The fully spiced aroma acts as a pleasant introduction for this fruity Zinfandel, a true expression of 50-year-old grape vines, tucked away in the east hills of Napa Valley. A hint of black cherry and pomegranate lingers into a well-structured body that is followed by a subtle, elegant finale.
Specs
Vintage: 2016
Varietal: Zinfandel
Barrel Aging: Neutral French oak
Appellation: Napa Valley, California
Alcohol: 14%
2017 DRM Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
This magnificent 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a superb blend of three vineyards, St. Helena, Rutherford & East Sonoma Hills. A quality wine with a bold, rich Bordeaux style. Layers of ripe currant and cherry engulf your mouth to prepare for a mighty and tannic finish.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Barrel Aging: 36 months in French oak
Appellation: Napa Valley, California
Alcohol: 13.5%
2016 DRM Winery Syrah, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
Dark ruby-red in color, this Syrah is smooth upon entry and zesty on the finish, sourced from the eastern mountains of Napa Valley. Entwined with enjoyable aromas of strawberry jam and smoky oak, followed by a fine concentration of blackberry and raspberry flavors. Syrah made Bordeaux Style; experience a different style of Syrah.
Specs
Vintage: 2016
Varietal: Syrah
Barrel Aging: Neutral French oak
Appellation: Napa Valley, California
Alcohol: 14%
What’s Included
3-bottles:
1x 2016 DRM Winery “Old Vine” Zinfandel, Napa Valley
1x 2017 DRM Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
1x 2016 DRM Winery Syrah, Napa Valley Case:
4x 2017 DRM Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
4x 2016 DRM Winery “Old Vine” Zinfandel, Napa Valley
With a legacy that developed Opus One into a world-renowned icon, winemaker Daniel Manies has ventured out on his own to develop his own signature label of elegant wines.
Utilizing his classically trained authentic French Bordeaux winemaking techniques, in combination with his unique and creative approach to winemaking, Daniel has developed wines with characteristics that will amaze and delight the most discerning of tastes. With his incomparable approach to quality, these premier wines will tantalize the senses and transport you to the vineyards of Bordeaux, France with every sip.
About the Winemaker
With ancestral roots originating in France, Daniel Manies’ forefathers made their way to America in 1874. From a long history of agriculture and French heritage, Daniel has come to know that winemaking is in his blood. As a very young boy, Daniel’s family settled in Napa Valley in the early 1960s. Through a lifetime of hard work, Daniel has achieved many great goals. Beginning his career in the wine industry, earning his credentials on the stomping grounds of winery greats such as Beringer, Mondavi, and Christian Brothers, all while attending college courses, has positioned him as a valuable member of the power team that put Napa Valley on the map as the world-renowned wine region it is today.
Daniel Ray Manies (DRM) has an extraordinary winemaking resume. After 10 years working in the cellars at Robert Mondavi working alongside Tim Mondavi, in 1991 he became the first Master Cellarman for Opus One, hands-on at the start of the world-renowned iconic wine. A decade later, he took his skills to Bordeaux’s world-famous Baron Philippe de Rothschild, one of Opus One’s parent wineries, and further enriched his winemaking knowledge.
After his experience in Bordeaux, Daniel returned to Napa, first launching Chateau Manzanita Winery and finally DRM Winery, the culmination of 40 years of winemaking experience in two of the world’s premier wine regions– Napa and Bordeaux. He has devoted his entire life to the pursuit of making great wines, and his passion and sincere love for the work eventually led him to follow his intuition and create his own signature wines.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Setting: Decanted for an hour and a half. Paired with Flannery hanger.
Color: purple with rust hues when peering through light
Nose: Menthol and eucalyptus, light whiff of alcohol. (about 6 hours later trending more toward dirt)
Taste: Initially raisins trending to a white pepper finish. Not much fruit. (6 hours later lots of soil notes with not much variation throughout the palette)
Structure: Longer finish than your typical Zin. No biting tannins. Definitely, a well-made wine.
Overall impression: Given the age, this was a well-crafted bottle. However, I wasn’t a big fan. It feels past it’s prime to me. If you are into well-aged wine, this might be the offer for you.
I also wonder if I drew the short end of the stick. I’ve liked the DRM offer I previously purchased and they know how to make a good bottle. My guess is that the Cab and Syrah would be more likely to stand the test of time.
I’ll check back periodically to see if anyone has any questions.
@kookie00 unless it weren’t stored properly, doubt an 8 year old zin from a great Napa vintage is past prime. Sure, you don’t want zins ageing for too long but would be surprised if over the hill.
I bought a case of DRM last year and I really enjoyed the Syrahs. The Cabs and Zinfandel were still good structured wines, but the Syrah was my favorite in this grouping.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
DRM Winery Mixed Napa Valley Reds - $55 = 19.63%
@kaolis we ratted the Cab and it was really good. We ordered a case and I think only 2 of the cabs are remaining, the zins and syrahs went pretty quickly and we’re very enjoyable. Good QPR here! We will probably be in for another case.
Reverse Wine Snob offered up the zin April '23, $74.99 4-pack:
"…this 2016 vintage has just the right amount of age on it and is drinking beautifully right now…opens with a very pleasing aroma of black cherry, lots of dried fruit notes, vanilla, baking spice and a little balsamic. You can definitely tell it has some age on it which gives it some wonderful nuances after it has plenty of time to breathe.
Tasting reveals a very smooth and balanced Zin that features similar flavors to the nose with well-integrated spice and great depth. A bit more on the elegant side, it has very good complexity and is very pleasurable to drink. I also like that it is a bit lower in alcohol (14.0%) than your typical Zin!
It ends dry, quite long and a bit grippy and juicy with some nice secondary notes from its age. It’s drinking really excellent so I probably wouldn’t age it too much longer, but you really won’t want to anyway once you taste how good it is now! It was also just as good on day 2.
86 points. Silver Medal. Highly recommended.
Burnt sienna color. Aromas and flavors of sweet pickle juice, cherry chutney, pickled mangos, and gomae sesame with a satiny, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and an interesting, medium-long finish displaying impressions of roasted root vegetables glazed with hoisin and herbs, kombucha, and sautéed and currants mushrooms. A curious, mature, sweet and sour like Napa Cabernet that will be a good match with savory dishes.
Juicy & Smooth, Fruity, Funky, Savory, Rich & Full & New World
RWS on the syrah 5/23:
Aged three years in neutral French oak barrels, this beautiful wine, which is drinking wonderfully right now, comes from a vineyard in the eastern mountains of Napa Valley. has a bit of funkiness (not uncommon with Syrah) when it is first popped and poured but that blows off pretty quickly. It then reveals a very attractive aroma of red and dark berries plus lots of lovely spice, vanilla and much more. Tasting reveals a super smooth and balanced Syrah that features similar flavors to the nose with well-integrated spice and some lovely licorice notes.
Like the winemaker says this is a different style of Syrah and it’s super delicious. It’s one of the things we love so much about this grape variety - how many different styles it can be made in. It ends dry, a bit juicy, a bit grippy and very long. It was just as good on day 2.
Received the prized package last weekend and was looking for another opportunity to rat, but…
My bottle of 2016 Syrah was undrinkable. Unfortunately, I got a bad bottle–cork leakage, severe bricking an off-odors. We tried to sip it over three days hoping there was something of value in there but alas, not this round.
It happens! You pays your money…
For what it’s worth, the internet says this is a pretty good buy, I just can’t personally verify that.
Thanks Alice, WD & DRM for the chance. Looking forward to the next time my opportunity pops up.
Lucky enough to get a bottle of the cab for this round
Last time it was ordered we received a bottle of the zin, which was outside our usual wheelhouse. Love Napa Valley cabs generally, so I was pumped when I opened the box this time. For context I’ve been into Bordeaux lately, and my wife has preferred Italian reds.
Popped and poured first glass on Wednesday night. First thing I noticed is how much lighter this is than most big Napa Valley cabs. Ruby color, and clearly light. Cherry and smoke on the nose.
First taste is smokier than I expected, and I’d say it’s well balanced. More cherry than the nose. More like a sour cherry. Tannins are lighter than I expected, but astringent enough to be enjoyable without being too much.
Let it sit overnight and open up a bit more. It did mellow overnight but not a ton. Balance is great on it. My wife likes it a lot more the second night, I think because the tannins relaxed. I felt like the smoke came out more the second night personally.
Overall I found it quite enjoyable. More restrained than most Napa valley cabs, and I think it will be well suited to spring/summer. Has come cellar potential, but I think it leans more toward drink now.
2016 DRM Winery “Old Vine” Zinfandel, Napa Valley
Specs
2017 DRM Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
2016 DRM Winery Syrah, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$650.00/Case for 4x 2017 DRM Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley + 4x 2016 DRM Winery “Old Vine” Zinfandel, Napa Valley + 4x 2016 DRM Winery Syrah, Napa Valley at DRM Winery
About The Winery
About the Winemaker
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Apr 1 - Tuesday, Apr 2
DRM Winery Mixed Napa Valley Reds
3 bottles for $69.99 $23.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $224.99 $18.75/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 DRM Winery “Old Vine” Zinfandel
2017 DRM Cabernet Sauvignon
2016 DRM Winery Syrah
Ratting on the Zin. Thanks Alice.
Setting: Decanted for an hour and a half. Paired with Flannery hanger.
Color: purple with rust hues when peering through light
Nose: Menthol and eucalyptus, light whiff of alcohol. (about 6 hours later trending more toward dirt)
Taste: Initially raisins trending to a white pepper finish. Not much fruit. (6 hours later lots of soil notes with not much variation throughout the palette)
Structure: Longer finish than your typical Zin. No biting tannins. Definitely, a well-made wine.
Overall impression: Given the age, this was a well-crafted bottle. However, I wasn’t a big fan. It feels past it’s prime to me. If you are into well-aged wine, this might be the offer for you.
I also wonder if I drew the short end of the stick. I’ve liked the DRM offer I previously purchased and they know how to make a good bottle. My guess is that the Cab and Syrah would be more likely to stand the test of time.
I’ll check back periodically to see if anyone has any questions.
@kookie00 unless it weren’t stored properly, doubt an 8 year old zin from a great Napa vintage is past prime. Sure, you don’t want zins ageing for too long but would be surprised if over the hill.
@pjoeltyler I wouldn’t describe it as over the hill. It’s definitely drinkable. It just likely would have been best a few years ago.
@kookie00 palate…
@ttboy23 i was a few drinks in while writing this
I bought a case of DRM last year and I really enjoyed the Syrahs. The Cabs and Zinfandel were still good structured wines, but the Syrah was my favorite in this grouping.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
DRM Winery Mixed Napa Valley Reds - $55 = 19.63%
Link to the previous 12/22 offer that included the zin and syrah:
DRM
@kaolis All 3 offered 3/23:
More DRM
@kaolis we ratted the Cab and it was really good. We ordered a case and I think only 2 of the cabs are remaining, the zins and syrahs went pretty quickly and we’re very enjoyable. Good QPR here! We will probably be in for another case.
Reverse Wine Snob offered up the zin April '23, $74.99 4-pack:
"…this 2016 vintage has just the right amount of age on it and is drinking beautifully right now…opens with a very pleasing aroma of black cherry, lots of dried fruit notes, vanilla, baking spice and a little balsamic. You can definitely tell it has some age on it which gives it some wonderful nuances after it has plenty of time to breathe.
Tasting reveals a very smooth and balanced Zin that features similar flavors to the nose with well-integrated spice and great depth. A bit more on the elegant side, it has very good complexity and is very pleasurable to drink. I also like that it is a bit lower in alcohol (14.0%) than your typical Zin!
It ends dry, quite long and a bit grippy and juicy with some nice secondary notes from its age. It’s drinking really excellent so I probably wouldn’t age it too much longer, but you really won’t want to anyway once you taste how good it is now! It was also just as good on day 2.
tastings.com pulled the cork on the '17 cab 8/23:
86 points. Silver Medal. Highly recommended.
Burnt sienna color. Aromas and flavors of sweet pickle juice, cherry chutney, pickled mangos, and gomae sesame with a satiny, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and an interesting, medium-long finish displaying impressions of roasted root vegetables glazed with hoisin and herbs, kombucha, and sautéed and currants mushrooms. A curious, mature, sweet and sour like Napa Cabernet that will be a good match with savory dishes.
Juicy & Smooth, Fruity, Funky, Savory, Rich & Full & New World
RWS on the syrah 5/23:
Aged three years in neutral French oak barrels, this beautiful wine, which is drinking wonderfully right now, comes from a vineyard in the eastern mountains of Napa Valley. has a bit of funkiness (not uncommon with Syrah) when it is first popped and poured but that blows off pretty quickly. It then reveals a very attractive aroma of red and dark berries plus lots of lovely spice, vanilla and much more. Tasting reveals a super smooth and balanced Syrah that features similar flavors to the nose with well-integrated spice and some lovely licorice notes.
Like the winemaker says this is a different style of Syrah and it’s super delicious. It’s one of the things we love so much about this grape variety - how many different styles it can be made in. It ends dry, a bit juicy, a bit grippy and very long. It was just as good on day 2.
fwiw
Hi Folks,
Received the prized package last weekend and was looking for another opportunity to rat, but…
My bottle of 2016 Syrah was undrinkable. Unfortunately, I got a bad bottle–cork leakage, severe bricking an off-odors. We tried to sip it over three days hoping there was something of value in there but alas, not this round.
It happens! You pays your money…
For what it’s worth, the internet says this is a pretty good buy, I just can’t personally verify that.
Thanks Alice, WD & DRM for the chance. Looking forward to the next time my opportunity pops up.
cheers,
Lucky enough to get a bottle of the cab for this round
Last time it was ordered we received a bottle of the zin, which was outside our usual wheelhouse. Love Napa Valley cabs generally, so I was pumped when I opened the box this time. For context I’ve been into Bordeaux lately, and my wife has preferred Italian reds.
Popped and poured first glass on Wednesday night. First thing I noticed is how much lighter this is than most big Napa Valley cabs. Ruby color, and clearly light. Cherry and smoke on the nose.
First taste is smokier than I expected, and I’d say it’s well balanced. More cherry than the nose. More like a sour cherry. Tannins are lighter than I expected, but astringent enough to be enjoyable without being too much.
Let it sit overnight and open up a bit more. It did mellow overnight but not a ton. Balance is great on it. My wife likes it a lot more the second night, I think because the tannins relaxed. I felt like the smoke came out more the second night personally.
Overall I found it quite enjoyable. More restrained than most Napa valley cabs, and I think it will be well suited to spring/summer. Has come cellar potential, but I think it leans more toward drink now.