"Zesty wild berry flavors are well-balanced…"

Spicy tobacco and herb notes add to the intensity and long finish."

Wine Spectator (March 31, 2008)

Gold Medal
Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

Gold Medal

2007 San Francisco International Wine Competition

92 Points

Just Wine Points

"Recommended...
Black raspberry and blackberry fruit aromas with hints of espresso."

California Grapevine (August 2007)

“88 Points...Big, muscular, dense...
Give it another year or so of bottle age and enjoy it over the following 6-8 years.”

Robert M. Parker's The Wine Advocate

“Four Stars...Exemplary...
Rich and svelte...Blackberry, cassis.”

Quarterly Review of Wines (Spring 2006)

“Four Stars...A luscious Syrah...
Cherry, blackberry, cedar and tobacco aromas/flavors. Very long finish.”

Restaurant Wine (#112)

“88 Points...Crowd-pleasing style...
The fruit is black with touches of peppermint...Smooth gentle texture.”

Wine & Spirits (August 2006)

“90 Points...Very Highly Recommended...
Ripe black cherry and berry fruit flavors with a silky texture and notes of vanilla.”

California Grapevine (April-May 2006)

“Aromas of chocolate, coffee and blueberry...
Long, broad finish...Well integrated, structured and balanced. Very good.”

Colorado Wine News (April-June 2006)

“Starred Review ...Very big-bodied wine...
Sports a slight streak of chocolate from beginning to end."

Connoisseur's Guide (July 2006)

“Four Stars...Richly flavored and full bodied...
Blackberry, cedar, toast and cherry, long finish.”

Restaurant Wine (#107)

“91 POINTS...Dense...Luscious...Elegant”
Wine & Spirits, August 2004

“87 POINTS…
Fat, sweet, round and smoky”
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (July-August 2004)

“86 POINTS…
Dried herbs, spicy wood and red as well as black fruits.”
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate (#154)

“85 POINTS…
Big, ripe and mouthfilling.”
Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine (August 2004)

“Full bodied and rich…
Long, smooth finish.”
Sante Magazine

"94 POINTS...
Top 10 Syrah of The Year"
Wine & Spirits Magazine, October 2003

"90 POINTS...
Big, sweet nose of blackberry, cocoa, smoke, and earth aromas...Impressively
endowed."

Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #148

"91 Points...
Pitch-black to the rim. Heady scents of blueberry, plum, tobacco, tea and resin. Ripe flavors of black cherry, plum, blueberry and toasted oak."
Wine News, July 2003

"91 Points...
Elegant yet powerful."
Wine Country Living, January, 2004

"Four stars...
Exemplary...Lush, concentrated...black fruit, spice and nutty-oak vanillin flavors; soft, elegant finish."
Quarterly Review of Wines, Summer 2003

"Big, rich and extracted"
this wine has fine textural nuances and great balance."
Dennis Schaefer, Santa Barbara News-Press, June 26, 2003

"Wine of the Week..
Blackberry, tar, violets and pepper. Chocolate and vanilla are apparent on the nose and give a sense of richness to this eminently drinkable wine."
Jordan Mackay, Austin American-Statesman, June 12, 2003

94 Points

Just Wine Points

Silver Medal and 92 Points
2007 California State Fair Wine Competition

"Recommended...
Cedary, toasty, blackberry fruit flavors."

California Grapevine (August 2007)

“90 Points...Outstanding...
Offers smoky, earthy, creme de cassis notes, full-bodied, powerful flavors, and no hardness or astringency. This ripe, rich Syrah is not for the shy of heart.”

Robert M. Parker's The Wine Advocate

“Four Stars...Big, rich, dense...
Chewy blackberry and vanilla flavors.”

Quarterly Review of Wines (Spring 2006)

“88 Points...Highly Recommended...
Rich, plush, supple, peppery, blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors.”

California Grapevine (April-May 2006)

Critics Award
2006 Critics Challenge

“Five Stars…
Rich, velvety, well-concentrated blackberry and chocolate flavors.”
Quarterly Review of Wines (Summer 2005)

“88 Points…
Smooth and luxurious.”
Wine & Spirits (October 2005)

“Recommended…
Red and black fruit aromas...expansive texture and mouth-filling weight.”
Thom Elkjer, WineCountry.com (November 2005)

"88 Points..."

Perfumed, floral notes of wild blueberry and huckleberry are fragrant and tasty, with tangy accents, firm tannins and good structure. Drink now through 2012.”
Wine Spectator (January 31, 2008)

Gold Medal for Chairman's Best of Class
2007 Long Beach Grand Cru

"87 Points..."
Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate

97 Points
Just Wine Points

Double Gold Medal for Best Red Wine of Show
2007 Santa Barbara County Wine Competition

Gold Medal and 94 Points
2007 California State Fair Wine Competition

"Highly Recommended...
Full body...firmly structured."

California Grapevine (August 2007)

Silver Medal

2007 San Francisco International Wine Competition

“89 Points...A superb value...
Notes of white chocolate, smoky herbs, pepper, and sweet cassis jump from the glass.”

Robert M. Parker's The Wine Advocate

“Plenty of bright berry fruit and some nice spice…
An excellent choice with pizza or barbecued ribs.”

Laurie Daniel, (March 28, 2007)

“Very Highly Recommended...Round and ripe...attractive richness in the finish.”
Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences (January 13, 2004)

“88 POINTS…One Puff”
Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine (August, 2004)

“85 POINTS…
Juicy and fairly intense.”
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (July-August 2004)

“Recommended…Dense raspberry, black fruit and coffee flavors.”
San Francisco Chronicle (November 11, 2004)

“Impressive…Plush ripe blackberries and mocha notes…
Chuck Carlson has created yet another delightful Rhone blend.”

Kathy Hardesty, New Times (April 17, 2008)

Critics Gold Award
2007 Critics Challenge

“Exceptional…Lush in texture….
A very charming and authentic Rhone-style wine.”

Tim BevX (April 2, 2008)

“A lovely Rhône blend….
Spicy plum, red currant, licorice, cinnamon and coriander...”

Tim Teichgraeber, San Francisco Chronicle (July 13, 2007)

"Highly recommended….
Blackberry and black cherry fruit flavors...Approachable and enjoyable.”

California Grapevine (July 2007)

"Recommended….
Classic Rhône blend, medium bodied with some spice...smooth finish.”

Sante Magazine (October 2007)

“TOP 100 BEST BUY OF 2007…90 POINTS….
Firm black cherry-scented fruit, with a fresh, spring blossom note…The structure feels clean and ferrous, providing a tight focus for the cool fruit.”

Wine & Spirits (June 2007)

Critics Gold Award
2007 Critics Challenge

“A lovely Rhône blend….
Spicy plum, red currant, licorice, cinnamon and coriander...”

Tim Teichgraeber, San Francisco Chronicle (July 13, 2007)

"Highly recommended….
Blackberry and black cherry fruit flavors...Approachable and enjoyable.”

California Grapevine (July 2007)

"Recommended….
Classic Rhône blend, medium bodied with some spice...smooth finish.”

Sante Magazine (October 2007)

“89 Points...Deep yet elegant, with lovely fruit purity...
Copious quantities of Cotes du Rhone-like pepper, dried Provencal herb, black cherry, and currant.”

Robert M. Parker's The Wine Advocate

"89 Points...A real bargain...

More proof of California's ability to produce complex Rhone blends."
Wine Enthusiast (June 2006)

"90 Points ...

Spicy blackberry fruit and a nice mouthfeel."
Anthony Dias Blue, Patterson's Beverage Journal (April 2006)

"Five stars...Exceptional value...

Richly flavored...toast, cherry, vanilla, blueberry jam, spicy oak."
Restaurant Wine (Issue #111)

"87 Points...Good value...

Dark forest berry flavors...Packed with extract and peppery warmth."
Wine & Spirits (August 2006)

"Highly Recommended ...Good value...

Black cherry and blackberry flavors with good depth and overtones of creamy oak."
California Grapevine (September 2006)

Gold Medal
2006 Critics Challenge

Gold Medal

Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

"WINE OF THE WEEK...

Bright and juicy with lush blackberry fruit and racy acidity; long, dense and balanced."
Anthony Dias Blue (February 6, 2006)

"WINE OF THE WEEK...

A fantastic value that's as good as many, many wines at twice the price."
Michael O'Shea, Santa Barbara News-Press (February 3, 2006)

Double Gold Medal

Santa Barbara County Fair

91 POINTS for Best of Class
California State Fair

"90 POINTS…Top 100 Best Value of 2005...

This Rhône-inspired blend has a generous brightness...Layers of aroma and flavor."
Wine & Spirits (November 2005)

"Excellent...

Four stars...A rich blend...berries, toast, oak and pepper."
Restaurant Wine (#106)

"A great buy..."
Laurie Daniel, San Jose Mercury News (May 25, 2005)

Silver Medal
Orange County Fair Wine Competition

“Exceptional…The nose is nothing short of beautiful...  

Decadent raspberry with exotic brown baking spices…A real charmer."
BevX (April 2, 2008)

“Delicious…Beautifully balanced...  

Intensely focused blackberry, black cherry, and wild berry aromas and flavors."
Kathy Hardesty, New Times (March 26, 2008)

“Highly recommended...  

Red cherry and raspberry fruit flavors."
California Grapevine (July 2007)

“Recommended...  

A full spectrum of fruit aromas...Very round and smooth with good length."
Sante Magazine (September 2007)

“90 POINTS...  

The flavors explode with cherries, blackberries, pomegranates, plums and mocha."
Wine Enthusiast (June 2006)

Silver Medal and 92 Points
2007 California State Fair Wine Competition

"87 Points…Vivid, bright…
Peach, apricot and mandarin orange and cherry blossom notes…strong aromatics and a long, persistent finish."

Wine Spectator (March 31, 2008)

Silver Medal

2007 San Francisco International Wine Competition

“87 Points...refreshing and tasty...
Crisp, elegant notions of grapefruit, pineapple, and white currants along with good underlying acidity.”

Robert M. Parker's The Wine Advocate

“A screaming best buy...
Incredibly aromatic with white florals, gardenia, nectarine and caramel.”

Dennis Schaefer, Appellation America

"Very tasty...
Mineral, cream, pear and apple on the palate..."
Colorado Wine News, September, 2006

"Lots of fruit...
Peach, pineapple and honeysuckle...Balanced. "
Wine Enthusiast, November 15, 2005

"Top 100 wine of 2005...
A zingy palate of watermelon, cassis, peach pit, onion peel and river stone."

San Francisco Chronicle

"GREAT CALIFORNIA VALUE…87 Points…Lively with citrus flavors, pear, peach and guava note...
Like it for the intensity, persistence and juicy citrus peel notes."

Wine Spectator (March 31, 2008)

Gold Medal
Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

Gold Medal
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

“87 Points...Admirable freshness...
A honeyed citrus-like note, medium body, and a flowery personality.”

Robert M. Parker's The Wine Advocate

“89 Points...
Orange and litchi flavors …Mouthwatering acidity…Lasts on a savory note.”

Wine & Spirits, October 2006

Gold Medal
2007 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Gold Medal
Long Beach Grand Cru

“Mouthfilling flavors...
Aromas of mineral and pear which pop out of the glass."
Colorado Wine News, September, 2006

“Excellent...
Four stars...Ripely flavored and long on the palate."
Restaurant Wine, #106

“Recommended...
Rich, toasty, honeyed, white peach flavors."
California Grapevine, September, 2005

“A cornucopia of aromas and flavors...
White peach, nectarine, pear, and melon threaded with pretty notes of honey, citrus and spice."
Kathy Hardesty, New Times, April 27, 2005