Doesn’t say so on the front label, but the fine print indicates the grape variety is Syrah, although you couldn’t guess that from the flavors. What it does taste like is lush, easy-drinking Port. Sweet and smooth, it has vast flavors of blackberry jam, cassis, cherries, raspberry pie, oranges, chocolate truffle, cloves and vanilla. So delicious, it makes you want…
— W.E.
(11/8/2008)
Tastes straight out of the barrel, almost prematurely released, with fresh, grapey flavors of blackberries, plums and cocoa. A bit rude and acidic now. Badly needs time, but should come around by early 2010.
— S.H.
(12/15/2009)
Mulling spices, cedar and faint blackberry aromas kickoff this oakfest that nevertheless charmed our panel. The toasty, spicy oak flavors go down smooth and easy.
— W.E.
(11/1/2001)
Opens with a huge burst of cassis, cherry and sweet toasty oak aromas, rich as sin, with a decadent streak of milk chocolate candy. The flavors are similarly big, although robust tannins smother them. Acidity from this warm inland county is soft, so aging is a gamble.
— S.H.
(12/15/2003)
Contra Costa, “opposite coast,” is a county across the Bay from San Francisco. Warm and sunny, its climate is like Napa’s. This polished wine shows warm-coastal character in the smooth tannins and ripe cassis fruit. Not a blockbuster, but very nice wine for the money.
— S.H.
(4/1/2007)
From this county across the Bay from San Francisco comes this rich, exotic white wine. Although it’s crisp and dry, it tastes sweet, with jammy pineapple, honeysuckle flower, lemon custard, vanilla and spice flavors.
— S.H.
(6/1/2009)
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a full-bodied and rather rustic pink-hued wine, with earthy peach and spice flavors. If you tasted it blind, you might even think it was Chardonnay.
— S.H.
(4/1/2007)