Natural cork under wax enclosure removed in one piece. Decanted for 5 hours before pairing with spicy St. Louis-style pork spareribs; a bit of sediment. Ruby in the glass, extending out to thinning edges. Cherry and baking spices on the nose, the palate features slightly sweet cherry, red alpine currant, slate, cinnamon, citrus, and graphite. Quite lean overall, in keeping with Arnot Roberts' style, but nicely aromatic, good acidity, and an excellent pairing for the spicy spareribs.
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Tight and focused at the start, chewier and sweeter as it opened up. Red currant, blackberry jam, leathery notes, nice tannins to finish off. Partial to Sonoma Coast and Arnot wines admittedly but spicy, peppery balance to the juicy red fruits make it a perfect Fall Syrah for a cool night.
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PopnPour, tasted over 1.5 hrs -med dark red faint violet -aromatic cured meat olive juice berry -med acidity, med weight rather full mid-palate with some berry cured meat faint mature elements and prominent earthiness that extends into med tannic finish -similar to prior bottle with great aromatics and drinking well though probably no upside development at this point
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PopnPour, tasted over 3 hrs -opaque red-purple stains the glass no bricking -perfumed expressive ripe dark berry smoked meat -med/med- acidity, med weight slightly sour faded dark berry earth, med/med- tannins -gorgeous aromatics, probably won't improve much from here but no hurry
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PnP over 2 nights - no improvement or change on 2nd night. When I had this wine a few years ago, I remember enjoying it much more. I found this to be somewhat strange and single noted. Still has a backbone of acid but not a lot of tannins. Felt a bit flat in the mouth and had no back palate action at all. Did not really enjoy at all which is surprising because I usually love their wines.
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Initially, a nose of blackberry fruit, minerals and pencil lead. After 30 minutes, it took on more savory notes and lost most of the initial fruitiness. Just lovely with broiled D'Artagnan venison chops.
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Moderately aromatic nose of mild green pepper. Opens with moderate blueberry on the palate. Well-integrated fine tannins and a medium to long finish. Opens up with 20-30 minutes in the glass to reveal additional complexity. Drinking well now. Typical for Arnot-Roberts, this Syrah is a leaner, more focused, old-world style.
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Great nose - spiced fruit and floral, and while it is not the spoonful of jam mainstream Syrah is becoming, this is somewhat lacking in fruit. Not a bad food wine for the price.
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Pop and poured for Easter lunch. Didn't completely overwhelm the food, and seemed a fair compliment to the ham. A nice lighter version of Syrah but still has the spice and meat but without a lot of heat. Finish wasn't anything extraordinary, but still superior to anything in your local grocery store.
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Been about 10 months since release, time to see where it is. Notes from day 2. Only 13% abv. Great nose of violet, roasted meat and some tobacco. Juicy palate with ample acidity, tart red raspberry, black cherry and pepper. Firm chalky tannins on a medium finish with lingering acidity. Developing nicely.
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Very happy with this. Another taster noted viognier, which seemed evident to me as well on the nose. Peppery (but not green), some tannic structure. I do hate these wax-dipped closures. Always a pain to open.
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NY/NJ WLTV Offline (Fonda Del Sol, NYC): Dark color. Nice aromatics on the nose. Ripe cherry and floral notes from the viognier. Medium tannin and acid. Medium long to long finish. A restrained style of Cali syrah.
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Closed and bitter on days 1-3. On day 4, beautiful floral nose. Plalate has clean dark fruit, tar, kalamata olive and spice. Great complexity, structure and balance. Should be killer with age.
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Jean opened up a bottle of this tonight to use in making a Boeuf Bourguinon and we had the remainder with dinner. Sappy, bright berryish fruit, a mineral streak and some pencil lead in a forward but structured package. Very nice indeed.
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Big dark black/purple color in the glass. Meaty Griffins Lair nose, with some black pepper and black/blue fruits. Medium bodied with a juicy tartness to compliment the peppery spice and blackberry overtones. Tannins a little grippy but not to the point where I would say it needs a lot of bottle time. Drink or hold.
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Rhone Rangers San Francisco 2010 (Fort Mason): Gorgeous dark boysenberry/violet fruit, some very nice complexity, very structured, one of those cases where the whole seems to have exceeded its part, at this young age at lease.
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4/15/2021 - wicozani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Natural cork under wax enclosure removed in one piece. Decanted for 5 hours before pairing with spicy St. Louis-style pork spareribs; a bit of sediment. Ruby in the glass, extending out to thinning edges. Cherry and baking spices on the nose, the palate features slightly sweet cherry, red alpine currant, slate, cinnamon, citrus, and graphite. Quite lean overall, in keeping with Arnot Roberts' style, but nicely aromatic, good acidity, and an excellent pairing for the spicy spareribs.
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11/26/2018 - bqvino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tight and focused at the start, chewier and sweeter as it opened up. Red currant, blackberry jam, leathery notes, nice tannins to finish off. Partial to Sonoma Coast and Arnot wines admittedly but spicy, peppery balance to the juicy red fruits make it a perfect Fall Syrah for a cool night.
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10/30/2018 - Cote d'Or wrote:
PopnPour, tasted over 1.5 hrs
-med dark red faint violet
-aromatic cured meat olive juice berry
-med acidity, med weight rather full mid-palate with some berry cured meat faint mature elements and prominent earthiness that extends into med tannic finish
-similar to prior bottle with great aromatics and drinking well though probably no upside development at this point
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9/17/2017 - Cote d'Or wrote:
PopnPour, tasted over 3 hrs
-opaque red-purple stains the glass no bricking
-perfumed expressive ripe dark berry smoked meat
-med/med- acidity, med weight slightly sour faded dark berry earth, med/med- tannins
-gorgeous aromatics, probably won't improve much from here but no hurry
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1/19/2016 - retired_and_roving wrote:
PnP over 2 nights - no improvement or change on 2nd night. When I had this wine a few years ago, I remember enjoying it much more. I found this to be somewhat strange and single noted. Still has a backbone of acid but not a lot of tannins. Felt a bit flat in the mouth and had no back palate action at all. Did not really enjoy at all which is surprising because I usually love their wines.
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8/5/2015 - FLI Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well balanced syrah - nice berry nose (with a hint of volatile heat), but smooth on the palate.
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3/16/2015 - MLipton wrote:
Initially, a nose of blackberry fruit, minerals and pencil lead. After 30 minutes, it took on more savory notes and lost most of the initial fruitiness. Just lovely with broiled D'Artagnan venison chops.
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11/16/2014 - 560 B&W wrote: 92 Points
This cuvÈe might be better at this normal alcohol level
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5/6/2013 - FLI Likes this wine: 90 Points
Complex, with earth and pepper. Fruit is not overdone, but still rich and tasty.
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4/27/2013 - treidling Likes this wine: 93 Points
Moderately aromatic nose of mild green pepper. Opens with moderate blueberry on the palate. Well-integrated fine tannins and a medium to long finish. Opens up with 20-30 minutes in the glass to reveal additional complexity. Drinking well now. Typical for Arnot-Roberts, this Syrah is a leaner, more focused, old-world style.
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1/8/2013 - mgough wrote: 90 Points
Lighter Syrah...was getting a eucalyptus /almost bandaid smell type bouquet that was interesting. Nice structure, not jammy.
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10/18/2012 - housemaidsknee wrote: 88 Points
Great nose - spiced fruit and floral, and while it is not the spoonful of jam mainstream Syrah is becoming, this is somewhat lacking in fruit. Not a bad food wine for the price.
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4/8/2012 - Troy McHenry wrote: 91 Points
Pop and poured for Easter lunch. Didn't completely overwhelm the food, and seemed a fair compliment to the ham. A nice lighter version of Syrah but still has the spice and meat but without a lot of heat. Finish wasn't anything extraordinary, but still superior to anything in your local grocery store.
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1/25/2012 - River Rat wrote:
Been about 10 months since release, time to see where it is. Notes from day 2. Only 13% abv. Great nose of violet, roasted meat and some tobacco. Juicy palate with ample acidity, tart red raspberry, black cherry and pepper. Firm chalky tannins on a medium finish with lingering acidity. Developing nicely.
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12/21/2011 - FLI Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very happy with this. Another taster noted viognier, which seemed evident to me as well on the nose. Peppery (but not green), some tannic structure. I do hate these wax-dipped closures. Always a pain to open.
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9/19/2011 - amgryger wrote:
NY/NJ WLTV Offline (Fonda Del Sol, NYC): Dark color. Nice aromatics on the nose. Ripe cherry and floral notes from the viognier. Medium tannin and acid. Medium long to long finish. A restrained style of Cali syrah.
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6/29/2011 - WinstonWolfe wrote: 91 Points
Closed and bitter on days 1-3. On day 4, beautiful floral nose. Plalate has clean dark fruit, tar, kalamata olive and spice. Great complexity, structure and balance. Should be killer with age.
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5/15/2011 - MLipton wrote:
Jean opened up a bottle of this tonight to use in making a Boeuf Bourguinon and we had the remainder with dinner. Sappy, bright berryish fruit, a mineral streak and some pencil lead in a forward but structured package. Very nice indeed.
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4/9/2011 - River Rat wrote: 91 Points
Big dark black/purple color in the glass. Meaty Griffins Lair nose, with some black pepper and black/blue fruits. Medium bodied with a juicy tartness to compliment the peppery spice and blackberry overtones. Tannins a little grippy but not to the point where I would say it needs a lot of bottle time. Drink or hold.
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4/2/2011 - alanr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rhone Rangers San Francisco 2010 (Fort Mason): Gorgeous dark boysenberry/violet fruit, some very nice complexity, very structured, one of those cases where the whole seems to have exceeded its part, at this young age at lease.
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