Top Rated Wines of 2016

The following wines received the 16 highest scores on IconScores.ca during the calendar year of 2016. Release date was not considered with some wines sourced from the cellar or sampled at special events. For the list of our Top 20 Wines of 2016, where more than simply the tasting score is considered, please visit the main IconWines.ca site.

#1 - Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery 2013 Gravel Bed Red - 96pts
A blend of Bordeaux varieties sourced from multiple Sonoma County vineyards all with one thing in common: rocky, gravely soils. Intense and refined on the nose with rabbit-hole depth; cassis purée, ripe blueberries, vanilla extract, chocolate covered coffee beans and light, rocky mineral aromas.
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#2 - Domaine La Barroche 2006 Pure - 95pts
Marketed as a 100% Grenache, "Pure", cuvée from the Domaine's Chateauneuf-du-Pape designated vineyards (though, at a tasting event a winery rep whispered to me that there were some small traces of other grapes in the final blend) which delivers immense intensity on the complex nose and ultra-smooth palate. Harmonious from all angles with a profile of ripe red berries, black fruit, cola, mint and a medley of cooking spices. Framed by silky-smooth, elegant tannins and effortless acidity.
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#3 - 2006 Château Pontet-Canet - 93-95pts
This was an exquisite vintage for Pontet-Canet and for a (relatively speaking) bargain price. At 10 years of age, this blend of 62%, Merlot 33%, Cabernet Franc 3% and Petit-Verdot 2% is still youthful but headed in the right direction with burgeoning graphite and iron notes integratingseamlessly with the pure black fruit profile and silky smooth tannins. So elegant and long with lingering spice on the finish.
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#4 - Painted Rock Estate Winery 2014 Red Icon - 92-94pts
Though tasting a little tight and wound-up today, the youthful 2014 Red Icon shows fantastic promise with excellent concentration and depth on the intense, masculine nose and the refined, long-lasting palate. This year's blend is comprised of 33% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 19% Malbec, 16% Petit Verdot and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, each contributing their own unique aromas and flavours to the collective.
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#T5 - Cassini Cellars 2013 The Aristocrat - 93pts
This is a world class, single-vineyard, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Southern Okanagan showing excellent typicity for the variety and aged in French oak barrels. Look for ripe cassis and elegant vanilla aromas on the nose with some added spicy-savoury notes providing more layers to explore. 
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#T5 - LaStella 2013 La Sophia - 93pts
Beyond its tell-tale, Southern Okanagan watermark of dried herbs,  LaStella's "La Sophia" is a doppelgänger for the top-end Cabernet Sauvignon that come out of Washington State's Walla Walla Valley. Both complex and ultra-refined with layers of dark fruit, vanilla extract, licorice, sweet coffee grinds, mint and a hint of graphite already developing.
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#T5 - LaStella 2013 Maestoso "Solo" Merlot - 93pts
LaStella's flagship wine, Maestoso, proves that 100% Merlot wines can be as elegant and nuanced as the valley's top Cabernet Sauvignon or its heralded red blends. Harmonious layers of ripe, blackberry and dark plum fruit, vanilla fudge, spiced oak, chocolate nibs, dried herbs and light menthol aromas make the developing bouquet as equally compelling as the complex. refined palate. Intense, ultra-ripe, dark fruit dominates, supported by savoury notes; toasted oak, vanilla mocha, smokey tannins and cooking spices.
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#T8 - Painted Rock Estate Winery 2015 Chardonnay - 92+pts
From a barrel sample. A standout Chardonnay, sourced from the winery's home vineyard along the Skaha Bench, harvested in small lots and fermented separately to preserve the unique qualities of each batch. In contrast to previous vintages, 20% of the wine was aged in stainless steel tanks and underwent a softening of the acids through a secondary, malolactic fermentation. The rest of the wine was aged in an even split of 1st and 2nd fill French oak barrels with no malolactic fermentation.
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#T8 - Painted Rock Estate Winery 2013 Syrah - 92+pts
Opens with the intensity of an extracted Aussie Shiraz on the nose, though, the developing bouquet more closely resembles Syrah of the Northern Rhone with a beautiful blend of floral, fruit and savoury aromas. Layers of violet, blue fruits, smoky, cured meats, toffee, cardamom and white pepper will keep you blissfully sniffing the glass.
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#T8 - Le Vieux Pin 2014 "Cuvée Classique" Syrah - 92+pts
Like its baby sister, the 2014 "Cuvée Violette", this is feminine Syrah at its flowery, perfumed best. Though, big sister is a complex and often times moody enchantress with a powerful undercurrent of iron and peppercorn beneath layers of inviting, sweetened black cherry, black raspberry, dried flowers, incense, RC Cola, vanilla and dark chocolate aromas.
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Top Rated Wines of 2015

The following wines received the 20 highest scores on IconScores.ca during the calendar year of 2015. Release date was not considered with some wines sourced from the cellar or tasted at special events. For the list of our Top 20 Wines of 2015, where more than simply the tasting score is considered, please visit the main IconWines.ca site.

#1 - Viña Montes 2011 Montes Folly - 94+pts
Another killer Folly with an enchanting, sweetly scented nose of cherry, plum, blueberry, cola and pepper aromas complimented with elegant, toasted oak and warm earth characters. The palate is equally complex and smooth with solid structure from refined, developed tannins. Silky on the entry, creamy on the mid-palate and long'n'peppery on the finish. Fantastic.
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#2 - Le Vieux Pin 2012 Équinoxe Syrah - 92-94pts
A beast of a Syrah, yet, still feminine and floral in style. A true femme fatale with both mass and levity, opening with a gorgeous blend of black cherry, crushed violets, vanilla-mocha, white pepper, spicy plum sauce and sweet pipe tobacco aromas on the memorable nose. The intense, brooding palate follows with concentrated dark red fruit and smooth pepper flavours, effortless acidity and ripe, fine-grained tannins.
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#T3 - SynchroMesh Wines 2014 Stormhaven Vineyard Riesling - 93+pts
Yes, it's a pricey wine, especially for a variety that one usually pays in the range of $15-25 for, but tasting is believing and the Stormhaven Vineyard Riesling is an exceptional example of just how good the Germanic grape can be when it is treated with the admiration it deserves as it has by the winemaking team at Synchromesh.
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#T3 - LaStella 2012 Maestoso "Solo" Merlot - 93+pts
Look for dark berry, sweet plum, toasted oak, dark chocolate, fresh herbs, mocha, vanilla toffee, menthol and warm spice aromas followed by a medley of similar flavours on the ultra-dry palate with a strong focus on the juxtaposition of the berry and savoury characters. Berry, spice and smoke notes linger and linger and linger on the finish. Sublime.
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#5 - Fairview Cellars 2012 The Bear - 92-93pts
Ripe and refined with gorgeous, dark fruit and sumptuous, black licorice aromas supported by layers of herbs, vanilla-mocha, toasted oak, spices and violets. The palate opens with lush, ripe, blackberry and cassis fruit followed by a wave of savoury characters, similar to the profile on the nose, with additional, lifted flavours of mint and citrus peel. The finish is long with lingering traces of spices, cassis and vanilla.
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#T6 - Painted Rock Estate Winery 2014 Chardonnay - 92+pts
The 2014 edition shows signs of a long life thanks to the harmonious balance of its core elements: fruit, acid and textural characters. There is also an effortless intensity which will not only help the wine hold for many years but actually help the wine improve as the intensity is slowly dialled back to reveal layers of dried and candied fruit aromas and flavours.
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#T6 - Fairview Cellars 2010 Iconoclast - 92+pts
The 'Iconoclast' is a true reserve in the sense that winemaker/proprietor, Bill Eggert, selects his best four barrels of his estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and holds them back for an additional 12 months in barrel prior to bottling. The result is a denser and more complex Cabernet, though one that manages to retain and even elevate its dark fruit characters on the otherwise, brooding nose and the smoky-savoury palate.
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#T6 - Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2012 Meritage - 92+pts
The style of the 2012 edition of Burrowing Owl's flagship wine is a product of the hot growing conditions of the season. It's a warm, inviting, aromatic blend following a Right-Bank recipe of 43% Cabernet Franc, 28% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot. Layered and complex, but innately accessible with ripeness in the red and dark fruit aromas on the sensual nose and in similar flavours on the dry, full-bodied palate.
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#T6 - JoieFarm 2012 "En Famille" Reserve Gewurztraminer - 92+pts
A one-of-a-kind. The only true Reserve Gewurztraminer produced in BC today with unparalleled intensity and unctuousness. Classic lychee, raw honey and floral characters, dialled-up to '11', on the uber crowd-pleasing, tropical fruit-infused nose and on the lip-smacking, off-dry, juicy palate where generous citrus acidity keeps the long, spicy finish clean and balanced.
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#T6 - Black Hills Estate Winery 2013 Nota Bene - 92+pts
For Nota Bene connoisseurs, it's worth noting that the 2013 vintage sees the fabled red blend return to using Cabernet Sauvignon as the leading grape for its assemblage after a one year switch to Merlot in the driver's seat. The final blend is 49% Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc and the finished wine fits comfortably into the Nota Bene lexicon; it's big, it's intense and it's complex.
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#T6 - Cassini Cellars 2012 Cabernet Franc - 92+pts
A truly gorgeous Cabernet Franc with a winning combination of classic-Franc characters with the structure and depth that mimics a fine Cabernet Sauvignon. Sourced from a single vineyard and treated to 24 months in French oak prior to bottling, this is a full-bodied, expressive wine from the warm 2012 Southern Okanagan vintage which produced ripe tannins and intense plum and blackberry fruit aromas and flavours supported by layers of complementary sweet pipe smoke, spicy oak, crushed violet and subtle spearmint notes.
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Top 25 Rated Wines of 2014

The following wines received the 25 highest scores on IconScores.ca during the calendar year of 2014. Release date was not considered with some wines sourced from the cellar or tasted at special events. For the list of our Top 25 Wines of 2014, where more than simply the tasting score is considered, please visit the main IconWines.ca site.

#1

Glaetzer Wines 2010 Amon-Ra - 97pts
This intense, impressive specimen begins its journey to your cellar via vineyards in the Ebenezer sub-region of the Barossa Valley whose dry-grown vines range from 50-130 years of age and are cropped to a measly 1-tonne per hectare. A paltry amount that yields crazy, OMG-concentration on the sublime, rabbit-hole deep nose and the powerful-yet-refined palate.
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#2

Bodegas Vega Sicilia 2008 Pintia - 94-95pts
Vega Sicilia's "affordable" wine is sourced from the Toro region of North-Western Spain and sees 12-15 months in French and American oak (usually a 70/30 split). This 100% Tempranillo wine yields a complex nose of espresso, minerals, red fruit, sweet tobacco, leather, toasted oak, dried grass and subtle spices.
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#3

Château de Beaucastel 2011 Chateauneuf-du-Pape - 94+pts
Perhaps lacking in the power department when compared to the opulent and dense 2010, the 2011 thrives on subtle layers of sweet red and dark fruit, dry rock, fragrant flowers, warm garrique and smooth tobacco aromas and flavours. Classic, quietly intense and long with ultra-fine tannins and an elegant character.
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#4

Bodegas Muga 2009 Selección Especial - 93-94pts
This beautiful, spicy, femme-fatale from Rioja is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 7% Mazuelo and 3% Graciano and oozes sex appeal on the nose with powerful, layered aromas of pot-pourri, raspberry, cherry, anise, cardamom, vanilla, dusty rocks and toasted oak.
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#5

Painted Rock Estate Winery 2012 Red Icon - 93+pts
Though the components change year-to-year, Painted Rock's Red Icon is an exceptionally consistent, high-end blend that successfully executes its but de vie to deliver complex, New World flavours wrapped in an elegant, Old World structure.
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#6

LaStella 2011 La Sophia - 93+pts
This is near, pitch-perfect, cool-climate Cabernet with a lovely balance between its concentrated, dark berry fruit and its complex, vegetal'n'herbs components. The feminine palate is smooth with fine, ripe tannins and hints of graphite, vanilla, coffee grinds and cherry-cola. Herbs and cassis purée linger on the long, long, smoky finish. Will evolve over a decade-plus.
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#7

2007 Château Troplong Mondot - 93pts
Smoky goodness oozes from the glass, enveloping your nose in a feminine, seductive blanket of chocolate mocha, floral and graphite aromas, through which, a column of gentle, pure red fruit presses its advance. It is a charming bouquet with some age, but ultimately, still in development.
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#8

LaStella 2011 Maestoso "Solo" Merlot - 93pts
Supremely elegant and nuanced, LaStella's flagship wine, Maestoso, proves that 100% Merlot wines can be just as memorable and complete as equally priced Cabernet Sauvignon when handled with as much care and detailed attention that the Osoyoos Lake winery applies to this beautiful wine.
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#9

Painted Rock Estate Winery 2013 Chardonnay - 93pts
My favourite words for the Painted Rock Chardonnay are "consistency", "pure" and "effortless". And its the last word of the bar-setting trio that makes this wine such a stand out. The nose is generous with layers of pure fruit (orchard, citrus, tropical) supported by French oak, minerals and light brioche aromas, but it is the effortless palate that is most memorable.
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#10

Bodegas Breca 2010 Old Vines Garnacha - 92+pts
At first sniff, you might think you're about to dive into a fine Port due to the intense and matured, spicy-plum, sweet-incense and anise aromas seeping from the glass. This 100% Garnacha (Grenache) is sourced from vineyards ranging from 70-100 years old and offers an equally intense palate where the spicy-plum profile continues supported by cherry-cola, vanilla-bean and mineral notes.
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Top 25 Rated Wines of 2013

The following wines received the 25 highest scores by IconScores.ca reviewer Liam Carrier during the calendar year of 2013. Release date was not considered with some wines sourced from the cellar and at special tasting events. For the list of our Top 25 Wines of 2013, where more than simply the tasting score is considered, please visit the main IconWines.ca site.

#1
Silverback Vineyards 2011 Reserve Syrah - 99pts
Violets, tar, cherry, licorice and citrus characters galore. Glaetzer's Amon-Ra springs to mind but with more concentration and length, if that is even conceivable. Bold, rich and absolutely gorgeous, this inky-purple Syrah is sure to become a cult classic.
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#2
Silverback Vineyards 2010 Syrah - 95pts
Pulls you into its web at first sniff with layers of dark fruit, violets, tar, licorice, vanilla, subtle allspice and vibrant citrus notes. An excellent prelude to the concentrated palate that offers superb acidity and balance with fine tannins and long-lasting, spicy dark fruit flavours that role around your mouth with youthful abandon.
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#3
Silverback Vineyards 2011 Chardonnay - 94+pts
Fans of Penfold's Yattarna Chardonnay should take note as the Silverback matches the elegance and refinement of the "white Grange" at roughly half the price. Built to age with further development a guarantee. Sky's the limit. 
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#4
Silverback Vineyards 2010 Référence - 94+pts
Classic Meritage berry fruit and savoury, gun powder and Christmas cake spice flavours add complexity to the finely tuned oak treatment and proprietary yeast program that Herrold employs. Ultra fine tannins and perfect acidity levels create a wine for enjoying in its youth or for aging 15+ years.
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#5
Painted Rock Estate Winery 2010 Red Icon - 93-94pts
A seductive beast that, despite its "cool vintage" provenance, is altogether, big, brawny and supremely delicate. So well balanced and memorable - a true icon and destined to become the next must-have, collectible cult wine of BC. 
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#6
Stag's Hollow Winery 2010 Cachet No. 03 - 93+pts
The nose is pure delight with loads of sweet, smoky fruit aromas and fragrant perfume notes; a truly sexy developing bouquet. The palate is fluid, medium-plus bodied, yet intense and powerful with layers of ripe plum and blackberry fruit mixed with exotic spices and savoury characters. The finish is long and balanced and beckons your continued attention.
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#7
Meyer Family Vineyards 2011 Micro Cuvée Chardonnay - 93+pts
Both intense and restrained on the baked caramelized apple nose and leesy, orchard fruit and smoky palate. Boasting excellent acidity and a long, never-ending finish with lingering mineral and citrus flavours.
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#8
Antinori 2009 Tignarello - 93pts
This blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc delivers elegance in a glass with red fruit, cedar, spice box and anise aromas and flavours. Shows great restraint in its intensity on the smooth-textured palate delivering finesse and depth without the in-your-face concentration of its over-extracted peers.
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#9
Painted Rock Estate Winery 2012 Chardonnay - 93pts
Textured and concentrated with lush tropical, juicy melon, caramel and stonefruit characters supported by a vibrant backbone of citrus acidity and a long balanced finish of tangy, green apple, tangerine and brioche flavours. Effortless compatibility of all elements.
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#10
Tolaini 2007 Valdisanti - 92-93pts
Warm rocks, toasted oak and sweet prune notes resonate from the feminine and floral nose of this supremely enjoyable and lovably complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Added potpourri, blackberry, vanilla and anise aromas make the quietly intense, developed bouquet irresistible.
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Top 25 Rated Wines of 2012

The following wines received the 25 highest scores by IconScores.ca reviewer Liam Carrier during the calendar year of 2012. Release date was not considered with some wines from the cellar and special tasting events. For the list of our Top 25 Wines of 2012, where more than simply the tasting score is considered, please visit the main IconWines.ca site.

#1
Paul Hobbs Winery 2009 Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard - 95-97pts
Dense, complex and focused to the nth degree, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon single vineyard release nears perfection. A special occasion wine for the celebration you're expecting sometime in 2014 when this wine will start to come into its own.
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#2
Mollydooker Wines 2009 Velvet Glove 95-96pts
For a truly iconic and cellar worthy wine, the Velvet Glove Shiraz is surprisingly approachable in its youth. The massive concentration is so well refined and balanced that just a drop on your tongue will express enough character for you to remember that moment forever.
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#3
2005 Château Mouton-Rothschild - 95+pts
Mouton lives up to its mythical reputation in an exceptional Medoc vintage that sees the best wines lasting 30-40 years or longer. Dense and smoky with layers of dark fruit, tobacco, oak, dried herbs, licorice, vanilla, mint and cedar characters galore.
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#4
Silverback Vineyards 2010 Référence - 94-97pts
From a barrel sample. A blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec with concentrated-yet-gentle and endlessly-layered graphite and dark fruit flavour profile.
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#5
Silverback Vineyards 2010 Syrah - 94-96pts
From a barrel sample. A dark, intense ruby coloured Syrah with a medium purple rim and a lovely sheen. Pulls you into its web at first sniff with layers of dark fruit, violets, tar, licorice, vanilla, subtle allspice and vibrant citrus notes.
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#6
Mollydooker Wines 2009 Carnival of Love - 94-95pts
When compared to the winery's iconic Velvet Glove, the Carnival of Love shiraz is a bit more attention seeking and blatantly superb. The Avis rental cars of elite level Shiraz - it tries a little harder.
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#7
LaStella 2009 La Sophia - 93+pts
A stunning Cabernet Sauvignon that grips your attention from the first sniff of sweet, concentrated dark berry fruit and deep licorice aromas.
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#8
Le Clos Jordanne Estate Wines 2007 Le Grand Clos - 93+pts
It's Canada's most expensive Pinot Noir, but is it Canada's best? There's an argument for 'yes' with its sublime nose of cherry, plum, pepper, cinnamon and popcorn kernel aromas and with its memorable, well balanced and fine tannin filled palate of kirsch, cherry and magic marker flavours.
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#9
Painted Rock Estate Winery 2011 Chardonnay - 93pts
This beautiful, bar-setting Chardonnay effortlessly combines the inherent crispness and pure fruit expression of an un-oaked example with the elegant texture and rich body derived from 100% new French Oak.
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#10
Viña Montes 2007 Montes Folly - 93pts
The acid is up and the richness on the palate is down when compared to the utterly stunning 2006 release, yet the wine remains the champion of all South American Syrah and the wine to gauge against.
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