Winery - C.R. Sandidge
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A blend of 53% Cabernet, 28% Malbec and 19% Merlot. Rich, lush and chocolaty, it’s a very appealing wine from start to finish. Ripe fruit flavors include blueberry and blackberry jam, pie cherry and mincemeat. The acids keep it lively and suggest some years of further development ahead.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This 100% Viognier is sleek and lean, with bright citrus flavors that may strike some tasters as volatile. It finishes with noticeable heat and a little citrus skin bitterness.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This 52% Syrah/38% Grenache/10% Mourvèdre red has fine, ripe and powerful red fruit flavors, yet it still feels a bit disjointed. It’s as if all the right pieces are there, but they have not yet knit together. Give it some bottle age, or at least a good decanting.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Clean, fresh fruit captures crisp apples, nectarines and Meyer lemon. The wine shows more elegance and delicate floral notes than most Viognier from warmer sites, and it has none of the bitterness or heat that can spoil the finish on these wines. Bone dry, it’s a lovely food wine.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The second Sandidge Syrah is a thick, spicy wine, with ultraripe, even jammy fruit. Power takes the place of purity; there is a distinct earthiness, and more than a whiff of barnyard. Tannins are tough and chewy, but what it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in big flavor. 474 cases made. —P.G.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Ray Sandidge is the talented winemaker for Kestrel; for his own label he specializes in Syrah, sourcing fruit from top Yakima Valley sites, such as Minick. This delicious bottle showcases young, sappy fruit, plenty of tart acid, well-managed tannins and a light touch with the oak. 486 cases made. —P.G.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Fragrant and intensely fruity, this thick and slightly hot viognier is loaded with fascinating flavors. Stone fruits galore, and then it morphs into a more buttery, chardonnay-like creature, only keeping the lime rind highlights. Long and rich.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Good color, and a fresh and zippy palate, showing bright berry flavors. It seems almost claret-like, with taut acids and barrel notes suggesting cedar, coffee and licorice. Substantial, mouth-cleaning tannins.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The winery’s top wine is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Malbec and the rest Merlot. Supple and flavored with preserved fruits, it suggests mincemeat pie and blueberry jam. Nicely balanced, mellow and textured although the finish is a bit short.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This 70 percent Syrah/30 percent Grenache blend mixes bright, tangy red berry flavors with an undercoat of white chocolate. Very smooth, very stylish, and very good.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
