Site Larner Vineyard Red 2018
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The nose offers blackberries, crushed black pepper, and violets. The mouth is medium-weight ,supple, and carries a very long finish.
Blend: 79% Syrah, 17% Grenache, 4% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is Syrah-based but includes 17% Grenache and 4% Viognier, all fermented with 23% whole clusters and brought up in 50% new oak. Deep purple-colored, with fabulous notes of smoked blackberries, cassis, ground pepper, and violets, it's full-bodied and has a seamless texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It might be the finest wine I've tasted under this label.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is reminiscent of a classic Cornas with its intensely savory, gamey character. Medium ruby-purple, the nose offers singular scents of mesquite-grilled meats, cast iron, cracked pepper and bacon fat, with a core of black and blue fruits that gain more clarity with time in the glass. The full-bodied palate is iron-laced and elegant, offering refined, grainy tannins, seamless freshness and a very long, uplifted finish. It will benefit from another 3-5 years in bottle and continue to gain complexity in bottle over the next decade or more. Rating: 95+
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James Suckling
Aromas of blackberries, prunes, dried rosemary, smoke, grilled herbs and baking spices. It’s full-bodied with sleek tannins. Round and creamy with a savory, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
Other Vintages
2017-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Accounting for only ten percent of the greater Santa Ynez AVA, Ballard Canyon’s north-south orientation provides an ideal pattern of sunshine and martime fog for producing excellent Syrah. While Syrah is planted to half of the total AVA acreage, an additional third is dedicated to other Rhône varieties, red and white.