Allison Lyzenga

9.0

Deep ruby; medium intensity aromas of blackberry, mulberry, boysenberry, bramble, chaparral; dry, medium plus acid, medium plus tannins, medium alcohol, medium plus body, medium intensity flavors of black fruit, chaparral, dried herbs; medium plus finish, well balanced, concentrated flavors, very good — 6 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.5

Classic Biondi Santi - saline and sanguine, with flavors of chaparral, cured olives, pepper and game. Structured and still and infant at 7 years. — 7 years ago

Olga Liamkina

9.5

The best wine from Spain ever! Peppery and expressive — 8 years ago

Matt

9.2

Turning a shitty day around with this gorgeous Priorat. Old-vine, amphora ferment/aged, portion WC, native yeast and min SO2. Weighty depth of ripe red and black cherries, roasted plums, clove, animal, MINERALS, smoke, rubber, violets, chaparral. Textural grit, loving the freshness the Carignan brings to the table, picking up where the grenache left its deep fruit and herbs, carrying the richness through the finish. — 8 years ago

David L

9.4

14’ This wine is misunderstood. Needs a hour or two of decanting. Better in 2 years. — 8 years ago

Luis Antonio Rodriguez

9.2

Wow, and I mean wow! Excellent vintage and excellent wine. A dry at the beginning but then smooths out! Buy it if you can find it! — 9 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.5

Carignan is one of those varieties, like Merlot or Grenache, that really needs to be in the right place, it can often be so simple, but this one is a lesson on the tremendous depth that it can achieve, first vintage from a new producer/fellow back-to-the-lander, you can taste the sunshine, rock, and garrigue (chaparral for Americans). — 10 years ago

Cristóbal Arellano Borges

9.2

Built to last. At 9 years old it's drinking beautifully. Zippy acidity. Crushed rock, chaparral, sloe berries, vintage leather, anise. Wonderful — 11 years ago

Laura Micciche

9.8

Slate/mineral, warm dusty earth, mountain herbs (my trusty dreamboat tells me it's chaparral heavy), vibrant red fruit that was sung a lullaby into seductive elegance. — 11 years ago

with Caleb

Andrew Stover

Sommelier/Wine Director Oya & Sei, Wine Blogger ChiefWino, Founder Vino50

10

2005 Alcantara Syrah Blend from California. Smoky earthy aromas, dried cherry, plum, leather plus notes of spice and vanilla. Firm and velvety. Delicious. — 12 years ago

Matt

9.3

Interesting cuvée here, it really wears its 50/50 SY GR blend on its sleeves, switching between the two over the course of a few hours. Like many Kongsgaards of the past this has one foot in the OW and one in the NW. Deep black fruit, savory meat, white pepper, chaparral. — 7 years ago

Matt

9.4

Gorgeous nose, layers of black fruit, potpourri, chaparral, lavender, asian spices, sweet herbs, tobacco, wet slate, coffee. Highly aromatic, glycerin richness, concentration yet remarkably nimble on the palate. The sweet oak tannin could use some resolve, and the ABV pokes out on the finish. Very curious where this is heading, also where it’s been. Excited for harvest! — 7 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

8.9

One of Languedoc-Roussillon’s most visible names, Gérard Bertrand, crafts a juicy Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel. Round and plush, it’s flavors sing of roasted plum, black sesame, chaparral, and a distinctive sweet umami soy sauce character on the finish. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan - this is the quintessential Tuesday night BBQ wine. — 8 years ago

Thomas Brenner

9.1

Hey there chaps. If you're feeling chapfallen, then this mountainous cuvee could easily usher in a new chapter in your lives. One that even Monsieur Chaptal would deem a sweet choice. I tip my Chapeau to the chapt who made this Chappellet. Pairs well with Chapatties. I felt like a chapleted chaplain having ditched his chaperones and chaplaincies. Shows notes reminiscent of chaparral. So see your roving Chapman for a bottle worthy of being displayed on your chapiters! — 8 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

2013 Vintage. Dark as night. Musty nose. White pepper & native chaparral flavors. Smooth drinking with a bit of heat on the finish. — 9 years ago

Allison Lyzenga

9.0

Pale garnet; light body; strong tannins; red fruits, red currant, pomegranate seeds, sour cherry, chaparral; not very aromatic — 10 years ago

with Jacob

Darren Guillaume

9.1

Syrah 60%, Grenache 30%, Mourvèdre and Carignan remaining. Aged in large founders. Has stewed black cherry, blackberry, heather and lavender chaparral on the nose. Dark red and black fruits with hints of dark tobacco and leather on the palate. — 10 years ago

Gabe Dunn

9.7

Steak and dill yogurt salad — 10 years ago

with Candace

Jen Duben

9.3

Deep, dark colour~flavours of cassis, chaparral, backyard plum and briar patch fruit. — 11 years ago

Brian W. Anderson

9.5

Layers and layers of flavor: spice, chaparral, leading to berry notes, and the flint, minerality at the end. After two days open, blossomed more with just a touch of bacon fat. — 12 years ago

Cristóbal Arellano Borges

9.2

Good tannin, and acid. Violets, stones, rust, chaparral. Just lovely — 7 years ago

Matt

9.1

Killer value. Crunchy and pure red fruits; black raspberry, mission fig, redwood forest, potting soil, chaparral, crumbled rocks, salt, synthetic (in a good way). Lively acid, engaging tannin that don’t overwhelm, savory. A gorgeous wine with plenty of character from its Schist terroir, deeply mineral — 7 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.5

Outstanding, this wine has so much more than simply being sweet. Piney and resinous, it fluctuates between flavors of sugar dusted dried apricots, candied lemons, marzipan, and honeycomb with pine sap, pollen, chaparral, white balsamic, mint and blanched herbs adding a more savory complexity. Unctuous and long. 80% Assyrtiko, 10% Aidani, 10% Athiri.
— 8 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.2

I have to admit - I had to look up where Salina, Italy was after ordering this by-the-glass white labeled "must try" on the wine list at a high-end restaurant/bar down the street from me. Turns out Salina is one of the Aeolian islands growing the delicious Sicilian dessert wine Malvasia delle Lipari. This wine comes from those same Malvasia grapes, but is fermented dry. Aromatic and highly expressive - it smells of jasmine, ripe pear, white peach, chaparral, and mint. It's juicy and appetizing and a total treat to taste this corner of the wine world. — 8 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2013 vintage. Big smoke, chaparral and überripe plum in the nose. Light/medium body. Velveteen finish. Delish without being super-intense. More of a feminine-style Pinot. — 8 years ago

Emmy Zhang

Sales Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

9.5

Emmy had this 10 years ago

Cris Carter

Winemaker/Founder Weatherborne Wine Corp.

9.3

Dried cherries, plums, chaparral. Beautiful depth and texture. Best domestic Sangio I've tried. Well done Mike! — 10 years ago

Cristóbal Arellano Borges

9.0

I liked 2013 a tad bit more, this one is a bit juicer. Still has that tapenade, truffle, raspberry, cherry, chaparral notes that have kept me coming back for years — 10 years ago

Floyden Mugford

10

100 garnacha gorgeous deliciousness — 11 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.7

Wow, mouvedre is such a cool variety. This unexpected surprise has an intense expression of the classic leather and mineral character, with chaparral (garrigiue) and brambly fruit. Snuck the bottle into a screening of Chef, good times. — 11 years ago