Jeb Dunnuck's Rhone Report, June 2012

2010 Law Estate Wines Beguiling
Tasted out of barrel and a beautifully done blend of 94% Grenache and 6% Syrah, the 2010 Law Estate Wines Beguiling shows fantastic Grenache character in its kirsch, floral, licorice, and mineral-tinged bouquet. Upfront, perfumed, and even exuberant, this medium to full-bodied blend has big, dense mid-palate, superb purity, and sweet, ripe tannin that shines on the finish. Given the approachable nature and wealth of fruit, this beauty should drink well on release, yet will also have no problem evolving for 4-6 years, possibly longer. (90-93 Pts.)

2010 Law Estate Wines Sagacious
Every bit as impressive and slightly more deeply fruited and dense, the 2010 Law Estate Wines Sagacious is a barrel aged blend of 44% Grenache, 42% Syrah, and 14% Mourvedre. While it starts out reticent and black fruit driven at first, this gains complexity and floral components in the glass, showing notable clarity and freshness. Similarly styled on the palate, with a mouth filling, silky texture, excellent purity, and chewy tannin that frame the finish, this top-notch blend will drink nicely for 8-10 years. (90-93+ Pts.)

2010 Law Estate Wines Intrepid
The 2010 Law Estate Wines Intrepid is 100% Syrah aged all in French oak. Deep, dense, and more reticent than both the Beguiling and Sagacious samples, it possesses an inky color to go with direct aromas of graphite, crème de cassis, smoked meats, and earth. Very classic and structured, with solid concentration, excellent freshness, and notable balance, this serious Syrah will need 2-3 years in the cellar, and should age gracefully for a number of years. There’s loads of potential here and this will be worth the effort to track down. (92-94 Pts.)

2010 Law Estate Wines Audacious
The most tight, unyielding, and hard to evaluate at the time of the tasting, the 2010 Law Estate Wines Audacious is a blend of 44% Grenache, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, and 10% Petit Sirah that’s aged all in barrel. It shows a dense, tight profile with notions of black fruits, wild herbs, and spice giving way to a full-bodied, structured palate that certainly doesn’t lack for concentration or depth. It will be interesting to see how this shows from bottle later this year, but it will certainly be outstanding and it possesses loads of potential. (90-93+ Pts.)