Recent Accolades

VERSION (RHONE STYLE RED) 2005
Double Gold, The 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Class: Rhone Other Varietals/Blends.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIKING ESTATE RESERVE 2004
90 points, The Wine Enthusiast - April 2008.
Gold Medal, The 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Class: Cabernet Sauvignon, $45 and Over.

PINOT NOIR HMR ESTATE 2005
Silver Medal, The 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Class: Pinot Noir, $25 to $34.99.

ROUSSANNE/GRENACHE BLANC (RHONE STYLE WHITE) 2005
90 points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
"The ripe, medium-bodied 2005 Grenache Blanc/Roussanne (57% and 43% respectively) exhibits excellent aromas of flowers, rosewater, white citrus, and orange rind as well as plenty of richness, acidity, and freshness. Consume it over the next 2-3 years."
Best of Class, Gold Medal, The 2007 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Class: Rhone Style White Blends.
Silver Medal, The 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Class: Other White Varietals/Blends

VIOGNIER 2005
89 points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
" enjoyed the floral-styled 2005 Viognier Glenrose Vineyard’s elegance, restraint, and minerality. This medium-bodied effort is not the typical overweight, flabby style of Viognier often found in California. With a bit more depth, it would have merited an outstanding rating. It should drink well for 2-3 years."

RHONE STYLE WHITE (ROUSSANNE, GRENACHE BLANC) 2004
90 Points, Wine Advocate, Issue 166, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2006.
"My favorite white here is the 2004 Rhone Style White, which is a blend of 52% Roussanne and 48% Grenache Blanc. Honeyed grapefruit, lemon butter, rosewater, fig, and spice notes jump from the glass of this savory, medium to full-bodied, fleshy offering. With good underlying acidity, it would be a perfect foil for a fleshy, Copper River salmon."

VIOGNIER 2004
90 Points, Wine Advocate, Issue 166, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2006.
"The flamboyant 2004 Viognier Glenrose Vineyard's litchi nut and rose petal-scented nose is followed by deep, full-bodied flavors, excellent ripeness, and a fleshy texture as well as finish."

VERSION (RHONE STYLE RED) 2004
90 points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
"The medium ruby-hued 2004 Version Proprietary Red is a blend of 34% Mourvedre, 22% Syrah, 18% Grenache, 14% Counoise, and 12% Cinsault from the Glenrose Vineyard. This is a complex, dark ruby-hued red displaying a big, sweet nose of spice box, pepper, plums, currants, loamy soil, and leafy vegetation. Lush, round, and nearly opulent, this is a seductive, fairly priced effort to enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Bravo!"

SYRAH VIKING ESTATE RESERVE 2004
90 points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
"The most structured, aromatic, complex, and richest is the 2004 Syrah Reserve Viking Estate Vineyard. Copious quantities of black raspberry jam-like notes intermixed with cassis, spring flowers, licorice, and earth emerge from this medium to full-bodied effort. Good freshness and length suggest it will last for 5-6 years."

SYRAH CHELLE MOUNTAIN RESERVE 2004
89points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
"The coolest climate effort, the 2004 Syrah Reserve Chelle Mountain Vineyard exhibits notes of underbrush, menthol, olives, berries, and plums. A limited production cuvee, it possesses a dark ruby color, medium body, and a 2-3 year window of drinkability."

SYRAH GLENROSE RESERVE 2004
89points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
"Soft, sensual and ripe is the 2004 Syrah Reserve Glenrose Vineyard. Notes of sweet currants, black cherries, figs, earth, and spice dominate this round, generous, medium-bodied Syrah. It is ideal for drinking over the next 4-5 years."

GRENACHE GLENROSE VINEYARD 2004
89 points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
"The 2004 Grenache Glenrose Vineyard tastes like strawberry/cherry pie with a touch of pepper and herbs. Although not complex, it is a sexy red possessing loads of fruit, a lush texture, and abundant alcohol and glycerin. Drink it over the next 3-4 years."

SCHOOLHOUSE SYRAH 2004
87 points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 172, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2007.
"The medium-bodied, elegant 2004 Syrah Schoolhouse, which is fashioned from various westside Paso Robles vineyards, offers up notes of black olives, plums, currants, and pepper that bring to mind a French Cotes du Rhone. Drink it over the next 2-3 years."

SYRAH VIKING ESTATE RESERVE 2003
91 Points, Wine Advocate, Issue 166, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2006.
"From a limestone vineyard planted in 1992, the impressive, dark ruby/purple-tinged 2003 Syrah Reserve Viking Vineyard boasts a beautifully pure bouquet of white flowers, blackberries, and a hint of toasty oak. Full-bodied, structured, and rich with ripe tannin, abundant fruit, and plenty of extract, this dense, well-balanced Syrah will drink well for a decade."

SYRAH GLENROSE RESERVE 2003
Gold Medal, Tasters Guild International - 2006.
"Established in 1987, TASTERS GUILD consists of over 55 active chapters throughout the country that bring together consumers, wine, food and the wine and food service industries . . . TASTERS GUILD conducts an Annual International Wine Judging in the spring when hundreds of newly released wines are judged by panels of experts." ~ Tasters Guild International
Gold Medal, The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition - 2006.
"A good competition depends upon qualified judges. We invite people who work with wine on a daily basis; restaurateurs, wine stewards, retail wine buyers, wine and food writers, enologists, as well as a few very knowledgeable consumers." ~ Dallas Morning News Wine Competition

PINOT NOIR HMR ESTATE 2003
Recommended, Bon Appetit Magazine - October 2005.
89 Points, One Puff, Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine - June 2006.
"Impressive aromas of ripe cherries topped with a rich dollop of creamy oak and hints of caramel find an exacting parallel in the wine's entry flavors. It is fairly full on the palate with an early bit of inviting suppleness before drying ever so slightly in the latter going. Bottle age might provide a cure to its finishing shortness, and we would recommend that course in the hope that a fully refined potion would emerge."

SLO SYRAH 2003
87 Points, Wine Advocate, Issue 166, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - August 2006.
"The soft 2003 Syrah SLO DeBro Vineyard offers loads of berry fruit along with hints of road tar, pepper, and charcoal, soft tannin, low acidity, and a fleshy, plump character. It is best consumed over the next 3-4 years."

CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIKING ESTATE RESERVE 2002
Recommended, Decanter Magazine - California Supplement.
"Great Terroir-Driven Cabernets".
92 Points, Gold Medal, Beverage Testing Institute - 2006.
"Brilliant ruby red-violet hue. Bright, jammy cherry, currant, charred oak, and iris aromas. Medium-full with very ripe and forward black cherry and black raspberry fruit, this offers nice richness on the palate, balanced oak, supple tannins and lively fresh fruit acidity. Polished, tasty, and totally approachable now, but will round out even more in the cellar for a couple of years."

CABERNET SAUVIGNON HMR/VIKING ESTATE RESERVE 2002
91 Points, Gold Medal, Beverage Testing Institute - 2006.
"Brilliant ruby red-violet hue. Black cherry, black currant, tobacco and clove aromas. Medium-full with very good concentration of ripe, tasty black cherry and black currant fruit, this has subtle tobacco and black spice notes and a lengthy, fruit-packed finish with refined tannins, nicely integrated oak and lively acidity."

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2002
90 Points, Gold Medal, Beverage Testing Institute - 2006.
"This underrated producer from San Luis Obispo has made another excellent Cabernet Sauvignon with plenty of ripe black fruit and light spice. The elegant finish makes this a fine partner for leg of lamb or roast pork."

PINOT NOIR HMR ESTATE 2002
91 Points, Two Puffs, Good Value, Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine - February 2005.
"Nicely fruited and very well-focused from its first sniff through to its lengthy finish, this impeccably balanced wine gets its admirable ratings without resorting to blatant ripeness or excessive oak. Its touches of vanillin spice serve as a comfortable counterpoint to its ongoing themes of juicy red cherries, and its supple, slightly velvety feel is the stuff of very good Pinot Noir. If certainly capable of getting better over the next few years, it is delicious right now and invites near-term enjoyment."

RHONE STYLE WHITE (ROUSSANNE, GRENACHE BLANC) 2002
90 Points - Editors' Choice, Wine Enthusiast Magazine - October 2005.
"An exciting Rhone white, oaky and rich in flamboyant tropical fruit, wildflower and spicy flavors. This big, flashy, opulent wine is a blend of Roussanne and Grenache Blanc."
92 Points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 159, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - June 2005.
"The impressive light green/gold-colored 2002 Roussanne/Grenache Blanc (44% of the former and 56% of the latter) reveals a white Hermitage-like character with hints of white currants, licorice, flowers, and stone fruits. Possessing a full-bodied, authoritative style, it should drink well for 2-3 years."

SYRAH VIKING ESTATE RESERVE 2002
91 Points, Two Puffs, Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine - July 2006.
"Every bit as big and as potent as the best of its cellarmates, this deep, very well-extracted and highly ripened, inky wine exhibits the best and most plentiful fruit of its clan with loads of berries and savory spice at the core of its expansive flavors. Subtlety is not in its nature, but its sense of layering is surprising for such a ripe wine, and its compelling richness more than compensates for the heat that comes on at the end."
91 Points, The Wine Advocate, Issue 159, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - June 2005.
"The 2002 Syrah Reserve Viking Estate exhibits a saturated color in addition to smoky, blackberry, and black tea aromas intermixed with notions of lard, oak, and underbrush. Pure and ripe, with a tightly-knit, structured, big personality, it requires another 1-2 years of bottle age, and should drink well for a decade."

SYRAH 2002
90 Points, Wine Advocate, Issue 159, Robert M. Parker, Jr. - June 2005.
"Readers seeking an open-knit Syrah, with abundant notes of bacon fat and smoke should check out the 2002 Syrah from three vineyards, Glenrose, DeBro, and Viking. This medium-bodied, elegant effort offers attractive perfume, finesse rather than power, and admirable purity as well as depth. Drink it over the next 3-4 years."

CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIKING ESTATE RESERVE 2000
92 Points, Gold Medal, Beverage Testing Institute - 2004.
"Brilliant ruby red hue. Black currant, plum, nutmeg and oak aromas. Medium-full with excellent concentration, this is a very well made wine offering a generous mid-palate with layers of flavor and a finish that has nicely integrated oak and youthful tannins."