2016 Colgin, IX Estate Syrah, Napa Valley

Lastly, the 2016 Syrah IX Estate reminds me of the otherworldly 2010 and is as profound as Syrah gets. Tasting like Guigal’s Côte Rôtie La Mouline (maybe on steroids) with its huge notes of bacon fat, spring flowers, blue fruits, barbecued meats, and incense, it’s full-bodied and massive yet also thrillingly pure, seamless, elegant, and weightless. It’s certainly approachable today yet is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

The 2016 IX Syrah Estate is very deep purple-black colored with gorgeous blackberry preserves, preserved plums, chargrill and licorice with tar, mandarin peel, Sichuan pepper and violets plus a compelling peach blossom note and a waft of wild sage. The palate is full-bodied with fantastic finesse, so plush and light on its feet and very spicy on the long, long finish.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, October 2018

At just past seven years of age, Colgin's 2016 Syrah IX Estate is beginning to show some development. There's an appealing touch of hickory smoke and hints of black olive that lend a more savory aspect to this vintage, joining notes of plum, mocha and dark chocolate on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich and yet so supple and beautifully integrated as to seem almost weightless on the lingering, licorice-tinged finish. It should continue to drink well through 2040.

This is so beautiful now and touches every millimeter of your palate with dark berries, nutmeg, hazelnuts, light chocolate, meat and smoke. Wonderful depth and length to this. Drink or hold.

Syrah made from vintage 2002 because Joe and Ann love northern Rhône wines. Deep crimson with a purple tinge. Place and grape mingled in the nose. Rather a sweet start – definitely nothing like the northern Rhône! Quite a bit of sweet liquorice. And just a little bit of leather underneath. Firm structure. Very sweet and very Napa. Rather pinched tannins for the moment. Voluptuous Syrah. (JR)