March 13, 2024 - Full bodied, dry round, plum and cherry, dark chocolate. Smooth from the first sip. Only needed 15 minutes to open up.
January 12, 2024 - Dark aromas dominate the nose, tar, leather, black licorice, and black olives. The palate is rich and smooth with blackberries and licorice predominating. The tar and licorice follow on with rounded tannins to a long finish. It’s very bold, maybe too bold, and just a touch on the hot side. Decanted for two hours before serving.
January 1, 2024 - Upon feedback, gave this two hours in decanter.
It immediately filled the kitchen with spicy aromatics.
A tad shy in nose, full on soft and velvet in mouth.
Even developed during the evening and survived 2nd day.
High alcohol, but it’s tempered by the smooth silky feeling in mouth.
Stunning wine … easy 98 for me !
Mathijs
August 13, 2023 - Well balanced tannins. Purple fruits. Blue fruit. Violets.
May 5, 2023 - Got knocked down into rocks today by a wave in Big Sur cove. In the second or two of panic, time slowed a bit as they say. Or maybe the time-slowing is an artifact of reflection after survival. In either case I'll remember it this way. Hearing the rush and froth of water, feeling the cold and the somehow always-unexpected force of water, I considered my condition as my last moment - time slowed and I reflected: really it was good, my life of toil and frustration. Because the toil and frustration is interrupted occasionally, but enough, more than enough if I'm honest, by pure consumption of life's pleasures: great wine like this bottle of Shaffer from last night; a run through a forest of redwoods along a river; conversations frivolous, cancellable, dark, light, and drunk with a best friend. So if I was swept out to the cold and violent Pacific that moment, well, I had it pretty good.
March 5, 2023 - not bad, just not my favorite taste profile. Had too much oak to it (which I don't recall from my last tasting)
February 7, 2023 - Not true to the Syrah varietal. Dominated by alcohol and lacking depth and personality. Dull and uninteresting.
January 8, 2023 - Kleur: Diep ondoordringbaar donkerrood. Aroma / bouquet: Kaboom… Een explosie van donker fruit, kersen en vooral bramen en blauwe bessen. Daarnaast houtinvloed in de zin van een zoetig aroma van sigarenkistjes. Smaak / Afdronk: Mondvullende, verleidelijke wijn. Een beperkte fraicheur, mondvullend en geconcentreerd. Jong maar uiterst aangenaam. Aangename maar stevige tannines. Mooie win die in de toekomst alleen nog maar aan harmonie en complexiteit zal winnen. Algemeen / potentieel: 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 91/100
Colour: Deep impenetrable dark red. Aroma / bouquet: Kaboom… An explosion of dark fruit, cherries and especially blackberries and blueberries. In addition, wood influence in the sense of a sweet aroma of cigar boxes. Taste / Aftertaste: Mouth-filling, seductive wine. A limited freshness, mouth-filling and concentrated. Young but extremely pleasant. Pleasant but firm tannins. Nice win that will only gain in harmony and complexity in the future. General / potential: 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Taste / Aftertaste: 17 + General / potential: 8 = 91/100
December 27, 2022 - blue flower, blue fruit, subtle tar. Palate of restrained blue fruit, tar, elegant, chalky medium coarse tannins, mod acidity
May 24, 2022 - Full of vim and vigor. Obviously it’s youth shows thru but it’s still really good. I will hold off for a few years on the next one.