Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.3

Sourced from the esteemed ‘Stoney Vine Vineyard’ in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, the 2017 ‘Tall Tales’ Syrah begins with lovely stony undertones that mingle with the green olive tapenade, bacon fat, cigar ash and clove aromatics that all marvelously combine in the glass. The texture imparted is seriously good as is the flavor range from Satsuma orange zest to ripe red cherry to shades of Umami, bulls blood and sweet pipe tobacco. Delicious now, this will continue to evolve well over the next eight to ten years — but why wait? Drink 2019-2026- 93 — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.1

Very fruity, very floral, very kinky, palate is super granite with superb stoney tannins. Very clean. Juicy. Excellent. — 8 years ago

Nancy Croisier, CSW

9.2

Great smokey nose, nice representation of Walla Walla Syrah w savory notes. — 8 years ago

TheSkip

9.2

Well then. Still on the WA train!

If there were some magical continuum of wine, this is immediately to the left of hyper extracted Pinot Noir. I don't know that it would be accurate to call it a Pinot-lovers Syrah, but I'll go with that anyway. — 8 years ago

Big Wave Dave

9.3

Beautiful big funky, herbal, plummy nose - a bit of wet hay? Fine tannins fully integrated into round ripe black fruit. Add lots of provencale herb, farmyard, cut grass, and leather. Really good. — 9 years ago

with Rocket

Chris Morrison

9.0

Raspberries and sour cherry. Lots of fruit and depth. — 10 years ago

with Jaclyn

Matté

Manager The Wine Cellars

9.3

Weighty, meaty, smoky, mineral nose with underripe pineapple skin and green mango, burnt golden syrup, grilled pineapple & plantain or sugar cain.
Palate has a real bottom heavy weight, this is wine with a lot of mineral intensity and stoney depth along aniseed infused Asian pear, stony mineral finish, long with great depth — 10 years ago

Gretchen Rogers

9.4

Long stoney slate nose. Light floral. Layers upon layers of stone and river rock on the pallet. Unending and long finish. Relishing this one at Mattie's Tavern in Los Olivos. The food is outrageous. Grilled Avocado, ponzu, wasabi. Done. — 11 years ago

Matt Howard

9.5

Stoney, chalky, flinty and fantastic Sancerre. — 12 years ago

Brody Goodman

9.1

Amazing cherries — 12 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.1

What a smokeshow. Gorgeous nose of cherry liquer, cassis and lavender. Amazing purity and so not gloppy Grenache. Smell those Galets. Spice and licorice as well. Palate is so fresh and elegant with unreal purity. So juicy and Stoney with a trickle of heat but as it airs it will integrate. Lovely texture and freshness. Long finish. — 6 years ago

Matt

9.3

Incredible value, punching well above its weight class. Classic CNDP character and texture, true to form and class. There’s a deal of finesse here not often seen at this price point. To me another example of Mourvedre’s place in CNDP’s future regarding climate change. Nose is ripe and confitured blackberry, roasted black plum, Provençal herbs, mocha, hot stones. Palate confirms nose; plump black fruit framed by stony minerality, garrigue, and white pepper. Underlying savory elements of meat and smoke. Tannins are assertive yet very fine, again very stoney in character. Acid is fresh, almost has a Gigondas or elevated character to it. Pure class with plenty if soul. Will develop quite well but so delicious right now. 70 GR 30 MV — 7 years ago

Nate Miles

9.1

Stoney stream water. — 8 years ago

Douglas Braun

9.0

Guava beeswax Stoney minerality leesy character (less of the perfume of Malvasia) really fun — 8 years ago

Lee James

9.2

Smoky enough but in balance -really enjoyed this one — 9 years ago

Larry Frierson

9.3

Good acidity. Stoney and peachy. — 10 years ago

Benjamin Hickey

8.9

Super fresh all stainless. Round fruit. — 10 years ago

M

9.3

Stoney. Woodsy. Herby. Tannic. Nice! — 10 years ago

Brittany Barber

9.5

Great alone or with grapes and cheese — 11 years ago

Tim O'Rourke

9.2

A completely different experience than '10, rounder, but much lighter than the '09. Tons of mint and a beautiful texture with the classic Vatan stoney minerality. Won't last as long as '08-'10 but really good for early drinking. — 12 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.0

* appearance: dark purple
* aromas: blackberry, black olive, vanilla, cracked pepper, smoke
* palate: very dense, black fruit, black olive
* structure: full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium tannins, 14.7% ABV
* finish: long, peppery
* winemaking: 100% Syrah blended from three vineyard: Les Collines Vineyard (44%)/Lewis Vineyard (41%)/Stoney Vines Vineyard (15%), aged for 17 months in 15% new oak and 85% older oak barrels
* cost: $45 — 7 years ago

Thomas Ng

8.9

Light but funky nose, fruitier and not as dark as the other reserve syrahs from VA piano, very smooth — 8 years ago

Doctor No

9.2

Wow. Light, well-fruited and structured but accessible. Lighter than some D&R SVD's but not lacking complexity in any way. — 8 years ago

Christopher Losa

Owner/Wine Director Bar Bambino

8.9

Lovely honeydew melon and fragrant jasmine. Big and unctuous with clean, stoney acid to finish. — 9 years ago

Neil Cornish

9.0

Salivating stoney minerality. Fairly subdued fruit. Lean, Chablis like profile. — 9 years ago

with ed, Jon and 1 other

Matt Beyard

9.0

A delicious Syrah. Matured from the wine I drank at the winery. Opened nicely and drank smoothly. — 10 years ago

Prashanthi

10

Quite delicious with a spicy finish — 10 years ago

Bryant Bickel

9.0

It was born as a heavy weight Jurassic indeed, tidal waves of flavor stoney fruit as hell, fresh young white peach pith, with clarified butter accents , quince paste texture, baked golden apple skins! Lemon chiffon cake dry backside, it lures me in paired well w/
Ahi , but might pair better with cake or lighter fish barramundi or tilefish — 11 years ago

Peter Heidt

9.5

So... My dear friend Joe O stops by with the family... Can't believe how good this "Stoney Earth" is... Rothschild must have known something giving The Marcheses his vines... Maybe I should have waited a decade more to drink, but for what? Family, dear friends, great wine... I know Haupt is staring down and smiling... Only Limmer with us, would have made it better... — 11 years ago

Matteo Burani

8.9

Complex, tropical, intense, stoney; long flavors. Nice! — 12 years ago

with Wayne