Kristine Salm

9.2

Rich, fruity and soft red blend, almost decadent low tannins — 6 years ago

with Alex

Eric

9.3

At emporium w/chef’s board & Brit! — 7 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.4

First winery on day two in Sonoma was Donelan Family Wines in Santa Rosa with Meredith. The next Rhone varietal red was the Cuvée Keltie Syrah. Made up of 100% Syrah from four vineyards in Sonoma County; Kobler Family, Steiner Ranch, Obsidian and Richard Family vineyards. This bottling is 100% whole cluster fermented in small batches then aged for 21 months in neutral French oak. Only 301 cases produced.

Dark ruby red with some violet hues. Complex and layered nose with leather, twigs, sweet spices, touch floral and dark red berries. Medium plus tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Rich palate with vanilla, cinnamon, smokiness, baking spices, dark cocoa, dark berries and a touch of light petrol. Long finish. Drink till 2030.

$$$ - Tasted at the winery. Retail price is $90.00. — 7 years ago

with India

Austin Hohnke

9.0

Paired with baked salmon doused in olive oil, parsley, and garlic. Wonderful balance and depth. Full bodied but not waxy, ripe fruit accompanied with refreshing acidity, and a long finish of mineral citrus. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

On the nose; lemon, grapefruit, light petro, wet wool, smokey notes, saline and white & yellow lilies. The body is creamy. Notes of; smoke, saline, lemon & lime juice inferior melon, mix of ripe & underripe pineapple, light honey notes, soft, silty volcanic minerals, dry top soil dust, big round acidity with a round fruity mineral driven finish. Pair with simple meats, veggies, curry and dry cheeses, green salad. Producer notes...the winery is located in the village of Olaszliska just north of the village of Tokaj near the banks of the famous Bodrog River. Samuel farms roughly 5 hectares in this area (Határi vineyard) and an additional couple of hectares on the slopes of Mt. Tokaj. The soils on Határi are volcanic based (tuffa, obsidian), broken up limestone and clay. Most of their plantings are 90% Furmint and 10 % Hárslevelű...some as old as 90 years. They are mostly organic as no herbicides or pesticides are used. Grapes are pressed in a pneumatic press and fermentation is in Hungarian oak barrels. No new oak is used. Photos of; Samuel Tinon, the descent into their ancient cellars and resting Tokaj cellar bottles. — 8 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.6

What a wine!!! Mayacamas fruit, at 2640 elevation. 275 case offering. Poured a purple color in the glass with a dense youthful blackberry pie nose. The entry shows youthful chalkiness. Dense and thick. Beautiful now, expressing rather early on the palate but probably more of my kind of wine in a couple of years when this wine integrates a bit more. Finishes with lighter black pepper (provoked with pot roast). Youthful oak barrel tannin. QUITE enjoyable. QPR is quite nice as I don't think this one was north of 50 bucks. — 9 years ago

Helen p

8.9

Much more complexity than the estate Syrah. Wine tasting — 6 years ago

Peter Montoleone

9.1

Full-bodied little bit of smoking spice big dark red fruit — 7 years ago

M Gandalf

9.0

Ok this is nice but it seems to be just a bit on the light side for the price point. Consensus is it needs decanting. Good Bordeaux blend but better fruit than one from France — 7 years ago

Jason and Jennie

9.3

This is the "obsidian block." Petite sirah/syrah blend. 30 cases. Ya. 30 cases. 1.25 barrels. — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Liquid obsidian. Fine pepper and sparkler smoke encircle dense raspberry and sloe reductions with dried, black plum skins, a solid, semi-sweet bakers chocolate cake, madura cigar, flint and smoldering willow plaited sinewously! Medium heavy mouthfeel, green-pointed and obstructively tannic til open, but emerged rippling and pleasant with graphite, vine charcoal, powdered cadmium, raisined red currant and cassis. Rustic Power!! #tenutacavalierpepe #taurasi #Aglianico #Luogosano #SantAngeloallEsca #italianwines #docg — 8 years ago

with Courtney

Edmond Bordelon

9.9

Even up against the other two Sam Kaplan powerhouse wines (Nine Suns and Memento Mori), the Obsidian was my personal favorite. Maybe because it is his home field (Howell Mountain) advantage, having been there making wine with Ron and Susan Krausz for over 10 years. This Bordeaux blend spends 22 months in French Oak and another year in the bottle. Deep and brooding, complex and yet approachable, dense and balanced,...all the things I look for in a wine (and myself 😬). Robert Parker gave it a 98. While many of us don't always credit RP's scores, and as such, I am also going to have to disagree with him. I'm going for one of my all time high scores of 9.9. Again, personally to me, this wine is everything that I look for in a big Napa Cab expression. Sam Kaplan is doing great things up there in the hills! — 9 years ago

with Beth and Katherine

Prescott Paulin

8.9

$21.83/btl — 6 years ago

Brett Pinkin

9.0

Deep dark fruit. High impressionable acid to back. Fine effort. Tastes very fresh - like thieved from the barrel. Give it time to mellow. 2014 vintage tasted Feb 2019. — 7 years ago

with Randal

Velma Cooper

9.2

Velma had this 8 years ago

Robert Henalt

9.2

Deep violet color. Moderate tannins currants. Delicious delicious — 8 years ago

Tim Maloney

9.2

Nice scent of plums. Garnet color so dark but not obsidian. Smooth, fruity taste and slightly spicy. Nice short finish. Very good wine. — 8 years ago

Marla Frederick

9.2

This is an excellent Sauvignon Blanc -- the colder it is served, the better! This reminds of a pristine, shallow, Adirondack stream running over pebbles, their sharp edges worn down into smooth obsidian. Minerality, acidity, and just an overall feeling of the peace that follows a rough "time" (i.e. "presidency"). Makes me think about the future, more optimistically than usual. — 8 years ago

Scott Soren

9.4

Wow. What's there to say. Silly some Syrah. Yummy. — 9 years ago

Kristin Cancellieri

9.0

Hot pepper vanilla and oak served at the right temp complimenting salted hangar steak. Yum — 9 years ago