2014 Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Opaque ruby. Explosive aromas of dark fruit liqueur, incense, cracked pepper, violet pastille and spicecake are complicated by olive paste and cola flourishes. Fleshy and broad in the mouth, offering impressively concentrated yet energetic black and blue fruit, chewing tobacco and violet pastille flavors that are brightened by a jolt of smoky minerality. Smooth and appealingly sweet on the strikingly long, floral-driven finish, which is shaped by round, steadily building tannins.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Reminding me of the 2006, the 2014 Reva comes from multiple sites of darker volcanic soils on the estate. It offers a singular, incredible bouquet of crème de cassis, blackberry, seaweed, iodine, and ground sage. This massive, full-bodied wine packs a remarkable amount of fruit and richness, yet stays elegant, graceful, and beautifully balanced, with silky, silky tannins. It’s slightly more balanced and approachable than the 2006 and will drink brilliantly for 20-25 years. It’s a monumental wine from an incredible winemaker. This was another brilliant tasting with California Rhône pioneer John Alban. The current releases here are the 2014s, which are from a vintage that reminds me of the 2006s with their incredible richness and depth. These are thrilling wines that are going to age just about forever. The 2015s were mostly tasted out of barrel and at this stage are tight, firm, and focused, with plenty of obvious structure. These are going to continue putting on weight with time in barrel, and it’s certainly another terrific vintage from this reference point estate. These are awesome, world-class wines in every way.