January 10, 2023 - I think this is my last bottle of this. Dark, purple black color. Smoky, savory, Brett inflected scent with a bit of blackberry fruit. Dense, smooth and silky palate. Very concentrated. Blackberry fruit, nice balance and a long silky finish. Surprisingly, the Brett on the palate is subtle compared to the scent. Finishes with a bit of ripe, fine grained tannins. Very interesting. Clearly on a long slow decline, but it should go longer if well stored, but I would drink up now.
March 15, 2021 - Ok to drink but I think it’s over the hill
April 16, 2020 - Last bottle from release, open in bottle for 8hrs. A polarizing wine back in the day...LOADED with brett stank reduction funk...lot of people were repulsed, plenty "flawed" notes in CT...but I never really had an issue with the funk, as it reminded me of Alban from the same period...but the hollow clipped finish is where this wine always lost me. Well...9yrs later...that funked up nose of reduction... sweet smoky asphalt, burnt rubber, compost manure is still there! Not repulsive to me...I actually like it! Crushed blackberries, violet florals, white pepper, smoked sausage...the fruit is still oozing and quite ripe and sweet...creamy and smooth dark liqueured berry fruits...licorice, peppered beef...tarted up cherry skin acidity is refreshing...all the funk is well intermingled...but still very prominent! Nice polish and sheen...florals and deep spices...THEN that clipped, fall off the cliff finish, ends it, just like that! We're done here...the poop show is over...now go home! An intriguing effort if anything...
March 27, 2020 - Would never be confused for anything from Burgundy but has held up well and is an enjoyable drink in a more new world Cali style.
February 2, 2018 - A rich nose, with stewed fruit and mulled spices. The age is evident, but the fruit is still broad and concentrated. Cherry and leather on the palate, but tastes a little hot even though it is 14.1%.
January 21, 2018 - light mouthfeel...changing flavors...kiwi, blueberries, kirsch, cherry...integrated tar and spice...really good!
January 8, 2018 - Simply the worst bottle of wine that I have had the misfortune to taste more than once. The last of my three bottles, I brought this to a blind tasting of wines 10+ years old. One taster said “I note both dirty diaper and cow manure - I didn’t think that was possible.” Strong worlds, but not inaccurate. I love Rhys/Alesia, and I am glad I can focus on their wines I love.
December 15, 2017 - That fat bretty reduction was really mingled into the fruit here, keeping the wine from expressing itself. Which is a shame because the fruit was still quite rich. There was likely a quite long lived wine here. Lessons were learned.
November 8, 2017 - Easily the most bretty wine I have ever had surpassing anything from Pegau and Beaucastel. Virtually undrinkable.
July 5, 2017 - Surprisingly no signs of the overwhelming reduction seen previously. This is a meaty, dense Syrah still just showing some maturity. It's a bit tangy so the finish doesn't exactly come together. Not much in the way of tannin either. It's kinda jumbled but drinking much better than I expected. As mentioned the fruit has barely budged but I do not think there is room for improvement given the tannin situation. I would think most any Cali Syrah fan would like this if the bottle doesn't show the flaws many of these have shown.