Wonderful. It took a little while to open fully but when it did it was great. Perfume nose, rich mouth feel, silky smooth and a long finish. Very very nice.
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Had while grilling lamb. Loads of sediment. Murky black color with maroon rim. Nose of berry liqueur. Blackberry, leather, pepper, tobacco, and Asian spice palate. The 15.3% ABV is still slightly noticeable. Improves significantly with additional decanter time.
See picture at http://maxsatisfactionwine.com/post/46809797118
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From the inaugural vintage. Give it 30 minutes+ in the decanter to unfurl. the nose kicks in first and the palate 1 hour into it.
Color: Dark purple and deep red, coats the glass.
Nose: Black currant and kirsch like aromas rise from the glass, some charcoal and pencil lead as well, some fresh crushed blueberry and spice.
Aromas: Black currant and blackberry see saw with a good tannic structure and excellent acidity. Kirsch Royale, some graphite, and minerality add further depth. The acidity was quite surprising.
Highly enjoyable and paired well with rack of lamb.
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Heavy dark fruits on the nose. Good strong black cherry with tobacco and spice. Needs to breath an open more the alcohol makes it smell hot. Taste of black fruit, tannins, with good linger
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Decanted and drank over a 5 hour period. The bouquet is deep purple with rich ruby colors when looked at from below a light. The bouquet is of dark fruit and alcohol. The wine has rich blackberry, plum and black cherry flavors followed by oak, spice and a bit of astringent tannins at the end. While the wine was enjoyable with food, without something to eat it became a bit chewy.
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1/25/09:Inky blue purple dark colored wine. Huge and powerful aromas of cherry, wild berries, floral scents graphite and raspberry. Flavors of dark and red fruit, chocolate, pepper, cherry liqueur flavors, and oak and mineral notes. Big and full bodied wine, lucious and rounded. This wine rich, and balance with good acidiy but the tannins were a little astringent, so probably could use age or a least decanting. Long and linering finish or fruit, minera, oak and a little tannic bite.
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Less fruit-forward than many New-World syrahs ... pleasantly so. Definitely oaked, but not overly so. Beautiful dark berry and kirsch, finishing with a lingering chocolate/mocha.
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Almost a cherry liquor nose with some underlying mineral as well. A continuation of the nose with a deep rich cherry/mineral mix with lots of spice and pepper on the palate. Excellent wine.
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At Tamara's, with spicy beef stew. This was the second 2005 California Syrah we opened (the other was a Saxum Broken Stones); a close second, at that. Popped and poured; more restrained than the Saxum, but still flavorful. Smooth, rich, almost mellow. A very different expression of the varietal, through a very different winemaking style; more consistent with a fine Cab than a Cali Syrah. Outstanding, but just slightly behind the Saxum.
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10/7/2019 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful. It took a little while to open fully but when it did it was great. Perfume nose, rich mouth feel, silky smooth and a long finish. Very very nice.
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3/31/2013 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had while grilling lamb. Loads of sediment. Murky black color with maroon rim. Nose of berry liqueur. Blackberry, leather, pepper, tobacco, and Asian spice palate. The 15.3% ABV is still slightly noticeable. Improves significantly with additional decanter time.
See picture at
http://maxsatisfactionwine.com/post/46809797118
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3/21/2011 - tkoby11 wrote: 93 Points
Even better the last time around, last bottle.
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7/25/2010 - tkoby11 wrote: 92 Points
From the inaugural vintage. Give it 30 minutes+ in the decanter to unfurl. the nose kicks in first and the palate 1 hour into it.
Color: Dark purple and deep red, coats the glass.
Nose: Black currant and kirsch like aromas rise from the glass, some charcoal and pencil lead as well, some fresh crushed blueberry and spice.
Aromas: Black currant and blackberry see saw with a good tannic structure and excellent acidity. Kirsch Royale, some graphite, and minerality add further depth. The acidity was quite surprising.
Highly enjoyable and paired well with rack of lamb.
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6/30/2010 - mcneil7 wrote: 91 Points
Heavy dark fruits on the nose. Good strong black cherry with tobacco and spice. Needs to breath an open more the alcohol makes it smell hot. Taste of black fruit, tannins, with good linger
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2/14/2010 - Rockne wrote: 91 Points
Soft, slightly acidic nose. Blackberry flavors with hints of tobacco and graphite. Tannic finish.
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1/30/2010 - winejnky wrote: 91 Points
Dense yet smooth with a lingering finish. Plums & dark fruits. A sophisticated Syrah.
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11/6/2009 - NY Wino wrote: 88 Points
Decanted and drank over a 5 hour period. The bouquet is deep purple with rich ruby colors when looked at from below a light. The bouquet is of dark fruit and alcohol. The wine has rich blackberry, plum and black cherry flavors followed by oak, spice and a bit of astringent tannins at the end. While the wine was enjoyable with food, without something to eat it became a bit chewy.
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2/1/2009 - enosnob wrote: 90 Points
1/25/09:Inky blue purple dark colored wine. Huge and powerful aromas of cherry, wild berries, floral scents graphite and raspberry. Flavors of dark and red fruit, chocolate, pepper, cherry liqueur flavors, and oak and mineral notes. Big and full bodied wine, lucious and rounded. This wine rich, and balance with good acidiy but the tannins were a little astringent, so probably could use age or a least decanting. Long and linering finish or fruit, minera, oak and a little tannic bite.
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12/7/2008 - bigdogflow wrote: 89 Points
Good wine. Very dark color and overall balanced wine.
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11/8/2008 - tacman wrote: 90 Points
Less fruit-forward than many New-World syrahs ... pleasantly so. Definitely oaked, but not overly so. Beautiful dark berry and kirsch, finishing with a lingering chocolate/mocha.
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8/27/2008 - D.Callahan wrote: 90 Points
Almost a cherry liquor nose with some underlying mineral as well. A continuation of the nose with a deep rich cherry/mineral mix with lots of spice and pepper on the palate. Excellent wine.
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12/1/2007 - Quequeg wrote: 91 Points
At Tamara's, with spicy beef stew. This was the second 2005 California Syrah we opened (the other was a Saxum Broken Stones); a close second, at that. Popped and poured; more restrained than the Saxum, but still flavorful. Smooth, rich, almost mellow. A very different expression of the varietal, through a very different winemaking style; more consistent with a fine Cab than a Cali Syrah. Outstanding, but just slightly behind the Saxum.
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