"This feels effortlessly balanced. It's fully ripe and yet hasn't lost its beautiful savory accents - the bacon fat, the gingerbread, the smoky briary intensity that seems to have a gravitational pull on the dark cherry fruit. It's velvety and gorgeous. Tri-tip, please." ~ Wine & Spirits 

"The savory oak tones are prominent on the nose of this bottling, which also shows cassis and peppercorn on the lavish nose. Ripe flavors of blackberry jam are cut by smoke, bacon fat and more cracked pepper on the palate." ~ Wine Enthusiast 

"...powerful, dense and plush, with serious intensity and considerable power. Black fruit, licorice, chocolate and sweet spice are all front and center. This is a decidedly flamboyant style that emphasizes richness ripeness and fruit over varietal and/or site character. There is not much subtlety here, but there is a good deal of immediacy." ~ Antonio Galloni's Vinous

"Medium to deep ruby, the 2016 Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah has a pretty nose of blueberry and boysenberry preserves, cassis, bacon fat, smoke, garrigue and lavender with a dense black fruit core. The palate is fullbodied and dense with lush black and blue fruits and tons of savory accents. The tannins are firm but ripe, and it finishes long and savory." ~ Wine Advocate