Impenetrable color. Sweet nose with vanilla and creamy fruit and spices. Very hot wine as expected with 18.5 percent alcohol. Decent acidity though. Vanilla Pudding nuance. An experimental wine that shows what happens when the boardaries are exceeded. One glass is enough! Use as after dessert by the fire.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
There‘s plenty of dark ripe fruit and spices, there‘s a well measured acidity to handle all the fruit, there’s a solid round and soft tannin structure but there‘s 18.5% alcohol too. Seems well made but it’s definitely more a liqueur than a red wine. Served chilled enough and with some cheese this might work well... as port wine placeholder.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Important note first: I opened the bottle two days before the drinking date and then decanted it three hours before drinking. This very solid dose of oxygen really transformed the wine from a dark, alcoholic, porty monster into something very enjoyable. Full bodied (of course!), blueberries, eucalypts, well integrated sweet wood and polished tannins are enough to balance the alcohol. So much going on, but all very balanced. It was a lovely companion to our roast lamb with loads of garlic. I'd think peak drinking right now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Judy Blue's Over the River & Through the Old Wines Event (Judith's House, WI): Very dark purple/red color. PNP, followed a glass over an hour plus. This appears to have run its course, and now the 18.5%ABV and heavy handed wood has hamstrung the weakening blackberry liqueur fruit. Not really something that is drinkable at this point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Afternoon (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): First shock, the label: 18 ½ % alcohol. Is this an Aussie Port? Second shock, the alcohol did not jump out on nose or palate! Appearance suggests a deep dark brooding wine. Rather unusual nose funky, eucalyptus, earthy; just seems atypical, can’t put my finger on it. Very full bodied, viscous rich mouth feel; suggestive of an old Tawny
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Afternoon (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Purple red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. I vaguely remember having had this in the past. Somehow the shockingly high 18.5% ABV slipped my memory. I will say it is fairly remarkable how it hides most of the alcohol. There is some on the back end of the palate, but not nearly what you might expect. That being said, it is what you might expect in terms of a very ripe, liqueurish type of wine. On the nose: milk chocolate, blackberry liqueur, blackberry, port-like, kirsch, pepper and a little alcohol. The palate is dense and chewy, tons of glycerin, black raspberry and blackberry liqueur, chocolate, very ripe, pepper and wood with a little alcohol again on the end. Might have been better with some BBQ to pair with, as it was, only the creamy Cambazola blue could cut through it. Reminds me of Amarone as well as Port. 88+pts.
Difficult to rate this wine as it is SO high in alcohol (18.5%). Black as the night and fiery in the mouth, this has hyper-ripe syrah fruit, and earthy American oak. This is as close to a new world Amarone as I have tried, and like these wines, it will prove equally difficult to match to food. It certainly did not work with a braise of lamb shanks - a dish that one would imagine could be a reasonable match for a rich, ripe and high alcohol wine. Currently unbalanced (and I imagine that age may not improve this) and tiring to drink. There is an aspect of the wine that is fun and there is certainly high-quality fruit and wine making here, but pushing syrah to these alcohol levels seems to court imbalance. I can understand tasters rating this as outstanding and it is a "good" wine, but the lack of balance leads me to be a little rough, in terms of score. I hope (possibly in vain) that this may come into some equilibrium with time. I will give it a decade. (79+- 90+???)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Perfect cork. Dark garnet. Surprisingly light, red fruit nose. Tannic, raisiny, intense but not complex. Prominent bitterness. Overpowered by 18.5% alcohol. I can't see how it could further evolve or improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jan's Birthday of "No Particular Significance" (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Purple color. Decanted for an hour. Drank 1 glass over an hour paired with some wonderful bbq baby back ribs and drank again 2/15/14. The nose has the requisite minty quality, blackberry liqueur, blueberry liqueur, dark chocolate, spice, oak and tar. The palate is full bodied, lots of glycerin, viscous, blackberry liqueur, blueberry liqueur, pepper, spices, dark chocolate, that follows into a black and blue fruit stained finish clouded by some oak and alcohol. There is much to like here and it was much better 48 hours later, as the alcohol had toned down significantly as had the oak. This drinks like port, and at 18.5% it's pretty close. Score is from 2/15/14 tasting. Will settle with some air time, but I don't think this will get better. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed it with a friend of mine over a game of 500. The nose is big lots of dark berries, oaky flavour, abricots and spicy nots of black pebber. The tast is full bodied, creamy texture, black current, black berries, cassis, bonfire, loads of abricots. After finishing half a bottle, we both felt a little light headed and no wonder, the wine containes 18,5% in alcohol. But all in all a really tasty and interesting wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Whoa--jammy and hot--one of those "pour the Ketel One over the blackberry compote" shiraz. Felt like I was drinking Robitussin. But yet, I really like the taste of Tussin, and there are way worse ways to cop a buzz. :) PS: The fruit is very good, otherwise I'd have scored it much lower.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple coloring. Nose of black fruit with a hint of apricot undoubtedly due to the power of suggestion from the label. Tastes of blackberry and blueberry. Ripe and extracted with way too much alcohol and oak treatment. Imbalanced but does have some good acidity. Very full bodied with a medicinal finish of raspberries. Quite tiring on the palate to drink. 18.5% alcohol!!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/18/2020 - ephorn wrote: 89 Points
Impenetrable color. Sweet nose with vanilla and creamy fruit and spices. Very hot wine as expected with 18.5 percent alcohol. Decent acidity though. Vanilla Pudding nuance. An experimental wine that shows what happens when the boardaries are exceeded. One glass is enough! Use as after dessert by the fire.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2018 - Cailles wrote: 85 Points
There‘s plenty of dark ripe fruit and spices, there‘s a well measured acidity to handle all the fruit, there’s a solid round and soft tannin structure but there‘s 18.5% alcohol too. Seems well made but it’s definitely more a liqueur than a red wine. Served chilled enough and with some cheese this might work well... as port wine placeholder.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2018 - Hilzi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Important note first: I opened the bottle two days before the drinking date and then decanted it three hours before drinking.
This very solid dose of oxygen really transformed the wine from a dark, alcoholic, porty monster into something very enjoyable. Full bodied (of course!), blueberries, eucalypts, well integrated sweet wood and polished tannins are enough to balance the alcohol. So much going on, but all very balanced. It was a lovely companion to our roast lamb with loads of garlic.
I'd think peak drinking right now
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2017 - rocknroller wrote:
Judy Blue's Over the River & Through the Old Wines Event (Judith's House, WI): Very dark purple/red color. PNP, followed a glass over an hour plus. This appears to have run its course, and now the 18.5%ABV and heavy handed wood has hamstrung the weakening blackberry liqueur fruit. Not really something that is drinkable at this point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2017 - Crumbled cork wrote: 84 Points
Vanilla, caramel and christmas pudding.
Almonds and toasted roses.
18.5%, If it can last without the alcohol becoming overbearing it could do very well. But I feel it may overwhelm the wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2017 - DLeeds Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep, intense flavor, got better and better as it aired.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2017 - robertgf wrote: 90 Points
Friday Afternoon (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)):
First shock, the label: 18 ½ % alcohol. Is this an Aussie Port?
Second shock, the alcohol did not jump out on nose or palate!
Appearance suggests a deep dark brooding wine. Rather unusual nose funky, eucalyptus, earthy; just seems atypical, can’t put my finger on it. Very full bodied, viscous rich mouth feel; suggestive of an old Tawny
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 88 Points
Friday Afternoon (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Purple red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. I vaguely remember having had this in the past. Somehow the shockingly high 18.5% ABV slipped my memory. I will say it is fairly remarkable how it hides most of the alcohol. There is some on the back end of the palate, but not nearly what you might expect. That being said, it is what you might expect in terms of a very ripe, liqueurish type of wine. On the nose: milk chocolate, blackberry liqueur, blackberry, port-like, kirsch, pepper and a little alcohol. The palate is dense and chewy, tons of glycerin, black raspberry and blackberry liqueur, chocolate, very ripe, pepper and wood with a little alcohol again on the end. Might have been better with some BBQ to pair with, as it was, only the creamy Cambazola blue could cut through it. Reminds me of Amarone as well as Port. 88+pts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
7/8/2016 - Marc wrote: 79 Points
Difficult to rate this wine as it is SO high in alcohol (18.5%). Black as the night and fiery in the mouth, this has hyper-ripe syrah fruit, and earthy American oak. This is as close to a new world Amarone as I have tried, and like these wines, it will prove equally difficult to match to food. It certainly did not work with a braise of lamb shanks - a dish that one would imagine could be a reasonable match for a rich, ripe and high alcohol wine. Currently unbalanced (and I imagine that age may not improve this) and tiring to drink. There is an aspect of the wine that is fun and there is certainly high-quality fruit and wine making here, but pushing syrah to these alcohol levels seems to court imbalance. I can understand tasters rating this as outstanding and it is a "good" wine, but the lack of balance leads me to be a little rough, in terms of score. I hope (possibly in vain) that this may come into some equilibrium with time. I will give it a decade. (79+- 90+???)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/24/2015 - Pancreatitis Does not like this wine: 81 Points
Perfect cork. Dark garnet. Surprisingly light, red fruit nose. Tannic, raisiny, intense but not complex. Prominent bitterness. Overpowered by 18.5% alcohol. I can't see how it could further evolve or improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2015 - wpiers wrote: 91 Points
Impressive inky color. Little too raisiny for my taste, but very smooth texture in the mouth. Liquid velvet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Jan's Birthday of "No Particular Significance" (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Purple color. Decanted for an hour. Drank 1 glass over an hour paired with some wonderful bbq baby back ribs and drank again 2/15/14. The nose has the requisite minty quality, blackberry liqueur, blueberry liqueur, dark chocolate, spice, oak and tar. The palate is full bodied, lots of glycerin, viscous, blackberry liqueur, blueberry liqueur, pepper, spices, dark chocolate, that follows into a black and blue fruit stained finish clouded by some oak and alcohol. There is much to like here and it was much better 48 hours later, as the alcohol had toned down significantly as had the oak. This drinks like port, and at 18.5% it's pretty close. Score is from 2/15/14 tasting. Will settle with some air time, but I don't think this will get better. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2012 - uffedaniel wrote: 93 Points
Consumed it with a friend of mine over a game of 500. The nose is big lots of dark berries, oaky flavour, abricots and spicy nots of black pebber. The tast is full bodied, creamy texture, black current, black berries, cassis, bonfire, loads of abricots.
After finishing half a bottle, we both felt a little light headed and no wonder, the wine containes 18,5% in alcohol. But all in all a really tasty and interesting wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2011 - rockguit wrote: 86 Points
Whoa--jammy and hot--one of those "pour the Ketel One over the blackberry compote" shiraz. Felt like I was drinking Robitussin. But yet, I really like the taste of Tussin, and there are way worse ways to cop a buzz. :) PS: The fruit is very good, otherwise I'd have scored it much lower.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2009 - Baggio wrote: 93 Points
Very, very good, though so young. The second night this was really open and present. Not too muscular, not too Aussie. Quite balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2009 - kstoddard wrote:
Purple coloring. Nose of black fruit with a hint of apricot undoubtedly due to the power of suggestion from the label. Tastes of blackberry and blueberry. Ripe and extracted with way too much alcohol and oak treatment. Imbalanced but does have some good acidity. Very full bodied with a medicinal finish of raspberries. Quite tiring on the palate to drink. 18.5% alcohol!!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment