2011 Syrah Wine

Wine Spectator, 95 points: This has a gorgeous mouthfeel, with a velvety yet racy edge allowing the dark plum, black cherry compote, anise, iron and dark olive notes to unfurl through the long finish. Should age well. Best from 2016 through 2026. – JM

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: A wine I rated 92 just last year, the 2011 Cotes Catalanes Secret de Schistes has come on like gang busters and has extraordinary notes of kirsch, chocolate, cured meats, wild herbs and olive. Just as good on the palate...

Wine Spectator, 94 points: Very focused, with a lovely beam of lightly steeped red currant, bitter cherry and plum fruit flavors that glides atop singed cedar, black tea and dried star anise notes. The long finish is very fine-grained. A gorgeous...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: Also inky colored, full-bodied and seriously rich, the 2011 Hermitage boasts knockout aromas and flavors of blueberry, creme de cassis, plum pit, scorched earth and crushed rock. Dense, concentrated, yet also voluptuously...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: Moving to the 2011s, these are all superb and possess classic Cornas characteristics without any rusticity or coarseness (which is becoming more the norm in the appellation than not). Layered and reasonably approachable...

Wine Spectator, 97 points: A brick house, with a thick wall of smoldering charcoal in front of the fruit, though the core of steeped plum, blackberry and fig flavors has ample energy and depth in reserve. Given time, these elements should meld...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: The 2011 Scrio (100% Syrah) is the vintage darling. The wine boasts abundant varietal character with black fruit and Morello cherry in center stage. Asian spice and barbecue smoke round off the edges and the wine delivers...

James Halliday, 94 points: 119-year-old vines have produced a shiraz with very good colour; the bouquet offers leather, spice and dark chocolate, the rippling black and red fruit flavours with exactly the right amount of fine tannins, 20 months in...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: 98+ As expected, the 2011 Ermitage l’Ermite, which comes from the lieu-dit of the same name, is more backward and focused, with a slightly closed, tight profile. Slowly giving up ample cassis and black raspberry fruit...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: 95+ Starting off the 2011s, both of which were tasted out of bottle numerous times, the 2011 Hermitage Domaine de Tourettes is another blockbuster from this producer. Full-bodied, rich, layered and voluptuously textured...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: The first vintage for the 2011 Syrah Cattle King, it’s a blend of 100% Syrah that’s all from Snipes mountain AVAs and vines planted in 2001. Offering up fabulous purity, with notes of black cherry, big minerality, earth...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: The 2011 Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonnieres (which is a significant step up over the 2012) got a big “Wow” in my notes and is a brilliant Crozes-Hermitage. Cote Rotie-like with its perfumed floral, bacon fat, spice and...

Wine Spectator, 95 points: Vibrant, with terrific, chiseled cut to the range of briar, anise, blackberry compote, bay leaf, iron and sanguine notes, all wrapped with singed alder and juniper accents on the finish. Pure and driven. Best from 2016...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: 2011 was of course a difficult, uncharacteristically rainy vintage in South Australia and particularly Barossa, but thanks to Penfolds’ privileged position with access to some of the region’s best fruit, they have...

Wine Spectator, 96 points: Offers a scintillating display of loganberry, black currant, bitter plum and cherry pit notes before picking up a racy minerally edge that pierces the finish, leaving echoes of warm iron, singed bay, white pepper...