The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
News
100 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 IX Proprietary Red Estate is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple, it comes strutting out of the glass with flamboyant Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and plum pudding notions plus hints of spice cake, unsmoked cigars, menthol, licorice and dusty soil and accented by wafts of tar and black tea. The palate is full-bodied yet incredibly poised and vibrant with amazing freshness and very fine-grained, very firm tannins. It possesses the most provocative earthy sparks, providing arresting depth to the very long, beautifully perfumed finish. Stunning. (LPB)
Wine Description
The Story
From low yielding clonal selections originating in the Cote-Rotie and Hermitage regions of France, the IX Estate Syrah is characterized by the Old World aromatics of the Northern Rhone and a remarkably nuanced bouquet of cured meat, pepper, blackberry, coffee and acacia, graced with a black floral uplift. Its voluptuous texture, savory palate with mouthwatering tannins, and dense black color is truly irresistible, smooth and expressive. Considered “one of the most unique Syrahs being made in California today.”
Wine Information
The winter of 2016 began with steady rainfall, bringing small doses over the entire winter and ending with a very rainy beginning of March. Following a sequence of drought vintages beginning in 2012, the wet winter brought a final reprieve from dry conditions. Budbreak arrived shortly thereafter as vines began a season that restored balance to vine and soil health. Steady shoot growth followed in April, and warm weather took hold in May during the blooming period. This healthy start to the season was a blessing, but the incredible weather that followed in the summer and fall would become the story of the vintage. We began harvest under foggy conditions in the middle of September. The mild nature of the remainder of the season would serve to retain flavor nuances and accumulate heightened amounts of color in the grape skins. Fruit condition over the entirety of harvest was impeccable. Supple skinned berries bursting with flavor and color extracted to form wines of freshness and vibrancy with an intensely harmonious palate. The wines of the 2016 vintage are thrilling and multifaceted- every nuance of delectable fruit is matched by vivid notes of each distinctive terroir.
