. — 5 years ago

Austin Maples

9.0

Strong dark fruit flavors. Dry, punchy. Notes of chocolate @Farrar Langlois you should try this one — 6 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.0

The ‘17s just arrived so that means it was perfect timing to drink my last ‘16. @Morgan Twain-Peterson says these can age 5-10 yrs, but mine never seem to make it 5-10 months while I let all of the SVs rest in peace. A splash decant really helps the bouquet jump out on these. Rose petal, spice, and dark fruits balanced by wonderful acidity and some light tannin presence. A screaming value year in and year out. — 7 years ago

Brad Taylor

9.2

Big and fruitful. A true delight. — 7 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. — 7 years ago

with Mark

Charles Garrison

9.2

Singing...mouth coating dark fruit goodness — 8 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. — 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 — 9 years ago

David C

9.5

Wow. Sweet, viscous, woody, dark chocolate. Amazingly good. — 10 years ago

Matt Austin

Owner/Winemaker, Grosgrain Vineyards, Walla Walla, WA

9.3

This is the Spice Wars version. A work of art. — 11 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Ripe and rustic...lots of mixed dark fruit and a touch of pencil shavings on the nose. Round, medium weight bright red fruit with a lovely richness. No noticeable alcohol, nicely integrated acids. And a long zin finish. — 5 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. — 6 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.6

I can already tell that my palate is going to need a breather when I get back home: so many big boy reds 😅 Tonight’s pour is luscious and supple with velvety dark fruits, moistened tobacco, smoke, graphite, lavender, and eucalyptus. Looking forward to this opening up. Excellent craftsmanship right here. — 7 years ago

with Krystal

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. — 7 years ago

with Lisa

DB

8.9

Brown sugar, dark berry, sweet at first taste ... Perfect. Bastille Day 2017 — 8 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

Alex Mayes

9.7

So damn good!!!! — 9 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. — 9 years ago

Michael Descamps

9.2

One of the best IPAs around, in my mind. — 10 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 — 11 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The nose reveals; sweet & sour dark cherries, deeply, ripe & juicy strawberries, rhubarb & cranberry crossing, plum liqueur, blackberries, blueberries, candied raspberries, dark chocolate, limestone minerals, sandstone, anise to black licorice, dry, crushed rocks with blue, red, dark, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets.

The body is still firm, thick, grainy and full. The structure, tension are still tight. The length and balance are working their way into adolescence. Sweet & sour dark cherries, deeply, ripe & juicy strawberries, black raspberries, juicy, black plum, rhubarb & cranberry crossing, plum liqueur, blackberries, blueberries, candied raspberries, caramel, clove, touch of nutmeg, vanilla, dark chocolate, semi-sweet tarriness, understated herbaceousiness, limestone minerals, powdery sandstone leather, dry tobacco, saddle-wood to cedar plank, dark spice, sandstone, anise to black licorice, dry, crushed rocks with blue, red, dark, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets.

It’s still a youthful wine with another 10-15 years ahead.

Photos of; the hilltop town of Barbaresco with the Produttori tasting room underneath and right of the tower, the Produttori tasting room and the co-op of Produttori. Third largest in Europe. — 6 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 — 6 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. — 7 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. — 7 years ago

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) — 8 years ago

John Willison

8.9

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

Kelly Hwang

9.3

Well balanced, dark strawberry — 9 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. — 10 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 — 12 years ago