-- decanted immediately before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind on Day 1 and again on Day 2 --
NOSE: expressive; purple-fruited; brett, or incredibly intense/concentrated garrigué. DAY 2: crushed raspberry --- inky; oddly, less stinky today than yesterday, which throws the brett call into question.
BODY: some sediment present; medium bodied.
TASTE: not tannic; high acidity. Day 2: still a bit of funk; alc. not noticeable; slightly tart purple fruits.
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-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 60 minutes -- -- from 3L -- -- more chasing after kids with this one --
Very youthful violet color. Quite peppery on the palate, with showy dark fruits; hint of leather. This was my first time with this wine, and I unfortunately didn't get to sit down with it the way I wanted to, but I can undoubtedly say this was excellent: I purchased two bottles to take home. Need to get into one of those 750's to see where it's at from that format.
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Shows well right now. Sweet and Californian without any of the Northern Rhone roasted meat/bacon/herb stuff that I've detected in other of Joe's (later) syrahs. Still good, but was hoping for a bit more animale character.
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Double decanted four hours. Very tight upon opening. No much fruit on the nose, just oak and high acid. After three days of being open(recorked and sitting in the fridge) it has finally started to open and some nice fruit was finally there and helped really balance the wine. If you have these let them lie. This is at least 5 years away from maturity. I think it will be nice once it comes around. Another reminder that Arcadian red wines need a lot of time in the cellar.
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Firm dark color and a earthy briary nose on opening and decanting that fleshed out showing dark berries, a tad of rich ripe plums and spice. I let this air out a while, and there was never a let down in it's firmness on the palate...strong fruit textrure and abundant firm framework that pretty much grabbed the palate from entry to finish that was just short of rustic. Saved some for the next night...showing more blackberry on the nose...a little cleaner aroma, but still that firmness on the palate. Stout stuff...plenty of time left on the clock.
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Delicious wine. Smooth, well-balanced, tasty, fragrant. Lots of juicy berry fruit, predominantly blackberry and raspberry, also some cherry. Strong herbal notes of rosemary and sage. Nice tannins and acidity.
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Little bit off on the nose upon first opening, but it blew off quickly. Nose is dark fruit and forest. On the palate, there is black fruit, leather and pepper. Like most Arcadian wines that I've had, this wine is very well balanced and nuanced. This should really shine with a few more years of age. Just plain hard to put down.
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14.2% alc...the vineyard was planted by the Gainey family in 1997...deep and opaque in color, not purple, deem crimson...this wine from the get-go reminded me I should have given it more time, mostly on the nose which wasn't exactly shy, but seemed reserved in its revelations of vanilla, dusty dark sweet red fruit, plums, figs and maybe the slightest hint of smoke - interestingly, the Stoplman was hugely perfumed on the nose...nonetheless, on the palate this wine was medium-bodied, balanced, with a touch more of the earthy garrigue-like qualities of herbs, silky smooth, long finish that really satisfies. I very much preferred the Stoplman for its wild side, this wine is more reserved, more deserving of the "cool climate moniker". Very good, but would purchase the Stoplman over this everytime.
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A deep purple wine with a nose full of pepper, and immediately a tough game flavor. The fruit is blackberry, and on the second day is more forward, as some of the smokeyness has dissipated, and the gameyness is still very apparent, with a grissly fat taste. A backbone of oak emerged.
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Very good wine. At this stage the nose is out-shining the palate. The nose is complex with soaring blackberry, floral notes, game and smoke. On the palate there is plenty of structure with tannins that are sweet but definitely present and nice juicy acidity. There is a good amount of fruit with blackberry, plum and some cherry but it needs plenty of air to begin revealing itself. I decanted for several hours on day 1 and the wine did not change much. Saved the remainder in the fridge overnight. Upon opening on day 2 the wine had not changed much but over the next few hours it really started to blossom and the palate began to reveal a very bright future. The blackberry fruit is very pure and the acidity leads to a lengthy lip smacking finish. I highly recommend buying a few bottles to bury in the cellar for another 3-5 years.
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dark dark in the glass. black fruit and a ton of ground pepper on the nose. the first taste revealed the pepper and dark berry. Initially the pepper was overpowering the fruit. After 2 hrs in the decanter the pepper subsided and intergrated nicely with the balck berries with a nice touch of mocca . the wine was mouth coating with a long finish. one other note this wine didn't have the overthetop fruit like some cali syrahs. excellent wine
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9/30/2018 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted immediately before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind on Day 1 and again on Day 2 --
NOSE: expressive; purple-fruited; brett, or incredibly intense/concentrated garrigué. DAY 2: crushed raspberry --- inky; oddly, less stinky today than yesterday, which throws the brett call into question.
BODY: some sediment present; medium bodied.
TASTE: not tannic; high acidity. Day 2: still a bit of funk; alc. not noticeable; slightly tart purple fruits.
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11/11/2017 - grafstrb wrote:
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 60 minutes --
-- from 3L --
-- more chasing after kids with this one --
Very youthful violet color. Quite peppery on the palate, with showy dark fruits; hint of leather. This was my first time with this wine, and I unfortunately didn't get to sit down with it the way I wanted to, but I can undoubtedly say this was excellent: I purchased two bottles to take home. Need to get into one of those 750's to see where it's at from that format.
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6/28/2014 - ronte bello Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of sweet cherry cola. Bright acidity. Better after 4 hours. Mina grabbed the bottle - "I like this."
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4/20/2014 - alexjump wrote:
smooth and velvety. ate with lamb and fig balsamic braised radicchio and the pairing was absolutely sublime.
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10/15/2013 - ronte bello Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a fantastic bottle. Sweet concentrated fruit with good complexity. One of my favorite Arcadians.
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5/28/2013 - Neecies Likes this wine: 89 Points
Shows well right now. Sweet and Californian without any of the Northern Rhone roasted meat/bacon/herb stuff that I've detected in other of Joe's (later) syrahs. Still good, but was hoping for a bit more animale character.
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2/13/2013 - shaneajohnson wrote:
Lots of life left. Best on third night after sitting recorked in refrigerator.
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2/4/2011 - paideia109 wrote: 92 Points
Probably slightly past peak.
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10/18/2009 - popquizkid wrote:
Double decanted four hours. Very tight upon opening. No much fruit on the nose, just oak and high acid. After three days of being open(recorked and sitting in the fridge) it has finally started to open and some nice fruit was finally there and helped really balance the wine. If you have these let them lie. This is at least 5 years away from maturity. I think it will be nice once it comes around. Another reminder that Arcadian red wines need a lot of time in the cellar.
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6/17/2008 - charbo wrote:
I had this a year and a half ago and it was outstanding. This bottle did not show well at all. Im thinking maybe corked or just an off bottle
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11/26/2007 - Tejano wrote: 90 Points
Firm dark color and a earthy briary nose on opening and decanting that fleshed out showing dark berries, a tad of rich ripe plums and spice. I let this air out a while, and there was never a let down in it's firmness on the palate...strong fruit textrure and abundant firm framework that pretty much grabbed the palate from entry to finish that was just short of rustic. Saved some for the next night...showing more blackberry on the nose...a little cleaner aroma, but still that firmness on the palate. Stout stuff...plenty of time left on the clock.
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11/25/2007 - tko wrote:
Delicious wine. Smooth, well-balanced, tasty, fragrant. Lots of juicy berry fruit, predominantly blackberry and raspberry, also some cherry. Strong herbal notes of rosemary and sage. Nice tannins and acidity.
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4/6/2007 - TomTom wrote: 93 Points
Little bit off on the nose upon first opening, but it blew off quickly. Nose is dark fruit and forest. On the palate, there is black fruit, leather and pepper. Like most Arcadian wines that I've had, this wine is very well balanced and nuanced. This should really shine with a few more years of age. Just plain hard to put down.
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3/25/2007 - CO CHRIS wrote:
14.2% alc...the vineyard was planted by the Gainey family in 1997...deep and opaque in color, not purple, deem crimson...this wine from the get-go reminded me I should have given it more time, mostly on the nose which wasn't exactly shy, but seemed reserved in its revelations of vanilla, dusty dark sweet red fruit, plums, figs and maybe the slightest hint of smoke - interestingly, the Stoplman was hugely perfumed on the nose...nonetheless, on the palate this wine was medium-bodied, balanced, with a touch more of the earthy garrigue-like qualities of herbs, silky smooth, long finish that really satisfies. I very much preferred the Stoplman for its wild side, this wine is more reserved, more deserving of the "cool climate moniker". Very good, but would purchase the Stoplman over this everytime.
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2/4/2007 - JeffcB wrote: 90 Points
A deep purple wine with a nose full of pepper, and immediately a tough game flavor. The fruit is blackberry, and on the second day is more forward, as some of the smokeyness has dissipated, and the gameyness is still very apparent, with a grissly fat taste. A backbone of oak emerged.
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11/4/2006 - RussW wrote:
Very good wine. At this stage the nose is out-shining the palate. The nose is complex with soaring blackberry, floral notes, game and smoke. On the palate there is plenty of structure with tannins that are sweet but definitely present and nice juicy acidity. There is a good amount of fruit with blackberry, plum and some cherry but it needs plenty of air to begin revealing itself. I decanted for several hours on day 1 and the wine did not change much. Saved the remainder in the fridge overnight. Upon opening on day 2 the wine had not changed much but over the next few hours it really started to blossom and the palate began to reveal a very bright future. The blackberry fruit is very pure and the acidity leads to a lengthy lip smacking finish. I highly recommend buying a few bottles to bury in the cellar for another 3-5 years.
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10/29/2006 - charbo wrote:
dark dark in the glass. black fruit and a ton of ground pepper on the nose. the first taste revealed the pepper and dark berry. Initially the pepper was overpowering the fruit. After 2 hrs in the decanter the pepper subsided and intergrated nicely with the balck berries with a nice touch of mocca . the wine was mouth coating with a long finish. one other note this wine didn't have the overthetop fruit like some cali syrahs. excellent wine
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