A very different profile of what I know of Reva. I have had several vintages so I have a bit of experience. This is not dense but is powerful. Red fruit profile for me. But the flavor was such I wondered is this TCA tainted? Very vibrant and active on palate. Had open three days now. It just hit me what this tastes like: a brunello. Best showing on 16th. Very balanced, more like Reva I know, and heavy sediment, but when at last third of bottle to be expected. Smooth, alcohol not apparent (until you stand up) and just super nice. I had faith this would deliver and it eventually did. Why did it take so long to show?
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Opened up fully within 15 minutes to an hour. Dark bramble, blackberry and smoked venison. Wonderfully balanced. Highly extracted but not over the top. The third one I've opened since release and has developed more secondary nuances. It's drinking wonderfully, but has plenty of life left. Bravo!
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Decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, plum and blueberries, smoked meat and spice. Black and blue fruit, smoked meat and spice on the palate. Long layered finish. Full bodied. Served with hickory smoked, central Texas style brisket.
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Big hit Xmas Eve with standing rib roast This is a big wine but not too over the top and with age starting to actually taste some Syrah elements as fruit recess slightly Not entirely my style but this was very good
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Another wonderful Reva. Deep inky purple, not as rich and extracted as some vintages, but very nicely nuanced and balanced this time. Probably in the top 5 American syrah producers, but my top dog at the moment. Recommended.
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Wow... just wow!! This bottle is so ready to drink with just a short bit of air, and its delicious!!
So, was an impromptu birthday gathering, that just sorta escalated into a 2010 Syrah tasting. Bottles in attendance, 2010 Cayuse, Sine Qua Non Stockholm Syndrome and the Alban Reva.
We had started out with a bit disappointing Bottle tasting of a few of the de Negoce Cabs N64, N.100 & N.146, along with 2 Claudine and the '18 Galerie, just to get a feeling of where these might be headed in the next few years.... but after the tastes.. were definitely ready for some real drinking!! So.. on to the Syrah's!!
Off the bat.... The Reva had the most explosive and fragrant nose of all three by far.
There was little competition between the two California Syrah's compared to the Cayuse which seemed to be a bit funky, definitely not even in the same league.
Both the SQN and the Alban had all those lovely qualities one would expect, with dark brooding wine in glass, and the meaty / iron qualities we all enjoy, and the two were very similar in profile. I do think the SQN was slightly more refined and just a tad more balanced, so if I had been in that mood, it wouldnt taken much for me to swing that way.. but just felt the slightly darker raspberry and red fruits in the Reva commingeled with those minerally quality, made it a party in your mouth.
On a QPR aspect, there was not a doubt and everyone agreed that the Reva was the undisputed winner, on an overall favorite it was a mixed crowd, with everyone saying the same thing.. the SQN & Alban, was almost too close to call a winner either way.
This wine shows not a glimmer of slowing down, so laughable at stated 'best by' ending drink date of 2025 - i might add another 10 years to that. Not sure if its going to get any better, but who cares!! Just wish I had more than one left!!
Consistent with previous notes.....still going strong. Our last bottle. Previous note: Mother's Day Dinner. From DJJAGDISH: "Big gorgeous nose belies how refined and balanced this wine is." This is absolutely spot on. Tons of darker fruits and smoked herbs. Full-bodied and concentrated. Amazing how fresh this wine is at the decade mark. Still has tons of upside to age on this baby.
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I always enjoy experiencing the transformation of Alban wines over a couple of days, and this Reva was no exception. Started out on Day 1 on the smoky/meaty side, and Day 2 was all about sour cherries and cranberries. Paired wonderfully with crispy skin duck breast. Drink or hold, as I have no hesitation that this could easily go another 5 years if not more.
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excellent, smoother and more open than the Saxum of the night before - but they both were fantastic wines. Blackberry, blueberry, licorice and mocha flavors. In a great drinking window right now but should be good for 8-10 more years
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, smoked meat, vanilla and spice. Black and blue fruit, gamey meat, vanilla, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with good depth. Full bodied. Served with hickory smoked, Texas-style brisket.
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Opened an hour early and decanted just prior to serving. This is exceptional even by the exalted standard I have come to expect from Alban. Smoky floral nose. Blueberry, smoke and spice on the palate. Rich and smooth. First of the 2010 Reva that we have opened so no idea how much effect time had here but it is superb now and clearly has plenty of legs left.
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I mean just holy hell. All dark blueberry and blackberry fruit. Height of California Syrah. Some earth but still very modern. Mesmerized. Flirting with perfection.
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Drank blind against Saxum Heart Stone and Delas St Joseph, this really stood out because if it’s blueberry notes both on the nose and on the pallet. Very lush. In spite of the fact that this is 10 years old is still drinks very young. This always rocks my boat.
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Decanted. Ageless. Blackberry and some redder fruit profile. Integrated and pretty seamless. Excellent fruit and not too big, though not a lot of savory character.
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Mother's Day Dinner. From DJJAGDISH: "Big gorgeous nose belies how refined and balanced this wine is." This is absolutely spot on. Tons of darker fruits and smoked herbs. Full-bodied and concentrated. Amazing how fresh this wine is at the decade mark. Still has tons of upside to age on this baby.
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Big gorgeous nose belies how refined and balanced this wine is. Dark berry and plum fruits, just the right acidity, and a bit of forest floor sail on the palate and through a long, satisfying finish. Superb with grilled, pepper crusted red meat.
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Interestingly, in hindsight I found this much more enjoyable immediately after opening...as compared to the three hour decant it received. And this was my first Alban wine, so I could be in the (obvious) minority and just not appreciate his style...though the wine is excellently crafted. On PnP it had bright red fruit flavors, had a lot of verve and was just more interesting. But at the time I thought maybe it would get smoother with air. It did. After breathing it was soft and uber-smooth, though surprisingly light in body. But it lost that PnP brightness and interest. To drink on PnP or aerate, that is the question that depends on your personal taste. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with PnP.
Very slow to open up but worth the wait. Deep dark fruit and very typical cool climate syrah character. At this stage of its development it's drinking very well but has long life ahead of it.
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Hard to believe it has been 4 years since my last bottle, time flies. Honestly not sure what I thought of this or how I would rate my enjoyment of it. I think it was a poor choice for what to open the other night, as I really (as it turns out) was more in the mood for something easier drinking. Big, of course, though I would no longer call it opulent. Decent acidity. Would have been great, I think, with ribs, but drank this without food. I always, always love Reva in its super baby youth. But struggle a bit more when it is in mid age. I need to hold off on another bottle for some years here as I would like to see what I think when it officially reaches older age.
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Decanted for one hour. Aromatic nose of blackberry, black plum, huckleberry, smoked meat, cedar and spice. Ripe black and blue fruit, smoked meat, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Rich and dense, leading to a very long finish. Full bodied. Served with smoked brisket.
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Plum, dark cherries, dark berry jam, pepper, and new leather notes on the expressive and fruit forward nose. Fine grained tannins add good structure on the palate. Lots of dark fruit, spices, and black berry in the mouth. Good finish.
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From magnum, gave it the Parker prep that he uses on all his wine tastings (decant 3 hours ahead, wash bottle with non-chlorinated water and let dry, return wine to bottle, insert cork upside down). The Reva was wonderful, all 95 and 96 around the table of six. Silky smooth and very big with no evident tannin, just chocolate, coffee, plums. A real treat.
An outstanding Reva, with all the meaty, smoky earth, the allspice and clove that you’d expect of the Reva, but with exceptionally bright and light toned blackberry fruit, cola, and some rosy floral notes. It’s just gorgeous, and has all the power that’s usual. Delicious and persistent finish.
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From my perspective, this wine is more controversial than Caymus. Well loved by many, meh to some. Gave it a couple of hours of air. Opaque. Nose limited but lets you know there's some bold winemaking going on. Lots of complex intriguing fruits and tannins but not exactly smooth. Huge finish. Wife a huge fan.
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Smelled liked raw beef, game, and oysters. Dark berries. Some herbs. Sweet balsamic vinegar. Really big and rich - powerful with lots of fruit - but not ripe.
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Saturated black and red raspberry, wild blackberry, boysenberry, black cherry, camphor, green olive, railroad tie, earth, cinnamon, and limestone. A little funkified and exhibiting a heavier red fruit streak on the initial attack. Perfectly weighted, with a medium-bodied profile.
PnP was a touch hot, but that dissipated fairly quickly. No need for a decant, though this bottle did throw out quite a bit of sediment (so filtering out prior to consumption might be a good idea). Otherwise, air in the glass over a two+ hour consumption period was fine. I may hold remaining bottles 6-12 months just to see how it all plays out (possibly deepening the flavor profile a bit more). Drink now with a little air, or even better, hold until 2019.
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Cork stained deep to the point it looks dirty when fully dried. A dense wine, not quite to the level of the astounding 2006, but great just the same. lots of flavors but just slightly ajar. perhaps it meeds a little more age for that to come together which no doubt it will. right now the fruit is still young and dominant even though there is a lot going on under the surface. Recommended and will age.
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We had the 2009 Reva not too long ago and it just seemed heavy and tired. The ‘10 is energetic and delicious. Drink now if you like a little verve in your Syrah. Intense anise, black raspberry, cola, a bit of leather, tar and pepper. This one followed a pretty darn good Saxum and the Alban stood out. Outstanding wine. Decant for an hour or so. Stands up to extended air time. My arm could be twisted to give this one 100 points.
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Consistent notes. Just an absolute show stopper. Mesmerizing. Not a Paso nose. Bright, floral, cinnamon, raspberry, spice. So well rounded, not a hard edge there.
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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. Distinctive nose of red raspberry preserves. Magical. Could be different but not better. Although big it did well with the meat and cheeses. Exceptional juice. My WOTN.
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Good, but not on par with other vintages of Reva. Maybe my expectations are too high, but this was a bit thin. Granted it was not decanted. Not sure if that would have helped...
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Decanted with the nose leaping from the decanter and easily appreciated from yards away. Phenomenal nose! Still young and primordial. Gushes black raspberry jam and blueberry cobbler. Nice vanilla but not overly oaked. Heavily extracted but in balance. Just enough acidity to balance the fruit. Similar in extraction to Sine Quo Non, but distinctive in its own right. Wow! Purposefully saved to finish the Thanksgiving weekend. Although a big wine it went great with grilled lamb chops so it can be a food wine as well.
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This wine never disappoints. Incredible syrah by John Alban. This is a fruit bomb everyone can enjoy. Rich with dark red fruit, blueberry with tannins that are integrated with great finesse. Drink now since Alban keeps pumping out great wine! lo
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, smoked meat, mocha and spice. Palate mirrors the nose. Leads to a very long, fruit driven finish. Full bodied, rich and dense. Served with corned beef and cabbage.
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I like Alban Revas with age on them, and this was the oldest vintage I could find by way of a quick rummage through my cellar. Opened in honor of brother-in-law's 60th BD. The wine drank young and it took a while to open up. Decanting may be a good idea. Wine did not blow me away as have other older vintages of Reva. Still a very nice bottle, and I would rate it a 93+. Drank on Sept. 4 in Mason, OH.
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Fully resolved tannins and a bit sweet. Nice, but could use a bit more savory. Also, didn't experience the complexity of my last bottle 3 years ago. No rush on this one, but open for business now.
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From magnum at Dallas Wineauxs get together. Although my tastes have gravitated away from this style of wine, I can still appreciate an Alban blockbuster, which this is. Soaring nose of sweet blue and black fruits as it was poured into the decanter. Roasted meats, bacon fat, crushed blueberries and blueberry compote on the nose. Massive in scale but somehow light on its feet, a signature Alban trait. 15% ABV is well hidden. After an hour decant was strutting its stuff. Maybe not a "food wine" but who cares? Unapologetically and unabashedly Californian. I like these wines relatively young, and this one is a baby especially in large format. No apparent signs of age. An easy 95. Definite crowd pleaser.
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Powerful and opulent with concentrated layers of blue and black fruit, exotic spices and tar. It accelerates spherically across the palate into a very potent finish. Very Alban. This is not really a food wine. This wine is food.
I reach for Northern Rhones more often than CA central coast now, but still really like and respect Alban.
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Super deep garnet red. Nose is coated in olives and light red cherries. The palate is rounded and layered, delicious. Tons of red berries on the palate. Needs more time on the palate.
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Sweet Jesus, raspberry/blackberry, black pepper, mint?, touch of earth, med acid, med high tannin, primary young fruit, cocoa. Still gets my vote as one of the worlds best wine estates. How do you do that voodoo that you do so well? Love it.
Previously coravined, but shows no evidence of that
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Expressive nose of plum, dark cherries, leather, and tobacco. Well balanced palate with good acidity, plum jam notes, and high tannins. Full mouthfeel and long finish.
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This was drank at a local steakhouse after a short 45 minute decant. The wine was clear and garnet red in colour and had a strong bouquet of cherries and dark spices. In the glass were those same strong flavours of ripe cherries alongside some pepper and a slight hint of vanilla. The acidity and tannins were both very balanced and the wine had a finish that was not super long. This bottle was in great drinking shape tonight.
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WAIT on this wine! Decanted for over three hours, showing signs of those top shelf Alban flavors of black raspberry, olive, and charred/bbq. However, it's not quite there yet. This 2010 was quite restrained and a tad bitter on the finish.
The quality and purity of fruit is evident as always, with a mid-palate just waiting to explode (but again, just not yet); like a coiled snake just waiting to strike...and if Alban's history is any indicator of the future, I have the utmost confidence that this 2010 will emerge into something phenomenal. The 2008, and especially the 2009, are drinking extremely well at the moment. I would hold on this wine until the beginning of 2018 optimally.
95-98+ points at the moment from me.
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Opened via Coravin but drank it over two hours. The additional air time made this even better. I love the huge forward concentrated raspberry flavor. Otherwise similar to recent previous tasting.
About as good as it gets. Potential to be perfect with age. 110% different nose than the Cayuse trio it's being tasting against. Clean refined red fruit. Iron fist, velvet glove. So well rounded & palate filling. The end all be all. Little spice & olive?
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Pre-Hospice du Rhone: Dinner at La Cosecha (La Cosecha, Paso Robles): Danny brought this one. I liked it very much. There was a touch of VA that some did not like but it did not bother me,. Deep purple in color. The nose is great with cherries, black raspberries, smoke, spice and floral notes. On the palate, this is quite concentrated. This has a long life left ahead of it. Ripe fruit, strong tannins. Long finish, slightly warm, that finishes with cherries. Beautiful wine.
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Just a gorgeous, full-bodied Syrah with sweet tannins. It's big and it's got a lot of life left in it, but we thought it was very drinkable after just 30 minutes or so in the glass. Alban is simply a top-notch Syrah producer and I have yet to be disappointed by any of their wines. They're tough to get, but well worth it.
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This was drank at home with the Coravin system. The wine was clear and garnet red in colour. This wine had a distinctive nose of bacon and smokiness to it. The predominant flavour was of cherries alongside with vanilla and some spiciness to it. The tannins and acidity were both at nice levels. This bottle was good but not great tonight.
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Fantastic nose of of pepper, tobacco, plums, and leather. High tannins, very nice balance. Dark fruit on the palate with a nice, long finish. Very young, but already approachable.
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Friends opened this with dinner (Fideuà) on 11/28/15. It had a beautifully balanced, elegant bouquet of smoked meat, blackberry, plum, licorice, herb and spice aromas. The palate had great tension with flavors of blackberry, plum, licorice, herb, spice and minerals.
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Enjoyed at Underbelly. Very nice syrah with nice nose of smoked pork. Nice texture and mouthfeel. Staglin Cab eclipsed this wine. Early in drinking window.
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Incredible complexity of meat aromas and pepper lurk beneath this wine's outsized structure and big tannins. Always such a singular wine and one that is already ageing wonderfully.
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Young but so good, one of my perennial favorite central coast Syrahs. John Alban is a genius This was WOTN at a non-structured blind tasting. Will wait a while (3-4 year so) before I check in on this again.
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As my wife put it "sexy wine." Rich and powerful. Silky mouthfeel with dark berries. I imagine it will mellow and develop more depth with time but it is such an amazing silky rich wine that it provides plenty of drinking pleasure now.
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Brilliant for a young baby. Deep purple, wafting nose of dark fruits, bacon fat and smoked meats. Huge mouthfeel, long finish. Still needs some flushing out, at which point this will be marvelous.
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Decanted 4 hours and had with Thanksgiving meal. This was an absolute monster of a wine, amazing nose, mouthful of deep dark fruit, and layers of complexity. Don't know that I'll touch this for several more years but this should age easily for a decade or more. Amazing juice. EXCELLENT.
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Part of the annual meatball production/consumption fest. I think this is just a damn good wine pure and simple. Yes it's ripe and rich but it really does all that while maintaining freshness. To me that is the mark of world class stuff. Layers and layers of flavor and complexity. Too rich too delish.
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First experience with Alban. Very unique style of syrah, never had anything quite like it. The oak honestly doesn't feel overwhelming here despite the nearly four years of barrel time: mostly it just comes across as impeccably balanced and elegant. Ready to drink now with a decant.
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2/14/2024 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
No specific notes as enjoyed with friends, this bottle wasn’t corked unlike the last one. Bright fruit, tannins mellowed out. Amazing as always
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1/26/2024 - pjhr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Another beautiful Reva! Rich blackberry, mocha, and floral aromas with rich fruit and layers of complexity on the palate and long finish.
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12/12/2023 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very different profile of what I know of Reva. I have had several vintages so I have a bit of experience. This is not dense but is powerful. Red fruit profile for me. But the flavor was such I wondered is this TCA tainted? Very vibrant and active on palate. Had open three days now. It just hit me what this tastes like: a brunello.
Best showing on 16th. Very balanced, more like Reva I know, and heavy sediment, but when at last third of bottle to be expected. Smooth, alcohol not apparent (until you stand up) and just super nice. I had faith this would deliver and it eventually did. Why did it take so long to show?
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12/3/2023 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 95 Points
loved it, not much fruit but balanced with good acidity , pepper and meat, - I would imagine has years left
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8/5/2023 - Kdubs wrote: 98 Points
Opened up fully within 15 minutes to an hour. Dark bramble, blackberry and smoked venison. Wonderfully balanced. Highly extracted but not over the top. The third one I've opened since release and has developed more secondary nuances. It's drinking wonderfully, but has plenty of life left. Bravo!
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3/12/2023 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Crowd pleaser, paired with ribeye
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12/17/2022 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Killer with tins of intensity and energy. Great aging. BB xmas party
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7/4/2022 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, plum and blueberries, smoked meat and spice. Black and blue fruit, smoked meat and spice on the palate. Long layered finish. Full bodied. Served with hickory smoked, central Texas style brisket.
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4/9/2022 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine with spice and touch of vanilla/cedar on the finish
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12/30/2021 - andrewdodd86 wrote: flawed
Corked/heat damaged? This one hurt. Flat, muted, earthy and funky. Better with air but nothing special Clearly a bad bottle
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12/25/2021 - Mr T wrote:
Big hit Xmas Eve with standing rib roast
This is a big wine but not too over the top and with age starting to actually taste some Syrah elements as fruit recess slightly
Not entirely my style but this was very good
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12/24/2021 - jeffmudd Likes this wine: 98 Points
My last ‘10 of my all time favorite wine. Is there a better Syrah produced in America?
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11/28/2021 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another wonderful Reva. Deep inky purple, not as rich and extracted as some vintages, but very nicely nuanced and balanced this time. Probably in the top 5 American syrah producers, but my top dog at the moment. Recommended.
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10/24/2021 - gesusser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding with grilled rack of lamb
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8/22/2021 - Cabernet4me2 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow... just wow!! This bottle is so ready to drink with just a short bit of air, and its delicious!!
So, was an impromptu birthday gathering, that just sorta escalated into a 2010 Syrah tasting. Bottles in attendance, 2010 Cayuse, Sine Qua Non Stockholm Syndrome and the Alban Reva.
We had started out with a bit disappointing Bottle tasting of a few of the de Negoce Cabs N64, N.100 & N.146, along with 2 Claudine and the '18 Galerie, just to get a feeling of where these might be headed in the next few years.... but after the tastes.. were definitely ready for some real drinking!! So.. on to the Syrah's!!
Off the bat.... The Reva had the most explosive and fragrant nose of all three by far.
There was little competition between the two California Syrah's compared to the Cayuse which seemed to be a bit funky, definitely not even in the same league.
Both the SQN and the Alban had all those lovely qualities one would expect, with dark brooding wine in glass, and the meaty / iron qualities we all enjoy, and the two were very similar in profile. I do think the SQN was slightly more refined and just a tad more balanced, so if I had been in that mood, it wouldnt taken much for me to swing that way.. but just felt the slightly darker raspberry and red fruits in the Reva commingeled with those minerally quality, made it a party in your mouth.
On a QPR aspect, there was not a doubt and everyone agreed that the Reva was the undisputed winner, on an overall favorite it was a mixed crowd, with everyone saying the same thing.. the SQN & Alban, was almost too close to call a winner either way.
This wine shows not a glimmer of slowing down, so laughable at stated 'best by' ending drink date of 2025 - i might add another 10 years to that. Not sure if its going to get any better, but who cares!! Just wish I had more than one left!!
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8/19/2021 - gsiokis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consistent with previous notes.....still going strong. Our last bottle. Previous note: Mother's Day Dinner. From DJJAGDISH: "Big gorgeous nose belies how refined and balanced this wine is." This is absolutely spot on. Tons of darker fruits and smoked herbs. Full-bodied and concentrated. Amazing how fresh this wine is at the decade mark. Still has tons of upside to age on this baby.
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8/7/2021 - dpolzien Likes this wine: 94 Points
I always enjoy experiencing the transformation of Alban wines over a couple of days, and this Reva was no exception. Started out on Day 1 on the smoky/meaty side, and Day 2 was all about sour cherries and cranberries. Paired wonderfully with crispy skin duck breast. Drink or hold, as I have no hesitation that this could easily go another 5 years if not more.
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8/7/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
excellent, smoother and more open than the Saxum of the night before - but they both were fantastic wines. Blackberry, blueberry, licorice and mocha flavors. In a great drinking window right now but should be good for 8-10 more years
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7/19/2021 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank in Menlo Park with Blue Line pizza. Big and brash but HR thought it was "too sweet" for him. Overall a huge wine and a crowd pleaser.
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3/28/2021 - gesusser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Most excellent with Judy’s Passover brisket. Needs a long decant.
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3/27/2021 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, smoked meat, vanilla and spice. Black and blue fruit, gamey meat, vanilla, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with good depth. Full bodied. Served with hickory smoked, Texas-style brisket.
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1/30/2021 - fdub Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not as fresh as I remember may be time to drink. A bit of stewed fruit and lush mouthfeel. Good not as great as this bottling is sometimes.
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12/25/2020 - bablues wrote: 96 Points
Drinking incredibly at 10 years and this will continue to get better. Didn't take detailed notes but recall this having an excellent balance to it.
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10/29/2020 - tantotinto wrote: 95 Points
Opened an hour early and decanted just prior to serving. This is exceptional even by the exalted standard I have come to expect from Alban. Smoky floral nose. Blueberry, smoke and spice on the palate. Rich and smooth. First of the 2010 Reva that we have opened so no idea how much effect time had here but it is superb now and clearly has plenty of legs left.
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10/26/2020 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 99 Points
I mean just holy hell. All dark blueberry and blackberry fruit. Height of California Syrah. Some earth but still very modern. Mesmerized. Flirting with perfection.
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10/1/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank blind against Saxum Heart Stone and Delas St Joseph, this really stood out because if it’s blueberry notes both on the nose and on the pallet. Very lush. In spite of the fact that this is 10 years old is still drinks very young. This always rocks my boat.
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8/7/2020 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 95 Points
Delicious. Just now entering its prime. Really nice balance in this vintage these days.
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6/18/2020 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
Decanted. Ageless. Blackberry and some redder fruit profile. Integrated and pretty seamless. Excellent fruit and not too big, though not a lot of savory character.
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5/10/2020 - gsiokis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mother's Day Dinner. From DJJAGDISH: "Big gorgeous nose belies how refined and balanced this wine is." This is absolutely spot on. Tons of darker fruits and smoked herbs. Full-bodied and concentrated. Amazing how fresh this wine is at the decade mark. Still has tons of upside to age on this baby.
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2/28/2020 - djjagdish Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big gorgeous nose belies how refined and balanced this wine is. Dark berry and plum fruits, just the right acidity, and a bit of forest floor sail on the palate and through a long, satisfying finish. Superb with grilled, pepper crusted red meat.
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11/16/2019 - RMundell Likes this wine: 90 Points
Straight forward not very complicated Syrah.
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10/12/2019 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Interestingly, in hindsight I found this much more enjoyable immediately after opening...as compared to the three hour decant it received. And this was my first Alban wine, so I could be in the (obvious) minority and just not appreciate his style...though the wine is excellently crafted.
On PnP it had bright red fruit flavors, had a lot of verve and was just more interesting.
But at the time I thought maybe it would get smoother with air. It did. After breathing it was soft and uber-smooth, though surprisingly light in body. But it lost that PnP brightness and interest.
To drink on PnP or aerate, that is the question that depends on your personal taste. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with PnP.
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10/11/2019 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark purple, huge nose, deep flavors of blueberry cobbler with balancing acidity. Gorgeous wine.
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10/10/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Off bottle? Funky animal thing going on...
Luckily blew off with 3 hours of air.
Blackberry, earth, raspberry, floral nose. Just needed time.
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8/5/2019 - Sethbo11 wrote: 96 Points
WOTN vs a 2010 Kathryn Hall and a 2011 Ornellaia.
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6/23/2019 - TK Mastres wrote: 94 Points
Very rich on the nose and wonderfully balanced on the palate , exactly what I'd expect from Alban :-)
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5/3/2019 - CotoDC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very slow to open up but worth the wait. Deep dark fruit and very typical cool climate syrah character. At this stage of its development it's drinking very well but has long life ahead of it.
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3/11/2019 - rwstorer wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful wine after a one hour decant.
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2/6/2019 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Hard to believe it has been 4 years since my last bottle, time flies. Honestly not sure what I thought of this or how I would rate my enjoyment of it. I think it was a poor choice for what to open the other night, as I really (as it turns out) was more in the mood for something easier drinking. Big, of course, though I would no longer call it opulent. Decent acidity. Would have been great, I think, with ribs, but drank this without food. I always, always love Reva in its super baby youth. But struggle a bit more when it is in mid age. I need to hold off on another bottle for some years here as I would like to see what I think when it officially reaches older age.
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1/6/2019 - hoservin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for one hour. Aromatic nose of blackberry, black plum, huckleberry, smoked meat, cedar and spice. Ripe black and blue fruit, smoked meat, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Rich and dense, leading to a very long finish. Full bodied. Served with smoked brisket.
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11/12/2018 - RCS73 wrote: 93 Points
Double decanted for over an hour.
Nice nose and good mouthfeel. One of the darkest, inkiest, purple wines I have seen of late. Darker than a Bordeaux or Cabernet.
Notes of camphor, olive, and spice to complement the deep red and purple fruit.
Not up to the level of the epic 2006 and 2007 vintages which continue to set the benchmark for this vineyard.
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11/11/2018 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Plum, dark cherries, dark berry jam, pepper, and new leather notes on the expressive and fruit forward nose. Fine grained tannins add good structure on the palate. Lots of dark fruit, spices, and black berry in the mouth. Good finish.
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11/11/2018 - seijaro Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum, gave it the Parker prep that he uses on all his wine tastings (decant 3 hours ahead, wash bottle with non-chlorinated water and let dry, return wine to bottle, insert cork upside down). The Reva was wonderful, all 95 and 96 around the table of six. Silky smooth and very big with no evident tannin, just chocolate, coffee, plums. A real treat.
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8/26/2018 - pgm Likes this wine: 95 Points
An outstanding Reva, with all the meaty, smoky earth, the allspice and clove that you’d expect of the Reva, but with exceptionally bright and light toned blackberry fruit, cola, and some rosy floral notes. It’s just gorgeous, and has all the power that’s usual. Delicious and persistent finish.
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7/28/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
From my perspective, this wine is more controversial than Caymus.
Well loved by many, meh to some.
Gave it a couple of hours of air. Opaque. Nose limited but lets you know there's some bold winemaking going on. Lots of complex intriguing fruits and tannins but not exactly smooth. Huge finish. Wife a huge fan.
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6/25/2018 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Smelled liked raw beef, game, and oysters. Dark berries. Some herbs. Sweet balsamic vinegar. Really big and rich - powerful with lots of fruit - but not ripe.
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6/23/2018 - gsiokis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wine of the night. Dinner at GunShow in Atlanta. Gave the Somm and server a taste both loved it. Big wine. Has many years left on this one.
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4/23/2018 - sayward Likes this wine: 95 Points
A great wine. Drank with a lot of other nice wines and it compared very favorably. I thought it was wine of the night.
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3/13/2018 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Saturated black and red raspberry, wild blackberry, boysenberry, black cherry, camphor, green olive, railroad tie, earth, cinnamon, and limestone. A little funkified and exhibiting a heavier red fruit streak on the initial attack. Perfectly weighted, with a medium-bodied profile.
PnP was a touch hot, but that dissipated fairly quickly. No need for a decant, though this bottle did throw out quite a bit of sediment (so filtering out prior to consumption might be a good idea). Otherwise, air in the glass over a two+ hour consumption period was fine. I may hold remaining bottles 6-12 months just to see how it all plays out (possibly deepening the flavor profile a bit more). Drink now with a little air, or even better, hold until 2019.
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2/24/2018 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cork stained deep to the point it looks dirty when fully dried. A dense wine, not quite to the level of the astounding 2006, but great just the same. lots of flavors but just slightly ajar. perhaps it meeds a little more age for that to come together which no doubt it will. right now the fruit is still young and dominant even though there is a lot going on under the surface. Recommended and will age.
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2/14/2018 - rm97 wrote: 94 Points
like a Croze Hermitage
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1/7/2018 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 99 Points
We had the 2009 Reva not too long ago and it just seemed heavy and tired. The ‘10 is energetic and delicious. Drink now if you like a little verve in your Syrah. Intense anise, black raspberry, cola, a bit of leather, tar and pepper.
This one followed a pretty darn good Saxum and the Alban stood out. Outstanding wine. Decant for an hour or so. Stands up to extended air time. My arm could be twisted to give this one 100 points.
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12/31/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 100 Points
Consistent notes. Just an absolute show stopper. Mesmerizing. Not a Paso nose. Bright, floral, cinnamon, raspberry, spice. So well rounded, not a hard edge there.
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12/30/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 100 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.
Distinctive nose of red raspberry preserves. Magical. Could be different but not better. Although big it did well with the meat and cheeses. Exceptional juice. My WOTN.
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12/16/2017 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 92 Points
Good, but not on par with other vintages of Reva. Maybe my expectations are too high, but this was a bit thin. Granted it was not decanted. Not sure if that would have helped...
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11/26/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 99 Points
Decanted with the nose leaping from the decanter and easily appreciated from yards away. Phenomenal nose! Still young and primordial. Gushes black raspberry jam and blueberry cobbler. Nice vanilla but not overly oaked. Heavily extracted but in balance. Just enough acidity to balance the fruit. Similar in extraction to Sine Quo Non, but distinctive in its own right. Wow! Purposefully saved to finish the Thanksgiving weekend. Although a big wine it went great with grilled lamb chops so it can be a food wine as well.
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11/5/2017 - Grappa Cellar wrote: 93 Points
Just so good
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10/28/2017 - jeffmudd wrote: 94 Points
Simply a beautiful wine. A bit fruit forward, but really drinking superbly right now.
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10/24/2017 - Wine Warrior 1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine never disappoints. Incredible syrah by John Alban. This is a fruit bomb everyone can enjoy. Rich with dark red fruit, blueberry with tannins that are integrated with great finesse. Drink now since Alban keeps pumping out great wine! lo
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10/14/2017 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, smoked meat, mocha and spice. Palate mirrors the nose. Leads to a very long, fruit driven finish. Full bodied, rich and dense. Served with corned beef and cabbage.
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10/11/2017 - Wine G Likes this wine: 94 Points
Coravin access. Big and syrupy, but not offensive. heavy blueberry fruit, smooth finish, hides the 15.5% Very well.
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9/11/2017 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine: 93 Points
I like Alban Revas with age on them, and this was the oldest vintage I could find by way of a quick rummage through my cellar. Opened in honor of brother-in-law's 60th BD. The wine drank young and it took a while to open up. Decanting may be a good idea. Wine did not blow me away as have other older vintages of Reva. Still a very nice bottle, and I would rate it a 93+. Drank on Sept. 4 in Mason, OH.
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7/30/2017 - BigTex22 wrote: 92 Points
Fully resolved tannins and a bit sweet. Nice, but could use a bit more savory. Also, didn't experience the complexity of my last bottle 3 years ago. No rush on this one, but open for business now.
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7/8/2017 - markydecker Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum at Dallas Wineauxs get together. Although my tastes have gravitated away from this style of wine, I can still appreciate an Alban blockbuster, which this is. Soaring nose of sweet blue and black fruits as it was poured into the decanter. Roasted meats, bacon fat, crushed blueberries and blueberry compote on the nose. Massive in scale but somehow light on its feet, a signature Alban trait. 15% ABV is well hidden. After an hour decant was strutting its stuff. Maybe not a "food wine" but who cares? Unapologetically and unabashedly Californian. I like these wines relatively young, and this one is a baby especially in large format. No apparent signs of age. An easy 95. Definite crowd pleaser.
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6/25/2017 - seijaro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Didn't enjoy it as much as the 2012, not as big and a bit tart. More time? Dunno.
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2/21/2017 - rwstorer wrote: 93 Points
- Purple color - Pure with an amazing depth. Huge finish. Very enjoyable and excellent wine.
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2/5/2017 - MV2007 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Powerful and opulent with concentrated layers of blue and black fruit, exotic spices and tar. It accelerates spherically across the palate into a very potent finish. Very Alban. This is not really a food wine. This wine is food.
I reach for Northern Rhones more often than CA central coast now, but still really like and respect Alban.
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1/7/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 94 Points
Super deep garnet red. Nose is coated in olives and light red cherries. The palate is rounded and layered, delicious. Tons of red berries on the palate. Needs more time on the palate.
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1/6/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Sweet Jesus, raspberry/blackberry, black pepper, mint?, touch of earth, med acid, med high tannin, primary young fruit, cocoa. Still gets my vote as one of the worlds best wine estates. How do you do that voodoo that you do so well? Love it.
Previously coravined, but shows no evidence of that
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12/27/2016 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Expressive nose of plum, dark cherries, leather, and tobacco. Well balanced palate with good acidity, plum jam notes, and high tannins. Full mouthfeel and long finish.
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11/12/2016 - Rosengoo wrote: 94 Points
This was drank at a local steakhouse after a short 45 minute decant. The wine was clear and garnet red in colour and had a strong bouquet of cherries and dark spices. In the glass were those same strong flavours of ripe cherries alongside some pepper and a slight hint of vanilla. The acidity and tannins were both very balanced and the wine had a finish that was not super long. This bottle was in great drinking shape tonight.
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8/19/2016 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
WAIT on this wine! Decanted for over three hours, showing signs of those top shelf Alban flavors of black raspberry, olive, and charred/bbq. However, it's not quite there yet. This 2010 was quite restrained and a tad bitter on the finish.
The quality and purity of fruit is evident as always, with a mid-palate just waiting to explode (but again, just not yet); like a coiled snake just waiting to strike...and if Alban's history is any indicator of the future, I have the utmost confidence that this 2010 will emerge into something phenomenal. The 2008, and especially the 2009, are drinking extremely well at the moment. I would hold on this wine until the beginning of 2018 optimally.
95-98+ points at the moment from me.
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8/14/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 100 Points
Opened via Coravin but drank it over two hours. The additional air time made this even better. I love the huge forward concentrated raspberry flavor. Otherwise similar to recent previous tasting.
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8/14/2016 - andrewdodd86 wrote: 99 Points
About as good as it gets. Potential to be perfect with age. 110% different nose than the Cayuse trio it's being tasting against. Clean refined red fruit. Iron fist, velvet glove. So well rounded & palate filling. The end all be all. Little spice & olive?
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8/13/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 99 Points
Dark red. Spiced raspberry jam, deeply concentrated , nice touch of oak, huge, ripe fruit, extensive finish. Wow!
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4/18/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Pre-Hospice du Rhone: Dinner at La Cosecha (La Cosecha, Paso Robles): Danny brought this one. I liked it very much. There was a touch of VA that some did not like but it did not bother me,. Deep purple in color. The nose is great with cherries, black raspberries, smoke, spice and floral notes. On the palate, this is quite concentrated. This has a long life left ahead of it. Ripe fruit, strong tannins. Long finish, slightly warm, that finishes with cherries. Beautiful wine.
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1/21/2016 - George Lopez Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just a gorgeous, full-bodied Syrah with sweet tannins. It's big and it's got a lot of life left in it, but we thought it was very drinkable after just 30 minutes or so in the glass. Alban is simply a top-notch Syrah producer and I have yet to be disappointed by any of their wines. They're tough to get, but well worth it.
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1/7/2016 - ClubTerry Likes this wine: 94 Points
Needs some time to open.
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12/26/2015 - Rosengoo wrote: 90 Points
This was drank at home with the Coravin system. The wine was clear and garnet red in colour. This wine had a distinctive nose of bacon and smokiness to it. The predominant flavour was of cherries alongside with vanilla and some spiciness to it. The tannins and acidity were both at nice levels. This bottle was good but not great tonight.
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12/25/2015 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic nose of of pepper, tobacco, plums, and leather. High tannins, very nice balance. Dark fruit on the palate with a nice, long finish. Very young, but already approachable.
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11/28/2015 - garambler Likes this wine: 94 Points
Friends opened this with dinner (Fideuà) on 11/28/15. It had a beautifully balanced, elegant bouquet of smoked meat, blackberry, plum, licorice, herb and spice aromas. The palate had great tension with flavors of blackberry, plum, licorice, herb, spice and minerals.
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10/5/2015 - dlcass Likes this wine: 95 Points
Enjoyed at Underbelly. Very nice syrah with nice nose of smoked pork. Nice texture and mouthfeel. Staglin Cab eclipsed this wine. Early in drinking window.
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9/15/2015 - jkvedar wrote: 95 Points
Amazing wine. Beautiful structure, perfect balance. Pepper and dark fruit as well as smoke dominate the nose and palate. Loong finish!
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8/26/2015 - Bodes Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible complexity of meat aromas and pepper lurk beneath this wine's outsized structure and big tannins. Always such a singular wine and one that is already ageing wonderfully.
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8/20/2015 - G8tor80 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Young but so good, one of my perennial favorite central coast Syrahs. John Alban is a genius
This was WOTN at a non-structured blind tasting.
Will wait a while (3-4 year so) before I check in on this again.
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2/10/2015 - matthewmallon Likes this wine: 97 Points
As my wife put it "sexy wine." Rich and powerful. Silky mouthfeel with dark berries. I imagine it will mellow and develop more depth with time but it is such an amazing silky rich wine that it provides plenty of drinking pleasure now.
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1/8/2015 - cadamson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brilliant for a young baby. Deep purple, wafting nose of dark fruits, bacon fat and smoked meats. Huge mouthfeel, long finish. Still needs some flushing out, at which point this will be marvelous.
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1/3/2015 - El Tej wrote: 94 Points
A hint of cork taint holds this rating back a bit
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11/27/2014 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted 4 hours and had with Thanksgiving meal. This was an absolute monster of a wine, amazing nose, mouthful of deep dark fruit, and layers of complexity. Don't know that I'll touch this for several more years but this should age easily for a decade or more. Amazing juice. EXCELLENT.
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11/15/2014 - fdub Likes this wine: 96 Points
Part of the annual meatball production/consumption fest. I think this is just a damn good wine pure and simple. Yes it's ripe and rich but it really does all that while maintaining freshness. To me that is the mark of world class stuff. Layers and layers of flavor and complexity. Too rich too delish.
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11/11/2014 - ClubTerry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Massive fruit that needs air before truly drinkable.
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11/7/2014 - Bodes Likes this wine: 94 Points
First experience with Alban. Very unique style of syrah, never had anything quite like it. The oak honestly doesn't feel overwhelming here despite the nearly four years of barrel time: mostly it just comes across as impeccably balanced and elegant. Ready to drink now with a decant.
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