One of the top Syrahs out there, the 2010 Syrah Charles Smith Royal City is a 100% Syrah from the Stoneridge Vineyard, which was first planted in 2001, and consists of big stones and broken limestone soils. Borderline perfection (and I seriously considered rating it a point higher), it oozes incredible aromas and flavors of smoked herbs, olive, underbrush, game and copious black fruits. This is followed by a full-bodied, decadent, yet beautifully precise wine that doesn’t come anywhere close to being over the top. A wine that makes my heart rate increase, this awesome Syrah is worth the effort to track down! It should hit full stride around age five or six and have 15-20 years of total longevity. Don’t miss it! Drink 2015-2030. - JD

This wine headlines the Charles Smith lineup, and has established a breathtakingly complex and rich style, that varies in saturation with each vintage but remains consistent in its flavors. Clove, baking spices and maple syrup flavors trump the ripe fruits that remain more in the background. Delicious now, or cellar for a few more years.

Rich, expansive and distinctive, dripping with endlessly deep blackberry, black cherry and pomegranate flavors, with broad hints of mineral, tar and spice that just don't quit as the finish rolls on, unimpeded by tannins. Complex and seductive, this can go on forever. Drink now through 2020. 65 cases made. — HS