The darkest of the reds, the 2020 Dos Dedos de Frente is a ripe and powerful Syrah. It's showy, perfumed and heady, hedonistic and supple, with less oak than in previous years. It comes from grapes from a supplier working...

Dark and earthy in the glass, the 2022 Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard smolders with a beguiling bouquet of undergrowth, wet stones, and black cherries. It's slightly backward today, with stony mineral tones and soothingly...

Glass-staining ruby. Powerful scents of red and dark berry preserves, smoked meat, violet and minerals offer impressive clarity and expand in the glass. Velvety in texture, with deep, liqueur-like red berry flavors...

Broad and complex, this syrah reveals ripe dark berries layered with white pepper, dried violets and grilled rosemary as well as wet stones and a touch of iodine. The full-bodied palate is supertense and deeply structured...

A blend from vineyards throughout the region, this is classical in its structure, concentrated in the low yields of 2019. The dry season and summer heat may be present in the wine’s potent tannins, serving to complete the...

A very refined and delicate Cote-Rotie with wonderful floral complexity. Graceful palate that feels almost weightless. Lovely mineral freshness carries the medium-bodied palate through to the very long, clean finish...

(93-95 points) From an old-vine parcel south of Chavanay proper, the 2020 Saint Joseph les Grisieres (tasted from barrel) seems to have held onto more red-fruit character than the regular bottling. It's brighter and...

(91-94 points) Tasting through several parcels/barrels, the 2020 Cote Rotie Terrasses looks to be a solid effort, marked by slightly vegetal notes up front and almost sherbet-like red fruit flavors. Medium to full-bodied...

A gorgeous intensity of plum, spice and grilled meat on the nose. Cloves and hints of dried spices. This is a big, structured La Chappelle. Full and powerful with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. A bit austere and...

(96-98 points) As always, I was able to taste the 2023 Hermitage from multiple parcels, and it's clear this will be another beautiful Hermitage. The Péléat, which comes from sandier soils, is always more finesse-oriented...

A texturally beguiling red, with a chewy, creamy stream of dark chocolate, perfumed lavender, plum paste and warm spices framed by alder and camphor. Large in scale yet not heavy, with a supporting beam of iron, plus an...

Smoky and meaty, with intense wild herb character, this is classic Cornas, but with modern purity and precision. Giant concentration and brilliance on the very compact and still tightly wound, medium- to full-bodied...

A well-composed red, tense and precise. Aromas of dark cherries, strawberries and baking spices. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity. Vivid and vertical with plenty of energy. Crunchy and pulpy fruit with a...

Pure cassis, blue fruits, new leather, graphite, and hints of bouquet garni define the aromatics of the 2022 Cornas, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, an ultra-fine, pure, seamless mouthfeel...

While unyielding and reserved in youth, this majestic Syrah has a pulsating core of black plum and berry flavors. Glimpses of sage, olive and black pepper peek through the midpalate before closing on firm, fine-grained...

A supersaturated, deep, almost thick wine that coats the mouth with potent dark fruit flavors and wraps them in a full body and firm, gripping tannins that need time to resolve. It's syrah with a 3% boost of petite sirah...

The 2019 Syrah Estate has 2% Viognier co-fermented and underwent 18% whole-cluster fermentation. Dark currants, coffee grounds and violets all fill the nose, along with herbal undertones. The densely concentrated palate...

(VN 97-98 points) Inky violet. Displays assertive aromas of blackcurrant, cherry-cola and violet, along with olive, smoked meat and vanilla nuances that gain strength with aeration. Vibrant, focused and appealingly...

The 2020 Syrah In The Rocks sees slightly more Viognier and is a co-fermented blend of 94% Syrah and 6% Viognier. Its ruby/plum color is followed by a more mineral-laced, masculine Syrah offering ample red and black...

This terroir always delivers a wild, opulent, gamey style of wine, and the 2017 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert doesn’t disappoint. Loads of chocolaty black fruits, ground pepper, truffle, and smoked game, as well...

(97+ points) From one of the greatest terroirs in the appellation, the 2022 Côte Rôtie La Landonne reveals powerful black and blue fruits, graphite, crushed stone, and liquid violet notes, with subtle espresso in the...

Saturated violet color. Smoky, mineral-accented black and blue fruit scents are complicated by olive paste, licorice and floral nuances that build in the glass. Juicy and energetic in the mouth, offering vibrant...

The 2017 The Armagh Shiraz is really hitting its meaty straps at five years of age (in 2022). It has hoisin, salami, tobacco leaf and five spice in preponderance and shows a level of concentration in the mouth that aligns...

Lastly, the 2015 Ermitage L’Ermite offers that classic, searing granite/ozone-laced bouquet of crème de cassis, liquid rocks, graphite, and lead pencil. More tight, focused and backward than the Pavillon, it's no less...

(97+ points) Based on 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier from the Rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley, the 2019 Syrah In The Rocks is another reductive, tight wine that will benefit from bottle age. Ripe blackberries, black...

Stacks of smoked bacon character and very ripe black fruit aromas on the nose. Very powerful and compact on the full-bodied palate. Massive tannin structure, but the tannins are so fine and so beautifully integrated...

Shimmering ruby. Fresh black and blue fruits, candied flowers and baking spices on the expressive nose. Appealingly sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering juicy blueberry, cherry and spicecake flavors that firm up...

I loved the 2018 Côte Rôtie Terrasses, which is slightly more supple and elegant than both the 2017 and 2019. Offering darker red, almost blue fruits as well as peppery game, violets, and crushed stone-like minerality...