Professional Reviews — To help you zero in on wines that match your tastes, below are professional reviews of our Syrah — including “raves” as well as “less enthusiastic” impressions (even if we respectfully disagree). You may sometimes find the descriptions more helpful than the numerical scores. Consumer Reviews — To see what dedicated wine lovers like yourself are saying about our Syrah, we offer you a link to CellarTracker! where you can sort and summarize by score, vintage, specific wine or like-minded tasters to find exactly what you're looking for. 2007 Ι 2006 Ι 2005 Ι 2004 — 2007 —2007 Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah, Bennett Valley 91 pts. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2010
Deep ruby. Pungent, classically varietal aromas of dark berry preserves, olive tapenade, violet and a hint of licorice. Textbook syrah in the mouth as well, offering chewy blackberry and cassis flavors and exotic floral pastille and Indian spice qualities. Silky tannins add grip and focus to the long, spicy, sneakily sweet finish. This could use a couple more years of patience. (JR) 91 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, July 2010
While in no way lacking for richness, depth or convincing Syrah character, this bottling finds its own niche apart from the crowd in that it steers away from flamboyant ripeness and achieves a noteworthy sense of finesse. Long on well-focused, dark-berry fruit and accented with subtle spice, a bit of sweet oak and just a touch of milk chocolate, it is at once both structured and fairly smooth on the palate with a light touch of tannin to its lasting finish. There is potential for improvement to be sure, but it will come around without lengthy aging and should reach its best in four or five years. 89 pts. - Wine Spectator, August 2010
Firm, intense and vibrant, with blackberry and wild berry flavors. Full-bodied, sleek and focused, turning supple midpalate and ending with dark berry fruit themes. Drink now through 2016. –JL 2007 Kalen's Big Boy Blend Syrah, Sonoma County 91 pts. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2010
Dark purple. Ripe dark berry and cherry aromas, joined by sexy oak spice and fruitcake qualities and a hint of anise. Deeply pitched black and blue fruit flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity, picking up notes of smoke and olive on the back half. Tannins arrive with aeration and add grip to the long, spicy finish. This is built to age but would be fine to drink in the near term with a good decanting. (JR) 90 pts. - Wine Spectator, June 2009
Dense, chewy, rustic and earthy, this muscle-bound red has a tightly wound, full-bodied mix of extracted currant, wild berry, mineral, sage and graphite flavors that are very closed in now and in need of a long decanting. Drink now through 2016. 293 cases made. –J.L. 90 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, July 2010
Much like its cellarmate from the Dry Stack Vineyard, this rich but nicely composed wine stops well short of being too big or too ripe and is more polished than it is forceful. It smacks of sweet berries, cocoa and cream with a sprinkling of peppery spice to remind that it is Syrah, and its relatively tame tannins make it all the easier to taste in its youth. Still, it is not quite ready for gulping down just yet, and we would lobby for three or four years of patience while it softens and develops a more cohesive face.
2007 Dry Creek Valley Syrah
93 pts. - Wine Spectator, December 2009
Delivers a mix of juicy dark berry fruit flavors, with wild berry, blackberry, black cherry, huckleberry and plum. Deliciously complex, full-bodied, elegant and balanced, ending with supple tannins and a long, smooth finish. Drink now through 2017. –JL 91 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, July 2009
If not quite as big as its appropriately named partner [see 2006 Kalen's Big Boy Blend below], this solid Syrah has more than enough muscle and mass, and it balances ripeness with a full measure of very deep fruit. It sports a true-to-type streak of peppery spice as an accent to its main themes of oak-sweetened berries, and, even though cramped by acidity and toughened by tannin just now, it never lets go of its incisive fruit. It is clearly not meant for gulping in the immediate term, and it is unlikely to reach its very best until another four or five years have elapsed. Best Buy. 88 pts. - California Grapevine, August-September 2009
Medium-dark purplish ruby; toasty, herbal, cedary, grapey, blackberry fruit aroma; full body; smooth, supple, vanilla tinged, dark cherry and blackberry fruit flavors; full tannin; a bit harsh on the finish; lingering aftertaste. Relatively easy to drink now. Highly recommended.
— 2006 —2006 Kalen's Big Boy Blend Syrah, Sonoma County
94 pts. - Highly Recommended - Wine Spectator, March 2009
Ripe, firm and complex, with wonderful aromatics and generous, full-bodied spice, blackberry, wild berry, cedar, sage and pepper. Tightly focused and well-structured, this ends with a long, full, peppery finish. Drink now through 2015. 325 cases made. –JL 93 pts. - Doug Wilder - The Purely Domestic Wine Blog, December 2008
Aromas: brooding black cherry, floral notes of profuse, enticing violet and jasmine. Palate: bold strokes of raw power - meat, complex black fruits, espresso. Impression: A big, intense wine with some sophisticated elements. 93 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, July 2009
High ripeness is not, contrary to the whines heard from a new generation of naysaying pundits, a singular evil whose mere presence is sufficient to rule out a wine's purchase, and those who would blindly embrace such ill-conceived dogmas would miss out on the richness to be had by bottlings like this. Deep and extracted and positively bursting with blackberries and lavish oak spice, this full, impressively concentrated Syrah floods the palate with fruit despite being quite ripe, and finds just the right measure of structural grip. Supple, not soft, and showing ample tannins for age, it is so rich that some will drink it down early, but patience will bring real rewards a half-dozen years hence. 93 pts. - The Rhone Report, November 2009
The 2006 Eric Kent Wine Cellars Syrah Kalen's Big Boy Blend is a big wine that pulls it off in style. Showing deep, rich aromas of earthy blackberries and cassis fruit, flowers, spice, pepper and subtle graphite, the wine is full bodied in the mouth and has beautiful purity, a precise, edgy feel and solid structure. Fine grained tannins add length on the finish. This is an impressive wine that should drink well over the next 10 years.
91 pts. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2009
Vivid ruby. Deep, youthfully brooding aromas of cassis, blueberry and licorice, with a strong undertone of olive and smoke. Fleshy and sweet, offering sexy black and blue fruit flavors, velvety texture and an exotic floral note. The licorice note repeats on the finish, which is sappy, sweet and impressively persistent. (JR) 91 pts. - California Grapevine, April-May 2009
Medium-dark to dark purplish ruby ; very attractive, somewhat restrained, herbal, spicey, ripe blackberry fruit aroma with a note of dill; full body; big, rich textured, chocolately, blackberry fruit flavors with firm acidity; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Developed with airing in the glass and is approachable now, showing some finesse and elegance. Very highly recommended. 88 pts. - Barrel Sample - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, June 2008
Both vintages of the Kalen’s Big Boy Blend are dead-ringers for a top-class St.-Joseph from the northern Rhone. The 2005 Kalen’s reveals beautiful minerality along with sweet cherry and black currant fruit intermixed with crushed rock and spring flower notes. The 2006 Kalen’s is slightly lighter than the 2005. Medium-bodied with plenty of finesse, restraint, purity, fruit, and structure, it, too, will drink well for 4-5 years. 87 pts. - Wine Enthusiast, June 2009
Lusty and voluptuous are two words that describe this bone-dry Syrah. Heat from high alcohol accentuates the black currant, raisin and pepper flavors, and thick, rich tannins make it a full-bodied partner for beef. Could develop with two years in the bottle. –S.H. 2006 Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah, Bennett Valley 93 pts. – Doug Wilder - The Purely Domestic Wine Blog, December 2008
Aromas: pomegranate, violet, peppercorn and hints of sweet butter cream. Palate: tightly wound elements of white pepper, blackberry, plum coupled with firm acidity. Impression: very smooth wine with plenty of structure. 92 pts. - Wine Spectator, March 2009
Ripe, rich and full-bodied, brimming with gorgeous blackberry and wild berry fruit that's supple, structured, focused and long, with fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2014. 285 cases made. –JL
92 pts. - The Rhone Report, November 2009
With a deep, glass staining purple color, the 2006 Eric Kent Wine Cellars Syrah Dry Stack Vineyard shows beautiful aromatics of purple fruits, violets, minerals and charcoal notes. In the mouth, it’s medium to full bodied with pure fruit, a precise, rich texture and a long, classy finish. I love the purity here and the fruit quality is noteworthy. Over the course of the evening, this gained weight on the mid-palate and firmed up on the finish. Enjoy this over the following 8 to 10 years. 91 pts. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2009
Inky ruby. Smoky raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by dried rose, licorice and mocha. Fleshy red and dark berry compote flavors are framed by dusty tannins and lifted by tangy minerals. The tannins gain power on the finish, which echoes the rose and licorice notes. Give this serious, chewy syrah some air time or a few years in the cellar. (JR)
89 pts. - California Grapevine, April-May 2009
Medium-dark to dark purplish ruby ; very attractive, deep, earthy, cedary, plummy blackberry fruit aroma with pronounced notes of dill and vanilla; full body; forward, rich, textured, cedary, plummy, ripe blackberry fruit flavors with prominent acidity and a bit narrow on the finish; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Very approachable now. Highly recommended. 89 pts. - Barrel Sample - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, June 2008
Both [Dry Stack] Syrahs are restrained, structured, northern Rhone-inspired efforts, but the 2005 is slightly lighter than the 2006. Its dark ruby/purple hue is accompanied by attractive notes of earth, minerals, roasted herbs, meat, and black fruits presented in a medium-bodied format. The 2006 Dry Stack Vineyard offers more peppery, earthy characteristics as well as more concentrated, denser black currant and cherry fruit. This powerful, dense offering should drink well for 5-6 years. 89 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, March 2009
Bold and dramatic but on the ripe, blunt side of the structural spectrum, this seems to be a little less polished than the previous efforts from this combination of maker and vineyard, but it is no less formidable in size and musculature. It might work now with rustic hunks of well-seasoned beef or lamb, but we would offer the idea that age is its best ally. 87 pts. - Wine Enthusiast, June 2009
Kind of rough in texture, with hard tannins that make for an astringent mouthfeel. The question is, will it age? Maybe for a little while, but it's always going to have that rough edge to the blackberries, currants, pepper and cedar. –S.H.
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— 2005 —2005 Kalen's Big Boy Blend Syrah, Sonoma County 90 pts. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008
Glass-staining ruby. Sexy, intensely perfumed bouquet of blackberry, cassis, candied violet and Asian spices. Powerful but balanced, with sweet red and dark berry, cherry-cola and cracked pepper flavors. Gains depth and richness on the finish but maintains excellent clarity. Very sexy and already complex. (JR) 90 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, July 2008
Drama is writ large all over this densely packed, weighty wine. It starts with outgoing aromas of concentrated blackberry fruit and picks up black pepper, roasted meat and somewhat earthy hints along the way. Full and fleshy on the palate and initially supple before a drift to tightening acidity sets in, the wine is moderately tannic but requires patience more for its tangy edges to achieve balance than for its astringency to be mastered. In the next few years, it will need to be partnered with marinated lamb roasts or kebabs hot off the spit. 90 pts. - California Grapevine, April-May 2008
Medium-dark purplish ruby color; attractive, intense, plummy, peppery, blackberry jam aroma; full body; big, forward, rich, concentrated, very ripe blackberry fruit flavors with notes of charred oak and black pepper; full, creamy mouthfeel; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Precociously rich and flavorful, this wine is approachable now though deserving a few more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended. 89 pts. - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, June 2008
Both vintages of the Kalen’s Big Boy Blend are dead-ringers for a top-class St.-Joseph from the northern Rhone. The 2005 Kalen’s Big Boy Blend reveals beautiful minerality along with sweet cherry and black currant fruit intermixed with crushed rock and spring flower notes. With crisp acidity and ripe tannin, it should drink nicely for 4-5 years. 89 pts. - Wine Spectator, December 2007
Intense and concentrated, exhibiting ripe, vivid wild berry, plum and blackberry flavors, shaded by smoky, toasty oak. Focused, with firm, rich tannins. Decant. Drink now through 2012. 175 cases made. –JL 2005 Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah, Bennett Valley
90+ pts. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/June 2008
Opaque violet. Brooding dark fruit aromas are complemented by suave oak spices, smoked meat and cured tobacco. Youthful blackberry and blueberry flavors display palate-staining concentration, and are nicely are firmed by solid tannins. Smoky minerality emerges on the long, sappy finish, which echoes with dark berry liqueur and cured meat. Serious syrah, in need of patience. (JR) 90 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, July 2008
A bit of smoke and a dollop of sweet oak make for an inviting aromatic start here, and the wine makes good on its promise with rich, moderately deep flavors of ripe berries, pepper and cream. Its few coarse tannic edges are entirely forgivable given its youth, but its balance is quite good and it will come around with a few years of age. 89 pts. - California Grapevine, April-May 2008
Medium-dark purplish ruby; attractive, forward, intense, concentrated, somewhat briary, peppery, cherry and red berry fruit aroma with a hint of tobacco and some tasters noting an early trace of sulfur; full body; big, rich, intense, concentrated, cedary, ripe blackberry fruit flavors with a lush mouthfeel; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Needs several more years of bottle aging. Highly recommended. 87 pts. - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, June 2008
Both [Dry Stack] Syrahs are restrained, structured, northern Rhone-inspired efforts, but the 2005 Syrah Dry Stack Vineyard is slightly lighter than the 2006. Its dark ruby/purple hue is accompanied by attractive notes of earth, minerals, roasted herbs, meat, and black fruits presented in a medium-bodied format. It should be consumed over the next 5-6 years. 85 pts. - Wine Spectator, Web Only (2007)
Savory flavors of cola, mocha, cracked pepper and wild berry are firm and focused. Complex, with firm, dry tannins. Drink now through 2011. 200 cases made. –JL back to top
— 2004 —2004 Dry Stack Vineyard Syrah, Bennett Valley 94 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines, July 2007
While this deep and well-ripened effort exhibits the mass and full-scaled fruit that we look for in fine Syrah, it does so with an uncanny sense of polish and an impression of palatal plushness that makes it doubly appealing. Its themes of sweet blackberries are enriched with creamy oak and accented with nice touches of violets and black pepper, and it shows a keen sense of overall balance despite its lack of angles and edges. Big, but so graceful that it can be enjoyed even now, it nonetheless has the stuff to grow on for four or five years. Listed as one of editor Stephen Eliot's Favorite Wines of 2007.
89 pts. - California Grapevine, April-May 2007
Medium-dark purplish ruby; attractive, forward, rich, spicy, peppery, blackberry and black cherry aroma with note of toasty oak and bacon fat; medium-full to full body; forward, rich, youthful, plummy, peppery, blackberry fruit flavors; full tannin; somewhat harsh finish; lingering aftertaste. Highly recommended. 86 pts. - Wine Spectator, March, 2007
A streak of greenness runs through this tight, young wine, joining berry, spice and cigar box flavors, though this returns to its fruity theme, but with chewy tannins. Drink now through 2009. 200 cases made. –JL 2004 Kalen's Big Boy Blend Syrah, Sonoma County 91 pts. - California Grapevine, April-May 2007
Medium-dark ruby color; attractive, forward, rich, plummy, sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit aroma with notes of black pepper and smoked meat; full body; forward, rich, plummy, sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors with good depth and firm acidity; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Approachable now though deserving several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended. 89 pts. - Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines, July 2007
This dramatic, mouthfilling wine with its well-chosen moniker makes no pretense to grace or finesse. It is very rich and long on ripeness but manages to be fruity and has the right kind of extract to buffer its heat. Its sensations of peppery spice, smoke and sweet oak serve as attractive seasonings to its central themes of very ripe berries, and it stays the course to the finish despite ample tannins. 87 pts. - Wine Spectator, March, 2007
Intense, with vivid, chewy wild berry, blackberry and blueberry fruit that's ripe and sharply focused. Vibrant and structured, with excellent acidity and ample tannins. Drink now through 2011. 175 cases made. –JL back to top
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