Folllow-up to 2014 -- complexities of that time have merged into a rich funnel of butterscotch-mint-alcohol; viscosity has surmounted tannins, though no flab. Long-term storage at 56F continues to reward. Alas, the last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aged over ten years, expectations were not high for this bottle. Heavy alcohol on opening but in a few minutes it started balancing out. Flavors of coffee and chocolate, reminiscent of some craft Stouts. Fruit had gone slightly port like but was still holding it together. Plenty of bite left in the tannins. All that in less than 45 minutes. Can't wait to see what's next
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dense, intense coffee, chocolate, blueberry, and a strong dryness -- it's not a dry wine, but a wine with a dry layer, a dry streak, amidst overpowering flavor and sweetness butterscotchy rather than strongly oaky-vanillin, though that's there. It's the dry streak that makes it work with steak in a way that a desert wine would not. Exceedingly intense finish. S.H. at WS said "It’s impossible not to be impressed and troubled by a wine such as this;" I concur -- this is almost a desert wine, but is more like a hypothetical vintage kahlua.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very disappointing. No where near as good as remembered or as scored and reviewed 2.5 years ago. Either the wine has really evolved (for the worse), bottle variation, or palate changed. Dark red color with slight bricking on edges. Stewed fruit with a slightly herbatious nose. Palate really off balance. Harsh and hot. Lots of tannin, but hardly any fruit. Kind of bitter and somewhat of an off finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
On its own I may have been more impressed with this wine then I was. But with a stunning Aussie in the lineup, this one sort of held its own. A fruit bomb of blackberry with little else, perhaps some faint mineral aspect to it, this wine tasted over-done and over the top. Perfectly enjoyable in its own right, but could have been a Rosenblum textbook zin as well. Great if you love that sort of thing, but "meh" for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep purple color. Fairly modest nose - fruit but also some heat (it's 14.5% abv). As others have written, there is some black pepper on the palate, but it's overwhelmed by the fruit. There's LOTS of fruit here, but it's not particularly balanced by tannin or acid. The finish is very long, but not that pleasant. Kind of like a blue raspberry slushy. I've had this before and rated it 92 at that time, but unfortunately did not take notes. At this point it's got some pluses and some minuses for me, netting out to an 85
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Agree with my good friend neighborbill down below - in fact he brought this bottle over to our house for dinner. Very good syrah, very good QPR, highly recommend this. Almost inky black, smooth, good mouthfeel and long intense aftertaste. Rich nose with some earth, white pepper and core of blackberry and cassis. Primary flavors included underlying earth, blackberry and cassis with additional leather and pepper.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Huge wine. Color out of the bottle is truly striking. Beautiful deep purple. Rarely see a wine of this color. Nose and pallet huge fruit bombs. Lots of deep dark fruit with some underlying earthiness / tariness. Great wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very fruity nose of sweet strawberry jam. Palate of strawberry, blackberry and light toasted cedar. A bit of alcohol out of the bottle. After about an hour of decanting the alcohol dissipates and the fruit and cedar become balanced. Soft tannins on the finish.
Day 2 this wine has really opened up. The nose still has a bit of alcohol, the palate is well balanced with strawberry, blueberry, a bit of spice and toasted cedar. The finish is tart cherry and dry tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jammy fruit forward with blackberry and toasty notes. Good tannins and pleasant finish which subdues before the expected sour facial expression hits you. Good stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
11/27/2021 - aka_ces wrote: 92 Points
Folllow-up to 2014 -- complexities of that time have merged into a rich funnel of butterscotch-mint-alcohol; viscosity has surmounted tannins, though no flab.
Long-term storage at 56F continues to reward. Alas, the last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2016 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aged over ten years, expectations were not high for this bottle. Heavy alcohol on opening but in a few minutes it started balancing out. Flavors of coffee and chocolate, reminiscent of some craft Stouts. Fruit had gone slightly port like but was still holding it together. Plenty of bite left in the tannins. All that in less than 45 minutes. Can't wait to see what's next
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2014 - aka_ces wrote: 91 Points
Dense, intense coffee, chocolate, blueberry, and a strong dryness -- it's not a dry wine, but a wine with a dry layer, a dry streak, amidst overpowering flavor and sweetness butterscotchy rather than strongly oaky-vanillin, though that's there. It's the dry streak that makes it work with steak in a way that a desert wine would not. Exceedingly intense finish. S.H. at WS said "It’s impossible not to be impressed and troubled by a wine such as this;" I concur -- this is almost a desert wine, but is more like a hypothetical vintage kahlua.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2012 - migliore wrote: 90 Points
Quite good, but not a typical spicy syrah with big backbone, but a big mouthfeel and yummy wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2010 - squiddo wrote: 92 Points
perfect pinot
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2010 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 85 Points
Very disappointing. No where near as good as remembered or as scored and reviewed 2.5 years ago. Either the wine has really evolved (for the worse), bottle variation, or palate changed. Dark red color with slight bricking on edges. Stewed fruit with a slightly herbatious nose. Palate really off balance. Harsh and hot. Lots of tannin, but hardly any fruit. Kind of bitter and somewhat of an off finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2010 - Mark Brandon wrote: 90 Points
As Before...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2010 - Mark Brandon wrote: 90 Points
Really comes around on day 2... gains complexity and depth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2010 - Mark Brandon wrote: 90 Points
Dark Blue Fruit. Liquore. Touch of menthol... not too complex but definitely yummy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2009 - ProfessorHTF wrote: 87 Points
On its own I may have been more impressed with this wine then I was. But with a stunning Aussie in the lineup, this one sort of held its own. A fruit bomb of blackberry with little else, perhaps some faint mineral aspect to it, this wine tasted over-done and over the top. Perfectly enjoyable in its own right, but could have been a Rosenblum textbook zin as well. Great if you love that sort of thing, but "meh" for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2009 - treaganjr wrote: 90 Points
A very tasty mouthful of rich, ripe Zin grape flavors.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2009 - 97edwardc wrote: 85 Points
Deep purple color. Fairly modest nose - fruit but also some heat (it's 14.5% abv). As others have written, there is some black pepper on the palate, but it's overwhelmed by the fruit. There's LOTS of fruit here, but it's not particularly balanced by tannin or acid. The finish is very long, but not that pleasant. Kind of like a blue raspberry slushy. I've had this before and rated it 92 at that time, but unfortunately did not take notes. At this point it's got some pluses and some minuses for me, netting out to an 85
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/19/2008 - ikkaariainen wrote: 90 Points
Agree with my good friend neighborbill down below - in fact he brought this bottle over to our house for dinner. Very good syrah, very good QPR, highly recommend this. Almost inky black, smooth, good mouthfeel and long intense aftertaste. Rich nose with some earth, white pepper and core of blackberry and cassis. Primary flavors included underlying earth, blackberry and cassis with additional leather and pepper.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2008 - neighborbill wrote: 90 Points
Very big Sryah with lots of dark fruit, hints of mocha and a little earth with great mouthfeel.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2008 - cmr wrote: 91 Points
Same as previous notes except the alcohol was showing a bit more this time as were the tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2008 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Huge wine. Color out of the bottle is truly striking. Beautiful deep purple. Rarely see a wine of this color. Nose and pallet huge fruit bombs. Lots of deep dark fruit with some underlying earthiness / tariness. Great wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2008 - RetiredNavy wrote: 90 Points
In a word . . . . Great!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2008 - brythephotoguy wrote: 89 Points
Very fruity nose of sweet strawberry jam. Palate of strawberry, blackberry and light toasted cedar. A bit of alcohol out of the bottle. After about an hour of decanting the alcohol dissipates and the fruit and cedar become balanced. Soft tannins on the finish.
Day 2 this wine has really opened up. The nose still has a bit of alcohol, the palate is well balanced with strawberry, blueberry, a bit of spice and toasted cedar. The finish is tart cherry and dry tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2007 - dddxdave wrote: 90 Points
Jammy fruit forward with blackberry and toasty notes. Good tannins and pleasant finish which subdues before the expected sour facial expression hits you. Good stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2007 - cmr wrote: 90 Points
Very nice Syrah done in the usual Rosenblum style, big fruit forward. Hints of earth and minerals in this one rounded it out nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2007 - migliore wrote:
Slightly sweet, you can taste the viogner
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment