2016 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine, USA, California, Edna Valley, Wine Review

Alban wines typically take some time to come around, but at age 7, this was drinking quite well. Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright. The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats and roasted herbs, slight dark chocolate and black pepper. Full bodied. Medium tannins. On the palate, this is delicious. It is on the bigger side but not a monster. Black raspberry fruit with some black pepper and a bit of roasted herbs. Long finish. This is complex but very tight. Great drinking now but it might improve some. Either way drink over the the next twenty years.

Grade:

A+

Score:

Vintage:

2016

Current Price:

$340.00USD

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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2013 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard, USA, California, Edna Valley, Wine Review

Vintage:

2013

Score:

Grade:

A+

Another amazing Syrah from John Alban. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is complex and beautiful with black raspberries, roasted meats and roasted herbs, slight dark chocolate and a slight floral note. Full bodied. Great plush texture with more than enough acidity to tie everything together. The palate has flavors of black raspberries, roasted herbs with a nice earthiness underneath. Long finish.

2012 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard, USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley, Wine Review

Vintage:

2012

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$95.00USD

John Alban is one of the pioneers of Rhone varietal wines in California. His eponymous winery is still one of the best. This is a big wine but for those who like this style, it is excellent. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, some black pepper, slight roasted meats and gravelly dirt. On the palate, the texture is lush and almost seamless. This is slightly sweet, most likely from ripe fruit. Black raspberries and some black cherries. Plenty of depth with a long finish. A tasty wine for sure. It drinks great on its own (and was perfect with a nice Cuban cigar). It wi

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 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine, USA, California, Edna Valley, Wine Review

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