92 points Wine Enthusiast: “[$55 list; abv: 13.5%] Very ripe, showing rich, pure varietal flavors of blackberries, cherries, ground pepper, grilled meat, sweet sandalwood and spices. One hundred percent Syrah, it’s balanced with great acidity. Really smooth and delicious, and a crowd pleaser. Could develop over the next 4-5 years. (Oct 2011)”
91 points Rhone Report: “A vineyard that continues to impress, the 2009 Qupe Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard boasts textbook northern Rhone aromas of game, tobacco, smoked bacon, olive, and both red and black fruits on the nose. Beautifully perfumed and complex aromatically, it doesn’t disappoint on the palate either has possesses a lighter styled, medium-bodied mouth feel, juicy acidity, solid mid-palate texture and depth, and a chewy, lengthy finish. It should drink beautifully for 5-8 years. California wine lovers who are intrigued by northern Rhone Syrah need to try this wine! (Dec 2011)”
90 points Wine & Spirits: “Bob Lindquist planted his first estate vineyard in 2005, farming it under biodynamics and earning Demeter certification in 2009. The young vines don’t deliver much more than a friendly, easy drinking wine when it’s first poured. But as is often the case with well-grown biodynamic wines, the fruit resists oxidation and begins to show its complexity a day later. It evolves into scents of forest floor, evergreen, cinnamon and cranberries, a firm young wine with lasting spice. Cellar this a year or two, then decant for pulled pork. (Feb 2012)”
17/20 points Alex Hunt (The World of Fine Wine): “Comparatively pale, which has me intrigued already, and the color is matched by lovely delicate aromas of raspberry, pepper, and herbs. There is absolutely no lack of concentration on the palate, but there remains a lightness of touch and sense of harmony that set this wine apart. (Issue #35; 2012)”
Producer notes: “Grown at our biodynamic vineyard this a selection from 4 sections of hillside vines and made from 7 different Syrah clones. The wine has lush berry flavors framed by distinctive spice aromatics. It is 25% whole cluster fermented and aged for 16 months in 30% new French oak barrels and bottled without fining or filtration.”