Joseph LaPanna

9.0

Typical clean clear and slightly golden color the nose is more savory than fruit or floral driven. A note of preserved lemon, white pepper and mango linger. On the mouth a wave of acidity carry lemongrass, citrus, white peach and minerals. Finish is medium in length with a hint of wet stone. — 6 years ago

Kendall Johnson

9.2

Wine from Ballard Canyon to commemorate our stay here! Tannins, olive, blackberry, spice... tasty — 6 years ago

Marty McNees

9.3

Plenty of life left in this one. Delicious! — 7 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

Savory. More stem inclusion than the Larner. — 8 years ago

Fernando Nunez

9.0

Vivid ruby. Intensely perfumed aromas of strawberry, raspberry, rose oil, star anise and white pepper. Supple red fruit preserve and candied floral flavors of very good clarity are complicated by suggestions of cola and licorice. Gentle tannins, providing grip, build on the finish and fade slowly into the wine's plush, sweet fruit. This alluring grenache is already showing plenty of complexity but it's still a baby. — 8 years ago

Justin Hansohn

8.9

Concentration on maximum. Sunny and still intensely earthy and lithe. I get a little tired trying to conquer this bottle, and luckily I have friends...more than one around to help with finishing this. Held up for 4 days open, just got softer but never lost its umfffff. — 9 years ago

with Taylor

Martin Bergo

9.3

From my good friend and co-owner of this winery we tasted an -08 in Vermont!
Clear ruby color; powerful, complex, earthy with lots of blue/dark fruit on the nose; high alcohol (feels like 14) and well-integrated supple tannins; oak is moderate only little new. Great job! — 9 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.0

Really like how the 25% Syrah adds definition to this, and the Grenache brings bright red fruit. — 9 years ago

John Kemper

9.5

A deep ruby color, the '08 Herman Story Grenache 'Larner Vineyard' bursts with aromas of black cherry, cinnamon and cracked pepper. The legs were longer than a pin-up calendar girl. A great viscous mouthfeel with lots of cherry cola and ripe plum flavors. The juicy finish lingered for an extended and pleasurable length of time. — 10 years ago

Mitch Cahoon

Sommelier/Wine Director Petra's Bistro & Wine Bar

9.6

Ampelos, larner and bien nacido blend. Bright at first then takes on sweaty, gamy backbone. Really Effin good — 10 years ago

with Lauren

Jim McCusker

9.3

Love Paul Lato’s wines. This is an elegant expression of grenache - a fantastic contrast to the more muscular wine that John Alban produces, which puts Manfred’s somewhere between. Bright aromatics even given its age, the wine gains a bit of weight as it sits in the glass. Layers of blue fruits on the palate with subdued acidity that keeps the wine moving through a great finish. — 6 years ago

with Vanessa

Jeffrey Long

9.1

Happy birthday Jen! The wine pairing here is very underwhelming. — 7 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.3

Bought at the Los Olivos Cafe in Los Olivos California. Definitely some barnyard, lavender, black cherries. Well balanced minerality and acidity - with a ton of character sourced from Ballard Canyon - Lower % cold climate northern Rhone Syrah version from Santa Barbara!!! Congrats to her the wine maker 🎉keep it up. Best Syrah so far from. CA. Only 100 cases made. — 7 years ago

with David and Dustin

Jeroen Koenen

9.0

Read the worrisome note from Ms. Larner in TWA#211 today. Decided to pop a bottle and I was happy to conclude that this wine wasn't "tight and astringent" nor "a skeleton of wood". Sure, the nose is slightly rustic showing cinnamon spice, iron, grilled meat and dried flower potpourri. On the palate there's still sufficient juicy plummy fruit and vanilla cream. Dark notes of ash, fur, chestnuts and leather provide depth and interest. It's a good Brunello, with modernistic concentration. Prime drinking for those who like their wines mature. Drink now or within 3 years, I'd say. — 8 years ago

Jono Riehlman

9.5

6 years in the cellar has done wonders for for this Syrah - so vibrant and fresh with layered flavors and smooth tannins. Would pair well with anything... or better yet, a second bottle of '09 Kunin Sarah. — 9 years ago

Michael Herzog

9.0

Dense. Great with a ribeye. Fruit explosion... — 9 years ago

Michael Larner

9.8

Our 2012 estate Viognier is not too shabby. Aromas of dried flowers, starfruit and apricot. Bold vanilla flavors and wet flint stone. — 9 years ago

with Christina and Monica

Michael Larner

10

Best Malvasia I have made to date. White peach, floral, grape, and green apple aromatics. Beautiful mineral finish. The 24 hour prefermentation soak payed off. — 10 years ago

Low Wei

9.4

Good everyday wine. Not a lot of depth or finish but profoundly enjoyable. — 11 years ago

Marty McNees

9.2

Drinking great right now. — 6 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.2

Blue-Violet Dark fruits & berry, med+ body, smells tastes like driving through Ballard Canyon, fine tannins. Fruit is very nice right now, tannns could benefit 2+ years bottle time. Wish I bought more. — 6 years ago

Dave Schneider

9.3

Silky smooth with graphite and vanilla. Second time I've had Blair Fox and I liked this one much better. — 7 years ago

Pat Sperry

8.9

Good blend, spicy, big and fruit forward. VG tannin/acidity balance, paired well with C's black bean soup — 8 years ago

Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe

9.4

Great tropical fruit on this! Lychee, passion fruit, and slight floral character. Crisp and clean, this is a staff favorite. Only a couple bottles are left in stock. — 8 years ago

Joe Estrada

9.3

Much better on day 2, the wine really opened up. — 8 years ago

with Sue

Vin Zering

9.2

Excellent aged wine from Santa Barbara. Well done. The fruits was vibrant, soft tannins and light acid remains. — 9 years ago

with Pamela

Ryan Brignole

9.5

The 2007 is singing!!!! — 9 years ago

with Aaron and Andrew

Michael Larner

9.7

Excellent Grenache from our vineyard, showing power and great fruit and spices. Proof that indeed 2007 was one of SBC's finest. — 10 years ago

Michael Larner

9.6

Of course, I made it! 2011 Estate Viognier. — 10 years ago

Crystal Beran

9.0

Very nice. A bit pricey but very well-balanced with lots of blackberry, plum, spice and just enough tannin. I'm not usually a Syrah fan so a bit surprised to like this so much. — 11 years ago