Probably would have been better 5 years ago. A bit of a musty nose on opening, but it faded soon. Good acid, lots of fruit. Was good with baked meat (ground chuck) pies.
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From double-magnum, lost in the "Party With 'Non-Wine' Friends" corner of the cellar for years, alongside an '09 dmag of same. Almost opaque, dark ruby color with intense spice and deep black fruit. Expected richness and mouthfeel fall just short of expectation, nonetheless an extreme overachiever at this age. BBQ, burgers or red sauce pasta dishes need this. Any 3L bottles out there are good for another couple of years, slightly risking acidity out-ranking the fruit. An extra point added for this ridiculous overachiever.
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From Art's cellar. Holiday get together with warm finger foods. Bright red in bowl, no bricking. Unusual fruit-forward nose, like a mixed fruit chutney with a little holiday spice. More acid in the mouth than indicated by the nose. Okay length on the finish. Fun and unusual wine great with little smokies in BBQ sauce, spicy meatballs, pepper cheese and chex mix. I brought all 6 bottles Art gave me, and they were all empty before I left, so a crowd pleaser.
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Pruney, sweet, kirsch liqeur - that's what this wine tastes like, pretty new-worldish, Argentinian style of wine but it is still drinkable and not the standard jammy stuff you get from there. Drink now, won't get any better.
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Drank in vertical tasting with 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012 with eight wine drinking friends. all tasted good - with favorites varying from person to person. 2009 needed more airing than others until it opened up. 2008 was my favorite.
2012 tastes like it will be even better than 2008 when it ages more.
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This has come together nicely. Full-bodied, with lots of ripe, dark fruits, smooth tannins, and well-hidden alcohol. Not tart at all. It is a bit hedonistic, but presumably that's what you wanted when you opened this bottle.
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interesting wine. crowd pleaser. lot's of dessert tones on the nose and in the mouth. i suspect this would go great with chocolate and dark fruit, or some sweet bbq.
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Drank it. Liked it. I was watching hockey in the basement, the only place in the house I am welcome, mostly because no one's down there. Anyway, as usual, I was looking for a wine to drink and remembered my brother gave me this bottle. As he's a career navy guy, his tastes lean more toward hops than grapes, but he claimed it was good, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. And he wasn't wrong. Smooth, nice balance, good mouth-feel, truly a very pleasant drinker.
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Very disappointed in this vintage. For its price there are much better drinkers available. Wine was not complex at all, fruit and tannins were very disjointed. Personally I thought this wine was simply a mess. Tried it on 2nd day and did not get better. Will not buy again. 3rd day -Drank what was left in decanter and must change my grades and notes. What a difference oxygen makes!!! This is drinking smooth and easy. Nice hint of dark fruit and integrated tannins. In the future this will be decanted for 24 hours. Nice surprise considering I was going to dump this in sink. Don't know if I would buy again at this QPR but glad It got better.
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Much like the first bottle, I wasn't nearly as impressed as many others are with this wine. Still the blackberry & dark fruit, but just not what I'd call smooth or layered. And I don't NEED smooth to enjoy a wine; I like big, bombastic Aussie Shiraz, and I love a big Petite Sirah too. Big, bold, Napa Cab? You bet. But this is something different. It needs less bite (tartness) to it. Thought this might have calmed down a bit between 12/31/11 (first bottle) and now, but it hasn't. Still a good wine, but not great by any means. If buying, plan on drinking with something substantial to balance it out... it's a definite food wine. 86 pts.
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The 2008 continues in its past tradition. Well made and structured with Chocolate, Cherries and Vanilla, along with moderate oak and smooth tannin. There is a bit of bite initially and tons of dark fruits in the nose and first taste. A nice medium priced Meritage that needs several years before it will reach its best.
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Black pepper, smole. wine was bolder than i had anticipated. Needs food, Steak or beef roast to round it out. Did not mellow in the glass, maybe I should have decanted.
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Deep purple color. Cocoa and pepper on the nose. Medium weight typical zin mouthfeel that transitions to a slight peppery low to medium finish. Still a very good value for this price point.
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I was completely taken by surprise by this wine. One of my local guys recommended it and I took a shot, and man am I glad I did! Thick, midnight purple, a huge nose full of rich, brambly fruit and hints of cedar and smoked meat. Then bam! Gobs of jammy Cali zin black fruit, but not syrupy and overbearing as can often happen, with a lip-smacking finish ripe with espresso and baker's chocolate. Deliciously integrated tannins and perfect acidity, this drinks like a far more expensive bottle of juice. Definite buy.
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Cherry aroma precedes an explosion of oak, leather and berry flavors. Complex blend with hints of vanilla, black cherry and coffee. Would drink it again!
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A mellow black cherry start with a bit of oaky finish. The tannins really gained some strength on the 2nd day and made this one of my new favorite sub-$20 wines.
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paired with italian sausage and pasta. Shout out to @ldelassu for the tasting notes and recommendation. Great bouquet on the nose. "Here and Present" mouthfeel with lingering finish. Nice integration from start to finish. Great value for price point.
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This one never disappoints. Lots of brambly fruit on the nose with a backbone of oak and leather. On the palate there is a viscous mouth feel, strawberry and cranberry with leather, spice, ans oak. The finish is moderately long and brings some dark fruit notes into the perspective.
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Dark and earthy, black pepper, leather and forest floor. Still has a good helping of dark fruits (black cherry, blackberry). Lighter tannins than I expected, especially given the legs on this one. It was also significantly lighter and less opaque in the glass than expected. No food with this one, but in the future I'd try it with a sausage & pasta dish, or maybe a seasoned pork tenderloin.
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Agree with other reviewers; dark fruit and smokey on the nose; nice fruit with a little spice; light tannins. Overall, a nice blend. Tasted the Bogle Old Vine Zin earlier in the day - just as good and less $. Good buy either way.
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The Bogle Phantom 2008 is blend of 51% old vine Zinfandel, 47% Petite Sirah, and 2% old vine Mouvèdre.
The back of the bottle has a fun story:
"In the dark recesses of the cellar you sense a presence, hear footsteps. Why is it these things only happen when you are alone? In the shadows, a glimpse of muddy boots and old blue jeans . . . the lurking legacies of hard work and determination left by those who have come before you.
"We are proud to carry on this tradition of our founders with this unique red wine: a deep ruby apparition that personifies the true spirit of the Phantom."
There should be a Muwahhaahaha at the end, too.
To the Phantom.
The label says the color is “a deep ruby apparition.” I wouldn’t say “deep.” ”Ruby,” yes. It’s not very deep, and it’s like 80% opaque. I’d expect deeper and darker with a Zinfandel and Petite Syrah blend.
On the antesniff, I thought of a wine for a child. (Yes, I jut invented a word. The “antesniff” is the odor that enters your nose before you consiously sniff. It’s the “before” sniff.)
Now to the sniff sniff. It’s flowery and light with some berries. But a dark fruit and smoke dominate the odor.
It tastes much different than it looks or smells. It tastes like scary. Dark and morbid. There’s a pepper finish, too. In fact, I keep thinking of a dark cellar with a dirt floor and hanging lightbulb with a pull string.
I taste dark berries and cinnamon.
This wine definitely needs some food to bring out the flavor, like a mild sausage. In fact, now that I taste it again, I pick up a dry, mild sausage.
I can also taste the Mouvèdre on the finish.
I’m not sure what I think of this wine. It’s enjoyable. Without food, it’s an 88. With food, I imagine it’s an 89, but it might reach 90. I think provolone cheese would also be a good complement.
You can read the Bogle fact sheet by clicking Bogle Phantom 2008 Fact Sheet. Interesting note: according to the fact sheet “Bogle” means “A goblin; a specter; a phantom; a bogy, boggart, or bugbear.”
For a full review and access to the fact sheet, go here: http://thelinebreak.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/in-pursuit-of-the-juiciest-wine-day-112-bogle-phantom-2008/
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Rich, fruity and delightful. Brilliant nose teaming with spice and red fruit, even a touch of tobacco. The blend holds well and scored 2nd highest on a blind evening against "higher" scoring wines.
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Garnet in color, nose of peper, red fruit jam and some mint notes. Tastes of peper, red fruit, some leather with a sour cherry mid-palate. Medium long finish with soft tannins. A good bottle, well made. Decanting for an hour really opens the nose.
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Ruby-garnet color. Nice nose of earth, leather, cooked black fruit, bread. Rich but a bit soft on the palate, full-bodied, with earthy and blueberry flavors. Finishes with a bit of heat and saddle leather over velvety but mouth-coating tannins. This is a full-bodied wine but it lacks distinctive characteristics. Perfectly drinkable.
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Deep garnet core with ruby rim. Rich and full-bodied, dusty and earthy, jammy and fruity, offering plump black currants, blackberries, blueberries, garrigue, cigar box, vanilla, and touches of cloves and anise. This is expressive, assertive, layered, and densely polished. Nice.
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Deep ruby color, very drinkable, berry taste, light vanilla, tannins just right, mild pepper finish- aerated into glass, even better after breathing a few minutes
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Nice, drinkable wine -- consistently good.It is a very good Zin for the money. The 2008 is now really drinkable -- in late Fall it was definitely too young
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Buy it.. It's cheap enough and you won't regret it. After opening a bottle of altimura 07 I opened phantom for the heck of it. It was a hit and for only 17 dollars.
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This was the last third of a bottle, the rest of which others drank last night. The intervening hours have treated it well. Still spicy, but rounder, the tannins a little softer. Type of fruit a bit difficult to place, definitely dark berries, with some tartness as well, leading to the long finish. Very nice. I definitely think this would do well with some aging though.
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Beautiful dark color, prominent cherries with leather and a whiff of vanilla, sharp bite, and influence of strong oak. Initial impression better and smoother than the aftertaste which turns very peppery and tannic. Probably better with food.
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Ok, this wine finely came around, but it took three days, at first fruit in the nose, then a hole in the middle,tannic finish, it got better the second day, the mid-palate began to fill out, the third day, the final glass was pretty good. For a $14.99 wine, it shouldn't take three days to come together.
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nice nose blueberry, dark fruit. bold full mouth tannis.. leather cherry.. sharp bite. hope it softens a bit after sitting for a while. not a sipping wine. needs food.. overall nice bold big mouth feel wine. not bad for price point
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Blackberry and oak/vanilla notes on nose. Full body, very rich & creamy. Best thing about this wine is the mouthfeel. However, after that it falls short for me. Black pepper and other spices on the finish are too prominent. Need more balance with fruit. I paired with a rich pork dish. Not a wine for sipping.
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This was consumed at the end of a long night on New Year's Eve, & I'm afraid it may be getting the short end of the stick as a result. That said, I wasn't nearly as impressed as I thought I'd be given the reviews. Blackberry & dark fruit, but overall not as smooth nor as layered as I thought it'd be. A little bite to it... will have to see what the next one brings.
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Sour fruit, oak and tannin. Not very complex for a Zin based blend, maybe I had too high of an expectation after reading other tasting notes but this wine really isn't my cup of tea.
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After it opened up a little really couldn't taste any complexity because it's all totally overpowered by OAK.... not at all to my preference but some might enjoy it...
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Was unexpextedly surprised by this wine. Excelent nose of leather and pencil, complex structure, with layers of tanins and fruit, and a nice long finish.
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An unusual blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Mourvedre. This vintage, as in past vintages, is somewhat puzzling - but ultimately pleasing - especially if you pair it with a hearty preparation of red meat. It's rustic off the bat, with aromas of fallen leaves and freshly-cut cedar, followed by earthy flavors of crushed dark berries, baking spices, and cocoa - all framed by hints of dried herbs and eucalyptus. Now, this isn't extremely complex or deep, but there are a lot of interesting flavors going on, and is therefore worth a try. Just don't forget the red meat.
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Great QPR. Good tannins. smooth. nice finish. Wonderfully food friendly. A complete surprise. Offers so much more than Bogle's Petite Sirah which I feel is a well crafted wine. I will need to pick up a few more of these.
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Didn't really like this too much on the first pour. Seems syrupy and sweet. Second glass was a bit better and it paired pretty well with grilled Porterhouse steak. Much better with food. I'll see how this does on the second night as it seemed to get better over time.
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Really enjoyed this zin based blend during our Thanksgiving feast. Our friend paid more than the target price at WF, but if you can find this for $15 it would be a great buy.
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A highly enjoyable bottle. A well-balanced blend of muted fruit, spiciness, and body. Definitely quite a mouthful and one to savor. A long finish, with the spiciness lasting longest. The tannins are still quite sharp, and this may develop more with some cellaring. Still, we certainly had no problem drinking it now!
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Color: Dark. Nose: Big, deep ripe fruit, earth and spice. Palate: Bursting with ripe, dark fruit, spice and an interesting earthiness that went well with dinner. Finish: Medium length with the prior fruits, but a lingering sweetness that was quite pleasant. Nice acidity and medium to full body. A very nice wine for $17 and a re-buy.
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A fun blend of Zinfandel 51% - Petite Sirah 47% - Mourvèdre 2% from Clarksburg, Lodi and Amador. Upon opening we definitely had difficulty defining any specific aromas, but after an hour there was a discernible scent of backed dark fruit combined with notes of vanilla. Flavors of more dark berries combine with a bit of spice to make for a relatively simple, but enjoyable wine.
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Gorgeous nose of jammy, decadent ripe fruit with some baked berries. soft tannins, hedonistic, all you could expect from old vine zin and other succulent fleshy, plummy grapes. Look for it, teeeerrific value!
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There was light spice and some vanilla on the nose, but had to search for any disticitve aroma. Big fruity taste of cherry and grape, and some drying oaky tannins on the finish. Although this does not sound like a recommendation, this is a pleasing wine that can be enjoyed as an everyday option.
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Nice big juicy ripe dark fruits right off the bat, opening up into deep seductive almost sensually hedonistic aromas of spice and vanilla. Definitely some gobs of oak here but but not so much as to completely dominate the entire spectrum. Very enjoyable, extracted, good firm tannins. Good QPR
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Zinfandel Tasting: 2009 Ridge, Biale, Bogle (Winestreets): Very dark red color. Some alcohol off the bat, black fruits, blackberry, black cherry. The palate is medium bodied with blackberry, black cherry, lush, some tannins, pepper. This is a pretty solid value.
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Day 3. Really crowd pleasing style. Dark and dense palate, but acid more than uplifting. Oak plays here, but really just ties this bundle of a wine together. A little vanilla on the palate, but with this acid it works together wonderfully.
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Dark cherry, baked apple and slightly acidic on the nose with some American oak and whiskey nuances. The petite sirah really comes out on the palate with a nice dryness and pleasant woodsy notes of dark berries and cherries. Nice lingering finish but slightly tart. Great pairing for roasted filets mignons and shallots. A very nice wine but I have had better wines under $15 .
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Let me say first and foremost, I really like this wine. BUT, since the first time I had it, 6 years ago or so, it's become more of an over-the-top, overly-extracted, phony. It's sort of like fast food, you know it's bad for you, completely lacks any worthy nutrition or true flavor, but you have to admit, it's tasty stuff. Same here. Serve this at a party and you'll wow most. Just bought a Jeraboam at Davidson's for $50 - $12.50/ bottle plus the large format novelty!
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- Crimsom color and aromas of blackberry, black pepper and sherry. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and alcohol with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish.
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- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry and raspberry. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and raspberry with a medium/full body with a medium finish.
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dark red color and a spicy berry with hints of tobacco. rich berry flavor with hints of chocolate and a slight tartness, maybe cherry. Very nice right out of the bottle and really gets richer as it breaths.
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I came upon this wine a couple vintages ago, and i found that in comparison to the 2007 vintage, i was a bit bummed by the 2008. I expected more body and a more enjoyable mouthfeel that i remembered from previous vintages. It still has nice dark fruit flavors and a touch of spice. It feels as though bogle has tried to make the phantom a little too friendly...
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30 months in American oak. French coopers, fashioning American oak. Bogle wines get 'real barrel!' even the $9.99 wines. 1500acres, planting more. they work with 85 different growers as well. just opened a 5 million gallon facility, 1/2 hour south of Sacramento in Clarksburg. 1.5million cases and the 10th largest US winery.
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Plum, deep fruit, prunes, raisins. A little bright fruit underneath, but you really have to reach for it to get it on the nose. It has a nice finish, tannic, dry, but not overwhelming. Not a show-stopper, and I think I liked the 2007 better.
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Maybe it was the night, but I drank a few glasses over several hours, and the wine seemed disjointed, without much in the way of a nose, really alcoholic on the back end. I remembered it from last year as a much more robust wine.
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3/23/2022 - Mitchells9608 Likes this wine:
Held up quite well.
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6/10/2021 - Bill Martin wrote: 87 Points
Probably would have been better 5 years ago. A bit of a musty nose on opening, but it faded soon. Good acid, lots of fruit. Was good with baked meat (ground chuck) pies.
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1/2/2020 - rjquillin wrote:
no notes from when consumed 4 months ago, but decent bottle iirc.
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9/19/2019 - Michigan Mostberg Likes this wine: 90 Points
From double-magnum, lost in the "Party With 'Non-Wine' Friends" corner of the cellar for years, alongside an '09 dmag of same. Almost opaque, dark ruby color with intense spice and deep black fruit. Expected richness and mouthfeel fall just short of expectation, nonetheless an extreme overachiever at this age. BBQ, burgers or red sauce pasta dishes need this. Any 3L bottles out there are good for another couple of years, slightly risking acidity out-ranking the fruit. An extra point added for this ridiculous overachiever.
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12/22/2016 - OenophilistMN Likes this wine: 84 Points
From Art's cellar. Holiday get together with warm finger foods. Bright red in bowl, no bricking. Unusual fruit-forward nose, like a mixed fruit chutney with a little holiday spice. More acid in the mouth than indicated by the nose. Okay length on the finish. Fun and unusual wine great with little smokies in BBQ sauce, spicy meatballs, pepper cheese and chex mix. I brought all 6 bottles Art gave me, and they were all empty before I left, so a crowd pleaser.
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9/16/2016 - Roland34604 Likes this wine:
Drinking very well, light spicy finish, soft tannins.
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9/16/2016 - Roland34604 wrote:
Drinking very well, soft tannins, light spicy finish.
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5/30/2016 - ag624 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Agree with jammy/pruney notes...had with cheeseburgers and was great casual wine
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1/18/2016 - drzweigelt wrote: 87 Points
Pruney, sweet, kirsch liqeur - that's what this wine tastes like, pretty new-worldish, Argentinian style of wine but it is still drinkable and not the standard jammy stuff you get from there. Drink now, won't get any better.
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11/23/2015 - Wine Concert Guy wrote:
Drank in vertical tasting with 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012 with eight wine drinking friends.
all tasted good - with favorites varying from person to person. 2009 needed more airing than others until it opened up.
2008 was my favorite.
2012 tastes like it will be even better than 2008 when it ages more.
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8/17/2015 - chester100 wrote: 90 Points
Very good and complex blend but fruit forward. This wine could go a couple more years
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4/24/2015 - GabyR Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank in front of a fire pit with some friends - awesome.
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11/13/2014 - Spqthapa Likes this wine: 89 Points
Smooth fruity red blend with a subtle spicy finish.
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9/7/2014 - Quarked wrote: 90 Points
This has come together nicely. Full-bodied, with lots of ripe, dark fruits, smooth tannins, and well-hidden alcohol. Not tart at all. It is a bit hedonistic, but presumably that's what you wanted when you opened this bottle.
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10/3/2013 - patsox wrote: 88 Points
Full-bodied, satisfying, ripe and delicious with barbecued chicken.
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9/13/2013 - noodleNT wrote: 83 Points
Mellow
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8/5/2013 - chipwine Likes this wine:
Good wine - Red fruit, some tannins. Good for large groups, especially given the price!
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6/8/2013 - rrmcnees Likes this wine: 88 Points
interesting wine. crowd pleaser. lot's of dessert tones on the nose and in the mouth. i suspect this would go great with chocolate and dark fruit, or some sweet bbq.
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5/24/2013 - ericjabel Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank it. Liked it. I was watching hockey in the basement, the only place in the house I am welcome, mostly because no one's down there. Anyway, as usual, I was looking for a wine to drink and remembered my brother gave me this bottle. As he's a career navy guy, his tastes lean more toward hops than grapes, but he claimed it was good, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. And he wasn't wrong. Smooth, nice balance, good mouth-feel, truly a very pleasant drinker.
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5/19/2013 - redman77 wrote: 87 Points
Got the job done decanted 30 mins....
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5/7/2013 - mardan899 wrote: 87 Points
Very disappointed in this vintage. For its price there are much better drinkers available. Wine was not complex at all, fruit and tannins were very disjointed. Personally I thought this wine was simply a mess. Tried it on 2nd day and did not get better. Will not buy again.
3rd day -Drank what was left in decanter and must change my grades and notes. What a difference oxygen makes!!! This is drinking smooth and easy. Nice hint of dark fruit and integrated tannins. In the future this will be decanted for 24 hours. Nice surprise considering I was going to dump this in sink. Don't know if I would buy again at this QPR but glad It got better.
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4/7/2013 - Winecat Likes this wine: 87 Points
Great wine for the price. Surprising complexity
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3/22/2013 - MadisonWIneGuy wrote: 86 Points
Much like the first bottle, I wasn't nearly as impressed as many others are with this wine. Still the blackberry & dark fruit, but just not what I'd call smooth or layered. And I don't NEED smooth to enjoy a wine; I like big, bombastic Aussie Shiraz, and I love a big Petite Sirah too. Big, bold, Napa Cab? You bet. But this is something different. It needs less bite (tartness) to it. Thought this might have calmed down a bit between 12/31/11 (first bottle) and now, but it hasn't. Still a good wine, but not great by any means. If buying, plan on drinking with something substantial to balance it out... it's a definite food wine. 86 pts.
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3/20/2013 - Ilikadajuice wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple color. Pepper and cocoa on palate. Medium finish. Nice for the price. I prefer the Essential Red over this, but will continue to buy.
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12/25/2012 - Wine4Life Likes this wine: 90 Points
Purple ruby colour, berry nose, nice balance, medium body and finish.
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12/24/2012 - wtianseter Likes this wine: 89 Points
The 2008 continues in its past tradition. Well made and structured with Chocolate, Cherries and Vanilla, along with moderate oak and smooth tannin. There is a bit of bite initially and tons of dark fruits in the nose and first taste. A nice medium priced Meritage that needs several years before it will reach its best.
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12/18/2012 - Red Wine Johnny wrote: 87 Points
Pretty good wine; always easy and enjoyable
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12/15/2012 - Red Wine Johnny wrote: 87 Points
very enjoyable and easy to drink. It's just lacking a strong taste and finish. But its great for the price, I will likely continue to drink this wine.
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12/4/2012 - Red Wine Johnny wrote: 87 Points
A great blend at a great price. Tasted like a good Zinfandel. Very enjoyable; highly recommended.
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12/2/2012 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 88 Points
A solid yet nondescript bottle of wine that draws on its unique blend for interest. Good solid fruit. Better on day 2.
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11/5/2012 - haBu wrote: 85 Points
Black pepper, smole. wine was bolder than i had anticipated. Needs food, Steak or beef roast to round it out. Did not mellow in the glass, maybe I should have decanted.
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10/31/2012 - Melster10 wrote: 91 Points
Love my Phantom on Halloween
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9/17/2012 - Ilikadajuice wrote: 88 Points
Deep purple color. Cocoa and pepper on the nose. Medium weight typical zin mouthfeel that transitions to a slight peppery low to medium finish. Still a very good value for this price point.
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9/13/2012 - pkatz wrote: 88 Points
Decent dark fruit wine at decent price.
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8/16/2012 - flwino wrote: 86 Points
dark black/purple
heavy fruit nose
on the toungue was a bit harsh
Too hardy for me
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7/5/2012 - mguglielmo Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was completely taken by surprise by this wine. One of my local guys recommended it and I took a shot, and man am I glad I did! Thick, midnight purple, a huge nose full of rich, brambly fruit and hints of cedar and smoked meat. Then bam! Gobs of jammy Cali zin black fruit, but not syrupy and overbearing as can often happen, with a lip-smacking finish ripe with espresso and baker's chocolate. Deliciously integrated tannins and perfect acidity, this drinks like a far more expensive bottle of juice. Definite buy.
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6/1/2012 - OHWINEGUY wrote:
Cherry aroma precedes an explosion of oak, leather and berry flavors. Complex blend with hints of vanilla, black cherry and coffee. Would drink it again!
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4/30/2012 - Schneids16 wrote:
Much better than an 88. Another year and this will be perfect for consumption
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4/23/2012 - jarydj wrote: 89 Points
A mellow black cherry start with a bit of oaky finish. The tannins really gained some strength on the 2nd day and made this one of my new favorite sub-$20 wines.
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4/14/2012 - Ilikadajuice wrote: 89 Points
paired with italian sausage and pasta. Shout out to @ldelassu for the tasting notes and recommendation. Great bouquet on the nose. "Here and Present" mouthfeel with lingering finish. Nice integration from start to finish. Great value for price point.
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4/11/2012 - redman77 wrote: 88 Points
Dark juice paired well with almonds and chocolates
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4/9/2012 - Crystal wrote: 90 Points
deelish. fruit and sinew.
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4/7/2012 - whudock wrote: 90 Points
This one never disappoints. Lots of brambly fruit on the nose with a backbone of oak and leather. On the palate there is a viscous mouth feel, strawberry and cranberry with leather, spice, ans oak. The finish is moderately long and brings some dark fruit notes into the perspective.
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4/7/2012 - mraabpfg wrote: 88 Points
Good daily drinking wine
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4/6/2012 - javadrinker wrote: 87 Points
A boatload of oaky vanilla but just a fun fun wine. Lots of fruit and back end that just keeps going and going. Great $15 wine.
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4/5/2012 - TeamPnM Likes this wine: 85 Points
Dark and earthy, black pepper, leather and forest floor. Still has a good helping of dark fruits (black cherry, blackberry). Lighter tannins than I expected, especially given the legs on this one. It was also significantly lighter and less opaque in the glass than expected. No food with this one, but in the future I'd try it with a sausage & pasta dish, or maybe a seasoned pork tenderloin.
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4/4/2012 - foobarski wrote: 90 Points
Perfect with red meat.
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3/31/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 88 Points
Similar to previous notes
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3/29/2012 - Meburris21 wrote: 88 Points
Agree with other reviewers; dark fruit and smokey on the nose; nice fruit with a little spice; light tannins. Overall, a nice blend. Tasted the Bogle Old Vine Zin earlier in the day - just as good and less $. Good buy either way.
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3/17/2012 - thelinebreak wrote: 88 Points
The Bogle Phantom 2008 is blend of 51% old vine Zinfandel, 47% Petite Sirah, and 2% old vine Mouvèdre.
The back of the bottle has a fun story:
"In the dark recesses of the cellar you sense a presence, hear footsteps. Why is it these things only happen when you are alone? In the shadows, a glimpse of muddy boots and old blue jeans . . . the lurking legacies of hard work and determination left by those who have come before you.
"We are proud to carry on this tradition of our founders with this unique red wine: a deep ruby apparition that personifies the true spirit of the Phantom."
There should be a Muwahhaahaha at the end, too.
To the Phantom.
The label says the color is “a deep ruby apparition.” I wouldn’t say “deep.” ”Ruby,” yes. It’s not very deep, and it’s like 80% opaque. I’d expect deeper and darker with a Zinfandel and Petite Syrah blend.
On the antesniff, I thought of a wine for a child. (Yes, I jut invented a word. The “antesniff” is the odor that enters your nose before you consiously sniff. It’s the “before” sniff.)
Now to the sniff sniff. It’s flowery and light with some berries. But a dark fruit and smoke dominate the odor.
It tastes much different than it looks or smells. It tastes like scary. Dark and morbid. There’s a pepper finish, too. In fact, I keep thinking of a dark cellar with a dirt floor and hanging lightbulb with a pull string.
I taste dark berries and cinnamon.
This wine definitely needs some food to bring out the flavor, like a mild sausage. In fact, now that I taste it again, I pick up a dry, mild sausage.
I can also taste the Mouvèdre on the finish.
I’m not sure what I think of this wine. It’s enjoyable. Without food, it’s an 88. With food, I imagine it’s an 89, but it might reach 90. I think provolone cheese would also be a good complement.
You can read the Bogle fact sheet by clicking Bogle Phantom 2008 Fact Sheet. Interesting note: according to the fact sheet “Bogle” means “A goblin; a specter; a phantom; a bogy, boggart, or bugbear.”
For a full review and access to the fact sheet, go here:
http://thelinebreak.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/in-pursuit-of-the-juiciest-wine-day-112-bogle-phantom-2008/
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3/17/2012 - Schneids16 wrote: 90 Points
Best 16 solar bottle from Costco I have had in a long time
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3/10/2012 - Cblakejordan wrote: 91 Points
Rich, fruity and delightful. Brilliant nose teaming with spice and red fruit, even a touch of tobacco. The blend holds well and scored 2nd highest on a blind evening against "higher" scoring wines.
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3/10/2012 - Skiingjeff wrote: 87 Points
Smells fruity. , soft taste, light spice
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3/5/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 88 Points
Similar to previous notes
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2/27/2012 - Befloyd Likes this wine: 88 Points
Garnet in color, nose of peper, red fruit jam and some mint notes. Tastes of peper, red fruit, some leather with a sour cherry mid-palate. Medium long finish with soft tannins. A good bottle, well made. Decanting for an hour really opens the nose.
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2/26/2012 - DCSteve wrote:
Drank over 3 days - better each day. One of the best values on the market.
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2/23/2012 - VeniceCalif wrote: 86 Points
Ruby-garnet color. Nice nose of earth, leather, cooked black fruit, bread. Rich but a bit soft on the palate, full-bodied, with earthy and blueberry flavors. Finishes with a bit of heat and saddle leather over velvety but mouth-coating tannins. This is a full-bodied wine but it lacks distinctive characteristics. Perfectly drinkable.
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2/22/2012 - Baron Slick wrote: 89 Points
Deep garnet core with ruby rim. Rich and full-bodied, dusty and earthy, jammy and fruity, offering plump black currants, blackberries, blueberries, garrigue, cigar box, vanilla, and touches of cloves and anise. This is expressive, assertive, layered, and densely polished. Nice.
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2/19/2012 - CelticJimbo wrote: 87 Points
Deep ruby color, very drinkable, berry taste, light vanilla, tannins just right, mild pepper finish- aerated into glass, even better after breathing a few minutes
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2/15/2012 - ebert Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice, drinkable wine -- consistently good.It is a very good Zin for the money. The 2008 is now really drinkable -- in late Fall it was definitely too young
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2/15/2012 - Alma Maliz wrote: 89 Points
Buy it.. It's cheap enough and you won't regret it. After opening a bottle of altimura 07 I opened phantom for the heck of it. It was a hit and for only 17 dollars.
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2/6/2012 - crispino wrote: 89 Points
This was the last third of a bottle, the rest of which others drank last night. The intervening hours have treated it well. Still spicy, but rounder, the tannins a little softer. Type of fruit a bit difficult to place, definitely dark berries, with some tartness as well, leading to the long finish. Very nice. I definitely think this would do well with some aging though.
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1/29/2012 - Gilder53 wrote: 90 Points
Drank with a hearty beef stew. Perfect marriage! Rich and full bodied wine with a nice finish. Even better on the third day
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1/29/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 89 Points
A day 2 wine. Added some weight and texture. Smooth finish. Black and red fruits, toasty oak and pepper.
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1/28/2012 - Quailjulia wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful dark color, prominent cherries with leather and a whiff of vanilla, sharp bite, and influence of strong oak. Initial impression better and smoother than the aftertaste which turns very peppery and tannic. Probably better with food.
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1/26/2012 - DavidDay wrote: 89 Points
Ok, this wine finely came around, but it took three days, at first fruit in the nose, then a hole in the middle,tannic finish, it got better the second day, the mid-palate began to fill out, the third day, the final glass was pretty good. For a $14.99 wine, it shouldn't take three days to come together.
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1/20/2012 - leatonmb Likes this wine: 88 Points
nice nose blueberry, dark fruit. bold full mouth tannis.. leather cherry.. sharp bite. hope it softens a bit after sitting for a while. not a sipping wine. needs food.. overall nice bold big mouth feel wine. not bad for price point
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1/17/2012 - Melster10 wrote:
Such a dry, delicious, full-bodied red, love to savor each taste in it's finish. Plus the Phantom branding gives it such allure and mystique.
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1/17/2012 - Melster10 wrote: 91 Points
Such a dry, delicious, full-bodied red, love to savor each taste in it's finish. Plus the Phantom branding gives it such allure and mystique.
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1/3/2012 - kvswine wrote: 89 Points
Fascinating blend, For the price a very interesting blended wine that has a complexity level way beyond its pay grade.
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1/3/2012 - mhubbard712 wrote: 95 Points
Supple dark fruit flavors. Heavy and full bodies. Blackberry! High tannins. Would be great to pair but is awesome on its own.
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1/3/2012 - Levinsb wrote:
deep, dark, soft and enjoyable.
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1/2/2012 - Decanthor wrote: 85 Points
Blackberry and oak/vanilla notes on nose. Full body, very rich & creamy. Best thing about this wine is the mouthfeel. However, after that it falls short for me. Black pepper and other spices on the finish are too prominent. Need more balance with fruit. I paired with a rich pork dish. Not a wine for sipping.
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12/31/2011 - MadisonWIneGuy wrote: 86 Points
This was consumed at the end of a long night on New Year's Eve, & I'm afraid it may be getting the short end of the stick as a result. That said, I wasn't nearly as impressed as I thought I'd be given the reviews. Blackberry & dark fruit, but overall not as smooth nor as layered as I thought it'd be. A little bite to it... will have to see what the next one brings.
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12/31/2011 - markbona wrote: 84 Points
Sour fruit, oak and tannin. Not very complex for a Zin based blend, maybe I had too high of an expectation after reading other tasting notes but this wine really isn't my cup of tea.
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12/31/2011 - markbona wrote: 76 Points
After it opened up a little really couldn't taste any complexity because it's all totally overpowered by OAK.... not at all to my preference but some might enjoy it...
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12/19/2011 - pc2006mg wrote: 90 Points
Always a treat! Solid bottle.
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12/17/2011 - kvswine wrote: 90 Points
Was unexpextedly surprised by this wine. Excelent nose of leather and pencil, complex structure, with layers of tanins and fruit, and a nice long finish.
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12/13/2011 - WineontheBarrelhead wrote:
An unusual blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Mourvedre. This vintage, as in past vintages, is somewhat puzzling - but ultimately pleasing - especially if you pair it with a hearty preparation of red meat. It's rustic off the bat, with aromas of fallen leaves and freshly-cut cedar, followed by earthy flavors of crushed dark berries, baking spices, and cocoa - all framed by hints of dried herbs and eucalyptus. Now, this isn't extremely complex or deep, but there are a lot of interesting flavors going on, and is therefore worth a try. Just don't forget the red meat.
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12/13/2011 - Winecat wrote: 90 Points
Great complexity and boldness. Loved it.
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12/13/2011 - foobarski wrote: 90 Points
Lots of spice notes.
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12/13/2011 - Kiltedtaz wrote: 79 Points
Very interesting red blend. Not sure what to think. Need to have with food to see if I really like it.
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12/5/2011 - Melster10 wrote: 91 Points
As the label says, "Mysterious and Hauntingly Seductive," yes! Love this Zin blend, so ruby, so fruit-forward with a luscious finish.
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12/2/2011 - gjkrmk wrote: 90 Points
Great QPR. Good tannins. smooth. nice finish. Wonderfully food friendly. A complete surprise. Offers so much more than Bogle's Petite Sirah which I feel is a well crafted wine. I will need to pick up a few more of these.
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12/1/2011 - scottsmith wrote: 87 Points
Not stellar but very enjoyable
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11/30/2011 - bdublu wrote: 87 Points
Didn't really like this too much on the first pour. Seems syrupy and sweet. Second glass was a bit better and it paired pretty well with grilled Porterhouse steak. Much better with food. I'll see how this does on the second night as it seemed to get better over time.
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11/24/2011 - gcgravlin wrote: 90 Points
Really enjoyed this zin based blend during our Thanksgiving feast. Our friend paid more than the target price at WF, but if you can find this for $15 it would be a great buy.
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11/24/2011 - crispino wrote: 89 Points
A highly enjoyable bottle. A well-balanced blend of muted fruit, spiciness, and body. Definitely quite a mouthful and one to savor. A long finish, with the spiciness lasting longest. The tannins are still quite sharp, and this may develop more with some cellaring. Still, we certainly had no problem drinking it now!
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11/23/2011 - RDHudak wrote: 91 Points
Color: Dark. Nose: Big, deep ripe fruit, earth and spice. Palate: Bursting with ripe, dark fruit, spice and an interesting earthiness that went well with dinner. Finish: Medium length with the prior fruits, but a lingering sweetness that was quite pleasant. Nice acidity and medium to full body. A very nice wine for $17 and a re-buy.
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11/19/2011 - Rcorrao wrote: 89 Points
For 16 bucks, great find. Nice and bold, balanced. Big ripe fruit.
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11/17/2011 - smokeshowing Likes this wine: 86 Points
A fun blend of Zinfandel 51% - Petite Sirah 47% - Mourvèdre 2% from Clarksburg, Lodi and Amador. Upon opening we definitely had difficulty defining any specific aromas, but after an hour there was a discernible scent of backed dark fruit combined with notes of vanilla. Flavors of more dark berries combine with a bit of spice to make for a relatively simple, but enjoyable wine.
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11/14/2011 - Bamboobren wrote: 90 Points
Amazing! full of jammy fruit and smoke
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11/6/2011 - yayinski wrote: 91 Points
Gorgeous nose of jammy, decadent ripe fruit with some baked berries. soft tannins, hedonistic, all you could expect from old vine zin and other succulent fleshy, plummy grapes. Look for it, teeeerrific value!
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11/4/2011 - bobpsi wrote: 88 Points
P&P. Brambly fruit and pepper nose, Medium plus body of red and black raspberries, cedar and spice. Medium finish, some heat.
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10/30/2011 - Haggas Cellars wrote: 84 Points
Opened up nicely after an hour.
Paired well with BBQ lamb and thyme-encrusted butterball potatoes.
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10/30/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 87 Points
There was light spice and some vanilla on the nose, but had to search for any disticitve aroma. Big fruity taste of cherry and grape, and some drying oaky tannins on the finish. Although this does not sound like a recommendation, this is a pleasing wine that can be enjoyed as an everyday option.
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10/26/2011 - Jack Cranley wrote: 89 Points
Nice big juicy ripe dark fruits right off the bat, opening up into deep seductive almost sensually hedonistic aromas of spice and vanilla. Definitely some gobs of oak here but but not so much as to completely dominate the entire spectrum. Very enjoyable, extracted, good firm tannins. Good QPR
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10/24/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 89 Points
Zinfandel Tasting: 2009 Ridge, Biale, Bogle (Winestreets): Very dark red color. Some alcohol off the bat, black fruits, blackberry, black cherry. The palate is medium bodied with blackberry, black cherry, lush, some tannins, pepper. This is a pretty solid value.
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10/19/2011 - Dave124 wrote: 87 Points
Vanilla, Cherries. Light to medium body. Very good but not great. Not offensive.
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10/17/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Day 3. Really crowd pleasing style. Dark and dense palate, but acid more than uplifting. Oak plays here, but really just ties this bundle of a wine together. A little vanilla on the palate, but with this acid it works together wonderfully.
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10/13/2011 - bbeissler wrote: 88 Points
Dark cherry, baked apple and slightly acidic on the nose with some American oak and whiskey nuances. The petite sirah really comes out on the palate with a nice dryness and pleasant woodsy notes of dark berries and cherries. Nice lingering finish but slightly tart. Great pairing for roasted filets mignons and shallots. A very nice wine but I have had better wines under $15 .
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10/12/2011 - Myersei wrote:
Let me say first and foremost, I really like this wine. BUT, since the first time I had it, 6 years ago or so, it's become more of an over-the-top, overly-extracted, phony. It's sort of like fast food, you know it's bad for you, completely lacks any worthy nutrition or true flavor, but you have to admit, it's tasty stuff. Same here. Serve this at a party and you'll wow most. Just bought a Jeraboam at Davidson's for $50 - $12.50/ bottle plus the large format novelty!
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10/9/2011 - Cmhaggar wrote:
- Crimsom color and aromas of blackberry, black pepper and sherry. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and alcohol with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish.
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10/6/2011 - Cmhaggar wrote:
- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry and raspberry. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry and raspberry with a medium/full body with a medium finish.
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9/30/2011 - CarlCP Likes this wine: 90 Points
dark red color and a spicy berry with hints of tobacco. rich berry flavor with hints of chocolate and a slight tartness, maybe cherry. Very nice right out of the bottle and really gets richer as it breaths.
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9/28/2011 - Saabpisces wrote: 92 Points
Deep rich Dark berries! Luscious mouthfeel!
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9/23/2011 - Majoki wrote:
Strong bites of cassis, raisin, and fine tobacco. Paired perfectly with eggplant Parmesan.
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9/21/2011 - Shaunz17 wrote: 85 Points
I came upon this wine a couple vintages ago, and i found that in comparison to the 2007 vintage, i was a bit bummed by the 2008. I expected more body and a more enjoyable mouthfeel that i remembered from previous vintages. It still has nice dark fruit flavors and a touch of spice. It feels as though bogle has tried to make the phantom a little too friendly...
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9/20/2011 - foobarski wrote: 90 Points
Luscious.
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9/16/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
30 months in American oak. French coopers, fashioning American oak. Bogle wines get 'real barrel!' even the $9.99 wines.
1500acres, planting more. they work with 85 different growers as well. just opened a 5 million gallon facility, 1/2 hour south of Sacramento in Clarksburg. 1.5million cases and the 10th largest US winery.
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11/23/2010 - DC_EO wrote: 87 Points
Plum, deep fruit, prunes, raisins. A little bright fruit underneath, but you really have to reach for it to get it on the nose. It has a nice finish, tannic, dry, but not overwhelming. Not a show-stopper, and I think I liked the 2007 better.
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11/2/2010 - DC_EO wrote: 86 Points
Maybe it was the night, but I drank a few glasses over several hours, and the wine seemed disjointed, without much in the way of a nose, really alcoholic on the back end. I remembered it from last year as a much more robust wine.
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