Drinking really well right now. The big fruits that showed a few years have mellowed and loads of black pepper are coming through. A touch of menthol/eucalyptus on finish.
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A very enthusiastic 89 rating on this wine. Its has mellowed in the last two years; it now is well balanced, and it is hard to believe that it is not in its absolute prime.
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Medium purple in color. Aromas of strawberry, raspberry and fresh cut flowers. Flavors of red fruit, mint and graphite with a dry herbal and lengthy finish. Good value.
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Salted rare beef, herbs of winter thyme, rosemary with toasted clove aromas. Spicy black pepper flavors with big warm red fruit, blood, spiced jam and sweet syrup. A drop of acidity pulls this back on the hind palate to keep it from being flabby. Not the most restrained wine, but intense with very good QPR.
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Excellent QPR. Solid New world Grenache. Dark, jammy, fruits dominate, but there is good structure here the creates a balance of tannins and terrior. The finish is a bit short, but other than that, a nice wine.
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Surprisingly good, and possibly the best $14 bottle I've ever had. Luscious aromas of strawberry, wild berries, cherry pie, white pepper and underbrush -- could be a zin, could be a pinot, could be a grenache! In the mouth, downright delicious -- strawberry, wild berry, mineral / limestone, and spearmint (Dontime nailed it). High in tannin and acid, but in in balance. Long finish. Would buy cases at this price . . . .
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Nice wine and good value, a medium bodied, black cherry, good acidity. Some shifting flavors, at times more like an inexpensive Spanish grenache and sometimes reminded me of a Pinot with Cherry cola flavor. Would match a variety of food and a great value at $12 so I'm bumping up the score a bit. Give it a shot.
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Odd. A really funky nose upon opening - not barnyard, but maybe the wet rock mentioned by another taster. Started out slow, but after 90 minutes the palate displayed rich black fruit, spice and a heavy dose of spearmint. I really enjoyed the mint component. Left a portion of the bottle for the next day, which was a mistake - it didn't do well overnight and was close to undrinkable the next afternoon. At the state monopoly store price of $12, this is a winner in the QPR category if you can finish the bottle in one sitting. If scoring 85-87.
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Unfortunately this time around I didn't take notes, PnP'd and it was very good.
I wonder if it would benefit from decanting an hour prior to consuming. I'll try that with the next bottle and make some tasting notes, but from the first bottle, I'm very glad I got six of these!!
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Crimson, almost purple color. On the nose had heat from the 14.9% alcohol, but surprisingly very smooth with red fruits on the palate. Relatively dry with a short to medium finish. Can find a better Grenache at this price point. Great QPR at $13
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Juicy, to be sure, but it also has a wet rock component that's relatively rare in a California wine. Nice raspberry/pomegranate flavors, decent acidity. Exactly as described by Last Bottle, very happy to have picked up a case.
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5/18/2017 - gcarl wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly nice on nose and palate for grenache with some age. Opened/decanted/returned to bottle 1+ hr before tasting event
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12/23/2015 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good, still drinking well.
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11/22/2015 - Leomania Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big, bold and beautiful. The ever-present raspberry, some pepper, some wet stone. Holding up very well.
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11/17/2015 - ml1 wrote: 88 Points
Drinking really well right now. The big fruits that showed a few years have mellowed and loads of black pepper are coming through. A touch of menthol/eucalyptus on finish.
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7/28/2015 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Enjoying this tremendously right now. Notes consistent with previous.
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4/29/2015 - gfb1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
A very enthusiastic 89 rating on this wine. Its has mellowed in the last two years; it now is well balanced, and it is hard to believe that it is not in its absolute prime.
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3/26/2015 - Leomania Likes this wine: 90 Points
Raspberry, pomegranate, wet rocks, good acidity.
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1/11/2015 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
See previous note. Very good, great QPR.
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12/1/2014 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
A big wine. Raspberry, pomegranate, wet rocks, good acidity. Still drinking well but as noted previously, probably worth finishing up this year.
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1/29/2014 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Once again, very good. Previous notes apply. Plan to drink up this year.
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11/2/2013 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Raspberry, candied apple, wet rocks, medium acidity. Good stuff.
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7/22/2013 - mcsac67 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Medium purple in color. Aromas of strawberry, raspberry and fresh cut flowers. Flavors of red fruit, mint and graphite with a dry herbal and lengthy finish. Good value.
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4/17/2013 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Strawberry, raspberry, along with some blackberry. Enough structure to keep things interesting, some wet rock, black tea tannins. Nice!
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3/7/2013 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 90 Points
Great Value Cali Syrah
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2/15/2013 - VinLancaster wrote: 86 Points
Salted rare beef, herbs of winter thyme, rosemary with toasted clove aromas. Spicy black pepper flavors with big warm red fruit, blood, spiced jam and sweet syrup. A drop of acidity pulls this back on the hind palate to keep it from being flabby. Not the most restrained wine, but intense with very good QPR.
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2/6/2013 - djs wrote: 89 Points
Strawberrys for days. Bit of R/S?
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1/8/2013 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really good stuff. Meaty flavors of red raspberry and dark cherry. Full body. Tasted blind and I did not guess this to be Grenache.
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12/21/2012 - Darkhorn Likes this wine: 88 Points
Excellent QPR. Solid New world Grenache. Dark, jammy, fruits dominate, but there is good structure here the creates a balance of tannins and terrior. The finish is a bit short, but other than that, a nice wine.
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12/9/2012 - JOJ wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly good, and possibly the best $14 bottle I've ever had. Luscious aromas of strawberry, wild berries, cherry pie, white pepper and underbrush -- could be a zin, could be a pinot, could be a grenache! In the mouth, downright delicious -- strawberry, wild berry, mineral / limestone, and spearmint (Dontime nailed it). High in tannin and acid, but in in balance. Long finish. Would buy cases at this price . . . .
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12/8/2012 - J2K wrote:
Nice wine and good value, a medium bodied, black cherry, good acidity. Some shifting flavors, at times more like an inexpensive Spanish grenache and sometimes reminded me of a Pinot with Cherry cola flavor. Would match a variety of food and a great value at $12 so I'm bumping up the score a bit. Give it a shot.
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12/5/2012 - ecola Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium to full body. Dark berries and subtle earth. Very nice food wine that went well with a variety of dishes.
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11/30/2012 - dontime wrote:
Odd. A really funky nose upon opening - not barnyard, but maybe the wet rock mentioned by another taster. Started out slow, but after 90 minutes the palate displayed rich black fruit, spice and a heavy dose of spearmint. I really enjoyed the mint component. Left a portion of the bottle for the next day, which was a mistake - it didn't do well overnight and was close to undrinkable the next afternoon. At the state monopoly store price of $12, this is a winner in the QPR category if you can finish the bottle in one sitting. If scoring 85-87.
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11/11/2012 - bsevern wrote: 90 Points
Unfortunately this time around I didn't take notes, PnP'd and it was very good.
I wonder if it would benefit from decanting an hour prior to consuming. I'll try that with the next bottle and make some tasting notes, but from the first bottle, I'm very glad I got six of these!!
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10/27/2012 - puppetclause wrote:
Drank this a while back. From what I remember, a lot of plush ripe fruit.
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10/26/2012 - loader_up wrote: 93 Points
Very soothe a little watery
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10/16/2012 - r4Cali Likes this wine: 90 Points
Crimson, almost purple color. On the nose had heat from the 14.9% alcohol, but surprisingly very smooth with red fruits on the palate. Relatively dry with a short to medium finish. Can find a better Grenache at this price point. Great QPR at $13
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10/10/2012 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 Points
Juicy, to be sure, but it also has a wet rock component that's relatively rare in a California wine. Nice raspberry/pomegranate flavors, decent acidity. Exactly as described by Last Bottle, very happy to have picked up a case.
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10/5/2012 - joraesque wrote: 86 Points
Very good but not quite excellent.
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7/22/2012 - sbtoby wrote: 90 Points
Very good for the price
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