Reviews
REVIEWS ON CURRENT RELEASES
2009 Heritage Cuvee - Santa Barbara County
"91 POINTS...Gorgeous."
-James Suckling
2007 Heritage Cuvee - Santa Barbara County
"EXCEPTIONAL...Vibrant and generous with waves of ripe, silky fruit."
-BevX.com
2006 Heritage Cuvee - Santa Barbara County
-Tasting Panel Magazine (June 2010)
90 POINTS
California State Fair
"87 POINTS...Round, elegant, tasty..."
-Robert M. Parker, Jr. / The Wine Advocate
"EXCEPTIONAL...Waves of ripe, silky fruit...Very stylish."
-BevX.com
"87 POINTS...Starred Review...The strawberry-like fruit of Grenache comes through loud and clear here."
-Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
2010 Heritage Blanc - Santa Barbara County
"92 POINTS...WOW...Tastes like an outstanding Chateauneuf blanc."
-James Suckling
"90 POINTS…Long, lush flavors and a classic finish."
-Anthony Dias Blue, Tasting Panel Magazine
GOLD MEDAL
-Long Beach Grand Cru
"89 POINTS...A beautifully crisp white that has a light, clean texture, racy acidity and a clean, enjoyable finish."
-The Rhone Report
2009 Heritage Blanc - Santa Barbara County
94 POINTS...Gold Medal
California State Fair
Double Gold Medal
San Francisco International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
"TOP VALUE...89 Points."
-The Rhone Report
"FULL AND RICH...Scintillating acidity."
-Dennis Schaefer, Santa Barbara News-Press, 9/23/10
"GOOD VALUE...Starred review...Favors peach and pear fruitiness in its aromas, and its early fullness on the palate brings those attractive themes along for the ride."
-Connoisseur's Guide To California Wine, May 2011
"EXCEPTIONAL...Generous with scents of tropical fruits...A charming wine."
-BevX.com
2008 Heritage Blanc - Central Coast
Platinum Medal - Nominated for Best of Show
Critics Challenge Wine Competition
Gold Medal
Orange County Fair Wine Competition
2010 Heritage Rose - Santa Barbara County
"90 POINTS...Publisher's Pick...Refreshing...A beautiful balanceing act."
-Tasting Panel Magazine
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...88 points...Crisp strawberry and raspberry flavors."
-California Grapevine
"EXCEPTIONAL...Perfect balance with fresh citrus-like acidity."
-BevX.com
2009 Heritage Rose - Santa Barbara County
"90 POINTS...Very Highly Recommended."
-California Grapevine
"FINELY HONED...Good flavor presence and persistence."
-Dennis Schaefer, Santa Barbara News-Press, 9/23/10
2007 Syrah - Ambassador's Vineyard
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...89 POINTS...Rich, plummy, peppery black fruit flavors."
California Grapevine
"88 POINTS...Starred Review...Its glimmers of chocolate in no way interfere with its peppery fruit focus."
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
GOLD MEDAL
Critics Challenge Wine Competition
"AN IMPRESSIVE RED...."
Kathy Marcks Hardesty, New Times
"EXCEPTIONAL...A big wine but well balanced with vibrant acidity...brown spices, vanilla and hints of black pepper."
-BevX.com
2006 Syrah - Ambassador's Vineyard
GOLD MEDAL
Critics Challenge Wine Competition
GOLD MEDAL
Orange County Fair Wine Competition
91 POINTS
California State Fair
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...89 POINTS...Rich, plush, plummy."
-California Grapevine (July 2010)
"87 POINTS...Notes of forest floor, berry fruit, charcoal and earth emerge from this pure, mid-weight Syrah."
-Robert M. Parker, Jr. / The Wine Advocate
"87 POINTS...Dark, big, rich...Deep flavors of blackberries, dark chocolate, currants, spices and cedar."
-Wine Enthusiast (July 2010)
"87 POINTS...Starred Review...Has the requisite richness to buffer its back-end tannins."
-Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine (July 2010)
"EXCEPTIONAL...Complex but approachable...Very charming."
-BevX.com
2007 Syrah - Crossroads Vineyard
"87 POINTS...Starred Review...Elements of peppery spice and roasted game lend an unmistakable varietal bent."
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
"SUPREME...Five out of five stars...Wonderfully proportioned with incredible balance and length...California Syrah lovers, don't miss this one."
-BevX.com
2006 Syrah - Crossroads Vineyard
"89 POINTS...Velvety...Good purity, depth and richness."
-Robert M. Parker, Jr. / The Wine Advocate
"89 POINTS...Powerful in chocolate, blackberry and cherry jam flavors...Rich, tasty wine."
-Wine Enthusiast (July 2010)
GOLD MEDAL
Critics Challenge Wine Competition
"EXCEPTIONAL...Impeccable balance and a supple, luxurious texture...A real beauty."
-BevX.com
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...Dark berry fruit flavors."
-California Grapevine (July 2010)
2007 Syrah - Rock Hollow Vineyard
"89 POINTS...Great aromatics...Delicious."
-The Rhone Report
2006 Syrah - Rock Hollow Vineyard
"88 POINTS...Peppery and meaty, a la a French northern Rhone wine."
-Robert M. Parker, Jr. / The Wine Advocate
"89 POINTS...Highly recommended...Rich, creamy, blueberry and blackberry flavors with a velvety mouthfeel."
-California Grapevine (9/09)
"88 POINTS...Delivers a full measure of very deep fruit."
-Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine (July 2010)
GOLD MEDAL
Critics Challenge Wine Competition
2007 Syrah - Vogelzang Vineyard
"EXCEPTIONAL...Ideally proportioned, offering the best of Old World and New World Syrah."
-BevX.com
2006 Syrah - Vogelzang Vineyard
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...88 POINTS...Red berry fruit flavors with notes of black pepper."
-California Grapevine (July 2010)
2007 Grenache - Santa Ynez Valley
"93 POINTS..."
-Wine & Spirits Magazine, May 2011
"92 POINTS...Strawberry, cherry...spicy."
Meridith May, The Tasting Panel Magazine
Gold Medal for 94 POINTS
Gold Medal for 94 POINTS
California State Fair
GOLD MEDAL
San Francisco International Wine Competition
"EXCEPTIONAL...Rich and supple with a sturdy backbone of dark fruits, tannins, spice and oak."
-BevX.com
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED..."
-California Grapevine
"87 POINTS...Starred Review...Open and wholly accessible ."
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
2010 Viognier, Santa Barbara County
"90 POINTS...Clean and racy."
-James Suckling
"90 POINTS…Elegant and balanced."
-Anthony Dias Blue, Tasting Panel Magazine
"EXCEPTIONAL...A stellar expression of the varietal."
-BevX.com
"89 POINTS...Good minerality and spice on the nose...Finishes lively and fresh."
-The Rhone Report
2009 Viognier, Santa Barbara County
"BEST BUY...89 POINTS."
-Wine & Spirits Magazine, February 2011
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...88 Points...Crisp peach and green apple flavors."
-California Grapevine, December 2010
"88 POINTS...Starred review...Attractive white peach and fresh pear-like notes."
Connoisseur's Guide To California Wine, May 2011
"EXCEPTIONAL...Fresh, vibrant and expressive...Wonderfully complex."
-BevX.com
"DELICIOUS...Very focused."
-Dennis Schaefer, Santa Barbara News-Press, 9/23/10
2009 Roussanne, Santa Barbara County
"89 POINTS...Smooth, supple texture, pretty fruit and juicy, palate cleansing acidity...Very food friendly."
-Rhone Report, December 2010
"BRILLIANT...Lush core of ripe fruit with notes of citrus and mineral."
-BevX.com
"87 POINTS...Starred Review...Firm and fruity and hangs on well at the end, and it is balanced to keep in the cellar for a couple of years."
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
HISTORIC REVIEW RECORD
2007 Viognier, Santa Ynez Valley
“EXCELLENT VALUE…
Lovely apricot and peach-like fruit interwoven with floral nuances.”
Robert Parker / The Wine Advocate (September 2009)
“89 POINTS…HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Plush stone fruit flavors with firm acidity.”
California Grapevine (November 2009)
“RECOMMENDED…
Vanilla and orange blossom aromas and flavors of stone fruit.”
Sante Magazine (October 2009)
“EXCEPTIONAL…
Wonderfully fragrant…Vibrant and expressive.”
BevX.com
GOLD MEDAL
2009 Critics Challenge
2005 Syrah, Crossroads Vineyard
"Zesty wild berry flavors are well-balanced…"
Spicy tobacco and herb notes add to the intensity and long finish."
Wine Spectator (March 31, 2008)
"89 Points...Highly recommended…"
Ripe blackberry fruit flavors with a hint of mocha."
California Grapevine (November, 2008)
Gold Medal
Dallas Morning News Wine Competition
2004 Syrah, Crossroads Vineyard
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)
2003 Syrah, Crossroads Vineyard
“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)
2002 Syrah, Crossroads Vineyard
“Four Stars...Richly flavored and full bodied...
Blackberry, cedar, toast and cherry, long finish.”
Restaurant Wine (#107)
2001 Syrah, Crossroads Vineyard
“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
2000 Syrah, Crossroads Vineyard
"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
2005 Syrah, Ambassador's Vineyard
"92 Points...A full-bore, supercharged Syrah…"
Flavors of ripe blueberries and red and black peppercorns...Powerful and firm."
Wine & Spirits (December, 2008)
"Highly recommended…"
Blueberry and blackberry flavors with a hint of mocha."
California Grapevine (November, 2008)
"Exceptional...A beautiful wine…"
The palate echoes the nose in being ultra dense and spicy."
BevX.com
Gold Medal
Santa Barbara County Wine Competition
Silver Medal
Orange County Fair Wine Competition
2004 Syrah, Ambassador's Vineyard
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)
2003 Syrah, Ambassador's Vineyard
“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
2002 Syrah, Ambassador's Vineyard
“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)
2001 Syrah, Ambassador's Vineyard
“89 POINTS…
Serious, firmly built wine.”
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (July-August 2004)
94 Points for Gold Medal
California State Fair
"89 Points...Enough density for two wines."
Wine & Spirits August 2004
“Four+ Stars...A full-throttle Syrah.”
Santa Rosa (Sonoma County) Press Democrat, June 16, 2004
Gold Medal
Dallas Morning News Wine Competition
“Full bodied, firm, bold and spicy…”
Sante Magazine (October 2004)
2000 Syrah, Ambassador's Vineyard
Gold Medal
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Gold Medal
Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Competition
"Four Stars"
Restaurant Wine (Issue #92)
"Highly Recommended"
California Grapevine (February 2003)
2005 Syrah, Vogelzang Vineyard
"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)
"88 Points...Highly recommended... "
Ripe blackberry fruit flavors with a hint of mocha.”
California Grapevine (November, 2008)
"88 Points..."
Exotic aromas of peppermint and red licorice...Lively, youthful finish with fine-grain tannins, toasted oak and a well-defined sweetness.”
The Wine News (November 2008)
Gold Medal
Los Angeles International Wine Competition
Silver Medal
Orange County Fair Wine Competition
"Recommended...Full bodied and balanced... "
Long, harmonious finish.”
Sante Magazine (September, 2008)
2004 Syrah, Vogelzang Vineyard
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
2003 Syrah, Vogelzang Vineyard
“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)
2001 Syrah, Vogelzang Vineyard
“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)
2000 Syrah, Vogelzang Vineyard
"Chronicle Selection"
San Francisco Chronicle (March 6, 2003)
Gold Medal
Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Competition
"Highly Recommended"
California Grapevine (February 2003)
"92 Points"
Patterson’s Beverage Journal
2005 Heritage Cuvée, Santa Barbara County
“Impressive…Plush ripe blackberries and mocha notes…
Chuck Carlson has created yet another delightful Rhone blend.”
Kathy Hardesty, New Times (April 17, 2008)
“Recommended…
Plump berry fruit, some chocolaty oak and firm tannins.”
Laurie Daniel, McClatchy Newspapers (May 21, 2008)
Critics Gold Award
2007 Critics Challenge
“Exceptional…Lush in texture….
A very charming and authentic Rhone-style wine.”
Tim BevX (April 2, 2008)
“86 Points...A very nice wine ….
Closely resembles the genuine article from France in terms of character and complexity.”
Michael Franz, Wine Review Online (May 13, 2008)
“88 Points...Highly recommended ….
Toasty, spicy, ripe cherry and raspberry fruit flavors with oaky overtones.”
California Grapevine (July 2008)
Silver Medal
Los Angeles International Wine Competition
2004 Heritage Cuvée, Santa Barbara County<
