98 Points, Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter:
"The IX Estate Syrah from Colgin is a powerhouse of iron-stone minerality and expressive Mediterranean sweet herbs, layered with sage oil, bay leaf, and fresh blood orange citrus zest. A perfumed richness weaves through, mingling with honeysuckle, salty white truffle, molten graphite, and liquorice, creating an unbelievably expressive and deeply complex wine. Winemaker Allison Tauziet notes that the three Syrah clones planted on the estate originate from Côte-Rôtie, contributing to the wine’s nuanced aromas and flavours. Full-bodied and intensely concentrated, the pure fruit expression is multifaceted—like looking through a prism—while the unimaginably long finish lasts two minutes, driven by saline-mineral freshness and perfumed intensity. The tannins are super-suave, fine-grained, ripe, and polished, adding to the wine’s seamless texture. On the winemaking side, co-ferments in open-top stainless steel and full destemming preserve purity, followed by roughly 20 months of ageing in 50–60% new Burgundy barrels—a stunning, transcendent Syrah. (Colgin’s inaugural release was the 1992 Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1998, Ann Colgin acquired a 125-acre parcel on Pritchard Hill overlooking Lake Hennessey, planting 20 acres and establishing the estate winery. The site is a sprawling, rugged landscape of woodlands and steep terrain, with soils composed of weathered volcanic lava flow, well-drained reddish clays, and weathered igneous rock. The vineyard is divided into 24 blocks, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Syrah.)
 
97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com:
Classic stuff, the 2022 Syrah IX Estate is a stunning example of the vintage. Darker berries, garrigue, lavender, and peppery olive (and who knows what else) all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a brilliant Syrah that I’d be happy to put up with the top Syrahs in the world. I doubt it will be as long-lived as some of the vintages here, but it should nevertheless have 15 years of longevity.
 
97 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com:
Aromas of smoke, grilled meat, violets, lavender and dark fruit. It’s medium- to full-bodied with lots of hazelnut and dark fruit character on the palate. A full, flavorful finish that’s vibrant and nervy. Lovely phenolics. Some smoke and toast character with coffee and chocolate undertones. Fades nicely at the end.
 
Winemaker Tasting Notes ~ Ann Colgin
Bursting with licorice, huckleberry, and blackberry, the 2022 ‘IX Estate’ Syrah is the extrovert of recent vintages. Abundant floral scents of citrus blossom and violets infuse the nose while graphite and crushed rock lend a core of minerality. Tempting flavors of cured meats align with the savory scent of native sage that perfumes every ‘IX Estate’ wine. Flush with silky, rich tannin, the wine continues with unbridled flavor to the end. Hitting every note of salt, fat, acid and sweet, the 2022 ‘IX Estate’ Syrah finds harmony and lends satiation at every sip.
 
Colgin’s debut vintage of the Jubilation Red Blend is the acclaimed estate’s newest masterpiece. When it comes to recognizing fine art, Ann Colgin ranks among the world’s most equipped and knowledgeable. Her CV backs up her impressive career in the art world with an M.A. from NYU, a certificate from Sotheby’s Decorative Arts course, her previous role as the Director of Sotheby’s West Coast Wine Department, and her current seat on the Board of Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 1988 was a fateful year for Ann. It was the first time she attended Napa Valley’s Wine Auction, and she instantly fell in love with the valley. Ann hunted for a property to establish her wine estate from that trip on, using her keen eye to select a premier hillside vineyard site in 1996 where Colgin Cellars now calls home. 
Robert Parker would later describe this ethereal parcel by saying, “The IX Estate is as close to a viticultural nirvana as I have ever seen.” Since 1992, Colgin has acquired and re-established three hillside vineyards, including the IX Estate, Tychson Hill, and Cariad. They make a single vineyard designated wine for each that, in the last 30 years, has each garnered high esteem from around the world. For Colgin, their artistry is about creating wines with a distinct sense of place and doing so with passion, dedication, and love. Alison Tauziet has helped to craft these exceptional works of art since 2005 when she joined the team and has since grown with the team into her current role as Director of Winemaking. Even though the new vines from these re-plantings are not mature enough for single-vineyard designates, Ann & Alison found the fruit intriguing. Indeed, the young grapes were a “medium” worth exploring.
The Colgin winery, completed in 2002, is located at the northern end of IX Estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill. Although within the St. Helena city limits, Pritchard hill is much closer to, and more closely aligned with eastern Oakville, just perched several hundred feet above it to the east. The yields are small on the hill and the wines are concentrated and ageworthy. These are some of the very best examples of mountain Cabernet in the US, hands down.