Chris MacLean

9.2

This seems more integrated than the Hyland Vineyard, same vintage. Anyone have insight? — 10 months ago

with Sarah

CA Haynam

9.0

Inky black. Moderate fruity aroma. Dark fruit flavors of blackberry and blueberry. Nice — 3 years ago

CA Haynam

9.3

Fruit forward and jammy with light tannins — 3 years ago

Brad Taylor

9.5

Just will say that it is near perfect with a peppery steak. — 5 years ago

Ken Schmidt

9.0

2016. Valerie discover this wine at her Von’s. It is our go-to second wine, and many a time, our first wine. Dry and sophisticated for a $15 bottle of wine. — 6 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.8

I love smelling the wines of Randall Grahm. He makes savory walk and talk and jump through hoops. This wine, the 30th anniversary vintage of Cigare, brings it home like it always does. It shows a medium dark color in the glass and on the nose. There is cassis and licorice, but the savory notes carry the load. Black olive is the first smell I get, followed by a bit of tar and a whiff of smoke. Cigar box, leather and bacon fat finish out a complex aroma package. The palate is delicious as always. Grahm says the ‘13 is “less muscular” than the ‘12, but I think there's more to it. This Cigare drinks with the weight and elegance of a Pinot Noir. Black fruit is forward, while more savory aspects of sage and mint come in to join it. The tannins are gentle, the acidity fresh and the finish long. — 7 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Drinking well showing black fruits, graphite, leather, wet earth, savory spice & sweet tobacco. No rush with plenty of years ahead — 10 months ago

Jason Gelman

9.0

heavy pencil shavings and cigar smoke on the nose. black olive and green bell pepper too. color is definitely what you’d expect in a 20 year old wine. palate is consistent with nose, very bordeaux-lite. heavy cigar box. a lot of olive and herb tapenade character. some black pepper on the finish too. very savory overall. — 3 years ago

CA Haynam

8.9

Maybe stored too long. Not the jammy big nose fruit forward wine I was expecting. Still quite nice. — 4 years ago

GHol

9.0

A great vintage and has aged well. Developed a lovely golden colour. A long finish and a full fruit flavour, mainly stewed Granny Smith apples but also some berries, also hints of toast and brioche — 5 years ago

CA Haynam

9.0

Another excellent Tobin James everyday wine. Aromas of fruit and berries, inky black, well balanced. Very nice — 7 years ago

Joshua Wiedergänger

8.9

Acid fresh tart juice, somewhat oaky, long complex finish with minerality — 8 years ago

Eric Tabas

8.9

2014. As always, consistently fruit forward full of dark fruit the makes you want to have another glass. It has the smooth mouth that goes so well with meat. — 8 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Another enjoyable btl that is consistent with my prior notes, Dark red fruit, mineral, earth, savory spices & violet — 2 years ago

Shay A

9.5

I’ve got lots of love for these wines, but I always struggle with when to open. They are fantastic young and equally fantastic with age. Jeb said of this wine, “the greatest GSM blend from California, ever.”, and stamped it with a perfect score. Strong praise, and while I’m not there, I don’t regret opening this.

Consumed from decanter the first 2-3hrs before decanting back to bottle and finishing the remaining third later in the evening. Much better later in the day. Wound up tight initially. Classical high end Paso with this distinct airy-jammyness. So much going on with squeezed blackberries, peppercorn, lots of kirsch. Some garrigue. Mouth coating and a total wave of flavor on the palate…black fruit, cherry cordial, cherry drizzled smoked meats. It’s both supremely juicy and hauntingly tannic at the finish. Even with time to open, the ABV makes itself known, but you know that going in. If you like the style, it’s hard to beat. — 3 years ago

Charles Mires

9.5

Exceptional. Top 5 across all Bojo and tops of a great lineup from Burgaud. — 4 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.4

2005 Vintage. 16.4% Alcohol. 93% Grenache, 7% Syrah. Wow, this wine was stunning. Cork broke in two using the lever screwpull but saved it with a hand corkscrew for the remaining half inch. Even under the intact wax cap. Found it hidden in double deep racking on the white/rose side of my cellar. Big fruit and velvety mouthfeel. Not obviously hot, but packed a punch! — 5 years ago

Andrei Shustov

9.5

Always a blast!! — 7 years ago

Beau Carson

9.3

Always my favorite Rioja. So savory and tertiary. — 8 years ago

Erik Nordman

9.4

First time trying one of the Tempier reds. Damn, this is some towering, dense wine. Perfectly balanced though. Intense concentration without any overripeness or hyperextraction. Even this, the entry-level cuvée, obviously has the stuffing to age for a while. However, it's surprisingly giving now with expressive aromatics and layers of flavor. Nose of ripe strawberry and blackberry, fresh thyme, an almost smoky, arid, gravelly soil character, rich tobacco leaf, licorice root, a slight gameyness, and a slightly volatile, balsamic character. Palate is equally dense and ripe, but still has some lift to keep it from being quickly fatiguing. More ripe strawberry and raspberry, thyme herbaceousness, smoky gravel earth, tobacco, savory gaminess, and slightly volatile balsamic character. Medium (+) acid, medium (+) to high intensity incredibly fine-grained tannin, medium to medium (+) body. Begs to be joined by a rich lamb or beef dish to stand up to it. I'm gonna get another bottle of this and not touch it for quite a while because there's still so much room to unfurl and smooth out, even with it being as good as it is now because it's just almost too intense right now. Will be an amazing wine at maturity. — 8 years ago

with Cassie