93pts James Suckling

A fresh, vivid red with lots of blackberry, blueberry and spice aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, layered and very intense. Gorgeous and serious finish. Very transparent and focused. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Drink or hold.

90+pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2015 EL red is mostly a 55/35 blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon with 10% Merlot aged for 24 months in an equal mixture of new and used French oak. It comes in at 14.7% alcohol. This, the latest release in our trilogy this issue, is a shock to the system. It handles the oak well, relatively speaking, but it is so much more primary in its fruit development that it just seems radically different. I suspect it isn't that radically different—that, when it comes around, there will be more complexity here and a more sensual feel, as with its siblings. For the moment, let's start here. Although it seems approachable in terms of its moderate tannins, this does need a few years to show all it has to show. For the moment, while this is very well done, it seems far behind the 2011.

Winemaker Notes

A complexity of aromas with red fruits, blackberry liqueur, touches of incense, and notes of mint and cedar sap. The palate is enriched by a suave and intense nose of rich mineral tension that is characteristic of limestone terroirs. A fresh finish and an extended length reveals a mature aging aptitude.

Blend: 55% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot