This is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah from one of the truly great vineyards in California.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, some black cherries, black pepper, spice, roasted meats and herbs.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great energy and acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Not quite at peak but mature.  Flavors of black raspberries and black cherries with some spice, minerality and char.  Long finish.  Drink over the next ten years.  Great on its own, this went well with a bowl of vegetarian Chili.  

This Syrah was co-fermented with 2% Viognier.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is expressive with black raspberries, roasted meats, black pepper, and slight floral notes.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is still primary.  Big black raspberry fruit.  With air some black pepper and meaty notes come out.  Also a touch of char.  Good finish.  This needs a few more years and could handle much more.  It should drink well for another 15 years.  Very nice on its own, this will need big meaty/roasted flavors for now.  Plenty of upside

It was nice to revisit this after 6 years of so.  It really hasn't improved that much.  It is a proper Amarone that is a good value and a good wine.  Ruby in color. The nose has cherries, roasted herbs and raisiny. Dry. Tannins mostly resolved at this point.  Good acidity. Cherries and dried cherries with some char. It won't get better but should drink well for another five years.  

Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, bramble and a bit of orange zest(?).  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is still young but drinking well.  Black cherries, cherries and char.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and would work well with grilled meats.  It worked nicely too with Hummus and veggies.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

This is a blend of 66% Merlot and 34% Cabernet Franc.  It is consistently a great value in Right Bank Bordeaux and in good vintages (such as 2008) it often out performs the vintage.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, coffee, slight chocolate and cigar box.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is approaching peak.  Some complexity and depth.  Flavors of black cherries, cherries, spice, chocolate and char.  Good finish.  This will be better with food.  It should work great with Lamb.  Drink over the next ten years.

I am told this is a blend of 63% Petite Sirah, 22% Grenache, and 15% Syrah which makes me wonder how they can call it a Petite Sirah?  In California a wine needs at least 75% of the varietal if it is listed on the label.  In any event, the wine is quite nice.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, gravel, and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries with char and a bit of gravel.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now and should provide nice drinking for another five to eight years.  It would be a nice wine to

Wow.  One of the best CdP's I have ever had.  This is in a great place right now.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is incredible with black cherries, black raspberries, violets, garrique and slight char.  Full bodied.  Sexy, voluptuous texture.  Great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is just about at peak.  Complex and deep with layers of fruit and minerality.  Flavors of black cherries, black raspberries, spice, earthiness and char.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and would be excellent with Roasted Duck.  Drink over the next ten years.  

Comprised entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, this differs from many Napa Cabernet in that there is a quiet rusticity to this wine. Rather than bright up front fruit, the fruit here is rather muted, offering blackberry, light blueberry, Rainer cherry, cocoa powder and white pepper. The tannic structure is fairly tight with a dusty, earthy quality. The light oak aging in all French oak provides the vanilla and campfire notes while giving the tannins room to exercise their importance in balancing the wine.

A rich and opulent style of Cabernet, this benefits from decanting, but it is less about tight tannins and more about letting the fruit open up to show its macerated side. This 100% Cabernet is replete with traditional Cabernet notes; blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and boysenberry. The oak aging brings on the vanilla and fine-grained tannic structure. The rest of the wine fills out with green tea leaf, sandalwood, earthy fruit, wild berries and moderate acidity.

If you don't know the Posip grape, it is one you should check out.  The wine is medium gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has peach, hay, wax and salinity.  Medium to full bodied.  Slightly viscous.  Good acidity.  On the palate, nice minerality but also apricots and a slight fig note.  Long finish.  This is still young and should go another seven to ten years.  Nice on its own, this is food friendly and went well with a pasta with garlic aioli.