Qupe, Bien Nacido Syrah, Santa Maria Valley

Best 90+ minutes in, still in fantastic fettle

2010 vintage

Fantastic nose with great garrigue balance!

2010 vintage

A nose that had a promising earth and fruit balance fell flat on the palate. Just not much complexity or interest there. Disappointing. Given the ratings of others here on CT (which were a big factor in my decision to purchase this wine), I even wonder if we had a bad bottle. No obvious evidence of that though.

2010 vintage

From a magnum. I found this to be lighter bodied than I would have expected, still packing some punch of course and not for the oak-averse. Notes of black and red fruit, white pepper and some olive. No rush, should have 15+ years left, at least in a large format.

2010 vintage

Muted nose, mostly ripe red fruit, with hints of meat, anise, and warm baking spice. The front of the palate is dark and earthy, which gives way to mild notes of tar and minerals . There is a lot of grip at the back of palate which gets stronger thru the finish.

2010 vintage

Delicious raspberry colour. Very leggy. Syrah spice on the nose. Touch of meatiness, slightly smokey but actually there's a real purity of fruit coming through. Fully developed. The palate is focused with good acidity and a whack of spice. Some coffee notes with tart red fruit. This hasn't been over extracted either. This is more old world in many areas apart from the intensity of Syrah fruit. Finish is OK but at 13.5% it's not going to be a blockbuster …

2010 vintage

Holy caramel macchiato. The level of caramel oak on the nose scares me a little (is this American oak??). Well the nose was a false alarm- this is a great Syrah. Light, more traditional texture. Good acidity. Hot summer day vibe, strong notes of pistachio. Yum.

2010 vintage

Will buy again. hope the 2015's are as good as the 2010.

2010 vintage

What a great Syrah. Really enjoyed the pepper notes on the palate. This was so nice to drink. It went perfectly with pasta and meatballs in my homemade sauce. My one regret was the rather short finish.

2010 vintage

Maybe it’s the bottle, maybe it’s two additional years but the nose has grown more mature and with emphasis on cold meats, black olives. Day one it’s slightly discombobulated and thin on the middle, and I wonder if it’s over the top. Day two it’s more in one place and very good. Beetroots, milk chocolate, velvety texture, crushed black pepper, finish is not so long. But drinking very nicely. The beetroots and the short finish makes me believe it’s better …

2010 vintage

Dark ruby. Intense nose dominated by cured meat and funk. Add red fruits and spices on the cool palate. Ready to drink Northern Rhône ranger. Excellent quality/price ratio.

2010 vintage

Great quality for the price. Really lovely wine that's drinking beautifully now. Did a side by side with a few other 10s from CA and this one was the favorite for those who prefer more Northern style wines

2010 vintage

Drinking extremely well. Deep maroon with a tart, peppery punch associated with Northern Rhones.

2010 vintage

toasty oak dominates, fading cherry, saddle leather, hint of mint, slightly tart / acidic finish. Big, complex wine. 91 pts.

2010 vintage

This is a really nice, classic Syrah. Reminds me a Crozes-Hermitage. I agree with JNEWMAN77's comments, but didn't pick up on plum. Lively acidity, plenty of fruit but never "jammy". Best with some air / on the second night.

2010 vintage

Delicious. Nose with blackberry, plum, blueberry pie, spice, pepper, violet, and just a hint of smoke. The palate is fresh, mouth watering with lovely acidity, has lots of dark fruit, floral, and savory hints, and well integrated tannins. As before, a great value Syrah that is well balanced, food friendly, and delicious. Likely still on the upswing and could get better with more development.

2010 vintage

It smells like blueberry, black olive, black pepper, plum, sandalwood, tobacco, fig, blackberry, stems, red currant, alcohol/hot, prune, medium toast, cherry and clove. The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow.

2010 vintage

Not as good as some other bottles I've had of this ... although I'm wondering if I'm confusing it with the Hillside Select ... which is a whole different ballgame.

2010 vintage

Delicious. Dark fruit, smoky, meaty, savory. Nicely balanced with good acidity keeping things pretty taut. Well integrated tannins. Definitely will continue to be good for years. Great food wine.

2010 vintage

The nose is vinous and open and it pulls you in. There's the garrigue of a classic chateauneuf du pape, the gamey character of a gevrey chambertin with some age on it, the stringent berries of a young medoc wine in classic style, but most of all it's the perfume of a brilliant cote rotie. On the palate it does not disappoint, more of Syrah with some meat and pepper. Balance, acidity is there, but also a lot of sweet …

2010 vintage

Continues to be very good. Nose is savory, meaty, has charcoal, dark fruits, and violet. Palate is great with lots of dark fruit, smoke, bacon, and floral flavors. The tannins are nicely integrated and there is lively acidity to keep this fresh. Should still hold or improve for at least 10 more years given the balance.

2010 vintage

This is an excellent value. It has plenty of sappy fruit that never goes over to the cloying. There is good acid balance and gentle tannins. The mid palate shows a touch of menthol, and there is a faint savory note on the finish. It's quite easy to drink, and IMO as good as many California Syrahs that cost twice as much or more.

2010 vintage

Still a funky smell, white pepper, better 2nd day. www.winelx.com

2010 vintage

Nose is meaty with spice box, pepper, and a faint trace of rubber toy. Very brooding. Meatiness is less pronounced on the palate, more of an iodine/ ink and black olive flavor framed by restrained black fruit. For all its dark flavors the mid-palate shows a bright limestone minerality that provides some lift. There is also a brambly, almost herbal characteristic. Finishes medium but lingers. Tannins are mild at most. Good to Very Good

2010 vintage

Totally enjoyable, PNP'd through a Soiree, the nose is dark fruit, the color is purple, the palate is blueberry, leather and a hint of spices. The finish is medium but does not distract from the overall QPR.

2010 vintage

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Qupe, Bien Nacido Syrah, Santa Maria Valley

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