M. Christopher Roebuck

9.3

Rich crimson with clear-pink-oranging rim. It's turning the corner. Deep muddled red fruits on the nose. On tasting, I find a nutty green light olive (I wish I could better describe this note as I get it a lot and it's a muddled thing with olives and a wood or nut). Over the 1.5 hour decant, this note has subsided a bit. Nice full bodied sphere in the mouth, with medium plus tannins that linger--with the nuttiness that is perhaps pecan. Enough sting and dryness to suggest that this bottle should be rested in the deep dark corners of your mind.

93+ points — 5 years ago

Kimberly Auxier Garofolo

9.2

We really enjoyed it. Smooth and light. We will be purchasing it again. — 8 years ago

Emily Kresie-Harrington

9.2

2005 vintage. Starts out surprisingly on the red fruit category on the palate, with smoke, cigar box, black rocks, red dirt, little bit of sanguine iron. Tannins become increasingly drying and firmer as it sits and the fruits morph into more of the black sphere. Long finish. Very pleased with how this has held up! — 8 years ago

Greg Sorensen

9.5

2000 is in the sphere! — 9 years ago

Abe Schoener

Owner/Winemaker Scholium Project

9.4

Super good, beautiful, limpid. Very slightly sweet-- in the sphere of rich, rather than saccharine — 11 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.3

Bright medium. Red fruit on the nose, big raspberry with black licorice on the nose. Spearmint hides underneath. On the the palate it's a perfect sphere. No residual sugar, well balanced. Not much in terms of tannins else this would be a home run. Dynamite wine, drink it now.

93+ points — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

Savoury cherries and some cocoa notes on nose. Well balanced. I really like Great Southern Shiraz (WA). Preferable to Margaret River Shiraz in the West Australian sphere. Tasted again on 23 rd March 2018. Lovely earthy savoury cherry nose and palate. Supple tannins. Traveling well at 11 years. — 7 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.3

This is some real deal shit. Blue-black berries nose with slight licorice and leather. A perfect sphere in my mouth--hits everything equally. The zin comes out subtly. Really amazing.
93 points — 8 years ago

Jacob Morgan

9.6

Living within napas sphere it's easy to disregard Washington vineyards, this bold big papa is a good reminder of the norths prowess — 10 years ago

Kyle Doucet-Walter

9.3

An incredible example of when skin contact can add to a wine instead of becoming its only real pull. First had that orange wine reduction that so many have upon opening. Very shy underneath it all, almost certain we finished the bottle before it showed it’s true colours on the nose, all because of that palate... Immense structure, tension, energy all in unison; like a sphere of terroir expressing fruit. Unlike any other skin contact wine I’ve tasted to date. Unreal. — 6 years ago

Dayna

9.4

Balance between depth, mineral notes, balsamic and coppice, freshness, broad dark berry sphere, maturity of blackberries and raspberries, upbringing in French oak barrels thanks to that creaminess, structure. Aniseed and toasted, sweet liquorice root touch.
In the mouth, unexpected, alive entry, fresh and juicy one step and a long finish and dry in the memories of aging. — 7 years ago

Jim Westby

9.5

Whisky on an ice sphere on a summer evening. — 9 years ago

Kari Milhofer

8.9

Grilled meats and spicy dishes.
Great Zinfandel for the price. — 10 years ago

Yoon Ha

Master Sommelier/Wine Director Benu

9.6

2010 was a great vintage for Francois to break out. Clean, precise lines with silky texture. Picture a cube inside a sphere. — 11 years ago