Lewis Chester

9.4

2003 vintage. Medium garnet, star bright. Pronounced mineral crushed rock, animalistic and leathery, red fruit and savoury profile. Herbal teas and cloves. On the palate, ripe red fruits - strawberry, cranberries and red currants. Medium minus acidity and medium tannins - round and ripe. Medium plus alcohol. Magnificent long finish. For an '03, this is still on the way up as the fruit is still very much alive. For Rayas lovers, the wine does justice to the domaine and although I have had better vintages, you will not be disappointed. One criticism is that's touch more acidity would have made this wine fabulous. — 11 years ago

Spencer Chaffey

9.1

Youthful. Powerful entry with tongue gripping structure gives way to suave ripe fruits and earth. A bridge between lovers of old and new world wines. At the moment, do not consume above suggested serving temps, if anything, serve a few degrees under. — 12 years ago

Jaime kowan

9.7

Dam is this amazing.... As far a Mencia goes this is the bomb! So ripe with dark plummy fruit, so bright and fresh showing that acidity belongs in red wine, so clean and chock full of minerality... Not for those who have "lush" in mind. This is a wine for food lovers who shop with what they are drinking in mind. Wild game, smoked meats, wild mushrooms...getting hungry ... — 12 years ago

Nate Miles

9.0

Not your Nona's Italian quaffer. Oily. Honeysuckle. Pear. Nectar. White Rhone and Alsace lovers should check out this little lady. — 11 years ago

Kent Snyder

9.1

Very well balanced. Not for oak lovers — 11 years ago

Yuki Gravely

9.4

Not too sweet but just right. Not for dry wine lovers — 12 years ago

CS

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

9.1

John Lockwood ladies and gents, keep and eye out for his name. Blind tasting yesterday revealed 50% lovers of this wine, 50% felt it was one dimensional. I'd have to disagree... I think it's textbook Syrah. Yesterday I noted it "smells like a Pax or Arnot-Roberts Syrah" because of the white floral tones and the unmistakeable Syrah characteristics. Had a touch of EA, but I felt it made the wine more lofty, carrying other esters up from the glass. Blueberry, red currant, baked olives and a touch of cream. Standing great on day 2, EA is still there but still a positive note, not a nail polish remover, more like blueberry magic marker meets blueberry pie, brown spices- nutmeg and clove, a little walnut hull, dark chocolate. Color looks extracted, aroma's would imply the same, but its not overly so, soft yes, acidity is there but shaded by the fruit. The grapes are sustainably farmed, harvested at 23.5 Brix 100% whole cluster, gentle foot tread 1-2 times per day for a short cold soak, followed by a cool 10 day fermentation with native yeasts, pressed to barrel before dry to finish ferment, native ML. 13.7% alcohol 3.7 pH. 125 cases — 13 years ago

Casey Stewart

9.1

Cab lovers merlot. Not really a merlot guy, but wow! Impressive. Nose is all cab. — 11 years ago

Jack Cranley, Backroads Wine Club & Cascadia Premium Wines

9.3

Full of wonderful funk and earth! Cranberry and raspberry fruit up front, and then in comes the moist humus, forest floor, mushroom component. Absolutely complex and thought provoking... Not just "another Oregon Pinot" Very pleasing texture, nice intense acidity but balanced by a powerful weight to the fruit. Burgundy lovers take notice! — 11 years ago

jarred gild

Head Wine Buyer Western Market

9.5

2010, i think. i hear that they're not making this wine anymore, which is a damn shame. sweaty sopressata aromas up front, cranberry psychedelic in the mouth. a shiraz lovers nightmare. — 12 years ago