Moving the cellar. (Huge pain and a lot of sorrow, but I’ll survive). Found three of these and opened one not expecting very much. What a surprise. Softer and round than I remember it from a few years ago. No hard edges, decent structure from the cab. Not disappointed I have two more. Won’t disappoint.
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This bottle, at 15 years of age, was exactly where I was hoping it would end up. Fruit has mellowed into the background, alcohol is not evident at all, no sharp edges or tannins, just mature, smooth, tobacco and cedar.
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This humble bottle is still going, wish I had a few more to be honest. This has been a lot of fun to track over the years and we had this last bottle with burgers, quite a nice match.
I would suggest decanting a bit before consuming though.
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PNP - Started as a stewed fruit forward and very smooth wine......this wine opened up to a smooth complex wine that paired well with cottage pie. I don't know how much longer this will last but will probably drink my last bottle soon.
Amazing that this inexpensive wine is maturing so gracefully.
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This is still drinking quite young, though it has come together considerably since its youth. There are still some unfortunate sharp edges, but those were mostly gone by the second night. Maybe I'll keep my 2 remaining bottles for another few years before opening. It's crazy that a wine this cheap could go this long.
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Popper and poured at room temp - would describe it as a hot mess. Actually couldn't finish it since wasn't good. Day 2 tasted much better. Maybe keep holding? I don't know. Puzzling wine - this is my last bottle and happy to be done with it.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. While the wine in the glass seemed to beginning to show some age (slight brown rim) the wine in the glass was fantastic. Plenty of fruit, some mocha and lovely integrated tannins. I had a bottle of this when I first bought four and was a tad disappointed but it has really matured well and I think will drink well for a few more years.
Served with oxtail braised in a tomato sauce served over pasta, wonderful match!!!!
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Thought this would be way past it's prime being nine years old, but it still had pleasant black cherry, toast and vanilla bouquet and flavors with a nice long finish of dark plum, spice and smoke.
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Opens up after decanting. Some tarry black fruit, liquorice and spice. Despite it slowly price I think this will still be drinking well on its 10th birthday.
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I had saved this bottle as an experiment, and the result is that no you should not save this wine as long as I have done. Not unpleasant to drink, but rather dull and uninteresting.
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Really drinking well now. My apologies to WS who said this would age well. Cherry and cola notes with balanced alcohol and tannins. Paired quite well with grilled red meat.
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This has evolved to a well balanced blend. Fruit forward with balanced tannins and integrated notes of smoke and leather. Glad I didn't gift the rest of my collection.
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Excellent Syrah/Cab blend for $10, and thus a stellar QPR. REALLY should have bought a case or two at that price point. Not complex, but rich and flavorful with great berry fruit flavors and a tolerable 13.5% alcohol content. Smooth, well integrated, balanced; drinks like a wine two or three times the price. Impressive.
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I opened this next to an '06 Koonunga Hill "76" bottling to compare the two. On the first night the regular bottling (at 13.5% abv) was disjointed, hot, showing lots of fruit -- a real alcoholic mess. I would give it an 84 at best. The '76 bottling (at 14.5% abv) was smooth, showing muted fruit, with leather and cedar, and was very good, around an 88. But on night #2, the regular bottling had smoothed out and resembled the '76 on night #1. However, the '76 was even better, maybe 89. On night #3, the regular was again 24 hours behind the '76 bottling, but the '76 was outstanding, with the fruit showing itself through the smooth wood and earth, around 90-91. So, on any given night, I prefered the '76 bottling, but the regular just needed 24 hours of slow-ox to get it to a pretty similar point.
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Hey, not bad. Much better on Day 3. On Day 1 had a glass and the wine was bit harsh and disjointed. On Day 3 it is soft and rich with a terrific mouthfeel. Still excellent fruit and a deep dark black fruit cab / syrah profile. I think this is bottle 5 out of the two case experiment.
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Very unremarkable. Not objectionable, but really not great. Wine Spectator really hyped this wine inappropriately. I trust cellar tracker not to hype a wine. Does Wine Spectator take payola? Unfortunately I have 16 bottles left.
A nice, simple, drinkable wine. Nothing dramatically exciting, but a good, solid, "goes with a lot" wine. Mostly ripe berries on the nose and palate. Maybe a little vanilla. Not overly complex. Good value for the price.
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Smoky nose; quite young on the palate, warm but muted fruit, hints of spice and licorice. Good value for money but perhaps not up to some other vintages of this wine.
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P&P, 68degrees Deep purple. Blackberries, mocha and licorice, moderate nose. Medium to thing mouthfeel with tannins and oak predominating. Acid too, like tart cherries. Some stone and a little fruit. Restrained. Moderate finish. Does make you want to take another sip.
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This is bottle #2 in a 10-year experiment with aging Koonunga Hill, which my friends from Oz all claim is the best way to appreciate this wine. Tonight it was wild cherry from nose to palate, with a little molasses/tar thrown in for good measure. Very fruit forward, but tannins have nicely integrated. A little thin in the middle, and a too-short finish. But still, a nice wine for the money. Until next year ...
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Popped and poured; vinturied. What a pleasant surprise that this $9.99 wine is so eminently drinkable. I've no experience with this wine on release--I bought a few bottles in May '08 -- but after a few years-plus sideways, the tannins are integrated, the perception of temperature is neutral, not hot, the blend of Cabernet and Shiraz is nicely balanced and the mouthfeel is plush. I think this is a great value and in hindsight could have done with laying down a couple of cases: one can really take this wine anywhere. A stellar QPR; Penfolds certainly knows what they're about. Day Four update, unrefrigerated, with two-thirds of the bottle remaining: berry flavors to the fore, mostly tart black raspberry, and still tasty.
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A solid "good." Black fruits on the nose. Very fruit forward but there is an astringent element here that wasn't present when I first purchased the wine. I purchased 2 cases on a flyer as a experiment and thought I would see how these do over time. This is my fourth bottle and the experiment is far from over. The wine still seems very young but this is my least favorite bottle of the ones I have opened so far so let's see if this story turns around.
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some fruit on the nose, fairly hot with some astringent mouth feel, fairly unbalanced, may benefit from decanting. not certain about wine spectator's prediction of longevity to 2020.
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This was my last bottle. This isn't drinking too bad now. This is still a very fruit forward wine, but for $8 is a good deal. I would agree with those that say it might be a bit too sweet. The finish is still medium, which surprised me. I would say this wine could go another year, but I don't see it going until mid-decade.
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Consistently below expectations - heavy fruit, bordering on a certain W-branded grape juice, wth little shiraz spice and flat on the nose. Good for the average drinker and/or a dinner party but definitely overrated by "those who know".
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Costaud, dans la lignée du petit verdot de Pirramimma. Beaucoup de présence au nez et surtout en bouche; dominé par l'olive Kalamata, il convient parfaitement bien à un souvlaki de porc avec patates grecques. Le lendemain, il s'est adouci.
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Popped and poured and the roller coaster continues. This bottle was very nice with muted fruit and good secondary flavors, Looks like my last bottle was the odd bottle out.
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Woodsy smells, with dark and smoky flavors up front, followed by raspberry behind. Nice finish. Well balanced drink. Koonunga Hill has a reputation for lasting for years, so I will test this with some of my remaining bottles. (Update: on the next several nights, I continued tasting and it just kept getting better. By 4th night, I finished it and it was still going strong. Wow!)
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The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Black currant (cassis), and Forest floor. It tastes like Raisin, Burnt, and Cedar. The body is Medium/Full. The wine is textured Coarse. The wine finishes Medium.
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Nice aroma; fruity not too dry with a good finish; very enjoyable and good with pasta and meat sauce; it didn't do very well with sweet; great value at this price and I'll drink it reguarly.
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This is a nice everyday wine, easy drinking, pairs well with a variety of foods. Not exceptional, but certainly better than many other much more expensive wines that I have had and poured down the drain. Tasted raspberry, some tobacco, and a touch of mint. No overwhelming distinct smell, but not off putting whatsoever. This wine did not disappoint. I think its a great bargain at the pricepoint.
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Again, this wine was much better on the second day. On the first day there was once again a vegetal taste with bitterness. On the second day, the vegetal/green streek was gone and tannins were reduced. I doubt this wine will make it over 90 but it's fine for an under $10 red with a little character that should age well in the mid term as I hope the green element goes away with time.
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Heavy tannis but lacking much fruit. Pairs well with food which makes it quite enjoyable. I think the heavy tannins allow for more aging, but will likely never turn into an outstanding wine.
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Not a very good wine....seemed too strong, without good flavor. Just a punch in the face with tannins. I like tannic wine, but there has to be some balance. Perhaps I just got a bad bottle or I was having an off day, but I was not impressed.
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Surprisingly not living up to expectations. Clearly represented as a 91 PPoint wine but behaving closer to 89/88, perhaps a little lower. Could be a bad bottle and will retaste at a later date.
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A good selection in this price range. Subtle fruit, barely a medium finish, but balanced. I purchased a few bottles, so I could try at different times. I am curious to see what this is like in 6 - 12 months.
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Purpurrote Färbung, leichter Wasserrand. Zu Beginn angenehmer Duft nach Nüssen, dann nach Kräutern, Leder und Zwetschken. Am Gaumen dunkle Frucht mit viel Würze, ausgeprägte Säure, ledrige Töne; etwas medizinischer Nachgeschmack. Kein spektakulärer Wein, aber doch etwas besser als nach den bisherigen Kommentaren erwartet. 50+5+13+14+5
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[Consumed @ a family gathering, so no formal notes.] Less intense than I remember 18-24 mos ago [when I also didn't take notes], though still QUITE pleasant! Nevertheless, IF you've any of this vintage remaining, I WOULD be SURE to drink it by the end of 2010 as it's **not** getting any better.
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These bottles seems to be widely inconsistent or my tastes are. This bottle had muted fruit in a simple wine. Nothing bad but certainly not great. About what you can expect for $9.
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Hmm, interesting. This was one of the first wines I really liked when I first started getting into wine a year or so ago. Humorous going back to it now. I'm really not digging it, and it doesn't match with my memories of other bottles. I'm getting a very south african type rubber on the nose. Palate is meh - no focus, slightly sour, lacking tannins. Reminds me of a Lindeman's South Africa Shiraz I had a while back, would have hoped for a little more from this.
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Upon opening, this bottle exhibited bright red fruit flavors with an underlying charcoal flavor. Baked berry pie and charcoal aromas come out on the nose after a while, as the fruit flavors fade and are dominated by the charcoal after a couple of hours. I'd rate this higher if the initial fruit flavors remained. The remaining charcoal flavors, while not unpleasant, are uninspiring. Drink this one quickly and it's more enjoyable.
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Deep purple core with a violet/dark red rim. The nose has menthol, licorice, plum, and cassis. There was something almost medicinal about it. It has a standard dark fruit profile with some subtle chocolate and spice notes. A medium bodied wine with some lively acids, but it seemed a little hot. The fruit lingers lightly on a subtle finish with some bitterness on the backend. However, not particularly tannic nor fruit forward --- a solid, if rather innocuous wine.
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Big nose. Cassis, vanilla, spice. Medium bodied. Muted tannins. Tasty but rather simple blend which is probably close to its peak. Slightly thin and short finish, but overall a great QPR. Consistently good value.
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Score applies to day 2. On day 1, I did not like nearly as well as last year. It tasted muted and almost green--a bit of a weedy type overtone. On day 2, wine has opened quite a bit more and green element is gone. Nose of cassis and meat. Good fruit with raspberries and nice acidity. Long finish. Bought a couple of cases due to price last year and stated potential to age. I think I will wait another 12 months before opening another, but due to low price it really doesn't matter. It will be interesting to follow this wine over time.
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12/19/08 Artificial cork. Dark fruit nose, but ? A little funky. Not peppery like some Syrah can be. Lots of blueberry, with chocolate & a little graphite. Good length & complexity. Day2: Nose is better and more expressive. 88.
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Pretty deep red with a purple core. Blueberry, cedar, smoke, and spice nose. Cranberries and plums, a little sour cherry, OK acid, weak tannins, light to medium body, medium finish. Good integration, and still pretty good for the price.
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This has signficantly improved from my last bottle. Nose of cherry/dark fruits with well balanced taste in a medium body with a medium finish. Great QPR now. This is definitly evolving for the better and it will be interesting to see how good it gets.
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Dirt and mocha on the nose. Rich mouth of blueberries and chocolate malt (ovaltine) with good balance. Medium length finish. I have high hopes that this vintage will cellar well so may get even more points in a few years.
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Decanted for a copule of hours, whihc may have been my demise. Berries on the nose, but just a chewy mass of jammy black fruts on the palate. No complexity and reminded me a bit of wading though cough syrup. Fully expecting a hangover from this one. Seemingly there was potential, but I think I will prefer this served chilled. Will pop & pour next time, as it this price point, I want it to work.
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Seems to have come together nicely since the last time I've tried this. Good concentration of fruit and spice, with well balanced structure. Displays the spice of the Shiraz, with the cassis and structure of the Cab. Medium bodied and a good value.
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Still nice but quite simple. The nose is dark cherries with a touch of funk on the finish. The palate is once again dark fruits that transitions quickly to woodier elements and that fades away fairly quickly on the finish.
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Nice wine for $10. I catch some earth on the entry along with light spices. Muted dark fruits on entry evolve into dark fruit and plum midpalate. There is definately some of the spicyness from the shiraz on the finish. Again, at $10 a well integrated blend that is more interesting than most at the same price range.
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Deep red color; nose of berries and smoke and spice; medium body though well balanced with dark berries, some wood and earth, and more peppery spice; disappointing quick finish. A favorite everyday bottle for the price with enough going on to keep things interesting.
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color: raspberry jello before it gels; nose: alluring scent of leather -- the wine's best feature; taste: initial taste reveals pleasing dark fruit, medium mouthfeel, but finishes really rough and, sadly, without peppery tones; overall: flawed but quite enjoyable, reasonable value for the price ($8/bottle at Costco) -- OK but undistinguished choice for casual summer BBQ dinner on the deck or a weeknight wine
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TN sweet blackberry, peppery. Consistent. While Dr Jay Miller scores generously with most reviews, this super value (RP 91) is just bang on. I am thinking of buying another half case but I might get bored of this soon.
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I decided to try decanting this time and did half the bottle which was for the first night. Big mistake as what complexity it had blew off. Second night right out of the bottle was probably the best and third night we were down to grape juice. Second night was fruity with some acidity to make it interesting. I do not see Miller's 90 rating on this wine at all and after this and a couple of other wines now discount anything he rates. Just pour from the bottle and enjoy what $9 will bring.
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Shy at opening, not showing much. Opened up after several hours, earth and cocoa riding over the fruit. Some pepper, spice and wood. Not a fruit bomb. Nice acids, should go nice with meats and rich earthy dish. Good now (86), but I think this will gain complexity and do very well in 3-5 years. Might gain 5 pts. Buy and hold. At $8 a bargain.
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A note from memory. A good wine typical of the blend. This drank better on the second night which leads me to think it will benefit from some cellar time. I have been disappointed in the low end Penfolds range in the past, including the 2005 Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet, but this was better.
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Drank late after a night out. I recall rich fruit (mostly dark cherries & blue fruit), some smoke / pepper and wood. Rich palate, good dark red fruit & spice notes with firm tannins and strong acid (noticeable despite a fairly short finish). May not have been keen enough to rate, but I'm gonna anyway...83-85 is my best estimate.
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I've seen this on value lists for years and finally decided 2 check it out. I guess it is what I thought it wud be. Some wines will never be more then they are, and some should more but aren't because of something that goes wrong in nature or winemaking. If that makes sense, haha! But I think this is what it is. A mass produced wine that is consistent every year as daily drinker that will never be great but will probably never be horrible. It falls into the catagory of a "good" wine for me. You know.....a wedding wine. Haha, it some grapy notes w/chocolate, maybe some dusty spice, a hint of pepper some briar patch and weedy quality but a pretty good acidic finish. On the palate its not hollow but now vibrant either. Just average, which isn't entirely a bad thing I guess. Nothing 2 write home about but not something that I'd spit out. Again......it is what it is. Ok........this is the last time ill try 2 be philosophical.........well ......maybe. Haha
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Not good upon open at all. Thin, not a lot of fruit or interest. 83-84. What a difference some air made. Chocolate overtones start to emerge from this still tannic and slightly backward wine. Nice acidity as well. I appreciate the understated, old world style. Very compelling. Night 2 - more fruit emerges yet and held up really well with some of the same chocolate and tobacco but more fruit. Nice job Penfolds. Tastes kind of like a $15-$25 Bordeaux. 87-89.
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Aroma packed a grapey/foxy punch when first popped & poured; fortunately this seemed to blow off pretty quickly, exposing jam, currant, raspberry, plum, and a little leather. Strong brambley, briary fruit up front with a little tannin midpalate; had a little bit lighter texture, more evocative of Shiraz than Cabernet. Tannins were lower but noticeable, especially on the finish, which was peppery with spice and cloves. Fruity overall and mildly unbalanced, but I'll drink it all day long at $8-9 /bottle. Best consumed the first night opened; flattened out considerably the next day.
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Much like my previous TN on 7/18/07. However, this paired unexepectedly well with some homemade fajitas. Not too spicy, but the seasonings seemed to bring out the positive aspects of this wine (good fruit and tannic structure) and minimize the negative (reedy, green). Now, Day 2: more dark cherry, licorice, and dominating oak. The green streak is less evident. There actually might be more redeeming qualities to this wine than initially apparent. I'm not holding another one until 2020 (!!??) like Jay Miller/Wine Advocate suggests, but another 2 yrs might do wonders (like, 90pts).
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I am amazed at the pleasant unexpected surprises I find in some pretty cheap bottles. The QPR on this wine is great. Day 2 and the nose is full of fruit and spice that reaches out a good two feet from the glass. Deep red in color with a palate of dark fruit and hints of pepper. A relatively long finish... This is a great daily drinker!
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Here's the qualifier. When I first opened it, it was tannic, clumsy and very little fruit: 84 pts. After breathing 3 hours the fruit was large, melded with the tannins and was quite good: 90 pts. After 20 hours in the fridge and brought up to 65 degrees or so, there was absolutely no fruit - it was dead: 82 pts.
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After reading here, drank very little before pouring thru my vinturi. Initially tight and plastic/rubbery nose maybe from the synthetic cork with disappointing taste; however, after the vinturi this wine was peppery and earthen on the nose, with peppery palate and subtle dark fruit. Low tanins and complexity so I doubt this will age well. A pleasurable experience worth repeating for this price (I just bought more) but I am surprised by the 91 Wine Advocate rating.
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First try with lamb chops--not good. Could not find much flavor or fruit or aroma or aftertaste. Tart blueberry at best. The following night, with pork chops, it was drinkable, but nothing special. A not-that-cheap, bland red at best.
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A decent commercially well made wine. No sharp edges, soft tannin, a lot of fruits. Medium bodied. Hardly any complexity, although the bouquet is ok and makes you expect a bit more than it gives on the palate.
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13.5% alcohol. Not much on the nose but I'll tell you, I like this better than that (twice the price) '04 Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards shiraz I had the other night. It is cleanly made, not overly hot, with some pepper and nice blackberry notes.
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update on prior note. recorked it and let it sit for 2 days. much better now. rubber aroma and taste gone. now bright cherry, pepper, slightly tart. much more drinkable. finish medium. still decent acidity. perhaps Parker's tasting was of one that had been opened for a couple of days.
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Was something wrong with this bottle? Nose: rubber, muted cherry, earth Taste: still rubbery, some nice simple fruit tones, leather, decent acid, alcohol well integrated Let it breath in the glass for about 2 hours, no change. Have a few bottles, hope the others will be better.
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Tasted fruity initially, but the tannins and oak overwhelmed on the mid-palate and finish and hid the fruit. Seemed to improve over time after it was opened.
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Cherry pie nose. Oak galore. Some sweet cherry fruit enveloped in heavy, toasty oak. Admittedly not a big fan of the Shiraz Cab combo, this has simply too much oak.
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Nice cheap red. Darker fruit with some good tannic structure. The wine is decently balanced, and has some nice oak towards the end as well. Good party wine.
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Nice strawberry jam on the nose. Red fruits on the palate but the finish is all bitter tannins. This might go away with a bit of cellaring but is distracting right now.
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At under $10 this wine delivers for me. The nose had nice fruit and a little red soda (as in the generic cherry flavored soda). The fruit on the attack is balanced and the mid palate offered some black pepper, blueberry, and a little candy cane. Sure the finish is short and the wine is not terribly complex but at this price I think this wine is a home run (I bought it on sale for $7.99). I don't ask for much when buying wines that cost as much as this did, and this definitely caught me off guard in a pleasant way. Will buy again and I think it would pair really well with steak.
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Nose: Burned rubber; dark cherries; sandy earth; not smokey; not fruity
Taste: Cranberry-grape juice; a little bitter; blueberries; seems to fall apart in the mouth, but has muscle behind it; medium-to-heavy; not fruity
Finish: Relatively long; not spicy; not smooth; tannins aren't tame, but are not overpowering
Overall: A well made wine at $8.50, with no manipulation or fakeness about it; but this unbalanced wine loses on the lackluster nose and tastes; no real complexity to speak of; big and inky
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Worth drinking especially at $7.99. However, doesn't deserve the 91 point rating it got from Wine Advocate. Jay Miller rating not Robert Parker. However, I do really like this value oriented wine. Should age well surprisingly enough. Its dark purple in color. Should be even better in a few years. My only concern is that stupid plastic cork.
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Interesting nose, but nothing special. Considering it's only 25% Cabernet Sauvignon this is surprisingly tannic/bitter. It's "ok" but I won't buy it again even at $10. It's not bad, but it's not great either.
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Unfortunately, this bottle mirrored my previous bad experience with this wine from a couple of days ago as it was basically flavorless and absolutely too bitter to drink. I can only conclude that it is unlikely 2 separate bottles could be flawed in exactly the same way and that this is simply a bad tasting wine. We stuck the cork back in it and will convert it to cooking wine. Will never purchase again.
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A PENFOLDS classic that over-delivers quality at its modest price. A nose of black fruit, berry and currant, with a hint of blueberry and pepper. a palate that is well focused and structured, with an intense flavor,balanced oak and soft tannins.
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Popped and poured. Picked up on the blackberry aroma initially and that was about it. A dreadful experience on the palate as it was flavorless with a very bitter aftertaste. Day 2 it became so bitter that it was undrinkable and I poured the rest down the drain. Hope it was just a bad bottle and the 2nd one that I am storing fares better than the 1st. Thank goodness it was only $8...
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Dale Cruse's Blind Tasting Party: Very dark, dark red. Spicy, earthy nose with tree bark and raspberries. The mouth is creamy, peppery but well balanced. Finish is a little cut off.
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What a different experience compared to my last bottle. This bottle seemed thin and much more similar to the 05 vintage. I did not catch the spicy (black pepper?) notes that I loved in the last bottle. Decanted for 45+ minutes. Have a glass left over I will have tonight, if that glass changes my mind on anything, ill report back.
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Deep red color. Nose is primarily lilac/menthol. Sour fruit attack, followed by some biting acidity (mitigated by the cab vanilla/cassis influences) & stark peppery finish. Some vegetal notes. Softer and better than the KH Shiraz, but still nothing more than an everyday drinker.
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Poured this wine and drank right away.... Taste of Dark Chocolate, dark berries and oak. Great value, would purchase again for a "everyday" drinking bottle.
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Nice wine, ripe cassis, blueberry and tar on the nose. In the mouth, flavors on the nose carry through in a lush style. Overall a screaming qpr at the $7.99 I paid at costco. Perfect case wine for a party.
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On first opening and decanting, the flavors were almost bitter and undrinkable. I almost spit out my first taste. I tried over the next few hours, and while the bitterness dissipated and it became more drinkable, it was never a pleasant bottle. Dumped after 2-3 hours. From the notes here and friends' reports regarding this wine, I have to assume this was an off bottle. I'll pick up another elsewhere to give it another shot.
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Hard to find any fruit in the taste. Bland, sad, flat. Wanted to think the bottle was spoiled...but alas, it wasn't. Just absolutely nothing there. Rest down the drain.
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Popped and poured. Deep purple hue. Fruit forward aromas of blackberry, ripe strawberry, oak, and a hint of dark chocolate. Nicely concentrated, especially for the price, the texture is very smooth with well-balanced acidity and tannins. Flavors on the palate are similar to what the nose promises but also include cassis and a touch of green, no doubt from the Cabernet element. Coconut from the oak balances out the finish. Great QPR and good for short to mid-term cellaring...should be singing in 14-20 months from now.
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Drank over two nights. Went into this one thining it was going to be yellow tail crap, but it wasn't. For a $10 aussie, it wasn't terrible. Blueberry jam with hints of leather. Night two even had some graphite. The alcohol wasn't a problem and was kept in check by the fruit. Great pizza wine and the wife loved it. Will get more for throwdown bottles.
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Smoky, with plum and black fruit flavors. Not exactly a 90-pointer. This actually drinks better at room temperature than at 65 degrees for some reason.
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Works and decent value, though I prefer other choices in the $7-$10 range. Almost there, but just not integrated enough. 85 is probably a little bit of kindness but it completmented ground sirloin well.
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Dark purple, some heat on the nose, with dark fruit. On the first sip, overpowering blueberry, somewhat jammy. Morphed into more dark fruit, blackberry, smoke and spice. Too jammy for my taste, but some will enjoy.
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Aroma: oaky, dark berries; Taste: chalky, tobacco, subdued fruit with a fair amount of tannin initially and on the finish. Not much pepper. The cabernet really takes over, even though shiraz accounts for over 3/4 of the composition of the wine. Maybe best when paired with a steak? Drinking it by itself, it is not my cup of tea ( so to speak).
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Deep, viscous purples and reds in the glass. Spiced plums and dates on the nose. Velvety, jammy dark red fruit up front. Silky mid palate and a nice long spicy run out.
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Dark purple, lovely color, but does not follow through. Limited flavor. I heard RP rated it 90 which is hard to believe. Color and flavor indicates it can handle cellar time. Maybe the RP rating is based on potential.
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Popped and poured. Dark purple, big bouquet of dark fruit, sweet- almost candy like blueberries on the palate, fine tannins, but almost flabby. Decent finish. Overall a nice wine for $8, and I would try again.
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For the money, a great Shiraz for under $10 bucks...a great wine value. I think RP rates it 90 (???). I don't think it's a 90 pointer however... Spice, vanilla, and black berry on the nose and you can add that to the taste as well if you throw in a little gamey flavor and pepper. It's got a big alcohol kick to it however, hot. Let it decant at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
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Red/purple color. Rotting blackberry, blueberry, cumin, vanilla, and some funky smoked game on the nose. Hot. Currant, juicy boysenberry, and a distinct reedy vegetal element on the palate. Nice tannic grip and good acidity. Moderate finish with pepper and a bit of cream. Very drinkable. Not bad at all for the price.
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Blackberry and vanilla. Very woody, like chewing on bamboo. There was some slightly offensive acidity on the palate to go along with all the wood. Altogether though, not bad, especially at this price point. Decant next time.
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Very serviceable dry red wine. Definitely new-world, with the oak and chocolate, but not overwhelmingly so. Not sweet or syrupy. Good ripe, soft, enjoyable cassis, spice and red cherries. Good balance, but a bit short.
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Disappointingly lean and herbal, with no nose to speak of, muted flavors of currant and oak, and a flat finish. It opens up a bit after about an hour, but is still unimpressive. Unless this bottle was a fluke, I'm flabbergasted by the high ratings for this wine.
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I don't get the Jay Miller (Parker) hype on this. It is a decent wine, with hearty tannins and some acidity, so it should age well for 5-10 yrs., but what's the point? This is rather bland, astringent, and not particularly fruity. After a couple of hours, the blueberry and other fruits begin to emerge. It is the tannins and green stemminess that is mostly evident now, detracting from the overall experience. For the price ($8.99 at Costco), I can see buying a case and having it on hand as an everyday house wine, but nothing special.
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Really just not that impressive. Had a bit of a "green" element to it that wasn't too enjoyable. Aside from that, wine was less fruit forward than I expected, with a medium body that left something to be desired. Overall, not a bad wine--just not great, either.
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Solid vine, earthy nose with a hint of spice, dark purple color. Starts of acidly but opens up in the glass with time, strong berries, hint of vanilla and then a little spice. Stood up well to ribs and a spicy steak. May not be the most structured wine in the world but a $10 a pop - wouldn't expect it to be. Solid, dependable, drinkable.
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Loaded with red fruits such as raspberries and strawberries, and a bit of spice. Thankfully not an over-ripe ooze monster. A bit tight on the nose, but fleshy and plush on the palate, with soft structure. Easy drinking wine. Very nice QPR at $10.
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Poor stemware may have affected this, and although well made, it really came across as boring and mundane Aussie juice, nothing special at all, and at $16 a definite pass (82 Points).
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second bottle opened- I let it breathe for about 30 minutes and fruit comes through with okay structure, but a little thin- good nose and good finish- great every day drinking wine
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Not sure why people don't like this one so much -- not a lot of big risks but very well balanced and complex enough to benefit from age. Tastes like quality wine scaled-down, not supermarket wine scaled-up.
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It has been about 2 months since my last bottle, and this has improved a little. It is now at the point where I can actually tolerate more than one glass, without becoming totally board. It probably needs another 6 months, but I'm not sure. It's an okay wine for $7, but I probably wouldn't buy it again.
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not quite integrated yet and still a little tight, but opened up after a while- shows good balance between the shiraz and the Cab. Lovely dark color and should be better in a couple of years
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Nose is a bit modest. Tasted a little vegetal (and almost soapy) when first opened but rounded out after about 45 minutes. Shiraz is more subdued than expected with good balance from the cab. Mild berry flavors. Will be interesting to see how this wine ages in the bottle. I would not have a problem with serving this wine at a party.
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Oak and dark berries on the nose. Lots of oak and vanilla on the palate along with dark berries and a hint of chocolate. Fruit comes through a little more on the finish.
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Spent way to much on this bottle at a resaurant but luckily split the cost with a friend. Very dark color. The nose and palatte are both very oaky with a good amount of fruit. A little bit of spice. Good acidity and nice heavy mouthfeel. Not as much fruit as I was expecting and too much oak for me. Much better with food than alone. Would be a better value at retail price. Not bad.
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Deep purple in the glass, nose of dark berries and a hint of peppery spice. Juicy cherry/blueberry on the palate, medium-length finish. Not much going on here, reminded me of a glass of plain grape juice. Drinkable at this price, but there are definitely better to be found in this price range.
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Not overly extracted or consumed by too much sweetness, like many Aussie wines. Pleasant blueberry and cherry flavors, nice structure with decent tannins. I can see how this might age fairly nicely and even gain some complexity... if it hadn't been topped with a synthetic cork.
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Lots of berries and spice here...not as heavily extracted as I would've thought. However, it's pretty thin on the palate after it's seen some air. Of course, that seems counterintuitive, but yeah. Not horrible for the price, but not something I'd seek out again either.
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Dark purple, showing heavy extraction. Nice silky texture on the palate, though there isn't much flavor there...a hint of cherry. Finish is short. Needs air. Still a very good wine for the price.
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Nothing special here. The nose is the best part (mildly spicy, revealing at one point a faint BBQ sauce component). The taste is bland, thin and unremarkable. All in all, a cheap, non-offensive red wine. Glad I only bought two bottles.
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Dark purple fading to pink. Medium viscosity in the glass. Aromas of blueberry pie, generic/clove/pepper spice. Initial flavors dominated by the blueberry pie, also get some plum, followed by pepper and rubber; medium mouthfeel, mild tannins. Serviceable but nothing special, even taking the low price into account.
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Purchased as a single bottle this evening from ASDA for ~£5.50. The '06 was mixed in with several '05's which I've yet to try. After reading a very positive review on the online edition of the Wine Advocate (reviewed by J Miller - 91pts - drink 2010 to 2022+) I thought this was worth a punt given the price. Sealed with a synthetic cork. Popped and poured. Dark purple in the glass. The nose is appealing with aromas of blueberry, raspberry and cherry with a big dolop of chocolate and hints of pepper mixed in. The mid-palate appears thin, almost flavourless with a slightly salty edge. There appears to be no fruit concentration, no character, nothing to note. Dry, dusty tannins mark a slightly sour 40+ second peppery finish with (thankfully) some plum and berry flavour.
There are some components of this wine that I love - the nose, that pepper and the long finish, but it is bland and remarkable dull. WA91?
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surprising wine. Based on the price, i was not expecting much from it at all. the nose was a little muted, but nicely integrated tannins and tastes of dark fruits (berries) emerged after an hour or so. Based on price, I may buy a bunch to drink over the next few years.
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Crimson-purple; blackberries, black currants, smoked meat; berry, jammy, medium-full body, astringent tannins, decent finish. Jammy with some varietal character and very noticeable alcohol. Disappointing since the '04 was excellent. Ok for $16.35.
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This wine had an extremely yeasty nose. It was very difficult to get past the nose for me, just overpowering. The flavor profile was forgettable. Drank this out of plastic cups in a hotel room with no decanting so take it with a grain of salt I suppose. I have another bottle which I will try under better circumstances.
Second day was better, but nothing all that special.
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A nice wine! Decanted half an hour, drank over the next 1.5 hours. Nose brought a few components...some red pepper flake, plum and blueberry. A decent nose...nice that there are multiple aromas, but nothing to really dig into. Taste brought nice fruits throughout, a smooth feel followed by a short finish. Finish started gaining acid and tannin after being open about an hour, making it a little nicer. I enjoyed it most after being opened & decanted about an hour...then for the last hour it seemed to either lose some fruit or gain acid...just became a little less enjoyable. A good bottle, something I could buy again for $10 if wanting this style of smooth, rich tasting wine.
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At this price, I shouldn’t complain, but this was so boring. It was very straight forward and two dimensional. On the nose I got plums, berry pie, and a lot of oak which seemed to also dominate the taste. The first glass is smooth and very drinkable, but after that, it goes downhill fast.
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On the first day, this was like taking a sip of Shiraz and then a sip of Cabernet; it was not integrated. Over the next couple of days, the wine came together. I think it will continue to evolve over time (don't know about 30 years). Hard to beat for $8.
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I'm going to assume this will seriously improve with age, as I'm saving my other bottle for a while. The blend is decent with nice tannins and value is okay, but the buzz on this was a little overhyped.
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Pretty good but not a 91 by any means. Jay Miller is nuts. Still a solid value, but wasn't as memorable as the Thorne-Clarke Shotfire 2006 ($13) or various Spanish bottling in the $10-14 range.
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Decent grapey nose. touch of earth. Decent tannins that provide some grip. Well made, and over delivers for the price. I think the Koonunga line usually offers up good value, but I don't see this wine being any more impressive then prior efforts. Perhaps I should try it again in 30 years... 87-88
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7/15/2023 - Mr Laroux wrote:
Still drinking well.
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11/22/2022 - redz wrote: 85 Points
Drinkable, but getting a little funky
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7/1/2022 - robseconti@aol.com wrote: 88 Points
Moving the cellar. (Huge pain and a lot of sorrow, but I’ll survive). Found three of these and opened one not expecting very much. What a surprise. Softer and round than I remember it from a few years ago. No hard edges, decent structure from the cab. Not disappointed I have two more. Won’t disappoint.
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9/2/2021 - Quarked wrote: 89 Points
This bottle, at 15 years of age, was exactly where I was hoping it would end up. Fruit has mellowed into the background, alcohol is not evident at all, no sharp edges or tannins, just mature, smooth, tobacco and cedar.
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6/6/2020 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking great; probably the best $9 bottle you can buy & a favorite with burgers. Structure still there but fruit is fading. Drink up!
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10/11/2019 - doggman wrote: 87 Points
This was probably a better wine a few years ago. It’s not bad but it’s over the hill now.
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7/3/2019 - jayrod wrote: 89 Points
This humble bottle is still going, wish I had a few more to be honest. This has been a lot of fun to track over the years and we had this last bottle with burgers, quite a nice match.
I would suggest decanting a bit before consuming though.
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7/27/2018 - MWes wrote:
Past its prime. Prune and raisins.
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3/22/2018 - Moloko Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very smooth and enjoyable matured wine. Definitely drink now before it smooths out anymore
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2/18/2017 - jayrod wrote: 90 Points
PNP - Started as a stewed fruit forward and very smooth wine......this wine opened up to a smooth complex wine that paired well with cottage pie. I don't know how much longer this will last but will probably drink my last bottle soon.
Amazing that this inexpensive wine is maturing so gracefully.
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10/1/2016 - empire80 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Hint of black olive, fully mature and very enjoyable.
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7/17/2016 - Quarked wrote:
This is still drinking quite young, though it has come together considerably since its youth. There are still some unfortunate sharp edges, but those were mostly gone by the second night. Maybe I'll keep my 2 remaining bottles for another few years before opening. It's crazy that a wine this cheap could go this long.
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6/25/2016 - discoverwine Does not like this wine:
Past its prime.
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12/5/2015 - MGBJR Likes this wine: 88 Points
Think this is still holding up well. Full bodied, smooth. Definitely need to decant this, moderate level of sediment.
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7/3/2015 - prism wrote: 85 Points
Not a good bottle: Port-like, but not in a particularly good way. Too old, I'm thinking.
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6/4/2015 - 82Latour wrote: 86 Points
Popper and poured at room temp - would describe it as a hot mess. Actually couldn't finish it since wasn't good. Day 2 tasted much better. Maybe keep holding? I don't know. Puzzling wine - this is my last bottle and happy to be done with it.
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4/22/2015 - jayrod wrote: 89 Points
I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. While the wine in the glass seemed to beginning to show some age (slight brown rim) the wine in the glass was fantastic. Plenty of fruit, some mocha and lovely integrated tannins. I had a bottle of this when I first bought four and was a tad disappointed but it has really matured well and I think will drink well for a few more years.
Served with oxtail braised in a tomato sauce served over pasta, wonderful match!!!!
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3/23/2015 - MyWineTutor Likes this wine: 87 Points
Thought this would be way past it's prime being nine years old, but it still had pleasant black cherry, toast and vanilla bouquet and flavors with a nice long finish of dark plum, spice and smoke.
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2/8/2015 - empire80 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Opens up after decanting. Some tarry black fruit, liquorice and spice. Despite it slowly price I think this will still be drinking well on its 10th birthday.
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1/10/2015 - notudden wrote: 84 Points
I had saved this bottle as an experiment, and the result is that no you should not save this wine as long as I have done.
Not unpleasant to drink, but rather dull and uninteresting.
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9/3/2014 - Quarked wrote: 88 Points
Everything is cohering now, the oak and candied cherry/raspberry and almost-dusty tannins working together pretty harmoniously.
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8/24/2014 - garrigue65 wrote: 90 Points
Still going strong.
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8/19/2014 - phannenstiel wrote:
Done
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8/1/2014 - garrigue65 wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking well after closure several years ago.
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6/22/2014 - CiXel wrote: 82 Points
Drinkable. Not terrible, but not my favorite. Still had some life in it however
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6/6/2014 - garrigue65 wrote: 92 Points
Really drinking well now. My apologies to WS who said this would age well. Cherry and cola notes with balanced alcohol and tannins. Paired quite well with grilled red meat.
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12/20/2013 - garrigue65 wrote: 90 Points
This has evolved to a well balanced blend. Fruit forward with balanced tannins and integrated notes of smoke and leather. Glad I didn't gift the rest of my collection.
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10/31/2013 - prism wrote: 90 Points
Excellent Syrah/Cab blend for $10, and thus a stellar QPR. REALLY should have bought a case or two at that price point. Not complex, but rich and flavorful with great berry fruit flavors and a tolerable 13.5% alcohol content. Smooth, well integrated, balanced; drinks like a wine two or three times the price. Impressive.
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9/30/2013 - garrigue65 wrote: 89 Points
Drinking quite well. Good qpr.
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7/16/2013 - Quarked wrote:
I opened this next to an '06 Koonunga Hill "76" bottling to compare the two. On the first night the regular bottling (at 13.5% abv) was disjointed, hot, showing lots of fruit -- a real alcoholic mess. I would give it an 84 at best. The '76 bottling (at 14.5% abv) was smooth, showing muted fruit, with leather and cedar, and was very good, around an 88. But on night #2, the regular bottling had smoothed out and resembled the '76 on night #1. However, the '76 was even better, maybe 89. On night #3, the regular was again 24 hours behind the '76 bottling, but the '76 was outstanding, with the fruit showing itself through the smooth wood and earth, around 90-91. So, on any given night, I prefered the '76 bottling, but the regular just needed 24 hours of slow-ox to get it to a pretty similar point.
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4/9/2013 - Brsed wrote: 88 Points
Hey, not bad. Much better on Day 3. On Day 1 had a glass and the wine was bit harsh and disjointed. On Day 3 it is soft and rich with a terrific mouthfeel. Still excellent fruit and a deep dark black fruit cab / syrah profile. I think this is bottle 5 out of the two case experiment.
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3/15/2013 - garrigue65 wrote: 80 Points
Very unremarkable. Not objectionable, but really not great. Wine Spectator really hyped this wine inappropriately. I trust cellar tracker not to hype a wine. Does Wine Spectator take payola? Unfortunately I have 16 bottles left.
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11/16/2012 - garrigue65 wrote: 82 Points
nose of alcohol and no fruit. Brine and mineral notes ... may open up but not too enjoyable.... WS missed on this one.
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8/12/2012 - DR65DODGE wrote: 88 Points
Go with my earlier notes still very nice
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7/9/2012 - garrigue65 wrote: 81 Points
drinkable mono dimensional pizza wine
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5/21/2012 - nadwop wrote:
Book club
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5/18/2012 - garrigue65 wrote: 85 Points
Nothing special a good red with food.
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5/1/2012 - kmicho Likes this wine: 86 Points
A nice, simple, drinkable wine. Nothing dramatically exciting, but a good, solid, "goes with a lot" wine. Mostly ripe berries on the nose and palate. Maybe a little vanilla. Not overly complex. Good value for the price.
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4/15/2012 - nadwop wrote:
- Aromas of cherry and has flavours of cherry - Too much fruit. Had w/Debbie andPaul after Fiorellis
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3/13/2012 - Quarked wrote: 87 Points
On first night, candied cherry flavors, somewhat thin. Second night more leather, less fruit, slightly filled out.
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2/10/2012 - empire80 wrote: 86 Points
Smoky nose; quite young on the palate, warm but muted fruit, hints of spice and licorice. Good value for money but perhaps not up to some other vintages of this wine.
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1/28/2012 - KriLis wrote: 86 Points
Maybe a lesser vintage, as the fruit seems muted and the overall impression rather bland
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1/27/2012 - garrigue65 wrote: 80 Points
no nose with monodimenional fairly unremarkable
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12/27/2011 - Astjerne wrote: 89 Points
big, full peppy wine with lots of alcohol. Had it with a roast and that worked beautifully.
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12/1/2011 - chifred wrote: 86 Points
P&P, 68degrees
Deep purple. Blackberries, mocha and licorice, moderate nose. Medium to thing mouthfeel with tannins and oak predominating. Acid too, like tart cherries. Some stone and a little fruit. Restrained. Moderate finish. Does make you want to take another sip.
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10/31/2011 - Quarked wrote: 88 Points
This is bottle #2 in a 10-year experiment with aging Koonunga Hill, which my friends from Oz all claim is the best way to appreciate this wine. Tonight it was wild cherry from nose to palate, with a little molasses/tar thrown in for good measure. Very fruit forward, but tannins have nicely integrated. A little thin in the middle, and a too-short finish. But still, a nice wine for the money. Until next year ...
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10/12/2011 - prism wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured; vinturied. What a pleasant surprise that this $9.99 wine is so eminently drinkable. I've no experience with this wine on release--I bought a few bottles in May '08 -- but after a few years-plus sideways, the tannins are integrated, the perception of temperature is neutral, not hot, the blend of Cabernet and Shiraz is nicely balanced and the mouthfeel is plush. I think this is a great value and in hindsight could have done with laying down a couple of cases: one can really take this wine anywhere. A stellar QPR; Penfolds certainly knows what they're about. Day Four update, unrefrigerated, with two-thirds of the bottle remaining: berry flavors to the fore, mostly tart black raspberry, and still tasty.
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10/10/2011 - JoshA wrote: 85 Points
Tart berry fruit and bold, peppery, and tannic shiraz character make for a somewhat unbalanced wine.
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7/31/2011 - 82Latour wrote: 87 Points
Medium finish, Black fruits on the nose, but still has hot and heavy tannins. I was really expecting them to settle out by now, maybe they never will?
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7/25/2011 - Brsed wrote: 84 Points
A solid "good." Black fruits on the nose. Very fruit forward but there is an astringent element here that wasn't present when I first purchased the wine. I purchased 2 cases on a flyer as a experiment and thought I would see how these do over time. This is my fourth bottle and the experiment is far from over. The wine still seems very young but this is my least favorite bottle of the ones I have opened so far so let's see if this story turns around.
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5/17/2011 - bcmatthias wrote: 88 Points
Similar to previous note.
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5/16/2011 - garrigue65 wrote: 83 Points
some fruit on the nose, fairly hot with some astringent mouth feel, fairly unbalanced, may benefit from decanting. not certain about wine spectator's prediction of longevity to 2020.
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5/3/2011 - juneau bob wrote: 85 Points
Everyday indistinguishable quaffer
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4/23/2011 - tahaus wrote: 84 Points
It's a great bottle for what the price is, but I just don't understand the 90+ rating WA gives it... Great every day drinker, nice with pizza!
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2/4/2011 - bcmatthias wrote: 88 Points
Drinking really nicely now. Fruity with a nice softness. Time to drink remaining bottles.
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2/4/2011 - Troon Likes this wine: 86 Points
This was my last bottle. This isn't drinking too bad now. This is still a very fruit forward wine, but for $8 is a good deal. I would agree with those that say it might be a bit too sweet. The finish is still medium, which surprised me. I would say this wine could go another year, but I don't see it going until mid-decade.
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11/22/2010 - vinoceros wrote: 88 Points
The tart berry has evened out and there's more leather and dark fruit.
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7/9/2010 - scb05 wrote: 87 Points
Consistently below expectations - heavy fruit, bordering on a certain W-branded grape juice, wth little shiraz spice and flat on the nose. Good for the average drinker and/or a dinner party but definitely overrated by "those who know".
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7/5/2010 - mn47 wrote: 88 Points
Costaud, dans la lignée du petit verdot de Pirramimma. Beaucoup de présence au nez et surtout en bouche; dominé par l'olive Kalamata, il convient parfaitement bien à un souvlaki de porc avec patates grecques. Le lendemain, il s'est adouci.
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5/21/2010 - HOS Likes this wine: 87 Points
Popped and poured and the roller coaster continues. This bottle was very nice with muted fruit and good secondary flavors, Looks like my last bottle was the odd bottle out.
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4/25/2010 - RClinton wrote: 86 Points
A very good everyday wine especially for the cost. Very well balanced, nice blueberry nose. Penfolds is consistent year after year on this one.
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4/24/2010 - Clarkmeister wrote: 86 Points
Pretty good, needed a little air.
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4/22/2010 - Coleman wrote: 86 Points
Very fruity, both on the nose & palate. Jammy, maybe a little too much for me. 86. 3/16/10
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4/2/2010 - Troy McHenry wrote: 84 Points
Good value. The blend works well, but lacks the depth and well-roundness of others. Tannins are a little rough as well.
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4/1/2010 - shadow wrote: 89 Points
great wine for the money, easy to drink, doesn't fight the food, good go to wine
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3/28/2010 - Quarked wrote: 89 Points
Woodsy smells, with dark and smoky flavors up front, followed by raspberry behind. Nice finish. Well balanced drink. Koonunga Hill has a reputation for lasting for years, so I will test this with some of my remaining bottles. (Update: on the next several nights, I continued tasting and it just kept getting better. By 4th night, I finished it and it was still going strong. Wow!)
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3/18/2010 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 85 Points
The wine looks Purple colored.
The legs are Fast.
It smells like Black currant (cassis), and Forest floor.
It tastes like Raisin, Burnt, and Cedar.
The body is Medium/Full.
The wine is textured Coarse.
The wine finishes Medium.
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3/10/2010 - Obalde wrote:
nice nose of milk chocolate and a plum jam, with some hints of pepper. tastes of sweet blueberry compote/reduction. soft tannins that don't overpower.
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3/8/2010 - MjBorg55 wrote: 84 Points
Nice aroma; fruity not too dry with a good finish; very enjoyable and good with pasta and meat sauce; it didn't do very well with sweet; great value at this price and I'll drink it reguarly.
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3/3/2010 - cheetadad Likes this wine: 87 Points
A good everyday drinking wine. Consistent with very little variation. You always know what to expect. Good with burgers or pannini.
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2/23/2010 - Bunnstrom wrote: 85 Points
Recorked and finished the next day.
Smooth finish nice bouquet
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2/9/2010 - RClinton wrote: 86 Points
This is a nice everyday wine, easy drinking, pairs well with a variety of foods. Not exceptional, but certainly better than many other much more expensive wines that I have had and poured down the drain. Tasted raspberry, some tobacco, and a touch of mint. No overwhelming distinct smell, but not off putting whatsoever. This wine did not disappoint. I think its a great bargain at the pricepoint.
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2/4/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 83 Points
Big floral, mineral, blackberries and too acidic. Too much spice on the palate and not balanced. Over rated Mr. Miller.
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1/13/2010 - Brsed wrote: 88 Points
Again, this wine was much better on the second day. On the first day there was once again a vegetal taste with bitterness. On the second day, the vegetal/green streek was gone and tannins were reduced. I doubt this wine will make it over 90 but it's fine for an under $10 red with a little character that should age well in the mid term as I hope the green element goes away with time.
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1/8/2010 - 82Latour wrote: 90 Points
Wine pairs very well with spicy food.
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11/27/2009 - LelouchViBritannia wrote: 88 Points
Good, cheap, consistent. Raspberry nose and toasty on palate.
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11/25/2009 - rtd3 wrote: 87 Points
yummy!
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11/22/2009 - Tzamir wrote: 78 Points
Strong tannins led to less than ideal wine. Didn't enjoy and didn't finish bottle.
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11/15/2009 - MWes wrote:
Seemed very muted. Not as good as previous bottles.
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11/14/2009 - 82Latour wrote: 87 Points
Heavy tannis but lacking much fruit. Pairs well with food which makes it quite enjoyable. I think the heavy tannins allow for more aging, but will likely never turn into an outstanding wine.
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11/11/2009 - wboka wrote: 75 Points
Not a very good wine....seemed too strong, without good flavor. Just a punch in the face with tannins. I like tannic wine, but there has to be some balance. Perhaps I just got a bad bottle or I was having an off day, but I was not impressed.
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11/7/2009 - scb05 wrote: 88 Points
Surprisingly not living up to expectations. Clearly represented as a 91 PPoint wine but behaving closer to 89/88, perhaps a little lower. Could be a bad bottle and will retaste at a later date.
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11/3/2009 - Troon wrote: 86 Points
A good selection in this price range. Subtle fruit, barely a medium finish, but balanced. I purchased a few bottles, so I could try at different times. I am curious to see what this is like in 6 - 12 months.
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10/1/2009 - burnhard wrote: 87 Points
Purpurrote Färbung, leichter Wasserrand. Zu Beginn angenehmer Duft nach Nüssen, dann nach Kräutern, Leder und Zwetschken. Am Gaumen dunkle Frucht mit viel Würze, ausgeprägte Säure, ledrige Töne; etwas medizinischer Nachgeschmack. Kein spektakulärer Wein, aber doch etwas besser als nach den bisherigen Kommentaren erwartet.
50+5+13+14+5
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9/22/2009 - rrtims wrote: 86 Points
Very nice flavor. Very smooth and rich.
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9/18/2009 - HappyFunBall wrote: 86 Points
Raspberry on the front, fairly flat, but sustained middle, with increasing spice and light tannins throughout.
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9/5/2009 - srh wrote:
[Consumed @ a family gathering, so no formal notes.] Less intense than I remember 18-24 mos ago [when I also didn't take notes], though still QUITE pleasant! Nevertheless, IF you've any of this vintage remaining, I WOULD be SURE to drink it by the end of 2010 as it's **not** getting any better.
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8/26/2009 - HOS wrote: 82 Points
These bottles seems to be widely inconsistent or my tastes are. This bottle had muted fruit in a simple wine. Nothing bad but certainly not great. About what you can expect for $9.
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8/21/2009 - saribo wrote: 82 Points
Hmm, interesting. This was one of the first wines I really liked when I first started getting into wine a year or so ago. Humorous going back to it now. I'm really not digging it, and it doesn't match with my memories of other bottles. I'm getting a very south african type rubber on the nose. Palate is meh - no focus, slightly sour, lacking tannins. Reminds me of a Lindeman's South Africa Shiraz I had a while back, would have hoped for a little more from this.
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8/18/2009 - fdiz wrote: 90 Points
As good as I remember. Excellent nose, hints of berries and an earthy touch on the palate. Gentle finish.
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8/10/2009 - naimthattune wrote: 90 Points
This needs a minimum of 3 hours to interact with the atmosphere. If you drink it without letting it aerate properly it will suffer (as will you).
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7/28/2009 - RedLoverJim wrote: 88 Points
Upon opening, this bottle exhibited bright red fruit flavors with an underlying charcoal flavor. Baked berry pie and charcoal aromas come out on the nose after a while, as the fruit flavors fade and are dominated by the charcoal after a couple of hours. I'd rate this higher if the initial fruit flavors remained. The remaining charcoal flavors, while not unpleasant, are uninspiring. Drink this one quickly and it's more enjoyable.
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7/23/2009 - ylkim30 wrote:
Deep purple core with a violet/dark red rim. The nose has menthol, licorice, plum, and cassis. There was something almost medicinal about it. It has a standard dark fruit profile with some subtle chocolate and spice notes. A medium bodied wine with some lively acids, but it seemed a little hot. The fruit lingers lightly on a subtle finish with some bitterness on the backend. However, not particularly tannic nor fruit forward --- a solid, if rather innocuous wine.
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7/20/2009 - Tuffdawg wrote: 87 Points
Alway consistant. Simple, yet very enjoyable. Great QPR as it can regularly be purchased under 10 bucks.
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7/12/2009 - TannicBeast wrote: 88 Points
Big nose. Cassis, vanilla, spice. Medium bodied. Muted tannins. Tasty but rather simple blend which is probably close to its peak. Slightly thin and short finish, but overall a great QPR. Consistently good value.
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7/10/2009 - Texas Pete wrote: 86 Points
Tasty wine - real cheap price. I will surely buy some more.
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7/3/2009 - Brsed wrote: 88 Points
Score applies to day 2. On day 1, I did not like nearly as well as last year. It tasted muted and almost green--a bit of a weedy type overtone. On day 2, wine has opened quite a bit more and green element is gone. Nose of cassis and meat. Good fruit with raspberries and nice acidity. Long finish. Bought a couple of cases due to price last year and stated potential to age. I think I will wait another 12 months before opening another, but due to low price it really doesn't matter. It will be interesting to follow this wine over time.
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6/20/2009 - DR65DODGE wrote: 88 Points
Great value for the money, plan to buy more, Want to celler some
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6/18/2009 - Coleman wrote: 88 Points
12/19/08
Artificial cork. Dark fruit nose, but ? A little funky.
Not peppery like some Syrah can be. Lots of blueberry, with chocolate
& a little graphite. Good length & complexity.
Day2: Nose is better and more expressive. 88.
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6/17/2009 - merryberry wrote: 86 Points
Pretty deep red with a purple core. Blueberry, cedar, smoke, and spice nose. Cranberries and plums, a little sour cherry, OK acid, weak tannins, light to medium body, medium finish. Good integration, and still pretty good for the price.
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6/13/2009 - HOS wrote: 87 Points
This has signficantly improved from my last bottle. Nose of cherry/dark fruits with well balanced taste in a medium body with a medium finish. Great QPR now. This is definitly evolving for the better and it will be interesting to see how good it gets.
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6/12/2009 - geppetto wrote: 88 Points
Seems to have smoothed out since my last bottle. Nose of muted sawdust countered by cherry on the palate. Very enjoyable for so little money...
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5/25/2009 - tenorselbow wrote: 89 Points
Dirt and mocha on the nose. Rich mouth of blueberries and chocolate malt (ovaltine) with good balance. Medium length finish. I have high hopes that this vintage will cellar well so may get even more points in a few years.
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5/23/2009 - Lessthanzero wrote: 86 Points
Decanted for a copule of hours, whihc may have been my demise. Berries on the nose, but just a chewy mass of jammy black fruts on the palate. No complexity and reminded me a bit of wading though cough syrup. Fully expecting a hangover from this one. Seemingly there was potential, but I think I will prefer this served chilled. Will pop & pour next time, as it this price point, I want it to work.
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5/21/2009 - Mark in Seattle wrote: 88 Points
Very good wine for the price.
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5/18/2009 - vinoceros wrote: 88 Points
This bottle more tart, brambly flavors, which I'm not a big fan of. Nonetheless, still a good value.
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5/15/2009 - stevewinebets wrote: 88 Points
Starting to open up a bit- still alcoholic, but fruit coming through
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5/9/2009 - dirtyharry wrote: 85 Points
Excellent value @$8, but nowhere near the WA 91 rating. Lacks complexity & finish is weak
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5/2/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Seems to have come together nicely since the last time I've tried this. Good concentration of fruit and spice, with well balanced structure. Displays the spice of the Shiraz, with the cassis and structure of the Cab. Medium bodied and a good value.
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4/25/2009 - Bigsamsdad wrote: 86 Points
Decanted for about 3 hours. Decent QPR.
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4/24/2009 - pcarmich wrote: 86 Points
Still nice but quite simple. The nose is dark cherries with a touch of funk on the finish. The palate is once again dark fruits that transitions quickly to woodier elements and that fades away fairly quickly on the finish.
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4/21/2009 - csboarder23 wrote: 86 Points
Nice wine for $10. I catch some earth on the entry along with light spices. Muted dark fruits on entry evolve into dark fruit and plum midpalate. There is definately some of the spicyness from the shiraz on the finish. Again, at $10 a well integrated blend that is more interesting than most at the same price range.
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4/19/2009 - AustinDRC wrote:
Better this time around, but still nothing special.
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4/18/2009 - skoch wrote: 86 Points
Deep red color; nose of berries and smoke and spice; medium body though well balanced with dark berries, some wood and earth, and more peppery spice; disappointing quick finish. A favorite everyday bottle for the price with enough going on to keep things interesting.
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4/14/2009 - Epic Tale wrote: 84 Points
color: raspberry jello before it gels; nose: alluring scent of leather -- the wine's best feature; taste: initial taste reveals pleasing dark fruit, medium mouthfeel, but finishes really rough and, sadly, without peppery tones; overall: flawed but quite enjoyable, reasonable value for the price ($8/bottle at Costco) -- OK but undistinguished choice for casual summer BBQ dinner on the deck or a weeknight wine
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4/12/2009 - LelouchViBritannia wrote: 88 Points
TN sweet blackberry, peppery. Consistent.
While Dr Jay Miller scores generously with most reviews, this super value (RP 91) is just bang on. I am thinking of buying another half case but I might get bored of this soon.
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4/9/2009 - awinejourney wrote: 83 Points
Bright red/purple appearance. Yeasty nose.
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4/9/2009 - LelouchViBritannia wrote: 88 Points
Strawberry, chocolate, sweet. No noticeable flaw from start to finish. For the price, almost 90.
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4/5/2009 - MWes wrote: 88 Points
This wine is much more integrated the the bottle I had 1 year ago. I find this to be a great value for $8 and quite delicious.
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4/2/2009 - HOS wrote: 83 Points
I decided to try decanting this time and did half the bottle which was for the first night. Big mistake as what complexity it had blew off. Second night right out of the bottle was probably the best and third night we were down to grape juice. Second night was fruity with some acidity to make it interesting. I do not see Miller's 90 rating on this wine at all and after this and a couple of other wines now discount anything he rates. Just pour from the bottle and enjoy what $9 will bring.
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3/30/2009 - TBA wrote: 86 Points
Shy at opening, not showing much. Opened up after several hours, earth and cocoa riding over the fruit. Some pepper, spice and wood. Not a fruit bomb. Nice acids, should go nice with meats and rich earthy dish. Good now (86), but I think this will gain complexity and do very well in 3-5 years. Might gain 5 pts. Buy and hold. At $8 a bargain.
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3/26/2009 - hankj wrote: 85 Points
Pretty simple but nothing wrong with it and enough acid to age okay. I'm going to wait 90-110 years then try again.
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3/23/2009 - yui wrote: 85 Points
not bad, but nothing to write about. it was getting better as the night progressed.
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3/14/2009 - Vinoguy wrote: 89 Points
A note from memory. A good wine typical of the blend. This drank better on the second night which leads me to think it will benefit from some cellar time. I have been disappointed in the low end Penfolds range in the past, including the 2005 Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet, but this was better.
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3/13/2009 - cobbpa wrote: 84 Points
Drank late after a night out. I recall rich fruit (mostly dark cherries & blue fruit), some smoke / pepper and wood. Rich palate, good dark red fruit & spice notes with firm tannins and strong acid (noticeable despite a fairly short finish). May not have been keen enough to rate, but I'm gonna anyway...83-85 is my best estimate.
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3/11/2009 - bajayngo wrote: 84 Points
I've seen this on value lists for years and finally decided 2 check it out. I guess it is what I thought it wud be. Some wines will never be more then they are, and some should more but aren't because of something that goes wrong in nature or winemaking. If that makes sense, haha! But I think this is what it is. A mass produced wine that is consistent every year as daily drinker that will never be great but will probably never be horrible. It falls into the catagory of a "good" wine for me. You know.....a wedding wine. Haha, it some grapy notes w/chocolate, maybe some dusty spice, a hint of pepper some briar patch and weedy quality but a pretty good acidic finish. On the palate its not hollow but now vibrant either. Just average, which isn't entirely a bad thing I guess. Nothing 2 write home about but not something that I'd spit out. Again......it is what it is. Ok........this is the last time ill try 2 be philosophical.........well ......maybe. Haha
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3/11/2009 - winegr wrote: 88 Points
Not good upon open at all. Thin, not a lot of fruit or interest. 83-84. What a difference some air made. Chocolate overtones start to emerge from this still tannic and slightly backward wine. Nice acidity as well. I appreciate the understated, old world style. Very compelling. Night 2 - more fruit emerges yet and held up really well with some of the same chocolate and tobacco but more fruit. Nice job Penfolds. Tastes kind of like a $15-$25 Bordeaux. 87-89.
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3/9/2009 - naimthattune wrote: 87 Points
Too backward. Didn't give it enoough time to breathe, maybe ( 1hour).
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3/5/2009 - strikingvisage wrote: 84 Points
Aroma packed a grapey/foxy punch when first popped & poured; fortunately this seemed to blow off pretty quickly, exposing jam, currant, raspberry, plum, and a little leather. Strong brambley, briary fruit up front with a little tannin midpalate; had a little bit lighter texture, more evocative of Shiraz than Cabernet. Tannins were lower but noticeable, especially on the finish, which was peppery with spice and cloves. Fruity overall and mildly unbalanced, but I'll drink it all day long at $8-9 /bottle. Best consumed the first night opened; flattened out considerably the next day.
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3/5/2009 - Haggis wrote: 88 Points
Much like my previous TN on 7/18/07. However, this paired unexepectedly well with some homemade fajitas. Not too spicy, but the seasonings seemed to bring out the positive aspects of this wine (good fruit and tannic structure) and minimize the negative (reedy, green). Now, Day 2: more dark cherry, licorice, and dominating oak. The green streak is less evident. There actually might be more redeeming qualities to this wine than initially apparent. I'm not holding another one until 2020 (!!??) like Jay Miller/Wine Advocate suggests, but another 2 yrs might do wonders (like, 90pts).
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3/4/2009 - geppetto wrote: 89 Points
I am amazed at the pleasant unexpected surprises I find in some pretty cheap bottles. The QPR on this wine is great. Day 2 and the nose is full of fruit and spice that reaches out a good two feet from the glass. Deep red in color with a palate of dark fruit and hints of pepper. A relatively long finish... This is a great daily drinker!
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2/27/2009 - chipsalgen wrote: 81 Points
Ganska fruktigt men lite ointressant. Helt ok vardagsvin. Tveksam lagringspotential.
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2/24/2009 - naimthattune wrote: 90 Points
Here's the qualifier. When I first opened it, it was tannic, clumsy and very little fruit: 84 pts.
After breathing 3 hours the fruit was large, melded with the tannins and was quite good: 90 pts.
After 20 hours in the fridge and brought up to 65 degrees or so, there was absolutely no fruit - it was dead: 82 pts.
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2/12/2009 - dbsullivan wrote: 86 Points
Great value. Nice balance - enjoyed.
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2/11/2009 - wetzelmr wrote:
good, drinkable everyday type wine. Not bad, not spectacular
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2/7/2009 - noshvegas wrote: 85 Points
After reading here, drank very little before pouring thru my vinturi. Initially tight and plastic/rubbery nose maybe from the synthetic cork with disappointing taste; however, after the vinturi this wine was peppery and earthen on the nose, with peppery palate and subtle dark fruit. Low tanins and complexity so I doubt this will age well. A pleasurable experience worth repeating for this price (I just bought more) but I am surprised by the 91 Wine Advocate rating.
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2/4/2009 - grdnbrrtt wrote: 73 Points
First try with lamb chops--not good. Could not find much flavor or fruit or aroma or aftertaste. Tart blueberry at best. The following night, with pork chops, it was drinkable, but nothing special. A not-that-cheap, bland red at best.
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1/30/2009 - Zweder wrote: 83 Points
A decent commercially well made wine. No sharp edges, soft tannin, a lot of fruits. Medium bodied. Hardly any complexity, although the bouquet is ok and makes you expect a bit more than it gives on the palate.
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1/29/2009 - JimHow wrote: 87 Points
13.5% alcohol. Not much on the nose but I'll tell you, I like this better than that (twice the price) '04 Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards shiraz I had the other night. It is cleanly made, not overly hot, with some pepper and nice blackberry notes.
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1/24/2009 - uge123 wrote: 85 Points
update on prior note. recorked it and let it sit for 2 days. much better now. rubber aroma and taste gone. now bright cherry, pepper, slightly tart. much more drinkable. finish medium. still decent acidity. perhaps Parker's tasting was of one that had been opened for a couple of days.
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1/22/2009 - uge123 wrote: 79 Points
Was something wrong with this bottle?
Nose: rubber, muted cherry, earth
Taste: still rubbery, some nice simple fruit tones, leather, decent acid, alcohol well integrated
Let it breath in the glass for about 2 hours, no change. Have a few bottles, hope the others will be better.
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1/18/2009 - Rynoh wrote: 86 Points
Had some leftover the next day and it opened up significantly more than Day 1 when we popped and poured.
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1/17/2009 - Rynoh wrote: 84 Points
Tasted fruity initially, but the tannins and oak overwhelmed on the mid-palate and finish and hid the fruit. Seemed to improve over time after it was opened.
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1/14/2009 - cormyr wrote: 87 Points
great qpr for $9. this is the best vintage of this wine ive tasted yet. 87+
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1/13/2009 - wineward wrote: 83 Points
Cherry pie nose. Oak galore. Some sweet cherry fruit enveloped in heavy, toasty oak. Admittedly not a big fan of the Shiraz Cab combo, this has simply too much oak.
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1/12/2009 - Josh600 wrote: 84 Points
Inconsistent with previous bottles. Could be my palate, or perhaps the wine is already heading downhill.
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1/12/2009 - subtlet wrote: 89 Points
Nice cheap red. Darker fruit with some good tannic structure. The wine is decently balanced, and has some nice oak towards the end as well. Good party wine.
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1/8/2009 - 83ags wrote: 89 Points
Everyone enjoyed the dark fruit and tannins.
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1/7/2009 - neighborbill wrote: 84 Points
decent shiraz cab blend with decent fruit but no complexity.
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1/6/2009 - duckyfufu wrote: 88 Points
Nose of cedar box and dark fruits. Very dark garnet in color with clear rim. Upfront spices with plum and currant flavors. Very decent.
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1/6/2009 - prb352 wrote: 82 Points
Very jammy, agree with most of the notes...great with mild chocolate
drink now, don't agree with it aging well
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1/4/2009 - pcarmich wrote: 85 Points
Nice strawberry jam on the nose. Red fruits on the palate but the finish is all bitter tannins. This might go away with a bit of cellaring but is distracting right now.
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1/2/2009 - sichuanpeppercorn wrote: 85 Points
Basic fruit bomb with minor oak and boring midpalate. Fine for the $9 but not anything to work hard to find.
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1/2/2009 - pdrago wrote: 89 Points
At under $10 this wine delivers for me. The nose had nice fruit and a little red soda (as in the generic cherry flavored soda). The fruit on the attack is balanced and the mid palate offered some black pepper, blueberry, and a little candy cane. Sure the finish is short and the wine is not terribly complex but at this price I think this wine is a home run (I bought it on sale for $7.99). I don't ask for much when buying wines that cost as much as this did, and this definitely caught me off guard in a pleasant way. Will buy again and I think it would pair really well with steak.
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12/30/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 84 Points
Simple and a little grape-juicy, but plenty of fruit. Better than most wines in its price range.
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12/28/2008 - THA wrote: 79 Points
Nose: Burned rubber; dark cherries; sandy earth; not smokey; not fruity
Taste: Cranberry-grape juice; a little bitter; blueberries; seems to fall apart in the mouth, but has muscle behind it; medium-to-heavy; not fruity
Finish: Relatively long; not spicy; not smooth; tannins aren't tame, but are not overpowering
Overall: A well made wine at $8.50, with no manipulation or fakeness about it; but this unbalanced wine loses on the lackluster nose and tastes; no real complexity to speak of; big and inky
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12/27/2008 - docmckay wrote:
Worth drinking especially at $7.99. However, doesn't deserve the 91 point rating it got from Wine Advocate. Jay Miller rating not Robert Parker. However, I do really like this value oriented wine. Should age well surprisingly enough. Its dark purple in color. Should be even better in a few years. My only concern is that stupid plastic cork.
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12/24/2008 - nwbackpacker wrote: 78 Points
Interesting nose, but nothing special. Considering it's only 25% Cabernet Sauvignon this is surprisingly tannic/bitter. It's "ok" but I won't buy it again even at $10. It's not bad, but it's not great either.
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12/17/2008 - stubbie999 wrote:
Sweet, alcoholic, sappy, soft, flabby, and a correct and technically sound wine. No more for me.
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12/16/2008 - Rick B wrote: 70 Points
Unfortunately, this bottle mirrored my previous bad experience with this wine from a couple of days ago as it was basically flavorless and absolutely too bitter to drink. I can only conclude that it is unlikely 2 separate bottles could be flawed in exactly the same way and that this is simply a bad tasting wine. We stuck the cork back in it and will convert it to cooking wine. Will never purchase again.
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12/16/2008 - nvexplorer wrote: 90 Points
A PENFOLDS classic that over-delivers quality at its modest price. A nose of black fruit, berry and currant, with a hint of blueberry and pepper. a palate that is well focused and structured, with an intense flavor,balanced oak and soft tannins.
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12/14/2008 - Rick B wrote: 70 Points
Popped and poured. Picked up on the blackberry aroma initially and that was about it. A dreadful experience on the palate as it was flavorless with a very bitter aftertaste. Day 2 it became so bitter that it was undrinkable and I poured the rest down the drain. Hope it was just a bad bottle and the 2nd one that I am storing fares better than the 1st. Thank goodness it was only $8...
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12/13/2008 - rrtims wrote: 85 Points
Pretty good
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12/6/2008 - johnnyo wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine for the price. The finish is a little overly brambly
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12/1/2008 - stevewinebets wrote: 88 Points
Still tight, but more integrated- good fruit, a little too much alcohol- I think this will get better in about two years
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11/23/2008 - argento007 wrote:
Good easy drinker
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11/23/2008 - Sakedrinker wrote: 82 Points
Nice smell; fruity. Long legs. Smooth tannins; not complex; hint of sour. Better with foods.
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11/23/2008 - merryberry wrote: 88 Points
Not much on the nose upon opening. Smooth, good fruit, very nice from mid-palate to finish. Great QPR.
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11/22/2008 - ScottGoodwin wrote: 85 Points
Dale Cruse's Blind Tasting Party: Very dark, dark red. Spicy, earthy nose with tree bark and raspberries. The mouth is creamy, peppery but well balanced. Finish is a little cut off.
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11/21/2008 - AustinDRC wrote:
Meh.
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11/20/2008 - smguth3 wrote:
Pop and drop. Didn't need to open up. Nice fruit, enough tannin structure.
For 12 bucks. What a steal! A-/A
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11/17/2008 - csboarder23 wrote: 83 Points
What a different experience compared to my last bottle. This bottle seemed thin and much more similar to the 05 vintage. I did not catch the spicy (black pepper?) notes that I loved in the last bottle. Decanted for 45+ minutes. Have a glass left over I will have tonight, if that glass changes my mind on anything, ill report back.
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11/5/2008 - joefouche wrote: 85 Points
Deep red color. Nose is primarily lilac/menthol. Sour fruit attack, followed by some biting acidity (mitigated by the cab vanilla/cassis influences) & stark peppery finish. Some vegetal notes. Softer and better than the KH Shiraz, but still nothing more than an everyday drinker.
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11/4/2008 - MjB32 wrote: 89 Points
Poured this wine and drank right away.... Taste of Dark Chocolate, dark berries and oak. Great value, would purchase again for a "everyday" drinking bottle.
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11/3/2008 - bubbachumps wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine, ripe cassis, blueberry and tar on the nose. In the mouth, flavors on the nose carry through in a lush style. Overall a screaming qpr at the $7.99 I paid at costco. Perfect case wine for a party.
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10/24/2008 - RedLoverJim wrote: flawed
On first opening and decanting, the flavors were almost bitter and undrinkable. I almost spit out my first taste. I tried over the next few hours, and while the bitterness dissipated and it became more drinkable, it was never a pleasant bottle. Dumped after 2-3 hours. From the notes here and friends' reports regarding this wine, I have to assume this was an off bottle. I'll pick up another elsewhere to give it another shot.
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10/19/2008 - phantphant wrote: 75 Points
Hard to find any fruit in the taste. Bland, sad, flat. Wanted to think the bottle was spoiled...but alas, it wasn't. Just absolutely nothing there. Rest down the drain.
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10/17/2008 - *Vine* wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Deep purple hue. Fruit forward aromas of blackberry, ripe strawberry, oak, and a hint of dark chocolate. Nicely concentrated, especially for the price, the texture is very smooth with well-balanced acidity and tannins. Flavors on the palate are similar to what the nose promises but also include cassis and a touch of green, no doubt from the Cabernet element. Coconut from the oak balances out the finish. Great QPR and good for short to mid-term cellaring...should be singing in 14-20 months from now.
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10/17/2008 - polimeri wrote: 89 Points
Drank over two nights. Went into this one thining it was going to be yellow tail crap, but it wasn't. For a $10 aussie, it wasn't terrible. Blueberry jam with hints of leather. Night two even had some graphite. The alcohol wasn't a problem and was kept in check by the fruit. Great pizza wine and the wife loved it. Will get more for throwdown bottles.
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10/16/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 84 Points
Sharper than my last bottle, with less fruit. Maybe an off bottle?
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10/8/2008 - tthorn wrote: 84 Points
Smoky, with plum and black fruit flavors. Not exactly a 90-pointer. This actually drinks better at room temperature than at 65 degrees for some reason.
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10/7/2008 - Dean2 wrote: 88 Points
always a nice everyday drinking wine
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10/6/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 87 Points
Cherries, black fruit, blueberries, and wood. Surprisingly good for the price.
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10/4/2008 - jeremy_ross wrote: 88 Points
Well balanced, cherries, nice finish.
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10/1/2008 - philastem wrote: 85 Points
Works and decent value, though I prefer other choices in the $7-$10 range. Almost there, but just not integrated enough. 85 is probably a little bit of kindness but it completmented ground sirloin well.
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9/27/2008 - scb05 wrote: 88 Points
Not nearly as good as expected. Very drinkable, but not the reported 91 PP.
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9/27/2008 - ksmith wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple, some heat on the nose, with dark fruit. On the first sip, overpowering blueberry, somewhat jammy. Morphed into more dark fruit, blackberry, smoke and spice. Too jammy for my taste, but some will enjoy.
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9/22/2008 - donald71_1 wrote: 87 Points
Great everyday wine - light, fruity, easy.
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9/22/2008 - Epic Tale wrote: 84 Points
Aroma: oaky, dark berries; Taste: chalky, tobacco, subdued fruit with a fair amount of tannin initially and on the finish. Not much pepper. The cabernet really takes over, even though shiraz accounts for over 3/4 of the composition of the wine. Maybe best when paired with a steak? Drinking it by itself, it is not my cup of tea ( so to speak).
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9/13/2008 - 16% wrote: 90 Points
Deep, viscous purples and reds in the glass. Spiced plums and dates on the nose. Velvety, jammy dark red fruit up front. Silky mid palate and a nice long spicy run out.
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9/12/2008 - Laurence wrote: 83 Points
Dark purple, lovely color, but does not follow through. Limited flavor. I heard RP rated it 90 which is hard to believe. Color and flavor indicates it can handle cellar time. Maybe the RP rating is based on potential.
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9/10/2008 - green-steve wrote: 83 Points
Popped and poured. Dark purple, big bouquet of dark fruit, sweet- almost candy like blueberries on the palate, fine tannins, but almost flabby. Decent finish. Overall a nice wine for $8, and I would try again.
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9/10/2008 - R-T wrote: 88 Points
like a quality cotes du rhone. nice.
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9/7/2008 - tahaus wrote: 83 Points
For the money, a great Shiraz for under $10 bucks...a great wine value. I think RP rates it 90 (???). I don't think it's a 90 pointer however... Spice, vanilla, and black berry on the nose and you can add that to the taste as well if you throw in a little gamey flavor and pepper. It's got a big alcohol kick to it however, hot. Let it decant at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
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9/2/2008 - jsums wrote: 87 Points
Red/purple color. Rotting blackberry, blueberry, cumin, vanilla, and some funky smoked game on the nose. Hot. Currant, juicy boysenberry, and a distinct reedy vegetal element on the palate. Nice tannic grip and good acidity. Moderate finish with pepper and a bit of cream. Very drinkable. Not bad at all for the price.
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8/31/2008 - chimpanzee29 wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry and vanilla. Very woody, like chewing on bamboo. There was some slightly offensive acidity on the palate to go along with all the wood. Altogether though, not bad, especially at this price point. Decant next time.
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8/14/2008 - mdefreitas wrote: 88 Points
Very serviceable dry red wine. Definitely new-world, with the oak and chocolate, but not overwhelmingly so. Not sweet or syrupy. Good ripe, soft, enjoyable cassis, spice and red cherries. Good balance, but a bit short.
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8/6/2008 - WineontheBarrelhead wrote: 82 Points
Disappointingly lean and herbal, with no nose to speak of, muted flavors of currant and oak, and a flat finish. It opens up a bit after about an hour, but is still unimpressive. Unless this bottle was a fluke, I'm flabbergasted by the high ratings for this wine.
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8/4/2008 - Rex66 wrote: 85 Points
Decent cellar defender. Black fruit, creosote nose that continues on the palate. Abrupt, nondescript finish.
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7/23/2008 - stevewinebets wrote: 86 Points
Shiraz overpowers the Cab and not integrated yet
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7/20/2008 - Hueg wrote: 89 Points
Very good, but just doesn't quite get to the next level.
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7/18/2008 - wordstar wrote: 85 Points
certainly drinkable, but not as good as others in this class.
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7/18/2008 - Haggis wrote: 87 Points
I don't get the Jay Miller (Parker) hype on this. It is a decent wine, with hearty tannins and some acidity, so it should age well for 5-10 yrs., but what's the point? This is rather bland, astringent, and not particularly fruity. After a couple of hours, the blueberry and other fruits begin to emerge. It is the tannins and green stemminess that is mostly evident now, detracting from the overall experience. For the price ($8.99 at Costco), I can see buying a case and having it on hand as an everyday house wine, but nothing special.
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7/17/2008 - Moby Vino wrote: 88 Points
I gave this an 85, hubby gave it a 91. It was nice and juicy, finish a bit weak, but a bit too much like grape juice for me. Maybe with time?
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7/11/2008 - cwaltonhouse wrote: 88 Points
Really just not that impressive. Had a bit of a "green" element to it that wasn't too enjoyable. Aside from that, wine was less fruit forward than I expected, with a medium body that left something to be desired. Overall, not a bad wine--just not great, either.
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7/8/2008 - Josh600 wrote: 90 Points
Superbly drinkable. Incredible value.
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7/6/2008 - JLudeman wrote: 90 Points
Outstanding bottle with loads of fruit and spice.
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7/4/2008 - R-T wrote: 86 Points
Good rich fruit, nice wine once it was open for more than a day. This one could sit a bit.
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6/30/2008 - matt2brad wrote: 88 Points
Solid vine, earthy nose with a hint of spice, dark purple color. Starts of acidly but opens up in the glass with time, strong berries, hint of vanilla and then a little spice. Stood up well to ribs and a spicy steak. May not be the most structured wine in the world but a $10 a pop - wouldn't expect it to be. Solid, dependable, drinkable.
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6/30/2008 - csboarder23 wrote: 86 Points
Outstanding wine. Loved the earthy flavors that were mixed in with the spicyness of the shiraz. Cant wait to try another bottle.
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6/19/2008 - vardaman wrote: 91 Points
Easily out matches 15$ bottles.
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6/10/2008 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 Points
Loaded with red fruits such as raspberries and strawberries, and a bit of spice. Thankfully not an over-ripe ooze monster. A bit tight on the nose, but fleshy and plush on the palate, with soft structure. Easy drinking wine. Very nice QPR at $10.
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6/10/2008 - mdominic wrote: 90 Points
This wine is still tight. Hold it for 5+ years and I think you will have a 91-94 point wine.
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6/9/2008 - nob8dnkr wrote: 88 Points
drank much too late in the evening, but it was tasty.
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6/7/2008 - Tarrant wrote: 82 Points
Poor stemware may have affected this, and although well made, it really came across as boring and mundane Aussie juice, nothing special at all, and at $16 a definite pass (82 Points).
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6/5/2008 - stevewinebets wrote: 88 Points
second bottle opened- I let it breathe for about 30 minutes and fruit comes through with okay structure, but a little thin- good nose and good finish- great every day drinking wine
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5/31/2008 - hankj wrote: 89 Points
Not sure why people don't like this one so much -- not a lot of big risks but very well balanced and complex enough to benefit from age. Tastes like quality wine scaled-down, not supermarket wine scaled-up.
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5/31/2008 - whartnel wrote: 87 Points
Tight nose with raspberries and blueberries. Good QPR.
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5/24/2008 - nob8dnkr wrote: 86 Points
eh. if it was not cheap I would not buy it. Good wine for the wife :)
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5/20/2008 - winenewb068 wrote: 84 Points
A better bottle than the last. Drank over two days. Some fruit, but not a whole lot of structure to it. Decent for the price I suppose.
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5/18/2008 - texaswino wrote: 88 Points
dinner with lamb chops. Good pairing. Decent wine for the price point with good fruit and a touch of mint.
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5/15/2008 - maxmanx wrote: 87 Points
Nothing special, but still a good value for the price.
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5/14/2008 - Patches wrote: 86 Points
It has been about 2 months since my last bottle, and this has improved a little. It is now at the point where I can actually tolerate more than one glass, without becoming totally board. It probably needs another 6 months, but I'm not sure. It's an okay wine for $7, but I probably wouldn't buy it again.
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5/13/2008 - stevewinebets wrote: 88 Points
not quite integrated yet and still a little tight, but opened up after a while- shows good balance between the shiraz and the Cab. Lovely dark color and should be better in a couple of years
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5/12/2008 - DOF wrote: 88 Points
Fruity, smooth, not too complex. Excellent blend with best of both grapes coming through. Will definitely buy again; incredible QPR.
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5/11/2008 - Brsed wrote: 87 Points
Nose is a bit modest. Tasted a little vegetal (and almost soapy) when first opened but rounded out after about 45 minutes. Shiraz is more subdued than expected with good balance from the cab. Mild berry flavors. Will be interesting to see how this wine ages in the bottle. I would not have a problem with serving this wine at a party.
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5/5/2008 - matthewjhale wrote:
Oak and dark berries on the nose. Lots of oak and vanilla on the palate along with dark berries and a hint of chocolate. Fruit comes through a little more on the finish.
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5/2/2008 - matthewjhale wrote:
Spent way to much on this bottle at a resaurant but luckily split the cost with a friend. Very dark color. The nose and palatte are both very oaky with a good amount of fruit. A little bit of spice. Good acidity and nice heavy mouthfeel. Not as much fruit as I was expecting and too much oak for me. Much better with food than alone. Would be a better value at retail price. Not bad.
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5/1/2008 - pmurz wrote: 82 Points
Deep purple in the glass, nose of dark berries and a hint of peppery spice. Juicy cherry/blueberry on the palate, medium-length finish. Not much going on here, reminded me of a glass of plain grape juice. Drinkable at this price, but there are definitely better to be found in this price range.
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4/25/2008 - Old_Winyards wrote: 88 Points
Not overly extracted or consumed by too much sweetness, like many Aussie wines. Pleasant blueberry and cherry flavors, nice structure with decent tannins. I can see how this might age fairly nicely and even gain some complexity... if it hadn't been topped with a synthetic cork.
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4/23/2008 - MountainMak wrote: 87 Points
great for the value. med body, nice clean finish.
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4/18/2008 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 92 Points
RP says 91 but the Oblong Table votes higher at 92. Sshhh don’t tell anyone until I own another case. (92)
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4/15/2008 - winenewb068 wrote: 83 Points
Lots of berries and spice here...not as heavily extracted as I would've thought. However, it's pretty thin on the palate after it's seen some air. Of course, that seems counterintuitive, but yeah. Not horrible for the price, but not something I'd seek out again either.
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4/15/2008 - timdrex wrote: 87 Points
Lacking much character. A good buy for the money, however.
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4/14/2008 - Gulelin wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple, showing heavy extraction. Nice silky texture on the palate, though there isn't much flavor there...a hint of cherry. Finish is short. Needs air. Still a very good wine for the price.
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4/14/2008 - epml wrote: 86 Points
disappointing considering the reviews. Glad I didnt buy a case
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4/10/2008 - CDStrombom wrote: 88 Points
Medium-bodied with good acidity. Dark chocolate and ripe strawberries on the nose and palate. Medium finish with lingering taste of fresh cherries.
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4/10/2008 - Unseth wrote: 82 Points
Nothing special here. The nose is the best part (mildly spicy, revealing at one point a faint BBQ sauce component). The taste is bland, thin and unremarkable. All in all, a cheap, non-offensive red wine. Glad I only bought two bottles.
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4/5/2008 - jmcmchi wrote: 88 Points
Soft, juicy with lots of depth. Stood up well to more expensive peers
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4/1/2008 - joncohen wrote: 85 Points
Dark purple fading to pink. Medium viscosity in the glass. Aromas of blueberry pie, generic/clove/pepper spice. Initial flavors dominated by the blueberry pie, also get some plum, followed by pepper and rubber; medium mouthfeel, mild tannins. Serviceable but nothing special, even taking the low price into account.
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3/29/2008 - Vinoguy wrote: 80 Points
Purchased as a single bottle this evening from ASDA for ~£5.50. The '06 was mixed in with several '05's which I've yet to try. After reading a very positive review on the online edition of the Wine Advocate (reviewed by J Miller - 91pts - drink 2010 to 2022+) I thought this was worth a punt given the price. Sealed with a synthetic cork. Popped and poured. Dark purple in the glass. The nose is appealing with aromas of blueberry, raspberry and cherry with a big dolop of chocolate and hints of pepper mixed in. The mid-palate appears thin, almost flavourless with a slightly salty edge. There appears to be no fruit concentration, no character, nothing to note. Dry, dusty tannins mark a slightly sour 40+ second peppery finish with (thankfully) some plum and berry flavour.
There are some components of this wine that I love - the nose, that pepper and the long finish, but it is bland and remarkable dull. WA91?
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3/29/2008 - zblang wrote: 90 Points
surprising wine. Based on the price, i was not expecting much from it at all. the nose was a little muted, but nicely integrated tannins and tastes of dark fruits (berries) emerged after an hour or so. Based on price, I may buy a bunch to drink over the next few years.
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3/23/2008 - ColinR wrote: 85 Points
Crimson-purple; blackberries, black currants, smoked meat; berry, jammy, medium-full body, astringent tannins, decent finish.
Jammy with some varietal character and very noticeable alcohol. Disappointing since the '04 was excellent. Ok for $16.35.
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3/20/2008 - dartboard wrote: 80 Points
This wine had an extremely yeasty nose. It was very difficult to get past the nose for me, just overpowering. The flavor profile was forgettable. Drank this out of plastic cups in a hotel room with no decanting so take it with a grain of salt I suppose. I have another bottle which I will try under better circumstances.
Second day was better, but nothing all that special.
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3/19/2008 - cobbpa wrote: 85 Points
A nice wine! Decanted half an hour, drank over the next 1.5 hours. Nose brought a few components...some red pepper flake, plum and blueberry. A decent nose...nice that there are multiple aromas, but nothing to really dig into. Taste brought nice fruits throughout, a smooth feel followed by a short finish. Finish started gaining acid and tannin after being open about an hour, making it a little nicer. I enjoyed it most after being opened & decanted about an hour...then for the last hour it seemed to either lose some fruit or gain acid...just became a little less enjoyable. A good bottle, something I could buy again for $10 if wanting this style of smooth, rich tasting wine.
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3/19/2008 - ras2006 wrote: 83 Points
Same as the last bottle. Good for the price, a simple table wine, fruit forward.
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3/7/2008 - Patches wrote: 86 Points
At this price, I shouldn’t complain, but this was so boring. It was very straight forward and two dimensional. On the nose I got plums, berry pie, and a lot of oak which seemed to also dominate the taste. The first glass is smooth and very drinkable, but after that, it goes downhill fast.
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3/6/2008 - MWes wrote: 88 Points
On the first day, this was like taking a sip of Shiraz and then a sip of Cabernet; it was not integrated. Over the next couple of days, the wine came together. I think it will continue to evolve over time (don't know about 30 years). Hard to beat for $8.
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2/29/2008 - ras2006 wrote: 83 Points
Nice wine for price, good fruit and tannin.
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2/23/2008 - Archaegeo wrote: 85 Points
OK on own. Very good with smoked gouda.
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2/6/2008 - jaydanahy wrote: 85 Points
I'm going to assume this will seriously improve with age, as I'm saving my other bottle for a while. The blend is decent with nice tannins and value is okay, but the buzz on this was a little overhyped.
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2/4/2008 - mwagner7700 wrote: 86 Points
Tasted exactly like Welches Grape Juice, just with some heat from the alcohol.
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1/26/2008 - tigerpaw75 wrote: 87 Points
Pretty good but not a 91 by any means. Jay Miller is nuts. Still a solid value, but wasn't as memorable as the Thorne-Clarke Shotfire 2006 ($13) or various Spanish bottling in the $10-14 range.
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1/24/2008 - hutch wrote: 87 Points
Decent grapey nose. touch of earth. Decent tannins that provide some grip. Well made, and over delivers for the price. I think the Koonunga line usually offers up good value, but I don't see this wine being any more impressive then prior efforts. Perhaps I should try it again in 30 years... 87-88
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12/29/2007 - Hi-Ho-Silver wrote: 85 Points
This was somewhat disappointing after all the hype it has gotten. A nice low cost Shiraz/Cab blend that is no better or worse than previous vintages.
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