Purple ruby core color, very light bricking. Nose of ripe boysenberry, blueberry, green olive that is secondary to the fragrant floral, violets, hot climate syrah profile. Matt says it reminds him of the dip stick from fun dip. Excellent aromatics. Medium plus to full bodied with blue and purple fruit, liquid violets, boysenberry, not jammy or ponderous considering how forward the wine is, freshing, medium to medium light acid, silky tannins.
I found this to be best in a grassl mineralite (white) glass, which seemed to compress the floral aromatics in a compact space. The larger cru and 1855 glasses brought out a vanilla profile that I didn’t get at all on the mineralite. Opened with a slight chill and improved as it warmed up.
Fantastic bottle that is drinking at its peak. Great balance, ripe paso florals but good acid. Wish I had more, this is pure enjoyment in a glass. 95-96
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Absolutely delicious, great with a couple of years of age on it. Was fantastic out of the gate, did remind me of 2007 Saxum JBV, however, with extra air fell apart just slightly. Still a wow wine.
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Stellar Paso Robles non blind tasting. Opened for an hour then tasted over four hours with cheeses and meats. No formal notes taken at the time. The oldest of the wines. Excellent overall balance. Fruit has integrated.
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Meeting of Minds OG Crew (Craig's Place): Popped and poured; consumed over a four hour period. Is this really 17% ABV?!!! I wonder if that's a typo. I would have never guessed considering how well this was drinking 7 years on. I expected loads of heat and stewed fruit and I received the exact opposite. This bottle blows away the theory that high ABV wines will make for a hot mess. Instead, we were treated to fresh, perfectly ripened brambles with a pleasant addition of spice. The texture was smooth and seductive...really very sexy...borderline slutty. Tied for my WOTN. I would love to experience this again...sadly, it's far too limited to expect such a thing. Drinking very nicely now on the PnP...why wait?
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We were doing a vertical this evening (served with a succulent prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta - everything's better with pancetta) of Villa Creek High Road - 2006, 2007, & 2008. Pulled from the wine refrigerator and popped and poured using a funnel. The 2007 was inky, fruit on the nose and on the palate with a flatter taste to it than the 2006. Stems up!
Update: Wine Spectator's James Laube rated this one's brother, 2007 High Road, James Berry Vineyard The Long Path quite nicely. Interestingly, I found the one we tasted to be flat. JL described "The Long Path" as "Tight, firm, dense, and concentrated...". Amazing the difference! I need to pick up a bottle and taste the difference :-)
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We were doing a vertical this evening (served with a succulent prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta - everything's better with pancetta) of Villa Creek High Road - 2006, 2007, & 2008. This is the 2007, and the first thing we noticed was that the 2007 seemed flatter than the 2006. Same GSM ratio (50% grenache, 30% syrah, 20% mourvedre) as the 2006. Don't get me wrong, still a very, very nice bottle of wine. Interesting how it had the same varietals in the same ratio and yet the vintage makes such a difference. Inky, fruit on the nose and on the palate with an almost velvety lusciousness. Stems up!
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A nice purple color. Black raspberry, cherry, roasted herbs, meat juices, fresh flowers, baking spices, and some dark chocolate on the very expressive nose. Medium to full body with solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Big and bold on the palate but with plenty of body, tannins, and acidity to keep everything in perfect balance. Long, lingering finish full of spicy, sweet fruit and minerality. Delicious and should improve with additional cellar time.
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Fun night doing a vertical tasting of High Road - Popped and poured the 2007. More heat and alcohol on the nose than the 2006, but the group generally preferred the 2007 to the 2006 because it had more cajones. Personally, I liked the 2006 better. Having said that, they were both INCREDIBLE!
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Soft, round, jammy, medium-bodied blackberry/boysenberry fruit with cassis, pencil lead and black raspberry flavors, well-balanced, but structure and depth of complexity seemed lacking, finished a bit short and too hot for my palate, overall was disappointed given the great wines that have come from this vineyard
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15.1% alchol. 45% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 20% Mourved. A VC version of the classic 07 Saxum "James Berry."
Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, boysenberry, rasberry, blackberry, cassis. Very rich, well balanced and mouthfilling. Excellent balance.
Wish I had more. Absolutely delicious. Kudos to Cris and Jo Anne!
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Pomegranite red with a restrained nose, this wine is medium weight but is as hard as a rock, and needs to soften up. Red fruit sneaks through the wall of tannins with currant, mixed berry and spice. Very dry on the finish that pulls up just short. This blend should show better in the years to come. Villa Creek tasting room - Paso Robles Harvest Festival.
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Villa Creek Winery Tasting (Villa Creek Winery): Tasted non blind at the winery. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of coffee, cassis, potpourri and plums. Flavors of currants, cassis, raspberries and cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now with plenty of air or hold. 92.
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This wine really left an impression on me. It was amazingly balanced and rounded without feeling thin. Red fruits lept from the glass on the first sniff, and upon tasting, it was clear that this was made from high-quality fruit. There was depth and character to the fruit with a true sense of place. The acidity and tannins gave a spherical profile to the lovely fruit.
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15.1% ABV. Dark garnet, somewhat translucent in the glass. Smoky, sort of waxy nose with a secondary stony? nuance. Medium full bodied with tangy sweet cherry and parched earth. Not bad, but I was hoping for a little more. 90-91.
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7/19/2022 - Thek Likes this wine: 95 Points
Purple ruby core color, very light bricking. Nose of ripe boysenberry, blueberry, green olive that is secondary to the fragrant floral, violets, hot climate syrah profile. Matt says it reminds him of the dip stick from fun dip. Excellent aromatics. Medium plus to full bodied with blue and purple fruit, liquid violets, boysenberry, not jammy or ponderous considering how forward the wine is, freshing, medium to medium light acid, silky tannins.
I found this to be best in a grassl mineralite (white) glass, which seemed to compress the floral aromatics in a compact space. The larger cru and 1855 glasses brought out a vanilla profile that I didn’t get at all on the mineralite. Opened with a slight chill and improved as it warmed up.
Fantastic bottle that is drinking at its peak. Great balance, ripe paso florals but good acid. Wish I had more, this is pure enjoyment in a glass. 95-96
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10/28/2020 - DaninClearwater wrote: 93 Points
Still a great bottle of wine
high alcohol well balenced
but, drink up
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12/31/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely delicious, great with a couple of years of age on it. Was fantastic out of the gate, did remind me of 2007 Saxum JBV, however, with extra air fell apart just slightly. Still a wow wine.
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12/30/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stellar Paso Robles non blind tasting. Opened for an hour then tasted over four hours with cheeses and meats. No formal notes taken at the time. The oldest of the wines. Excellent overall balance. Fruit has integrated.
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11/23/2015 - TheRhoneranger Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely delicious right now. Wish I had more!
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12/24/2014 - TheRhoneranger Likes this wine: 93 Points
Paired well with rack of lamb.
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10/9/2014 - Central Coast Wino wrote: 93 Points
Wow! This wine is in its prime. Complex, exquisitely balanced, rich, ... wonderful.
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9/29/2014 - DaninClearwater wrote: 93 Points
good blue/black berry tastes long finish very well balanced for high
alcohol wine
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5/15/2014 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 94 Points
Meeting of Minds OG Crew (Craig's Place): Popped and poured; consumed over a four hour period. Is this really 17% ABV?!!! I wonder if that's a typo. I would have never guessed considering how well this was drinking 7 years on. I expected loads of heat and stewed fruit and I received the exact opposite. This bottle blows away the theory that high ABV wines will make for a hot mess. Instead, we were treated to fresh, perfectly ripened brambles with a pleasant addition of spice. The texture was smooth and seductive...really very sexy...borderline slutty. Tied for my WOTN. I would love to experience this again...sadly, it's far too limited to expect such a thing. Drinking very nicely now on the PnP...why wait?
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2/8/2014 - HBvino wrote: 92 Points
Delicious blueberry and blackberry jam early to mid palate. Mild tannins toward the finish provide a cohesive structure.
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6/16/2013 - CBDHagafen wrote: 93 Points
Deep color with a nose of dark fruit and spice. Velvety mouth with a great not of nutmeg in the finish.
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12/10/2011 - pocchia wrote: 89 Points
We were doing a vertical this evening (served with a succulent prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta - everything's better with pancetta) of Villa Creek High Road - 2006, 2007, & 2008. Pulled from the wine refrigerator and popped and poured using a funnel. The 2007 was inky, fruit on the nose and on the palate with a flatter taste to it than the 2006. Stems up!
Update: Wine Spectator's James Laube rated this one's brother, 2007 High Road, James Berry Vineyard The Long Path quite nicely. Interestingly, I found the one we tasted to be flat. JL described "The Long Path" as "Tight, firm, dense, and concentrated...". Amazing the difference! I need to pick up a bottle and taste the difference :-)
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12/9/2011 - pocchia wrote: 89 Points
We were doing a vertical this evening (served with a succulent prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, and roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta - everything's better with pancetta) of Villa Creek High Road - 2006, 2007, & 2008. This is the 2007, and the first thing we noticed was that the 2007 seemed flatter than the 2006. Same GSM ratio (50% grenache, 30% syrah, 20% mourvedre) as the 2006. Don't get me wrong, still a very, very nice bottle of wine. Interesting how it had the same varietals in the same ratio and yet the vintage makes such a difference. Inky, fruit on the nose and on the palate with an almost velvety lusciousness. Stems up!
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8/28/2011 - cbbrown3 wrote: 93 Points
A nice purple color. Black raspberry, cherry, roasted herbs, meat juices, fresh flowers, baking spices, and some dark chocolate on the very expressive nose. Medium to full body with solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Big and bold on the palate but with plenty of body, tannins, and acidity to keep everything in perfect balance. Long, lingering finish full of spicy, sweet fruit and minerality. Delicious and should improve with additional cellar time.
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7/30/2011 - pocchia wrote: 90 Points
Fun night doing a vertical tasting of High Road - Popped and poured the 2007. More heat and alcohol on the nose than the 2006, but the group generally preferred the 2007 to the 2006 because it had more cajones. Personally, I liked the 2006 better. Having said that, they were both INCREDIBLE!
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4/9/2011 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Soft, round, jammy, medium-bodied blackberry/boysenberry fruit with cassis, pencil lead and black raspberry flavors, well-balanced, but structure and depth of complexity seemed lacking, finished a bit short and too hot for my palate, overall was disappointed given the great wines that have come from this vineyard
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10/20/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 93 Points
15.1% alchol. 45% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 20% Mourved. A VC version of the classic 07 Saxum "James Berry."
Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, boysenberry, rasberry, blackberry, cassis. Very rich, well balanced and mouthfilling. Excellent balance.
Wish I had more. Absolutely delicious. Kudos to Cris and Jo Anne!
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10/15/2010 - wine maestro wrote: 88 Points
Pomegranite red with a restrained nose, this wine is medium weight but is as hard
as a rock, and needs to soften up. Red fruit sneaks through the wall of tannins
with currant, mixed berry and spice. Very dry on the finish that pulls up just
short. This blend should show better in the years to come. Villa Creek tasting
room - Paso Robles Harvest Festival.
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9/5/2010 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
Villa Creek Winery Tasting (Villa Creek Winery): Tasted non blind at the winery. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of coffee, cassis, potpourri and plums. Flavors of currants, cassis, raspberries and cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now with plenty of air or hold. 92.
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8/7/2010 - Meerlust wrote:
This wine really left an impression on me. It was amazingly balanced and rounded without feeling thin. Red fruits lept from the glass on the first sniff, and upon tasting, it was clear that this was made from high-quality fruit. There was depth and character to the fruit with a true sense of place. The acidity and tannins gave a spherical profile to the lovely fruit.
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7/16/2010 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 91 Points
15.1% ABV. Dark garnet, somewhat translucent in the glass. Smoky, sort of waxy nose with a secondary stony? nuance. Medium full bodied with tangy sweet cherry and parched earth. Not bad, but I was hoping for a little more. 90-91.
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