Champagne Bookclub---bring a top shelf + a still: After 10 years decided to open my final bottle of this, to see if it remained true to my memory and blessed by the vintage as something less powerful. I paired this with the chocolate cake my wife made, but the 2015 d'Yquem that was served with it was more in the spotlight which is understandable! So, there is quite a bit left to retaste today, and as one fragile soul who drinks mostly Champagne these days, I won't be even close to finishing the bottle (but I assume it may endure just fine under cork for a week so there is hope). Dark and moderately inky, although not as opaque as the 2005 that we had a month or so ago. The glass is sitting off to my right as I type and I can smell it from arm's length away. Yeah, some heat here but less so than other years that are bookended to 2011 (bottle label lists this as 15.0%). Touch of prune and graham cracker. While there is some texture here, and in bigger years the texture is very evident, it is less so here and in contrast more rustic. Dark berry, iron, dark chocolate and tarry which are all consistent with the SR PS profile, yet there is that rusticity that hangs around the edges, giving it a red fruit kind of crunchiness. Still a reasonably big wine, but the acidity is just more pronounced in a year like 2011, which I appreciate and revere. Given the profile I do think the wine can age for some time further but there is a nice intersection now, as the vectors of fruit and acid cross, and I'd say now is a good time to drink this vintage.
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Opened 3 hours ahead. Black fruits and a touch of licorice on the nose. Medium plus body with cool black fruits, no alcohol on the nose or palate and not over the top at all. A little rustic but I really enjoyed this. Purchased on release and stored at 55 degrees. This should last several more years. 92 points
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Probably at its peak (or slightly past it). Assertive nose - it smells "purple". Not particularly full bodied, viscous, or tannic, but it manages to come across as a big boy. Decent finish, but not all that complex. I like rustic wines with some age on them, and this delivered.
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Dark black and purple core fruit, with black raspberry, black currant, black pebbles, railroad tie, and some cedar. Decent grip and some evolution and layering of flavors across the palate from the initial attack and on through the finish. Medium bodied. Not overly viscous or unctuous, but a notable quality considering the challenging vintage. Drink now and over the next year or two.
This was served next to an ‘08 Valdez PS, which was simpler and had less focus than the SBR.
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It's been two years since the last bottle and this wine hasn't budged. Tannins are very aggressive. Love the blue and black fruit and it taste great but if you're adverse to razor sharp tannins then wait.... 10 years. I like it and perfect for the over the top chocolate brownies.
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Grabbed this mid-way into dinner and dumped it into a decanter, to be served with dessert. Even with this added air, man, it was still tight. Iron, dark fruit and plenty of petite quality and like a # of wines I have enjoyed from what many think is a crummy vintage, this wine is not crummy at all. In fact, youthful, well within the bounds of terrific petite and what I think is a great vintage for Switchback. It's not the size of the 2004 or 2007, for example, where things get really big. It's more dialed in and something that I would like to put a few more down into the cellar and enjoy over time. It needs a lot of air, more aging, probably both!
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PnP with notes of purple and black berry fruit, black raspberry, asphalt, granite, and a little bitter chocolate. Signature PS flavors with an admirable balance between fruit and mineral notes.
Probably one of the best 2011 Petite Sirahs out there. Full bodied, but not a bruiser by any means. Though I typically favor the bold PS wines that come from SBR (the 2010 is especially extraordinary), this was a notably finessed wine. Not shy of richness to be sure, but also a very balanced and seamless mouthfeel throughout the tasting.
A few hours in the decanter allowed it to stretch its legs a bit more, filling out the fruit a little more, especially mid-palate. Not a hollow spot to be found.
A very accessible PS at this stage, with the stuffing to carry it through at least another 5 years before it might lose some power and "oomph." But right now it is just the right combination of muscle and restraint.
A solid 93 points for me. Drinking great now with a short decant, or hold for a few more years.
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Big monster wine. Purple teeth staining wine. Given the coolness of the '11 vintage, drinking really lean compared to others years of this, but somewhat out of balance with acid and fruit. I decanted for an hour, probably could use a whole day and a few more years in bottle. Little disjointed. Dark berries: blackberries, chocolate cola, blueberries. Tar, leather, smoke. Gripping tannin structure. Paired this with a 10 hour texas style smoked brisket and it hung perfectly. Definitely BBQ wine.
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Hugely tannic right out of the bottle. Decanted and it simmered down over the next hr. Chocolate, spice, really dark fruits. Interesting. Lacked the nose I thought would accompany the mouthfeel. Still quite enjoyable.
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Enormous concentration of color and flavor. It's way too early to pass judgement on this one because the tannins are out in force. Don't know if it's whole cluster but I sensed mildly ripe stem with black and sweet blue fruit.
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Thought that I might like to try one of these early on in its life, while letting a few others continue to sleep safely in the cellar. Unfortunately, I didn't think ahead, and just popped and poured; no doubt it could have used a longer decant. Still, quite tasty. Relatively little heat, with vivid flavors of dark fruits, chocolate, bramble, and coffee. Day two it was even better, even with some bright red fruits... as odd as it sounds, some flavors reminded me of a cherry Capri Sun.
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Another great SW PS. It's young, but very drinkable. Pop 'n pour with aeration. Nowhere near as expressive as the '10, this feels like a more subtle version (on a relative scale). Inky purple color that hung on the glass (yes, legs) and no heat whatsoever. This wine will age well and drink well now.
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god, no notes yet on this wine? Nobody has made the move to open a bottle right off the UPS truck? Mine arrived a few weeks ago, bought 4, this is the first one of the batch. Opened y/day, and the bottle sat out overnight without a cork so it's well-oxed by now. 2 ounces left, usual dark colored Switchback PS. I have been intrigued as to what the vintage would do to this wine and how it might act as a dethrottle on the size. First off, no heat on the nose (listed alc is 15%, FWIW). The palate had the consistent SR flavors of dark berry, iron and dark chocolate. Smooth, with a dark core and some good finishing tannin. We also drank a 2004 last night, which I could say is 2011's flavors X 2, so think of this new vintage as having the usual SR depth and darkness, yet not the extraction or fruit centric push of say 2004. This 2011 is good.
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12/3/2023 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Champagne Bookclub---bring a top shelf + a still: After 10 years decided to open my final bottle of this, to see if it remained true to my memory and blessed by the vintage as something less powerful. I paired this with the chocolate cake my wife made, but the 2015 d'Yquem that was served with it was more in the spotlight which is understandable! So, there is quite a bit left to retaste today, and as one fragile soul who drinks mostly Champagne these days, I won't be even close to finishing the bottle (but I assume it may endure just fine under cork for a week so there is hope). Dark and moderately inky, although not as opaque as the 2005 that we had a month or so ago. The glass is sitting off to my right as I type and I can smell it from arm's length away. Yeah, some heat here but less so than other years that are bookended to 2011 (bottle label lists this as 15.0%). Touch of prune and graham cracker. While there is some texture here, and in bigger years the texture is very evident, it is less so here and in contrast more rustic. Dark berry, iron, dark chocolate and tarry which are all consistent with the SR PS profile, yet there is that rusticity that hangs around the edges, giving it a red fruit kind of crunchiness. Still a reasonably big wine, but the acidity is just more pronounced in a year like 2011, which I appreciate and revere. Given the profile I do think the wine can age for some time further but there is a nice intersection now, as the vectors of fruit and acid cross, and I'd say now is a good time to drink this vintage.
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5/14/2023 - sastewart wrote: 92 Points
Opened 3 hours ahead. Black fruits and a touch of licorice on the nose. Medium plus body with cool black fruits, no alcohol on the nose or palate and not over the top at all. A little rustic but I really enjoyed this. Purchased on release and stored at 55 degrees. This should last several more years. 92 points
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5/25/2022 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Probably at its peak (or slightly past it). Assertive nose - it smells "purple". Not particularly full bodied, viscous, or tannic, but it manages to come across as a big boy. Decent finish, but not all that complex. I like rustic wines with some age on them, and this delivered.
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5/6/2018 - csimm wrote: 91 Points
Dark black and purple core fruit, with black raspberry, black currant, black pebbles, railroad tie, and some cedar. Decent grip and some evolution and layering of flavors across the palate from the initial attack and on through the finish. Medium bodied. Not overly viscous or unctuous, but a notable quality considering the challenging vintage. Drink now and over the next year or two.
This was served next to an ‘08 Valdez PS, which was simpler and had less focus than the SBR.
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1/27/2017 - DCSteve Likes this wine: 92 Points
Singing.
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12/17/2016 - csimm wrote: 92 Points
Previous notes apply. Could still use 6-12 months to develop its glide a little better. A beautiful 2011 PS for sure. Hold for now.
From magnum.
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5/31/2016 - brigcampbell wrote:
It's been two years since the last bottle and this wine hasn't budged. Tannins are very aggressive. Love the blue and black fruit and it taste great but if you're adverse to razor sharp tannins then wait.... 10 years. I like it and perfect for the over the top chocolate brownies.
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5/30/2016 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Grabbed this mid-way into dinner and dumped it into a decanter, to be served with dessert. Even with this added air, man, it was still tight. Iron, dark fruit and plenty of petite quality and like a # of wines I have enjoyed from what many think is a crummy vintage, this wine is not crummy at all. In fact, youthful, well within the bounds of terrific petite and what I think is a great vintage for Switchback. It's not the size of the 2004 or 2007, for example, where things get really big. It's more dialed in and something that I would like to put a few more down into the cellar and enjoy over time. It needs a lot of air, more aging, probably both!
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3/1/2016 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
PnP with notes of purple and black berry fruit, black raspberry, asphalt, granite, and a little bitter chocolate. Signature PS flavors with an admirable balance between fruit and mineral notes.
Probably one of the best 2011 Petite Sirahs out there. Full bodied, but not a bruiser by any means. Though I typically favor the bold PS wines that come from SBR (the 2010 is especially extraordinary), this was a notably finessed wine. Not shy of richness to be sure, but also a very balanced and seamless mouthfeel throughout the tasting.
A few hours in the decanter allowed it to stretch its legs a bit more, filling out the fruit a little more, especially mid-palate. Not a hollow spot to be found.
A very accessible PS at this stage, with the stuffing to carry it through at least another 5 years before it might lose some power and "oomph." But right now it is just the right combination of muscle and restraint.
A solid 93 points for me. Drinking great now with a short decant, or hold for a few more years.
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8/13/2015 - BCharlieG Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big monster wine. Purple teeth staining wine. Given the coolness of the '11 vintage, drinking really lean compared to others years of this, but somewhat out of balance with acid and fruit. I decanted for an hour, probably could use a whole day and a few more years in bottle. Little disjointed. Dark berries: blackberries, chocolate cola, blueberries. Tar, leather, smoke. Gripping tannin structure. Paired this with a 10 hour texas style smoked brisket and it hung perfectly. Definitely BBQ wine.
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6/26/2015 - BHP1994 wrote: 90 Points
Hugely tannic right out of the bottle. Decanted and it simmered down over the next hr. Chocolate, spice, really dark fruits. Interesting. Lacked the nose I thought would accompany the mouthfeel. Still quite enjoyable.
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1/30/2015 - DCSteve wrote: 92 Points
Still hugely tannic right out of the bottle, but mellowed quickly with some airtime. Drink or hold, its yummy either way!
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10/23/2014 - dontime wrote:
Oh so good. Rich fruit, a touch of spice, tannins accounted for. If scoring 92-94.
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9/17/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Remarkable richness and accessibility for a young Petite. Should have many years of life ahead.
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4/28/2014 - brigcampbell wrote:
Enormous concentration of color and flavor. It's way too early to pass judgement on this one because the tannins are out in force. Don't know if it's whole cluster but I sensed mildly ripe stem with black and sweet blue fruit.
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3/31/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outrageously rich and deep.
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2/16/2014 - RockinCabs wrote:
Visiting Napa (Feb 13th - 17th); 2/13/2014-2/17/2014 (Napa, CA): Nose: Violets, Blackberry, Cassis, Anise, Clove and Cracked Black Pepper. Gorgeous. Palate: Kaboom! Black fruit, Blueberry Syrup, tar, stones, florals and cracked peppercorns. Finish: Long with vice grip tannins.
Remains the #1 PS made in CA if you like the big style here.
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2/15/2014 - youngjc1 wrote: 92 Points
Thought that I might like to try one of these early on in its life, while letting a few others continue to sleep safely in the cellar. Unfortunately, I didn't think ahead, and just popped and poured; no doubt it could have used a longer decant. Still, quite tasty. Relatively little heat, with vivid flavors of dark fruits, chocolate, bramble, and coffee. Day two it was even better, even with some bright red fruits... as odd as it sounds, some flavors reminded me of a cherry Capri Sun.
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1/10/2014 - DCSteve wrote: 94 Points
Another great SW PS. It's young, but very drinkable. Pop 'n pour with aeration. Nowhere near as expressive as the '10, this feels like a more subtle version (on a relative scale). Inky purple color that hung on the glass (yes, legs) and no heat whatsoever. This wine will age well and drink well now.
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11/25/2013 - Frank Murray III wrote:
god, no notes yet on this wine? Nobody has made the move to open a bottle right off the UPS truck? Mine arrived a few weeks ago, bought 4, this is the first one of the batch. Opened y/day, and the bottle sat out overnight without a cork so it's well-oxed by now. 2 ounces left, usual dark colored Switchback PS. I have been intrigued as to what the vintage would do to this wine and how it might act as a dethrottle on the size. First off, no heat on the nose (listed alc is 15%, FWIW). The palate had the consistent SR flavors of dark berry, iron and dark chocolate. Smooth, with a dark core and some good finishing tannin. We also drank a 2004 last night, which I could say is 2011's flavors X 2, so think of this new vintage as having the usual SR depth and darkness, yet not the extraction or fruit centric push of say 2004. This 2011 is good.
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