I assumed it was just CA. Going beyond I’d add:
Cayuse
Chave
Clarendon Hills
Guigal
Penfolds
A bunch of my favorites already named, but I’d add:
Epoch
Alta Colina
Herman Story
McPrice Myers
Terry Hoage
Nicora & Paix Sur Terre (both make blends that are primarily Syrah)
Us: sqn
alban
cayuse
saxum
lillian
imported: chave
lalas
grange
astralis
Chapoutier
Jaffurs
Bedrock
Alban
Epoch
Ojai
Saxum
USA:
Edmunds St. John
Lagier-Meredith
Arnot-Roberts
Rhys
Anthill Farms
In France I struggle to get past Allemand, Gonon and Texier for stylistic reasons. I really enjoy the Guigal LaLas, but they tire my palate very quickly. I have never liked Chapoutier, and Jaboulet is too inconsistent. I am exploring producers such as Levet and Faury, but my data set is too small for now.
In US -
Peay
Donelan
Wind Gap
Failla
Cayuse
Phelps when they did it
Ed St John
Arnot Roberts
Lagier Meredith
Tallulah
Outside of US -
Fattoria la Torre
Graillot
Guigal
Rostaing
Chapoutier - some of his bottlings, not all
Paul Achs
Chave
Marques de Grinon
Jamet
Jaboulet - again, some of them, not all
Bodegas Habla
John Duval
Peter Lehman
Samuel’s Gorge
Judging my your notes, I would suspect Clape is in your wheelhouse, eh?
Robert,
Clape is indeed a producer I enjoy. Sadly the prices (much like Allemand) are now beyond reason. Of the French producers I listed, I buy Gonon, Texier, Faury and Levet. The rest are now too expensive to justify.
And I forgot to add Wind Gap to my USA list.
Dehlinger
Clos Saron
Havens, sadly no longer made
David, I agree that Allemand has gotten too expensive, and I probably bought my last ones with the 2010 vintage. That doesn’t change the fact that it is my favorite. Based on the Gonon tasting we did here in NY a few months ago, I won’t miss Allemand too much. I still have a few bottles in the cellar, but there was not a disappointing Gonon in that tasting.
US (in no order)
Cayuse
Lillian
SQN
Herman Story
Tensley
Aussie
Torbreck
Penfolds
Clarendon Hills
John Duval
Glaetzer
French
E. Guigal
Clape
Chave
Rostaing
Chapoutier
Copain
Carlisle
Novy
Wind Gap
and recently becoming fond of Allemand.
Hard to argue with that logic, but I’ve just cut down the number of bottles I buy. The Clape Renaissance and its VDA, by the way, are fantastic in their own right. Too bad Parker weighed in heavily on the '09 and '10 Clape Cornas, as prices went bonkers. Glad I bought pre-arrival before he rated them. I’m willing to pay the $100 or so for quality vintages, like 09-11, but I think that’s my threshold. Tough to pay more, like you note, when you can have Gonon for $40 and Levet for $50. I fear Gonon will continue to bump up in price significantly.
Gentaz
Dard & Ribo
Herve Souhaut
Jamet
Gonon
Jamet
Allemand
I have had some stellar older La Moulines.
Top 5 in my cellar, which is to say, top 5 values:
Bedrock
Copain
Carlisle
Cabot
Lagier Meredith
This does not represent my top 5 producers. Those are unfortunately too expensive to own in any quantity. I guess that explains why there’s not many mentions in this thread of Chave, Jamet, Allemand, Clape.
In the US (obviously based on those with which I am familiar)
Edmunds St. John
Rhys ( starting with the last two vintages)
Scherrer Sasha (if you give it a lot of air)
France
Allemand (but its moved beyond my comfort level for price )
Gonon
Levet
Probably Jamet but that moved out of my price range a while ago so I’m not similar with recent vintages
Dard et Ribo though I’m afraid to age them
In no particular order, figured this was California only like the PN thread.
Arnot-Roberts
Wind Gap
Lagier Meredith
Myriad
Quivet
Cabot
Copain
Jemrose
Halcon
Bedrock
Four Cairn
Sandler
Carlisle
Pax
Bodega Rancho
Lillian
Donelan
Saxum
Roar
Westerhold
I’ll add Rudius to the already mentioned Lagier Meredith and Cabot.
Of course there are a number of Rhône producers I like, but from Europe, but not-Rhônish, Victor de la Serna’s Finca Sandoval, which is mostly Syrah.
No love for Araujo? I really like their Eisele Syrah.