Nate Wall

Winemaker at Troon Vineyard

8.9

Savory, strawberry, pomegranate, forest floor, truffle. So crushable. — 5 years ago

Michael McNabb

9.1

Delicious! — 6 years ago

Chris Hyde

9.2

Fresh, juicy Pinot Noir. — 6 years ago

with Shannon

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

This Syrah is made in conjunction with Consultant, John Duval of Penfolds fame. John has also been making his Duval private label wines since he departed Penfolds back in Barossa. Gorgeous nose of sweet dark currants, dark moist soils, licorice, smoke, grilled meats, violets and fresh florals. The palate is rich, round, thick, sexy and elegant. Blackberries, liqueured, dark cherries, cherries, strawberries, lots blue fruits, smoke, grilled meats, cinnamon, vanilla, rich scorched earth, loamy soils, touch of crushed dry rocks, liquid violets, dark fresh flowers and full, mellow acidity. The structure, length, tension and balance are drop dead gorgeous. The finish is thick, full and flat out mouthwatering and jaw dropping gorgeously sexy. Photos of the Long Shadows logo, one of their vineyards and beautiful tasting room. — 7 years ago

Ralph Lewis

9.5

Very nice Cab with character. Intense nose, blackberry and licorice flavors and earthy notes. Delicious. — 8 years ago

Michael Murphy

9.1

Full bodied Napa Cab! Smooth and lighter tannins than I was expecting. Decanted 6 hours before enjoying. — 8 years ago

Angela Costanzo

9.7

fruity and floral — 8 years ago

Luke Mills VIII

9.3

Very good. Went well with the Cote de boeuf! It mellowed very nicely once our meals arrived. Would recommend to anyone, and will definitely try it again. — 8 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.2

And they said it was dead! Long live blood! — 9 years ago

Laurie Cole

9.5

Delicious! — 11 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.4

A powerhouse - always delivers. Open/decant well in advance. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.8

Always going to be the highlight of the Wynns tasting and only made in years where the fruit quality and vintage conditions were exceptional. Sue Hodder said everything fell into place in 2015 and she made one of her best ever Riddochs. From less than 1% of Wynns available Cabernet fruit. Latent power on nose and palate with black fruits and balanced oak. At least a 30 year future but so balanced you could happily drink this now but one should wait at least 10 years for its charms to start showing through. A brilliant 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. — 6 years ago

Phillip Antley

9.1

It’s a nice wheated bourbon, and at the price can be a go-to workhorse. It’s got the same spice profile as ORVW, but lacks the soft finish. It’s good though, and just being in the Van Winkle conversation is saying something. — 6 years ago

David L

9.3

10' Alban Vineyards Reva Syrah. I decanted it for 5 hours. Please wait a few years before opening a bottle. John is a genius!!! — 7 years ago

with Greg, Jo and 1 other

Katie Baroost

9.1

Great cab! — 8 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 — 8 years ago

James Knoblich

9.0

2006 J Bookwalter Winery 'Foreshadow' Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, WA — 8 years ago

John Goodridge

9.0

Well priced for 12 yr, smooth, medium oak, not peaty, given as a wedding gift. Goes great with nuptials. — 9 years ago

Eric Floyd

9.4

Herman Story: A voluptuous Syrah, soft around the edges. Smooth silky finish. — 10 years ago

Leon Moore

10

Best wine of the night if you ask me...2005 Syrah blind tasting wines — 11 years ago

Lindsey King

9.3

Delicious!! Bright cherries and briney olive notes. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Had this 1year ago. Founded in 1979 by John Shafer, went from riding trains in Chicago to riding a TD-9 tractor in Napa. Blend of 56%Merlot, 28%Cab Sauv & 16%Malbec, aged for 20 mos French oak, despite 15.3% ABV, it’s well balanced. Wonderful berry fruit aromas, flavors of cherry, jammy blackberry and rasp with notes of cacao and sweet herbs. Lingering finish ending with earthy mineral. Had this with a USDA prime Fillet. Drink now & over next few years, any longer the wine will lose vibrant quality. Nice! — 5 years ago

Randmaster Flash

9.6

Dark and jammy — 6 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.0

Patrina is essentially Alban's second label - mostly declassified barrels from Reva, Lorraine, and Seymour's if I remember what John told me. It's got a lot of the tell-tale characteristics of an Alban syrah in terms of the nose (e.g., the roasted meat, blackberries, and hints of iodine and camphor), just less of them. Medium-plus bodied on the palate. What it lacks - and why I rated it as low as I did - is any tannic backbone. I imagine this is in part by design: kinda like a Rosso di Montalcino to be consumed while the Brunellos are ageing in the cellar (in this case the "Brunellos" are Reva, Lorraine, and Seymours). Still a terrific wine for the price, though: lots of CA wines out there at double the price that deliver one-fouth what this does. Doesn't have the stuffing to age very long, though, so enjoy this one early!
(Increased my rating a bit - started evolving a bit more with time in the glass) — 7 years ago

Paul Petty

9.1

Big fruity red very nice. Dry. Smooth lingering finish. — 8 years ago

RE Petrone

9.6

To John Alban a truly remarkable wine! — 8 years ago

Naboth van den Broek

9.3

Very nice, complex nose And flavors, almost Madeira-like — 8 years ago

D Maria Halstead

9.0

Lots of flavor — 8 years ago

Nate Redner

10

Rhubarb and raspberry. Killer domestic gamay — 9 years ago

Vinny Eng

9.7

@TatomerWines consistently nailing it! — 10 years ago