Community Tasting Note

Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Saturday, July 27, 2013 - This wine was popped and poured. It's inky purple in the glass with a pronounced nose of smoked meat. On the palate, it's full-bodied but not as extracted or Port-like as some of Russell's earlier vintages with the same smoked meat, as well as cherry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, toasty oak, earth, cinnamon and hints of pepper and black olives. It has a lengthy finish.
This wine is 100% Syrah with fruit from seven of the best vineyards on the Central Coast, but with a flavor profile that reminds me of a northern Rhone. Since there's no Viognier in the blend, I suspect that the smoke and earth notes are a product of the unusually cool 2011 vintage. While Russell's 2008 Nuts and Bolts received great reviews from the established critics, I'm going to go out on a limb and pronounce the 2011 even better. In fact, this might be the best Nuts and Bolts he has ever made. The fruit and tannins are sufficiently integrated that the wine can be enjoyed now after an hour or so decant, but it should age nicely for at least 3 years.

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