From a small Livermore Valley producer; this wine might be difficult to find. But it’ll be worth the effort for the blueberries, blackberries and cassis that leap from the glass. The mouthfeel is soft and silky; the structure is tight enough for long-term storing. Should be fine until 2009.
— W.E.
(11/15/1999)
It’s all here. Berries, plums, earth and spice, with a waft of tobacco. Clean and inviting. Fruity and ripe. Has a lushness and softness that is especially appealing. A nice value. Best Buy.
— S.H.
(6/1/1999)
Another solid value from Thomas Coyne. Don’t let the pale color fool you. This is a lovely, rich and complex wine that is full of chocolate, berry, rose petal, plum and tobacco. Shows off flashy berry fruit and spice in a dry, well-structured package. The tannins are silky, so drink it up.
— S.H.
(6/1/1999)
Spicy lemongrass and buttercup aromas precede nicely extracted fruit that’s ripe and pure. Dry, but the intense fruitiness gives the impression of sweetness, while barrel fermentation adds a rich, creamy texture.
— S.H.
(6/1/1999)
Just beyond rosé, with cherry, smoke, nail-polish and vanilla aromas. Dry and light-bodied, with tea-like tannins and crisp acidity. A youthful, vibrant wine you could even chill slightly before serving. Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. Best Buy.
— S.H.
(10/1/1999)
A Rhône-style blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignane and Petite Sirah. Here’s an old-fashioned field blend-style red wine offering good value. Ripe and extracted, plenty of fruit, and dry, with some complexity. Full-bodied, the tannins are soft enough to drink now.
— S.H.
(6/1/1999)
From Lodi grapes, here’s a rich, fruity, powerfully spicy wine, with aromas of fruit cocktail, butter cream and honey. It drinks very fruity and overtly sweet, saved from flabbiness by crisp acidity. This is a candy of a wine, fruity and tart and frankly delicious.
— S.H.
(11/15/2001)
From Lodi grapes, a jam-scented wine, with pretty raspberry, black-cherry, and crushed-pepper aromas. Pleasant, light and fruity, with dry flavors of berries. No obvious faults or complexities in this soft, almost Beaujolais-like wine.
— S.H.
(7/1/2002)