Another lost in my cellar bottle that was not on my CT inventory! My last previous bottle of this vintage/cuvee was 2018, and it is still alive and kicking. I brought this to a Super Bowl party and it was served along with Beef Chili. Its still a big wine, just not as big as it was in 2011, with a long finish. A real treat!
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Holding up well, dry-port deep dark dusty dried fruit nose, good earthy dry port palate, serve at cellar temp 55-60F or so as it's 'hot'... Nice at cellar temp.
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Opened and poured. Reticent nose....like a rattlesnake, this one seems a bit hostile.....leathery bitterish flavor profile....not giving much in the nose....with air it gets a little better, but this one is a tad hard to really enjoy. Thinnish, watery, yet potent. Perhaps over the hill, but, all good wines should be able to age well.
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This was simply delightful. Dark, broodsome, and sexy. Beautiful nose, velvety mouth feel, some tannins still hanging on, and nice medium finish. Paired with dry aged ribeye -- simply wonderful.
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PnP at a restaurant. No detailed notes. Well integrated. Smooth significant spice. Drinking well. ( Note: Was at first "cellared" for two years in shipping box in a lower level closet, so it may have matured more rapidly.)
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Big and dense, still fairly chewy tannins, plenty of structure. Dark fruit flavors. Brambly fruit aromas and garrigue. Good acidic backbone. Went very well with some rich burgers. Drinking wonderfully.
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Huge wine - 15.6% alc. Had with BBQ steaks. Spices on the nose, cinnamon, cloves, pepper. Rich heavy sweet fruit. Nutmeg. Almost syrupy on the 2nd night. A novelty, but not one I could drink often.
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Even more tightly wound than a bottle of six months ago -- evolving backward? On the nose, primary notes of raspberry and wild berry, with notes of charred word and underbrush. On the palate, more raspberry and wild berry, with a hint of citrus and a flinty finish. Loads of tannin. Mellowed with air. This will age for a long, long time.
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An awesome, tightly-wound zin, displaying mountain-fruit characteristics in all their glory. On the nose, deep red/black fruit, with more depth than most zins -- nice notes of loam, earth, menthol and wet rock. An explosion of flavor across the palate, with primary notes of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry cut with smoke, pepper, clove and nutmeg. Great acidity, and nicely balanced. A well-done effort, drinking perfectly now.
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Opens very thin and disjointed but, oh my, the weight it takes on in the glass. Starts off with some funk, almost Syrah-like. Give it time and it reveals some wonderful cedar, herb and blackberry notes. Medium bodied with a moderate finish. Tasty. But don't rush the experience.
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Nice Turley with strong aromas of blackberries, spice, earth. Medium bodied with dark cherries, sweet black fruits, vanilla. Solid, but not up to par with the Duarte.
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This deep crimson wine was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing 2-3 hours, maintaining the serving temperature at 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. The nose shows nice aromas of blackberries, chocolate, spice and licorice. Full-bodied on the palate, with tart acidity, big sweet tannins and somewhat hot alcohol. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. The finish, while long, is quite tart (to the point of being borderline sour). For my palate, this is a disappointing Rattlesnake bottling (which is usually my favorite). It appears that the wine was over-manipulated in the winery, with too much acidification. Don't count on improvement here...it is disjointed. Drink now12/13.
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Tight and hot To start but opened beautifully with 2 hour decant. Fruity but balanced with good acidity and structure. Paired wonderfully with lamb chops and full flavored sides.
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Pop and pour. Big fruit nose. Black cherry, blackberry and licorice on the nose. In the mouth, black currants initially. Picks up brambles and mint mid palate. Non-obtrusive structured tanins throughout, more noticed on the close.
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I missed the experience others here had. Not worth the bucks. I found this muted and muddy. Lacked the oomph of a really good Cali zin. Maybe an off bottle.
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A big guy! Rich, earthy nose, lots of blackberry and tobacco on the palate, long, satisfying finish. One of the better Turleys in my cellar; I wish I had more of them.
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15.8% alcohol. Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas can be detected from several inches away from the glass. Rasberries, black cherry, smoke and a little pepper on the palate. Well balanced, no observable alcohol. Lingering aftertaste.
A signiture Howell Mt. wine. The discernable structure should allow for improvment over the next 2-4 years.
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Opened 3 hours ahead. Arguably the best Turley I have had in the past year or more. Outperformed the '07 Ueberroth we had a couple weeks ago. Really expressive nose of blackberry, raspberry, spice and a touch of charcoal. Big bold mouth with rich blackberry fruit, black and white pepper and some smoke. Nice soft tannins on a fairly long finish. Went well with Maytag Blue and Huntsman cheeses. 92+
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15.8% alcohol. Popped and poured, but tasting notes are from day 2.
Dark ruby. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, rasberries, blackberry and a touch of pepper. Well balanced with the signature Turley fruit concentration. Medium long aftertaste.
This one had that signature Howell Mountain tannic backbone - reminicent of an Outpost. Very nice!
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A quintessential Turley zin. Fruit, spice, and oak in perfect harmony. Nothing stands out in particular with this bottle, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The perfect accompaniment to New York steaks, potatoes, and broccoli.
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2/12/2023 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another lost in my cellar bottle that was not on my CT inventory! My last previous bottle of this vintage/cuvee was 2018, and it is still alive and kicking. I brought this to a Super Bowl party and it was served along with Beef Chili. Its still a big wine, just not as big as it was in 2011, with a long finish. A real treat!
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8/4/2021 - bigbass250 Likes this wine:
Used a coffee filter to strain out the sediment was a great improvement
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6/2/2021 - bigbass250 Likes this wine:
The lady asked for more no need to say anything else
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8/1/2020 - danstrings Likes this wine: 89 Points
Holding up well, dry-port deep dark dusty dried fruit nose, good earthy dry port palate, serve at cellar temp 55-60F or so as it's 'hot'... Nice at cellar temp.
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1/11/2019 - Senso-beak wrote: 86 Points
Opened and poured. Reticent nose....like a rattlesnake, this one seems a bit hostile.....leathery bitterish flavor profile....not giving much in the nose....with air it gets a little better, but this one is a tad hard to really enjoy. Thinnish, watery, yet potent. Perhaps over the hill, but, all good wines should be able to age well.
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12/16/2018 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has held up very well. Deep nose of black fruits and some spice. Popped 'n poured in a NYC restaurant. Lots of sediment. Medium-long finish.
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1/15/2018 - HowellTime wrote: 92 Points
Still quite tight, loads of tannic and needs a few more years.
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11/1/2016 - bluedog Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was simply delightful. Dark, broodsome, and sexy. Beautiful nose, velvety mouth feel, some tannins still hanging on, and nice medium finish. Paired with dry aged ribeye -- simply wonderful.
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10/22/2016 - PolarBear22 wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful. Deep and dark. Stood up well to smoked beef brisket. And just fantastic on its own.
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10/22/2016 - BGK810 wrote: 89 Points
Very extracted ...in fact, a bit overdone. Big, rich, dark fruit flavors.
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10/12/2015 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Admittedly, I am a great fan of Howell Mountain sourced fruit!
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10/5/2015 - Ed B wrote:
PnP at a restaurant. No detailed notes. Well integrated. Smooth significant spice. Drinking well. ( Note: Was at first "cellared" for two years in shipping box in a lower level closet, so it may have matured more rapidly.)
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9/17/2015 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
Mountain fruit, a bit of brambles, pepper and heat without too much overripeness in the zin. Maybe just a bit overdone.
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7/27/2015 - guitarguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big, brambly mountain blackberry with decent acidity and tannin. Probably nearing a drinking window exit. Drink in 1-2 years.
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6/24/2015 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 89 Points
Needs to be open at least an hour. Huge jam up front which air evens out. Still a bit too much oak
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6/20/2015 - silbakor wrote: 91 Points
Big and dense, still fairly chewy tannins, plenty of structure. Dark fruit flavors. Brambly fruit aromas and garrigue. Good acidic backbone. Went very well with some rich burgers. Drinking wonderfully.
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6/20/2015 - silbakor wrote: flawed
badly corked.
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4/11/2015 - patwjr wrote: 90 Points
Tight, somewhat flat. Should have read the other notes. Think it needs more time, but not sure it'll ever be great.
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11/22/2014 - sma Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Tanic and astringent. Leather and wet canvas. Some earth, raspberry and cherry. Least favorite of the night.
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11/21/2014 - chadslater wrote:
Huge wine - 15.6% alc. Had with BBQ steaks. Spices on the nose, cinnamon, cloves, pepper. Rich heavy sweet fruit. Nutmeg. Almost syrupy on the 2nd night. A novelty, but not one I could drink often.
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11/9/2014 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
Even more tightly wound than a bottle of six months ago -- evolving backward? On the nose, primary notes of raspberry and wild berry, with notes of charred word and underbrush. On the palate, more raspberry and wild berry, with a hint of citrus and a flinty finish. Loads of tannin. Mellowed with air. This will age for a long, long time.
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9/1/2014 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Luscious, layered, spectacular zin
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4/4/2014 - JOJ wrote: 93 Points
An awesome, tightly-wound zin, displaying mountain-fruit characteristics in all their glory. On the nose, deep red/black fruit, with more depth than most zins -- nice notes of loam, earth, menthol and wet rock. An explosion of flavor across the palate, with primary notes of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry cut with smoke, pepper, clove and nutmeg. Great acidity, and nicely balanced. A well-done effort, drinking perfectly now.
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3/18/2014 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 91 Points
High Octane, still some heat on the finish.
raisin/fig mixed with blueberries.
Complex, huge nose.
long finish.
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2/2/2014 - jonahfactor Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opens very thin and disjointed but, oh my, the weight it takes on in the glass. Starts off with some funk, almost Syrah-like. Give it time and it reveals some wonderful cedar, herb and blackberry notes. Medium bodied with a moderate finish. Tasty. But don't rush the experience.
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1/18/2014 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
yummy and totally in its window.
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9/28/2013 - Bigfresser wrote: 90 Points
nice bottle but not too exciting
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7/22/2013 - jwalker1140 wrote: 91 Points
Nice balance after about one hour or air.
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2/5/2013 - macker100 wrote: 90 Points
Nice Turley with strong aromas of blackberries, spice, earth. Medium bodied with dark cherries, sweet black fruits, vanilla. Solid, but not up to par with the Duarte.
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12/7/2012 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 86 Points
This deep crimson wine was Vinturi-decanted and serially tasted over the ensuing 2-3 hours, maintaining the serving temperature at 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. The nose shows nice aromas of blackberries, chocolate, spice and licorice. Full-bodied on the palate, with tart acidity, big sweet tannins and somewhat hot alcohol. The flavors mirror the nose and the middle palate is solid. The finish, while long, is quite tart (to the point of being borderline sour). For my palate, this is a disappointing Rattlesnake bottling (which is usually my favorite). It appears that the wine was over-manipulated in the winery, with too much acidification. Don't count on improvement here...it is disjointed. Drink now12/13.
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11/19/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 93 Points
Still wonderful. So full of fruit and great finish. In a great place at present.
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9/30/2012 - chadslater wrote:
sweet, red fruits, low tannins.
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6/3/2012 - Grappa Cellar wrote: 91 Points
Nice fruit: cherry, blackberry
Not fruit forward
Great finish
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5/28/2012 - ashechet wrote: 92 Points
Tight and hot To start but opened beautifully with 2 hour decant. Fruity but balanced with good acidity and structure. Paired wonderfully with lamb chops and full flavored sides.
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5/20/2012 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Terrific bottle-- favorite of the evening. Lush, spicy, deep, drinking great.
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3/7/2012 - tairanosaurus wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Big fruit nose. Black cherry, blackberry and licorice on the nose. In the mouth, black currants initially. Picks up brambles and mint mid palate. Non-obtrusive structured tanins throughout, more noticed on the close.
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1/19/2012 - burgbob wrote: 91 Points
Solid and interesting wine with cinnamon like asian spice in the finish. Very well done.
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11/25/2011 - gesusser wrote: 91 Points
spciy fruity zin; better with time; hold next bottle for another year
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11/5/2011 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 89 Points
Spicy, brambly Zin. Very smooth. Big, but not at all over the top. Nice stuff.
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10/2/2011 - williamswhine wrote: 92 Points
Big berry nose, slight vanilla mixed with dark berries, full bodied-- well structured and evenly balanced. Otherwise reliant and typical Turley.
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9/11/2011 - mrpalmer wrote: 91 Points
Very enjoyable, very balanced. Earthy, spicy, nice finish.
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7/16/2011 - Lessthanzero wrote: 90 Points
A nice Turley. Big without being annoying. Plenty of fruit with some nice acidity to it.
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7/15/2011 - jeffal66 wrote: 87 Points
I missed the experience others here had. Not worth the bucks. I found this muted and muddy. Lacked the oomph of a really good Cali zin. Maybe an off bottle.
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7/8/2011 - Vinyljunkee wrote: 92 Points
Very earthy with tremendous fruit and spice undertones. Recommend decanting for 2-3 hours.
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6/25/2011 - JSPuskar wrote: 90 Points
A big guy! Rich, earthy nose, lots of blackberry and tobacco on the palate, long, satisfying finish. One of the better Turleys in my cellar; I wish I had more of them.
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5/21/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 90 Points
15.8% alcohol. Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas can be detected from several inches away from the glass. Rasberries, black cherry, smoke and a little pepper on the palate. Well balanced, no observable alcohol. Lingering aftertaste.
A signiture Howell Mt. wine. The discernable structure should allow for improvment over the next 2-4 years.
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5/16/2011 - River Rat wrote: 92 Points
Opened 3 hours ahead. Arguably the best Turley I have had in the past year or more. Outperformed the '07 Ueberroth we had a couple weeks ago. Really expressive nose of blackberry, raspberry, spice and a touch of charcoal. Big bold mouth with rich blackberry fruit, black and white pepper and some smoke. Nice soft tannins on a fairly long finish. Went well with Maytag Blue and Huntsman cheeses. 92+
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4/23/2011 - mheilemann wrote:
Very earthy with pepper
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3/13/2011 - ravbik wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied, lots of Red berries, mild pepper and nutmeg. Silky smooth finish. One of the better turleys for this year.
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3/6/2011 - jasonkle wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyable. Punchy and flavorful.
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2/28/2011 - cubswinws wrote: 91 Points
Nice all around zin with expressive nose and tart red fruit on the palate.
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1/22/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 90 Points
15.8% alcohol. Popped and poured, but tasting notes are from day 2.
Dark ruby. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, rasberries, blackberry and a touch of pepper. Well balanced with the signature Turley fruit concentration. Medium long aftertaste.
This one had that signature Howell Mountain tannic backbone - reminicent of an Outpost. Very nice!
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11/21/2010 - bmwcarl wrote:
A quintessential Turley zin. Fruit, spice, and oak in perfect harmony. Nothing stands out in particular with this bottle, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The perfect accompaniment to New York steaks, potatoes, and broccoli.
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8/13/2010 - awise45 wrote: 90 Points
Rich and full in typical Turley style, but lacking the full finish of past Zins. Good, not great.
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6/6/2010 - cstir wrote: 90 Points
Smooth on opening; modest complexity with layered dark berry flavor; moderate finish.
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