Decanted and showing minimal sediment. Aromas bloom to show a complex set of scents, cherry pie filling, strawberry preserves, dried blueberry and Framboise that weave into notes of floral pastilles, sage, sassafras, white pepper and baking spices with hints of shisha smoke and earth. The palate is remarkably still alive and intact. Tannins are integrated but showing grip and an almost powdery texture. Acidity is juicy and and balances the fleshy textures and above moderate ABV. Flavors follow the nose and reveal a mixture of super-ripe and jammy red fruits, dried blueberries, floral pastilles, baking spice, white pepper, sassafras and hints of earth. The finish is long and full.
This is probably near the end of the drinking window. Color shows some rust on sloshing. Aroma is absent at start but over an hour builds up to some good aging. Tastes a bit sunny, some age for sure, but good complex flavor. I like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP, but opened up during our meal, so give it some air first. Very light aromas of red fruits and earth. On the palate this medium to plus bodied wine gave lots of dark red fruits - mostly dark cherry, some earth, and a bit of spice. The acidity was a bit too much for the fruit, and the tannins had some drying affect. Finally, there was a touch of heat on the finish. This is the first Late Bloomer Grenache made by Russell. Difficult to decide when to open these wines. This bottle was more complex and interesting than the one we opened in 2013, but this one also showed its acidity and alcohol (15.8%) more, probably due to some fading of the fruit. May have to aim for opening between 4 and 6 years, with a short (1/2 hour) decant to achieve some bottle age and tannin resolution, while preserving more fruit for balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I'm huge HS fan but I tend to favor the Syrahs. I bought several bottle of this upon release and was not a big fan after the first couple of bottles...found them hot and disjointed. With 5 years of bottle age now, this wine is in a good place. Black cherry, leather and mineral all working well now with the alcohol, acidity, tannin and oak. Great balance for big wine. Has many years left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Blackberry liqueur aromas with consistent flavors. Lush and well integrated with seamless finish. Well made even without a lot of complexity. Very enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just an extremely well-made, lush wine. Wow! I'm glad we gave this some time in bottle, as it has only gotten better. It's nowhere near the end of it's prime years, so I think it will be OK to hold a while longer ... but there's no need to. Drink up and enjoy!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2 hour decant probably wasn't necessary because, unlike many HS wines, this was very approachable. Wonderful fruit..well balanced. In spite of the label :0) this is a fantastic wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and pour ... We've gone through almost a case of this now and we are still loving the Late Bloomer. In fact, I think it's my favorite bottling to date, of any wine. Smooth and silky, rich and lush. Big and bold, but very well balanced. Fruit, earth and spice. Just outstanding and seems to get better every single time we drink it. Absolutely adore!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Splash decant ... A year-plus after first trying this one, we are still loving the O.G. Late Bloomer. Fruit has calmed a bit, but there's a still a blue-black, almost fig-like, up front hit, followed by a dollop of mocha-cream. Plenty of structure, with acid and tannins, sweetening nicely but ever-present, to back-up the fruit. Pepper spice, a lush earthiness and a bone-dry finish. Just altogether a beautifully composed wine that's aging wonderfully. Still one of my all-time favorites.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and drank over a couple hours. Definitely opened up with time, I'd let it breathe even more if I were fortunate enough to have another bottle. Fig, even some tart cherry pie on the nose. Lots of alcohol and tannins you can chew on, but still in balance. Strawberry pop tart, blackberry, and a bit of smoke on the drawn out finish. Pleasant to drink but also plenty to find in the glass. Drank with a pastrami sandwich and it worked pretty well with the smoked, salty meat.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
pnp, consumed 60/40 over two days. pretty much the exact same experience as my last tn, but without any distracting alcohol burn. this is a wonderful, fun wine. it embodies everything i love about this producer, and absolutely smoked the $60 bottle of grenache i opened first. hs delivers amazing qpr for its style. still in the 92-94 range. probably will continue to integrate for the next two years, but shouldn't be held for the long-term.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured at restaurant. This is a big wine, but carries its weight well. Beautiful nose with spicy red fruit prominent. Big, bright fruit on the palate. Finishes long and smooth. A lot to like here.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Splash decant ... I would like to write a love note to this wine, or at least ask it to go to prom with me. It's rare that you discover a wine you adore, buy a ton of it, and then revisit in six months and discover not only doesn't it pale against your fond memories, but it's even BETTER than you recalled.
Rich and silky smooth. Fruit forward, yet crisp. Lush and velvety, yet balanced. Floral and perfume on the nose. Tart, bright berries, baking spice and coffee to open. Earth and smoke to finish. Layer after layer after layer, this one just goes on and on and it's SOOO darn good. I've begun to panic thinking that buying two cases still wasn't enough. Am I becoming a Herman Story hoarder?
Bravo, winemaker Russell From. This is killer juice and perhaps the best American-made Grenache I've ever tried.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
After 1 hour decant. Nose is still strong with alcohol... at 15.8%, seems predictable. The nose is full of strawberry preserves and perfumed flowers, with trailing notes of forest floor. The palate is well integrated, making the high alcohol content hardly noticeable. Very high acidity and medium high tannins. This wine has structure... and its 100% Grenache? Much lighter than the Herman Story Syrahs and GSM's, but by no means a simple wine. The texture is soft, but fills your mouth. The fruit flavors are in front, with the strawberry preserves dominating and some black cherry. The mid-palate is complex with tobacco and mocha flavors. The wine has a long finish with mouth-drying tannins, mocha and red-fruit flavors lasting on the palate. This is an impressive 100% Grenache. Herman Story always manages to get the most from the fruit. Rather than a simple easy-drinking fruity Grenache, this is a big, fruit-forward, complex wine that would be best drunk with some age, 2017-2020... I have always found it difficult to enjoy 100% Grenache - the strawberry flavors are better in a blended wine, but this is exceptional. The best 100% Grenache I have tasted.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for a couple hours. Beautiful Grenache color of dark red. High viscosity and showing day bright reflections. Aromas on the nose of cooked/stewed cherries, sage, white truffle, white pepper, vanilla, toast and shisha tobacco. On the palate full ripe flavors of cherry, strawberry preserves, dried rose petals, sweet tobacco, sassafras, red vines, vanilla, toasty oak, game meats, bramble and herbs with a touch of smoke and dark toast. The mouthfeel is full and textured, with medium polished tannins and moderate acidity. The juicy finish is moderate+ in intensity and length with a lasting grip and letting the stewed cherries, tobacco and rose petals swing back to focus.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, almost opaque color with terrific red fruit aromas right off the bat. Rich, ripe cherry fruit with a bit of oak and underbrush. Supple texture with smooth tannins. More fruit forward than I expected. Another great effort from HS.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another wonderful wine from Russell F. His wines stand up to any type of food thrown at them and this wine is lighter in body than the Syrahs (obviously). Nothing not to like. Smooth mouthfeel, silky, but still with enough grip to it. I taste a little anise on the finish. Outstanding stuff. NB - awesome bottle pic :) 91 JDM
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this with marinated NY steaks with all of the trimmings. 1+ hour decant. First impressions: Nose and flavor subdued for a Russell wine (but not in a bad way). This is not On The Road by a long shot. Its smoother, more refined, and I guess if summed up in one word it would be "elegant?" After 1+ hour while it was still smooth in the mouth with a tangy fruit punch (think old school Hi-C) note that was pretty interesting. Otherwise, I was waiting, waiting, and waiting, hoping it would come to a magical 95+ point crescendo, which it didn't. Seriously, if tasting blind I would never have guessed this was a HS wine. Its a different animal, but in kind of a cool way. Day 2 it really didn't show me the mega-magic I was hoping for. Overall: I still have some bottles and think they may benefit from a hold. Its a great effort, though Aussie Old Vine Grenache its not. I was expecting big & bold Grenache, but got something softer and elegant instead. This effort may be better with lighter foods or a quiet evening watching a movie instead of a heavy red meat entree. If scoring 91+. QPR is pretty good, and the label is superb--right up there with some of the SQN stuff. Final Words: Friday Night, Red Box, Why Not?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 30min, consumed over 3 hours. loved every drop. caramel and butterscotch from extended barrel aging, deep and luscious yet earthen black raspberry and chocolate-covered strawberry and wild cherry, bramble and dirt and spice, and silky texture. there was about 15-20 minutes of an imbalance of alcohol, but it didn't last long. I tried to buy more of this, but it's already all gone :( the ct mobile version made me score this so I landed on 93, but I'd give it a range of 92-95. it can be consumed now with a decant and a chill, or cellared for a couple years. really beautiful stuff.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted approx. 4 hours ... Hazzah! This is a beautiful, perfumed Grenache. Lovely and delicate ... Especially for a Story wine. Really a different style than the On the Road, but equally as beautiful. Fresh, bright fruit, tangy cranberry, a hint of floral, a good dose of black pepper spice and even a lick of game. Structured and acidic. Just beautiful, glorious Grenache. Absolutely love it and hope it's not just a one-off for the winery. Also gets a vote for "best wine label ever" with the winemaker's less than elegant middle school picture serving as decoration. Russell continues to bat 1000% with the Story brand.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at fall release party, aside On the Road. Very young taste still, in spite of prolonged barreling. Not as much fruit. Will lay down at least 2 yrs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
11/3/2021 - bjamesclark wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and showing minimal sediment.
Aromas bloom to show a complex set of scents, cherry pie filling, strawberry preserves, dried blueberry and Framboise that weave into notes of floral pastilles, sage, sassafras, white pepper and baking spices with hints of shisha smoke and earth.
The palate is remarkably still alive and intact. Tannins are integrated but showing grip and an almost powdery texture. Acidity is juicy and and balances the fleshy textures and above moderate ABV. Flavors follow the nose and reveal a mixture of super-ripe and jammy red fruits, dried blueberries, floral pastilles, baking spice, white pepper, sassafras and hints of earth. The finish is long and full.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
6/16/2021 - Mapleglo330 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is probably near the end of the drinking window. Color shows some rust on sloshing. Aroma is absent at start but over an hour builds up to some good aging. Tastes a bit sunny, some age for sure, but good complex flavor. I like it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2020 - JHaslam Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing juice!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2019 - DBenke wrote: 95 Points
Drinking Fantastic. Wish I had more
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/21/2019 - drrobvino wrote: 88 Points
Big and jammy, tasty but no formal TN.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2018 - VlgJeff wrote: 90 Points
PnP, but opened up during our meal, so give it some air first. Very light aromas of red fruits and earth. On the palate this medium to plus bodied wine gave lots of dark red fruits - mostly dark cherry, some earth, and a bit of spice. The acidity was a bit too much for the fruit, and the tannins had some drying affect. Finally, there was a touch of heat on the finish.
This is the first Late Bloomer Grenache made by Russell. Difficult to decide when to open these wines. This bottle was more complex and interesting than the one we opened in 2013, but this one also showed its acidity and alcohol (15.8%) more, probably due to some fading of the fruit. May have to aim for opening between 4 and 6 years, with a short (1/2 hour) decant to achieve some bottle age and tannin resolution, while preserving more fruit for balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2016 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 92 Points
I'm huge HS fan but I tend to favor the Syrahs. I bought several bottle of this upon release and was not a big fan after the first couple of bottles...found them hot and disjointed. With 5 years of bottle age now, this wine is in a good place. Black cherry, leather and mineral all working well now with the alcohol, acidity, tannin and oak. Great balance for big wine. Has many years left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2016 - brinko99 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Big wine dominated by major tones but challenging to find additional complexities. Alcohol dominates in the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2016 - davidspieker wrote: 91 Points
Blackberry liqueur aromas with consistent flavors. Lush and well integrated with seamless finish. Well made even without a lot of complexity. Very enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2016 - tabrand Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great grenache, but as a lover of Herman Story wines this is not their best showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2016 - Central Coast Wino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just an extremely well-made, lush wine. Wow! I'm glad we gave this some time in bottle, as it has only gotten better. It's nowhere near the end of it's prime years, so I think it will be OK to hold a while longer ... but there's no need to. Drink up and enjoy!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2016 - vino nut wrote: 94 Points
15 min decant. We couldn't wait any longer. Such a well made wine. Just we expect from Russell.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2015 - fredman wrote: 92 Points
2 hour decant probably wasn't necessary because, unlike many HS wines, this was very approachable. Wonderful fruit..well balanced. In spite of the label :0) this is a fantastic wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2015 - Carsten Madsen wrote: 93 Points
Silky and smooth. Kirsch, herbs and peper. Nice mature oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2015 - WineSlim wrote: 93 Points
Some thought WOTN vs some pretty heavy hitters
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2015 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice grenache varietal character in a dark, ripe format. A big wine but not over the top.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2015 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pop and pour ... We've gone through almost a case of this now and we are still loving the Late Bloomer. In fact, I think it's my favorite bottling to date, of any wine. Smooth and silky, rich and lush. Big and bold, but very well balanced. Fruit, earth and spice. Just outstanding and seems to get better every single time we drink it. Absolutely adore!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2015 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 94 Points
Splash decant ... A year-plus after first trying this one, we are still loving the O.G. Late Bloomer. Fruit has calmed a bit, but there's a still a blue-black, almost fig-like, up front hit, followed by a dollop of mocha-cream. Plenty of structure, with acid and tannins, sweetening nicely but ever-present, to back-up the fruit. Pepper spice, a lush earthiness and a bone-dry finish. Just altogether a beautifully composed wine that's aging wonderfully. Still one of my all-time favorites.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2015 - TheWrongAlex Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over a couple hours. Definitely opened up with time, I'd let it breathe even more if I were fortunate enough to have another bottle. Fig, even some tart cherry pie on the nose. Lots of alcohol and tannins you can chew on, but still in balance. Strawberry pop tart, blackberry, and a bit of smoke on the drawn out finish. Pleasant to drink but also plenty to find in the glass. Drank with a pastrami sandwich and it worked pretty well with the smoked, salty meat.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2014 - Reno-Rhone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent full bodied Grenache. Needed only a little time to open up in the glass. Big fruit flavors and nice finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2014 - garyty wrote: 92 Points
Agree with all the recent comments
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2014 - caeleric Likes this wine:
pnp, consumed 60/40 over two days. pretty much the exact same experience as my last tn, but without any distracting alcohol burn. this is a wonderful, fun wine. it embodies everything i love about this producer, and absolutely smoked the $60 bottle of grenache i opened first. hs delivers amazing qpr for its style. still in the 92-94 range. probably will continue to integrate for the next two years, but shouldn't be held for the long-term.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2014 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 92 Points
A deep, dark, full bodied Grenache. 2 hour decant, better day 2,3 and 4. No heat, firm tannins and full of dark fruit depth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2014 - The Wine Write Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured at restaurant. This is a big wine, but carries its weight well. Beautiful nose with spicy red fruit prominent. Big, bright fruit on the palate. Finishes long and smooth. A lot to like here.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2014 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 95 Points
Splash decant ... I would like to write a love note to this wine, or at least ask it to go to prom with me. It's rare that you discover a wine you adore, buy a ton of it, and then revisit in six months and discover not only doesn't it pale against your fond memories, but it's even BETTER than you recalled.
Rich and silky smooth. Fruit forward, yet crisp. Lush and velvety, yet balanced. Floral and perfume on the nose. Tart, bright berries, baking spice and coffee to open. Earth and smoke to finish. Layer after layer after layer, this one just goes on and on and it's SOOO darn good. I've begun to panic thinking that buying two cases still wasn't enough. Am I becoming a Herman Story hoarder?
Bravo, winemaker Russell From. This is killer juice and perhaps the best American-made Grenache I've ever tried.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2014 - djlevin Likes this wine: 93 Points
After 1 hour decant. Nose is still strong with alcohol... at 15.8%, seems predictable. The nose is full of strawberry preserves and perfumed flowers, with trailing notes of forest floor. The palate is well integrated, making the high alcohol content hardly noticeable. Very high acidity and medium high tannins. This wine has structure... and its 100% Grenache? Much lighter than the Herman Story Syrahs and GSM's, but by no means a simple wine. The texture is soft, but fills your mouth. The fruit flavors are in front, with the strawberry preserves dominating and some black cherry. The mid-palate is complex with tobacco and mocha flavors. The wine has a long finish with mouth-drying tannins, mocha and red-fruit flavors lasting on the palate. This is an impressive 100% Grenache. Herman Story always manages to get the most from the fruit. Rather than a simple easy-drinking fruity Grenache, this is a big, fruit-forward, complex wine that would be best drunk with some age, 2017-2020... I have always found it difficult to enjoy 100% Grenache - the strawberry flavors are better in a blended wine, but this is exceptional. The best 100% Grenache I have tasted.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2014 - bjamesclark wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for a couple hours.
Beautiful Grenache color of dark red. High viscosity and showing day bright reflections.
Aromas on the nose of cooked/stewed cherries, sage, white truffle, white pepper, vanilla, toast and shisha tobacco.
On the palate full ripe flavors of cherry, strawberry preserves, dried rose petals, sweet tobacco, sassafras, red vines, vanilla, toasty oak, game meats, bramble and herbs with a touch of smoke and dark toast. The mouthfeel is full and textured, with medium polished tannins and moderate acidity. The juicy finish is moderate+ in intensity and length with a lasting grip and letting the stewed cherries, tobacco and rose petals swing back to focus.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2014 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, almost opaque color with terrific red fruit aromas right off the bat. Rich, ripe cherry fruit with a bit of oak and underbrush. Supple texture with smooth tannins. More fruit forward than I expected. Another great effort from HS.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2013 - jcbrand Likes this wine: 93 Points
Peaked on day 3
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2013 - Claretjugornot wrote: 91 Points
Another wonderful wine from Russell F. His wines stand up to any type of food thrown at them and this wine is lighter in body than the Syrahs (obviously). Nothing not to like. Smooth mouthfeel, silky, but still with enough grip to it. I taste a little anise on the finish. Outstanding stuff. NB - awesome bottle pic :) 91 JDM
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2013 - TriggerFingers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had this with marinated NY steaks with all of the trimmings. 1+ hour decant.
First impressions: Nose and flavor subdued for a Russell wine (but not in a bad way). This is not On The Road by a long shot. Its smoother, more refined, and I guess if summed up in one word it would be "elegant?"
After 1+ hour while it was still smooth in the mouth with a tangy fruit punch (think old school Hi-C) note that was pretty interesting. Otherwise, I was waiting, waiting, and waiting, hoping it would come to a magical 95+ point crescendo, which it didn't. Seriously, if tasting blind I would never have guessed this was a HS wine. Its a different animal, but in kind of a cool way. Day 2 it really didn't show me the mega-magic I was hoping for.
Overall: I still have some bottles and think they may benefit from a hold. Its a great effort, though Aussie Old Vine Grenache its not. I was expecting big & bold Grenache, but got something softer and elegant instead. This effort may be better with lighter foods or a quiet evening watching a movie instead of a heavy red meat entree. If scoring 91+. QPR is pretty good, and the label is superb--right up there with some of the SQN stuff.
Final Words: Friday Night, Red Box, Why Not?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2013 - caeleric Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 30min, consumed over 3 hours. loved every drop. caramel and butterscotch from extended barrel aging, deep and luscious yet earthen black raspberry and chocolate-covered strawberry and wild cherry, bramble and dirt and spice, and silky texture. there was about 15-20 minutes of an imbalance of alcohol, but it didn't last long. I tried to buy more of this, but it's already all gone :( the ct mobile version made me score this so I landed on 93, but I'd give it a range of 92-95. it can be consumed now with a decant and a chill, or cellared for a couple years. really beautiful stuff.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2013 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted approx. 4 hours ... Hazzah! This is a beautiful, perfumed Grenache. Lovely and delicate ... Especially for a Story wine. Really a different style than the On the Road, but equally as beautiful. Fresh, bright fruit, tangy cranberry, a hint of floral, a good dose of black pepper spice and even a lick of game. Structured and acidic. Just beautiful, glorious Grenache. Absolutely love it and hope it's not just a one-off for the winery. Also gets a vote for "best wine label ever" with the winemaker's less than elegant middle school picture serving as decoration. Russell continues to bat 1000% with the Story brand.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2013 - EvanJB wrote:
Tasted at fall release party, aside On the Road. Very young taste still, in spite of prolonged barreling. Not as much fruit. Will lay down at least 2 yrs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment