PnP and drank over 2 days. Still teeth staining purple with beautiful aromas and flavors of dark fruits, meat, and pepper. Smooth, silky, and lively, with a nice mineral backbone and a long finish.
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Fine rendition of the fruit-forward nature of Adam's Syrah program. Better acid balance than his Sonoma Cty from the same vintage. Stood up very well to Tri-Tip with Santa Maria spices and a sapuicy red sauce. Let interesting as a sippin' wine, though; less-layered than an Arcadian Sleepy Hollow from '06 that won the head-to-head prior to the meal; during the meal, this was way ahead.
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The previous posters were absolutely right this wine is really singing. So good it has to be its prrine. So happy I waited on this wine. Drinking great not it should last for at least another five years or more
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My last bottle. Vibrant color, not as dark as most New World syrahs. Obviously from California, but not overbearing or ponderous. A ton of black and red fruits with a hint of pepper. Somewhat surprising complexity. I could drink this all night - with or without food. Probably hasn't reached its peak.
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A full 2 years since my last bottle, and sad to say, this is my last bottle in the cellar. I waited this one out, to see how the wine would come together. Drinking in the best window, with even a touch of structure (felt in the acidity) left to carry it longer if one wanted to age it some more. A mix of red and black tones that don't completely color the wine dark. Some stalky notes, with pepper and lavender. The palate really says SLH, mainly the sweet soy, the bbq spices, blueberry and teriyaki--all terroir indicators that this is coming from the AVA. Silky and plump, with a nice cut of citrus applying a long finish along with the teriyaki tones. I really continue to enjoy the syrahs from thia area and the way these wines show the terroir signature time and time again. At $26 (and not much more expensive than that for the current 2007 release), a perennial bargain and QPR..........as for a last glass note, easy to finish this bottle in one night. Add graphite to the aromatic and some finishing chocolate when the wine hit about 3 hours open. Gone.
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seems to have added some weight, and is drnking very nicely. The typical grapefruit pith and acidity is there, but it is woven nicely with oak, vanilla, chocolate and deep blue fruit. Not a heavy wine by any measure, very lively and easy to drink and pair with food. Served with a butternut squash pasta.
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Checked out a few notes in CT and despite some of the comments related to higher or noticeable alcohol, there is some here but not to the degree I would point it out. It's the 2004 vintage so I gotta think some will show. But, it seems to be fairly well held in check by the nose and palate. What the wine does show for me is some juicy blueberry fruit, some roasted cherry and the notes of bbq smoke, creosote. What seems to stand out for me in the 2004 here is the signature SLH citrus acidity. In fact, the wine shows less weight and density this vintage, in lieu of the higher acidity, which appears as pink grapefruit. One person in CT cited a note of 'juniper' and would call that right on target--a great characterization of some of the aromatics. Espresso and some light black pepper wind up the finish. Will revisit the wine tomorrow over another meal to see if it shows any further evolution.
Final note after bottle open 2 full days, pours quite dark and with a fleshiness that is really kind of intoxicating. I would say it's lost some of the acidic edge that was there 2 nights ago but now it shows just a plush, big pillow fleshy blackberry juice note. Still shows the game and some citrus of 2 nights past, but at this point, having lost some of the Rosella's funk, feels more like a big sexy bottle of Garys'. Enjoy now.
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Very dark, black, opaque. Rich cooked black boysenberry fruit with spice on nose. Dense, thick black fruit and spice. Better nose than taste, up front dry, thick black fruit, might get better.
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Nose of alcohol and dark fruits - black raspberries and black plums. Tasty, fruit-forward wine with just a bit too much alcohol. Great blueberry and raspberry fruit, a tiny touch of minerality. Nice wine, pretty easy to drink.
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night 1: heavy grilled meats, smoke, licorice, and a dark fruit core. very prominent tannins. night 2: softened quite a bit. has lost much of it's meaty character to reveal a more plush wine with the fruit in the fore with some smoke and a hint of licorice.
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Haven't had one of these since 2000. Color as much purple as it is red. First nose of concentrated berries, taste of dark fruit, pepper, firm tannins. More open after about 2 hours decant time. Deep cherry core, with licorice and pepper, and even some meaty nuances all put together in a way that is less like CA and more like Rhone. Nice full deep fruit, very good balance. Saved half the bottle for 2nd day and still solidly built with all same characteristics but the tannins have softened.
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Consistently year after year one of my favorite QPR syrahs from California and due to the sum of the parts (made with Garys' and Rosella's fruit), typically my favorite Novy QPR wine each vintage. This wine arrived via the mailer a few months ago so it has settled properly. With 6-8 ozs in the glass, nearly opaque. The nose smells of pepper, hint of flowers and a dark brooding smell of tar and creosote. The palate is broad with red fruit, licorice and roasted espresso, along with the signature white pepper jerky flavors I often find in Adam's Rosella's. My only nit, and I'll post a final note on this tonight, is whether the finish will improve. Right now, the wine is mostly mid-palate, and I hope it will finish more fully.
Day 2: Much more of the white pepper and beef jerky note on the nose tonight. For me, this would be the terroir signature I would expect, probably from the Rosella's. Also, some tar and that brooding dark smell. Wonderful nose. Palate, especially mid, shows more of a big ink, chocolate/espresso and black fruited feel, which is often the terroir of Garys'--neat to see how each component part expresses itself as blended together. Some of the red, while still lurking, has receded for more black. Given the vintage, I expected more heat but I just don't find it. The finish is a bit better but this wine, given the QPR, maybe will never show the deep, longer finish of say the Rosella's or Garys'. Much more easier going, fleshy and nice polished tannins. Shocking no one, I'll call this a winner for $26.
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Very dark puple, opaque. Deep black fruit and juniper on the nose. Rich up front, black friut with spice, dry finish Very rich wine with great fruit and spice.
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Upon opening, wondered if it was bad, given the extremely strong game fonk on the nose and palate. This blew off after an hour and it showed strong cherry plus hints of coffee and chocolate on the palate. Tannins were firm, but not too out of balance. Could probably use more time in bottle.
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4/26/2014 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another excellent bottle that is in its prime even though it's 10 years old. Wish I had more of these in the cellar.
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8/15/2011 - psrv wrote: 91 Points
PnP and drank over 2 days. Still teeth staining purple with beautiful aromas and flavors of dark fruits, meat, and pepper. Smooth, silky, and lively, with a nice mineral backbone and a long finish.
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1/31/2011 - stufis wrote: 90 Points
Fine rendition of the fruit-forward nature of Adam's Syrah program. Better acid balance than his Sonoma Cty from the same vintage. Stood up very well to Tri-Tip with Santa Maria spices and a sapuicy red sauce. Let interesting as a sippin' wine, though; less-layered than an Arcadian Sleepy Hollow from '06 that won the head-to-head prior to the meal; during the meal, this was way ahead.
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1/26/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
The previous posters were absolutely right this wine is really singing. So good it has to be its prrine. So happy I waited on this wine. Drinking great not it should last for at least another five years or more
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10/13/2009 - Night Train wrote: 92 Points
My last bottle. Vibrant color, not as dark as most New World syrahs. Obviously from California, but not overbearing or ponderous. A ton of black and red fruits with a hint of pepper. Somewhat surprising complexity. I could drink this all night - with or without food. Probably hasn't reached its peak.
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9/6/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
A full 2 years since my last bottle, and sad to say, this is my last bottle in the cellar. I waited this one out, to see how the wine would come together. Drinking in the best window, with even a touch of structure (felt in the acidity) left to carry it longer if one wanted to age it some more. A mix of red and black tones that don't completely color the wine dark. Some stalky notes, with pepper and lavender. The palate really says SLH, mainly the sweet soy, the bbq spices, blueberry and teriyaki--all terroir indicators that this is coming from the AVA. Silky and plump, with a nice cut of citrus applying a long finish along with the teriyaki tones. I really continue to enjoy the syrahs from thia area and the way these wines show the terroir signature time and time again. At $26 (and not much more expensive than that for the current 2007 release), a perennial bargain and QPR..........as for a last glass note, easy to finish this bottle in one night. Add graphite to the aromatic and some finishing chocolate when the wine hit about 3 hours open. Gone.
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8/29/2009 - blgros wrote: 90 Points
Very nice. Still dark and a bit tannic, black fruit, some blueberry notes. Integrated well. Nice to sip after dinner.
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11/27/2007 - jwolfsthal wrote:
seems to have added some weight, and is drnking very nicely. The typical grapefruit pith and acidity is there, but it is woven nicely with oak, vanilla, chocolate and deep blue fruit. Not a heavy wine by any measure, very lively and easy to drink and pair with food. Served with a butternut squash pasta.
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10/8/2007 - pjhr wrote: 90 Points
Similar notes to previous bottle.
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7/30/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Checked out a few notes in CT and despite some of the comments related to higher or noticeable alcohol, there is some here but not to the degree I would point it out. It's the 2004 vintage so I gotta think some will show. But, it seems to be fairly well held in check by the nose and palate. What the wine does show for me is some juicy blueberry fruit, some roasted cherry and the notes of bbq smoke, creosote. What seems to stand out for me in the 2004 here is the signature SLH citrus acidity. In fact, the wine shows less weight and density this vintage, in lieu of the higher acidity, which appears as pink grapefruit. One person in CT cited a note of 'juniper' and would call that right on target--a great characterization of some of the aromatics. Espresso and some light black pepper wind up the finish. Will revisit the wine tomorrow over another meal to see if it shows any further evolution.
Final note after bottle open 2 full days, pours quite dark and with a fleshiness that is really kind of intoxicating. I would say it's lost some of the acidic edge that was there 2 nights ago but now it shows just a plush, big pillow fleshy blackberry juice note. Still shows the game and some citrus of 2 nights past, but at this point, having lost some of the Rosella's funk, feels more like a big sexy bottle of Garys'. Enjoy now.
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7/4/2007 - gdbarton1@gmail.com wrote:
Very dark, black, opaque. Rich cooked black boysenberry fruit with spice on nose.
Dense, thick black fruit and spice. Better nose than taste, up front dry, thick black fruit, might get better.
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6/30/2007 - E wrote: 86 Points
Harsh with tar and ETOH a bit too prominent on the palate...did not improve over 2 days...nose definitely better
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6/18/2007 - trankin wrote: 88 Points
Nose of alcohol and dark fruits - black raspberries and black plums. Tasty, fruit-forward wine with just a bit too much alcohol. Great blueberry and raspberry fruit, a tiny touch of minerality. Nice wine, pretty easy to drink.
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6/16/2007 - etherscreen wrote:
night 1: heavy grilled meats, smoke, licorice, and a dark fruit core. very prominent tannins. night 2: softened quite a bit. has lost much of it's meaty character to reveal a more plush wine with the fruit in the fore with some smoke and a hint of licorice.
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3/16/2007 - Vinacull wrote: 90 Points
Haven't had one of these since 2000. Color as much purple as it is red. First nose of concentrated berries, taste of dark fruit, pepper, firm tannins. More open after about 2 hours decant time. Deep cherry core, with licorice and pepper, and even some meaty nuances all put together in a way that is less like CA and more like Rhone. Nice full deep fruit, very good balance. Saved half the bottle for 2nd day and still solidly built with all same characteristics but the tannins have softened.
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2/20/2007 - pjhr wrote: 90 Points
Delicious dark cherry and chocolate aromas and flavors with white pepper notes and balanced tannins.
Even better the 2nd day. 91 Need to order more!
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1/15/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Consistently year after year one of my favorite QPR syrahs from California and due to the sum of the parts (made with Garys' and Rosella's fruit), typically my favorite Novy QPR wine each vintage. This wine arrived via the mailer a few months ago so it has settled properly. With 6-8 ozs in the glass, nearly opaque. The nose smells of pepper, hint of flowers and a dark brooding smell of tar and creosote. The palate is broad with red fruit, licorice and roasted espresso, along with the signature white pepper jerky flavors I often find in Adam's Rosella's. My only nit, and I'll post a final note on this tonight, is whether the finish will improve. Right now, the wine is mostly mid-palate, and I hope it will finish more fully.
Day 2: Much more of the white pepper and beef jerky note on the nose tonight. For me, this would be the terroir signature I would expect, probably from the Rosella's. Also, some tar and that brooding dark smell. Wonderful nose. Palate, especially mid, shows more of a big ink, chocolate/espresso and black fruited feel, which is often the terroir of Garys'--neat to see how each component part expresses itself as blended together. Some of the red, while still lurking, has receded for more black. Given the vintage, I expected more heat but I just don't find it. The finish is a bit better but this wine, given the QPR, maybe will never show the deep, longer finish of say the Rosella's or Garys'. Much more easier going, fleshy and nice polished tannins. Shocking no one, I'll call this a winner for $26.
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12/31/2006 - gdbarton1@gmail.com wrote:
Very dark puple, opaque. Deep black fruit and juniper on the nose. Rich up front, black friut with spice, dry finish
Very rich wine with great fruit and spice.
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12/17/2006 - shaneajohnson wrote: 87 Points
Upon opening, wondered if it was bad, given the extremely strong game fonk on the nose and palate. This blew off after an hour and it showed strong cherry plus hints of coffee and chocolate on the palate. Tannins were firm, but not too out of balance. Could probably use more time in bottle.
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12/3/2006 - lpk22 wrote: 88 Points
Big time cherry, really opened up after an hour. Drank during annual Festivus get together...nice, be better in a few years.
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