Wines

Only $29.98 at checkout! 95 Points! The 2019 Syrah Bismark Vineyard has a deep ruby-purple color and rich aromas of cassis, coffee beans, chargrill, white pepper and menthol. The full-bodied palate is powerful and richly fruited, with an abundance of rounded tannins and a long, flavorful finish with lingering floral accents. This deserves another 3-5 years in bottle and will be long lived in the cellar. - Erin Brooks, robertparker.com

93 Points! The Duemani 2021 Cabernet Franc CiFRA is an entry-level wine that punches above its weight class (and its price point). This organic and biodynamic wine reveals dark, purplish fruit with a soft texture and velvety quality. It is layered with fresh blackberry, plum and tobacco, but the energy of the primary fruit is what stands out in this classic vintage. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

Founded directly above the San Andreas Fault, DeRose Vineyards is located in one of the most active earthquake areasin the World. Furthermore, it is one of only a few wineries anywhere to have a major fissure dissecting its wine cellars. DeRose has vineyards on both sides of the infamous fault. Soils east of the break contain fragmented granite and crumbled sandstone while those on the west side are mostly granite and limestone. Some blocks lie precisely above the line, their tilled surfaces concealing the fissure far below. Cabernet Franc grows east of the fault in loosely packed loam where the drainage is excellent.

A temperamental grape variety in many locations, Cabernet Franc thrives on the DeRose estate, creating heavily extracted wines with wonderful viscosity. Winemaker Pat DeRose prunes each vine in the winter and later exposes the grapes to beneficial sunlight with careful leaf removal. Clusters are thinned after veraison to attain proper vine balance.

92 Points! Based on 81% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Malbec, the 2021 Cabernet Franc sports a vivid purple hue to go with impressive aromatics of cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, and chocolaty oak. It's medium-bodied and has a supple, elegant mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a great finish. A beautiful wine, it might even be better in another year or two as it integrates its oak. Regardless, it's a terrific value that I'd happily drink any time over the coming 8-10 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! A rich and fruity cabernet franc with creamy berries, vanilla and sweet oak spices on the nose. Medium body with plush tannins. Creamy berries and mocha on the palate with dried herbs and cedar in the finish. Try after 2025. - JamesSuckling.com

100 Points! I’ve never before smelled a wine like this. The captivating aromas are amazing, with lavender, sage, dried potpourri, blackberries, tar, pepper and black licorice. Full-bodied with super tannins that fan out and caress the palate. It’s ethereal and endless. A pure syrah from the owners of Clos Apalta, from unique mountain vineyards. Just over 6,000 bottles made. Try to give this four or five years of bottle age. Best after 2028. - JamesSuckling.com

From the importer: Originating from vines planted on clay and chalk (tuffeau) soil, this wine offers the distinctive character of Cabernet Franc: deep and bright ruby color, fine aromas of red fruits (red current, cherry) and floral subtleties (violet, iris), fine and velvety tannin, with a fresh and balanced finish. Best served below room temperature (14 to 16º C), Clos des Cordeliers Cuvée Tradition is at its prime when young and is the perfect companion for cold meats, roasted meats, grilled fish and cheese.

93 Points! Pure and focused, offering violet, cherry, raspberry and mineral aromas and flavors. Shaped by vibrant acidity, this red persists with a lingering, resonant aftertaste. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Sweet tobacco, currants and white pepper here, with a red-chili note. Medium-to full-bodied with seamless, ripe tannins on the palate. Flavorful, yet elegant. Extremely well made. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! The 2021 Syrah (California) is outrageous. Rich and explosive, the Syrah packs a serious punch. This wine, from a collection of top notch sites delivers tons of impact. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and black pepper are all dialed up in this heady, dense Syrah. The 2021 is a blend of top sites in Santa Barbara and Sonoma, with a good dose of whole clusters in all the lots. What a wine. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

98 Points! The 2021 Syrah Donna's is all varietal and comes from the Melville Vineyard. Its vivid ruby/plum hue is followed by classic Syrah notes of ripe blackberries, mulberries, pepper, violets, and gamey meats. These carry to a full-bodied Syrah with ultra-fine tannins, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and a gorgeous finish. This absolutely captivating Syrah is already impossible to resist yet is going to evolve for 15-20 years with ease. It's up with the finest vintages of this cuvée produced. Hats off to Chad Melville for a brilliant, world class Syrah! - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! The 2021 Syrah The Initiation is a nearly opaque ruby into purple, with oils of black pepper, black olive, and preserved plum. Full-bodied, it’s lush with freshness and a velvety texture, revealing sweet tannins as well as notes of tea leaf and blackberry. It’s a beautiful and opulent wine to drink 2025-2040. - Jeb Dunnuck

97+ Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 The Initiation Syrah prances out with perfumed notes of roses, Indian spices, and kirsch giving way to a core of plum preserves and juicy blueberries plus wafts of tar and pepper. The full-bodied palate is rich and impactful, with fresh, crunchy black fruits and floral accents supported by firm, rounded tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, TWI

90 Points! I loved the 2019 Syrah Estate, which includes 5% of Petite Sirah and was brought up mostly in French oak, with a splash in American oak. Ripe black and blue fruits, vanilla, peppery herbs, and some chocolate notes all give way to a plump, round, fruit-forward effort that has supple tannins and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! The 2021 Please Fasten Your Seatbelt Syrah is also outstanding, with a darker, peppery, classic California Syrah style. Blackberries, pepper, spring flowers, and chalky mineral notes all give way to a wonderfully pure, medium to full-bodied Syrah with ripe, integrated tannins and outstanding length. All varietal from a mix of vineyards throughout the Central Coast (Caliza, Fulldraw, G2, Larner, Piazza Bella Vista) that was 80% destemmed and aged 18 months in 73% new French oak, it will evolve nicely for 8-10 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! Against all odds, the 2020 Cabernet Franc, from a warm and dry year, feels fresher and more harmonious than the two other vintages I tasted next to it, the cooler 2019 and 2021. It contains some 10% Malbec that fermented together with the Cabernet Franc, which feels very integrated and softened the tannins that feel velvety but without losing grip. It spent 15 months in ancient oak foudres, and the oak feels very integrated. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

98 Points! The 2005 Syrah The Skull comes from a different section of the Royal Slope. If it is possible, the wine is a bit more structured and powerful. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring and will be at its best from 2017 to 2035.

Charles Smith, the mastermind of K Vintners, bottles his very best wines from the obscure Royal Slope under a separate label. These are stunning Syrahs that must be tasted to be believed. They are technically within the massive Columbia Valley AVA but Smith feels the Royal Slope (or Royal Slut as he refers to it) should be recognized in its own right For a fascinating demonstration of terroir, do a side-by-side tasting of the 2005 K Vintner and Charles Smith Syrahs but bring a lot of ribs and pulled pork barbecue and turn it into a party. - Jay Miller, robertparker.com

99 Points! The 2005 Syrah Old Bones is a blend of The Heart and The Skull but aged in 500-liter barrels. It is more complex, opulent, and totally hedonistic. It will be at its best from 2017 to 2035.

Charles Smith, the mastermind of K Vintners, bottles his very best wines from the obscure Royal Slope under a separate label. These are stunning Syrahs that must be tasted to be believed. They are technically within the massive Columbia Valley AVA but Smith feels the Royal Slope (or Royal Slut as he refers to it) should be recognized in its own right For a fascinating demonstration of terroir, do a side-by-side tasting of the 2005 K Vintner and Charles Smith Syrahs but bring a lot of ribs and pulled pork barbecue and turn it into a party. - Jay Miller, robertparker.com