PnP, fruit more dominant at the moment than secondary notes like spice and brine. Touch of heat on the finish as the wine warmed up to room temps; otherwise nice and smooth all the way.
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PnP, easy drinking right from the start. Quite nice, and reminded me of a Rasa Syrah, which made sense when I read the label and realized Billo Naravane is the winemaker. I don't know that this will continue to improve much; I'll be drinking up remaining bottles sooner than later.
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Quite delicious. Like ledocq's note I couldn't believe how quickly this was consumed, and I was trying to coax more from the empty bottle, my last alas.
Hey, guess what? If you wait 30 months between bottles, you end up with...more maturity! At least the wine matured a bit. Opens up in the first 30 minutes, no notes because we couldn't have drunk this faster if we'd gravity-fed it from a beer bong.
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Mmm, the fruit quality on this is really nice, with clean, racy cherry and mixed berries enveloped with smoky meats, pepper, iron, coriander, herbs. Cool climate Syrah feel. Nice!
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Decanted for about 30 min prior to first sip. That first night it was a little hot, and a little too much acidic bite. Paired quite well with food, but wasn't as enjoyable alone. Fruit was dark berry and cracked peppercorn was showing as well. Funneled back into a 375 and put in the wine fridge for the night. On Day 2, this had open up considerably. Heat dissipated, acid integrated, pepper exploded! Blackberry fruit, but oh, that pepper flavor was just awesome! Much improved on day 2. I will be holding on to my last bottle for another couple years I think. Well done, Billo!
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Almost a year since my only other bottle and I like it even more this time. Appearance unchanged. The bouquet is just beautiful with lots of flowers, fruit, earth, wood, bacon, and pepper. Concentrated and plush on the palate with a clean, long finish, only marred by a bit of overreach from the alcohol. Really much more Paso-like than OR/WA, and there's nothing wrong with that. Seems to be performing in its prime age-wise, and I wish I had more in the cellar. 5+12+17+8=92
Solid value Oregon Syrah. In a nice place. Dark red fruit and some funkiness, enough spice to keep it interesting. No heat, tannins resolved. If scoring 90-92.
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Pop and pour. Moderate nose of dark fruit, something bright. Moderate concentration. Funk, red fruit, saline, gravel. Bright acidity but OK to stand alone. Integrated, slick tannins.
Lots to like. Great QPR, better potential. 91++
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I disagree with the other rating. I thought this was dynamite. Olive and funk on the nose. Very smooth long palate similar in characteristic to the 2007 QED, yet less meat and more green olive and canned vegetable hints. Definitely appears to have rocky Syrah hints. Young but still very fun. Drank over 3 days and didn't seem to change a huge amount.
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Dark ruby with nice radiance, about 80% opaque and very slow, clear legs. Tiny amount of sediment. Voluptuous, high-octane nose with very pure Syrah expression. Cassis, blueberry, red licorice, pepper, Brach's pink candy, walnut shell, and coriander. Dark and silky palate, medium weight/medium heat with powerful fruit and gentle brambles coating the tongue. Tannins seem like they're still to the firm side of fully resolved and another year will likely make this even smoother. Long finish with a lot of depth that holds some promise for the future. 5+11+16+9 = 91
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Decant. Holy smokes, decant. When it's tomorrow and I'm pushing my shopping cart at the market, I will wonder if in this review I emphasized "decant" enough and I'll look CT up on my phone to see if I've indicated that this wine gives up very little until 3-4 hours in the air. It tastes quite wonderful, if tannic, then. More formal notes with the next bottle, but this pioneer note recommends that you wait.
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7/8/2019 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
PnP, fruit more dominant at the moment than secondary notes like spice and brine. Touch of heat on the finish as the wine warmed up to room temps; otherwise nice and smooth all the way.
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10/5/2018 - curtr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice match to leg of duck. A bit more fruit forward helped stand up to the richness of the duck.
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9/6/2018 - curtr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good fruit intensity to stand up to ribs.
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9/4/2018 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
PnP, easy drinking right from the start. Quite nice, and reminded me of a Rasa Syrah, which made sense when I read the label and realized Billo Naravane is the winemaker. I don't know that this will continue to improve much; I'll be drinking up remaining bottles sooner than later.
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3/19/2018 - curtr Likes this wine: 90 Points
In a good place. Nice, medium intensity.
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2/12/2017 - lirvingham wrote: 92 Points
Excellent!!
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2/11/2017 - MindMuse wrote:
Quite delicious. Like ledocq's note I couldn't believe how quickly this was consumed, and I was trying to coax more from the empty bottle, my last alas.
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4/17/2016 - ledocq wrote:
Hey, guess what? If you wait 30 months between bottles, you end up with...more maturity! At least the wine matured a bit. Opens up in the first 30 minutes, no notes because we couldn't have drunk this faster if we'd gravity-fed it from a beer bong.
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3/3/2016 - MindMuse Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mmm, the fruit quality on this is really nice, with clean, racy cherry and mixed berries enveloped with smoky meats, pepper, iron, coriander, herbs. Cool climate Syrah feel. Nice!
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10/2/2015 - RPerro Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with prior notes.
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7/14/2015 - RPerro Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for about 30 min prior to first sip. That first night it was a little hot, and a little too much acidic bite. Paired quite well with food, but wasn't as enjoyable alone. Fruit was dark berry and cracked peppercorn was showing as well. Funneled back into a 375 and put in the wine fridge for the night. On Day 2, this had open up considerably. Heat dissipated, acid integrated, pepper exploded! Blackberry fruit, but oh, that pepper flavor was just awesome! Much improved on day 2. I will be holding on to my last bottle for another couple years I think. Well done, Billo!
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5/26/2015 - fingers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Almost a year since my only other bottle and I like it even more this time. Appearance unchanged. The bouquet is just beautiful with lots of flowers, fruit, earth, wood, bacon, and pepper. Concentrated and plush on the palate with a clean, long finish, only marred by a bit of overreach from the alcohol. Really much more Paso-like than OR/WA, and there's nothing wrong with that. Seems to be performing in its prime age-wise, and I wish I had more in the cellar. 5+12+17+8=92
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4/18/2015 - dontime wrote:
Solid value Oregon Syrah. In a nice place. Dark red fruit and some funkiness, enough spice to keep it interesting. No heat, tannins resolved. If scoring 90-92.
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10/23/2014 - Empirate wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Moderate nose of dark fruit, something bright. Moderate concentration. Funk, red fruit, saline, gravel. Bright acidity but OK to stand alone. Integrated, slick tannins.
Lots to like. Great QPR, better potential. 91++
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8/12/2014 - lirvingham wrote: 93 Points
I disagree with the other rating. I thought this was dynamite. Olive and funk on the nose. Very smooth long palate similar in characteristic to the 2007 QED, yet less meat and more green olive and canned vegetable hints. Definitely appears to have rocky Syrah hints. Young but still very fun. Drank over 3 days and didn't seem to change a huge amount.
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6/13/2014 - fingers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark ruby with nice radiance, about 80% opaque and very slow, clear legs. Tiny amount of sediment. Voluptuous, high-octane nose with very pure Syrah expression. Cassis, blueberry, red licorice, pepper, Brach's pink candy, walnut shell, and coriander. Dark and silky palate, medium weight/medium heat with powerful fruit and gentle brambles coating the tongue. Tannins seem like they're still to the firm side of fully resolved and another year will likely make this even smoother. Long finish with a lot of depth that holds some promise for the future. 5+11+16+9 = 91
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11/8/2013 - ledocq Likes this wine:
Decant. Holy smokes, decant. When it's tomorrow and I'm pushing my shopping cart at the market, I will wonder if in this review I emphasized "decant" enough and I'll look CT up on my phone to see if I've indicated that this wine gives up very little until 3-4 hours in the air. It tastes quite wonderful, if tannic, then. More formal notes with the next bottle, but this pioneer note recommends that you wait.
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