Developing very well- poured bind for wine pros. Comparisons to good Crozes Hermitage / Cote Rotie. Excellent depth of fruit & tannin. Delicious cured meat aromas. Satisfying. No need to rush this one - easily good 4-5 more years in proper cellar.
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Last bottle of half a case, drunk over about 4 years. Dark purple, no real signs of age in the color. A bit of barnyard mixed in with the lucious dark fruit on yhe nose - it is Syrah, after all. The tannins have softened, and the wine was nicely balanced and complex - it has aged rather well. This would stand up to quite a few northern Rhones.
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Took about 30-45 to open up, but still has some life in it. Classic Novy SLH - lots of fruit up front and then a mellow easy drinking syrah on the back side. On the downslope, so drink em up quickly if you have any, but won't disappoint.
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This followed a Two Hands Shiraz and was quite odd. Needed a decent amount of time to open up and distance itself. Jury still out on how I feel about it.
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Ahhhh! My nose burns! Pepper everywhere!Initial nose is of mold socks but opens up nicely! Light blackberries in the nose. Crushing alcohol in the front and some sour berries come through before someone comes by and pours a pound of black pepper on your tongue.If pepper syrahs are your way of tife this is your juice, otherwise beware. Still has quite a few years left on it. Not sure why the 2011 death date.
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Bold and black, berries, licorice and something fierce ... call it "blood of wolf" (?!). An exceedingly powerful lingering muddle of explosive blackberries and rounded, reserved tannins. California Syrah at its best.
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Big nose of meat, smoke and ripe black fruit. The palate is suprisingly silky and soft in light of the dark density appearance and most noticeable upfront and on the top followed by a medium finish. Not overly complex but very pleasant.
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This is my last bottle and has much of the same features as my previous note, written in November 2007: a pillowy and fatter styled wine, with blackberry, richness. Some graphite has emerged on the nose, too. The finish shows a mixture of citrus and milk chocolate, along with some alcohol. I'd say drink this wine now and although the acidity can help lift it, the wine is richer styled and drinks more forward so enjoy that aspect of it now and let 'er rip.
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Excellent bottle of Syrah. Somewhat Cote Rotie like in that I get smoke, tar and gaminess. I also get some blue berries and blackberries. Was good right out of the bottle. I will drink my last bottle in the next year or so. I don't think this will get much better and will only decline in the next few years.
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The wine is an inky purple with long legs, a nose of licorice, a touch herbal, cedar. The fruit is shy on this wine develops on the tongue, tart finish with numbing tannin. The body is very full and chewy. Over all a less complex wine than I prefer, Syrah should speak to you when the glass goes down "wow' should escape your lips, the 08 tasting was much better this may have passed its time, it improved as it breathed but no where near the first bottle in 08. 85, wish it was more defined
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Best immediately out of the bottle. Nice open with red fruit, cream and vanilla, smooth tight tannins. Hollow middle and a menthol licorice note is an unbalanced ending. Feels just a bit off as the finish has good length.
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Clean deep ruby color. Nose of black cherries, boysenberry, charcoal, and tar. Palate has a lush mouthfeel with glycerin, but balanced acidity and a fine tannin background. Dense dark berries and red fruit highlights are most prominent, but a lengthy finish with earth and herbal notes carrying on. Very dense fruit forward, but impeccably balanced and showing nuance. Very well done and enjoyable.
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Popped and poured using Vinturi aerator. Deep purple. Dark fruit, bacon fat and smoke on the nose. There's also a signature Novy note that I can't quite peg. It's like obscenity, I know it when I see, er, smell it. Dark fruits, mocha and spice on the palate. Mid-palate is a touch overpowering, but finish is nice.
This is still a bit tight and will be better in a year or two. 2005 was the first vintage we have from both Novy and Siduri, and this is my last non-SVD syrah. If only I could make myself hold these things longer....89-91
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A textbook California Syrah. Meat and dark fruit on the nose. A little thin-bodied, but the palate makes up for it with a lip-smacking array of smoke, spice, chocolate, and red and blue fruits. I feared this would be overblown (I've had too many Syrahs/Shirazes like that lately) but it delivers beautiful restraint and balance, showcasing what good Syrah should be. Fresh fruit flavors linger afterward. Delicious.
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An Outstanding bottle of Syrah. Very smoky and blue fruit on the nose. On the palate, I get Raspberries, oak and black pepper. I love the SLH Syrah and Pinots!
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Consistent with note from a year ago. PnP. Deep reddish violet. Nose has loads of dark berries, licorice and hints of tar and pepper. Thick layered fruit on the palate and soft tannins with not quite enough acidity. Actually quite delicious with persistent and pleasing syrah flavors/aromas.
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Popped, poured and consumed within 4 hours. This was a very nice, albeit somewhat simple (not surprising given that this is the second-tier fruit) syrah that speaks of the SLH place. Dark color in the glass and aromatics to match. There is the tell-tale Rosella's funk that immediately let's me know this is an SLH syrah I am drinking. Black fruits, coffee and licorice seemed to be the common denominators as it morphed over the ~4 hours we shared it. Medium bodied, lacking heat, and possessing a 20 second finish. Nothing to contemplate, but your interest is kept - glass after glass. Positively enjoyable.
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A dark and inky wine, with a purple tinge to a dark red. The nose is tangy, with cherries and oak. The flavor is a dense packed fruit up front, with a spicy finish of tannins that has good staying power. This will get better over the next five years, great with grilled steaks, Fajitas, and heavy sauces.
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PasticheME Friday Night Tasting (Tucson, AZ): My pick for the night, but probably not at almost $30/bottle. Lovely pepper on the nose. Good fruit on the palate with a touch of anise. These cool weather Syrahs sure bring a lot of character with them. Fun tasting overall.
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Wine Enthusiast rated this in the mid 90's last month, and I found it to be available in Pennsylvania, which rarely happens with such highly rated wines. My palate isn't sophisticated enough to discern all of the flavors I see in the notes already posted, but this was a very enjoyable Syrah, worth the high ratings. It complimented our meals well. I replaced the bottle we drank, and we will try it again in a few months.
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Blueberries and maybe graphite. Was really seeming to be coming together nicely around hour 3 after decanting but it the last was consumed at that point. 90-91 points right now with potential for 92-93.
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Had for Dev's birthday @ the Republic. Smoke, dirt, and cherries in the first glass at which point I asked for a decanter. The subsequent glasses showed more dirt, smoke, licorice, and white pepper, but with ever-present rich fruit, all in good balance. This is excellent stuff, and at a quite reasonable price. I would be tickled to drink this again, and even more so if it were allowed to sleep 5 years or so.
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Opened and decanted a few minutes. Initially, a fairly closed nose. This opened up markedly over two hours of drinking into a solid, meaty, full-bodied syrah. The nose had some sparkling menthol/eucalyptus notes. This needs time, but seems a solid and forward-looking value.
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Interesting, the notes indicated Adam wasn't sure if the wine would ripen - picked if I remember correctly, the last grapes on November 2!! Smoky, northern Rhone on the nose, bacon fat, smoked meat, dark cocoa, dark fruit plays a secondary role...the palate is as dense, as rich, as balanced as you might expect, but what I wouldn't expect from SLH...medium-full, moderate tannin structure, long and enticing palate of rich fruit accompanied by all the smoky aspects outlined above. Delicious. Takes some time to come around once opened. I would recommend decanting for 2+ hours. This specific note is from the 3rd day open, although I tasted similar details when the wine came around 2+ hours into the first day.
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With all the Roar SLH syrahs arriving this week, figured it time to circle back to the basic Novy SLH again. Pop and pour----looks pretty dark with a red purple edge. Nose of smells lard/bacon fat, pepper, smoke, jerky--all of what I would call Rosella's/Garys'--true to the place. Plump and soft, more generous and sexy than say linear and structured/complex. Given this is the declassed SLH vineyard's barrels, not surprising. Has maybe what I have seen Parker call "melted licorice", a dark kind of thicker feel with that slight hint of anise. The wine has a richness, a pillowy sense as it finishes. Will check back tomorrow to see how an overnight breather treated it.
24 hours later--Update to this TN. This wine is very nice and has many of the SLH elements I have grown to appreciate, as formerly mentioned above. If you want big complexity and stuffing, it aint this wine. What you do get is a wine with nice dark color, some tannin and some plummy/blackberry, gamy fruit. It lacks the finish I would like to see but the QPR for me makes all that go away.
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This wine is right up my alley. Could not tell you an exact profile but smokey bacon/meaty notes alongside creamy blue fruit. For me I could drink this type of wine for a long time. Solid stuff.
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Dark and dense color with loads of blueberry on the palate. Hints of pepper, anise, and coffee grinds on the medium/long finish. I can't imagine what food this pairs well with but it doesn't matter when it drinks this well on it's own. A great QPR.
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Dense color. Big fruit with loads of blue/boysenberry, licorice and chocolate. Palate is lush and almost fat laden. Would have liked a bit more acid/tannic structure to balance out the gorgeously layered fruit. We had this with tri tips and risotto and it did not pair that well.
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Popped and poured for Father's day. Very dark and concentrated, almost Petite Sirah-like. Tons of blueberries and licorice on the palate. Fell-off on the second day but still well worth the tariff.
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OC Virtual Rosella's Syrah Tasting (OC and Virtual For Parker BB): I threw this into the mix, having just bought it and received it a week or so ago. Figured it would be a nice lead into the Rosella's flight, given that it has Rosella's blended into it. As tasted recently @ Family Winemakers, when it shows a softer side, it does so here, too. Licorice, dark ink with a pretty deep color--love it. Chocolate, plum and the typical nose of pepper and game. This wine hums well now and for about $25, still for me a great bottle year after year.
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Siduri/Novy Winemaker Tasting (Farpointe Cellar): Good raspberry and black currant fruit on the nose, as well as white pepper and a touch of leather. The palate was black currant and game, with a bit of pepper. The tannins were solid and it finished long.
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This wine was one of 18 wines tasted during our March 17 OL event. Wine was opened for two hours and then evolved over the remainder of the evening. Another great appelation blend. Darker in comparison to the Novy Rosella’s syrah. Dark chocolate, espresso, pepper and blueberry. Very tasty.
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Tasted at a Houston OL event. Wine was opened 2 hrs prior to drinking. Ruby red in color. Aromas of cherries, cola, forest floor, smoke, and black pepper spice. Quite a complex nose! Tannins have not yet integrated as wine was still young. Finish was hot as the alcoholic content was high, but it had bright fruit and acid to balance out. Wait and cellar for a few years and should evolve into a great wine.
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5/20/2023 - oldcorke Likes this wine: 93 Points
Developing very well- poured bind for wine pros. Comparisons to good Crozes Hermitage / Cote Rotie. Excellent depth of fruit & tannin. Delicious cured meat aromas. Satisfying. No need to rush this one - easily good 4-5 more years in proper cellar.
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6/2/2015 - smphelps wrote: 85 Points
Very average, and probably too old (though oddly the wine is quite dark and tense). Blackberries, plums, and something really off-putting.
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8/15/2013 - Tony Poli Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle of half a case, drunk over about 4 years. Dark purple, no real signs of age in the color. A bit of barnyard mixed in with the lucious dark fruit on yhe nose - it is Syrah, after all. The tannins have softened, and the wine was nicely balanced and complex - it has aged rather well. This would stand up to quite a few northern Rhones.
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1/30/2013 - ctjared Likes this wine:
A bit of spice and funk on dark fruit. Medium to long finish. Good, but not my favorite.
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8/14/2012 - ctjared wrote:
Better then I remember previous bottles. Certainly way better then the last
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6/24/2012 - elefkowitz wrote: 89 Points
Took about 30-45 to open up, but still has some life in it. Classic Novy SLH - lots of fruit up front and then a mellow easy drinking syrah on the back side. On the downslope, so drink em up quickly if you have any, but won't disappoint.
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5/26/2012 - ctjared wrote:
This followed a Two Hands Shiraz and was quite odd. Needed a decent amount of time to open up and distance itself. Jury still out on how I feel about it.
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5/18/2012 - Ecb1456 wrote: 86 Points
Ahhhh! My nose burns! Pepper everywhere!Initial nose is of mold socks but opens up nicely! Light blackberries in the nose. Crushing alcohol in the front and some sour berries come through before someone comes by and pours a pound of black pepper on your tongue.If pepper syrahs are your way of tife this is your juice, otherwise beware. Still has quite a few years left on it. Not sure why the 2011 death date.
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9/2/2011 - ctjared wrote:
Solid
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6/5/2011 - ctjared wrote:
decent with a lot of life let yet
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5/6/2011 - Syrogr wrote: 96 Points
Bold and black, berries, licorice and something fierce ... call it "blood of wolf" (?!). An exceedingly powerful lingering muddle of explosive blackberries and rounded, reserved tannins. California Syrah at its best.
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2/26/2011 - MWes wrote: 90 Points
Really nice and great right out of the bottle. Drinks better than the price. Smile, leather and red fruit. Reminds me of a Northern Rhone.
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5/19/2010 - kanab ram wrote:
Big nose of meat, smoke and ripe black fruit. The palate is suprisingly silky and soft in light of the dark density appearance and most noticeable upfront and on the top followed by a medium finish. Not overly complex but very pleasant.
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3/23/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This is my last bottle and has much of the same features as my previous note, written in November 2007: a pillowy and fatter styled wine, with blackberry, richness. Some graphite has emerged on the nose, too. The finish shows a mixture of citrus and milk chocolate, along with some alcohol. I'd say drink this wine now and although the acidity can help lift it, the wine is richer styled and drinks more forward so enjoy that aspect of it now and let 'er rip.
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2/27/2010 - MWes wrote: 89 Points
Excellent bottle of Syrah. Somewhat Cote Rotie like in that I get smoke, tar and gaminess. I also get some blue berries and blackberries. Was good right out of the bottle. I will drink my last bottle in the next year or so. I don't think this will get much better and will only decline in the next few years.
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2/17/2010 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 85 Points
The wine is an inky purple with long legs, a nose of licorice, a touch herbal, cedar. The fruit is shy on this wine develops on the tongue, tart finish with numbing tannin. The body is very full and chewy. Over all a less complex wine than I prefer, Syrah should speak to you when the glass goes down "wow' should escape your lips, the 08 tasting was much better this may have passed its time, it improved as it breathed but no where near the first bottle in 08. 85, wish it was more defined
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12/27/2009 - ljl203 wrote: 89 Points
Best immediately out of the bottle. Nice open with red fruit, cream and vanilla, smooth tight tannins. Hollow middle and a menthol licorice note is an unbalanced ending. Feels just a bit off as the finish has good length.
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10/26/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
Clean deep ruby color. Nose of black cherries, boysenberry, charcoal, and tar. Palate has a lush mouthfeel with glycerin, but balanced acidity and a fine tannin background. Dense dark berries and red fruit highlights are most prominent, but a lengthy finish with earth and herbal notes carrying on. Very dense fruit forward, but impeccably balanced and showing nuance. Very well done and enjoyable.
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6/17/2009 - T.J.Burn wrote:
Popped and poured using Vinturi aerator. Deep purple. Dark fruit, bacon fat and smoke on the nose. There's also a signature Novy note that I can't quite peg. It's like obscenity, I know it when I see, er, smell it. Dark fruits, mocha and spice on the palate. Mid-palate is a touch overpowering, but finish is nice.
This is still a bit tight and will be better in a year or two. 2005 was the first vintage we have from both Novy and Siduri, and this is my last non-SVD syrah. If only I could make myself hold these things longer....89-91
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6/4/2009 - TannicBeast wrote: 91 Points
very rich and complex. With a smoky tobacco finish
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3/12/2009 - jivey wrote: 85 Points
Dry Blue fruits, anise, tannic, dried herbs some alcohol.
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3/11/2009 - jeff nowak wrote: 84 Points
pleasant aromatics, but a rough midpalate, and a harsh finish.
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1/10/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 90 Points
Very dark and thick. Meaty like raw steak au poivre. Lots of pepper as a matter of fact. A little earthy barnyard funk that I enjoyed. Medium bodied.
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11/18/2008 - valecnik wrote: 90 Points
A textbook California Syrah. Meat and dark fruit on the nose. A little thin-bodied, but the palate makes up for it with a lip-smacking array of smoke, spice, chocolate, and red and blue fruits. I feared this would be overblown (I've had too many Syrahs/Shirazes like that lately) but it delivers beautiful restraint and balance, showcasing what good Syrah should be. Fresh fruit flavors linger afterward. Delicious.
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10/15/2008 - D.Callahan wrote: 89 Points
Meaty nose with a very good balanced structure to the palate. Very nice.
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10/7/2008 - MWes wrote: 90 Points
An Outstanding bottle of Syrah. Very smoky and blue fruit on the nose. On the palate, I get Raspberries, oak and black pepper. I love the SLH Syrah and Pinots!
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9/24/2008 - thomaskeil wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with note from a year ago. PnP. Deep reddish violet. Nose has loads of dark berries, licorice and hints of tar and pepper. Thick layered fruit on the palate and soft tannins with not quite enough acidity. Actually quite delicious with persistent and pleasing syrah flavors/aromas.
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9/18/2008 - rjoyer wrote: 87 Points
Popped, poured and consumed within 4 hours. This was a very nice, albeit somewhat simple (not surprising given that this is the second-tier fruit) syrah that speaks of the SLH place. Dark color in the glass and aromatics to match. There is the tell-tale Rosella's funk that immediately let's me know this is an SLH syrah I am drinking. Black fruits, coffee and licorice seemed to be the common denominators as it morphed over the ~4 hours we shared it. Medium bodied, lacking heat, and possessing a 20 second finish. Nothing to contemplate, but your interest is kept - glass after glass. Positively enjoyable.
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9/8/2008 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 91 Points
A dark and inky wine, with a purple tinge to a dark red. The nose is tangy, with cherries and oak. The flavor is a dense packed fruit up front, with a spicy finish of tannins that has good staying power. This will get better over the next five years, great with grilled steaks, Fajitas, and heavy sauces.
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7/18/2008 - Heelacious wrote:
PasticheME Friday Night Tasting (Tucson, AZ): My pick for the night, but probably not at almost $30/bottle. Lovely pepper on the nose. Good fruit on the palate with a touch of anise. These cool weather Syrahs sure bring a lot of character with them. Fun tasting overall.
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6/11/2008 - cmr wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding Cali Syrah. Nose had that bit of earth and meatiness I love and on the palate full of rich dark fruits with a great structure and balance.
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5/24/2008 - slippytoad wrote: 94 Points
Incredible depth of flavours, not at all hot and very expressive with lots going on. Longish finish for a Syrah.
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4/26/2008 - Tony Poli wrote: 93 Points
Wine Enthusiast rated this in the mid 90's last month, and I found it to be available in Pennsylvania, which rarely happens with such highly rated wines. My palate isn't sophisticated enough to discern all of the flavors I see in the notes already posted, but this was a very enjoyable Syrah, worth the high ratings. It complimented our meals well. I replaced the bottle we drank, and we will try it again in a few months.
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4/26/2008 - Drewine wrote: 91 Points
Blueberries and maybe graphite. Was really seeming to be coming together nicely around hour 3 after decanting but it the last was consumed at that point. 90-91 points right now with potential for 92-93.
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3/18/2008 - chateaumiller wrote: 80 Points
GOOD
Lots of fruit and it is all forward. This is a good wine but not my style. A little ripe and hot to me. Long finish.
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1/26/2008 - thirtyoneknots wrote:
Had for Dev's birthday @ the Republic. Smoke, dirt, and cherries in the first glass at which point I asked for a decanter. The subsequent glasses showed more dirt, smoke, licorice, and white pepper, but with ever-present rich fruit, all in good balance. This is excellent stuff, and at a quite reasonable price. I would be tickled to drink this again, and even more so if it were allowed to sleep 5 years or so.
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1/5/2008 - kanab ram wrote: 91 Points
Brought to a syrah tasting on 1/5/08 and benchmarked against other California and Aussie wines. Was the number one choice of all the syrahs/shiraz.
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12/20/2007 - conform wrote:
Opened and decanted a few minutes. Initially, a fairly closed nose. This opened up markedly over two hours of drinking into a solid, meaty, full-bodied syrah. The nose had some sparkling menthol/eucalyptus notes. This needs time, but seems a solid and forward-looking value.
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11/11/2007 - CO CHRIS wrote: 91 Points
14.5% alc...deep, opaque color...
Interesting, the notes indicated Adam wasn't sure if the wine would ripen - picked if I remember correctly, the last grapes on November 2!!
Smoky, northern Rhone on the nose, bacon fat, smoked meat, dark cocoa, dark fruit plays a secondary role...the palate is as dense, as rich, as balanced as you might expect, but what I wouldn't expect from SLH...medium-full, moderate tannin structure, long and enticing palate of rich fruit accompanied by all the smoky aspects outlined above. Delicious. Takes some time to come around once opened. I would recommend decanting for 2+ hours. This specific note is from the 3rd day open, although I tasted similar details when the wine came around 2+ hours into the first day.
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11/4/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
With all the Roar SLH syrahs arriving this week, figured it time to circle back to the basic Novy SLH again. Pop and pour----looks pretty dark with a red purple edge. Nose of smells lard/bacon fat, pepper, smoke, jerky--all of what I would call Rosella's/Garys'--true to the place. Plump and soft, more generous and sexy than say linear and structured/complex. Given this is the declassed SLH vineyard's barrels, not surprising. Has maybe what I have seen Parker call "melted licorice", a dark kind of thicker feel with that slight hint of anise. The wine has a richness, a pillowy sense as it finishes. Will check back tomorrow to see how an overnight breather treated it.
24 hours later--Update to this TN. This wine is very nice and has many of the SLH elements I have grown to appreciate, as formerly mentioned above. If you want big complexity and stuffing, it aint this wine. What you do get is a wine with nice dark color, some tannin and some plummy/blackberry, gamy fruit. It lacks the finish I would like to see but the QPR for me makes all that go away.
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10/25/2007 - MBrown wrote: 91 Points
This wine is right up my alley. Could not tell you an exact profile but smokey bacon/meaty notes alongside creamy blue fruit. For me I could drink this type of wine for a long time. Solid stuff.
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10/23/2007 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Winery: Gary’s, Rosellas, Pissoni; super rich & voluptuous, pure rich drk blkberry, big frt mth, expansive flavors, various choc. notes w/blueberry coulee. Wow.91
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8/29/2007 - ClassicWater wrote:
Dark and dense color with loads of blueberry on the palate. Hints of pepper, anise, and coffee grinds on the medium/long finish. I can't imagine what food this pairs well with but it doesn't matter when it drinks this well on it's own. A great QPR.
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7/1/2007 - thomaskeil wrote: 89 Points
Dense color. Big fruit with loads of blue/boysenberry, licorice and chocolate. Palate is lush and almost fat laden. Would have liked a bit more acid/tannic structure to balance out the gorgeously layered fruit. We had this with tri tips and risotto and it did not pair that well.
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6/22/2007 - JonnyB wrote: 90 Points
Oh yeah, this is really good. Dark blueberry, chocolate, and a tiny bit of vanilla, long finish. Great stuff
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6/17/2007 - SuitePhoto wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured for Father's day. Very dark and concentrated, almost Petite Sirah-like. Tons of blueberries and licorice on the palate. Fell-off on the second day but still well worth the tariff.
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3/31/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
OC Virtual Rosella's Syrah Tasting (OC and Virtual For Parker BB): I threw this into the mix, having just bought it and received it a week or so ago. Figured it would be a nice lead into the Rosella's flight, given that it has Rosella's blended into it. As tasted recently @ Family Winemakers, when it shows a softer side, it does so here, too. Licorice, dark ink with a pretty deep color--love it. Chocolate, plum and the typical nose of pepper and game. This wine hums well now and for about $25, still for me a great bottle year after year.
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3/21/2007 - drdebs wrote: 90 Points
FamilyWinemakers of California; 3/20/2007-3/21/2007 (Pasadena, CA): A lot of wine--more so than the excellent value SC. Rich, rich plummy aromas and flavors with hints of cassis, spice, and coffee. Long finish.
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3/20/2007 - mmurry wrote: 89 Points
Siduri/Novy Winemaker Tasting (Farpointe Cellar): Good raspberry and black currant fruit on the nose, as well as white pepper and a touch of leather. The palate was black currant and game, with a bit of pepper. The tannins were solid and it finished long.
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3/18/2007 - scofer wrote: 90 Points
This wine was one of 18 wines tasted during our March 17 OL event. Wine was opened for two hours and then evolved over the remainder of the evening. Another great appelation blend. Darker in comparison to the Novy Rosella’s syrah. Dark chocolate, espresso, pepper and blueberry. Very tasty.
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3/17/2007 - Cynthia wrote: 89 Points
Tasted at a Houston OL event. Wine was opened 2 hrs prior to drinking.
Ruby red in color. Aromas of cherries, cola, forest floor, smoke, and black pepper spice. Quite a complex nose! Tannins have not yet integrated as wine was still young. Finish was hot as the alcoholic content was high, but it had bright fruit and acid to balance out. Wait and cellar for a few years and should evolve into a great wine.
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