May have gone through a secondary fermentation as this bottle had some VA signs. On nose, savory notes, blueberry, saline and meat. Palate was similar but VA dominated the wine - this was borderline flawed. My last 2 bottle of this were lovely. 88+/-
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My final of six bottles. For the price of $20 paid, they were looney toons good. The wine has turned and developed early secondary flavors to complement the bright fruit. Only criticism would be high acidity. Otherwise, a great value drinking really well right now.
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2 bottles purchased from Garigiste. If you like Savory Syrah you would like this - didn't take notes but really enjoyed this - recall savory tobacco, saline, blackberry and black cherry. Medium body, high acidity, medium tannins and very long finish. Very enjoyable. 92-93+
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Okay, so I really did not like this wine at all the first bottle I had, but this has definitely changed for the better. Upon opening this had a vegetal edge to it, but as it sits this aspect had faded into the background and some quality blackberry/black raspberry fruit has emerged. This is Syrah with a light touch, but the drab shapelessness has blossomed into something to be truly admired and appreciated. Now I wish I had more bottles.
Wine was not good. Not undrinkable like first bottle but not enjoyable. Did not improve at all over 6 hours. Definitely not "creamy" from the AG 95 pt rating. Sad I have 2 more bottles.
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As I taste this wine over successive bottles I find I come to like it less and less. Its an OK red wine but not so much an ok Syrah. Its like Pax decided to do his own rift on Syrah and in the process lost much (most? all?) of what makes a Syrah a Syrah. I'm all for individual expression and creativity but this red wine doesn't do anything for me other than being red and wet.
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Nose is very floral but alongside forest floor and blue and darker fruits. Bright on the palate, still flowery, fruit seems redder, almost pinot like with a mineral feel. Nice finish, nice wine!
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For sure a confusing wine. Not bad, certainly drinkable and enjoyable. But I agree with some that this isn't syrah like. I'm not going as far as identifying this as another grape, but it lacks the mouth feel I'd expect, can even turn a little thin in the mid palate. I've got three more and will wait until next spring to drink again.
11/22 update: very fruit forward, even a bit (fruit) sweet. Not a style I'd repeat purchases of, but it's as good as it will get. Still at 90 as I don't sense any true flaws. Lacks tannins, medium minus acid.
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I liked the note about Syrah trying to be Pinot. After a Belle Gros pinot, trying to be Syrah, this was a nice change. Not sure accurate though. This came across as much more structured and defined than a pinot, showed really dry tannins and firm acidity along with the peppery blackberry fruit. I hope I would not pick this as a pinot in a blind tasting....
Overall, was not super impressed, maybe not enough decant time or too young, but this seemed tight and not giving up much in the way of complexity. Still tasted fine though and was definitely long in taste.
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Identity crisis: Syrah wanting to be a Pinot! The wine is nice to drink, and really filled the mouth when consumed with ratatouille. On it’s own it was more challenging.
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Consistent with February bottle, lots of pepper and a nice savory underbelly. The fruit also seems a little more confident and succulent. I would love to have more of this at the closeout pricing.
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Younger daughter really liked it, noted the complexity. I think this is one of the best Syrahs I have had from Pax, who made a reputation for Parkerized wines at this first stop, then shifted around to a more savory style. My general impression is that he leaves (or wants to leave) his own imprint on the wines, rather than letting the grapes speak. But this was, especially for what I paid, a good wine, food friendly, well balanced between fruit, acid, and savory notes. We've been ignoring pairings a bit in this haphazard time, so flexible wines like Syrahs with good acids are good to have.
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There's just enough savory in this stuff to make it a little interesting but the acids were higher than I was expecting. There's a juicy "beet juice" quality (without the sugar) to this wine as well. I have a few more bottles and will wait a few years before opening the next one.
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Dark, brooding black cherry, pungent earth, black olives, and a strong gaminess on the nose. The palate is medium bodied with dried black fruits, earth and minerals. Nice, but somewhat thin on the back end. Plenty of mouth puckering tannins portend a long life.
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Well-identified by the other CT reviews. Definitely whole cluster with bright red fruit and pronounced acidity. Bright green mint and black pepper bouquet. I’d like to give my remaining bottle a good 3-5 years before revisiting. 5+12+15+8= 90
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When I first opened this and sniffed, I said out loud: "Oh wow." The aromas here are remarkable: incense, iris, bresaola, cracked black pepper. On the palate, this is smooth and elegant, and what it might lack in mid-palate density it makes up for with finesse. There are some bright barely ripe raspberry flavors that make it across the tongue, but even there this is much more about the savory and the floral than it is about the fruit. This shows the more mystical end of Syrah, and would be stand up well in a blind tasting of high-end Northern Rhone. Really pretty. At $19 from Garagiste: yes yes yes.
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very deep color, ruby purple rim. huge, expansive, and very lifted (whole cluster) nose of red fruits and flowers, leathery brett, no new oak i can smell... on the palate high acids, moderate breadth in the midpalate, moderate amount of firm tannins of moderate ripeness, low alcohol. balanced wine with shortish length, excellent intensity, very good complexity. i really liked the style of this wine a lot though as you can see from the notes below it isn't for everyone. would not pay full retail price for this wine though. drink now.
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This wine is hard to rate. I underestimated it last time. Very floral initially but then the red fruits kick in mid palate. Sour cranberries. Strong acid but the fruits is pronounced enough to provide balance. Finish is medium plus. Need to give this some time.
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Very fruity. Almost tastes like bubble gum. Good good acid but no spice that I am used to in Oregon and Washington Syrah. Short finish. Overall disappointing since the crowd on Berserkers was showing love for this wine.
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Tasted single blind against the Wind Gap 2015 Sonoma Coast. An amazing difference between the two.
The Nellessen was the much more complex and deeper of the two, and created a fair amount of disagreement amongst our tasters. An initial meaty nose with iodine and barnyard-type notes, described as intensely floral, like walking by a giant flower bush. On the pallet, it started with red fruits, but quickly became cranberry (yes, also a red fruit...) with sharp acidity, suggesting this wine may have a long life ahead.
After a few hours in the glass and decanter, several of us felt the cranberry gave way to a strong grapefruit juice flavor. Regardless, the floral, barnyard nose persisted, which was the real dividing line for the group.
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9/21/2023 - CWilliam wrote: 88 Points
Wine #4 in blind syrah tasting
May have gone through a secondary fermentation as this bottle had some VA signs. On nose, savory notes, blueberry, saline and meat. Palate was similar but VA dominated the wine - this was borderline flawed. My last 2 bottle of this were lovely. 88+/-
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8/5/2023 - winoma Does not like this wine: 84 Points
No real fruit - vegetal flavors and high acid. Did not get better after a few hour decant
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3/12/2022 - geoffreychambertin wrote: 86 Points
Funky, wild syrah. Low alcohol. Fun.
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12/15/2021 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 92 Points
My final of six bottles. For the price of $20 paid, they were looney toons good. The wine has turned and developed early secondary flavors to complement the bright fruit. Only criticism would be high acidity. Otherwise, a great value drinking really well right now.
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7/6/2021 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
2 bottles purchased from Garigiste. If you like Savory Syrah you would like this - didn't take notes but really enjoyed this - recall savory tobacco, saline, blackberry and black cherry. Medium body, high acidity, medium tannins and very long finish. Very enjoyable. 92-93+
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5/6/2021 - TGLeroy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Okay, so I really did not like this wine at all the first bottle I had, but this has definitely changed for the better. Upon opening this had a vegetal edge to it, but as it sits this aspect had faded into the background and some quality blackberry/black raspberry fruit has emerged. This is Syrah with a light touch, but the drab shapelessness has blossomed into something to be truly admired and appreciated. Now I wish I had more bottles.
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4/11/2021 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
More peppery than the last bottle, not hugely complex but with enough blackberry fruit and medium tannins. Balanced and tasty without being profound.
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2/21/2021 - Space Nine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Far better than the 2015 I had a week ago. Savory with ripe red fruit and good mineralogy.
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12/26/2020 - theplatz Does not like this wine: 75 Points
Wine was not good. Not undrinkable like first bottle but not enjoyable. Did not improve at all over 6 hours. Definitely not "creamy" from the AG 95 pt rating. Sad I have 2 more bottles.
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12/21/2020 - theplatz wrote: flawed
Bottle was awful. Straight cough medicine. Undrinkable.
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12/18/2020 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 87 Points
As I taste this wine over successive bottles I find I come to like it less and less. Its an OK red wine but not so much an ok Syrah. Its like Pax decided to do his own rift on Syrah and in the process lost much (most? all?) of what makes a Syrah a Syrah. I'm all for individual expression and creativity but this red wine doesn't do anything for me other than being red and wet.
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11/18/2020 - wirelesswine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose is very floral but alongside forest floor and blue and darker fruits.
Bright on the palate, still flowery, fruit seems redder, almost pinot like with a mineral feel.
Nice finish, nice wine!
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10/12/2020 - BostonDoug wrote: 90 Points
For sure a confusing wine. Not bad, certainly drinkable and enjoyable. But I agree with some that this isn't syrah like. I'm not going as far as identifying this as another grape, but it lacks the mouth feel I'd expect, can even turn a little thin in the mid palate. I've got three more and will wait until next spring to drink again.
11/22 update: very fruit forward, even a bit (fruit) sweet. Not a style I'd repeat purchases of, but it's as good as it will get. Still at 90 as I don't sense any true flaws. Lacks tannins, medium minus acid.
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8/30/2020 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
I liked the note about Syrah trying to be Pinot. After a Belle Gros pinot, trying to be Syrah, this was a nice change. Not sure accurate though. This came across as much more structured and defined than a pinot, showed really dry tannins and firm acidity along with the peppery blackberry fruit. I hope I would not pick this as a pinot in a blind tasting....
Overall, was not super impressed, maybe not enough decant time or too young, but this seemed tight and not giving up much in the way of complexity. Still tasted fine though and was definitely long in taste.
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8/27/2020 - MK9786 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Identity crisis: Syrah wanting to be a Pinot! The wine is nice to drink, and really filled the mouth when consumed with ratatouille. On it’s own it was more challenging.
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6/27/2020 - fingers Likes this wine:
Consistent with February bottle, lots of pepper and a nice savory underbelly. The fruit also seems a little more confident and succulent. I would love to have more of this at the closeout pricing.
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5/14/2020 - Not647f wrote:
Younger daughter really liked it, noted the complexity. I think this is one of the best Syrahs I have had from Pax, who made a reputation for Parkerized wines at this first stop, then shifted around to a more savory style. My general impression is that he leaves (or wants to leave) his own imprint on the wines, rather than letting the grapes speak. But this was, especially for what I paid, a good wine, food friendly, well balanced between fruit, acid, and savory notes. We've been ignoring pairings a bit in this haphazard time, so flexible wines like Syrahs with good acids are good to have.
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5/3/2020 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
There's just enough savory in this stuff to make it a little interesting but the acids were higher than I was expecting. There's a juicy "beet juice" quality (without the sugar) to this wine as well. I have a few more bottles and will wait a few years before opening the next one.
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4/30/2020 - LeechDogg Does not like this wine:
Too herbal for my taste.
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2/29/2020 - brettay Likes this wine: 87 Points
Dark, brooding black cherry, pungent earth, black olives, and a strong gaminess on the nose. The palate is medium bodied with dried black fruits, earth and minerals. Nice, but somewhat thin on the back end. Plenty of mouth puckering tannins portend a long life.
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2/22/2020 - fingers wrote: 90 Points
Well-identified by the other CT reviews. Definitely whole cluster with bright red fruit and pronounced acidity. Bright green mint and black pepper bouquet. I’d like to give my remaining bottle a good 3-5 years before revisiting. 5+12+15+8= 90
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1/31/2020 - ashikoh wrote: 86 Points
dark ruby violet; very aromatic, red berries, floral notes, savory black olives and charcuterie; 100% whole cluster, fermented with wild yeast; $19
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1/13/2020 - MBusk Likes this wine: 93 Points
When I first opened this and sniffed, I said out loud: "Oh wow." The aromas here are remarkable: incense, iris, bresaola, cracked black pepper. On the palate, this is smooth and elegant, and what it might lack in mid-palate density it makes up for with finesse. There are some bright barely ripe raspberry flavors that make it across the tongue, but even there this is much more about the savory and the floral than it is about the fruit. This shows the more mystical end of Syrah, and would be stand up well in a blind tasting of high-end Northern Rhone. Really pretty. At $19 from Garagiste: yes yes yes.
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12/4/2019 - markjanes wrote: 88 Points
very deep color, ruby purple rim. huge, expansive, and very lifted (whole cluster) nose of red fruits and flowers, leathery brett, no new oak i can smell... on the palate high acids, moderate breadth in the midpalate, moderate amount of firm tannins of moderate ripeness, low alcohol. balanced wine with shortish length, excellent intensity, very good complexity. i really liked the style of this wine a lot though as you can see from the notes below it isn't for everyone. would not pay full retail price for this wine though. drink now.
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11/28/2019 - jimmythesaint wrote:
Foul with bad Brett. Opened for a couple days hoping it would dissipate...ugh. Hope this was not the reason for the price discount.
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10/16/2019 - Brian Glas Likes this wine: 89 Points
This wine is hard to rate. I underestimated it last time. Very floral initially but then the red fruits kick in mid palate. Sour cranberries. Strong acid but the fruits is pronounced enough to provide balance. Finish is medium plus. Need to give this some time.
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9/21/2019 - Jmac56 Likes this wine: 89 Points
A bit acidic with a modest finish but nice in the mid palate.
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7/17/2019 - Brian Glas Likes this wine: 87 Points
Very floral. A light Syrah. Not much punch. Some acid and some light red berry fruits. A decent finish. Not sure where this will go with age.
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6/27/2019 - Brian Glas Likes this wine: 87 Points
Very fruity. Almost tastes like bubble gum. Good good acid but no spice that I am used to in Oregon and Washington Syrah. Short finish. Overall disappointing since the crowd on Berserkers was showing love for this wine.
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6/7/2019 - MaineMark wrote:
Tasted single blind against the Wind Gap 2015 Sonoma Coast. An amazing difference between the two.
The Nellessen was the much more complex and deeper of the two, and created a fair amount of disagreement amongst our tasters. An initial meaty nose with iodine and barnyard-type notes, described as intensely floral, like walking by a giant flower bush. On the pallet, it started with red fruits, but quickly became cranberry (yes, also a red fruit...) with sharp acidity, suggesting this wine may have a long life ahead.
After a few hours in the glass and decanter, several of us felt the cranberry gave way to a strong grapefruit juice flavor. Regardless, the floral, barnyard nose persisted, which was the real dividing line for the group.
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