The Booker was served from Coravin and in the glass for 30 min. Huge aromas of dark fruit but not overripe and also hints of pepper/herbs. Full body, still showing heavy tannins. Rich fruit and considering the blend hard to pinpoint what shines more and a little confusing as I get that Rioja meets Rhone with the Tempranillo up front with a Rhone finish. Overall though a great wine with dinner and would say just entering a good drinking window but has plenty of time left.
Opened,decanted, drank with a savory beef shepherds pie. Awesome! Great fruit with lots of tart cherry flavors. Big but balanced. Clearly improved with additional bottle age.
Stellar! Beautifully blended, drinking exceptionally well, gorgeous cherry fruits, plenty lively to stand up to challenging food but magnificent by itself after a three hour decant
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This was an epiphany. Delicious. Similar in profile to the N from Lapierre but with more amplitude. That said, the balance was the same. Incredibly good.
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At the top of its class in terms of powerhouse Paso reds, with an intriguing array of flavors working well enough together to keep this race car from veering off the track. Notes of raspberry, apricot, orange peel, fennel and toasted vanilla vie for the leading role. Plenty of heat in addition to the evident oak, but somehow it all works (and I am not a big fan of most Paso darlings).
Subdued nose. Black fruits with slight blueberry notes. Seemed out of balance with too much acidity and alcoholic heat. Long finish. Not one of the better Booker wines.
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Popped and poured. This is a dark-red trending to purple wine. It is fully mouth-staining. On the nose, I get blackberry pie, a fruit bush in mid-summer (late July or early August; picking is overdue), and a touch of white pepper. In the mouth, this is deeply fruity, yet cut by some good acid. The finish is chewey and lingering. Overall, this is a wine of pleasure not finesse. It is a classic Paso red. I would recommend drinking with some BBQ. 90 points.
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55% Syrah; 14% Tempranillo; 11% P. Verdot; 10% Grenache; and 10% Mourvèdre.
Nice CDP style, but the after taste of graphite was too intense for me to really love it. It might need more time in the bottle to come together. Was much better on day 2 than day 1. Deep purple, peppery nose. Graphite on the palate on day one, but more dried cherry on day 2. A decant might have helped.
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THIS IS READY RIGHT NOW POP AND POUR WAS PESSIMISTIC AFTER READING LAST NOTE, BUT SUCH IS HORSE RACING.......WISH I HAD MORE......VERY SMOOTH AND VERY GOOD
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Deep purple in the glass. Black and red fruit, oak on the nose and palate. Spicy and mouth filling. Round, tart finish. A little too much alcohol and way too much oak, but still a crowd pleaser.
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I love Booker but not this wine. Ready to drink now. Nose was not as strong as other vintages. Good acidity that paired well with food. Tempranillo stood out to me despite a small portion of the blend. Wife liked it more than i did.
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YIKES! Not what I expected, and not like any other Booker wine I've had. Tannic and harsh. I've got to find something else for tonight, and think about what might pair better with this. This may have become an expensive cooking wine.
TWO DAYS LATER: I pulled this back out of the fridge and tried again. I paired with with lamb and what do you know: it wasn't too bad. I guess it took a strong gamy meat to match the tannins. I think with a long decant and a good pairing this is acceptable. This reminds me of a big tennat.
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Not heavy or syrupy. Mid+ weight with a lively acidity. Fully ripe, with dark fruit and a stony minerality. I know this is a kitchen sink blend, but damn it's delicious.
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Decanted through an aerator then consumed 4 hours later. A rather pedestrian release from this producer. The wine turned green at mid-palate feeling washed out and insubstantial followed by excessive structure.
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Delicious blend. Dominated by the fruit but not lush or cloying. A touch of anise in the finish. Earthy. Great acidity. Almost 15% alcohol but it is not noticeable on the palate.
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Good Syrah-dominated wine, lots of blueberry liqueur throughout and a bit of brambly blackberry. Hints of garrigue in the mouth, then the finish gets a little wonky, somewhat bitter but not in a pleasant way, sort of green. Drinks best with a 2 hour decant and is ready to go right now, but have it with food so you don't get slammed by the angular aspects.
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Very dark red. Licorice, cedar, clove and menthol on the nose. Absolutely luscious, great concentration of flavors without being heavy. Artfully blended, perfectly balanced, and after two hours of air time it started really hitting its stride. Full of black raspberry, cherry, bacon, blueberry, and a finish that lasts for minutes which displays some nice mineral notes. Terrific tannin backbone is there if you look for it. This should last for a decade but is certainly tasty now.
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Interesting blend but it doesn't quite go together. Slight spirtziness from grenache shows thru but I prefer the rich syrah flavors. Slightly smokey flavors.
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Decanted for about 30 minutes before drinking over the course of 3 hours. Aroma was smoky meat. Taste has some dark fruit like blackberry as well as some of that smokiness, but something just doesn't hit right here. It seems to fall pretty flat once it hits the mid-palate.
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Purple, medium/high viscosity, with medium to high concentration. Moderate to powerful nose, boasting big dark fruit, plum jam, blackberry, boysenberry and a hint of vanilla. Medium plus body with strong tannins, fair acidity, and powerful yet balanced alcohol. Black cherry, plum, spice and pepper compose a leathery, chewy mouth feel. This wine will age nicely for 5-10 years and is a great example of a paso GSM.
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Very good, POP and paired with BBQ chicken pizza. Started out a bit big and in your face but calmed down within 30min and drank really well. 14.8%ABV but really no heat to speak of. Dark fruit with a fair amount of vanilla, spice. Short to medium finish (could have been longer). Nice velvety mouth feel.
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I had purchased my first 6 pack of Booker a year ago and this was the first bottle we opened. We decanted this. A little funk on the nose, which quickly blew off. A mix of several varietals, the fruit is reserved with a smooth finish and medium tannins. Some good acidity - this wine will age, which aligns with notes from the winemaker. Now that we've tried one of the 2011’s, we'll probably hold on to the others for a few more years to allow for further integration. VERY GOOD.
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Mouvedre dominates the nose and the palate (in a good way) despite being only 10% of the blend. Round and lush, dark fruits and black licorice. This wine is soft, drinking well now.
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7/22/2022 - West Coast Wine wrote: 90 Points
The Booker was served from Coravin and in the glass for 30 min. Huge aromas of dark fruit but not overripe and also hints of pepper/herbs. Full body, still showing heavy tannins. Rich fruit and considering the blend hard to pinpoint what shines more and a little confusing as I get that Rioja meets Rhone with the Tempranillo up front with a Rhone finish. Overall though a great wine with dinner and would say just entering a good drinking window but has plenty of time left.
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9/7/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened,decanted, drank with a savory beef shepherds pie. Awesome! Great fruit with lots of tart cherry flavors. Big but balanced. Clearly improved with additional bottle age.
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9/5/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stellar! Beautifully blended, drinking exceptionally well, gorgeous cherry fruits, plenty lively to stand up to challenging food but magnificent by itself after a three hour decant
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5/4/2020 - timshel wrote:
This was an epiphany. Delicious. Similar in profile to the N from Lapierre but with more amplitude. That said, the balance was the same. Incredibly good.
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12/23/2019 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
At the top of its class in terms of powerhouse Paso reds, with an intriguing array of flavors working well enough together to keep this race car from veering off the track. Notes of raspberry, apricot, orange peel, fennel and toasted vanilla vie for the leading role. Plenty of heat in addition to the evident oak, but somehow it all works (and I am not a big fan of most Paso darlings).
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12/17/2018 - Backdoctor wrote: 93 Points
What a great wine. We popped and poured, the tannins were pretty mellow. Big fruit on the palate. Drinking great now
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10/19/2018 - mvande21 wrote: 89 Points
Subdued nose. Black fruits with slight blueberry notes. Seemed out of balance with too much acidity and alcoholic heat. Long finish. Not one of the better Booker wines.
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3/24/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 90 Points
Less striking than the Ripper from the same evening, yet very fine black fruit and floral notes. This should be consumed now.
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5/28/2017 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured. This is a dark-red trending to purple wine. It is fully mouth-staining. On the nose, I get blackberry pie, a fruit bush in mid-summer (late July or early August; picking is overdue), and a touch of white pepper. In the mouth, this is deeply fruity, yet cut by some good acid. The finish is chewey and lingering. Overall, this is a wine of pleasure not finesse. It is a classic Paso red. I would recommend drinking with some BBQ. 90 points.
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5/1/2017 - SMagowan Likes this wine:
55% Syrah; 14% Tempranillo; 11% P. Verdot; 10% Grenache; and 10% Mourvèdre.
Nice CDP style, but the after taste of graphite was too intense for me to really love it. It might need more time in the bottle to come together. Was much better on day 2 than day 1. Deep purple, peppery nose. Graphite on the palate on day one, but more dried cherry on day 2. A decant might have helped.
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3/23/2017 - mliszt Likes this wine: 95 Points
THIS IS READY RIGHT NOW POP AND POUR WAS PESSIMISTIC AFTER READING LAST NOTE, BUT SUCH IS HORSE RACING.......WISH I HAD MORE......VERY SMOOTH AND VERY GOOD
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3/19/2017 - UofM wrote: 89 Points
Meh. Wasn't my favorite Booker bottling. Just didn't have enough for me to remember.
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2/10/2017 - vino_per_tutti wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple in the glass. Black and red fruit, oak on the nose and palate. Spicy and mouth filling. Round, tart finish. A little too much alcohol and way too much oak, but still a crowd pleaser.
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2/5/2017 - VAD wrote: 93 Points
Very nice, smooth and solid finish
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10/17/2016 - vino nut Likes this wine:
Great bottle
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8/28/2016 - jweedin Likes this wine: 88 Points
I love Booker but not this wine. Ready to drink now. Nose was not as strong as other vintages. Good acidity that paired well with food. Tempranillo stood out to me despite a small portion of the blend. Wife liked it more than i did.
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6/5/2016 - mhewitt wrote: 94 Points
Drinking great right now. It seems that Paso does great in cool vintages.
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5/29/2016 - mhenry wrote:
YIKES! Not what I expected, and not like any other Booker wine I've had. Tannic and harsh. I've got to find something else for tonight, and think about what might pair better with this. This may have become an expensive cooking wine.
TWO DAYS LATER: I pulled this back out of the fridge and tried again. I paired with with lamb and what do you know: it wasn't too bad. I guess it took a strong gamy meat to match the tannins. I think with a long decant and a good pairing this is acceptable. This reminds me of a big tennat.
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10/24/2015 - Colia wrote: 94 Points
Not heavy or syrupy. Mid+ weight with a lively acidity. Fully ripe, with dark fruit and a stony minerality. I know this is a kitchen sink blend, but damn it's delicious.
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9/5/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful wine, great dark red fruit, smooth and polished especially for Paso Robles. Didn't show any green or thin characteristics of other 2011's.
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4/23/2015 - jeagle wrote: 89 Points
Decanted through an aerator then consumed 4 hours later. A rather pedestrian release from this producer. The wine turned green at mid-palate feeling washed out and insubstantial followed by excessive structure.
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2/4/2015 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Delicious blend. Dominated by the fruit but not lush or cloying. A touch of anise in the finish. Earthy. Great acidity. Almost 15% alcohol but it is not noticeable on the palate.
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1/30/2015 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good Syrah-dominated wine, lots of blueberry liqueur throughout and a bit of brambly blackberry. Hints of garrigue in the mouth, then the finish gets a little wonky, somewhat bitter but not in a pleasant way, sort of green. Drinks best with a 2 hour decant and is ready to go right now, but have it with food so you don't get slammed by the angular aspects.
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1/29/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very dark red. Licorice, cedar, clove and menthol on the nose. Absolutely luscious, great concentration of flavors without being heavy. Artfully blended, perfectly balanced, and after two hours of air time it started really hitting its stride. Full of black raspberry, cherry, bacon, blueberry, and a finish that lasts for minutes which displays some nice mineral notes. Terrific tannin backbone is there if you look for it. This should last for a decade but is certainly tasty now.
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10/8/2014 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Interesting blend but it doesn't quite go together. Slight spirtziness from grenache shows thru but I prefer the rich syrah flavors. Slightly smokey flavors.
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8/15/2014 - Gestalted Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Hard to love. Tannic and chewy.
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3/21/2014 - jlaws7lh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for four hours prior to drinking. It could have used more. Still very good juice!
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2/28/2014 - Wine Sparty wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for about 30 minutes before drinking over the course of 3 hours. Aroma was smoky meat. Taste has some dark fruit like blackberry as well as some of that smokiness, but something just doesn't hit right here. It seems to fall pretty flat once it hits the mid-palate.
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2/2/2014 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 91 Points
Purple, medium/high viscosity, with medium to high concentration. Moderate to powerful nose, boasting big dark fruit, plum jam, blackberry, boysenberry and a hint of vanilla. Medium plus body with strong tannins, fair acidity, and powerful yet balanced alcohol. Black cherry, plum, spice and pepper compose a leathery, chewy mouth feel. This wine will age nicely for 5-10 years and is a great example of a paso GSM.
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2/2/2014 - RLP805 wrote: 92 Points
Very good, POP and paired with BBQ chicken pizza. Started out a bit big and in your face but calmed down within 30min and drank really well. 14.8%ABV but really no heat to speak of. Dark fruit with a fair amount of vanilla, spice. Short to medium finish (could have been longer). Nice velvety mouth feel.
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1/11/2014 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had purchased my first 6 pack of Booker a year ago and this was the first bottle we opened. We decanted this. A little funk on the nose, which quickly blew off. A mix of several varietals, the fruit is reserved with a smooth finish and medium tannins. Some good acidity - this wine will age, which aligns with notes from the winemaker. Now that we've tried one of the 2011’s, we'll probably hold on to the others for a few more years to allow for further integration. VERY GOOD.
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7/28/2013 - shadow wrote: 95 Points
nose is French village, rhone, very dark, fruit just burst into the palate, than some leather and pepper leaves your mouth watering.
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5/10/2013 - sqn19 wrote: 91 Points
Mouvedre dominates the nose and the palate (in a good way) despite being only 10% of the blend. Round and lush, dark fruits and black licorice. This wine is soft, drinking well now.
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