STEVE TANZER’S International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 2007

90 points. Inky purple. Wild berries, spiced plum and tobacco on the nose, with a strong peppery component adding complexity. Very syrah, with firm dark berry and bitter cherry flavors and slow-building spiciness. Finishes sweet and long, with an exotic violet pastille quality. This is awfully suave

FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE’S BUYING GUIDE 2008
3 stars
Juicy, broad and intensely flavored, this wine has generous amounts of blackberries, blueberries, herbs and spice.

California GRAPEVINE, October - November 2007

Medium-dark to dark ruby;  attractive, intense, youthful, plummy, sweet blackberry and blueberry fruit aroma with hints of graphite and dark chocolate; full body; rich, intense, concentrated, slightly viscous, mouth-filling, ripe blackberry fruit flavors; full tannin; lingering aftertaste.  Rather youthful and should continue to develop depth and complexity with bottle aging.  Very highly recommended.

THE TRIBUNE, San Luis Obispo, Sept. 26, 2007
Laurie Daniel, wine columnist picks

By Paso Robles standards, the Hope Family Vineyard is in a fairly cool spot:  the Templeton Gap region on the west side.  So even thought this syrah is fairly ripe, it has some spicy cool-climate characteristics.  It’s rich and dense, with juicy black raspberry fruit, a nice peppery note and firm tannins.

 

ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE, August 2007

91 points. Drink 2007-2017
Intense, and rich. Aromas of white chocolate, barbecue smoke, creme de cassis, pepper, and tar jump from the glass of this tightly knit, full-bodied, well-structured, concentrated effort. A Provencal-like tapenade character is also found in the flavor profile. Drink this expressive, powerful Syrah over the next 7-10 years.