J Choi

9.3

Should decant. Finesse. — 3 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2019 vintage. Last tasted 3.8.25 (9.6) and 8.19.23 (9.5). Excellent fill and great cork. Decanted and tasted after 30 minutes. Small amount of chunky sed. Medium-heavy body but starting to slowly thin out. Excellent colo(u)r. Alongside the roasted nuts and smoked meats flavors, this drops a current cola-nut driven finish. Smooth and harmonious. Love this producer along with a nod to consumers/wine trade for keeping these ridiculous pricings down. 10.10.25. — 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2022 vintage. Heavy body. Dark fruited nose. Big mouthfeel and super smooth. Eerily similar textures to recently tasted 2019 Rostaing La Landonne (9.6) and 2019 Côte Blonde (9.5) Côte-Rôties. If you're a syrah fan, you owe it to yourself to taste this at some point. 03.14.25. — a year ago

Patrice Conxicoeur

9.0

50% Grenache blanc, 35% Rolle (vermentino), 15% viognier and no oak! A masterpiece of fruits and personality. — 3 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

Tasted blind. So what follows, a 91 La Turque served blind of course. Dark tawny and opaque. Notes of black cherries, coffee, iron, mocha, blood sausage. Very masculine and powerful in the mouth. Huge wine. Guessed 1999 Rostaing Cote Blonde Cote-Rotie. — 6 years ago

Matt Nason

9.0

Waxy aromatic peaches with a beautiful vibrant acidity. Young. — 7 years ago

Stephen Osgood

9.7

From Rostaing with a Gentaz throwback label. Pure fruit. Absolutely delicious. Rotos being used but maceration time not shortened. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This 05 was a spectacular follow up bottle to the Rostaing. It’s right at the top of its peak and everything you want from a Napa Cabernet. It hit on all cylinders.

The body full, rich, lush and elegant. The tannins round and velvety. Still plenty of life left in this 2005.

Dark fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, black raspberries with subtle notes of strawberries. Warm and well layered baking spice; cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin. Soft, gentle dark spices, mocha chocolate & powder, rich semi-sweet earthiness, crushed rock powder, suede leather, tobacco, light graphite, dark withering flowers, round acidity and a big, rich, elegant, velvety polished finish that lasts minutes. — 8 years ago

with James and Christina

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2017 vintage. Opened two bottles for the FLB (Friday Lunch Bunch) and decanted both. Small amount of sed observed in both bottles. Tasted after 15 minutes and 2 hours. Medium body with medium heavy body intensity. Cinnamon, fresh mud, dark plum, allspice and tobacco coming through loud and clear. It was two bottles of this for a group of 9 or one bottle of 2019 Rostaing La Viallière for the same group... choices...3.27.26. — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

Blackcurrant and leather notes. Very savoury on the palate - a little disappointing to be honest. See previous Delectable note. I haven’t had a lot of experience with Cornas and was looking forward to this because of its stellar reputation. I have a reasonable collection of Clape Cornas in my cellar which are not ready to drink yet. To be honest this was a bit underwhelming compared to many stellar Shiraz we are lucky enough to have in Australia. Hopefully the Clape, the Rostaing and the Jamet with time in my cellar will be impressive. — a year ago

DelectableWino

9.3

Lovely French chard that spends half stainless half new French oak. Complex flavors. On the drier side — 2 years ago

Gene Buonviri

9.2

Traditional excellent Northern Rhône heritage is on display and proof is in this wine. A smooth red blend exhibiting hidden ripe berries. With an intensity to pair well with burgers and family gatherings. — 6 years ago

with Justinian

Mario Vaillancourt

8.9

The nose is floral, violets, a touch of pepper and some strawberries, a nose very reminiscent of Syrah. The mouth is medium bodied, fresh, the tannins have a soft texture and overall the wine has very good balance. Great value for this 2017 from a very good producer of Cote Rôtie that also has this Languedoc domaine. Un nez de fraises, floral aussi, violettes et une touche poivrée. La bouche, qui a une belle fraîcheur, de corps moyen avec des tannins assez veloutés est délicieuse avec un bel équilibre. Beau rapport qualité prix. — 6 years ago

Bill Bender

9.4

A thrown in after the Rhône’s, I thought this was firing strong. Silky concentrated blue fruit, smooth long focused finish. It didn’t compare to the Rostaing or Vogue Cornas but it showed better than a solid lineup of Rhône’s. Perhaps why....although Burgundy is stealing my heart....Cabernet still pleases my loins. — 7 years ago

Keith Herrick

9.3

This is great, but for a hundo+, I’ll take rostaing, jamet or even graillot. The syrah character is strongest but the subtle greenes from 10% CS is noticeable too... it also could use a few more years — 8 years ago

B Natasha Woo Ding

9.3

Juicy. Big cherry notes. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have wanted to do Alban side by side with Rostaing with a well seasoned Tri-tip. Tonight is the night.

The crowd that leans California liked the French better.

I have always thought Alban in the new world mimicked Rostaing’s style.

Both phenomenal and I enjoyed both for slightly different climate & soil reasons.

These two producers do Syrah without the heavy smoked meats & bacon fat of say Cayuse. — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three days. Best on Day 1 and 2. The 2017 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black and blue fruits; blackberries, black cherry, fig, purple flowers, black pepper, dried herbs, a touch of licorice and mix of organic and inorganic earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. FWIW, I opened this after a 2010 Rostaing “Ampodium” and the School House showed pretty well. Drink now through 2032. — a year ago

Nate Wall

Winemaker at Troon Vineyard

9.0

A Northern Rhône take on a Southern Rhône blend - less stewed fruit, more floral and herbal and nuance. Lovely. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

With BBQ Chicken & Roasted, Rosemary Potatoes on opening night of the D&S Lounge.

John Alban’s wines remind me most of all the California producers/versions of North Rhone or Côte-Rôtie wines. Côte-Rôtie translates into for us as “Roasted Slope.” I assume that’s why his craft was dubbed as the “Original Rhône Ranger.”

Although this has the roasted characterizations of those wines, this certainly has more ripe, ruby style fruits. Also, more purple & blue fruits.

John’s higher end wines, Reva & Pondora remind me of the a French producer, Rostaing. Those two vineyard productions more closely mimic the Rostaing style.

The Patrina is a good intro into Alban wines. You can tell it is a direct descendant but, for far less money. The others are better but, this carries the best wine value in their line up.

The nose reveals; roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, limestone & volcanic minerals, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender.

The body is; lush, ruby, big and like velvet. The tannins are round but, still pack, chewy, tarry, meaty tannins that are 45-50% resolved. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a good place but, will hit a peak in five to seven years. The 2010 Patrina still has room for improvement and will last another 10-15 years. It is simply wine candy. Roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices with just the right amount of palate heat, grilled meats, chestnuts, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, moist clay, limestone & gritty volcanic minerals, dry stone, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, Steeped black tea, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender. The acidity is phat & round. It holds the slightly elevated alcohol level nicely. The finish is excellent & consistent wire to wire. It’s long, ruby, candied fruits with just the right balance of earth that persists endlessly.

Just misses 9.4.

Photos of; the best room in our house for 6+ months of the year, our backyard. Aka, the D&S Lounge on Memorial Day Weekend 2020. — 6 years ago