I haven't tasted this wine in 6 years, and based on my last note, there has been a lot of improvement. Has a heady, dark, smokey, Rhone-like nose; just a joy to put the glass in your face. A bit of mineral, coffee and leafy undertones as well. Complex and beguiling nose, at least in my Grassl 1855. Youthful, with a terrific bright acidity on the palate that gives the appearance of lightness despite the rich boysenberry and black plum fruit. Slightly drying, moderate, caressing tannins on the floral finish. This is drinking very well right now, but should hold for another 5+ years. A great syrah that could be a nice ringer in a lineup of Cote Roties.
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Lots of funk on the nose when opening. Even after time still a residue of sharp tart on the nose. The wine is full-bodied, smooth, with deep lush fruit. Finish is decent. Still going strong.
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Popped and poured and enjoyed over a few hours. Roasted meats and dark fruits on the nose. You can tell it's Cali on the palate as the fruit impression is pure and ripe. The wine was delicious. Drink now but this will hold for some time too.
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We had the last bottle at dinner at Joe’s of Westlake in the SF Bay Area. This has some time left for certain, but no shame in opening it now. The first thing that grabs me is stems, whether it had them or not. Not greenies, but a firm tannins. Beautiful fruit with a good dash of peppery spice. Long finish. I wouldn’t call it chewy, but certainly mouth filling fruit. A lovely wine. This came from the cave at Rhys nearby to our cellar at 51 degrees, never moving so provenance good.
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This is really quite delicious. I opened this and recorked it for a gathering. We forgot to drink and I found my mistake a week later. The wine was terrific and really showing Syrah markers with a little bit of age.
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Really good tonight. 2 hour decant. With grilled pork and brussels sprouts. Dark dark fruit but not a particularly heavy wine. Nice olive/savory in the middle but lights up with a bit of acid, then a light pepper finish. Wish I had more of this one but loving Rhys syrahs with some years on them.
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7yrs from my last bottle. This has really evolved into a good place, but even now is still quite young. Nice core of purple fruit. Olive, pepper, maybe a little smoke on the nose. Palate is dense, with structure still prominent. Fruit is coming through though. Cooler style comes though. I will need to reassess buying these in the future. Too bad they take 10yrs to come around.
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Tasted blind. This is a gorgeous wine with aromas of black olives and bacon with more blueberry and blackberry on the palate. Ultra-smooth with excellent acidic liveliness, but not tart in the least. Finishes with silky tannins and some mineral sparkle. Drink now. Rating: 93
Guess the wine. Syrah. Northern Rhone. ~12 years old.
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Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): Listed ABV of 13.9%. I tasted this near the end of the evening, after I had powered through about 20 different Rhys PNs. So, take my note here with that context. This shows olive, metal shavings, good density, purple fruit and tar. There is a richness to how this wine comes across to me, no doubt related to the vintage.
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Stunning. Nose of crushed berries, chocolate, old leather, and mushroomy earth. Reminiscent of vintage port. Silky texture with pleasant acidity and soft (but serious) tannins. Pretty and feminine.
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Pretty simple syrah. First tried this in '10 and had hoped there was some underlying material that would reveal itself with time. Didn't happen. This one featured a big nose of blackberry and some stems. The stems were more prominent on the palate, which was mostly hollow and flat. The blackberry fruit on the palate had more presence on day 2 with a hint of stewed plum added. Can't imagine this needs more time as the tannin is well integrated and the wine really hasn't shown anything new. Found this to be more compelling back in '10.
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PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs -nearly opaque dark red purple no bricking -restrained dark berry earth black olive -med- acidity escalates to med on the finish, middle weight fairly round faint dark berry and earth, med-/med tannins with good length -very good, has some pleasant old world stylistic elements, squarely on a mature plateau, no hurry but likely not much positive evolution either
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Somewhat simple and disappointing compared to more recent Rhys syrahs, which I have found to be much more compelling. Much more California than N. Rhone, the latter being where I feel recent vintages of Skyline in particular (and to a lesser extent Horseshoe) are heading style-wise. Somewhat soft, lacking vibrancy, and finishing a bit simple and flat, lacking distinctive character. Of course, this was early days in the vineyard, and the wines have been justifiably improving in recent vintages. Still, I find the early Alesia syrahs (2004-2006) to be a step up in quality compared to this bottle. Perhaps I will be proven wrong (I have two more bottles to test this theory), but I suspect this is on the decline rather than in a dumb phase, but I hope I am mistaken.
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Leo's Blind Tasting Group - March '16 edition (Gil's): Apparently I had this in another blind tasting last year and didn't like it much. I liked it even less this time. Ripe, monolithic black fruit with a faint roasted tinge to the flavours, a higher toned stemmy/cedary accent in the background, and lots of tannin clamping down on a bitter and slightly sour finish.
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Dinner with Wine Doc (BellyQ, Chicago): Courtesy of Wine Sparty. Deep color with notes of plum, leather, pepper and dark fruit. Full-bodied and structured but balanced by a wealth of dark fruit. Pepper and spice notes add depth. Lengthy finish. 92+ pts.
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CT blind tasting group at David's: Not much apparent Syrah character here, though it's a well made wine with plenty of dark fruit, faintly stemmy/herbal accents, and bright acidity underneath. It doesn't have any of the more interesting savoury notes I'd look for in Syrah though, and it's rather one-note.
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MSO wine club - January 2015 (Alex's House): splash decanted night before. Still needed more air. initially, it smelled sweet and the palate was showing ripe berries. With air, it became more complex and began to show some smoke and game elements, but next time will put this in a decanter and let it sit.
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Drunk as part of my journey to understand Cali Syrah. Very nice stuff - smoky like a leaner cote rotie - just about drinkable at this stage but still way too young. Would buy again.
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This is lovely. the nose is a bit shy but one can tell there is something intriguing in the aroma. High toned, juicy, tart blackberry, floral elements, dusty cherries. A compact taste that expands in your mouth and has a long finish. this is impressive. Interestingly - Same notes on pop n pour as next day with air. I would say drinking at or near its peak.
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Not your typical Syrah...maybe it's asleep. It's good, but I'm not impressed.
After 20 hours in a decenter, I'm impressed and happy to see this wine develop into what I was expecting. The wine opened up, the heat went away and it tasted so much better. If you're opening this wine anytime soon, give it 15 to 24 hours in decanter first. I feel this wine can age for a few more years.
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Very nice. Dark purple-red color. The nose has blueberry, blackberry, sassafras, smoke. Medium palate, the flavors are dense, but not heavy. Nice balance, long, delicious finish.
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My first Rhys Syrah. Nicely complex and with a perfect balance. Classic Syrah aromatics. Expressive, but not too overt fruit. A very nice acidic structure. Will clearly benefit from further aging, but quite outstanding already. I love Cote Rotie and this fits wonderfully in my boat.
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Total stunner. Gorgeous nose of pepper, sizzling bacon, and dark fruit, overlaid with this minty cool tone that was mesmerizing. The coolness carries over into the stony, rich, yet elegant flavors on the palate, which finishes with very fine and chalky tannins. A benchmark wine in my book.
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Silky smooth right out of the gate that only got more silky as the night went on. Cool and refreshing on the palate, excellent balance with northern rhone flavors. good stuff.
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This is drinking very well. It is so smooth. Great nose of black fruit with some pepper. On the palate, the smoothness is amazing. Drinks so easily the bottles was downed very quickly. Great wine.
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Enjoyed this very much. We had drank a Rhys Family Farm Pinot prior to the Syrah and I much preferred the darker fruit style of this wine. It was very well made and drank wonderfully after about 2 hours in the decanter. I would buy again.
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Very closed at first. Very little fruit of notice. After a 2.5 hour decant this wine has really opened up with strong notes of raspberry, cherry, and other fruits with very pronounced minerality. Very integrates tannins and balanced acidity. Unfortunately I have only one more. Served with grilled lamb chops and sautéed spinach.
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Double decanted before bringing to Thanksgiving dinner. Nearly pitch black at the core with an absolutely gorgeous ruby rim. Compelling nose with divergent elements. Savory, meaty aromatics meeting perfumed red fruit meeting deep pit fruit. The palate is lush & full bodied. Even with some air time, this is youthful. High intensity & concentration, fresh bright blackberries & peppered dates are the first wave on the palate. The kiss of brightness & dryness as it moves through the mid palate is what really draws you right back. Sipping a bit more slowly and just slowing down the experience (sitting for a moment rather than standing & chatting) allows you to see the final components & what this will be down the road. Letting this sit in your tongue shows a gamey component to contrast with the fruit, and unearths some classy tannins which add an edge to the initial roundness. Lingering black pepper finish.
I'm in love...
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2.5 hour decant. Fresh dark fruits, smoke & bacon. Medium in weight with a very lush mouthfeel. Love the elegance of this wine just very stunning in how it presents on the nose & palate. Wonderful finish with just a touch of tannin.
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Notes similar to previous bottle in terms of flavor profile. This bottle didn't quite match up to previous though. It seemed more open, but perhaps less fresh. Don't get me wrong, still nice. Will check in on night two.
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Another really nice bottle. Sadly I drank my two bottles too soon. Don't make the same mistake that I made. Save yours for at least a couple more years.
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Decanted 90 min. In all honesty I was expecting a leaner mineral driven wine, but that's not what you have here. The fruit is center stage, blackberries, raspberry, a touch of smoke, all in a nice medium weight rustic package. I notice others have noted some fine tannins, but for me these are fully resolved and drinks exceptionally well. Not a big fruit forward wine, but one that does focus more on fruit than structure. There's an underlying tartness that really shines here.
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its really a 94+ as I see this improving a lot over the next 3-5 years. It drinks very well now, not tight, but I thought there would be more integration of the tannis (which are very fine). Lots of White pepper, bramble and a touch of burnt rubber on the nose, nice mouthfeel and no heat or wood sticking out. This will be fun to follow....
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Nice understated Syrah. Decanted two hours ahead of time. Fairly muted and subdued nose overall. Darker rustic dark cherries, blackberries, coffee, a little game and smoke, but lots of dirty black fruit and SPICE SPICE SPICE. Not quite the delicious or fascinating nose I was looking for - instead it was well harnessed and more elegant and subtle. Darker nutmeg, touches of savory red roasted peppers and stewed tomato. Still enjoyable just surprised. Finish was moderate in acidity moderate but already resolved tannins and moderate alcohol as well. Pretty much all middle of the road. I was expecting more as a whole from the wine but it showed nicely as far as being rustic and almost North Rhone-esque.
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Stunning syrah, pretty much everything you want from the grape. Peppery, meaty, and intense, with a taut spine. Up there with the likes of Jamet or Allemand.
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Served blind. Difficult to peg this as new world Syrah. Dark red-purple color. Really expressive nose of blue and black fruits, laced with pepper and lightly meaty notes. In the mouth, shockingly refined and impeccably balanced. The fruit stands out, but it's complemented beautifully by the meaty, peppery complex notes. Strong acidity, but even that comes off as balanced and refined. Tannic on the finish, but they're beautifully refined. This is a really terrific wine. A-/A
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Light liquid smoke, blue and black fruit, game, wet leather, pepper, medium body, light floral lift, exudes class from every pore. Should improve but exceptionally balanced at present. Not trying too hard, but not simply lacking in content racking up temporary aesthetic points for not being spoofolated.
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Nose of black cherries and peppercorn. On the palate, quite spicy, with a lot of black fruit flavours and some slight black peppercorn and leather notes. A lot of residual sweetness, and not quite enough acid makes this wine slightly cloying. The oak also hits a little hard, but apart from being slightly off-balance, this is a solid, well-made wine for easy drinking; I didn't find this bottle to be tight at all -- in fact, I would say it was ready to go.
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Decanted for about two hours before having with carne asada. Aroma of dark fruit, leather and some spice. Taste had plum, and very little tannins - perhaps due to the decanting, but it makes me fully believe this can be drank now with no worries. The taste is a bit one dimensional with the fruit. Enjoyable, but it doesn't wow too much.
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Popped and poured, then drank this over two hours. Aromas of black cherry and blackberry with some pale flowers and really powerful anise, dried tarragon and pepper. Roughly the same fruit and spice profile on palate, with moderate intensity and an interesting finish highlighting sweet fruit and black pepper. I will hold my other bottle another 3 or 4 years, thinking that sweetness will soften. You won't mistake this for Cote-Rotie, but this is quite a good California Syrah.
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Popped and poured and drank out of Govino plastic tumbler. This has a wonderful nose of green Sicilian olives with a hint of tar and blueberries. Wonderful mouthfeel. Rich and smooth. Quite elegant for a syrah.
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With the coming of the new release, I thought I would open a bottle to try. On Day 1, I was whelmed, neither over nor under. It had some nice plums and boysenberries, a bit tart, and generally just good. I drank a couple of glasses and re-corked leaving the bottle on the kitchen counter. Much better on day 2. The fruit, somewhat surprisingly was more robust, even tasting a bit riper. More depth as well, now showing some complexity and layering. The biggest change was how smooth this wine drank. Gone was the heat that was an issue on Day 1. Very smooth and drank quite easily (and quickly). Probably wait a bit on my remaining bottles or at least slow-o for a day or two ahead of time. I am a buyer on the next offering.
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Just a beautiful bottle of syrah that is drinking well but still has lots of upside. Should improve for several years and then hold for at least five more years. Has almost a rhone nose that is quite unique. Not over the top like so many syrahs I've consumed lately this syrah is very well balanced. Happy to have a few of these left. Probably won't try another for at least a year perhaps two. A beautiful syrah.
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I'm really not a huge Syrah fan but this is certainly a very interesting wine in the making and a pleasure to drink. Opened and poured into two Riedel Bdxs at 4PM and let it evolve in the glass. Finished the btl 3-4 hours later. This has amazingly silky placid tanins but at the same time you sense it's struture and power. Beautiful floral aromas evolve into meaty/spicey smells. This has serious concetration and length but doesn't at all seem heavy. Kinda reminds me of Rostaing Cote Rotie. Pepper, dark fruit and tar on palate. This will be very interesting in 3-5yrs. My only blt though.
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Impressive stuff. I was never a fan of the Alesia syrahs until the '06 Fairview Ranch came around, and I'm happy to report that this is more in the mold of that wine than the earlier, sweeter efforts, although as per usual with the Rhys estate wines it's more structured and seems to hold more in reserve without quite the drink-me-now guzzlability of the Fairview. It's got all the stuff I want in a syrah, an evocative pepper flavor; dark, rich, gripping fruit; and the tensility to ensure that the rich fruit doesn't come across gloppy.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks - The Great Lamb Feast (with syrah) (Home of John Webber): Initially upon opening had a great peppery nose with violets. Served later in the even after a 4hr decant and much of the expressive nose had shut down. Nose was rather shy, hints of ripe dark fruits, even a hint of port, with touch of meat. Dark fruits on the palate with prominent tannins and acidity. Had great concentration and a lengthy finish with tar and earth, turning dry. I think this closed up with extended air time. Certainly needs time to be enjoyable, though appears to be well made in a cooler climate style.
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Opened and poured, this showed well with aromatics of black cherry, stone, licorice and pepper. The bouquet displays definition and nuance. The color is a dark purple to black with having an overly extracted look. It is youthful and vibrant. The medium-full bodied palate shows balance and well defined fruit character. Both acidity and tannin become assertive on the finish. This should benefit from an additional year or two of bottle and drink well for many more.
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Pop and pour. Dark purple. Dark fruit and just a hint of oak on the nose. Palate had ripe dark fruit and silky tannins. The tannins got slightly more aggressive after the bottle had been open a while. I would put this Syrah somewhere in between the old world and the new world (or the stereotypes thereof). Ripe, but not overly so, with the structure to age. Quite enjoyable, but still tight, so my remaining bottles will rest for a while. Very glad I have a few more to follow its evolution. 91+.
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Rhys recommends 5 years of cellaring for this wine, and I can understand why. Popped and poured; followed over 2 days. The nose featured barnyard, olive and blackberry. On day 2, the nose was sweeter with the blackberry taking center stage. The palate, however, was tightly wound. Tasting notes included mineral and traces of black fruit that seemed overwhelmed by the structure at this stage. Great upside potential for this wine; let 'em sleep.
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A beautiful, complex, well-balanced, middle-weight syrah. The nose evolved quite a bit over the course of the evening, showing at various times black and purple fruit, purple floral notes, wet tree bark, pepper, menthol. The palate starts off smooth but the tannins show up near the end. There are some savory notes accompanying the delicious dark fruit, and a fine chalky finish. The structure is there for this to age nicely.
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Deep red; nearly opaque. On the nose, a very floral, iron, grape, mineral, and blueberry presentation. On the palate, this shows blueberry, plum, cherry preserve, iron, and Italian herbs. The finish has a bit of heat showing and this is a bit disjointed at this point. Hold or decant. This note from a pop and pour with dinner.
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pepper, meats, blueberries, flowers. smooth on the palate with plenty of acid to hold it shape. i bet this would be great with food, but is just fine on its own too. just fantastic qpr!
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Just bordering on blueberry milkshake on the nose, this pulls itself together with a more linear expression on the palate that avoids any trace of heaviness. It's interesting that a wine so ripe/rich on nose can be this elegant, but that's what happens with excellent grape growing and wine making that is the equal of the fruit.
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Tasted at the Rhys pickup day -- didn't take detailed notes. Wow, this made quite an impression. Very dark color, and terrific concentration on the palate, but not in any way extracted or jammy. Dark berry fruit on the nose and palate, the structure made me think of the Northern Rhône. If I receive an allocation I hope it's more than just one bottle, because this should be an interesting wine to follow.
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Nose - very dense and complex! Black plum, fig, mango, touch of boysenberry, frambois, sweet herbs, hint of creme de menthe. Blackberry, blueberry freezer jam, nutmeg, resin, clove. Very complex. Spicy frambois on the finish. Drink '14-34.
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12/17/2023 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious blackberry, earth, and pepper notes on the open nose and savory palate with juicy tannins on the long finish.
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5/26/2022 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
I haven't tasted this wine in 6 years, and based on my last note, there has been a lot of improvement. Has a heady, dark, smokey, Rhone-like nose; just a joy to put the glass in your face. A bit of mineral, coffee and leafy undertones as well. Complex and beguiling nose, at least in my Grassl 1855. Youthful, with a terrific bright acidity on the palate that gives the appearance of lightness despite the rich boysenberry and black plum fruit. Slightly drying, moderate, caressing tannins on the floral finish. This is drinking very well right now, but should hold for another 5+ years. A great syrah that could be a nice ringer in a lineup of Cote Roties.
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11/14/2020 - jfkwines wrote: 92 Points
Left to air for two hours, drank killer. As mentioned in August , this is in a great spot
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8/28/2020 - jfkwines wrote: 93 Points
Showed well
GAve it air for 3 hours prior to drinking
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8/27/2020 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
great wine.
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4/20/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of funk on the nose when opening. Even after time still a residue of sharp tart on the nose. The wine is full-bodied, smooth, with deep lush fruit. Finish is decent. Still going strong.
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4/12/2020 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine:
Popped and poured and enjoyed over a few hours. Roasted meats and dark fruits on the nose. You can tell it's Cali on the palate as the fruit impression is pure and ripe. The wine was delicious. Drink now but this will hold for some time too.
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2/2/2020 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 95 Points
We had the last bottle at dinner at Joe’s of Westlake in the SF Bay Area. This has some time left for certain, but no shame in opening it now. The first thing that grabs me is stems, whether it had them or not. Not greenies, but a firm tannins. Beautiful fruit with a good dash of peppery spice. Long finish. I wouldn’t call it chewy, but certainly mouth filling fruit. A lovely wine. This came from the cave at Rhys nearby to our cellar at 51 degrees, never moving so provenance good.
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11/4/2019 - Jdwinedrinker wrote:
This must be an off bottle - not getting the wine others are posting about.
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10/17/2019 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is really quite delicious. I opened this and recorked it for a gathering. We forgot to drink and I found my mistake a week later. The wine was terrific and really showing Syrah markers with a little bit of age.
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9/30/2019 - amoryb wrote:
Really good tonight. 2 hour decant. With grilled pork and brussels sprouts. Dark dark fruit but not a particularly heavy wine. Nice olive/savory in the middle but lights up with a bit of acid, then a light pepper finish. Wish I had more of this one but loving Rhys syrahs with some years on them.
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5/25/2018 - Nutty08 wrote: 93 Points
7yrs from my last bottle. This has really evolved into a good place, but even now is still quite young. Nice core of purple fruit. Olive, pepper, maybe a little smoke on the nose. Palate is dense, with structure still prominent. Fruit is coming through though.
Cooler style comes though. I will need to reassess buying these in the future. Too bad they take 10yrs to come around.
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12/31/2017 - Acohen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, blueberry with savory olive notes and super smooth finish
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12/4/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind. This is a gorgeous wine with aromas of black olives and bacon with more blueberry and blackberry on the palate. Ultra-smooth with excellent acidic liveliness, but not tart in the least. Finishes with silky tannins and some mineral sparkle. Drink now. Rating: 93
Guess the wine. Syrah. Northern Rhone. ~12 years old.
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10/1/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): Listed ABV of 13.9%. I tasted this near the end of the evening, after I had powered through about 20 different Rhys PNs. So, take my note here with that context. This shows olive, metal shavings, good density, purple fruit and tar. There is a richness to how this wine comes across to me, no doubt related to the vintage.
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9/29/2017 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Nice plums and cherriesf finishes with some earth and leather.
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8/28/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stunning. Nose of crushed berries, chocolate, old leather, and mushroomy earth. Reminiscent of vintage port. Silky texture with pleasant acidity and soft (but serious) tannins. Pretty and feminine.
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4/9/2017 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Cherries and plums with and earthy core. Nice wine.
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3/30/2017 - wineaux2 wrote: 85 Points
Pretty simple syrah. First tried this in '10 and had hoped there was some underlying material that would reveal itself with time. Didn't happen. This one featured a big nose of blackberry and some stems. The stems were more prominent on the palate, which was mostly hollow and flat. The blackberry fruit on the palate had more presence on day 2 with a hint of stewed plum added. Can't imagine this needs more time as the tannin is well integrated and the wine really hasn't shown anything new. Found this to be more compelling back in '10.
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2/27/2017 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious lively blackberry, earth, and pepper notes on the nose and ripe palate with juicy tannins on the tasty finish.
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2/26/2017 - Cote d'Or wrote:
PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs
-nearly opaque dark red purple no bricking
-restrained dark berry earth black olive
-med- acidity escalates to med on the finish, middle weight fairly round faint dark berry and earth, med-/med tannins with good length
-very good, has some pleasant old world stylistic elements, squarely on a mature plateau, no hurry but likely not much positive evolution either
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2/14/2017 - dougie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Wonderful! Complex and balanced. Not sweet or cloying at all.
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9/13/2016 - GrapeScott wrote: 87 Points
Somewhat simple and disappointing compared to more recent Rhys syrahs, which I have found to be much more compelling. Much more California than N. Rhone, the latter being where I feel recent vintages of Skyline in particular (and to a lesser extent Horseshoe) are heading style-wise. Somewhat soft, lacking vibrancy, and finishing a bit simple and flat, lacking distinctive character. Of course, this was early days in the vineyard, and the wines have been justifiably improving in recent vintages. Still, I find the early Alesia syrahs (2004-2006) to be a step up in quality compared to this bottle. Perhaps I will be proven wrong (I have two more bottles to test this theory), but I suspect this is on the decline rather than in a dumb phase, but I hope I am mistaken.
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6/12/2016 - dougie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice. Decanted for an hour. Complex Syrah with more fruit than previous experiences. Great to drink a lower alc., non sweet Syrah.
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3/13/2016 - salil wrote: 82 Points
Leo's Blind Tasting Group - March '16 edition (Gil's): Apparently I had this in another blind tasting last year and didn't like it much. I liked it even less this time. Ripe, monolithic black fruit with a faint roasted tinge to the flavours, a higher toned stemmy/cedary accent in the background, and lots of tannin clamping down on a bitter and slightly sour finish.
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10/4/2015 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Dinner with Wine Doc (BellyQ, Chicago): Courtesy of Wine Sparty. Deep color with notes of plum, leather, pepper and dark fruit. Full-bodied and structured but balanced by a wealth of dark fruit. Pepper and spice notes add depth. Lengthy finish. 92+ pts.
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3/26/2015 - salil wrote: 86 Points
CT blind tasting group at David's: Not much apparent Syrah character here, though it's a well made wine with plenty of dark fruit, faintly stemmy/herbal accents, and bright acidity underneath. It doesn't have any of the more interesting savoury notes I'd look for in Syrah though, and it's rather one-note.
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3/26/2015 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
TTTG Blind: Sweet, rich; disappointing, and completely outclassed by the other two syrahs in this flight.
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1/17/2015 - Andrew Christiansen wrote: flawed
Corked! At Rhys Tasting with the Gang - Part 2 - Frank Murray III's place.
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1/17/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote: flawed
Rhys Tasting With The Gang--Part 2 (My Place): TCA here. I even went back to the wine at midnight when breaking down the kitchen and confirmed the TCA again. Too bad.
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1/13/2015 - MSO wine club wrote:
MSO wine club - January 2015 (Alex's House): splash decanted night before. Still needed more air. initially, it smelled sweet and the palate was showing ripe berries. With air, it became more complex and began to show some smoke and game elements, but next time will put this in a decanter and let it sit.
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1/1/2015 - MObiker wrote:
Great Syrah; smokey, meaty, and still a little grapey. No hurry on these.
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11/2/2014 - lozatron wrote:
Drunk as part of my journey to understand Cali Syrah. Very nice stuff - smoky like a leaner cote rotie - just about drinkable at this stage but still way too young. Would buy again.
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5/8/2014 - lolo66 wrote: 93 Points
This is lovely. the nose is a bit shy but one can tell there is something intriguing in the aroma. High toned, juicy, tart blackberry, floral elements, dusty cherries. A compact taste that expands in your mouth and has a long finish. this is impressive. Interestingly - Same notes on pop n pour as next day with air. I would say drinking at or near its peak.
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3/29/2014 - Brunello123 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not your typical Syrah...maybe it's asleep. It's good, but I'm not impressed.
After 20 hours in a decenter, I'm impressed and happy to see this wine develop into what I was expecting. The wine opened up, the heat went away and it tasted so much better. If you're opening this wine anytime soon, give it 15 to 24 hours in decanter first. I feel this wine can age for a few more years.
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3/5/2014 - GA wrote: 91 Points
3/14 Good fruit and balanced finish - big but not overpowering. 91pts.
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1/23/2014 - JavaMonkey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice. Dark purple-red color. The nose has blueberry, blackberry, sassafras, smoke. Medium palate, the flavors are dense, but not heavy. Nice balance, long, delicious finish.
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11/9/2013 - VHJV wrote: 93 Points
My first Rhys Syrah. Nicely complex and with a perfect balance. Classic Syrah aromatics. Expressive, but not too overt fruit. A very nice acidic structure. Will clearly benefit from further aging, but quite outstanding already. I love Cote Rotie and this fits wonderfully in my boat.
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8/9/2013 - Billigan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Total stunner. Gorgeous nose of pepper, sizzling bacon, and dark fruit, overlaid with this minty cool tone that was mesmerizing. The coolness carries over into the stony, rich, yet elegant flavors on the palate, which finishes with very fine and chalky tannins. A benchmark wine in my book.
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7/28/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Silky smooth right out of the gate that only got more silky as the night went on. Cool and refreshing on the palate, excellent balance with northern rhone flavors. good stuff.
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5/19/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
This is drinking very well. It is so smooth. Great nose of black fruit with some pepper. On the palate, the smoothness is amazing. Drinks so easily the bottles was downed very quickly. Great wine.
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5/16/2013 - bundydavis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed this very much. We had drank a Rhys Family Farm Pinot prior to the Syrah and I much preferred the darker fruit style of this wine. It was very well made and drank wonderfully after about 2 hours in the decanter. I would buy again.
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3/3/2013 - casedogg wrote: 95 Points
Very closed at first. Very little fruit of notice. After a 2.5 hour decant this wine has really opened up with strong notes of raspberry, cherry, and other fruits with very pronounced minerality. Very integrates tannins and balanced acidity. Unfortunately I have only one more. Served with grilled lamb chops and sautéed spinach.
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1/13/2013 - juggernt wrote: 92 Points
Second bottle with consistent notes. Also noted deep, dark color.
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1/13/2013 - juggernt wrote: 92 Points
Nose of sizzling bacon and tar with a hint of spice. Palate of red fruits, black pepper, and licorice. Great mouthfeel, excellent length.
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11/23/2012 - Anthony Lombardi wrote:
Double decanted before bringing to Thanksgiving dinner. Nearly pitch black at the core with an absolutely gorgeous ruby rim. Compelling nose with divergent elements. Savory, meaty aromatics meeting perfumed red fruit meeting deep pit fruit. The palate is lush & full bodied. Even with some air time, this is youthful. High intensity & concentration, fresh bright blackberries & peppered dates are the first wave on the palate. The kiss of brightness & dryness as it moves through the mid palate is what really draws you right back. Sipping a bit more slowly and just slowing down the experience (sitting for a moment rather than standing & chatting) allows you to see the final components & what this will be down the road. Letting this sit in your tongue shows a gamey component to contrast with the fruit, and unearths some classy tannins which add an edge to the initial roundness. Lingering black pepper finish.
I'm in love...
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10/19/2012 - lsnider wrote: 93 Points
2.5 hour decant. Fresh dark fruits, smoke & bacon. Medium in weight with a very lush mouthfeel. Love the elegance of this wine just very stunning in how it presents on the nose & palate. Wonderful finish with just a touch of tannin.
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9/27/2012 - B Paul wrote: 91 Points
Notes similar to previous bottle in terms of flavor profile. This bottle didn't quite match up to previous though. It seemed more open, but perhaps less fresh. Don't get me wrong, still nice. Will check in on night two.
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8/27/2012 - Screameagle wrote: 91 Points
Another really nice bottle. Sadly I drank my two bottles too soon. Don't make the same mistake that I made. Save yours for at least a couple more years.
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7/1/2012 - glaze3 wrote:
Decanted 90 min. In all honesty I was expecting a leaner mineral driven wine, but that's not what you have here. The fruit is center stage, blackberries, raspberry, a touch of smoke, all in a nice medium weight rustic package. I notice others have noted some fine tannins, but for me these are fully resolved and drinks exceptionally well. Not a big fruit forward wine, but one that does focus more on fruit than structure. There's an underlying tartness that really shines here.
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5/6/2012 - gzim wrote: 94 Points
its really a 94+ as I see this improving a lot over the next 3-5 years. It drinks very well now, not tight, but I thought there would be more integration of the tannis (which are very fine). Lots of White pepper, bramble and a touch of burnt rubber on the nose, nice mouthfeel and no heat or wood sticking out.
This will be fun to follow....
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4/16/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Nice understated Syrah. Decanted two hours ahead of time. Fairly muted and subdued nose overall.
Darker rustic dark cherries, blackberries, coffee, a little game and smoke, but lots of dirty black fruit and SPICE SPICE SPICE. Not quite the delicious or fascinating nose I was looking for - instead it was well harnessed and more elegant and subtle. Darker nutmeg, touches of savory red roasted peppers and stewed tomato. Still enjoyable just surprised.
Finish was moderate in acidity moderate but already resolved tannins and moderate alcohol as well. Pretty much all middle of the road.
I was expecting more as a whole from the wine but it showed nicely as far as being rustic and almost North Rhone-esque.
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4/9/2012 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 97 Points
Stunning syrah, pretty much everything you want from the grape. Peppery, meaty, and intense, with a taut spine. Up there with the likes of Jamet or Allemand.
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3/18/2012 - gutt22 wrote:
Served blind. Difficult to peg this as new world Syrah. Dark red-purple color. Really expressive nose of blue and black fruits, laced with pepper and lightly meaty notes. In the mouth, shockingly refined and impeccably balanced. The fruit stands out, but it's complemented beautifully by the meaty, peppery complex notes. Strong acidity, but even that comes off as balanced and refined. Tannic on the finish, but they're beautifully refined. This is a really terrific wine. A-/A
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3/18/2012 - silton wrote: 92 Points
Light liquid smoke, blue and black fruit, game, wet leather, pepper, medium body, light floral lift, exudes class from every pore. Should improve but exceptionally balanced at present. Not trying too hard, but not simply lacking in content racking up temporary aesthetic points for not being spoofolated.
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2/6/2012 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
Nose of black cherries and peppercorn. On the palate, quite spicy, with a lot of black fruit flavours and some slight black peppercorn and leather notes. A lot of residual sweetness, and not quite enough acid makes this wine slightly cloying. The oak also hits a little hard, but apart from being slightly off-balance, this is a solid, well-made wine for easy drinking; I didn't find this bottle to be tight at all -- in fact, I would say it was ready to go.
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1/14/2012 - Wine Sparty wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for about two hours before having with carne asada. Aroma of dark fruit, leather and some spice. Taste had plum, and very little tannins - perhaps due to the decanting, but it makes me fully believe this can be drank now with no worries. The taste is a bit one dimensional with the fruit. Enjoyable, but it doesn't wow too much.
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12/26/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured, then drank this over two hours. Aromas of black cherry and blackberry with some pale flowers and really powerful anise, dried tarragon and pepper. Roughly the same fruit and spice profile on palate, with moderate intensity and an interesting finish highlighting sweet fruit and black pepper. I will hold my other bottle another 3 or 4 years, thinking that sweetness will soften. You won't mistake this for Cote-Rotie, but this is quite a good California Syrah.
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10/11/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured and drank out of Govino plastic tumbler. This has a wonderful nose of green Sicilian olives with a hint of tar and blueberries. Wonderful mouthfeel. Rich and smooth. Quite elegant for a syrah.
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9/15/2011 - yui wrote: 91 Points
It took 2 dats to open up, but still it was a bit tight
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9/13/2011 - pismo45 wrote: 91 Points
Intense dark fruit but way too young for as much enjoyment as I suspect will be given in a few more years.
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9/11/2011 - tim_c wrote:
hold remaining bottles for several more years.
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8/18/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
With the coming of the new release, I thought I would open a bottle to try. On Day 1, I was whelmed, neither over nor under. It had some nice plums and boysenberries, a bit tart, and generally just good. I drank a couple of glasses and re-corked leaving the bottle on the kitchen counter. Much better on day 2. The fruit, somewhat surprisingly was more robust, even tasting a bit riper. More depth as well, now showing some complexity and layering. The biggest change was how smooth this wine drank. Gone was the heat that was an issue on Day 1. Very smooth and drank quite easily (and quickly). Probably wait a bit on my remaining bottles or at least slow-o for a day or two ahead of time. I am a buyer on the next offering.
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8/14/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 91 Points
Just a beautiful bottle of syrah that is drinking well but still has lots of upside. Should improve for several years and then hold for at least five more years. Has almost a rhone nose that is quite unique. Not over the top like so many syrahs I've consumed lately this syrah is very well balanced. Happy to have a few of these left. Probably won't try another for at least a year perhaps two. A beautiful syrah.
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6/4/2011 - sehill Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another outstanding showing for this wine. This does require some airing to show its best.
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3/7/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
I'm really not a huge Syrah fan but this is certainly a very interesting wine in the making and a pleasure to drink. Opened and poured into two Riedel Bdxs at 4PM and let it evolve in the glass. Finished the btl 3-4 hours later. This has amazingly silky placid tanins but at the same time you sense it's struture and power. Beautiful floral aromas evolve into meaty/spicey smells. This has serious concetration and length but doesn't at all seem heavy. Kinda reminds me of Rostaing Cote Rotie. Pepper, dark fruit and tar on palate. This will be very interesting in 3-5yrs. My only blt though.
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2/28/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 92 Points
Impressive stuff. I was never a fan of the Alesia syrahs until the '06 Fairview Ranch came around, and I'm happy to report that this is more in the mold of that wine than the earlier, sweeter efforts, although as per usual with the Rhys estate wines it's more structured and seems to hold more in reserve without quite the drink-me-now guzzlability of the Fairview. It's got all the stuff I want in a syrah, an evocative pepper flavor; dark, rich, gripping fruit; and the tensility to ensure that the rich fruit doesn't come across gloppy.
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2/6/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks - The Great Lamb Feast (with syrah) (Home of John Webber): Initially upon opening had a great peppery nose with violets. Served later in the even after a 4hr decant and much of the expressive nose had shut down. Nose was rather shy, hints of ripe dark fruits, even a hint of port, with touch of meat. Dark fruits on the palate with prominent tannins and acidity. Had great concentration and a lengthy finish with tar and earth, turning dry. I think this closed up with extended air time. Certainly needs time to be enjoyable, though appears to be well made in a cooler climate style.
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1/28/2011 - sehill Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and poured, this showed well with aromatics of black cherry, stone, licorice and pepper. The bouquet displays definition and nuance. The color is a dark purple to black with having an overly extracted look. It is youthful and vibrant. The medium-full bodied palate shows balance and well defined fruit character. Both acidity and tannin become assertive on the finish. This should benefit from an additional year or two of bottle and drink well for many more.
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12/19/2010 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
Black fruit and olive. Silky mouthfeel. Well-made. Opened up after a couple of hours in the glass - I'd say hold.
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11/27/2010 - WineLackey wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Dark purple. Dark fruit and just a hint of oak on the nose. Palate had ripe dark fruit and silky tannins. The tannins got slightly more aggressive after the bottle had been open a while. I would put this Syrah somewhere in between the old world and the new world (or the stereotypes thereof). Ripe, but not overly so, with the structure to age. Quite enjoyable, but still tight, so my remaining bottles will rest for a while. Very glad I have a few more to follow its evolution. 91+.
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11/20/2010 - wineaux2 wrote: 90 Points
Rhys recommends 5 years of cellaring for this wine, and I can understand why. Popped and poured; followed over 2 days. The nose featured barnyard, olive and blackberry. On day 2, the nose was sweeter with the blackberry taking center stage. The palate, however, was tightly wound. Tasting notes included mineral and traces of black fruit that seemed overwhelmed by the structure at this stage. Great upside potential for this wine; let 'em sleep.
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11/18/2010 - HenryW wrote: 94 Points
A beautiful, complex, well-balanced, middle-weight syrah. The nose evolved quite a bit over the course of the evening, showing at various times black and purple fruit, purple floral notes, wet tree bark, pepper, menthol. The palate starts off smooth but the tannins show up near the end. There are some savory notes accompanying the delicious dark fruit, and a fine chalky finish. The structure is there for this to age nicely.
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9/3/2010 - etherscreen wrote:
a case will not be enough. see previous note.
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7/25/2010 - fredb wrote:
Deep red; nearly opaque. On the nose, a very floral, iron, grape, mineral, and blueberry presentation. On the palate, this shows blueberry, plum, cherry preserve, iron, and Italian herbs. The finish has a bit of heat showing and this is a bit disjointed at this point. Hold or decant. This note from a pop and pour with dinner.
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5/7/2010 - etherscreen wrote:
pepper, meats, blueberries, flowers. smooth on the palate with plenty of acid to hold it shape. i bet this would be great with food, but is just fine on its own too. just fantastic qpr!
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4/20/2010 - Rieslingfan wrote: 88 Points
Just bordering on blueberry milkshake on the nose, this pulls itself together with a more linear expression on the palate that avoids any trace of heaviness. It's interesting that a wine so ripe/rich on nose can be this elegant, but that's what happens with excellent grape growing and wine making that is the equal of the fruit.
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3/13/2010 - yhn wrote: 92 Points
Nose - smooth, pure blackberry, banana cream, plum, raspberry, nutmeg, warm, toasty, rich.
Pure boysenberry, lime, smooth/dusty tannin, a background rusticity, graham cracker, jujube, pithy zest, black plum. Drink '13-'20 92+ pts
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3/13/2010 - xwine wrote:
Tasted at the Rhys pickup day -- didn't take detailed notes. Wow, this made quite an impression. Very dark color, and terrific concentration on the palate, but not in any way extracted or jammy. Dark berry fruit on the nose and palate, the structure made me think of the Northern Rhône. If I receive an allocation I hope it's more than just one bottle, because this should be an interesting wine to follow.
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6/27/2009 - yhn wrote: 95 Points
Nose - very dense and complex! Black plum, fig, mango, touch of boysenberry, frambois, sweet herbs, hint of creme de menthe.
Blackberry, blueberry freezer jam, nutmeg, resin, clove. Very complex. Spicy frambois on the finish. Drink '14-34.
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