PnP and consumed over 2 hours with dinner. Beautiful aromas of dark plums, blackberries, and traces of herbs, tobacco, smoked meat and olives. Took 30 minutes to open up in the glass. Full bodied with a long slightly tannic mineral tinged finish. Great balance without being full-blown over the top new world Syrah. Early maturity and ageing gracefully.
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This wine has matured at near perfection. The beautiful Hermitage-like bouquet of smoked meat, bloody iron and sweet black fruits laced with rose floral notes and hint of cigar. The flavor profile has ripe prune fruit and savory with black olive tapenade and grilled mushroom. The texture is suave and silky with ultra-fine tannin.
This is our 3rd bottle over last 6 years and this wine has continue to evolve and improve. The second bottle we had last year and we thought the aromatics was intoxicating with rose floral notes with burgundian texture (as in 2014 or 2019). We are glad that this 3rd bottle is back to a balance between a hermitage syrah with great burgundian pinot.
I think the wine-making style for 2012 vintage has become more finesse than its boldacious and delicious 2007 and 2008 vintages; and the wine-making style has continue to refine to the point I find its 2014 vintages had become more Burgundian in style with less extracted fruit profile and has leaner structure with brighter acidity.
This 2012 Royal City is definitely a step up over its siblings 2012 Cattle King, Hidden and Klein (all rated 97-99).
We just enjoyed swirling the wine glasses for its beautiful bouquet unfurling out. Opulent and intoxicating enjoyment!
Rating: 97-100; 98-99
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Still silky smooth, wonderfully aromatic Syrah, but less appealing than the last time I had it. It has an intensely perfumed nose of black fruits, violets, rocks, smoked meat, lilacs, minerals, but now with some "interesting" secondary aromatics. Like iron, petrol and, as my partner pointed out, "fresh plastic". Reminiscent of the plastic from model cars when I was a kid. Plus the whiff of glue that went along with it. On the palate it is all silk and velvet with sweet tannins. The vaguely petrochemical notes come back on the finish. I wonder if this is simply an odd bottle. I've noticed considerable bottle variation is some WA State wines (I'm looking at you, No Girls) or maybe it's just a characteristic of WA state Syrahs to develop these funky secondary notes. I'm very familiar with WA "Rocks funk", but this was unexpected after having several bottles of the 2012 in the past that were quite muted. We'll see how the rest develop.
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Wine of the night from a blind tasting of 9 syrahs (including No Girls, MTR, Cayuse, Betz, The Walls, Bedrock, B Leighton and Reynvaan). A crowd favorite with most using the descriptors powerful and all out syrah. Drinking beautifully after a 3 hour decant. I want more!!!
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Opened for an hour, recorked and took to the club for the Memorial Day BBQ - Dark fruit on the nose with a hint of spice. The palate was dark berries, smoke, meat and spices with just a hint of cigar coming through on the finish which was moderate to long. Went very well with the food that was being served.
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Pop and pour. This is right in the zone with mild barnyard, spit-roasted pig skin, saucy dried berries, lots of punch yet precariously balanced on the palate. Love this style or hate it, this is a top-shelf example.
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Silky smooth, absolutely gorgeous, wonderfully aromatic Syrah. This wine is special. A captivating nose of black fruits, violets, rocks, smoked meat, maybe some lilac, spice, minerals, smoke, honeysuckle, more wet rocks... you get the idea. Silk smooth and lush, with sweet but solid tannins and a solid core of black and red raspberries, pepper, olives and more gamey meat flavours. The finish on this baby goes on and on. One of the best Syrahs I have had. It may be at its peak, but it should maintain this level for another 5 years or so.
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Brought to group function, only had 2 small pours, but it was silky smooth, lush and delicious. Classic WA State Syrah with a depth that seemed bottomless. Drinking really well now, it will last a while but may not improve much.
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Dark brick red in color, dark chocolate, grilled herbs, and black fruits on the nose. Still big, has calmed down some, black cherry, meaty, and residual sweetness on the finish
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Really started singing after a three-hour decant, which I recommend. This is a super Washington Syrah with blackberry, mocha, caramel, and barnyard funk all in intense balance with supple tannins. Yes, these funky Washington Syrahs lack nuance and tend to be similar to one another in profile but when you're craving it they can be so delicious.
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Decanted 3 hours. Sat in glass for 1 hour further.
This took a moment to wake up. But when she did, what an awesome new world Syrah! Earth, olive, smoke, and mollasses on the nose, with perhaps a smidge of currant.
Palate is consistent with the nose. Great structure and complexity. Not a lot of fruit present, more earthy notes shine through with great oak integration. Finish was excellent. 45+ seconds, with no intensity lost through the mid to late pallet.
Not your typical wine, less fruit than normal, but so very enjoyable! Bravo.
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Cigar box, vanilla, chocolate and tobacco. All dark dark as night blackberry/black raspberry. Powerful and plum without being jammy. Cranberry. Great palatencoatinf fruit and staying power. Tannins are approachable but plenty of structure. 2020-2040
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Drank over two days. Lots of delicious primary flavors of red and black fruit. This bottle wasn't as precise and edgy as others. Not sure if it's age or bottle variation. More of a crowd pleaser this time.
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Pop and pour. Bold flavors of dark fruit and smoked meat dominate the silky palate. These are polarizing wines: not for those looking for subtle balance, but the flavors are delicious.
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Beat out by a '12 Horsepower Tribe in a blind tasting, but received several first place votes. Well made, ready after a two hour decant. Classic syrah nose, great to taste the fruit shining through. Dark red fruits with a medium/long finish. Fantastic with a savory leg of lamb.
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Splash decanted and back into the bottle and taken to RingSide steakhouse. Huge black fruit, tar, oak, bakers chocolate and espresso. This is a massive wine...flavors just blowing up in my mouth. It smoothed out after several hours of air, but still huge. I think this could go 20+ years with proper storage. Drink now-2032+.
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Cured Meat, white pepper, black currants on the nose On the palette it’s a very tough wine at the start and is inky, with black sweet fruit, crushed rocks, black olives, herbs, smoked meat, blueberries. Its really good and need some time to open up, but if you give it time you will be awarded. A massive wine that I want to drink more of. Good length
Totally lives up to its reputation. Inky purple. Nose of camphor, graphite, minerals and blackberries. Dense and lush on the palate with layers of black fruits that hit you in waves. All in perfect harmony and balance. Tremendous focus and precision for such a big wine.
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Monthly Men's Wine Dinner (2120 Restaurant, Seattle): Wow! Youthful but deep, penetrating and balanced Washington Syrah from Charles Smith. Lightly smoked meat on the nose and full on the palate with blue and black fruit and a long finish. My #1 of 3 and the group's #2.
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Nothing jammy about this Syrah. Smooth and so well integrated. Delicious dark fruits, alcohol in balance, smooth tannins. It may improve with age, but I have no regrets about opening it now.
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This is as good as all the ratings and as everyone says. How they manage to achieve such balance between all of the elements that goes into a wine is what sets this apart.
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I have always wanted to try Charles Smith's syrah and it has been elusive to find here in Texas so I didn't hesitate to get this to try. Beautiful nose but it is even better on the palate with black plums, menthol and blueberries. Long LONG finish. Excellent wine!
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Hedonistic nose of menthol, graphite and spice. Astounding concentration of ripe black and blue fruit. Surprisingly balanced for such a big wine. Long finish. Does not come across cloying or over-ripe. Superb and oh so much fun to drink.
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Churchill's "I'm easily satisfied with the best" comes to mind. What a treat! Creamy texture. Oak and alcohol perfectly integrated. Loaded with ripe fruit. Packed with bacon fat. Distinctly Charles Smith. Don't miss out!
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This an outstanding effort, rivals if not surpassed the 08, meaty yet manageable, black ink in color, teeth staining WA Syrah, fullbodied and fleshy, long finish, tar and chocolate and well ripened red fruit, this will last and last
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Very nice wine, but didn't blow my socks off. Perhaps, a touch young, but not sure that's the reason. Nice balance and texture. A little rounded and a touch linear compared to my recollections from other vintages.
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Had from a just opened bottle at a tasting at Urban Grape. So glad I stopped in there on a random Tuesday. Huge, beautiful, complex wine. So glad I got to try it, but a sip was simply not enough. Smith just knows how to do WA Syrah.
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Charles Smith/K Vintners best wine to date. Integration is it's biggest strength and stands out as a key differentiator for this wine. It's big, but elegant and not overly ripe. Very complex. PDQ96+
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1/20/2024 - DarinC Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP and consumed over 2 hours with dinner. Beautiful aromas of dark plums, blackberries, and traces of herbs, tobacco, smoked meat and olives. Took 30 minutes to open up in the glass. Full bodied with a long slightly tannic mineral tinged finish. Great balance without being full-blown over the top new world Syrah. Early maturity and ageing gracefully.
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12/11/2023 - RhoneWho wrote: 98 Points
This wine has matured at near perfection. The beautiful Hermitage-like bouquet of smoked meat, bloody iron and sweet black fruits laced with rose floral notes and hint of cigar. The flavor profile has ripe prune fruit and savory with black olive tapenade and grilled mushroom. The texture is suave and silky with ultra-fine tannin.
This is our 3rd bottle over last 6 years and this wine has continue to evolve and improve. The second bottle we had last year and we thought the aromatics was intoxicating with rose floral notes with burgundian texture (as in 2014 or 2019). We are glad that this 3rd bottle is back to a balance between a hermitage syrah with great burgundian pinot.
I think the wine-making style for 2012 vintage has become more finesse than its boldacious and delicious 2007 and 2008 vintages; and the wine-making style has continue to refine to the point I find its 2014 vintages had become more Burgundian in style with less extracted fruit profile and has leaner structure with brighter acidity.
This 2012 Royal City is definitely a step up over its siblings 2012 Cattle King, Hidden and Klein (all rated 97-99).
We just enjoyed swirling the wine glasses for its beautiful bouquet unfurling out. Opulent and intoxicating enjoyment!
Rating: 97-100; 98-99
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12/10/2023 - mojotojo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still silky smooth, wonderfully aromatic Syrah, but less appealing than the last time I had it. It has an intensely perfumed nose of black fruits, violets, rocks, smoked meat, lilacs, minerals, but now with some "interesting" secondary aromatics. Like iron, petrol and, as my partner pointed out, "fresh plastic". Reminiscent of the plastic from model cars when I was a kid. Plus the whiff of glue that went along with it. On the palate it is all silk and velvet with sweet tannins. The vaguely petrochemical notes come back on the finish. I wonder if this is simply an odd bottle. I've noticed considerable bottle variation is some WA State wines (I'm looking at you, No Girls) or maybe it's just a characteristic of WA state Syrahs to develop these funky secondary notes. I'm very familiar with WA "Rocks funk", but this was unexpected after having several bottles of the 2012 in the past that were quite muted. We'll see how the rest develop.
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7/5/2023 - RJWallis Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wine of the night from a blind tasting of 9 syrahs (including No Girls, MTR, Cayuse, Betz, The Walls, Bedrock, B Leighton and Reynvaan). A crowd favorite with most using the descriptors powerful and all out syrah. Drinking beautifully after a 3 hour decant. I want more!!!
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5/28/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened for an hour, recorked and took to the club for the Memorial Day BBQ - Dark fruit on the nose with a hint of spice. The palate was dark berries, smoke, meat and spices with just a hint of cigar coming through on the finish which was moderate to long. Went very well with the food that was being served.
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2/19/2023 - acetopper Likes this wine:
Fruitier than I remember
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2/17/2022 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pop and pour. This is right in the zone with mild barnyard, spit-roasted pig skin, saucy dried berries, lots of punch yet precariously balanced on the palate. Love this style or hate it, this is a top-shelf example.
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11/13/2021 - mojotojo Likes this wine: 98 Points
Silky smooth, absolutely gorgeous, wonderfully aromatic Syrah. This wine is special. A captivating nose of black fruits, violets, rocks, smoked meat, maybe some lilac, spice, minerals, smoke, honeysuckle, more wet rocks... you get the idea. Silk smooth and lush, with sweet but solid tannins and a solid core of black and red raspberries, pepper, olives and more gamey meat flavours. The finish on this baby goes on and on. One of the best Syrahs I have had. It may be at its peak, but it should maintain this level for another 5 years or so.
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10/23/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
consistent with notes of 7/29/2017
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8/5/2021 - mojotojo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brought to group function, only had 2 small pours, but it was silky smooth, lush and delicious. Classic WA State Syrah with a depth that seemed bottomless. Drinking really well now, it will last a while but may not improve much.
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7/10/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark brick red in color, dark chocolate, grilled herbs, and black fruits on the nose. Still big, has calmed down some, black cherry, meaty, and residual sweetness on the finish
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7/10/2021 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tannins have mellowed for sure. Chocolate, plum, tobacco and cigar box. Dark sweet black raspberry. Cherry and licorice. Absolutely beautiful!
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6/14/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark color, good berry flavor, subtle yet strong finish. Wife does not like and I like it. Drink/sell.
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2/18/2021 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really started singing after a three-hour decant, which I recommend. This is a super Washington Syrah with blackberry, mocha, caramel, and barnyard funk all in intense balance with supple tannins. Yes, these funky Washington Syrahs lack nuance and tend to be similar to one another in profile but when you're craving it they can be so delicious.
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1/9/2021 - parkline_wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Sat in glass for 1 hour further.
This took a moment to wake up. But when she did, what an awesome new world Syrah! Earth, olive, smoke, and mollasses on the nose, with perhaps a smidge of currant.
Palate is consistent with the nose. Great structure and complexity. Not a lot of fruit present, more earthy notes shine through with great oak integration. Finish was excellent. 45+ seconds, with no intensity lost through the mid to late pallet.
Not your typical wine, less fruit than normal, but so very enjoyable! Bravo.
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10/30/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Purple. Nice combination of fruit, savory, earth and balanced oak, tannins and acidity.
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10/30/2020 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Cigar box, vanilla, chocolate and tobacco. All dark dark as night blackberry/black raspberry. Powerful and plum without being jammy. Cranberry. Great palatencoatinf fruit and staying power. Tannins are approachable but plenty of structure. 2020-2040
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8/16/2020 - ddemas wrote: 94 Points
The perfect expression of new world/old world Syrah in a wine.
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7/24/2020 - enjoyvino wrote: 94 Points
This is a big syrah. Huge flavor, some tannin yet smooth. Has some earthiness to it with deep dark fruit. Powerful syrah!
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6/15/2020 - pdemaio Likes this wine: 95 Points
Smooth, big, and rich. Easy to drink, with plenty of fruit. great backbone.
PDQ95
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11/4/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank over two days. Lots of delicious primary flavors of red and black fruit. This bottle wasn't as precise and edgy as others. Not sure if it's age or bottle variation. More of a crowd pleaser this time.
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8/24/2019 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
consistent with notes of 7/29/2017
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8/2/2019 - MWiking wrote: 94 Points
inky and nice!
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7/8/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pop and pour. Bold flavors of dark fruit and smoked meat dominate the silky palate. These are polarizing wines: not for those looking for subtle balance, but the flavors are delicious.
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6/8/2019 - RJWallis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beat out by a '12 Horsepower Tribe in a blind tasting, but received several first place votes. Well made, ready after a two hour decant. Classic syrah nose, great to taste the fruit shining through. Dark red fruits with a medium/long finish. Fantastic with a savory leg of lamb.
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10/20/2018 - RPerro Likes this wine: 95 Points
Splash decanted and back into the bottle and taken to RingSide steakhouse. Huge black fruit, tar, oak, bakers chocolate and espresso. This is a massive wine...flavors just blowing up in my mouth. It smoothed out after several hours of air, but still huge. I think this could go 20+ years with proper storage. Drink now-2032+.
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7/23/2018 - MWiking wrote: 94 Points
Cured Meat, white pepper, black currants on the nose
On the palette it’s a very tough wine at the start and is inky, with black sweet fruit, crushed rocks, black olives, herbs, smoked meat, blueberries.
Its really good and need some time to open up, but if you give it time you will be awarded. A massive wine that I want to drink more of. Good length
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4/1/2018 - adipovino Likes this wine: 96 Points
Totally lives up to its reputation. Inky purple. Nose of camphor, graphite, minerals and blackberries. Dense and lush on the palate with layers of black fruits that hit you in waves. All in perfect harmony and balance. Tremendous focus and precision for such a big wine.
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3/23/2018 - Soxwin Likes this wine: 96 Points
Stellar stuff. Drinking fantastic. Could probably hold but why?!
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11/15/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Monthly Men's Wine Dinner (2120 Restaurant, Seattle): Wow! Youthful but deep, penetrating and balanced Washington Syrah from Charles Smith. Lightly smoked meat on the nose and full on the palate with blue and black fruit and a long finish. My #1 of 3 and the group's #2.
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7/29/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
The star of the night, perhaps? For all of its power, the was delineated and defined, black fruit notes, grilled meat, and olive.
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5/12/2017 - Crunge wrote: 96 Points
Nothing jammy about this Syrah. Smooth and so well integrated. Delicious dark fruits, alcohol in balance, smooth tannins. It may improve with age, but I have no regrets about opening it now.
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3/26/2017 - dkhale4 Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is as good as all the ratings and as everyone says. How they manage to achieve such balance between all of the elements that goes into a wine is what sets this apart.
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3/26/2017 - seijaro Likes this wine: 96 Points
Ka-boom! A biggie, just bursting with Syrah flavor. Fills the mouth and lingers there. Nicely, nicely, (Johnson)!
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5/27/2016 - IvanKrazy Likes this wine: 94 Points
I have always wanted to try Charles Smith's syrah and it has been elusive to find here in Texas so I didn't hesitate to get this to try. Beautiful nose but it is even better on the palate with black plums, menthol and blueberries. Long LONG finish. Excellent wine!
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5/20/2016 - adipovino Likes this wine: 96 Points
Hedonistic nose of menthol, graphite and spice. Astounding concentration of ripe black and blue fruit. Surprisingly balanced for such a big wine. Long finish. Does not come across cloying or over-ripe. Superb and oh so much fun to drink.
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3/29/2016 - Teknsteel Likes this wine: 96 Points
Churchill's "I'm easily satisfied with the best" comes to mind. What a treat! Creamy texture. Oak and alcohol perfectly integrated. Loaded with ripe fruit. Packed with bacon fat. Distinctly Charles Smith. Don't miss out!
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3/7/2016 - Claretman Likes this wine: 98 Points
This an outstanding effort, rivals if not surpassed the 08, meaty yet manageable, black ink in color, teeth staining WA Syrah, fullbodied and fleshy, long finish, tar and chocolate and well ripened red fruit, this will last and last
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2/11/2016 - dlcass Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very nice wine, but didn't blow my socks off. Perhaps, a touch young, but not sure that's the reason. Nice balance and texture. A little rounded and a touch linear compared to my recollections from other vintages.
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12/22/2015 - Jobu wrote:
Had from a just opened bottle at a tasting at Urban Grape. So glad I stopped in there on a random Tuesday. Huge, beautiful, complex wine. So glad I got to try it, but a sip was simply not enough. Smith just knows how to do WA Syrah.
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10/17/2015 - ajfret01 Likes this wine:
Huge on the palette with a nice long finish. Tar, spice, olive. Very nice.
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4/18/2015 - pdemaio Likes this wine: 96 Points
Charles Smith/K Vintners best wine to date. Integration is it's biggest strength and stands out as a key differentiator for this wine. It's big, but elegant and not overly ripe. Very complex.
PDQ96+
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