New World Blind Tasting Group $40+

• 2012 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark & Telephone Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley

  Very dark core with violet rim; jammy, smoky, black currant, blackberry; fruity palate, intense, milk chocolate, cherry, rich, Syrah-like; not my preferred style of Pinot.

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• 1998 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Footbolt

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Dark core with chocolate, dull garnet rim; soy, charcoal, currant, sweet fruit, some tar; decent structure, sweet fruit, soy, tart red and dark fruit; ok for being this old.

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• 2012 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Black core with bright purple rim; smells new, blackberry, sweet, dark raspberry, slightly reductive, spearmint, violets, floral, ash; fuller but very soft, sweet fruit, glycerin, inky, dense yet light on its feet, floral, jammy, juicy; tasty but I was on Malbec.

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• 2002 DuMOL Syrah Eddie's Patch

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Black core with dull purple rim, some chocolate; tar, mint, blackberry, pencil lead, some faint red apple skin; soft initially, grainy structure, very tannic, inky; good; this needs more time, everyone thought it was so youthful.

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• 2012 Mettler Family Vineyards Aglianico

  USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi

  Very dark core with bright purple rim; bready, blueberry, blackberry, round, soft, friendly, new; jammy, blackberry, asphalt, chunky but soft tannin, some dryness; strangely not my first Aglianico from CA.

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• 2010 Evan's Ranch Syrah Las Brisas Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Very dark core, bright reddish violet rim; blue fruit, ripe, sweet, violets, dark, ripe; charcoal, dark and blue fruit, juicy; good.

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• 1995 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Flawed

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Corked.

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• 2004 Navarro Vineyards Syrah

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino

  Dark core with dark garnet rim; alcoholic, blueberry, some age, spice, clove, cinnamon; some age evident on palate too, blue fruit, slightly cooked, warm but lots of character; obviously Syrah.

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• 2007 Clarendon Hills Syrah Liandra

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Dark core with duller garnet rim, some sediment; white chocolate, ripe almost raisiny fruit, ripe, rich; soft palate, lots of fruit, spice, blueberry, dark fruit, brown baking spice.

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• 2007 Clarendon Hills Syrah Hickinbotham

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Black core with thin dull garnet rim; dense, menthol, blackcurrant, blackberry, harder, almost mineral, dark fruit, glycerin; good structure; tasty.

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• 2010 Pulenta Estate Gran Cabernet Franc XI

  Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo, Agrelo

  Dark core with garnet rim; screams green pepper, decomposing granite, currant, strong nose; sweeter fruit, medicinal, green pepper, rounder, Bordeaux varietal, good brightness.

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• 2012 Pride Mountain Vineyards Syrah

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Very dark core with bright violet rim; young, fruity, berry, dark fruit, ashy; thick texture, lower acid, sweet dark fruit.

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What do you taste after having what seemed like 1,000 Syrahs?...that's right, more f'ing Syrah! Fortunately these were the best of the night.

• 2008 Copain Syrah Garys' Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Black core with dark purple rim; somber, black fruit, cedar, lead pencil, olive, slight black pepper; more of a classic Syrah in this circumstance; good.

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• 2007 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Dark core with dull garnet rim; cedar, olive tapenade, dark fruit, red fruit, violets, menthol, lighter than all other Syrah this evening; cereal, good acid, fruit and acid cohesive, fresh, firm structure; got better with air but I would give this at least a couple more years; delicious.

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Holy shit that was too much Syrah!! It was either Syrah or a new, dark fruited, and sweet wine. My palate couldn't take it after a while. Sorry if the notes all started to blend together.