Still good. Nose has raw meat, violets, and a bit of generic dark fruit to it. Palate has a lot of that fruit, but also maintains the underlying floral & meat tones. Bit of a short finish, but pretty good flavors and structure support what's there. Dark, pretty, and fruit-based without being simple. I dig, and this is going to keep kicking for another couple years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and poured. This smells pretty damn weird, but delicious. Incredibly sweet red ground meat on the nose which dominates. It's a little funky, but definitely smells sweet and yummy. Soft palate entry, but it is a little cold. Once it warms up on the tongue, I get some similar meat flavors, coupled with spice, mild acidity, and strawberries poured over a steak. Nice overall, but a little excessively funky. Pretty interesting still, and makes you think about it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A transparent garnet hued wine with a medium body. Earth, grilled meat and black pepper on the nose. Tastes of plum and red raspberry on a nicely integrated frame with lots of acidity. The finish has lots of red raspberry and some toasted oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The very first sniff makes you think animal and one that is both agile and sneaky. The Wolftrap is a garnet wine with a medium body. The nose is very aromatic with notes of game, bacon, smoke and vanilla. Pleasingly soft in the mouth, with juicy acidity, and tastes of red raspberry, plum and smoked meat. The medium finish features red raspberry and heavily toasted oak, leading to a dark chocolate note. Amazingly consistent with my previous note. For lover's of Mourvedre blends, this is a steal at the less than $10 price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice wine, good value. Musty, earthy nose - some spice and rubber. Good blackberry, other dark fruits on the palate. Used a Vinturi on this bottle, and it helped bring it together vs. prior bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good value. Has some real 'rhone' characteristics upon opening with some animal and earty notes and ripe fruit. It drinks well for a while before becoming fruity / grapey and losing the nose. A glass kept in the bottle suctioned for a couple of days did not drink well at all - unbalanced, rough, and green. This is one to pop and pour and consume quickly (odd that some comments recommend this on the second night).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Discovering Wine: Boekenhoutskloof is a mouthful and so is the wine. Garnet in appearance and medium bodied, it has a nose of game, smoke and bacon, befitting the Wolftrap name. In the mouth, it is smooth, with soft and round tastes of blackberry and plum. The medium finish has a peppery edge with sweet blackberry. There's enough complexity in this wine to keep one's interest, especially given the excellent QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
T: Dry, med plus acid, med tannin, med plus body, high alc, med plus intensity, med plus finish Red fruit, licorice, dark chocolate/mocha, coffee/oak, cherry skin
Conc: Good plus, balanced little on on the finish, Day 2, Opened/Integrated Nicely 89pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
(14.5%) 68% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier - Smoky and spicy upfront on the nose this one is lively on the palate showing sour cherry and berry flavors with a tannic acidity taking over before an earthy, black pepper finish leaves your mouth lingering with dry, herbal, chocolate notes. These notes sound as if I liked the wine more than I did. I actually found it slightly disjointed which runs counter to the Wine Enthusiast review which called this one “well integrated”.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The nose on this was super smokey with dull red fruit. On the palate I found this to be pretty simple with and odd rubber ball componant. Short finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped 'n' poured. Big smokey nose w/ plenty of earthy mustiness. Picking up blackberries and currants. The musty nose had blown off by the second night. Very interesting and good Rhone blend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Thoroughly enjoyed its unique flavor which does set it apart from most wines in this inexpensive price range. Enjoyable, different and excellent value. Will buy more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Took this to a party, so only had one glass myself with no decant. I had my doubts about this as lots of notes refer to some distinctive bacon and tar notes which I don't usually like. But I found this had a slightly smoky nose, with soft sweet berry flavours and was very approachable. As Marcellevi said, maybe some who didn't like it went a tad early, as it's drinking very well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
great QPR for $9. nose: stinky, smokey, bacon, unfortunately it fads pretty quickly light & dry on the palate: meaty and rustic qualities with fruit and spice, and a medium long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent «blend» dominé par l'odeur de fruits rouges typique de la syrah, qui domine ce vin sud-africain. Ce vin s'harmonise bien avec plusieurs mets mais j'aime bien avec des plats épicés. Allez savoir pourquoi? C'est une question de goût. À essayer aussi au coin du feu extérieur, cet été. Après une petite demi-heure en carafe, il déride l'ambiance avec succès...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a very drinkable blend with that distinctive South African, southern hemisphere earthy, mustiness that my wife and I really like. Great with good cheese and hearty fare.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is just good juice. Always delivers for the price. Nice, berry nose, some spices, and a little black pepper. Smooth, dense on the palate. One of my favourite weekday wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank this over two days. This wine needs decanting, as the second day reveals much more. First day it was more of a smoky veil. Smoky, rich syrah with nice aromatics and long finish, spicy. This is a dense wine - you can feel the rich texture on the mouth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really good Rhone blend. The smoky Syrah comes through strongly, but the extra balance from the Mourvedre gives it something more. Rich, intense fruit, long finish. Well-made wine. Excellent value at $10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good, fruity rhone blend. Mouvedre softens syrah, proivdes more zesty fruit to go along with black pepper and tar characters from syrah. Still young though, better after long decant or second day in bottle. Needs about 6-10 months of rest. Nice qpr wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I'm not getting all the negative impressions of several prior reviewers. I've had 3 bottles cellared for the past year - I think people were drinking the '08 too soon. For only $10, it's a nice wine. Full-bodied, smoke, earth, black currant. Strong flavor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very strong aromas of smoked meat hang heavy in the glass, with a hint of strawberry. I was immediately reminded of some of the lesser examples of pinotage I’ve tried. Yet the winery states that this contains only syrah, mourvedre, and viognier. This is a full bodied wine, with the gamey nose carrying to the taste. I’ve had meaty French syrahs but this is much more intense, with the meat lying thick on the palate. The finish is more typical of a rhone blend, and softens out a lot.
This is a curious wine that I cannot get my head around. For $7, it’s definitely worth a try. And I still struggle to understand how there is no pinotage in this. It’s not a bad wine, it’s just in no way typical of a rhone blend. Fans of pinotage will certainly appreciate this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Intense nose with meaty, smoky and spicy aromas. This carries through to the palate where it creates a sense of bitterness and burned sugariness. Still full-bodied, but less balanced than its predecessor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not as good as 07 but still a distinct and enjoyable blend for a great price. Slightly leaner and rougher than the 07 but still has the smoky, perfume, and bacon notes. Great camping wine...screwcap and all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
After opening, I got what many have already said -- a strange burnt rubbery smell and taste that is very unpleasant. On the second day, this smell and taste is mostly gone (but not completely) and the wine is considerably better. This is a very smoky, meaty, dark berry wine. Very juicy with not many tannins with a hollow mid-palate and medium length, alcoholic finish. Not a great wine, but not bad for $8, which is about what it is worth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine has delivered consistently for the several years now and is such a great QPR. Meaty, spice and clove on the nose. Berry fruit on the palate with great juicy mouthfeel. Always a bargain and a great go to wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Made from a blend of 68% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre and 2% Viognier the Wolftrap's component varieties spend 0 to 8 months in oak. Rich purple in the colour I found aromas of spice, clove and perfumed violets. The palate is rich and full bodied. It shows dark cherry, plum, tobacco and wood tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a well respected producer - Nose: wild strawberries, bramble fruit. Palate: full bodied, bacon, meaty bacon with all the earthy spices, strawberries and red wild fruit, mild tannins, very good acidity. Long lingering finish. Screams for hearty spicy meat dishes or some very pronounced hard cheese. Overall, smooth and not much alcoholic heat - easy drinking and a very distinct and unique wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
68% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, 2% Viognier. This seems to be a love-it or hate-it kind of wine. I’m decidedly in the love-it category. Dark red color. Smoky floral nose, if that makes any sense. The Syrah’s dark berry fruitiness dominates the palate, but it’s rounded out by some pepper and more smoke. Medium-length finish, but I wish it was fuller and longer. Definitely needs just a little more time in the bottle – perhaps another year or two – to reach its full potential. Stellar QPR – it’s really hard to ask anything more of a $10/bottle wine. Very interesting and enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ugh, what a difference a vintage makes. The '07 was such a winner, but this thing pales in comparison. Funky, wild nose that ran the gamut from tire rubber to stale urine to chemical cleaner and took way too long to blow off. The funk also carried through to the palate at first, making this wine downright unappetizing. Finally it settles into itself and takes on the toasty, smoky, meaty quality and powerful dark fruits that one often finds in a blend like this. But even then it is top-heavy and syrupy sweet. Lacks the versatility and charm of its predecessor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Staff Tasting: South Africa (Waterford Wines Milwaukee): white pepper and a lactic green nose. very savory underbelly. Syrah!!! black fruit profile for the palate but still all the pepper. bit of width to the nose with hints of wax and tabacco leaf. after 3 hours, the white pepper starts to die out and this is just plain roasty. lindsay calls out horsey and saddle whips.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very odd nose that some described as stale, burnt, barnyard, musty, or composty. Overall, not pleasant. Taste is acidic, burnt. Not much finish. Most of us actually dumped this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow, this was a great Shiraz(-blend) all by itself, and for under 7 euro an extreme good QPR. It has a bit of a peculiar taste though, that might not be everyone's cup of tea. Some floral notes in the smell (violets), but also smokey, peppery and spicy, plus cherry/blackberry. Tastes similar, quite powerful. Perhaps it smells and tastes like wolf! Never had that though... Finish is good but short. Very interesting tasting profile here, that alone is remarkable for such a cheap wine. I like it. Gotta try it with a BBQ sometime...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smoky, meaty/bacon, harsh dark red stonefruits, tannic. Right now, this is very angular and disjointed. I think it just may need a few years. But I also think I enjoyed the Wolftrap more when the blend included Cinsault. It was a little softer and rounded in earlier vintages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smoky, meaty/bacon, harsh dark red stonefruits, tannic. Right now, this is very angular and disjointed. I think it just may need a few years. But I also think I enjoyed the Wolftrap more when the blend included Cinsault. It was a little softer and rounded in earlier vintages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
All in all a touch roasty toasty but I can still dig on it. Certainly gets ripe concentrations of fruit. Pretty darn good for $11 if you can get over the SA thing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
overpowering and unpleasant aromas of smoke and meat. others commented it tasted like hot dogs, and I tended to agree. Have had previous vintages that I enjoyed much more....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Do you smell smoke? Oh, it's just the wine. Very ripe, in fact, maybe a little bit too much ripeness. Wish it was a little more restrained so it could offer more balance and let those other flavors shine a little bit. Still, quite nice for the price. Kind of like a more interesting Aussie wine. 86-87
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
In glass 15 minutes. Typical wolftrap nose, showing lots of meatiness, some skunk cabbage, funkified cherry, and interestingly, also some odd spun honey aromas that linger as I pull the glass away. This makes me hungry. Fruittier in the mouth than previous vintages, also showing some black pepper and woodsy flintiness. Finish is pepper, beef blood, and lots of crushed berries, surrounded by some cabbage saturated with dirt. Very smooth and dare I say almost silky all around. Not sure why this wine offends others so much... I think it's perhaps the finest wolftrap's yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, murky purple. Big earthy nose. Cooked dark fruit with just a hint of smoke. Big, dark plum and berries. Nice, fairly plush body. A little heat on the tongue. Good peppery, fairly long finish. Nice wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A: Blood, very deep and clear. Vampire wine N: Light grapefruit skunk and dirt. Bizarre nose. If my eyes were closed I would think this was a white. T: Bacon smoke and Mezcal. Very smoky. F: Buttery and super short. Overall: Weird, not my cup of tea. Could not finish it on day 1 so tried again on day 2 ( we never do this ) and it had softened into a worse version of itself. Tossed the remaining, one of two wines I have ever dumped. I tried to be objective about the rating on this one as I do not like to give a low score unless I felt it technically deserved it. Simply not liking a wine is insufficient, instead it must be technically flawed to justify such a low score. With that said, when a wine is so bad that you would rather lube the garbage disposal with it than consume it, then it speaks of a serious flaw in the wine. I hope the disposal is ok. V: 0/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I am not going to give this a score as I think I may have drank this too soon. Needs time to settle down maybe? Not sure though, first time with this wine.
That said, this was gross. The wine was totally dominated with a scent and taste like wintergreen skoal, or Kodiak. Seriously, dominant. Underneath there were some interesting scents, but I could not get past that main note, and I tried. I put this in the fridge and will see if it recovers today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
6/2/2012 - cobbpa Likes this wine: 87 Points
Still good. Nose has raw meat, violets, and a bit of generic dark fruit to it. Palate has a lot of that fruit, but also maintains the underlying floral & meat tones. Bit of a short finish, but pretty good flavors and structure support what's there. Dark, pretty, and fruit-based without being simple. I dig, and this is going to keep kicking for another couple years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2012 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 88 Points
Pop and poured. This smells pretty damn weird, but delicious. Incredibly sweet red ground meat on the nose which dominates. It's a little funky, but definitely smells sweet and yummy. Soft palate entry, but it is a little cold. Once it warms up on the tongue, I get some similar meat flavors, coupled with spice, mild acidity, and strawberries poured over a steak. Nice overall, but a little excessively funky. Pretty interesting still, and makes you think about it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2011 - ihavezinned wrote: 87 Points
see note from 5/23/2010. cellaring for 18+ months brought more depth to this wine. still a great value at $9.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2011 - monkey769 wrote:
Let it sit too long; had gone bad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2011 - The Count wrote: 89 Points
Nice depth, good tannin/fruit balance
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2011 - Slatrat wrote:
Excellent value. Multi-layered spice. Well put together. The South African reds are superb.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2011 - The Kokopelli wrote: 88 Points
A transparent garnet hued wine with a medium body. Earth, grilled meat and black pepper on the nose. Tastes of plum and red raspberry on a nicely integrated frame with lots of acidity. The finish has lots of red raspberry and some toasted oak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2011 - FPK wrote: 87 Points
Smells of barn yard, but surprisingly is smooth, cherry, half decent and enjoyable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2011 - JJWilliams81 wrote: 50 Points
Poured out. This was my first South African wine and it wont help future South Africans....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2011 - ecola wrote: 89 Points
Spicey red berries on the nose and palate. Very smooth to drink with moderate tannins. ($12)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2011 - The Kokopelli wrote: 89 Points
The very first sniff makes you think animal and one that is both agile and sneaky. The Wolftrap is a garnet wine with a medium body. The nose is very aromatic with notes of game, bacon, smoke and vanilla. Pleasingly soft in the mouth, with juicy acidity, and tastes of red raspberry, plum and smoked meat. The medium finish features red raspberry and heavily toasted oak, leading to a dark chocolate note. Amazingly consistent with my previous note. For lover's of Mourvedre blends, this is a steal at the less than $10 price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2010 - marcellevi wrote: 87 Points
Nice wine, good value. Musty, earthy nose - some spice and rubber. Good blackberry, other dark fruits on the palate. Used a Vinturi on this bottle, and it helped bring it together vs. prior bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2010 - tward wrote: 84 Points
Good value. Has some real 'rhone' characteristics upon opening with some animal and earty notes and ripe fruit. It drinks well for a while before becoming fruity / grapey and losing the nose. A glass kept in the bottle suctioned for a couple of days did not drink well at all - unbalanced, rough, and green. This is one to pop and pour and consume quickly (odd that some comments recommend this on the second night).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2010 - khmark7 wrote: 86 Points
A little bitter and on the thin side compared to the 2007 vintage. Still a very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2010 - chapinde wrote: 88 Points
Wonderful Rhone blend, with bacon, smoke, and rendered pork fat among red and purple fruits, absurd qpr.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2010 - The Kokopelli wrote: 90 Points
Discovering Wine: Boekenhoutskloof is a mouthful and so is the wine. Garnet in appearance and medium bodied, it has a nose of game, smoke and bacon, befitting the Wolftrap name. In the mouth, it is smooth, with soft and round tastes of blackberry and plum. The medium finish has a peppery edge with sweet blackberry. There's enough complexity in this wine to keep one's interest, especially given the excellent QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2010 - Enslore wrote: 91 Points
Sooo spicy, and yet still quite gluggable. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2010 - AMeatWithVino wrote: 86 Points
Nice big smoky, earthy nose. Muted berry flavors but a solid QPR that I would look for again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2010 - jensebak wrote: 87 Points
Dark, chewy, dark fruits, well-balanced, semi-concentrated, pleasant every-day wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2010 - Weston3220 wrote: 87 Points
Study Night for WSET Lvl 3 Test (My Basement Suite): Clear, Deep Ruby, Legs
A: Clean, Med plus intensity, developing
Mineral, Umami, Licorice, Earthy, Smoke - South Africa Terrior
T: Dry, med plus acid, med tannin, med plus body, high alc, med plus intensity, med plus finish
Red fruit, licorice, dark chocolate/mocha, coffee/oak, cherry skin
Conc: Good plus, balanced little on on the finish, Day 2, Opened/Integrated Nicely 89pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2010 - Jason Rzutkiewicz wrote: 85 Points
(14.5%) 68% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier - Smoky and spicy upfront on the nose this one is lively on the palate showing sour cherry and berry flavors with a tannic acidity taking over before an earthy, black pepper finish leaves your mouth lingering with dry, herbal, chocolate notes. These notes sound as if I liked the wine more than I did. I actually found it slightly disjointed which runs counter to the Wine Enthusiast review which called this one “well integrated”.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2010 - dblbogey wrote: 84 Points
Pretty simple and one dimensional. Not bad for the price but would not buy again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2010 - horn-dog wrote: 88 Points
Round, smooth, delicious, and a great QPR. This baby is a great all-round wine, and a good choice for seducing a white wine drinker to the dark side.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2010 - Tuffdawg wrote: 84 Points
The nose on this was super smokey with dull red fruit. On the palate I found this to be pretty simple with and odd rubber ball componant. Short finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2010 - marcellevi wrote: 86 Points
Popped 'n' poured. Big smokey nose w/ plenty of earthy mustiness. Picking up blackberries and currants. The musty nose had blown off by the second night. Very interesting and good Rhone blend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2010 - Laurence wrote: 88 Points
Thoroughly enjoyed its unique flavor which does set it apart from most wines in this inexpensive price range. Enjoyable, different and excellent value. Will buy more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/29/2010 - nickbb wrote: 87 Points
Took this to a party, so only had one glass myself with no decant. I had my doubts about this as lots of notes refer to some distinctive bacon and tar notes which I don't usually like. But I found this had a slightly smoky nose, with soft sweet berry flavours and was very approachable. As Marcellevi said, maybe some who didn't like it went a tad early, as it's drinking very well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2010 - ihavezinned Likes this wine: 86 Points
great QPR for $9.
nose: stinky, smokey, bacon, unfortunately it fads pretty quickly
light & dry on the palate: meaty and rustic qualities with fruit and spice, and a medium long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2010 - steevealma wrote: 86 Points
Excellent «blend» dominé par l'odeur de fruits rouges typique de la syrah, qui domine ce vin sud-africain. Ce vin s'harmonise bien avec plusieurs mets mais j'aime bien avec des plats épicés. Allez savoir pourquoi? C'est une question de goût. À essayer aussi au coin du feu extérieur, cet été. Après une petite demi-heure en carafe, il déride l'ambiance avec succès...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2010 - dratwood wrote: 88 Points
This is a very drinkable blend with that distinctive South African, southern hemisphere earthy, mustiness that my wife and I really like. Great with good cheese and hearty fare.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2010 - Evil Homer wrote: 89 Points
This is just good juice. Always delivers for the price. Nice, berry nose, some spices, and a little black pepper. Smooth, dense on the palate. One of my favourite weekday wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2010 - fabiogr Likes this wine: 87 Points
Drank this over two days. This wine needs decanting, as the second day reveals much more. First day it was more of a smoky veil.
Smoky, rich syrah with nice aromatics and long finish, spicy. This is a dense wine - you can feel the rich texture on the mouth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2010 - phornby wrote: 89 Points
Really good Rhone blend. The smoky Syrah comes through strongly, but the extra balance from the Mourvedre gives it something more. Rich, intense fruit, long finish. Well-made wine. Excellent value at $10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2010 - Mr.Overhill wrote: 87 Points
Good, fruity rhone blend. Mouvedre softens syrah, proivdes more zesty fruit to go along with black pepper and tar characters from syrah. Still young though, better after long decant or second day in bottle. Needs about 6-10 months of rest. Nice qpr wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2010 - marcellevi wrote: 86 Points
I'm not getting all the negative impressions of several prior reviewers. I've had 3 bottles cellared for the past year - I think people were drinking the '08 too soon. For only $10, it's a nice wine. Full-bodied, smoke, earth, black currant. Strong flavor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2010 - ckeilah wrote: 82 Points
Smokey aromas of earthy mushrooms. Nice dark fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2010 - arass wrote: 79 Points
fine but not great. stong flavors but some off tastes, particularly burned flavors and rubber. also a little hot and harsh
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2010 - jpdel wrote: 86 Points
Very strong aromas of smoked meat hang heavy in the glass, with a hint of strawberry. I was immediately reminded of some of the lesser examples of pinotage I’ve tried. Yet the winery states that this contains only syrah, mourvedre, and viognier. This is a full bodied wine, with the gamey nose carrying to the taste. I’ve had meaty French syrahs but this is much more intense, with the meat lying thick on the palate. The finish is more typical of a rhone blend, and softens out a lot.
This is a curious wine that I cannot get my head around. For $7, it’s definitely worth a try. And I still struggle to understand how there is no pinotage in this. It’s not a bad wine, it’s just in no way typical of a rhone blend. Fans of pinotage will certainly appreciate this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2009 - fbotha wrote: 86 Points
Intense nose with meaty, smoky and spicy aromas. This carries through to the palate where it creates a sense of bitterness and burned sugariness. Still full-bodied, but less balanced than its predecessor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2009 - Greg_O wrote: 88 Points
Not as good as 07 but still a distinct and enjoyable blend for a great price. Slightly leaner and rougher than the 07 but still has the smoky, perfume, and bacon notes. Great camping wine...screwcap and all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2009 - jmoskow wrote: 79 Points
Barnyard, burnt oil nose. The mouthfeel is oily and thin. I'm in the not liking it group.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2009 - PIntag wrote: 81 Points
After opening, I got what many have already said -- a strange burnt rubbery smell and taste that is very unpleasant. On the second day, this smell and taste is mostly gone (but not completely) and the wine is considerably better. This is a very smoky, meaty, dark berry wine. Very juicy with not many tannins with a hollow mid-palate and medium length, alcoholic finish. Not a great wine, but not bad for $8, which is about what it is worth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2009 - Evil Homer wrote: 89 Points
This wine has delivered consistently for the several years now and is such a great QPR. Meaty, spice and clove on the nose. Berry fruit on the palate with great juicy mouthfeel. Always a bargain and a great go to wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2009 - jamieirving wrote: 89 Points
Made from a blend of 68% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre and 2% Viognier the Wolftrap's component varieties spend 0 to 8 months in oak. Rich purple in the colour I found aromas of spice, clove and perfumed violets. The palate is rich and full bodied. It shows dark cherry, plum, tobacco and wood tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2009 - D H Grant Likes this wine: 87 Points
From a well respected producer - Nose: wild strawberries, bramble fruit. Palate: full bodied, bacon, meaty bacon with all the earthy spices, strawberries and red wild fruit, mild tannins, very good acidity. Long lingering finish. Screams for hearty spicy meat dishes or some very pronounced hard cheese. Overall, smooth and not much alcoholic heat - easy drinking and a very distinct and unique wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/19/2009 - BrandrB wrote: 87 Points
68% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, 2% Viognier. This seems to be a love-it or hate-it kind of wine. I’m decidedly in the love-it category. Dark red color. Smoky floral nose, if that makes any sense. The Syrah’s dark berry fruitiness dominates the palate, but it’s rounded out by some pepper and more smoke. Medium-length finish, but I wish it was fuller and longer. Definitely needs just a little more time in the bottle – perhaps another year or two – to reach its full potential. Stellar QPR – it’s really hard to ask anything more of a $10/bottle wine. Very interesting and enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2009 - valecnik wrote: 82 Points
Ugh, what a difference a vintage makes. The '07 was such a winner, but this thing pales in comparison. Funky, wild nose that ran the gamut from tire rubber to stale urine to chemical cleaner and took way too long to blow off. The funk also carried through to the palate at first, making this wine downright unappetizing. Finally it settles into itself and takes on the toasty, smoky, meaty quality and powerful dark fruits that one often finds in a blend like this. But even then it is top-heavy and syrupy sweet. Lacks the versatility and charm of its predecessor.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/27/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Staff Tasting: South Africa (Waterford Wines Milwaukee): white pepper and a lactic green nose. very savory underbelly. Syrah!!! black fruit profile for the palate but still all the pepper. bit of width to the nose with hints of wax and tabacco leaf.
after 3 hours, the white pepper starts to die out and this is just plain roasty. lindsay calls out horsey and saddle whips.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2009 - Jill S wrote: 70 Points
Very odd nose that some described as stale, burnt, barnyard, musty, or composty. Overall, not pleasant. Taste is acidic, burnt. Not much finish. Most of us actually dumped this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2009 - Zorba wrote: 88 Points
Wow, this was a great Shiraz(-blend) all by itself, and for under 7 euro an extreme good QPR. It has a bit of a peculiar taste though, that might not be everyone's cup of tea. Some floral notes in the smell (violets), but also smokey, peppery and spicy, plus cherry/blackberry. Tastes similar, quite powerful. Perhaps it smells and tastes like wolf! Never had that though... Finish is good but short. Very interesting tasting profile here, that alone is remarkable for such a cheap wine. I like it. Gotta try it with a BBQ sometime...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2009 - Brian1970 wrote:
Smoky, meaty/bacon, harsh dark red stonefruits, tannic. Right now, this is very angular and disjointed. I think it just may need a few years. But I also think I enjoyed the Wolftrap more when the blend included Cinsault. It was a little softer and rounded in earlier vintages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2009 - Brian1970 wrote: 87 Points
Smoky, meaty/bacon, harsh dark red stonefruits, tannic. Right now, this is very angular and disjointed. I think it just may need a few years. But I also think I enjoyed the Wolftrap more when the blend included Cinsault. It was a little softer and rounded in earlier vintages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2009 - mrpalmer wrote: 88 Points
Pleasant, very good and excellent value. Concentrated, saturated deep red. Reasonable balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2009 - djreme wrote: 90 Points
Bought because featured as a good value in Wine Spectator. Cannot disagree with their 90 rating
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
All in all a touch roasty toasty but I can still dig on it. Certainly gets ripe concentrations of fruit. Pretty darn good for $11 if you can get over the SA thing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
South Africa: roasted coffee all over the nose. black cherry fruit. all aboard!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2009 - Grape_ape wrote: 80 Points
overpowering and unpleasant aromas of smoke and meat. others commented it tasted like hot dogs, and I tended to agree. Have had previous vintages that I enjoyed much more....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2009 - hutch wrote: 86 Points
Do you smell smoke? Oh, it's just the wine. Very ripe, in fact, maybe a little bit too much ripeness. Wish it was a little more restrained so it could offer more balance and let those other flavors shine a little bit. Still, quite nice for the price. Kind of like a more interesting Aussie wine. 86-87
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2009 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 89 Points
In glass 15 minutes. Typical wolftrap nose, showing lots of meatiness, some skunk cabbage, funkified cherry, and interestingly, also some odd spun honey aromas that linger as I pull the glass away. This makes me hungry. Fruittier in the mouth than previous vintages, also showing some black pepper and woodsy flintiness. Finish is pepper, beef blood, and lots of crushed berries, surrounded by some cabbage saturated with dirt. Very smooth and dare I say almost silky all around. Not sure why this wine offends others so much... I think it's perhaps the finest wolftrap's yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2009 - Beavis77 wrote:
Dark, murky purple.
Big earthy nose. Cooked dark fruit with just a hint of smoke.
Big, dark plum and berries. Nice, fairly plush body. A little heat on the tongue. Good peppery, fairly long finish.
Nice wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2009 - djreme wrote: 88 Points
Good, Full Bodied Great $12 wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2009 - btennan1 wrote: 73 Points
A: Blood, very deep and clear. Vampire wine
N: Light grapefruit skunk and dirt. Bizarre nose. If my eyes were closed I would think this was a white.
T: Bacon smoke and Mezcal. Very smoky.
F: Buttery and super short.
Overall: Weird, not my cup of tea. Could not finish it on day 1 so tried again on day 2 ( we never do this ) and it had softened into a worse version of itself. Tossed the remaining, one of two wines I have ever dumped. I tried to be objective about the rating on this one as I do not like to give a low score unless I felt it technically deserved it. Simply not liking a wine is insufficient, instead it must be technically flawed to justify such a low score. With that said, when a wine is so bad that you would rather lube the garbage disposal with it than consume it, then it speaks of a serious flaw in the wine. I hope the disposal is ok.
V: 0/5
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2009 - ChdPhound wrote: 89 Points
maybe better than the '07. usual funky nose, good finish, still love the bacon taste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2009 - wkulhanek wrote: 80 Points
Somewhat weak. Not very strong flavors. A bit watery. Will need to try again after airing it a bit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2009 - sleepyhaus wrote:
I am not going to give this a score as I think I may have drank this too soon. Needs time to settle down maybe? Not sure though, first time with this wine.
That said, this was gross. The wine was totally dominated with a scent and taste like wintergreen skoal, or Kodiak. Seriously, dominant. Underneath there were some interesting scents, but I could not get past that main note, and I tried. I put this in the fridge and will see if it recovers today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment