2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley
Tasting Notes
Plums, black cherry, and orange oil. The 2020 Conner Lee Syrah Collection shows intense floral and red and dark fruit aromas. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, with creamy texture and fantastic structure. Flavors of blueberry cobbler and baking spices are framed by subtle notes of oak and a lifted acidity to complete the bouquet. The wine finishes very juicy, with a fun touch of grip. A dynamic wine that you can drink now or in the next 10 years.
The Vineyard
Conner Lee began being planned in 1980. 1,085-1,164 ft elevation. Row orientation: 0 degrees North. Gentle south slope. Soil Profile: loamy fine sand to very fine sandy loam.
Gård Vintners wines are 100% estate-grown sustainably at Lawrence Vineyards, featuring 14 distinct vineyard sites. With elevations that range from 870 feet to 1,675 feet and primarily south-facing slopes, Lawrence Vineyards provide a great framework for grape production, while the diversity of each of the locations delivers a high level of complexity to Gård wines. Lawrence Vineyards is certified sustainable.
Specs
Blend: 100% Syrah
pH: 3.88
Alcohol: 15.3%
Cases 48
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Stoneridge Vineyard, Royal Slope
Tasting Notes
Black fruit, sweet tobacco, and stone fruit aromas. The 2020 Stoneridge Syrah Collection is explosive on the nose, with savory and spiced notes. The wine opens to notes of cardamom, dry figs, and oak spice. The mouthfeel is full-bodied, with huge volume and remarkable structure. Wine finishes extremely savory with notes of chartreuse liquor and lingering butterscotch. Enjoy now or in the next 10 years.
The Vineyard
Stoneridge Syrah was planted in 2000 & 2013. 845-1,775 ft elevation. Row orientation: 0 degrees north. South slope. Soil Profile: Ephrata fine sandy loam/Malaga cobbly sandy loam.
Specs
Blend: 100% Syrah
pH: 4.12
Alcohol: 14.9%
Cases Produced: 48
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Scarline Vineyard, Royal Slope
Tasting Notes
Bramble berries and ripe dark and black fruit, with a touch of menthol and flint. Swirling brings orange peel, cigar box, and wild herb aromas. The mouthfeel is sultry and complex, with beautiful texture, silky tannings, and tremendous length. The wine has a reductive composition, so the more you swirl, the better it gets. A fantastic Syrah that you can enjoy now or in the next 10 years.
The Vineyard
Scarline Syrah was planted in 2004 & 2006. 1,415-1,560 ft elevation. Row orientation: 0 degrees north. South slope. Soil profile: Adkins very fine sandy loam.
Specs
Blend: 100% Syrah
pH: 3.85
Alcohol: 15.3%
Cases Produced: 48
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Solaksen Vineyard, Royal Slope
Tasting Notes
Dark cherry, blackberry jam, and charcuterie notes. The 2020 Solaksen Syrah Collection has a sweet and meaty core surrounded by a floral lift. The wine opens to dark fruit marmalade, violets, and cedar wood. The mouthfeel is round and rich, with chalky tannins and persistent acidity. This plush Syrah shows remarkable texture and a beautifully sweet finish. Drink now or in the next 10 years.
The Vineyard
Solaksen Syrah was planted in 2013. 1,380-1,445 ft elevation. Row orientation: 25 degrees Northeast. Southeast slope. Soil Profile: Taunton fine sand loam.
Specs
Blend: 100% Syrah
pH: 3.86
Alcohol: 15.1%
Cases Produced: 48
What’s Included
4-bottles:
1x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley
1x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Stoneridge Vineyard, Royal Slope
1x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Scarline Vineyard, Royal Slope
1x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Solaksen Vineyard, Royal Slope Case:
3x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley
3x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Stoneridge Vineyard, Royal Slope
3x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Scarline Vineyard, Royal Slope
3x 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Solaksen Vineyard, Royal Slope
Gård, meaning “farm” in many of the Scandinavian languages, is a tribute to our family’s Scandinavian heritage and farming tradition.
Our mission at Gård is to capture and bottle the unique characteristics of the land we farm. We humbly craft value-driven, award-winning wines from our sustainable estate vineyards to create lasting memories for our customers. Gård Vintners is dedicated to crafting world-class wines from its sustainably farmed estate vineyard on the Royal Slope of Washington’s Columbia Valley AVA. We produce 6,000 cases a year for our wine club, three tasting rooms, and select distribution in the northwest and across the country.
Founded in 2006, Gård Vintners is a family-owned and operated estate winery in the heart of Washington’s Columbia Valley AVA, with vineyards on the Royal Slope, wine production in Walla Walla, and tasting rooms in Woodinville, Walla Walla, and Ellensburg.
The winery was founded by Josh and Lisa Lawrence, along with Josh’s dad, John Lawrence, and uncle Sandy Lawrence, who had farmed the Royal Slope for more than 40 years. The winery and estate vineyard is now owned and operated by Josh and his wife, Lisa, who oversees sales and marketing, while Josh oversees the vineyard and other farm and orchard operations.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
@davirom@ddeuddeg
Video sampling rate is causing this; very similar to how some videos of an airplane prop seem to have it rotating backwards, or wheels on cars, think NASCAR.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Gård Single Vineyard Syrahs - $70 = 25.92%
What a great surprise to receive this wonderful wine to labrat! Except for UPS taking it for an 8-hour ride on a triple-digit day, causing it to arrive at a 93 bottle temp, I have nothing but good things to report.
I opened the styrofoam to find a substantial bottle with an understated classy label prominently displaying their farmhouse logo. There is a lot of information going on: single vineyard, wine-geek soil specs, 24 cases produced, and tasting notes. There is also an etched QR-style code that may deter Rudy Kurniawan shenanigans.
Gard-branded synthetic cork popped at 68 degree temp. Instant big dark fruit aromas. Yes, there is some alcohol and it will need some time to breathe, but it was surprisingly aromatic and expressive for what I expected to be a closed and boozy nose. I opened when my parents visited, who happened to have brought Raising Cane’s. Probably not the perfect pairing, but it didn’t detract or clash at all. Pours a dark purple with crazy legs. Gard-branded synthetic cork.
Blueberries, plumcots, boysenberry, jolly-rancher cherry, candied fruit, black berries, and grape were the fruits the group picked up on. Leathery, general store / antique shop / old book aromas, peppercorns, sage / menthol, prosciutto, Kalamata olive. The wine is incredibly balanced, with a consistent taste and mouthfeel throughout the sip. It finishes clean, but lasts as if it had some blending help in that department. (It didn’t)
All of us agreed this was an incredibly well made wine that is very easy to drink. This was within 10 minutes of the bottle being opened, after taking a journey in hot temperatures. It was going fast, like great wines tend to do. I sent half home with my parents in a split bottle, and left the rest in the bottle covered with a paper towel to keep the gnats out, and waited until my better-half got home.
6 hours later, the wine was as great as before. She concurred with the aromas, but was focused on the mouthfeel and finish, finding both pleasing. She commented that the wine was “great” and “easy to drink” “nice finish.”
30 some hours later, my parents had their share with mushroom ravioli , Italian sausage & tomatoes & cucumbers in a vinaigrette. They said that the aromas had become more muted, but same descriptors. They liked very much, said the wine was not affected by the vinaigrette, and paired great with meal. Nothing bad to note.
I have a very generous glass left in the bottle, which I will try later today while the offering is live. We highly recommend this wine, with the only slightly negative thing is the fruit seems to be dissipating fairly quick with air, but that is a personal preference. The non-fruit aromas are wonderfully intriguing and the great balance and mouthfeel remains unfazed.
*Apparently, per writeup, there are 48 cases. I wonder if the label misprint helped these bottles end up here?
I knew it was going to be a mixed offer, per the low production volume. Pretty great they are all single vineyard Syrahs. Perfect for a tasting party.
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Solaksen Vineyard
First my wife and I both agreed this is the best wine we had this year.
We got to try the Solaksen Syrah and it was amazing.
Initial smell, little vanilla peak, strong scent of maraschino cherry, very specifically that candied bar cherry. The taste was surprisingly balanced since I feel like Syrah’s usually tend to be too bold/alcoholic sometimes but this one was perfect, I won’t say light because it definitely was not but it was almost drinking more like a Cabernet Sauvignon and now that I look at the chart those are right next to each other on boldness so maybe that’s normal lol. Some cherry fruit and then a slight oak and vanilla.
my wife and I usually like Gard wines already but this might be the best one we’ve had. Definitely buying a case.
Day 2 - the wine was even more well balanced with the cherry taste fading to a more baking spice oak.
I am telling you, I’ve had far too much wine this year and this was the best bottle.
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard
I’m going to do a very quick recommendation right now for what I tried: BUY THIS WINE
Late last week I received the 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley to rat. It arrived HOT. We were near 100 degrees that afternoon, and the bottle knew it! I put it in the fridge for a few hours so I could try later that night.
I will add to this later when I have more time, but for those on the fence, this bottle was one of my favorites, and I’ve tried a LOT of wine!
@kasandrae OK a little more info because I just did not have more time yesterday: It is deep and dark inky color, and tastes like the dark fruits…think plums, blackberries, black cherries, blueberries with a hint of spice and oak. The heat did not hurt this bottle. Once cooled, it was fine. I was expecting a medium body wine but it’s more of a full-bodied wine. The higher alcohol content was not obvious when sipping. This dry(er) red is everything I look for in a bottle! Bought a case!
I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve had from Gard, so this case was an easy yes (and thanks to summer hold, I have a few months to try and create some space in the cellar). If anyone in CMH wants to try and pry a 4-pack away from me feel free to reach out.
2020 Scarline Syrah – Gård Vintners (Lawrence Vineyards, Royal Slope)
Thank you so much for the rat opportunity! Smoothest arrival of a bottle yet. Received and picked up at UPS Friday which gave me enough time to sample over three days:
Day 1: Appearance: Deep garnet with purple edges—almost black in the glass. Nose (initial pour): Leather, earth, dark chocolate, and plum. Palate: DRY. I almost did a spit take and assumed a large amount of sediment. Incredibly tight and closed at first sip—probably the most shut-down wine I’ve ever had right out of the bottle. No food pairing today, just tasting on its own. Second sip was much more tolerable. Full-bodied, round texture, with long, slow legs. Started to soften with time in the glass—picked up a touch of sweetness mid-palate but still finished bone dry. Chalky tannins. There’s some complexity here—maybe three or four layers—and the finish leaves a ripe berry note that lingers nicely. Definitely feels like it could age for several years.
Day 2: Much more expressive! The wine finally opened up—fruit really started to show through (blackberry, plum), while still staying dry and savory overall. Some added black pepper on the nose. Tannins have balanced and alcohol is totally unnoticeable, which seems wild at 15.2%! Still full-bodied and structured, but far more approachable. No food again today, but it probably would’ve paired well with roasted meats or something with herbs.
Day 3: Very similar to Day 2 but fully open now—felt like it had hit its peak. Smooth, integrated, and drinking well. Some added floral notes I hadn’t noticed day 1 or 2. Finished the bottle today; don’t think it would hold up to a Day 4.
A few final notes:
Classic Washington Syrah style: bold, dark, earthy, and structured.
Needs serious air or decanting to show its best—this is not a pop-and-pour wine.
Good tannin and acid backbone—feels like it could cellar for at least another 5–8 years.
Would love to try it again with food—thinking grilled lamb, short ribs, or something with rosemary/thyme.
If this is under $30 a bottle, it’s a steal. I could drink this every day but would likely save for a special dinner.
Let me know if anyone else has tried it—I’m curious how others handled the closed first day!
So disappointed the summer hold option is sold out! I mean it’s hot everywhere! Understand not enough space to hold the cases so how about mediocre wines over the summer not the pretty decent or really good stuff everyone is concerned about? Or some mead or something? Sorry my rant fwiw!
I mean I’ll probably risk it & get a case shipped here to FL
@ChiWineOne@dawnlac@klezman@losthighwayz@Winedavid49@Winedavid59
Apparently the inventory is split in half to accommodate what amounts to 2 different offers. Regular offer + the Summer Hold offer. So, every time one of the 4 options (small allotment ship now, full case ship now, small allotment summer hold, full case summer hold) sells out, we are going to have to plead for someone to adjust the inventories? And it may or may not get handled? Still don’t understand the digging in on what is an obviously bad solution for implementing a summer hold option.
@chipgreen@ChiWineOne@dawnlac@klezman@losthighwayz@Winedavid49@rjquillin@klezman@Winedavid59 Ok come on now. Having inventory in 4 buckets seems awkward at best and obviously not working very well. Not sure how the backend works but should be a bucket of 4 packs (small offers) and a bucket of cases. Obviously this is why the toggling and not just a simple order and choose a delivery option. Let’s get to tweaking the system right? My humble and fwiw
Let’s say there are 600 bottles available for sale. The current foolishness would put ~200 bottles in the full case bucket, ~200 bottles in the full case summer hold bucket, ~100 bottles in the small allotment bucket, and ~100 bottles in the small allotment summer hold bucket.
Previous to the summer hold option, they would have put ~400 bottles in the case bucket, and ~200 bottles in the small allotment bucket, which still results in the all too common call to add more cases because they always sell out first.
How many sales are missed out on because of this weird setup? I suppose forcing people to select the pricier per bottle option when cases run out, makes up for some of those lost sales, but why would you want to have a setup that is not only user unfriendly, but also costing you sales?
Put all the inventory into ONE bucket and let people choose their quantity and shipping options. No fake sellouts! What a concept!
To summarize, put all of the bottles available for sale into one bucket and let people make their choices. Maybe they buy 480 bottles via full case and 120 via the smaller option, but the case option would never sell out until and only if there were less than 12 bottles left. Less whining, more winning - for everyone!
@chipgreen@ChiWineOne@davirom@dawnlac@kaolis@losthighwayz@rjquillin@Winedavid49@Winedavid59
These criticisms are completely valid. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are technical limitations inherited from Mediocre/mercatalyst that require this artificial segregation. That said, I’d have figured that by now it’s been long enough that either CM could be branched to account for its own requirements or the overall structure/framework could be enhanced to allow proper inventory management.
We should remember that WCC isn’t a tech company, it’s a logistics company. But that also means we don’t know who to direct our kvetching to!
@chipgreen@ChiWineOne@davirom@dawnlac@klezman@losthighwayz@rjquillin@Winedavid49@Winedavid59 Geez it was only a few days ago I said don’t worry be happy and quit your bitchin’! And here we are. Two bucket system as suggested is probably a way to massage sales but that’s ok. However I do wonder who makes the call/the process to make more cases available when they are initially sold out
And don’t get me started on the chronic inaccuracies in the ship-to states list! I gave up on policing that list before the old site shut down but the inaccuracies persist. More lost sales.
@Winedavid49@Winedavid59 If an order can be switched, I wouldn’t mind having mine switched to summer hold. I chose immediate shipping because it was the only option available at the time.
@chipgreen@netcommsyn Earlier it was summer hold sold out, they replenished and I bought a case. So, maybe it will be replenished today. Of course, it could all get sold out today. I see now that all cases are sold out.
One sale, one listing; just give us the purchasing options. Full case, small offer and ship or hold buttons or pull down menus. We all have to be adults here to purchase and can handle it.
i get it. this is clunky. it’s a start. we are trying. this is the first time we’ve had a sell out or near sellout during a summer hold enviromnent. there’s going to be manual adjustments in the short term. i’m sorry for the hassle. we had to put this in play as 2 day transit costs are going up.
not shying away from these issues.
thanks for sell out despite all this. great deals can salve alot of wounds. been doing it for years
I haven’t had a Gard in years…a Gard was one of my early Casemates purchases, and it had great QPR. So in for a case this time…hard to pass up with the great rat reviews at this price.
/giphy brawny-cheap-straw
A hold case would have been nice especially since I am in Florida. But did get 4 with the Hold. Got a case of the mixed Cabs in October but have not opened any since they are 2019 and want to give them more time. These are 2020, is there a recommended cellar time before opening?
Thought: I second guess myself when I buy a case, knowing that my cellar is over-filled, and think I shouldn’t have bought any. Yet, when there’s a sell out, I feel good knowing that i got in on it. Cheers!
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
Specs
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Stoneridge Vineyard, Royal Slope
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
Specs
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Scarline Vineyard, Royal Slope
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
Specs
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Solaksen Vineyard, Royal Slope
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $660/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jul 21 - Tuesday, Jul 22
Gård Single Vineyard Syrahs
4 bottles for $89.99 $22.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Stoneridge Vineyard
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Scarline Vineyard
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Solaksen Vineyard
/giphy pudgy-domestic-screw
@a5meiser Interesting GIF. The screw head appears to be rotating in the wrong direction.
@ddeuddeg Maybe running backwards?
@davirom @ddeuddeg
Video sampling rate is causing this; very similar to how some videos of an airplane prop seem to have it rotating backwards, or wheels on cars, think NASCAR.
/giphy nippy-billowy-boot
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Gård Single Vineyard Syrahs - $70 = 25.92%
Gård Collection Series Stoneridge Syrah
What a great surprise to receive this wonderful wine to labrat! Except for UPS taking it for an 8-hour ride on a triple-digit day, causing it to arrive at a 93 bottle temp, I have nothing but good things to report.
I opened the styrofoam to find a substantial bottle with an understated classy label prominently displaying their farmhouse logo. There is a lot of information going on: single vineyard, wine-geek soil specs, 24 cases produced, and tasting notes. There is also an etched QR-style code that may deter Rudy Kurniawan shenanigans.
Gard-branded synthetic cork popped at 68 degree temp. Instant big dark fruit aromas. Yes, there is some alcohol and it will need some time to breathe, but it was surprisingly aromatic and expressive for what I expected to be a closed and boozy nose. I opened when my parents visited, who happened to have brought Raising Cane’s. Probably not the perfect pairing, but it didn’t detract or clash at all. Pours a dark purple with crazy legs. Gard-branded synthetic cork.
Blueberries, plumcots, boysenberry, jolly-rancher cherry, candied fruit, black berries, and grape were the fruits the group picked up on. Leathery, general store / antique shop / old book aromas, peppercorns, sage / menthol, prosciutto, Kalamata olive. The wine is incredibly balanced, with a consistent taste and mouthfeel throughout the sip. It finishes clean, but lasts as if it had some blending help in that department. (It didn’t)
All of us agreed this was an incredibly well made wine that is very easy to drink. This was within 10 minutes of the bottle being opened, after taking a journey in hot temperatures. It was going fast, like great wines tend to do. I sent half home with my parents in a split bottle, and left the rest in the bottle covered with a paper towel to keep the gnats out, and waited until my better-half got home.
6 hours later, the wine was as great as before. She concurred with the aromas, but was focused on the mouthfeel and finish, finding both pleasing. She commented that the wine was “great” and “easy to drink” “nice finish.”
30 some hours later, my parents had their share with mushroom ravioli , Italian sausage & tomatoes & cucumbers in a vinaigrette. They said that the aromas had become more muted, but same descriptors. They liked very much, said the wine was not affected by the vinaigrette, and paired great with meal. Nothing bad to note.
I have a very generous glass left in the bottle, which I will try later today while the offering is live. We highly recommend this wine, with the only slightly negative thing is the fruit seems to be dissipating fairly quick with air, but that is a personal preference. The non-fruit aromas are wonderfully intriguing and the great balance and mouthfeel remains unfazed.
*Apparently, per writeup, there are 48 cases. I wonder if the label misprint helped these bottles end up here?
I knew it was going to be a mixed offer, per the low production volume. Pretty great they are all single vineyard Syrahs. Perfect for a tasting party.
@KNmeh7 Rudy, Rudy, Rudy, shame on you!
I had to ‘oogle “Dr. Conti”. Thanks buddy
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Solaksen Vineyard
First my wife and I both agreed this is the best wine we had this year.
We got to try the Solaksen Syrah and it was amazing.
Initial smell, little vanilla peak, strong scent of maraschino cherry, very specifically that candied bar cherry. The taste was surprisingly balanced since I feel like Syrah’s usually tend to be too bold/alcoholic sometimes but this one was perfect, I won’t say light because it definitely was not but it was almost drinking more like a Cabernet Sauvignon and now that I look at the chart those are right next to each other on boldness so maybe that’s normal lol. Some cherry fruit and then a slight oak and vanilla.
my wife and I usually like Gard wines already but this might be the best one we’ve had. Definitely buying a case.
Day 2 - the wine was even more well balanced with the cherry taste fading to a more baking spice oak.
I am telling you, I’ve had far too much wine this year and this was the best bottle.
@kray05 my bottle also said 24 cases produced
@kray05 I also just remembered my wife said this was like the Wellingtons we use to order
couldn’t argue with her
Sadness…no CT shipping.
Nor Maine
2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard
I’m going to do a very quick recommendation right now for what I tried: BUY THIS WINE
Late last week I received the 2020 Gård Collection Series Syrah, Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley to rat. It arrived HOT. We were near 100 degrees that afternoon, and the bottle knew it! I put it in the fridge for a few hours so I could try later that night.
I will add to this later when I have more time, but for those on the fence, this bottle was one of my favorites, and I’ve tried a LOT of wine!
@kasandrae
/giphy cramped-perfumed-troll
BTW “I put my money where my mouth is”
@kasandrae
/giphy airy-gleaming-juice
you pushed me over the edge. But it didn’t take a shove. Love Gård. Love Syrah.
@kasandrae
@kasandrae
@kasandrae OK a little more info because I just did not have more time yesterday: It is deep and dark inky color, and tastes like the dark fruits…think plums, blackberries, black cherries, blueberries with a hint of spice and oak. The heat did not hurt this bottle. Once cooled, it was fine. I was expecting a medium body wine but it’s more of a full-bodied wine. The higher alcohol content was not obvious when sipping. This dry(er) red is everything I look for in a bottle! Bought a case!
I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve had from Gard, so this case was an easy yes (and thanks to summer hold, I have a few months to try and create some space in the cellar). If anyone in CMH wants to try and pry a 4-pack away from me feel free to reach out.
@fermentedwisdom If no one has spoken up, I would love the 4. This wine is great, and the price is great, but finances are finances.
2020 Scarline Syrah – Gård Vintners (Lawrence Vineyards, Royal Slope)
Thank you so much for the rat opportunity! Smoothest arrival of a bottle yet. Received and picked up at UPS Friday which gave me enough time to sample over three days:
Day 1: Appearance: Deep garnet with purple edges—almost black in the glass. Nose (initial pour): Leather, earth, dark chocolate, and plum. Palate: DRY. I almost did a spit take and assumed a large amount of sediment. Incredibly tight and closed at first sip—probably the most shut-down wine I’ve ever had right out of the bottle. No food pairing today, just tasting on its own. Second sip was much more tolerable. Full-bodied, round texture, with long, slow legs. Started to soften with time in the glass—picked up a touch of sweetness mid-palate but still finished bone dry. Chalky tannins. There’s some complexity here—maybe three or four layers—and the finish leaves a ripe berry note that lingers nicely. Definitely feels like it could age for several years.
Day 2: Much more expressive! The wine finally opened up—fruit really started to show through (blackberry, plum), while still staying dry and savory overall. Some added black pepper on the nose. Tannins have balanced and alcohol is totally unnoticeable, which seems wild at 15.2%! Still full-bodied and structured, but far more approachable. No food again today, but it probably would’ve paired well with roasted meats or something with herbs.
Day 3: Very similar to Day 2 but fully open now—felt like it had hit its peak. Smooth, integrated, and drinking well. Some added floral notes I hadn’t noticed day 1 or 2. Finished the bottle today; don’t think it would hold up to a Day 4.
A few final notes:
Classic Washington Syrah style: bold, dark, earthy, and structured.
Needs serious air or decanting to show its best—this is not a pop-and-pour wine.
Good tannin and acid backbone—feels like it could cellar for at least another 5–8 years.
Would love to try it again with food—thinking grilled lamb, short ribs, or something with rosemary/thyme.
If this is under $30 a bottle, it’s a steal. I could drink this every day but would likely save for a special dinner.
Let me know if anyone else has tried it—I’m curious how others handled the closed first day!
Up all night and home with a sick kiddo so I will check back with questions!
This price is outrageous! Just snagged a case. And used a coupon!
Gard is an almost instant buy for me these days, as I’ve scaled back now on my old insta-buys from some of my older favorite wineries.
In for a case!
appears that i can buy a case for immediate ship, but not for October ship
settled for a 4 pack
Unless…
@louas came across same issue. I’m wondering if they are limiting the number of wine bottles for summer hold due to space constraints?
I used a different coupon but make sure to note the coupon in the write up!
So disappointed the summer hold option is sold out! I mean it’s hot everywhere! Understand not enough space to hold the cases so how about mediocre wines over the summer not the pretty decent or really good stuff everyone is concerned about? Or some mead or something? Sorry my rant fwiw!
I mean I’ll probably risk it & get a case shipped here to FL
@dawnlac Perhaps they’re fungible? @WineDavid59 should know.
@dawnlac @klezman @Winedavid59 should be. Stand by. I bet we fix it
@dawnlac @klezman @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 fix case summer hold.
@ChiWineOne @dawnlac @klezman @Winedavid49 working on it!
@ChiWineOne @dawnlac @klezman @Winedavid49 @losthighwayz we will put more cases in the summer hold section. but it may take a minute.
@dawnlac @klezman @losthighwayz @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 Thank you.
@ChiWineOne @dawnlac @klezman @losthighwayz @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
What about those that purchased for “normal” delivery?
Any way to switch to “hold”?
Yeah, I know that will be awkward…
But @Kaolis would be impressed!
@ChiWineOne @dawnlac @klezman @losthighwayz @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
Not working
@ChiWineOne @dawnlac @klezman @losthighwayz @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
Apparently the inventory is split in half to accommodate what amounts to 2 different offers. Regular offer + the Summer Hold offer. So, every time one of the 4 options (small allotment ship now, full case ship now, small allotment summer hold, full case summer hold) sells out, we are going to have to plead for someone to adjust the inventories? And it may or may not get handled? Still don’t understand the digging in on what is an obviously bad solution for implementing a summer hold option.
@chipgreen @ChiWineOne @klezman @losthighwayz @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
And I missed it again!
@chipgreen @ChiWineOne @dawnlac @klezman @losthighwayz @Winedavid49 @rjquillin @klezman @Winedavid59 Ok come on now. Having inventory in 4 buckets seems awkward at best and obviously not working very well. Not sure how the backend works but should be a bucket of 4 packs (small offers) and a bucket of cases. Obviously this is why the toggling and not just a simple order and choose a delivery option. Let’s get to tweaking the system right? My humble and fwiw
@ChiWineOne @dawnlac @kaolis @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
Truly, there should only be 1 bucket.
Let’s say there are 600 bottles available for sale. The current foolishness would put ~200 bottles in the full case bucket, ~200 bottles in the full case summer hold bucket, ~100 bottles in the small allotment bucket, and ~100 bottles in the small allotment summer hold bucket.
Previous to the summer hold option, they would have put ~400 bottles in the case bucket, and ~200 bottles in the small allotment bucket, which still results in the all too common call to add more cases because they always sell out first.
How many sales are missed out on because of this weird setup? I suppose forcing people to select the pricier per bottle option when cases run out, makes up for some of those lost sales, but why would you want to have a setup that is not only user unfriendly, but also costing you sales?
Put all the inventory into ONE bucket and let people choose their quantity and shipping options. No fake sellouts! What a concept!
To summarize, put all of the bottles available for sale into one bucket and let people make their choices. Maybe they buy 480 bottles via full case and 120 via the smaller option, but the case option would never sell out until and only if there were less than 12 bottles left. Less whining, more winning - for everyone!
@chipgreen @ChiWineOne @dawnlac @kaolis @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 And more wine-ing!
@chipgreen @ChiWineOne @davirom @dawnlac @kaolis @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
These criticisms are completely valid. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are technical limitations inherited from Mediocre/mercatalyst that require this artificial segregation. That said, I’d have figured that by now it’s been long enough that either CM could be branched to account for its own requirements or the overall structure/framework could be enhanced to allow proper inventory management.
We should remember that WCC isn’t a tech company, it’s a logistics company. But that also means we don’t know who to direct our kvetching to!
@chipgreen @ChiWineOne @davirom @dawnlac @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 Geez it was only a few days ago I said don’t worry be happy and quit your bitchin’! And here we are. Two bucket system as suggested is probably a way to massage sales but that’s ok. However I do wonder who makes the call/the process to make more cases available when they are initially sold out
@ChiWineOne @davirom @dawnlac @kaolis @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
The requests are sent out via smoke signal, but sometimes get lost in the Santa Ana winds. Could it be any less efficient? Is that possible?
And don’t get me started on the chronic inaccuracies in the ship-to states list! I gave up on policing that list before the old site shut down but the inaccuracies persist. More lost sales.
@ChiWineOne @davirom @dawnlac @kaolis @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
Meanwhile, 4 bottle summer hold is now “sold out” while 4 bottle no-hold is available. Still more lost sales.
@chipgreen @ChiWineOne @davirom @dawnlac @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 Someone kind of cranky today?
@ChiWineOne @davirom @dawnlac @kaolis @klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin @Winedavid49 @Winedavid59
Yes.
@Winedavid49 @Winedavid59 If an order can be switched, I wouldn’t mind having mine switched to summer hold. I chose immediate shipping because it was the only option available at the time.
Grabbed a case for Fall delivery if anyone wants to share: Boston/So.NH area
@netcommsyn
How? Option is grayed out for me.
@chipgreen @netcommsyn Not buying this time, but I checked and cases show available for summer shipping but not for summer hold. @winedavid59?
@chipgreen @netcommsyn Seems that the fall hold is sold out. Maybe WD will get the allotment numbers changed tomorrow, just like he did earlier today.
@jmdavidson1 @netcommsyn
I don’t think they were ever replenished today. He said they were working on it.
@chipgreen @jmdavidson1 @netcommsyn summer hold option is showing cases and partials now.
@chipgreen @jmdavidson1 @netcommsyn @TimW not anymore lol
@chipgreen @netcommsyn Earlier it was summer hold sold out, they replenished and I bought a case. So, maybe it will be replenished today. Of course, it could all get sold out today. I see now that all cases are sold out.
@chipgreen @jmdavidson1 @losthighwayz @netcommsyn @TimW @winedavid59 @dave
As another minor, but perhaps interesting observation, the sales maps for the two offers are also segregated, so one cannot really determine where aggregate sales are happening.
One sale, one listing; just give us the purchasing options. Full case, small offer and ship or hold buttons or pull down menus. We all have to be adults here to purchase and can handle it.
@dave @jmdavidson1 @losthighwayz @netcommsyn @rjquillin @TimW @Winedavid59
Bush League.
@chipgreen @dave @jmdavidson1 @losthighwayz @netcommsyn @rjquillin @TimW
i get it. this is clunky. it’s a start. we are trying. this is the first time we’ve had a sell out or near sellout during a summer hold enviromnent. there’s going to be manual adjustments in the short term. i’m sorry for the hassle. we had to put this in play as 2 day transit costs are going up.
not shying away from these issues.
thanks for sell out despite all this. great deals can salve alot of wounds. been doing it for years
WD
@chipgreen @dave @jmdavidson1 @losthighwayz @netcommsyn @rjquillin @TimW @Winedavid59 here here!
Offering this summer hold option is something really special to the consumer, like myself. So I appreciate it!
If anything, this will mean I should never see that horrible styrofoam packing waste again in my life.
@chipgreen @dave @Drez143 @jmdavidson1 @losthighwayz @netcommsyn @rjquillin @TimW @Winedavid59
Part of where I’m coming from is that this is probably as big a headache for you as anybody else!
/giphy mini-annoying-strudel
In for a case. Risking summer shipping.
I just promised that this would be the last wine I order this month. And I meant it!
/giphy humorous-deadly-power
I haven’t had a Gard in years…a Gard was one of my early Casemates purchases, and it had great QPR. So in for a case this time…hard to pass up with the great rat reviews at this price.
/giphy brawny-cheap-straw
Cases are sold out.
Probably just as well since I have no room. I can probably find room for 4 by October.
/giphy nice-miraculous-volcano
Too late. Cases are sold out. This would be an auto buy for me.
@gman1341 Rat’s, I missed out as well. Gard is an auto buy for me.
A hold case would have been nice especially since I am in Florida. But did get 4 with the Hold. Got a case of the mixed Cabs in October but have not opened any since they are 2019 and want to give them more time. These are 2020, is there a recommended cellar time before opening?
@free2day33611 @GardWine I’m certainly interested in doing a horizontal tasting party. But, also interested in cellaring thoughts on these wines.
@free2day33611
Hello! These wines are ready to drink now, but could be cellared for up to 10 years if desired.
@free2day33611 @GardWine Drinking a 2019 Gård Vintners Syrah Grand Klasse Lawrence Vineyards right now…My complements to the winemaker!
Paid to revive my membership for no reason. There has got to be a better way.
Now canceled. Please put the $6 towards fixing the website.
Messy, but it got done
@rjquillin Fake news? ha!
Thought: I second guess myself when I buy a case, knowing that my cellar is over-filled, and think I shouldn’t have bought any. Yet, when there’s a sell out, I feel good knowing that i got in on it. Cheers!
Any update on the shipping for this? Have people received yet?
@bfast Was just wondering the same thing.
@bfast mine were shipped out yesterday and arriving tomorrow
@bfast Mine was delivered today (in Pennsylvania).
@bfast SoCal delivered today as well, in styro