A massively rich ripe flamboyant wine. Huge in blackberries cassis smoked meat leather cocoa pepper and sandalwood flavors that go on and on. Full-bodied powerful a hedonist's Syrah. Near perfect balance of tannins and acids with integrated oak. Dramatic and ageable it should develop over the next six years. - S.H.

The 2007 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate is a complex well put together Syrah that exhibits loads of smoked black fruits leafy tobacco bay leaf serious minerality and pepper driven aromatics that lead to a medium to full-bodied wine that has juicy acidity a fresh lively texture a chewy clean finish. Drinking well now this should continue to shine for upwards of a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

Bob Lindquist makes this from a five-acre block he asked the Miller family to plant for him in 1992. He chose this southwest-facing hillside bowl for its exposure to take advantage of maximum sunlight in a cool site. The vines yielded a formidable syrah in 2007 the tannins so soil-inflected it feels like you're breathing earth. Strawberry-red fruit brightens that dark mineral tone the wine still feeling youthfully impacted at five years of age. For the cellar.

The 2007 Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate is a big wine loaded with dark plums blueberries tar and licorice. There is plenty of depth in this opulent full-throttle wine but not much beyond that. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2017. - Antonio Galloni