2016 Halcon Vineyards Esquisto, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

This is a GSM blend of 70/10/20. Still young, it needs some time, especially for the Syrah and Mourvedre to come out. Ruby in color, slightly cloudy. The nose has black cherries and baking spices. On the palate, this is more raspberries but the baking spice are present. Smooth and easy drinking but also some depth. Medium bodied. Good acidity. Needs a few years and should have a decade more. Will work on its own and worked great with a stuffed eggplant dish but roasted foods in general.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2016

Current Price:

$30.00USD

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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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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2012 Halcon Vineyards Esquisto, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

Vintage:

2012

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$27.00USD

This is a blend of 65% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 5% Syrah. Purple in color. The nose has black cherries, black raspberries and plums along with some spice and earthy funk. On the palate, this is complex. Layers of black cherries and black raspberries with damp earthiness. Good acidity. Long finish. This is drinking very well right now. It should be at this level for another five to ten years. It goes well with roasts and casseroles.

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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2011 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

Vintage:

2011

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$40.00USD

This was in magnum and opened to celebrate the engagement of our friends daughter. The non-wine geek crowd seemed to really enjoy it (as did the wine geeks present). Purple in color. The nose has boysenberries, some black pepper and slight bacon fat. On the palate, this has a wonderful texture. Juicy, slick and medium to full bodied. Plenty of boysenberry fruit over a bit of char and slight dry earthiness. Good balance. Nice finish. This is coming around now and just about at peak. Even in 750ml format there is no hurry though, this should have another decade. It will go well wit

2016 Halcon Vineyards Esquisto, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

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

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

2012 Halcon Vineyards Esquisto, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

Top Ten California Syrahs - 2016

2011 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review