As others have noted, I would expect this to hold up a little bit better than it has. Was hot when I first opened it up, but when brought to a neighbors home and retasted 45 minutes later, the heat blew off. While flat and lacking the heft or depth I expect, it did add some weight over time. Drink up in a crowd setting.
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Cork broke upon opening. Used to find sieve by the glass rather than decant. Poured inky black but shows the nose and body of an aged wine. 90 minutes after opening the wine has a little stewed fruit and herb on the nose. Crosses the palate with a nice balance thats just a little light on fruit but has a cleansing touch with enough acid to break through tonites rack of lamb,
Overall nice but the finish is a little shorter and shallower than typically expected from a Foley wine, especially a PS.
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Outstanding, full bodied wine with great concentration, strong structure, beautiful focus and long aftertaste. Delicate sweetness on entry is balanced by very good acidity and a little dry in aftertaste Highly recomended. Such wines like this petite sirah from Spring Mountain vineyard may be stunnig and very similiar in style to mountain versions of Napa cabernets for a fraction of price. As I am big fan of cabernet sauvignon I certainly put more attention to petite sirah wines, they deserve it.
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Last time I had this wine was in February of 2009, I still remember the taste and finish, it was so remarkable. Fast forward to today, almost nine and a half years!!! This wine didn't disappoint: Still deep, purple color, still pronounced nose of black cherry, plums, cedar, minerals, cured meat, leather and of course BLACK PEPPER!!! On the palate it is savory, dry with medium plus acidity, medium plus tannins, high alcohol, medium plus body with pronounced flavor intensity of black cherries, plums, pepper, leather, cured meats, cedar. The finish is satisfying and long. This wine is still developing!!! It is drinking very well now but has potential for at least 5 more years of aging.
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Still very deep color, blackberries, currants, licorice, and leather in the nose. Blackberries, black cherries, spice, and a hint of earthiness in the flavor. Full bodied with nice tannins and a long smooth finish.
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Followed over 2 days. Not decanted. Wine smoothes out nicely with just 30 mins of air in the bottle or glass. Dark, inky purple color as expected with a PS. Nose isn't particularly revealing though there is some earth, tea and leather evident. Though still rich, full and tannic, the wine has an approachable softness that makes it easy to drink. Meat, smoke, leather are the dominant fruits in a strong wine that akin to a heavyweight boxer's hand wrapped up in a velvet glove. No rush on this one.
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This wine was an interesting play. This was an attempt to single vineyard bottle. Initially I think people reacted negatively, why two bottling? Much was said about the blend being better than the two standing alone. With some age this turns out to be a fine wine, and I would say that it is equal to the other PS wines from Robert Foley. As to whether it was a deconstructed blend, or a matter of an additional source, never asked Bob!
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Inky, deep, black/purple wonder. It's got no hard edges, and just loads of black fruits. Not stewy or overdone, just a perfect accompaniment to bucatini all' Amatriciana.
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Very dark in the glass with a strong viscous texture. Nose is not particularly revealing. There's richness but the fruit is tough to pin, leather and smoke are apparent and there's a grassiness to it that seems to fit. The front is rich but, again its bramble and stems with only hints of some blackberry. There isn't much mid-palate presence but the finish is long and full of the tannins that should let this wine age quite a while longer. This is no fruit bomb, but much more classic ager that surely hasn't hit its peak yet.
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I did not enjoy this on pop and pour, with some air or on night 2 after VinVac. To me it was unbalanced with the alcohol too apparent. Some black fruit but just not that enjoyable.
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Big fruit on the nose. Wonderful blackberry and blueberry. Vanilla too. Amazing palate of pepper, black fruit, and blueberry. Long finish with pepper and fruit. Strong tannins. Needs food for sure. Went down superbly with filet mignon.
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Drunk w/o decanting with spaghetti and meatballs from the local pizzeria. Superb wine: the color of ink, explosion of fruit and chocolate flavors, smooth and thick, almost syrupy, but a complex, minute-long finish. This is Foley at his best.
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I'm a little puzzled about some of the aging comments related to this wine, some of the tannin comments. I pulled this for an evening game of poker, it really got no decant. Initially, started off with a good dose of milk chocolate bar, which subsided with time and with air, the wine picked up some additional nuance. However, in the end, I told my pal Robo that I was disappointed that I paid 60 plus t/s for the bottle, as for that price point, the QPR is pretty upside down. Good petite, but for this price, not all that great.
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Too young and mouth puckering to drink at this point despite a 4 hour decant but still oh so good, can't imagine this in 3-5 years. Dark purple, full bodied, slightly thick and almost syrupy but not in a cloying fashion. Nose big, bold, dark and filled with blueberry and mocha, still quite tannic with primary flavors of chocolate, blueberry and black pepper. Too expensive to be any kind of a reasonable QPR wine but really recommend this for lovers of big PS. If drunk now needs a long decant and big meat, not the slightly wimpier dinner we paired it with.
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Blueberry and black pepper; violets and plums. Inky dark. Mouth puckering, but not overwhelming and more drinkable now than some of Foley's other Petite Sirah of similar vintage.
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Deep dark red color with blueberry, white pepper and cedar notes. This wine is still young. It will be interesting to see how this continues to evolve.
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Big and dark. Blueberry, cherry, and camphor nose, with concentrated, sweet blueberries and a touch of smoke/cedar in the mouth. Open and accessible now with intriguing tannins--some sips soft, some firm, some chalky/dusty, some sips super smooth and elegant.
Would wait on the next bottle. 90+ -JRS
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Super dark purple, almost black in color. Very big wine, but actually softer and more approachable than I was expecting. Dark fruit, some cocoa or chocolate and slight pepper on the finish, but nothing huge. Tannins are still noticeable, but it's a great good wine. Once again, Foley has never let me down.
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I've held since purchase, drinking the Muscleman first. As for this Pepperland, this is a big boy, in the Foley style. Pepper....I can see that, but not to the degree necessarily of naming the wine for it. This is a dark, fairly rich berried wine, with some vanilla bean and after about 90 mins open, a pretty acessible palate. Add some dark raspberry, espresso and dark chocolate bar and there you have it. All the things I like in a petite sirah, all here. And as a point final on this wine, after an overnight sit in the bottle, the last 1/3rd I enjoyed this evening and the wine is pretty soft and drinkable. Is not near the weight or structure of some of the other Foley's, for sure not the 2006 Switchback. Decant a bit and enjoy now.
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Coming back to this wine six months after my first note I found it to have softened slightly, but still display vibrant, primary aromatics of white pepper, plum and spiced fruit cake. Medium bodied with tannins that still need some time to integrate, this still offers great persistence of fruit on the palate. (For whatever its worth, at a staff tasting, one or two wait staff said this was 'the best wine they had ever had.')
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Thick and syrupy, this is a gorgeous purple color and, frankly, is just fun to look at in the glass. Primary aromas leap out - violet, plum, concord grape, blackberry and white pepper - and persist almost to the finish. Still young, this is tightly wound, and tannic, though the tannins here are astringent, never turning the tiniest bit bitter. The heavy oak that Parker noted is nowhere to be found.
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Surprisingly elegant for a Foley petite sirah and not as hot as some of his other projects, which generally need a longer decant. Decanted 10 hours, this was almost syrah like with notes of dark ripened fruit, white pepper, and meat. Fatty with huge tannins yet well balanced and wonderful lengthy finish. Paired excellent with beef short ribs. Wouldn't be surprised if this scores in the mid-90s.
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6/5/2022 - Wineshington wrote: 91 Points
Highest I have ever rated a PS. Single vineyard and well made. Good timing but still has more to go.
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1/18/2021 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 88 Points
As others have noted, I would expect this to hold up a little bit better than it has. Was hot when I first opened it up, but when brought to a neighbors home and retasted 45 minutes later, the heat blew off. While flat and lacking the heft or depth I expect, it did add some weight over time. Drink up in a crowd setting.
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12/15/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Expected more from a 14 yo Foley wine. On the full-bodied side but pretty one dimensional.
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6/28/2020 - ogres3 wrote:
Didn't really get to drink much. Initially a bit stringent, OK purple fruit, not much of a nose or finish. Can't really rate.
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9/16/2019 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cork broke upon opening. Used to find sieve by the glass rather than decant. Poured inky black but shows the nose and body of an aged wine. 90 minutes after opening the wine has a little stewed fruit and herb on the nose. Crosses the palate with a nice balance thats just a little light on fruit but has a cleansing touch with enough acid to break through tonites rack of lamb,
Overall nice but the finish is a little shorter and shallower than typically expected from a Foley wine, especially a PS.
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9/7/2019 - jsebiri wrote:
Another bottle , this was more secondary , still enjoyable
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9/5/2019 - jsebiri wrote:
Wow that is nice , deep purple , fruit , 13 years and 30$.....started to draw out some secondary aroma after an hour . Drink up!
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9/1/2019 - Joealex Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding, full bodied wine with great concentration, strong structure, beautiful focus and long aftertaste. Delicate sweetness on entry is balanced by very good acidity and a little dry in aftertaste
Highly recomended.
Such wines like this petite sirah from Spring Mountain vineyard may be stunnig and very similiar in style to mountain versions of Napa cabernets for a fraction of price.
As I am big fan of cabernet sauvignon I certainly put more attention to petite sirah wines, they deserve it.
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8/5/2018 - vpoms wrote: 93 Points
Last time I had this wine was in February of 2009, I still remember the taste and finish, it was so remarkable. Fast forward to today, almost nine and a half years!!! This wine didn't disappoint: Still deep, purple color, still pronounced nose of black cherry, plums, cedar, minerals, cured meat, leather and of course BLACK PEPPER!!! On the palate it is savory, dry with medium plus acidity, medium plus tannins, high alcohol, medium plus body with pronounced flavor intensity of black cherries, plums, pepper, leather, cured meats, cedar. The finish is satisfying and long. This wine is still developing!!! It is drinking very well now but has potential for at least 5 more years of aging.
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10/6/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very deep color, blackberries, currants, licorice, and leather in the nose. Blackberries, black cherries, spice, and a hint of earthiness in the flavor. Full bodied with nice tannins and a long smooth finish.
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3/9/2017 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Followed over 2 days. Not decanted. Wine smoothes out nicely with just 30 mins of air in the bottle or glass. Dark, inky purple color as expected with a PS. Nose isn't particularly revealing though there is some earth, tea and leather evident. Though still rich, full and tannic, the wine has an approachable softness that makes it easy to drink. Meat, smoke, leather are the dominant fruits in a strong wine that akin to a heavyweight boxer's hand wrapped up in a velvet glove. No rush on this one.
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11/26/2016 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Always love the PS from Robert Foley!
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9/4/2016 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine was an interesting play. This was an attempt to single vineyard bottle. Initially I think people reacted negatively, why two bottling? Much was said about the blend being better than the two standing alone. With some age this turns out to be a fine wine, and I would say that it is equal to the other PS wines from Robert Foley. As to whether it was a deconstructed blend, or a matter of an additional source, never asked Bob!
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11/23/2014 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderfully rich and decadent black berry, cassis, and chocolate on the nose and palate with chewy tannins and peppery spice on the long finish.
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8/23/2014 - winestem wrote: 95 Points
Inky, deep, black/purple wonder. It's got no hard edges, and just loads of black fruits. Not stewy or overdone, just a perfect accompaniment to bucatini all' Amatriciana.
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5/27/2013 - drycab Likes this wine:
It needs a few more years in bottle before it is fit to drink!
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5/8/2013 - TK Mastres wrote: 91 Points
Very dark in the glass with a strong viscous texture. Nose is not particularly revealing. There's richness but the fruit is tough to pin, leather and smoke are apparent and there's a grassiness to it that seems to fit. The front is rich but, again its bramble and stems with only hints of some blackberry. There isn't much mid-palate presence but the finish is long and full of the tannins that should let this wine age quite a while longer. This is no fruit bomb, but much more classic ager that surely hasn't hit its peak yet.
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3/6/2013 - PSUSteve Does not like this wine: 88 Points
I did not enjoy this on pop and pour, with some air or on night 2 after VinVac. To me it was unbalanced with the alcohol too apparent. Some black fruit but just not that enjoyable.
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7/24/2012 - mister wine wrote: 93 Points
Big fruit on the nose. Wonderful blackberry and blueberry. Vanilla too. Amazing palate of pepper, black fruit, and blueberry. Long finish with pepper and fruit. Strong tannins. Needs food for sure. Went down superbly with filet mignon.
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2/26/2012 - juneau bob wrote: 89 Points
Dark jammy fruit nose. Tannins are strong but not overpowering. Served with pork and fennel. Very food friendly.
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2/6/2012 - Fishboy wrote: 90 Points
Consistent notes
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12/13/2011 - wino31 wrote: 96 Points
Drunk w/o decanting with spaghetti and meatballs from the local pizzeria. Superb wine: the color of ink, explosion of fruit and chocolate flavors, smooth and thick, almost syrupy, but a complex, minute-long finish. This is Foley at his best.
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5/14/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
I'm a little puzzled about some of the aging comments related to this wine, some of the tannin comments. I pulled this for an evening game of poker, it really got no decant. Initially, started off with a good dose of milk chocolate bar, which subsided with time and with air, the wine picked up some additional nuance. However, in the end, I told my pal Robo that I was disappointed that I paid 60 plus t/s for the bottle, as for that price point, the QPR is pretty upside down. Good petite, but for this price, not all that great.
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12/7/2010 - ikkaariainen wrote: 91 Points
Too young and mouth puckering to drink at this point despite a 4 hour decant but still oh so good, can't imagine this in 3-5 years. Dark purple, full bodied, slightly thick and almost syrupy but not in a cloying fashion. Nose big, bold, dark and filled with blueberry and mocha, still quite tannic with primary flavors of chocolate, blueberry and black pepper. Too expensive to be any kind of a reasonable QPR wine but really recommend this for lovers of big PS. If drunk now needs a long decant and big meat, not the slightly wimpier dinner we paired it with.
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9/23/2010 - brianngibson wrote: 91 Points
Blueberry and black pepper; violets and plums. Inky dark. Mouth puckering, but not overwhelming and more drinkable now than some of Foley's other Petite Sirah of similar vintage.
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3/21/2010 - Fishboy wrote: 90 Points
Deep dark red color with blueberry, white pepper and cedar notes. This wine is still young. It will be interesting to see how this continues to evolve.
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2/28/2010 - CdP in NYC wrote: 90 Points
Big and dark. Blueberry, cherry, and camphor nose, with concentrated, sweet blueberries and a touch of smoke/cedar in the mouth. Open and accessible now with intriguing tannins--some sips soft, some firm, some chalky/dusty, some sips super smooth and elegant.
Would wait on the next bottle. 90+ -JRS
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12/23/2009 - marcw23 wrote: 91 Points
Super dark purple, almost black in color. Very big wine, but actually softer and more approachable than I was expecting. Dark fruit, some cocoa or chocolate and slight pepper on the finish, but nothing huge. Tannins are still noticeable, but it's a great good wine. Once again, Foley has never let me down.
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10/31/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
I've held since purchase, drinking the Muscleman first. As for this Pepperland, this is a big boy, in the Foley style. Pepper....I can see that, but not to the degree necessarily of naming the wine for it. This is a dark, fairly rich berried wine, with some vanilla bean and after about 90 mins open, a pretty acessible palate. Add some dark raspberry, espresso and dark chocolate bar and there you have it. All the things I like in a petite sirah, all here. And as a point final on this wine, after an overnight sit in the bottle, the last 1/3rd I enjoyed this evening and the wine is pretty soft and drinkable. Is not near the weight or structure of some of the other Foley's, for sure not the 2006 Switchback. Decant a bit and enjoy now.
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7/28/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 92 Points
Coming back to this wine six months after my first note I found it to have softened slightly, but still display vibrant, primary aromatics of white pepper, plum and spiced fruit cake. Medium bodied with tannins that still need some time to integrate, this still offers great persistence of fruit on the palate. (For whatever its worth, at a staff tasting, one or two wait staff said this was 'the best wine they had ever had.')
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1/24/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 92 Points
Thick and syrupy, this is a gorgeous purple color and, frankly, is just fun to look at in the glass. Primary aromas leap out - violet, plum, concord grape, blackberry and white pepper - and persist almost to the finish. Still young, this is tightly wound, and tannic, though the tannins here are astringent, never turning the tiniest bit bitter. The heavy oak that Parker noted is nowhere to be found.
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12/21/2008 - kanab ram wrote:
Surprisingly elegant for a Foley petite sirah and not as hot as some of his other projects, which generally need a longer decant. Decanted 10 hours, this was almost syrah like with notes of dark ripened fruit, white pepper, and meat. Fatty with huge tannins yet well balanced and wonderful lengthy finish. Paired excellent with beef short ribs. Wouldn't be surprised if this scores in the mid-90s.
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