Reviews
Wine Advocate / R. Parker, Jr. Issue 190
Backseat Betty
2007 California Proprietary Red Wine
The dark ruby/purple-tinged, full-bodied 2007 Back Seat Betty, a blend of 83% Syrah, 14% Grenache, and 3% Viognier from five separate vineyards, exhibits sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit intermixed with darker currants, pepper, and meaty characteristics. While approachable, it will be even better with additional aging, and should drink well for 6-10 years.
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
2007 California Proprietary Red Wine
The 2007 The Devil in the Deep Blue Sea (15.3% natural alcohol) is composed of 64% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Grenache, and 2% Viognier, also from five vineyards. Creme de cassis, licorice, graphite, and tobacco leaf characteristics are accompanied by sweet tannins, but this wine is somewhat monolithic, and has yet to reveal its true potential. Its richness, concentration, depth, and weightiness all suggest something quite special should emerge, but it needs two or more years of bottle age. It should evolve for 10+ years.
Waxing Poetic
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
The 2006 Waxing Poetic was the finest wine in this tasting, perhaps because it is a year older and has had time to settle down and show its true personality. Made from 100% Syrah from the Watch Hill and Bien Nacido vineyards, it will spend 42 months in new oak. The wine exhibits a lot of spicy, peppery characteristics along with creme de cassis, licorice, cocoa, and white chocolate. Full-bodied and powerful with beautiful balance, sufficient acidity, velvety but noticeable tannin, and a long finish, this is a terrific example of a Central Coast Rhone Ranger that should drink nicely for 10-14 years.
The Narrow & Straight
2008 California Chardonnay
A fabulous Chardonnay aged in a combination of stainless steel and new French oak, it exhibits a creamy richness and intense fruit as well as bright acids that provide uplift and definition. Reminiscent of Paul Lato’s brilliant Chardonnay, it is part grand cru white Burgundy and part exuberant California fruit bomb. This big, full-bodied white should drink well for 5-6 years.
Ramshackle & Threadbare
2008 California Proprietary White Wine
The 2008 Ramshackle and Threadbare is a blend of 58% Roussanne, 40% Malvasia Bianca, and 2% Viognier aged in both new and neutral French oak. A tricky wine to assess, it possesses a buttery component intermixed with notes of white pepper and earth, and an unusual, almost freakish style that stood out like a sore thumb in my Central Coast tastings. There is a lot of character in this cuvee, but it is difficult to know in what direction it is moving. It seemed like it had just been bottled.
The Oracle Of Delphi
2007 Proprietary Red Wine
This is the finest wine from Sanguis in 2007. The Oracle of Delphi (96% Syrah and 4% Viognier from the Bien Nacido, Watch Hill, and McGinley vineyards) will spend 38-42 months in 400- and 500-liter, 100% new French puncheons. It offers a dense purple color along with a big, sweet kiss of blackberries, creme de cassis, licorice, acacia flowers, and background oak. Full-bodied, powerful, and rich with silky tannins as well as a sense of elegance, this looks to be the finest of Sanguis’ 2007s. It should age nicely for 10-15 or more years.– Robert Parker
Wine Advocate / R. Parker, Jr. Issue 184
Acromion
2007 California Dry White Wine
The 2007 Acromion, a Roussanne/Viognier blend, looks superb. Lots of honeysuckle and exotic tropical fruits such as mango, intermixed with some orange blossom and lemon oil as well as a bit of bee’s wax, make for a complex, dry, full-bodied white that should age very nicely for 3-4 years.
Infidels
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
The 2006 Infidels has come on like gangbusters since I rated it from barrel last year. It is a provocative wine that may be controversial to many people, but I fell in love with it this year. It tips the scales at 15.5% alcohol and is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache from vineyards in the Santa Barbara area. Sweet ripe cassis, melted licorice, chocolate, blueberry pie, and spring flowers are all present in this dense, full-bodied wine that, despite its massive size and full-bodied power, has surprising elegance, purity, and depth. This may well turn out to be the best wine I have yet tasted from Sanguis, and I am still aghast at how I didn’t see this much quality coming from the barrel sample I tasted last year.
Novillero
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
The 2006 Novillero is also showing slightly better than it was last year. An even more powerful wine at 15.6% alcohol, it is another intriguing blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Viognier, which gives uplift to the spicy, meaty aromatics, which also include creme de cassis, blackberry, licorice, and earth. It is a powerful wine, layered, extravagantly rich, and dark ruby/purple in color, as one might expect. This wine should drink beautifully for 7-10 years.
As the Crow Flies
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
Another sexy wine from Sanguis is the 2006 As The Crow Flies. This wine is behaving pretty much the same as it did from barrel last year. Mostly Syrah with about 3% Viognier, the wine has a floral, sexy bouquet, with plenty of sweet cassis, smoked meats, and a little bit of kirsch as well. Lots of baby fat, full body, an expansive, almost decadent mouthfeel, and tremendous persistence characterize this wine. It should drink nicely for a decade or more.
Waxing Poetic
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
The 2006 Waxing Poetic, from the Bien Nacido and Watch Hill Vineyards, is 100% Syrah, with a dense purple color, lots of licorice, white chocolate, espresso roast, creme de cassis, and blackberry notes. It is a full-bodied, in-your-face, exuberant wine that is impressively made. It should drink well for up to a decade as well.
Wine Advocate / R. Parker, Jr. Issue 177
Novillero
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
This interesting operation uses distinctively artistic labels, much in the style of Sine Qua Non, as well as heavy bottles.
The 2006 Novillero is a blend of 96% Syrah, 3% Grenache, and 1% Viognier, all from the Stolpman and Watch Hill vineyards. This complex, forward, sensual, sexy wine exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, abundant quantities of blackberry and sweet currant fruit, and notions of licorice, smoke, roasted herbs, and a Peking duck-like, smoky note. It should drink well when released and over the following 6-8 years.
Infidels
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
More herbaceous, cedar, and resiny, the 2006 Infidels is an assemblage of 66% Syrah, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Grenache. Tobacco leaf, Provencal herbs, underbrush, and damp forest floor-like notes are intertwined with hints of sweet cherries and black currants. The wine possesses sweet tannins, but a shorter finish and less depth than any of the other Sanguis offerings. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2015.
As the Crow Flies
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
The 2006 As the Crow Flies (98% Syrah and 2% Viognier), from the Watch Hill and Los Tres Burros vineyards, is reminiscent, aromatically, of a top-notch SQN wine, but it does not possess the complexity, depth, or layered texture found in a SQN. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding effort displaying a complex bouquet of smoked meats, black currants, and sweet cherries, medium to full body, plenty of baby fat, a succulent mouthfeel, flowery, rich, black currant, cedary fruit, and a soft finish.
Kubernetes
2005 California Proprietary Red Wine
The 2005 Kubernetes is 100% Syrah from the Watch Hill Vineyard. Possessing a style somewhere between the Bossman and the Optimist, it is soft, ripe, and fleshy with tangy acidity as well as complex aromatics of smoke, soy, and game-like characteristics interwoven with scents of black cherries and black currants. The tannins are velvety, and the wine is supple, medium to full-bodied, fleshy, and delicious. It is made in a more restrained and elegant style compared to the beefier, richer, more tannic Bossman, and the voluptuous, exceptionally complex Optimist.
The Optimist
2005 California Syrah
My favorite offering in this current portfolio is the 2005 The Optimist from the Westerly Vineyard. A blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier, it offers complex aromas of bacon fat, black raspberries, blackberries, smoked meat, and earth. The wine is sexy, forward, medium to full-bodied, and opulent with beautiful purity and depth. This gorgeous red can be drunk now and over the next 7-10 years.
Wine Advocate / R. Parker, Jr. Issue 172
The Wedding
2004 California Syrah
The 2004 Syrah The Wedding’s deep ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of smoky, toasty oak nicely balanced by copious quantities of rich black and red fruits, spice, and earth. Full-bodied and opulent, with a broad, nicely-textured mouthfeel, this is another high quality effort from an up-and-coming producer working out of the Santa Maria cooperative. Like its siblings, it is best drunk in its first decade or life.
The Last Dance
2004 California Syrah
The packaging of these outstanding offerings from proprietor Matthias Pippig is reminiscent of that of Elaine and Manfred Krankl’s Sine Qua Non (i.e., hand-painted labels and heavy, over-sized bottles). Moreover, the wines are top-notch. From the Westerly, Thompson, and Watch Hill vineyards, my favorite of this quartet, the 2004 Syrah The Last Dance, boasts a dense purple hue along with notes of camphor, creosote, blackberries, chocolate, and pain grille. It possesses superb richness, tremendous depth, and a savory mouthfeel. Drink this long, opulent, heady Syrah during its first 7-8 years of life.
The Optimist
2005 California Syrah
The dark ruby/purple-hued 2005 Syrah The Optimist (275 cases produced from the Watch Hill Vineyard) possesses a sweet bouquet of blackberries, smoke, espresso roast, chocolate, and earth. Full-bodied, opulent, and voluptuous, with a long, heady finish, it should drink beautifully for 6-7 years.
Bossman
2005 California Proprietary Red Wine
Floral, with plenty of creamy, toasty oak, espresso roast, blackberry, and cassis notes is the 2005 Syrah Bossman, which comes from the Bien Nacido, Westerly, and Tres Burros vineyards. Sadly, there are only 120 cases of this big wine. Carrying its power, weight, and richness in an elegant manner, it should drink well for 7-10 years or longer.
Wine Advocate / R. Parker, Jr. Issue 166
The Wedding
2004 California Syrah
Fashioned by the manager of the highly renowned Los Angeles bakery, La Brea, this offering is packaged in heavy glass bottles. The 2004 Syrah The Wedding exhibits surprising elegance, good structure, a deep ruby/purple color, sweet creme de cassis and blackberry fruit, an attractive texture, and a showy style. Already approachable, interesting, and flavorful, it should be enjoyed over the next 5-7 years. Sadly, there are fewer than 150 cases of this wine.
The Last Dance
2004 California Syrah
The 2004 Syrah The Last Dance is produced from 100% destemmed fruit from the Westerly, Thompson, and Watchill vineyards. Its dense purple color is accompanied by beautiful aromas of blackberry liqueur, graphite, acacia flowers, and subtle new oak. Full-bodied, opulent, rich, and impressively endowed, it will last for 6-8 years. Sadly, there are fewer than 150 cases of this wine.
Tanzer / International Wine Cellar Issue 153
Fractured Flowers
2008 California Proprietary White Wine
($60) Light yellow. Sexy aromas of white peach and pear nectar, with exotic spice notes adding complexity. Nervy and mineral-driven viognier that offers juicy orchard fruit, floral flavors and good, spicy lift. Very clean and brisk on the finish, which repeats the floral note.
The Narrow & Straight
2008 California Chardonnay
($60; 97% chardonnay from the Bien Nacido vineyard and 3% viognier) Bright gold. A highly pungent bouquet offers nectarine, tangerine and lemon rind, with complicating notes of anise and white flowers. Tangy citrus and underripe orchard fruit flavors gain flesh and weight with air and pick up a deeper peach quality. Finishes firm and long, with lingering spiciness and a resonating lemon note.
Ramshackle & Threadbare
2008 California Proprietary White Wine
($45; 58% roussanne, 40% malvasia bianca and 2% viognier) Vivid yellow. Exotic, pungent aromas of mango, poached pear, smoked meat and dried flowers, with hints of honey and lemon thyme. Musky, penetrating orchard and pit fruit flavors stain the palate and pick up a spicy quality with air. Leaves a trail of spice and floral notes behind a long, sappy and smoky finish.
Waxing Poetic
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
($75; 100% syrah; 15.1% alcohol) Inky purple. A wild, highly aromatic bouquet displays scents of blueberry, boysenberry, incense and floral oils, with subtle notes of black pepper and olive. Lush, smoky and expansive, offering powerful dark fruit compote flavors and an exotic floral quality. Clings tenaciously on the finish, repeating the blueberry and floral notes. Matthias Pippig also showed me some final blends when I visited him in September; the 2007 Backseat Betty, a syrah-based blend, shows an impressive combination of richness and vibrancy, with strong dark berry fruit. The 2007 The Oracle of Delphi, a syrah/viognier blend, is deep, smoky and exotic, with excellent clarity and intense spiciness, while the grenache-based 2007 Las Mujeres is very sweet, sappy and floral, with a strong spicy overlay. The most serious of these wines was the 2007 The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea, a kitchen sink blend weighted heavily to syrah; it offers dense, chewy dark fruit character and serious, tannic structure, with excellent aging potential.
Tanzer / International Wine Cellar Issue 147
Acromion
2007 California Dry White Wine
($70; 92% roussanne and 8% viognier) Bright gold. Exotic aromas of peach, passion fruit and melon, with a hint of talc. Slightly warm melon and pit fruit flavors are underscored by a dusty mineral note and take a dry turn on the back end. Finishes with good mineral snap and a bit of heat. Serve this well-chilled.
Kubernetes
2005 California Proprietary Red Wine
($75; aged for 42 months in barrel) Inky ruby. Highly perfumed bouquet of spicy blackberry and blueberry, with smoky herbal and floral notes and a hint of cured meat. Chewy, firmly structured dark berry preserve flavors are supported by chunky tannins that give the wine a slight dry edge. The smoky note resounds on the long, sappy, vaguely sweet finish. This is all clone 174, which gives the wine its smokiness, according to owner and winemaker Matthias Pippig.
As the Crow Flies
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
($75; syrah with 2% viognier) Deep ruby. Classic syrah aromas of dark berries, smoke, cured meat, olive and violet. Deep, succulent blackberry and blueberry flavors are complemented by candied violet and tobacco qualities, with supple tannins gaining strength with air. Finishes with good grip and a whiplash of sweet berry fruit. This should age slowly.
Waxing Poetic
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
(100% syrah) Glass-staining purple. Exotically perfumed bouquet of cherry-vanilla, dark berry compote, cola and incense, with hints of pipe tobacco and graphite that gain strength with air. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors are complicated by notes of chewing tobacco and succulent herbs, with firm tannins adding grip. A very modern wine with strong oak influence, but the fruit seems up to the challenge. Finishes broad and sappy, leaving sweet, almost jammy blackcurrant and blueberry notes behind. This is really unevolved right now.
Tanzer / International Wine Cellar Issue 141
Novillero
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
($65; includes 4% Grenache and 2% Viognier; 15.5% alcohol) Youthful purple. Smoky blackberry and boysenberry aromas are complicated by beef jerky, dried flowers and baking spices. Fleshy and sweet, offering ripe, focused flavors of dark fruit preserves, cherry-cola and Indian spices; a velvety texture; and a late-arriving floral pastille quality. Silky tannins build through the sweet finish, adding structure to this luscious fruit bomb.
Infidels
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
($70; 66% syrah, 23% cabernet sauvignon and 11% Grenache; 15.5% alcohol) Opaque purple. Sexy, oak-spiced scents of dark berry and cherry are strikingly pungent, with vanilla bean, cola and incense notes adding complexity. Broad and fleshy, with sweet black raspberry, mulberry and chewing tobacco flavors. Gentle tannins gain strength on the finish, with the cola note echoing. This is delicious right now. I also re-tasted the 2005 The Optimist Syrah and the 2005 Bossman Syrah and neither has budged much since last year's tasting, although the Bossman has gained sweetness and seems more supple. I scored them 91 and 92 points, respectively. Barrel samples of 2006 As The Crow Flies (a syrah with 1% viognier) and 2005 Kubernetes (100% syrah) were both very sexy wines, with impressive up-front appeal and harmonious tannins.
Tanzer / International Wine Cellar Issue 135
The Last Dance
2004 California Syrah
($60) Dark purple. Smoky blackberry, cherry and plum liqueur aromas, with spicy oak and pungent herbs adding complexity. Inky dark berry compote flavors are round and strikingly sweet, with big but harmonious tannins giving the wine a supple framework. Seems to gain weight on the long, spicy finish, which offers impressive breadth and length.
The Wedding
2004 California Syrah
($70) Inky ruby. Powerful raspberry and kirsch aromas are complemented by sexy oak spice and mocha, with an exotic incense quality building with aeration. Lush, gently chewy dark berry liqueur flavors are impressively deep, with gentle tannins lend support. A plump, sweet, oaky example of modern syrah that offers early sex appeal and an open-knit personality.
The Optimist
2005 California Syrah
($60; with 3% Viognier) Deep violet. Pungent dark berry aromas are complicated by a suave bouquet of fresh and dried flowers, vanillin oak, mocha and sandalwood. Sweet and round, with deep but lively blackberry and cassis flavors, supple tannins and an earthy chewing tobacco character. Light tannins gain strength on the long, spicy, nicely delineated finish.
Bossman
2005 California Proprietary Red Wine
($75; includes 1% Viognier) Inky violet. Smoky, vanilla-accented cherry and boysenberry on the nose, accented by powerful vanillin oak spice and floral oils. Deep, chewy and sweet, offering a velvety texture and an array of dark fruit compote flavors. Finishes with excellent sappy persistence. This is probably more suited to small-dose tasting than meal-time drinking, but it is undeniably impressive, especially if you like the style.
Wine Spectator
As the Crow Flies
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
Big, ripe, firm and structured. Full-bodied, with a massive core of chewy wild berry and dark berry fruit and subtle earth and herb shadings wrapped tight with chewy tannins. Drink now through 2015. 205 cases made. —J.L. ($75)
Infidels
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
Rustic and earthy, with game meat, dried berry, sage and underbrush. Full-bodied and savory, with lots of spice and herb notes. Ends with dry tannins and a long, persistent finish. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. Drink now through 2016. 151 cases made. –JL
Novillero
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
A rich, savory, full-bodied style, with bay leaf, dried currant, black licorice and sage notes that are firm and concentrated, fanning out on the finish. Drink now through 2017. 205 cases made. –JL
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
2007 California Proprietary Red Wine
Combines intensity with subtlety and finesse, starting with a mix of blueberry, graphite and mineral character with dusty, cedary, minerally notes. Full-bodied, ending with a return to the dark berry theme. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Viognier. Drink now through 2020. 140 cases made. –JL
Backseat Betty
2007 California Proprietary Red Wine
A delicate style, with firm, ripe, spicy cherry, plum and mineral notes that are full-bodied and complex, unfolding gracefully and ending with a detailed finish. Syrah, Grenache and Viognier. Drink now through 2017. 175 cases made. –JL
The Rhone Review
Acromion
2007 California Dry White Wine
(USA, California, Central Coast) $70
Coming from amazingly low yields and the top white of this report, the 2007 Sanguis Acromion, a blend that’s predominantly Roussane, is reminiscent of Chapoutier’s Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree with its massive concentration, stunning texture, incredible balance and blockbuster finish. White flowers, buttered bread and lemon curd aromas take some coaxing on the nose but the wine unfolds with air. The palate is medium to full bodied with a rich, thick yet pure, precise texture that carries into a very long finish. I think this is a stunning wine but with regards to aging, I’ve not a clue.
As the Crow Flies
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
(USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) $75
Meaty and unique, the 2006 Sanguis As The Crow Flies is a blend of 98% Syrah and 2% Viognier and offers up plenty of butcher shop aromas with saw dust, graphite, spice and anise notes all wrapped around a beautiful, fruit driven core. Medium to full bodied in the mouth, the wine is superbly textured and while it has ripe, rich fruit, it stays light on its feet. This picks up fine grained tannins on the long finish and is a beautifully balanced Syrah to drink over the next 8 to 10 years.
Infidels
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
(USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) $75
A blend of Syrah, Cabernet and Grenache, the 2006 Sanguis Infidels is a big, earthy wine with boat loads of dark fruit, tobacco, ash and subtle herb aromas. The palate is medium to full bodied with gorgeous structure and balance, a light texture and a long, tannic finish. Give this a couple years in the cellar and then enjoy over the next 10 to 12+.
Bossman
2005 California Proprietary Red Wine
(USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) $75
A blend of Syrah, Cabernet and Grenache, the 2006 Sanguis Infidels is a big, earthy wine with boat loads of dark fruit, tobacco, ash and subtle herb aromas. The palate is medium to full bodied with gorgeous structure and balance, a light texture and a long, tannic finish. Give this a couple years in the cellar and then enjoy over the next 10 to 12+.
Infidels
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
(USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) $75
This is my second time tasting the 2006 Sanguis Infidels and this reaffirms my initial, very positive, thoughts. The wine is a blend of 66% Syrah, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Grenache and exhibits blockbuster aromatics of dark blackberry and raspberry fruit, smoky earth, perfumed spice and cedar. With air, this picks up a meaty, iron and dried blood quality and the wine is intense, complex and interesting. On the palate, its medium to full body and gorgeously textured with a structured, balanced character and a long, edgy finish. This is a seriously impressive wine that should drink well over the following 12 to 15 years.
The Optimist
2005 California Syrah
(USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) $75
From three different Santa Barbara County Vineyards – Westerly, Watch Hill, and Thompson, the 2005 Sanguis The Optimist, almost all Syrah with a less than 2% Viognier, is aged in 80% new French oak. The wine exhibits killer aromatics of gamey dark fruits, raw meat, spiced coffee, and toasted bread that are supported by a deep, mineral packed core. There's a healthy dose of wood here and it will be interesting to see how this evolves. The palate is full bodied with pure, concentrated fruit, a brilliant texture, fresh acids and a tannic, focused and very long finish. I'm a big fan but the wood/tannin/fruit balance needs to be watcher over the next couple of years.
The Last Dance
2004 California Syrah
(USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) $60
The 2004 Sanguis The Last Dance is 100% Syrah that spent 22 months in 80% new oak and shows young, bright aromatics of crushed berries, freshly snipped flowers, pen ink and raw, meaty notes. Despite the stint in oak, the only traces are subtle graphite nuances on the bouquet. The wine is full bodied on the palate with dense, concentrated fruit, a textured, balanced feel and a long finish that spotlights ripe, fine grained tannin. Drink this superb Syrah over the next decade.
Wine Enthusiast
As the Crow Flies
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
Nearly all Syrah, with a splash of Viognier, this wine comes from some of the best vineyards in the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos Valleys, including the Happy Canyon area. It’s a dramatic glass of red wine, bone dry and fairly tannic, with vast, intricate flavors of blackberries, black currants, teriaki beef, cherries, red licorice, cola, dark chocolate and toast. The Viognier brings a brightening dash of citrus and acidity. An extraordinary wine that will drink well through 2014. - S.H.
The Narrow & Straight
2008 California Chardonnay
A massive wine, just tremendous. Made from 97% Chardonnay and 3% Viognier, it’s extraordinarily rich and concentrated in grilled pineapple, pear, peach and lime flavors, with a coating of sweet, vanilla-scented crême brûlée. There’s an authoritative minerality all the way through that grounds and sustains the fruit. The grapes come from warmer vineyards throughout Santa Barbara County. - S.H.
Acromion
2007 California Dry White Wine
Mainly Roussanne, with a dollop of Viognier, this brilliant white wine is largely from the Santa Valley, which accounts for its brilliant ripeness. Just massive in white flowers, fresh white peaches, yellow apricots, pears, sautéed bananas, toasted coconut, vanilla and firm minerals. Lots of new oak, but the underlying wine easily supports it. A tremendous, impressive wine. - S.H.
Backseat Betty
2007 California Proprietary Red Wine
The grapes for this marvelous Rhône blend come from various vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley. The blend is 83% Syrah, 14% Grenache and 3% Viognier. The aroma is marked by the scent of white pepper, black cherry liqueur, dark chocolate and buttered toast, with similar flavors. It’s rich to the point of decadence, yet balanced and minerally. New oak to the tune of 65% is easily integrated. Drink now. - S.H.
Fractured Flowers
2008 California Proprietary White Wine
This 100% Viognier was grown in the Bien Nacido Vineyard. It’s bone dry, crisp in acidity and firm in wet stone minerals, while the rich fruit flavors suggest fresh, juicy citron, quince and sweet lime. Just wonderful, a bracing, pure, clean and pure example of a variety that can often be fussy. - S.H.
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
2007 California Proprietary Red Wine
So rich and complex, so decadently delicious, you want to drink the whole bottle. Takes the blackberries and black currants of Cabernet Sauvignon, merges them with Syrah’s bacon and pepper, flirts with Grenache’s cherries, and then uplifts it all with Viognier’s citrusy brightness and acidity. A compelling wine that will hold through 2013. - S.H.
Kubernetes
2005 California Proprietary Red Wine
One hundred percent Syrah from the Watch Hill Vineyard, in the Los Alamos Valley section of Santa Barbara County. It’s very new-oaky now, with an explosion of buttered toast, char, vanilla and wood tannins. Underneath is a funky red wine just waiting to emerge. Already showing notes of bacon, teriaki beef and massively ripe blackberries. A helluva wine, impressive and dramatic. The big question is what will it do? Should develop for an additional 4–6 years. - S.H.
Ramshackle & Threadbare
2008 California Proprietary White Wine
Made from an unusual blend of Roussanne, Malvasia Bianca and Viognier, with the grapes grown in the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez valleys of Santa Barbara. The wine is strongly flavored, offering waves of apricot jam, lychee, pineapples and honey, with a very long, spicy finish. Dazzles for its depth and power. Almost sweet, but the finish turns dry and clean, with a flourish of acidity. - S.H.
Bossman
2005 California Proprietary Red Wine
This is a dark, dry and tannic wine, even at the age of five-plus years. It even shows some austerity, with a cloak of astringency. Nearly all Syrah, it has a massive core of blackberry jam, licorice, bacon and sandalwood, with a pleasantly funky note of what seems like brettanomyces. A drop of Viognier lends crisp acidity to this wonderfully rich wine. Now–2013. - S.H.
Infidels
2006 California Proprietary Red Wine
One of the winery’s drier and more tannic wines, this Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon blend comes from the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos valleys of Santa Barbara County. The big structure and slight astringency presently dominate a solid core of blackberries, grilled meat and black cherry jam. A dramatic wine, but still a little gritty after four-plus years. Drink now–2013. - S.H.
The Oracle Of Delphi
2007 Proprietary Red Wine
A brilliant Syrah, showing its cool-climate origins with a burst of white pepper. Much of the fruit comes from the Bien Nacido Vineyard, and the Syrah contains 4% Viognier. Firm tannins and fine acidity give this delicious wine structure, but it’s mostly notable for the extraordinary depth and length of its blackberry, currant, teriaki beef, mushroom and cedar flavors. The wine easily stands up to 100% new French oak casks. - Steve Heimoff
