Great wine!! — 18 days ago
Dark purple in color with a wide purplish rim, and medium plus intensity.
Strong nose of black currants, plums, tobacco, licorice, light oak, spices and chocolate notes.
Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruit forward on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, currants, light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, earth, herbs, peppercorn and tobacco leaf.
Short finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 5-year-old Syrah blend from Columbia Valley is drinking nicely right out of the bottle, but better after 2 hours of airtime.
As it opens up, more earth notes show up and bring more complexity. Feels like a heavy Southern Rhone red.
This 5 year old Syrah is drinking at its peak, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.
Rich and fruit forward. Soft and elegant, with a mouth coating feel. Spicy and complex.
A blend of 70% Syrah, 22% Carignan and 8% Mourvedre.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$25. — 12 days ago
What a fantastic wine, vintage — 4 months ago
Rustic and hearty and a little bit boxy until it loosens. It's shy aromatically. Earthy, bing cherries, prunes, and crushed rosemary.
Tannin, structure, and acid seem intact when a little give would do.
Cali wildness that doesn't feel quite as psychedelic as the Chardonnay (see previous note) — 5 months ago
One of Hirsch’s more rugged bottlings, being on the east ridge. Opened way to early. So much acidity and freshness overwhelmed the darker fruits you could tell sat beneath. Lots of promise. Will wait on the next one. — 13 days ago
A singular wine! — a month ago
Honeymoon wine! Lush and robust, nose a little funky, but the taste is phenomenal! Dark berries, kirsch, lomey soil, dried herbs, and smoky! Fantastico! — 3 months ago
Bob McDonald
Beechworth is in the foothills of the Victorian Alps and is fast becoming one of the premier districts for Chardonnay in Australia thanks to the burgeoning success of Giaconda (and also Savaterre). The Rodda Smiths Vineyard is a neighbour to these 2 Icons. Aromatics of grapefruit, white flowers and grilled nuts. On the medium bodied palate Peach, citrus and ripe grapefruit of medium plus intensity. Ticks all the boxes. 2021 was an excellent vintage in Beechworth as it was for most of Australia. Excellent wine and good value. — 18 hours ago