Alban Vineyards Wine at Flickinger Wines

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Alban Vineyards

2007

Alban Estate Grenache

$115

VM 92 (8/2011): The 2007 Grenache opens with a sweet, beguiling nose that leads to exotic blackberry, coconut, plums, asphalt, tar and sweet spices. This is an especially deep, dense style of Grenache (there is 12% Syrah in the blend) yet all of the elements come together beautifully in the glass. Floral notes add lift and complexity on the finish, yet the Grenache remains big and quite powerful. Alban gave the Grenache 36 months in barrel. The Grenache is made from a variety of plots on the property, plus Syrah exclusively from the Reva parcel. (Drink between 2013-2022). Antonio Galloni.

WA 92 (8/2011): The 2007 Grenache opens with a sweet, beguiling nose that leads to exotic blackberry, coconut, plums, asphalt, tar and sweet spices. This is an especially deep, dense style of Grenache (there is 12% Syrah in the blend) yet all of the elements come together beautifully in the glass. Floral notes add lift and complexity on the finish, yet the Grenache remains big and quite powerful. Alban gave the Grenache 36 months in barrel. The Grenache is made from a variety of plots on the property, plus Syrah exclusively from the Reva parcel. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.

2008

Alban Estate Grenache

$105

WA 94 (8/2012): The 2008 Grenache presents an inward yet expressive core of dark red fruit, flowers and Provencal herbs. There is a gorgeous fleshiness in the glass, but the wine needs time to soften and open up. Today, the 2008 shows quite a bit of promise. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.

2009

Alban Estate Grenache

$120

VM 94 (12/2012): Opaque purple. Heady aromas of candied blackberry, blueberry and licorice, complicated by pungent notes of vanilla, violet and allspice. Lush, intensely flavored and broad, offering deep dark berry and cherry compote flavors and an exotic floral nuance. Finishes smooth and very long, with resonating spiciness, a hint of licorice and sweet tannins.

2000

Lorraine Alban Estate Syrah

$100

WA 93 (8/2003): The inky/black/purple 2000 Syrah Lorraine Vineyard is saturated in color. It boasts a knock-out nose of melted licorice, blackberry liqueur, and acacia flowers. Full-bodied, huge, tannic, but ripe, this is a stunningly rich wine that should hit its peak in 2-3 years, and last for 15+.

2002

Lorraine Alban Estate Syrah Signs of Seepage; Slightly Raised Cork; Very Lightly Nicked Label

$169.15

2003

Lorraine Alban Estate Syrah

Torn, Bin-Soiled Label

$200

WA 99 (8/2006): The limited production, well-structured, black/purple-tinged 2003 Syrah Lorraine Vineyard reveals oak along with tremendous amounts of creme de cassis-like characteristics. Dense, full-bodied, and rich with superb acidity, high, but well-integrated tannin, and a seamless finish that lasts over 60 seconds, this stunning effort is the finest Lorraine Syrah I have tasted.

VM 92-94 (7/2005): (16.5% alcohol) Saturated black ruby. Wonderfully sweet, nuanced nose combines red raspberry, gunflint, dark chocolate and iodine; a bit redder in character and more volcanic than the Reva. Thick and powerful in the mouth, with a penetrating sweetness of fruit and a superrich dark chocolateflavor. The pHs in 2003 were the highest ever registered at this estate, Alban notes, yet this wine is still a reasonable 3.7. "We have never added acid," Alban told me. "Our problem on these soils is getting the acids to go down." The yield here was just a ton and a half of fruit per acre.

2007

Lorraine Alban Estate Syrah

$229

VM 96 (8/2011): The 2007 Syrah Lorraine is a large-scaled, dramatic wine bursting with super-intense blue and black fruit, cassis, leather, spices and licorice. The Lorraine shows fabulous balance of aromatics, fruit and structure. Today the Lorraine offers the best potential for longevity. (Drink between 2017-2032). Antonio Galloni.

WA 96 (8/2011): The 2007 Syrah Lorraine is a large-scaled, dramatic wine bursting with super-intense blue and black fruit, cassis, leather, spices and licorice. The Lorraine shows fabulous balance of aromatics, fruit and structure. Today the Lorraine offers the best potential for longevity. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032.

2007

Pandora Proprietary Blend

$150

WA 95 (8/2011): The 2007 Pandora is an enormous wine endowed with awesome richness and power. Layers of dark fruit flesh out beautifully in this muscular, large-scaled wine. Dark plums, tar, sweet herbs and anise are some of the notes that wrap around the super-intense finish. The 2007 Pandora is 95% Grenache and 5% Syrah, both from the chalky soils of Seymour-s. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

2008

Pandora Proprietary Blend

$140

WA 95 (8/2012): Layers of silky, polished fruit flow across the palate in the 2008 Pandora (Grenache). As I noted last year, the 2008 is all about textural finesse and pure beauty. Hints of smoke, anise and crushed rocks frame the long finish. This is yet another marvelous wine from Alban. Pandora is 100% Grenache from the chalky, upper hillsides of Seymour’s. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.

VM 94 (12/2012): (almost all grenache from "a very specific block," according to Alban; 15.9% alcohol): Opaque ruby. A heady, exotically perfumed bouquet evokes candied red fruits, incense and candied flowers, along with a smoky mineral overtone. Juicy and precise, offering intense raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that gain sweetness and weight with air. Closes with impressive energy and cut, leaving mineral and floral notes behind. This wine was aged in French oak casks, two-thirds of them new, for 38 months.

JD 93-96 (12/2011): Tasted out of barrel and a beautifully structured and endowed wine, the 2008 Alban Vineyards Pandora, almost 100% Grenache that spent 36 months in a combination of new and used barrels, was dense and closed at the time of this tasting, yet begrudgingly yielded ripe dark fruits, charcoal, chalk, pepper, and edgy minerality on the nose. Full bodied, yet with notable freshness and acidity, this beauty should be left alone for 2-3 years after release.

2016

Pandora Proprietary Blend

$299

JD 99 (8/2020): All Grenache, the 2016 Pandora is another stunning wine that will probably merit a triple-digit rating in 3 to 5 years. Its deep purple/plum color is followed by a gorgeous perfume of black raspberries, licorice, ground pepper, spring flowers, and smoked earth. Showing more spice with time in the glass, it delivers full-bodied richness and the magical sense of elegance paired with power that only Grenache can do. Give bottles a few years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 15-20 years.

2019

Patrina Alban Estate Vyd. Syrah

$69

JD 93 (9/2022): Moving to the reds, the 2019 Patrina offers lots of smoky red and black fruits as well as violets, pepper, and graphite notes. It's forward, charming, textured, and balanced, with plenty of classic Alban character. I'd be happy to drink it.

2000

Reva Alban Estate Syrah

$75

WA 94 (8/2003): The saturated blue/purple-colored 2000 Syrah Reva Vineyard exhibits a slightly reduced nose, but with aeration of 60-90 minutes, glorious notes of blackberries, asphalt, singed leather, and wood emerge. Medium to full-bodied and moderately tannic, this young, unevolved, but promising 2000 will be at its finest between 2004-2015.

2003

Reva Alban Estate Syrah

Heavily Torn Label

$139

WA 98 (8/2006): The sensational 2003 Syrah Reva Vineyard may be the finest example of this cuvee Alban has yet produced. Nearly endless depth as well as an extraordinarily flamboyant bouquet of blackberries, truffles, acacia flowers, and sweet tar emerge from this broad, opulent, full-bodied, incredibly rich Syrah. It is a stunning wine to drink over the next 12-15 years.

JD 97 (12/2011): An absolutely stunning, massive wine, the 2003 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva is completely opaque purple in color and delivers unbelievably intense, rich aromatics of blackberry liqueur, smoked meat, asphalt, and spice cake on the nose. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, with glass coating fruit and texture, but also brilliant balance, plenty of freshness, and a very long, decadent finish, this phenomenal wine has yet to hit full maturity, and given the wealth of fruit and balance, it should continue to shine for at least another decade.

VM 92-93 (8/2005): Good deep ruby. Knockout syrah aromas of black raspberry, bacon fat, asphalt, gunflint and smoked meat. Extraordinarily sweet and silky, with flamboyantly ripeflavors of black raspberry and smoked meat. This too is quite high in alcohol at 15.8% but has the material to carry it off. Finishes with fully ripe tannins.

2006

Reva Alban Estate Syrah

$200

WA 100 (8/2010): The 2006 Syrah Reva, coming from parcels of dark, volcanic soil, has off-the-chart richness and intensity. This thick, opaque-purple colored wine offers up notes of scorched earth, ground pepper, and blackberry liqueur intermixed with cassis, licorice, camphor, and tar. The wine is spectacular in every sense. Full-bodied and certainly not for wimps, this is a remarkably concentrated yet very nuanced and intense wine that should age for 20 more years.

JD 98 (11/2010): Truly extraordinary, the 2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard is a jaw dropping Syrah, sporting rich, full aromatics of smoky dark fruits, steak tartare, tapenade, and licorice. These carry over to the palate where the wine is perfectly built, possessing awesome concentration, solid, almost burly structure, and a phenomenal texture that coats the palate, but at the same time, stays light, fresh, and clean. I’m a huge fan, and while delicious now, I’ve no doubt this will continue to drink well for 15 to 20 years.

VM 94+ (11/2010): Glass-staining purple. Blackberry, boysenberry and licorice pastille on the nose, with mounting spice and floral notes and a strong wallop of cracked pepper. Deeply pitched black and blue fruit flavors expand with air and pick up strong spicecake and candied flower notes, along with velvety tannins. More backward than the Lorraine today, and showing a darker profile. The finish completely stains the palate and lingers with intense floral and spicy persistence. This is still a baby. Josh Raynolds.

2008

Reva Alban Estate Syrah

$115

WA 96+ (8/2012): The 2008 Reva (Syrah) is stunningly beautiful. This is a relatively delicate, feminine Reva that impresses for its length, balance and utter purity of fruit. Dark red cherries, flowers, mint and silky, saline notes wrap around the expressive fruit on the long, polished finish. A hint of truffles adds to the wine’s sensual, totally beguiling personality. In 2008, the Reva is drop-dead gorgeous. Readers should note that, in this vintage, there is no Lorraine or Seymour’s, so the 2008 is a “super-Reva!" Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020.

JD 96 (12/2012): Showing superbly from bottle and the most seamless, elegant Reva I’ve tasted, the 2008 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard was the only Syrah producer in ’08, and as such, got the grapes that would have normally gone into the Seymour’s and Lorraine bottlings. It offers up a singular bouquet of smoked black fruits, iron, beef blood, tobacco, and hints of lavender that flows to a full-bodied, rich, and supremely graceful and finesse driven palate. Aged for close to four years in 80% new French oak, it does not show a trace of oak and has stunning purity of fruit, integrated acidity, and a light, gorgeously textured mouth feel that has building richness and depth. Already approachable and a joy to drink (give it an hour in the decanter), it will be relatively early maturing, but I suspect, will also age gracefully for 10-15 years given its balance and overall harmony.

VM 96 (6/2013): John Alban's 2008 Syrah Reva impressed for its power, but came across as very, very young. On this day, the oak was a little more pronounced than in previous tastings, something I also heard from a few attendees. Still, all of the pedigree was there. Antonio Galloni.

2010

Reva Alban Estate Syrah

$125

WA 95+ (8/2015): Coming from the coolest vintage on record at the time (before 2011), the 2010 Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard still hit 15.2% natural alcohol, of which it doesn't show a trace. Possessing the telltale Iodine and seaweed character this cuvee always shows, it has lots of darker fruits, smoked herbs, black olive and a touch of floral aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, concentrated, firm and structured, it's a serious, age-worthy wine from John that should be forgotten for 4-5 years.

2011

Reva Alban Estate Syrah

$95

WA 94-96 (8/2015): All of the 2011 Syrahs will be in bottle by the time you read this. The 2011 Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard offers a cool-climate, pretty and perfumed style to go with lots of pepper, violets, iodine and dark fruits, with just a hint of vanilla and oak. Full-bodied, fresh and lively, with bright acidity and fine tannin, it's a Northern Rhone look-alike that will have 15-20 years of longevity.

VM 92-94 (9/2015): Bright purple. Energetic black and blue fruit scents, with notes of olive paste and candied violet adding complexity. Shows very good focus and lift to its sweet boysenberry and cherry-cola flavors, gaining weight and sweetness with aeration. Finishes with excellent power and persistence, leaving peppery spice and cola notes behind. Quite Old World in style and structure, showing no excess fat or undue warmth. Josh Raynolds.

2017

Reva Alban Estate Syrah

Corroded Capsule

$125

JD 97 (9/2021): The beautiful 2017 Syrah Reva has a more elegant, streamlined, layered style that's already drinking nicely. Ample red and black fruits, bacon fat, olive, violets, and briny mineral nuances all define this classic Alban Syrah, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless mouthfeel, impeccable balance, and ripe tannins. It's certainly the more discrete, understated red in the lineup, yet this is a wine that builds with time in the glass and has perfect tannins, a terrific sense of freshness, and a great finish. It will keep for 15+ years in cold cellars.

2009

Seymour’s Vyd. Syrah

$175

JD 94-97 (6/2012): Showing more depth and structure than last year, the 2009 Alban Vineyards Syrah Seymour's Vineyard delivers a meaty, black olive-laced profile, with copious amounts of red and black fruits emerging from the glass. This full-bodied Syrah has fantastic purity, and silky, polished texture, and building structure that will require a handful of years in bottle to fully flesh out. Where the Lorraine and Reva will be approachable on release, I would opt for giving these slightly more cellar time.

WA 96 (8/2013): More angular and edgy, yet still more approachable than normal for this cuvee, the 2009 Syrah Seymour’s Vineyard has serious amounts of mineral-tinged dark fruits, licorice, smoked herbs and chocolate as well a firm, structured, full-bodied profile on the palate. This wine’s big bones, ripe tannin and bright acidity all point to a long life. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy though 2024+.

VM 95 (7/2013): The 2009 Syrah Seymour's brings together all the best elements of the Alban house style. Orange peel, iron, smoke and fennel add compelling exoticism as this massive wine opens up in the glass. At once powerful, intense and nuanced, the 2009 is simply superb. Ideally, the 2009 needs at least a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften, but readers are going to have a hard time waiting. This intense, full-throttle Syrah should drink beautifully for another decade, perhaps more. (Drink between 2016-2024). Antonio Galloni.