2010 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Yorkville Highlands

This continues to develop and open. It is finally at a point where it can be opened without too much air. This bottle was pop and pour and enjoyed over several hours. A lovely cooler climate Syrah. Purple in color. The nose has roasted meats, black raspberries and black olives. On the palate, this opens in the glass with a nice complexity. Medium tannins. Nice boysenberry fruit with undertones of roasted meats and earthiness. Good finish. Works with heartier and spicy foods quite well. Nice finish. Should be good to go for the next seven to ten years.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2010

2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

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Top Ten California Syrahs - 2016

I tend to taste and drink a lot of wine over the course of a year. I am in a few tasting groups, sometimes the wines are consumed at various local wine store tastings and a number drunk with friends and family.

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America’s Best Rhone Style Red Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Last month we discussed the white Rhone style wines offered at the 2008 Rhone Rangers tasting event at Fort Mason in San Francisco on March 18. This month we turn to the reds, of which we tasted 50. Among those we tasted were some old favorites and some wineries or bottlings with which we were not yet familiar. We don’t pretend that we tasted a representative group of wines, because our sample was skewed to wines we have loved in the past and others about which we have heard positive comments.

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2016 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$33.00USD

Halcon wines are some of the best values in California wine. They are top quality cooler climate Syrahs being made at lower alcohol levels in a deliberate style. At the same time, they are not short on fruit or deliciousness. They really do take some time to develop though and cellaring or air is highly recommended. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has boysenberries, slight black pepper, slight fried bacon, and a bit of charred earth. On the palate, this has a medium body. Tightly layered, it unwinds in the glass. Nice boysenberry fruit with an underlying minerality. It s

2013 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

Vintage:

2013

Score:

Grade:

Great wine and an even better value. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is great with black raspberries, black olives, black pepper and slight bacon fat. Full bodied. On the palate, this is complex and deep. Layers of black raspberry fruit, minerality, smoke and earthiness. Great balance. Long finish. This is delicious. Drink over the next ten to twelve years. It will work great on its own and works well with roasted meats or veggies.

2010 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Yorkville Highlands

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2013 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review