JEB DUNNUCK 97+ 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. A defining feature of the cellar is a long four-year élevage, which lends the wines their depth, exotic richness, and extraordinary ability to age."
"The 2021 Pandora brings more breadth and opulence while staying in the focused, chiseled style of the vintage. Black raspberries, pepper, garrigue, and sappy, floral notes all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a dense, structured mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's going to need time, but it's brilliant. Drink 2027-2041."
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA96 POINTS - "The dynamic estate sits directly atop a fault line that creates a kaleidoscopic array of soils. Plantings include suitcase clones of Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne and Viognier, along with a tiny parcel of Mourvèdre. Different versions of Alban clone have been propagated far and wide in California and are revered for their ability to generate wines of power and density. As for the wines themselves, the reds are done with completely destemmed fruit and aged for sometimes as long as four years in a large proportion of new French oak. That treatment yields powerful, brooding wines that at times in the past have been heavily extracted and right on the edge of ripeness. However, the 2021s tasted for this report reflected great finesse, incredible complexity and a definitive move towards a fresher style. These are still very modern wines in the California canon, but they are undeniably fabulous. Don’t sleep on Alban Vineyards."
"The dark-purple-hued 2021 Grenache Pandora comes from a block at the very top of the estate. It pours a deep purple hue. Powerful and focused, it delivers layers and layers of rich blackberry fruit, black tea, lavender, sage and white pepper. It's so plush and so enveloping—a sensual but structured beauty. Ultra-fine tannins keep the finish upright. The 2021 is a wine of exceptional polish."
"The 2021 Pandora brings more breadth and opulence while staying in the focused, chiseled style of the vintage. Black raspberries, pepper, garrigue, and sappy, floral notes all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a dense, structured mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's going to need time, but it's brilliant. Drink 2027-2041."
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA96 POINTS - "The dynamic estate sits directly atop a fault line that creates a kaleidoscopic array of soils. Plantings include suitcase clones of Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne and Viognier, along with a tiny parcel of Mourvèdre. Different versions of Alban clone have been propagated far and wide in California and are revered for their ability to generate wines of power and density. As for the wines themselves, the reds are done with completely destemmed fruit and aged for sometimes as long as four years in a large proportion of new French oak. That treatment yields powerful, brooding wines that at times in the past have been heavily extracted and right on the edge of ripeness. However, the 2021s tasted for this report reflected great finesse, incredible complexity and a definitive move towards a fresher style. These are still very modern wines in the California canon, but they are undeniably fabulous. Don’t sleep on Alban Vineyards."
"The dark-purple-hued 2021 Grenache Pandora comes from a block at the very top of the estate. It pours a deep purple hue. Powerful and focused, it delivers layers and layers of rich blackberry fruit, black tea, lavender, sage and white pepper. It's so plush and so enveloping—a sensual but structured beauty. Ultra-fine tannins keep the finish upright. The 2021 is a wine of exceptional polish."
