Youthful looking purple. Alluring floral and musky aromatics. Quite bright with minimal structure, black fruit, saline, with a slight savage finish. I could smell this wine all day long. Saint Joe of the SLH?
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Purple in color. 13.2% ABV. Savory nose of blue fruits, olive brine, wild flowers and pepper. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity. Fresh, complex and well structured. Blueberries, gamey meats, black pepper and olive tapenade on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Reminiscent of a Northern Rhone Syrah. Unique and extremely well crafted. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
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Drank as a pop and pour at a restaurant. Bigger, fatter, and more approachable than expected. After 30 minutes it really gained weight with the majority of barnyard blowing off. Concentrated purple fruit, smoke, new leather, and still slight funk on the later finish. Not overly structured so I would drink this in the next couple years. Stylistically reminds me of early 2K Pax.
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First time trying this wine, acquiring this in trade with another Wine Berserker. Aired for 30 mins. Aromatics reflect a more traditional Northern Rhone style of flowers, cracked black pepper, garrigue and barnyard. The palate is grapey, reminding me some of Brosseau that lies across the valley from the SLH. Blueberry is the fruit driver here, with tar, stone fruit pit and the light barnyard inflection that is inside the core of the wine. After another few hours of air, this filled in nicely and drank well through the meal.
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Totally agree with the lean and structured notes. Also light and refreshing. Upon opening, would not have pegged this for a syrah (blind taste test would've probably said a light cab when PnP'd it). After a little time to breath, the spice came out and it started tasting more like a syrah, albeit a light and refreshing syrah. I dig this, but like most Sandlands, it is an odd, interesting bottling.
On Night Two: leather and black olive came out big time. Continues to be really interesting stuff.
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Lean and refreshing. Like no syrah I have ever had. Cherry and plum with a bit of a saline finish. Sandlands wines are different than any other winery. I'll be a buyer at the prices for first two orders.
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My first red from Sandlands, and this is highly compelling. Much more so than the Chenin. This is seriously structured and obviously young, but the fruit is ripe and the tannins fine-grained enough that this can be enjoyed now. This is on the juicier side of the spectrum -- not a lot of Northern Rhone style complexity -- but the fruit is pure and is an attractive mix of deep dark fruits, brighter notes, and minerals. This got better with air and the balance is nice. A winner that will improve. If you drink now, decant and give it air.
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9/24/2019 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:
Lots of olive tapenade. This is good to go now but can also lay down for another five years or so. A superb and elegant Syrah.
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6/1/2019 - David_T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pleasant aromatics. Meaty with olive tapenade and dark fruits in the background. Integrated medium acid/tannins. Drinking great now but no rush.
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2/20/2019 - rama Likes this wine:
Youthful looking purple. Alluring floral and musky aromatics. Quite bright with minimal structure, black fruit, saline, with a slight savage finish. I could smell this wine all day long. Saint Joe of the SLH?
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3/23/2018 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Purple in color. 13.2% ABV. Savory nose of blue fruits, olive brine, wild flowers and pepper. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity. Fresh, complex and well structured. Blueberries, gamey meats, black pepper and olive tapenade on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Reminiscent of a Northern Rhone Syrah. Unique and extremely well crafted. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
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10/16/2017 - Jahull03 wrote:
Super savory, light, saint joseph sensibilities... black olives and a touch of salt.
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3/31/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Drank as a pop and pour at a restaurant. Bigger, fatter, and more approachable than expected. After 30 minutes it really gained weight with the majority of barnyard blowing off. Concentrated purple fruit, smoke, new leather, and still slight funk on the later finish. Not overly structured so I would drink this in the next couple years. Stylistically reminds me of early 2K Pax.
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12/18/2016 - Frank Murray III wrote:
First time trying this wine, acquiring this in trade with another Wine Berserker. Aired for 30 mins. Aromatics reflect a more traditional Northern Rhone style of flowers, cracked black pepper, garrigue and barnyard. The palate is grapey, reminding me some of Brosseau that lies across the valley from the SLH. Blueberry is the fruit driver here, with tar, stone fruit pit and the light barnyard inflection that is inside the core of the wine. After another few hours of air, this filled in nicely and drank well through the meal.
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3/18/2016 - tcarter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Totally agree with the lean and structured notes. Also light and refreshing. Upon opening, would not have pegged this for a syrah (blind taste test would've probably said a light cab when PnP'd it). After a little time to breath, the spice came out and it started tasting more like a syrah, albeit a light and refreshing syrah. I dig this, but like most Sandlands, it is an odd, interesting bottling.
On Night Two: leather and black olive came out big time. Continues to be really interesting stuff.
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1/5/2016 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice for the price, with some spice! GOOD.
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1/2/2016 - Silveradoup wrote: 97 Points
WOAH!
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7/8/2015 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red and blue fruit with a touch of olive tapenade. Poised, balanced and delicious.
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5/8/2015 - fdub Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superb lift and richness on the nose. Black fruits and a silky smooth palate.
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3/15/2015 - dougie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lean and refreshing. Like no syrah I have ever had. Cherry and plum with a bit of a saline finish. Sandlands wines are different than any other winery. I'll be a buyer at the prices for first two orders.
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12/1/2014 - fdub Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very lean and precise. In the style very well made. A big burst of smoked game and black fruits. I prefer a bit more explosiveness.
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11/24/2014 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 91 Points
My first red from Sandlands, and this is highly compelling. Much more so than the Chenin. This is seriously structured and obviously young, but the fruit is ripe and the tannins fine-grained enough that this can be enjoyed now. This is on the juicier side of the spectrum -- not a lot of Northern Rhone style complexity -- but the fruit is pure and is an attractive mix of deep dark fruits, brighter notes, and minerals. This got better with air and the balance is nice. A winner that will improve. If you drink now, decant and give it air.
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