Still a powerhouse of purple and black fruit. The tip of the cork was black without sugar crystals. Decanted for an hour and it softened up nice. Smoke and meat from the Syrah with Cabernet structure holding it tall. Served with my wife's Sunday cassoulet complimenting it perfectly. It looked a bit fleshy in the bottle but no significant sediment in the filter. More exceptional than the bottles from a few years ago.
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Started the first day with a pop and pour and the nose was non-existent. Palate was blueberry and not much else. 2nd day this really started to open with a smoky blueberry nose. The palate caramel, blueberries, and sweet dark fruit though this is not the full throttle baby it once was. It will be interesting to try again in a couple of months.
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Had with Josie at Marzano's for 22nd anniversary. Deep, inky, purple. Nose of dark cherry with mocha and smoke. Great mouthful, with dark cherries, mocha, with a long finish. Initially the finish burned, but after the first glass, really began to calm down. Enjoyed.
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12/9/2017 - jmcmchi Likes this wine:
Big black acidity holding this together remarkably well
Black fruit and syrah bite still fresh and ripe. Dusty tannins.
Good for a few years yet on this showing
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12/6/2015 - Drankthewholebottle Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still a powerhouse of purple and black fruit. The tip of the cork was black without sugar crystals. Decanted for an hour and it softened up nice. Smoke and meat from the Syrah with Cabernet structure holding it tall. Served with my wife's Sunday cassoulet complimenting it perfectly. It looked a bit fleshy in the bottle but no significant sediment in the filter. More exceptional than the bottles from a few years ago.
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11/5/2012 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 93 Points
This has smoothed out a lot. Still some freshness to it without too much wood. There's some years left for my last bottle.
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3/7/2010 - pdemaio wrote: 92 Points
Tasting very well. Nicely ballance, long finish, nice smooth tannins.
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10/18/2009 - jcable wrote: 90 Points
Very impressive and complex. Inky dark. A bit higher acidity than I expected, but great smoke and some pepper. No butter bomb here.
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10/17/2009 - pdemaio wrote: 91 Points
big and bold. Surprisingly fruity. Plum, cherry and floral notes. Hints of smoke
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3/22/2009 - mulder wrote:
Started the first day with a pop and pour and the nose was non-existent. Palate was blueberry and not much else. 2nd day this really started to open with a smoky blueberry nose. The palate caramel, blueberries, and sweet dark fruit though this is not the full throttle baby it once was. It will be interesting to try again in a couple of months.
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12/11/2006 - Rico Suave wrote: 94 Points
Had with Josie at Marzano's for 22nd anniversary. Deep, inky, purple. Nose of dark cherry with mocha and smoke. Great mouthful, with dark cherries, mocha, with a long finish. Initially the finish burned, but after the first glass, really began to calm down. Enjoyed.
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11/11/2006 - last chance wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruit flavors with smoke and tobacco. Very nice wine, but it just didn't have the power of "The Bully" that we really enjoyed.
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