Decanted. Moderate Sediment. Opaque and deep, dark red with ruby hues. Glass staining after the swirl Scents reveal the maturing side of California Syrah. Aromas of tar and race tires lead into scents of dry aged red meats, leather, tobacco, petrichor, earth, black olive, dried violets, caraway seed and juniper meld with notes of camp smoke black currant, plum and dark cherry. This wine retains it's muscular tannin structure on the palate. Berry like acidity brings an air of freshness. Dense and firm upon entry. Flavors show a mixture of plum, currant, leather, tobacco, olive, dry aged meats, camp smoke, turned earth and hints of dried violets, juniper and tar. The dry, meaty finish linger.
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Beautiful Syrah. All the telltale signs. Meaty with a lovely pipe tobacco, cherry nose. Some acidity still there in the palate. Nice finish. These wines just get better and better with age!
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Aired for one hour and consumed in Reidel Syrah glasses. A bit sweet, but wifey liked a lot. About 2.5 hrs after opening, it got better to me. Had with grilled NY steak.
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Even at seven years this wine still had a lot of grip on the first day so this note is from day 2. Classic N&B dark fruit, tar and campfire on the nose and the palate. Not as smooth and integrated as the 09...alchohol still shows a little. Still a great wine...just not a blockbuster like the 09.
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Vroom! Rocket fuel! Unbelievable at 16.1%abv but shockingly balanced. Hot nose (no surprise there) with lots of ripe fruit, plum, and a secondary note of savory meat. Extremely long finish. Bottle was stained inside. Or was it etched.....
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SS gift from 2015. Lots of savory cured meat notes along with spicy white pepper. I got a bit of Northern Rhone for sure. Even with The high alcohol it doesn't come off as overly hot as some paso wines can. Thanks MarkandSusanW.
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HdR Opening Tasting: Just a hair off from the 2009. Very good but a bit tighter. Perhaps with time, this will be the better wine. Who knows. Very robust black raspberry fruit.
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Original notes and tasting date below. Day-2 = 88-89 Pts - Nose: Funky, oxidized nose, vegetal fermentation. Hints of cabbage and onion. I wasn't expecting much just on the day-2 nose. - Palate: Not bad at all!!! Maybe just a point loss from day-1. More tannins and lots of bread crust on the finish. A meal on its own...
Day-1 1) No decant (VinOAir) = 90 Pts. - Clear, beautiful deep ruby heading to deep garnet with huge, drippy legs full of color. - Clean, pronounced intensity with fruit and spice and everything nice. Tumeric, vanilla, dill, basil, nutmeg, asparagus, orange slice, Christmas present wrapping-tape on nose. - Dry, Med+ tannins and full body but with great balance indicative of Herman Story and Russell From. Great job! I get French bread crust overtones with black pepper and kirsch that fades to graphite and minerality on the palate. 2) 4hr Decant = 91 Pts. - Bourbon barrel, fermented cabbage, pepper steak, floral rose, slight caramel and minerality on the nose. - Dry, Med++ Tannins after the decant. Bread crust remains, although less pronounced. Bitter chocolate, caramel and pepper on the palate.
- Conclusions: This is a nice, pleasant and beautiful Syrah from Russell. A bit too young but very complex. It needs some time to grow and develop its true personality. It will probably reach its full potential in 8-12yrs. This would pair well with cheeses, fatty meats, dry rub pork ribs, or just on its own.
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Getting a lot of what drrobvino just described. Off the pop, masses of brown sugar-glazed bacon. Teriyaki, black olive, cherry, more smoke, some port-like raisin. Smooth with a long juicy finish. The meatiness backs off a little with some air. Delicious and complex but the 16.1% definitely pokes through. Seems at peak but with no rush. Different from most of the other HS wines I've tried, in a good way.
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Very tasty, enjoyed at our house at a get together after my son's Eagle Scout award ceremony. PnP, deep smoky notes with bacon, plum, prune, black cherry, and wood. Complex and quite enjoyable, with med tannins that are coming around and evolving nicely with a little age. Drink now through 2018+.
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Splash decant and strained for sediment (mild) ... This is our second to last bottle of this vintage and I can attest it's really singing right now. Smooth as silk, without a hint of heat, despite it's rather imposing ABV. Rich, blue-black fruit to open, but not too primary. Just a little cream (not overly oaky), and tannins are intact, but sweetened somewhat. Still some acid on the backend, with leather, smoke and spice rounding out the flavor profile. A great, big Paso Syrah with some substance and structure. No one makes 'em like Russell at Herman Story!
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Decanted for 2 hrs. Nice dark fruit nose. Delicious, smooth tastes of dark fruits & cherries (and maybe some chocolate) with some pepper on the finish. Consistent tastes throughout the bottle.
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Yum! Unfortunately, it got really good at the very end. Opened up for over an hour, but guess it needed more time. Can't wait to try the other two and see how they compare.
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This stuff just tastes good. Heavy in the mouth with full, head-on, hit you in the face fruit. Smooth as a freshly talcumed baby's butt - goes down easy. Killer at this price. If scoring 93-95.
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Big and bold with lots of flavor. Even with the intensity the wine is approachable and balanced. Slight bit of heat on the finish but it fades with time.
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A Whole Lotta Syrahs (and more) at the Girl and the Fig; 3/4/2014-3/6/2014 (The Girl and the Fig): I think I liked this more than the group. Perhaps at this point in the evening I needed something to wake my palate up. Purple/ruby in color. The nose shows black raspberry jam, cinnamon, black licorice and in general is a fruit bomb. On the palate, I loved the thick, velvety texture. Some alcohol showing as some heat, but so much going on here. This is one to drink young I think (compare the Alban perhaps). But, I liked it.
I love all Russell's wines but this one may be my favorite. Did an hour decant which was probably just about right. Drinking great now but may even be better over the next year or two and then will hold for at least the next few years.
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Splash decant … Coming into its own now, this big, beautiful wine is in a very nice place right now. Hugely bold, with up front fruit, but smoke, earth and spice on the backend. A nice pop of acid gives it backbone. Easy drinker, but more interesting than a boring fruit bomb. Year-in, year-out, great juice. The centerpiece of the Story wines.
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Yikes! This is a big beast. In your face without guilt. Lush, ripe fruit, some licorice, some spice, and plenty of alcohol. You can't help but smile as it kicks your ass. If scoring 92-94.
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Deliciously hedonistic syrah but with nice structure and brightness... very well composed. Always one of my favorite HS wines, this is absolutely smoking right now. Smoked meats and tar with buckets of ripe lush fruit. So deep and satisfying. Outstanding.
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Once again another delightful and sexy syrah from Russell. Nose of raspberry pie, cedar, and baking spice. smooth and a finish that goes on for 30 plus seconds. My only complaint is of the heat from this 16.1% wine. It is a bit noticeable.
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Decanted and consumed the bottle over the next hour or 2. I keep telling myself I am getting away from big, oaky and extracted California wines...then I have a HS wine and fall asleep on my porch, spilling the wine on my shirt. I always find the empty decanter the next morning. What happened? Deep black purple (burple) in color. The color exudes through the tears and stains the walls of the glass. The nose is developing, showing med intensity notes of charcoal embers, warm tire rubber, and black cherry compote, sprinkled with freshly ground pepper and a little bacon lard to boot. Complex. The palate is dry, showing full body and high alcohol (listed 16.1% abv, yep, you got a problem with that?). Med intensity notes of blackberry, black cherry, anise, charcoal, and soil tones. Tannins are med+ and quite persistent now, 2 hours after opening, when I'm writing this note. But initially, the tannins were more supple and round, seemed to get awakened by the air. Acidity in a wine with 16.1% listed abv? Still seems present, maybe med level, but the wine doesn't come across as flabby or fat. The finish goes on for 30+ secs, med+ in length, echoing notes from the palate and nose, with some grit from tannins to boot. This is a very good quality wine, which still may actually improve an further integrate over the next 2 years in bottle, and drink well through 2020. But the wine is soooo delicious now, just drink it and don't write a 10 sentence TN about it. Russell would kick my ass right now if he were on my porch drinking this wine with me while my friend was playing acoustic guitar and we were waaaay too ripped from having 3 bottles of weed wine during a wine party...yet I digress.
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A big, bold Syrah. I remember the 2009 as being more integrated, so this disappointed me a bit. It's still a very good wine, but not what I was expecting. I'll let the next bottle lay down a while.
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Decanted for about a hour. BIG syrah. Lots of alcohol on nose even after decant. Probably should have waited on this wine but still it was delicious. First taste was raspberries then plums with a finish of licorice. Yummy. Alcohol content awfully high which is one of the reasons I opened it now. I don't have enough experience to know if the fruit would stand up to such a high alc. content over time.
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OK, I didn't wait a year on this bottle but it did get a bit better. Similar impression to September note but more integrated. A big, boisterous central coast syrah. One of the more fruit forward wines of the 2010 Herman Story line-up.
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California Syrah or CDP (with some Whites to Start) (Beebe House): I had a hard time figuring out if this was a young, ripe CDP or California Syrah (definitely a warm climate wine). Inky black/purple color. Iodine, black cherry, red licorice. Similar fruit flavors on the palate - this was a huge wine but also very tasty. Full body & long finish. Would be great with BBQ. 93+/-. Would buy this.
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Big, bold, inky purple in color. Smoky blackberry with black pepper, graphite, and underbrush. Very nicely done. Not over the top but definitely toeing the the line. Even after a 2 hour decant it was a bit tannic. I'll revisit the bottle tonight.
So much better the next day. Softer, more complex, and cohesive. I would put it at a solid 94
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Rich, expressive, and tasty... rounding into form nicely.. Juicy black raspberry syrup (without the overt sweetness), leathery notes, tobacco, cocoa, and well proportioned oak. Good acidity too. Vintage shines thru. Another outstanding N&B
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pnp consumed 3/4 day 1, the rest on day 2. gloriously massive and gooey black fruits and the blackest of black cherries, with violets and spice buttressing the roasted fruit aromas. substantial in the mouth, with more juicy and driven dark fruit flavors. the finish brings in brown and burnt sugar, with plenty of tumbling dark fruit and nice acid. this did not come across flabby in spite of its high alcohol and extremely ripe fruit. love herman story! if scoring, 92-94.
Poured through Vinturi and then decanted approx. 30 min. ... My first 2010 and I'm still "nuts" about this wine. (Groan. I know. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.) Raspberry and blackberry on the nose and palate. Depth and richness to spare. Fruit forward but a lot more interesting, with so much more going on, than a simple fruit bomb. Silky smooth pour with absolutely no heat. I have no idea how Russell does it, year after year, but the Nuts and Bolts is ALWAYS one of our very favorites. Herman Story Rulz ;)
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Raspberry, boysenberry, tobacco, some leather and chocolate. A bit tight at the moment. Be patient with this one. It is silky smooth with the full bodied qualities of Russell's wines.
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Big, rich, dark syrah. Opens with abundant plum and dark fruit. Some dusty tannins on the finish and enough acidity to balance out the fruit. Everything holding up well 48 hours later. More structured, somewhat less plush than the 2009 edition. I might wait a year or two on the next bottle - tastes like it will only get better.
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Popped and poured at restaurant, finished hours later at home. The final glass was the best, which gives a nod to a healthy decant. Big black fruit and licorice on the nose. That carries over to the palate, along with sweet tobacco notes. I need to wait awhile on the next bottles.
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Drank at restaurant as part of an unintentional vertical as we brought the 2009 Nuts and Bolts, not knowing our tablemates brought this one. Quite different from the '09. Not quite as ripe. A bit funky and brambly. While predominately black fruited, this leans a little towards the red side of things. Seems more structured than the '09. Longer too and with more acidity. Not as well integrated yet. More like a cool weather syrah. Reminded me alot of the syrahs from Reynvaan. Not quite the pleasure bomb the '09 was, though this was a bit more sophisticated. Not as enjoyable as the '09 by itself, but I prefered it while eating my steak. Another outstanding wine from Russel, which surely benefited from the pairing.
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A nice nose and deep dark color. Wife wasn't a fan and she usually likes Syrah. I couldn't see what she was talking about, I gladly drank the rest over the next couple of nights and opened her another bottle of wine.
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Popped, aerated and poured, drank over 2 nights. Dark garnet hue. Cherry fruit and licorice on the nose. Palate has that same cherry fruit, with notes of sweet tobacco and black tea. Finishes a bit hot.
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pop and pour, consumed 50% night 1 and the rest on night 3.
purple-black in the glass, almost opaque. huge aromatics of roasted blackberries, raspberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, other sweet spices, and white pepper. the palate was what i've come to expect from herman story: succulent, juicy black fruits that coat the mouth with supple tannic support. the finish was very long, full of bright (in terms of clarity) red and black fruits. yes, there's plenty of alcohol burning around, but the depth and purity of the fruit makes for a surprisingly balanced package. great, great stuff and one of the best qpr wines in california. if scoring, 92-94 points.
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The 2008 is still my favorite, BUT surprising to me is the 2010 which is nearly as good. Again, I've been enjoying Russell's wines since 2004 and have really enjoyed the progression of this wine. The 2007 and 2009 offerings, while pretty darn tasty, were a bit too "cherry" and lacked the balance of smoke and cocoa that the 2008 and 2010 offerings embody. The nose is a bit more concentrated on this one with hints of tobacco, meat, dust, cherry and smoke while the mid palate is of silky dark chocolate, anise, and cherry with a long, dense finish that is both spicy and sweet. Thank you, again, for a great wine Russell.
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Good QPR. This is a wine to pair with big heavy food. DO NOT drink this on a warm summer day, way too hearty and big. This is a soul warming, full bodied, giant. This would pair perfectly with a big bowl of chili and a good football game on a cold day.
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I am a fan of Herman Story and loved the 2008 and 2009 nuts and bolts. Just popped a 2010 and am not dissapointed. Deep red color, lots of fruit (blueberry and blackberry), light tannins, delicious!
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At HS annual pick up party. Recently bottled. Like the Larner, this was a bit disjointed. High cut for a Syrah, this is more on the red fruit side of things vs the black fruited pleasure bomb from '09. Good acids and length with a nice tannic frame. This should benefit greatly from cellar time.
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4/1/2024 - ddsolomon2000 wrote: 92 Points
Still going strong.
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8/23/2021 - TomPatty04 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fruit forward, dry back. Absolutely amazing, enjoyed with a nice filet.
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9/19/2020 - bjamesclark wrote: 92 Points
Decanted. Moderate Sediment.
Opaque and deep, dark red with ruby hues. Glass staining after the swirl
Scents reveal the maturing side of California Syrah. Aromas of tar and race tires lead into scents of dry aged red meats, leather, tobacco, petrichor, earth, black olive, dried violets, caraway seed and juniper meld with notes of camp smoke black currant, plum and dark cherry.
This wine retains it's muscular tannin structure on the palate. Berry like acidity brings an air of freshness. Dense and firm upon entry. Flavors show a mixture of plum, currant, leather, tobacco, olive, dry aged meats, camp smoke, turned earth and hints of dried violets, juniper and tar. The dry, meaty finish linger.
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6/9/2020 - Ceo wrote: 94 Points
Better with age
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5/27/2020 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent! Not sure where we bought it -- we've had it for a while. Intense dark fruit, tons of sediment.
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4/2/2020 - herzog330 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful Syrah. All the telltale signs. Meaty with a lovely pipe tobacco, cherry nose. Some acidity still there in the palate. Nice finish. These wines just get better and better with age!
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5/17/2018 - europat55 wrote: 88 Points
Some nice notes, but too hot and heavy for my taste.
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4/8/2018 - Les Kangas wrote: 91 Points
Aired for one hour and consumed in Reidel Syrah glasses. A bit sweet, but wifey liked a lot. About 2.5 hrs after opening, it got better to me. Had with grilled NY steak.
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3/28/2018 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 92 Points
Even at seven years this wine still had a lot of grip on the first day so this note is from day 2. Classic N&B dark fruit, tar and campfire on the nose and the palate. Not as smooth and integrated as the 09...alchohol still shows a little. Still a great wine...just not a blockbuster like the 09.
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7/29/2017 - Racer117 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Vroom! Rocket fuel! Unbelievable at 16.1%abv but shockingly balanced. Hot nose (no surprise there) with lots of ripe fruit, plum, and a secondary note of savory meat. Extremely long finish. Bottle was stained inside. Or was it etched.....
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3/6/2017 - Ceo wrote: 93 Points
Worth the wait
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2/3/2017 - lushlife wrote:
with such deceivingly high octane wine it's difficult sometimes to remember to write the notes
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11/29/2016 - midtownmac wrote:
SS gift from 2015. Lots of savory cured meat notes along with spicy white pepper. I got a bit of Northern Rhone for sure. Even with The high alcohol it doesn't come off as overly hot as some paso wines can. Thanks MarkandSusanW.
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11/26/2016 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Watching OSU beat Michigan (hopefully!).
See previous TN, very good, enjoyed by all.
Drink now through 2018 or so.
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10/15/2016 - lushlife wrote: 93 Points
beautiful nose of dark fruit and smoked meat finishes smooth and long
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8/20/2016 - Wowcoolman Likes this wine: 92 Points
High in yum factor. Fills the mouth wonderfully
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4/18/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
HdR Opening Tasting: Just a hair off from the 2009. Very good but a bit tighter. Perhaps with time, this will be the better wine. Who knows. Very robust black raspberry fruit.
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12/31/2015 - skip2mylu Likes this wine: 90 Points
Original notes and tasting date below.
Day-2 = 88-89 Pts
- Nose: Funky, oxidized nose, vegetal fermentation. Hints of cabbage and onion. I wasn't expecting much just on the day-2 nose.
- Palate: Not bad at all!!! Maybe just a point loss from day-1. More tannins and lots of bread crust on the finish. A meal on its own...
Day-1
1) No decant (VinOAir) = 90 Pts.
- Clear, beautiful deep ruby heading to deep garnet with huge, drippy legs full of color.
- Clean, pronounced intensity with fruit and spice and everything nice. Tumeric, vanilla, dill, basil, nutmeg, asparagus, orange slice, Christmas present wrapping-tape on nose.
- Dry, Med+ tannins and full body but with great balance indicative of Herman Story and Russell From. Great job! I get French bread crust overtones with black pepper and kirsch that fades to graphite and minerality on the palate.
2) 4hr Decant = 91 Pts.
- Bourbon barrel, fermented cabbage, pepper steak, floral rose, slight caramel and minerality on the nose.
- Dry, Med++ Tannins after the decant. Bread crust remains, although less pronounced. Bitter chocolate, caramel and pepper on the palate.
- Conclusions: This is a nice, pleasant and beautiful Syrah from Russell. A bit too young but very complex. It needs some time to grow and develop its true personality. It will probably reach its full potential in 8-12yrs. This would pair well with cheeses, fatty meats, dry rub pork ribs, or just on its own.
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12/19/2015 - fredman wrote: 92 Points
Give it 2+ hours decant and enjoy.
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11/27/2015 - WineSlim wrote: 93 Points
Nice
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8/4/2015 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Getting a lot of what drrobvino just described. Off the pop, masses of brown sugar-glazed bacon. Teriyaki, black olive, cherry, more smoke, some port-like raisin. Smooth with a long juicy finish. The meatiness backs off a little with some air. Delicious and complex but the 16.1% definitely pokes through. Seems at peak but with no rush. Different from most of the other HS wines I've tried, in a good way.
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7/18/2015 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Very tasty, enjoyed at our house at a get together after my son's Eagle Scout award ceremony.
PnP, deep smoky notes with bacon, plum, prune, black cherry, and wood.
Complex and quite enjoyable, with med tannins that are coming around and evolving nicely with a little age. Drink now through 2018+.
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7/4/2015 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Splash decant and strained for sediment (mild) ... This is our second to last bottle of this vintage and I can attest it's really singing right now. Smooth as silk, without a hint of heat, despite it's rather imposing ABV. Rich, blue-black fruit to open, but not too primary. Just a little cream (not overly oaky), and tannins are intact, but sweetened somewhat. Still some acid on the backend, with leather, smoke and spice rounding out the flavor profile. A great, big Paso Syrah with some substance and structure. No one makes 'em like Russell at Herman Story!
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5/18/2015 - wendyinwlv wrote: 95 Points
Always great, dense and chewy!
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5/18/2015 - JHaslam Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good by the end of the bottle, but needs at least 1 hour decant at this point.
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5/9/2015 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs. Nice dark fruit nose. Delicious, smooth tastes of dark fruits & cherries (and maybe some chocolate) with some pepper on the finish. Consistent tastes throughout the bottle.
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9/21/2014 - wendyinwlv wrote: 93 Points
Yum! Unfortunately, it got really good at the very end. Opened up for over an hour, but guess it needed more time. Can't wait to try the other two and see how they compare.
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8/27/2014 - Reno-Rhone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great wine - ready to drink. Big flavors of dark fruit and some spice overtones. Nice finish. Thanks Russell for another fine wine!
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4/7/2014 - dontime wrote:
This stuff just tastes good. Heavy in the mouth with full, head-on, hit you in the face fruit. Smooth as a freshly talcumed baby's butt - goes down easy. Killer at this price. If scoring 93-95.
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3/28/2014 - johnny1206 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good. Decanted and flavors opened up nicely
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3/26/2014 - Barbaro wrote: 92 Points
Big and bold with lots of flavor. Even with the intensity the wine is approachable and balanced. Slight bit of heat on the finish but it fades with time.
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3/6/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
A Whole Lotta Syrahs (and more) at the Girl and the Fig; 3/4/2014-3/6/2014 (The Girl and the Fig): I think I liked this more than the group. Perhaps at this point in the evening I needed something to wake my palate up. Purple/ruby in color. The nose shows black raspberry jam, cinnamon, black licorice and in general is a fruit bomb. On the palate, I loved the thick, velvety texture. Some alcohol showing as some heat, but so much going on here. This is one to drink young I think (compare the Alban perhaps). But, I liked it.
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2/17/2014 - GrapesRGreat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fairly hedonistic but not unbalanced. Would be curious to try one of these with 6-8 years of age.
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2/15/2014 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 92 Points
I love all Russell's wines but this one may be my favorite. Did an hour decant which was probably just about right. Drinking great now but may even be better over the next year or two and then will hold for at least the next few years.
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2/1/2014 - Central Coast Wino Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big and bold, with flavors of smoked meats and dark fruit.
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11/17/2013 - DSP Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Ripe. Boring.
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10/23/2013 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Splash decant … Coming into its own now, this big, beautiful wine is in a very nice place right now. Hugely bold, with up front fruit, but smoke, earth and spice on the backend. A nice pop of acid gives it backbone. Easy drinker, but more interesting than a boring fruit bomb. Year-in, year-out, great juice. The centerpiece of the Story wines.
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10/13/2013 - dontime wrote:
Yikes! This is a big beast. In your face without guilt. Lush, ripe fruit, some licorice, some spice, and plenty of alcohol. You can't help but smile as it kicks your ass. If scoring 92-94.
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10/12/2013 - les_the_sailor Likes this wine: 90 Points
Brought to a friend's house. Wow. I remember it being delicious, big, bold, and super lucious.
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10/11/2013 - Redguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deliciously hedonistic syrah but with nice structure and brightness... very well composed. Always one of my favorite HS wines, this is absolutely smoking right now. Smoked meats and tar with buckets of ripe lush fruit. So deep and satisfying. Outstanding.
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9/3/2013 - STM82 wrote: 93 Points
Once again another delightful and sexy syrah from Russell. Nose of raspberry pie, cedar, and baking spice. smooth and a finish that goes on for 30 plus seconds. My only complaint is of the heat from this 16.1% wine. It is a bit noticeable.
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6/20/2013 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and consumed the bottle over the next hour or 2.
I keep telling myself I am getting away from big, oaky and extracted California wines...then I have a HS wine and fall asleep on my porch, spilling the wine on my shirt. I always find the empty decanter the next morning. What happened?
Deep black purple (burple) in color. The color exudes through the tears and stains the walls of the glass.
The nose is developing, showing med intensity notes of charcoal embers, warm tire rubber, and black cherry compote, sprinkled with freshly ground pepper and a little bacon lard to boot. Complex.
The palate is dry, showing full body and high alcohol (listed 16.1% abv, yep, you got a problem with that?). Med intensity notes of blackberry, black cherry, anise, charcoal, and soil tones. Tannins are med+ and quite persistent now, 2 hours after opening, when I'm writing this note. But initially, the tannins were more supple and round, seemed to get awakened by the air. Acidity in a wine with 16.1% listed abv? Still seems present, maybe med level, but the wine doesn't come across as flabby or fat. The finish goes on for 30+ secs, med+ in length, echoing notes from the palate and nose, with some grit from tannins to boot.
This is a very good quality wine, which still may actually improve an further integrate over the next 2 years in bottle, and drink well through 2020. But the wine is soooo delicious now, just drink it and don't write a 10 sentence TN about it. Russell would kick my ass right now if he were on my porch drinking this wine with me while my friend was playing acoustic guitar and we were waaaay too ripped from having 3 bottles of weed wine during a wine party...yet I digress.
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5/18/2013 - Central Coast Wino Likes this wine: 90 Points
A big, bold Syrah. I remember the 2009 as being more integrated, so this disappointed me a bit. It's still a very good wine, but not what I was expecting. I'll let the next bottle lay down a while.
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4/12/2013 - Annie1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for about a hour. BIG syrah. Lots of alcohol on nose even after decant. Probably should have waited on this wine but still it was delicious. First taste was raspberries then plums with a finish of licorice. Yummy. Alcohol content awfully high which is one of the reasons I opened it now. I don't have enough experience to know if the fruit would stand up to such a high alc. content over time.
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3/17/2013 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 92 Points
OK, I didn't wait a year on this bottle but it did get a bit better. Similar impression to September note but more integrated. A big, boisterous central coast syrah. One of the more fruit forward wines of the 2010 Herman Story line-up.
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2/20/2013 - Scot Russo Likes this wine: 89 Points
wasn't as good as the grenache he does but still an enjoyable wine.
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1/13/2013 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
California Syrah or CDP (with some Whites to Start) (Beebe House): I had a hard time figuring out if this was a young, ripe CDP or California Syrah (definitely a warm climate wine). Inky black/purple color. Iodine, black cherry, red licorice. Similar fruit flavors on the palate - this was a huge wine but also very tasty. Full body & long finish. Would be great with BBQ. 93+/-. Would buy this.
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12/25/2012 - STM82 wrote: 93 Points
Big, bold, inky purple in color. Smoky blackberry with black pepper, graphite, and underbrush. Very nicely done. Not over the top but definitely toeing the the line. Even after a 2 hour decant it was a bit tannic. I'll revisit the bottle tonight.
So much better the next day. Softer, more complex, and cohesive. I would put it at a solid 94
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11/15/2012 - Redguy wrote: 92 Points
Rich, expressive, and tasty... rounding into form nicely.. Juicy black raspberry syrup (without the overt sweetness), leathery notes, tobacco, cocoa, and well proportioned oak. Good acidity too. Vintage shines thru. Another outstanding N&B
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11/13/2012 - caeleric wrote:
pnp consumed 3/4 day 1, the rest on day 2. gloriously massive and gooey black fruits and the blackest of black cherries, with violets and spice buttressing the roasted fruit aromas. substantial in the mouth, with more juicy and driven dark fruit flavors. the finish brings in brown and burnt sugar, with plenty of tumbling dark fruit and nice acid. this did not come across flabby in spite of its high alcohol and extremely ripe fruit. love herman story! if scoring, 92-94.
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10/25/2012 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Poured through Vinturi and then decanted approx. 30 min. ... My first 2010 and I'm still "nuts" about this wine. (Groan. I know. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.) Raspberry and blackberry on the nose and palate. Depth and richness to spare. Fruit forward but a lot more interesting, with so much more going on, than a simple fruit bomb. Silky smooth pour with absolutely no heat. I have no idea how Russell does it, year after year, but the Nuts and Bolts is ALWAYS one of our very favorites. Herman Story Rulz ;)
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10/7/2012 - STM82 wrote: 92 Points
Raspberry, boysenberry, tobacco, some leather and chocolate. A bit tight at the moment. Be patient with this one. It is silky smooth with the full bodied qualities of Russell's wines.
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9/23/2012 - rdf58 wrote: 91 Points
Big, rich, dark syrah. Opens with abundant plum and dark fruit. Some dusty tannins on the finish and enough acidity to balance out the fruit. Everything holding up well 48 hours later. More structured, somewhat less plush than the 2009 edition. I might wait a year or two on the next bottle - tastes like it will only get better.
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9/23/2012 - The Wine Write wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured at restaurant, finished hours later at home. The final glass was the best, which gives a nod to a healthy decant. Big black fruit and licorice on the nose. That carries over to the palate, along with sweet tobacco notes. I need to wait awhile on the next bottles.
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8/17/2012 - Redguy wrote: 92 Points
Drank at restaurant as part of an unintentional vertical as we brought the 2009 Nuts and Bolts, not knowing our tablemates brought this one. Quite different from the '09. Not quite as ripe. A bit funky and brambly. While predominately black fruited, this leans a little towards the red side of things. Seems more structured than the '09. Longer too and with more acidity. Not as well integrated yet. More like a cool weather syrah. Reminded me alot of the syrahs from Reynvaan. Not quite the pleasure bomb the '09 was, though this was a bit more sophisticated. Not as enjoyable as the '09 by itself, but I prefered it while eating my steak. Another outstanding wine from Russel, which surely benefited from the pairing.
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8/13/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 91 Points
A nice nose and deep dark color. Wife wasn't a fan and she usually likes Syrah. I couldn't see what she was talking about, I gladly drank the rest over the next couple of nights and opened her another bottle of wine.
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8/10/2012 - The Wine Write wrote: 91 Points
Popped, aerated and poured, drank over 2 nights. Dark garnet hue. Cherry fruit and licorice on the nose. Palate has that same cherry fruit, with notes of sweet tobacco and black tea. Finishes a bit hot.
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7/23/2012 - copdyke wrote: 93 Points
This was a great wine. Nice cherry, dark fruits. A little concentrated but still great. Could use a couple more years in the rack. Decanted 2 hours.
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6/7/2012 - caeleric Likes this wine:
pop and pour, consumed 50% night 1 and the rest on night 3.
purple-black in the glass, almost opaque. huge aromatics of roasted blackberries, raspberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, other sweet spices, and white pepper. the palate was what i've come to expect from herman story: succulent, juicy black fruits that coat the mouth with supple tannic support. the finish was very long, full of bright (in terms of clarity) red and black fruits. yes, there's plenty of alcohol burning around, but the depth and purity of the fruit makes for a surprisingly balanced package. great, great stuff and one of the best qpr wines in california. if scoring, 92-94 points.
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6/2/2012 - emrugger wrote: 94 Points
The 2008 is still my favorite, BUT surprising to me is the 2010 which is nearly as good. Again, I've been enjoying Russell's wines since 2004 and have really enjoyed the progression of this wine. The 2007 and 2009 offerings, while pretty darn tasty, were a bit too "cherry" and lacked the balance of smoke and cocoa that the 2008 and 2010 offerings embody. The nose is a bit more concentrated on this one with hints of tobacco, meat, dust, cherry and smoke while the mid palate is of silky dark chocolate, anise, and cherry with a long, dense finish that is both spicy and sweet. Thank you, again, for a great wine Russell.
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5/29/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 91 Points
Good QPR. This is a wine to pair with big heavy food. DO NOT drink this on a warm summer day, way too hearty and big. This is a soul warming, full bodied, giant. This would pair perfectly with a big bowl of chili and a good football game on a cold day.
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3/30/2012 - nivatro wrote: 93 Points
I am a fan of Herman Story and loved the 2008 and 2009 nuts and bolts. Just popped a 2010 and am not dissapointed. Deep red color, lots of fruit (blueberry and blackberry), light tannins, delicious!
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3/24/2012 - Redguy wrote:
At HS annual pick up party. Recently bottled. Like the Larner, this was a bit disjointed. High cut for a Syrah, this is more on the red fruit side of things vs the black fruited pleasure bomb from '09. Good acids and length with a nice tannic frame. This should benefit greatly from cellar time.
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