JEB DUNNUCK 98 POINTS - "Founded by John Alban in the mid-1980s, Alban Vineyards was the first estate in California dedicated exclusively to Rhône varieties and remains one of the world’s great wine estates. Based at the far end of the Edna Valley, it stands alone in the region, producing wines of a quality unmatched for miles in any direction. While vintages here sometimes echo the broader Central Coast, they just as often chart their own course, resulting in singular wines with a character all their own."
"Black raspberries, cassis, spring flowers, pepper, and spicy oak are just some of the nuances in the 2020 Syrah Lorraine, a more feminine style yet powerful Syrah that's full-bodied, has ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It's an interesting mix of the inherent elegance of this cuvée and the power and richness of the 2020 vintage at this estate. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047."
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "John Alban is a pioneer through and through, having spearheaded the Rhône Ranger movement and set into motion what would become some of the Central Coast's most sought-after bottlings, both through his eponymous label and those he inspired and mentored. The Alban wines are unapologetically style-driven, anchored around ripe, forward fruit intensity and the equally unabashed use of extended élevage in new French oak. Although they remain primarily full-throttle examples of the Edna Valley, recent vintages have seen many wines reeled in from some of their prior hedonism, most notably the signature trio of vineyard-designate Syrahs."
"Tasted as a final blend to be bottled in June, the 2020 Syrah Lorraine is a concentrated and opulent example of this bottling that still manages nuance. Always a more deft, understated bottling within the Alban roster, the oak treatment and overall ripeness that tend to define these wines are clearly present, although a red-fruited core of supple succulence is discernible. The palate skews toward the more angular and focused side of the ledger, transitioning to a pleasing, grippy finish that doesn't show all its cards at once."
"Black raspberries, cassis, spring flowers, pepper, and spicy oak are just some of the nuances in the 2020 Syrah Lorraine, a more feminine style yet powerful Syrah that's full-bodied, has ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It's an interesting mix of the inherent elegance of this cuvée and the power and richness of the 2020 vintage at this estate. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2027-2047."
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "John Alban is a pioneer through and through, having spearheaded the Rhône Ranger movement and set into motion what would become some of the Central Coast's most sought-after bottlings, both through his eponymous label and those he inspired and mentored. The Alban wines are unapologetically style-driven, anchored around ripe, forward fruit intensity and the equally unabashed use of extended élevage in new French oak. Although they remain primarily full-throttle examples of the Edna Valley, recent vintages have seen many wines reeled in from some of their prior hedonism, most notably the signature trio of vineyard-designate Syrahs."
"Tasted as a final blend to be bottled in June, the 2020 Syrah Lorraine is a concentrated and opulent example of this bottling that still manages nuance. Always a more deft, understated bottling within the Alban roster, the oak treatment and overall ripeness that tend to define these wines are clearly present, although a red-fruited core of supple succulence is discernible. The palate skews toward the more angular and focused side of the ledger, transitioning to a pleasing, grippy finish that doesn't show all its cards at once."
