Donelan, Cuvee Christine Syrah, Sonoma Valley

Donelan · California › Sonoma Valley › United States of America

Red · Syrah
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LWIN 1361876
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
90 /100
Reviews
20
professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

NV

Community Reviews

25
25
Reviews
90.4
Avg Score
93
Highest
Taster #9284 · Mar 24, 2025
Corked. All agreed including the tca expert at the table. Too bad, still some fruit poking through the flaw.
2008 vintage
Taster #8875 · Apr 27, 2024
93/100
From magnum. Score consistent but with a much more developed wine. Thrilled with the aging durability and complexity of this bottling.
2008 vintage
Taster #3633 · Apr 27, 2019
92/100
Consistent with previous tasting notes. I think if I was tasting this blind, I'd almost certainly think this was a CdP - the fruit and funk are there in just the right proportions.
2008 vintage
Taster #8875 · Nov 1, 2017
93/100
Once the smoke blows away, great fruit and great wine. More life left for sure
2008 vintage
Taster #0830 · May 7, 2017
89/100
This one feels like it may be thinning out a bit, with age, based on other reviews. Tasty though. Good mushroomy nose, earthy with dark fruit on the tongue. Decent. Truly.
2008 vintage
Taster #3633 · Oct 23, 2016
91/100
Consistent with previous tasting notes.
2008 vintage
Taster #1510 · Dec 4, 2014
91/100
A dark garnet color. The first observation on the nose is roasted game meat; then other aromas of blackberry, black currant, hints of bacon fat and road tar, leather, herbs and oak. Similar flavors, with the addition of black pepper. Tannins are not totally resolved and leave an acidic feeling on the tongue. Good structure. Good fruit intensity and richness. A medium-long finish. Better with food, i.e. a NY steak. 24 hours later: a lot smoother and velvety in the …
2008 vintage
Taster #5790 · Nov 30, 2014
93/100
As good as a complex burgundy....
2008 vintage
Taster #3633 · Sep 14, 2014
90/100
Consistent with previous tasting notes.
2008 vintage
Taster #8269 · Dec 24, 2013
91/100
Intense, thick and inky Syrah.
2008 vintage
Taster #1510 · Dec 15, 2013
92/100
Dark garnet color. Initially, some game meat on the nose, which blew off after awhile. Then, aromas and flavors of blackberry, black currant, raspberry, black pepper, black pencil lead, spice, herbs, oak. The tannins are fairly resolved. Decent structure and balance. Soft and velvety in the mouth; no heat this time. A long finish that is subdued. The wine seems more mature than when last tasted just over two years ago. This time it paired nicely with wild boar chili, …
2008 vintage
Taster #9960 · Mar 31, 2013
75/100
Tastes like olives, tomato juice, and bacon... completely fallen apart.
2008 vintage
Taster #0184 · Dec 29, 2012
91/100
Not sure why such a difference from the bottle opened on 10/21/2012 but this one was much better. The excess acidity that appeared in the first bottle was non-existent in this bottle. Luscious nose of red and dark fruits, pepper, smoke. Tannins well balanced. Needed 45 mins decant. Long tasty finish. Wish I had more! (Doris enjoyed this wine)
2008 vintage
Taster #7047 · Nov 26, 2012
No detailed notes taken, but just an impression that my last bottle of this wine showed better in its youth. The lush fruit seems to be fading, leaving behind a smoky astringency from the barrel treatment. Consume this cuivée within 3 years of vintage date in the future.
2008 vintage
Taster #0184 · Oct 21, 2012
89/100
Medium body and flavors. Luscious nose of red and dark fruits, pepper, smoke. A thread of acidity ran through the wine, detracting from the fruit and other flavors. Tannins well balanced. Needed 45 mins decant. Long tasty finish.
2008 vintage
Taster #7047 · Jul 29, 2012
Decanted about a half hour before drinking. Dark ruby color. The nose indicates a lot of blackberry and some smoke. First taste, big wine with impressive concentration, but this is not as fruit forward as last time I had it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, except the barrel treatment is quite obtrusive at this stage. Some blackberry and plum hiding behind leather, a hint of green olive, then it's black pepper smoky charcoal all through the finish. Tannins are …
2008 vintage
Taster #4485 · Jun 25, 2012
92/100
Showing a lot more vanilla than the last time I had this vintage.
2008 vintage
Taster #7790 · Jun 21, 2012
93/100
Wonderful earthy nose. Mix of vanilla, mixed berries, and spice. The tannins were subdued by my meal of ribs. Smooth long finish. Still young, this wine is much better than last time I tasted it.
2008 vintage
Taster #8269 · Jun 7, 2012
93/100
This delicious Rhone styled Syrah is better with its lush, leathery taste that many Rhone wines. WOW!
2008 vintage
Taster #3633 · Apr 8, 2012
92/100
Decanted and consumed over the course of a day. In the glass, somewhat opaque indigo-purple. On the nose, initially horse crap, but that blew off after a few minutes to reveal a mix of crushed raspberries and grenache liqueur (interesting since I think this is 100% syrah). On the palate, right after the decant, this was muted, with a touch of fruit and a clipped finish. After a couple of hours, the palate opened up to reveal a pleasant silky …
2008 vintage
Taster #1510 · Oct 30, 2011
92/100
Decanted a couple of times. A dark garnet color (not inky though). Aromas of blackberry, raspberry, earth, black pepper, tar, black pencil lead, spice, herbs. Smooth, velvety feeling in the mouth - tannins are are somewhat subdued. Could be a trace of Cote de Nuits style in the mouth. A little heat on the back palate. About a 15+ seconds finish. Pairs nicely with prime N.Y. steak - 2nd night in a row for steak for me! I have a …
2008 vintage
Taster #3860 · Oct 2, 2011
Drinking well.
2008 vintage
Taster #7006 · Mar 30, 2011
I remember this as being very dark fruit driven, cheek coating tannins and a lot of oak.
2008 vintage
Taster #9746 · Mar 20, 2011
86/100
Not as feral as the '07 Pax Christine. Still seems a bit agressively stemmy and tannic, but muted by a sweet overlay. An awkward wine, or at least at an awkward stage. Am a bit thrown by my own tasting note on this from over a year ago, but that was from a long, long night of drinking Donelans.
2008 vintage
Taster #6097 · Dec 11, 2010
90/100
Nose of alcohol, leather, red fruit, oak, spice. In the mouth; brambly red fruit (very primary) vanilla and spice. Finishes with a ton of mouth sucking tannins. Lots of potential here. Its a baby now.
2008 vintage