still going strong. Age has helped smooth out the wine. Fruit forward but the oak has integrated and there is a balance of acidity and tannins. Gave this an hour decant.
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Wow, a very beautiful and delicious wine. We popped and then decided to decant which was a good call. It doesn't need to sit long. Dark cherries on the nose - graphite and pepper mid palette and a nice long full finish.
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Deep and dark syrah, poured through venturi into decanter, let sit for a while. Great nose, deep black fruit and spice right away. Taste, very nicely integrated now, black fruits on the taste, signature syrah spice to it, medium finish. Good stuff
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This bottle was different than the last one. didn't decant, ran through venturi. Nice nose and taste, a little more acidic then previous bottle. Over time, deep black fruit converted to more cherry flavored, softer but still nice
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Decanted about an hour, big and bold syrah nose out of bottle and decanter. Deep and dark color, but will admit, as others have written, HEAVY blackberry flavor, which was nice, but overpowered everything else and made it one-dimensional. But, over time, blackberry flavor mellowed and was much more integrated and balanced with tannins and acids. I ended up really enjoying towards second half of bottle, simply recommend you give this some time and match it up well with some food (rack of lamb)! Enjoy
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Popped and poured through a Vinturi, drank over 3 hours. I have to go with tooch on this one. Much different than my notes from the winery. Pretty one dimensional, blackberry bomb, not real elegance - drank heavy. Heat. Disappointed given I enjoy their wines typically.
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Tasted at winery: Favorite between '08 syrah, '07 Grand Ciel and this. Liked the 06 a touch better but not sure if solely b/c it has had another year of life. Dad liked '07 better. Smooth and not as tannic as the signature syrah. Berries, flowers. Complex and powerful, needs more time.
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Day 1 in Woodinville (Woodinville, WA): Very dark nose filled with jammy blueberries, blackberries, warm spices and roasted herbs. The palate is very dense and heavy exhibiting far less elegance and balance than their 2008 Doyenne Syrah I tasted alongside. The winery describes the palate of this wine as being "mind-bendingly jam-packed with blackberry liqueur..." and I would happen to agree. Sadly, I didn't think these flavors were balanced. The finish had a bunch of heat too. Not my style of wine.
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A friend and I tasted this at the winery on 3/5/11. It had a terrific assertive bouquet of herb, spice, cocoa, blackberry, plum and vanilla aromas. The palate was balanced, elegant and ultra smooth with flavors that followed the nose.
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We drank this with friends on 10/17/10 (a great pairing with Venison Stew). It had a fabulous bouquet of herb, spice, pepper, pomegranate and berry aromas. The palate was extremely smooth and well balanced with flavors of herbs, spice, pepper, plum, and berries. It was very elegant and polished…unanimous WOTN…terrific stuff! 93+
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Outstanding wine! This was tasted after the Betz release party. This is ready to drink right now compared to the Betz Rhones varietals. Warm site Syrah that is just down right delicious.
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Nose initially showing chocolate, plum sauce, fruit cake, black berries. After 15 min: Butchers floor, mixed red berries, marzipan biscuit. Then roasted herbs, garrique, lavender and a hint of smoke. 30 min: Cherries and a hint of clove and pepper. The palate is acid driven, elegant and versatile, but also very soft and pleasing. The wine is very open at this stage and the nose really complex. So well made.Overall a very well focused and elegant, Cornas-inspired Syrah in a good drinking window now, but with power and complexity for cellaring 15 years+
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12/5/2022 - Sour Grapes Likes this wine: 92 Points
still going strong. Age has helped smooth out the wine. Fruit forward but the oak has integrated and there is a balance of acidity and tannins. Gave this an hour decant.
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7/20/2018 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Smooth and silky. Plums and cherries give way to earth and leather.
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1/28/2017 - WAWINEFAN wrote: 94 Points
Wow, a very beautiful and delicious wine. We popped and then decided to decant which was a good call. It doesn't need to sit long. Dark cherries on the nose - graphite and pepper mid palette and a nice long full finish.
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6/21/2014 - mlawren1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fresh and lively. Layers of plums and cherries with an earthy core.
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4/2/2014 - stormygirl wrote: 90 Points
absolutely gorgeous wine! drinking very well right now with a 1+hour decant
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12/1/2013 - mlawren1 wrote: 94 Points
Cherries and plums burst from the glass. Finishes with a firm, earthy finish.
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4/21/2013 - GHL wrote: 94 Points
It tastes like Black Pepper, Mineral, Cherry, and Red Currant.
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12/24/2012 - W2WineGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep and dark syrah, poured through venturi into decanter, let sit for a while. Great nose, deep black fruit and spice right away. Taste, very nicely integrated now, black fruits on the taste, signature syrah spice to it, medium finish. Good stuff
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11/16/2012 - W2WineGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was different than the last one. didn't decant, ran through venturi. Nice nose and taste, a little more acidic then previous bottle. Over time, deep black fruit converted to more cherry flavored, softer but still nice
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9/30/2012 - W2WineGuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted about an hour, big and bold syrah nose out of bottle and decanter. Deep and dark color, but will admit, as others have written, HEAVY blackberry flavor, which was nice, but overpowered everything else and made it one-dimensional. But, over time, blackberry flavor mellowed and was much more integrated and balanced with tannins and acids. I ended up really enjoying towards second half of bottle, simply recommend you give this some time and match it up well with some food (rack of lamb)! Enjoy
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3/3/2012 - cpsmith33 wrote: 86 Points
Popped and poured through a Vinturi, drank over 3 hours. I have to go with tooch on this one. Much different than my notes from the winery. Pretty one dimensional, blackberry bomb, not real elegance - drank heavy. Heat. Disappointed given I enjoy their wines typically.
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7/5/2011 - cpsmith33 wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at winery: Favorite between '08 syrah, '07 Grand Ciel and this. Liked the 06 a touch better but not sure if solely b/c it has had another year of life. Dad liked '07 better. Smooth and not as tannic as the signature syrah. Berries, flowers. Complex and powerful, needs more time.
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6/16/2011 - tooch wrote: 82 Points
Day 1 in Woodinville (Woodinville, WA): Very dark nose filled with jammy blueberries, blackberries, warm spices and roasted herbs. The palate is very dense and heavy exhibiting far less elegance and balance than their 2008 Doyenne Syrah I tasted alongside. The winery describes the palate of this wine as being "mind-bendingly jam-packed with blackberry liqueur..." and I would happen to agree. Sadly, I didn't think these flavors were balanced. The finish had a bunch of heat too. Not my style of wine.
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3/5/2011 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
A friend and I tasted this at the winery on 3/5/11. It had a terrific assertive bouquet of herb, spice, cocoa, blackberry, plum and vanilla aromas. The palate was balanced, elegant and ultra smooth with flavors that followed the nose.
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10/17/2010 - garambler wrote: 94 Points
We drank this with friends on 10/17/10 (a great pairing with Venison Stew). It had a fabulous bouquet of herb, spice, pepper, pomegranate and berry aromas. The palate was extremely smooth and well balanced with flavors of herbs, spice, pepper, plum, and berries. It was very elegant and polished…unanimous WOTN…terrific stuff! 93+
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9/12/2010 - emdub wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding wine! This was tasted after the Betz release party. This is ready to drink right now compared to the Betz Rhones varietals. Warm site Syrah that is just down right delicious.
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12/19/2009 - Bunch wrote: 94 Points
Nose initially showing chocolate, plum sauce, fruit cake, black berries. After 15 min: Butchers floor, mixed red berries, marzipan biscuit. Then roasted herbs, garrique, lavender and a hint of smoke. 30 min: Cherries and a hint of clove and pepper. The palate is acid driven, elegant and versatile, but also very soft and pleasing. The wine is very open at this stage and the nose really complex. So well made.Overall a very well focused and elegant, Cornas-inspired Syrah in a good drinking window now, but with power and complexity for cellaring 15 years+
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