Alas that I did not buy cases of this wine on release. Woe is me! This is just spectacular, with dark berry fruit, leather, earth and warm herb aromatics and a subtle creamy aspect on the palate. Just a wow wine that is really hard to stay away from. Fan-freaking-tastic!
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Geez, why did I drink most of my bottles young? Well, it was fantastic soon after release, but it's absolutely compelling in a different way now, more savoury with earthy and smoky flavours framing fresh red fruits and herbs, and a very polished, graceful palate presence. I wish I could find Chateauneuf like this.
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Blackberry, herbs, savory herbs. Velvety mouthfeel, medium-minus body, plenty of (tingly) tannin, loads of fine tannin. Dark berries, loads of herbs, pepper, coffee-chocolate sweetness. The texture is incredible, and the wine, like most ESJ wines, is all about joie de vivre. Yummy.
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This bottle was disappointing. Thin-bodied, flat, not very expressive. Compared poorly to another rhone-style blend we opened at the same time. Am hoping the wine is not past its peak already.
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Disappointing - too much acid and not enough fruit. I liked the weight and the color - nice to see people making CA Syrah like this - but not quite to my taste.
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Since my note of June '10, this is still drinking beautifully (WOTN), although the fruit seemed slightly less prominent compared to last. Aerate to decanter and pour, it needed about 90 minutes of swirling to fully open up. Really enjoy the lavender and lilacs along with candied black raspberry, strawberries, wintergreen, licorice, and minerals. Lovely red and black fruits lifted in the mouth by the floral perfume, plus licorice, pepper, and garrigue, which are things reminiscent of Rhone. Medium weight but concentrated and a lengthy finish. Will drink next/last within a year; it doesn't seem worth risking its evolution via 2-4 more years cellar time when it's pretty now.
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Outstanding again. Opened alongside the '01 Rocks and Gravel, and this comes across as a more youthful version with the emphasis on rich, exuberant primary fruit rather than developed flavours, but the same sense of seamlessness and balance.
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Much improved compared to the last bottle. Popped and poured at cellar temperature. The nose was tight to start, but opened up to violets, licorice, and dark fruit with some air and warmth. A nice array of juicy red and blackberries and cracked pepper on the palate. Medium-bodied, integrated tannins, and a nice acidic kick that extends the finish. Good match with pasta puttanesca. Rhone in style, but lacking some of the earthy complexities I was expeccting.
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just a comment - I really like this very well made wine, its balance is more "French" that "California fruit forward"; it is a pleasure to drink and have with food - which is why I skipped taking notes. A terrific value.
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Medium dark red. Bacon, dill, raspberries, and long-simmered ham hock on the nose. Dense but decidedly middleweight, with a lithe midpalate (which shows lovely floral lift) yet gritty tannin at the end. This shows early incipient complexity but could really unfold into something special with time in the bottle.
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I have waited too long to enter the tasting notes. Love this wine. 2nd bottle I have with only 1 left. Delicious fruit, lower on acidity, beautiful velvet texture. Had with Boeuf Bourguignon and it was delicious.
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I recently came close to placing a bid on a 5-acre lot in the area of Shingle Springs near Bullard with an eye toward grape growing. I thought better of it for a number reasons, not the least of which was, as I perceived, a lack of vineyards in that South Shingle Springs corridor (though I can't say why this would be). I've read that the Syrah and Grenache grapes that went into this wine came solely from the Wylie and Fenaughty vineyards North of this location near Georgetown and Apple Hill respectively, the former coming from a rather sheer 2800' terraced vineyard in that normally heavily wooded hood of the Serra Foothills. I need to spend more time studying the wines, climate, land, terroir of this Region before committing to anything serious, and so I must study the reigning exemplars, of which I'm told Edmunds St. John is one.
1+ hr decant @58F. Deep red and purple in color, clearing towards the edges. This one's not casting off much yet on the nose, cold in glass. As it warms with additional aeration, what's shed is a very nice arrangement of violets, crushed rose petals, black tea, muddy shoes, orange-peal enhanced Asian spices, some kind of mildew scented funk, which I actually enjoy, and hidden fruit tones of boysenberry and black raspberry. Despite it's attenuation, this is one of the more interesting and complex bouquets I've encountered. On the palate, this is a medium-plus bodied, exotic wine that wants to fall in the mold of it's Rhone fore-bearers but manages to outsize (CA sweetness -- cherries, boysenberries, [strawberries]) and somehow out-scope those wines with a very unique expression that changes course entry to finish but presents a circuit that's compelling and complete nonetheless. Very full, fruity and sweet in the mid-palate; then spicy, peppery with an added acidic kick that extends a finish which displays sweet tannins and Pinotesque vanilla/floral/blueberry aspects. There are no problems with excessive heat here like so many other wines from these hills. I think this is special juice, and I can see these grapes improving in the coming years to produce a wine that competes with some of the best of the riper Rhone Chateau across the sea. Could use a little more concentration, perhaps from the addition of a bit of Mourvedre. 90+ points and very much enjoyed.
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appears beautiful purple, smell crisp fall day, leaves on the ground, fresh and changing, what – a – mouthfeel!, taste pure delicate fruit, slightly rich, clean, clean, clean, slightly crunchy finish, just plain fun in a bottle, particularly delicious paired with (and included within as part of a shallot-garlic-wine reduction) white bean stew with celery root, leeks, carrots and fresh herbs
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The '07 Old Black Magic just keeps delivering. Delicious red and dark fruited flavours with herbal, leathery and earthy accents, rich and perfectly balanced with good length.
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Starts out a bit young and forward, but with air the non fruit nuances come to the front. Texturally this is really nice, suave. Really drinkable and enjoyable now.
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Delicious, combining fresh cherries and blackberries, leathery and smoky notes and herbal accents in a silken, finessed package. Everything is in perfect balance here with fine acidity and a sense of seamlessness to all the flavours. Wonderful wine.
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Initially got some heavy oaky, licorice flavors when first popped and thought I'd get a big Aussie style Shiraz experience. Opened up very nice and balanced and was more of a lite Grenache like experience. Fruit was more plum than red fruit but overall an outstanding wine. Not the big gamey, meaty, traditional Syrah experience, but still an outstanding wine.
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Bought off the list @ Tomasso in Southboro, MA. One of the few CA selections on the list. Had the staff decant to a nice decanter and drank over about 90 mins. I believe drank too soon as the wine seemed to flesh out as it aerated but it did not seem to fully unfold. Some olive, more red fruits and leather with a pretty tight frame still and absent some complexity. I have little experience with ESJ wines, even less with El Dorado County, take my TN here with that context in mind.
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Vinturi-aerate to decanter, vigorous swirl, let sit 20 min. Color light cherry red at the rim replete with black hues making it opaque at center, medium body. Initial nose is tight but still interesting, with black raspberries, strawberries on the vine, a little green herb, licorice, and a tree bark note. On the slurp this has density despite the lighter body, with rich black and red fruits, some floral perfume, hint of beef jerky, and some minerals. The finish turns to dark ripe plum, olives, and black licorice that is persistent in the aftertaste for a good thirty seconds. After vigorous swirling and another 90 minutes, the bouquet opens and darkens, showing kirsch, high-cacao chocolate, and violets, all of which transfer to palate. Overall this is gorgeous and delicious (91+), shows depth and a very interesting array of aromas and flavors reflecting both the Syrah(71) and the Grenache (29). Excellent value at 22.
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Seems a bit muddled to me. The Syrah that makes up 71% of the blend is MIA. It does open up a bit with airing, and there is some fruit in there, but still lacks focus. I certainly noticed the alcohol, too: hot on the back end. Stick this in a blind tasting and I don't think anyone would guess what it is--I wouldn't, anyway.
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Tight black fruits in the nose. Interesting palate. Not a hollow mid palate but full structure and medium body. That body and that structure leaves a freshness that is very nice. Rather stony for domestic. This has the dressing to really open up.
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Slight green/ vegetal note at first - gone after 15 minutes. Taste of blueberry, leather, a little heat on the finish - may need more time. But enjoyable right now.
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Had this a week or two ago... Raynolds is right about this being a great QPR wine, built for the longer haul. By day 3 it had fleshed out into a deeply flavorful if lithe number, with a black core showing a lot more Grenache than the % might suggest. On every day, it was balanced with subtle power and surprisingly complexity. Worth a repurchase.
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Not sure what to make of this wine. I was expecting an old world style Cali Rhone blend but got a light to med bodied, almost Pinot like wine. The nose was encouraging showing nice meaty aromas and red fruit. For me, just too thin on the palate. Red fruit and some floral notes with nice acid on the finish, but lacking complexity. So-so finish. I'll refrain from giving a score....hoping my other bottle will improve with time but not optimistic.
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Not really my style at all and I would say that I typically enjoy Syrah. A bit harsh and only got slightly better with time. Very light in style, almost reminded me of a Pinot. Not sure what ST was thinking at this point.
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bluerries with notes of earth, lether, earth and meat. The flavors are balanced by juicy acidity on the finish. The mid palate on this wine is extraordinary. The finish is a little short but still an excellent wine that drinks well now and will improve with some age.
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Balanced, silken texture that only shows its grip on the finish. The fruit is counterbalanced by a fresh, leathery, earthiness This wine is what I hoped 2007 Chateauneuf would be.
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9/10/2020 - djs wrote: 87 Points
Past prime.
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8/14/2014 - Rieslingfan Likes this wine:
Alas that I did not buy cases of this wine on release. Woe is me! This is just spectacular, with dark berry fruit, leather, earth and warm herb aromatics and a subtle creamy aspect on the palate. Just a wow wine that is really hard to stay away from. Fan-freaking-tastic!
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2/10/2014 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Geez, why did I drink most of my bottles young? Well, it was fantastic soon after release, but it's absolutely compelling in a different way now, more savoury with earthy and smoky flavours framing fresh red fruits and herbs, and a very polished, graceful palate presence. I wish I could find Chateauneuf like this.
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2/10/2014 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry, herbs, savory herbs. Velvety mouthfeel, medium-minus body, plenty of (tingly) tannin, loads of fine tannin. Dark berries, loads of herbs, pepper, coffee-chocolate sweetness. The texture is incredible, and the wine, like most ESJ wines, is all about joie de vivre. Yummy.
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10/28/2013 - Grillgod wrote: 90 Points
Oak is much better integrated now and this is drinking very nicely with a nice balance of red and blue fruits. Tasty, easy drinking style.
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4/14/2013 - Sijan Does not like this wine:
This bottle was disappointing. Thin-bodied, flat, not very expressive. Compared poorly to another rhone-style blend we opened at the same time. Am hoping the wine is not past its peak already.
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1/17/2013 - djs Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better 2nd night
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9/30/2012 - christyler wrote: 87 Points
Disappointing - too much acid and not enough fruit. I liked the weight and the color - nice to see people making CA Syrah like this - but not quite to my taste.
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6/24/2012 - BillB656 wrote:
Fairly primary and simple with silky fruit. Lots of excellent acidity.
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4/14/2012 - drinkfunkyanddance wrote: flawed
Either over the hill, or, more likely heat damaged. Darn.
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2/17/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
Just wonderful. Great balance and still vibrant fruit up front.
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9/1/2011 - marc d wrote:
Drinking so well right now. Youthful fruit but with some complexity. Perfectly balanced. Just delicious.
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6/20/2011 - Vinacull wrote: 90 Points
Since my note of June '10, this is still drinking beautifully (WOTN), although the fruit seemed slightly less prominent compared to last. Aerate to decanter and pour, it needed about 90 minutes of swirling to fully open up. Really enjoy the lavender and lilacs along with candied black raspberry, strawberries, wintergreen, licorice, and minerals. Lovely red and black fruits lifted in the mouth by the floral perfume, plus licorice, pepper, and garrigue, which are things reminiscent of Rhone. Medium weight but concentrated and a lengthy finish. Will drink next/last within a year; it doesn't seem worth risking its evolution via 2-4 more years cellar time when it's pretty now.
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5/8/2011 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding again. Opened alongside the '01 Rocks and Gravel, and this comes across as a more youthful version with the emphasis on rich, exuberant primary fruit rather than developed flavours, but the same sense of seamlessness and balance.
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3/29/2011 - pete s. wrote: 89 Points
Much improved compared to the last bottle. Popped and poured at cellar temperature. The nose was tight to start, but opened up to violets, licorice, and dark fruit with some air and warmth. A nice array of juicy red and blackberries and cracked pepper on the palate. Medium-bodied, integrated tannins, and a nice acidic kick that extends the finish. Good match with pasta puttanesca. Rhone in style, but lacking some of the earthy complexities I was expeccting.
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2/19/2011 - Giacomo wrote: 90 Points
just a comment - I really like this very well made wine, its balance is more "French" that "California fruit forward"; it is a pleasure to drink and have with food - which is why I skipped taking notes. A terrific value.
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12/28/2010 - tcfishler wrote:
Medium dark red. Bacon, dill, raspberries, and long-simmered ham hock on the nose. Dense but decidedly middleweight, with a lithe midpalate (which shows lovely floral lift) yet gritty tannin at the end. This shows early incipient complexity but could really unfold into something special with time in the bottle.
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12/27/2010 - Giacomo wrote: 93 Points
I have waited too long to enter the tasting notes. Love this wine. 2nd bottle I have with only 1 left. Delicious fruit, lower on acidity, beautiful velvet texture. Had with Boeuf Bourguignon and it was delicious.
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12/22/2010 - Spencer wrote:
Excellent right now, but if I can keep my hands off my remaining bottles I think it will be even better in 2 or 3 years. Fantastic value.
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11/22/2010 - z_willus_d wrote: 90 Points
I recently came close to placing a bid on a 5-acre lot in the area of Shingle Springs near Bullard with an eye toward grape growing. I thought better of it for a number reasons, not the least of which was, as I perceived, a lack of vineyards in that South Shingle Springs corridor (though I can't say why this would be). I've read that the Syrah and Grenache grapes that went into this wine came solely from the Wylie and Fenaughty vineyards North of this location near Georgetown and Apple Hill respectively, the former coming from a rather sheer 2800' terraced vineyard in that normally heavily wooded hood of the Serra Foothills. I need to spend more time studying the wines, climate, land, terroir of this Region before committing to anything serious, and so I must study the reigning exemplars, of which I'm told Edmunds St. John is one.
1+ hr decant @58F. Deep red and purple in color, clearing towards the edges. This one's not casting off much yet on the nose, cold in glass. As it warms with additional aeration, what's shed is a very nice arrangement of violets, crushed rose petals, black tea, muddy shoes, orange-peal enhanced Asian spices, some kind of mildew scented funk, which I actually enjoy, and hidden fruit tones of boysenberry and black raspberry. Despite it's attenuation, this is one of the more interesting and complex bouquets I've encountered. On the palate, this is a medium-plus bodied, exotic wine that wants to fall in the mold of it's Rhone fore-bearers but manages to outsize (CA sweetness -- cherries, boysenberries, [strawberries]) and somehow out-scope those wines with a very unique expression that changes course entry to finish but presents a circuit that's compelling and complete nonetheless. Very full, fruity and sweet in the mid-palate; then spicy, peppery with an added acidic kick that extends a finish which displays sweet tannins and Pinotesque vanilla/floral/blueberry aspects. There are no problems with excessive heat here like so many other wines from these hills. I think this is special juice, and I can see these grapes improving in the coming years to produce a wine that competes with some of the best of the riper Rhone Chateau across the sea. Could use a little more concentration, perhaps from the addition of a bit of Mourvedre. 90+ points and very much enjoyed.
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10/24/2010 - Keith M wrote:
appears beautiful purple, smell crisp fall day, leaves on the ground, fresh and changing, what – a – mouthfeel!, taste pure delicate fruit, slightly rich, clean, clean, clean, slightly crunchy finish, just plain fun in a bottle, particularly delicious paired with (and included within as part of a shallot-garlic-wine reduction) white bean stew with celery root, leeks, carrots and fresh herbs
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10/23/2010 - salil wrote: 92 Points
The '07 Old Black Magic just keeps delivering. Delicious red and dark fruited flavours with herbal, leathery and earthy accents, rich and perfectly balanced with good length.
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10/16/2010 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Awesome again. Nothing to add to my previous notes, just really fantastic, perfectly balanced wine.
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9/22/2010 - marc d wrote:
Starts out a bit young and forward, but with air the non fruit nuances come to the front. Texturally this is really nice, suave.
Really drinkable and enjoyable now.
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9/16/2010 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Delicious, combining fresh cherries and blackberries, leathery and smoky notes and herbal accents in a silken, finessed package. Everything is in perfect balance here with fine acidity and a sense of seamlessness to all the flavours. Wonderful wine.
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8/4/2010 - WineScoundrel wrote: 90 Points
Vinacull's 6/30 TN is spot-on.
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8/1/2010 - Grillgod wrote: 90 Points
Initially got some heavy oaky, licorice flavors when first popped and thought I'd get a big Aussie style Shiraz experience. Opened up very nice and balanced and was more of a lite Grenache like experience. Fruit was more plum than red fruit but overall an outstanding wine. Not the big gamey, meaty, traditional Syrah experience, but still an outstanding wine.
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7/29/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Bought off the list @ Tomasso in Southboro, MA. One of the few CA selections on the list. Had the staff decant to a nice decanter and drank over about 90 mins. I believe drank too soon as the wine seemed to flesh out as it aerated but it did not seem to fully unfold. Some olive, more red fruits and leather with a pretty tight frame still and absent some complexity. I have little experience with ESJ wines, even less with El Dorado County, take my TN here with that context in mind.
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6/30/2010 - Vinacull wrote: 91 Points
Vinturi-aerate to decanter, vigorous swirl, let sit 20 min. Color light cherry red at the rim replete with black hues making it opaque at center, medium body. Initial nose is tight but still interesting, with black raspberries, strawberries on the vine, a little green herb, licorice, and a tree bark note. On the slurp this has density despite the lighter body, with rich black and red fruits, some floral perfume, hint of beef jerky, and some minerals. The finish turns to dark ripe plum, olives, and black licorice that is persistent in the aftertaste for a good thirty seconds. After vigorous swirling and another 90 minutes, the bouquet opens and darkens, showing kirsch, high-cacao chocolate, and violets, all of which transfer to palate. Overall this is gorgeous and delicious (91+), shows depth and a very interesting array of aromas and flavors reflecting both the Syrah(71) and the Grenache (29). Excellent value at 22.
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6/27/2010 - slanum wrote:
Seems a bit muddled to me. The Syrah that makes up 71% of the blend is MIA. It does open up a bit with airing, and there is some fruit in there, but still lacks focus. I certainly noticed the alcohol, too: hot on the back end. Stick this in a blind tasting and I don't think anyone would guess what it is--I wouldn't, anyway.
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6/23/2010 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Tight black fruits in the nose. Interesting palate. Not a hollow mid palate but full structure and medium body. That body and that structure leaves a freshness that is very nice. Rather stony for domestic. This has the dressing to really open up.
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6/23/2010 - JJKinch wrote: 88 Points
Slight green/ vegetal note at first - gone after 15 minutes. Taste of blueberry, leather, a little heat on the finish - may need more time. But enjoyable right now.
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6/14/2010 - silton wrote: 90 Points
Had this a week or two ago... Raynolds is right about this being a great QPR wine, built for the longer haul. By day 3 it had fleshed out into a deeply flavorful if lithe number, with a black core showing a lot more Grenache than the % might suggest. On every day, it was balanced with subtle power and surprisingly complexity. Worth a repurchase.
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6/11/2010 - pete s. wrote:
Not sure what to make of this wine. I was expecting an old world style Cali Rhone blend but got a light to med bodied, almost Pinot like wine. The nose was encouraging showing nice meaty aromas and red fruit. For me, just too thin on the palate. Red fruit and some floral notes with nice acid on the finish, but lacking complexity. So-so finish. I'll refrain from giving a score....hoping my other bottle will improve with time but not optimistic.
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6/10/2010 - pikemasterflash wrote:
Not really my style at all and I would say that I typically enjoy Syrah. A bit harsh and only got slightly better with time. Very light in style, almost reminded me of a Pinot. Not sure what ST was thinking at this point.
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6/6/2010 - WineScoundrel wrote:
Pop 'n pour. Mistake.
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5/30/2010 - MCUBEB wrote: 90 Points
bluerries with notes of earth, lether, earth and meat. The flavors are balanced by juicy acidity on the finish. The mid palate on this wine is extraordinary. The finish is a little short but still an excellent wine that drinks well now and will improve with some age.
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5/15/2010 - EMichels wrote: 86 Points
Nice nose; Some earth/dust
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5/14/2010 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Pretty much in line with what Rieslingfan said. Pure red and dark fruits, earth and herbs, elegant and fresh. Yum.
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5/9/2010 - Rieslingfan wrote: 93 Points
Balanced, silken texture that only shows its grip on the finish. The fruit is counterbalanced by a fresh, leathery, earthiness This wine is what I hoped 2007 Chateauneuf would be.
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