Lynmar Estate (4.31)



Open Mon-Thurs, 1:00-4:30; Fri-Sun, 11:00-4:30

Appt required? No

Last barlinwine.com visit: 2009

Directions:

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Tasting:
Nestled off of Frei Road, the Lynmar estate (and it truly is an estate) is a posh and enjoyable setting to sample some solid wines. While it has a bit more of a commercial feel than a typical Barlin favorite tasting location, Lynmar offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy a sit-down tasting from the comfort of their outdoor patio with a beautiful view of the surrounding hillside vineyards.

Two tasting options are available: a Standard Tasting for $10, and a Reserve Tasting for $20, each of which gets you a sample of four wines. With the exception of a lone Syrah, Lynmar focuses solely on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The tasting menus feature 2 of each of these specialties. For our visit, my wife and I split one standard and one reserve tasting to maximize the number of wines "we" (read: "I") tried. The result was 3 unique chardonnays (2 estate, 1 reserve) and 3 unique Pinot Noirs (2 estate, 1 reserve).

I'll start by saying everything was good. There wasn't a wine in the bunch that I wouldn't enjoy drinking again. But when compared against their peers, especially when factoring in price point, Lynmar didn't provide the combination of excellent wine at a reasonable price that would distinguish it from other wineries in the area. The chardonnays were tasty, but at an average of $35/bottle (estate) and $60/bottle (reserve), they weren't in the same class as a Frank Family Chardonnay or a Miner Wild Yeast Chardonnay. Similar words could be written about the Pinots. These were some very good wines, but if given the choice at the price point, nothing distinguished the wines that would make me consistently choose them over a comparably priced competitive favorite.

Overall, the sit-down tasting and setting is really what distinguishes Lynmar. While their wines are very good and make this a strong overall tasting experience, the price point felt a little high for most of the wines.

Recommended wine: The Quail Hill Pinot Noir was excellent. I also thought that the Old Wente Chardonnay was very solid.


Ratings (out of 5):


WINE
4.50
TASTING ROOM
4.75

ATMOSPHERE
4.50
VALUE
3.50

OVERALL
4.31