Still very deep red for a 17 year old wine. Wonderful nose. A bit of funk from the rocks. Also tilled earth and deep dark fruit. Taste is a very balanced tannin with fresh dark fruit flavors. Drank it on its own but would have gone great with grilled red meat.
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A bit better than the previous one. Pretty solid and dense, though the sweetness was a bit grainy and pronounced. Felt surprisingly young and fresh for such a relatively old cab. 91+pts.
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Similar to previous notes. Makes the '07 vintage feel quite over-rated. This is reasonably solid at about $30 plus tax, but there is congestion there, and the age is not apparent. Not something to seek out really - I think I preferred some of the other older vintages around this time like '08, '06 or '09 where the age and secondary notes were more apparent.
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Reasonably solid, a bit chalky and congested. You would not know it's 14 years old - feels a lot younger, and not fading at all. May benefit from even more age really. Good for the price of $30+tax, but nothing special.
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Similar to previous notes. I picked up these on sale for $30 plus tax. This is definitely more open and complete vs. the ones I had in '16 and '13. Might get more of this.
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Popped and poured. Incredible depth and finish. Seamless. Forgot to vacuum seal the bottle overnight and was even better on night two. Paired great with a Flannery steak.
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A powerhouse of strawberries and some bing cherry. Well integrated with waves of flavor supported by some minerality. A lot of years were left in this bottle, very vibrant.
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Fully mature and full bodied. Medium plus aromas and flavors reflecting the smokiness and sweet licorice of Syrah and the dark berries, cherries, plums, and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. Acidity and tannin still present and may support another 1-2 years of good drinking. Solid finish.
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In great contrast to the Seven Hills ‘07 Pentad I had earlier this week. This was a big mouthful of ripe, raspberry fruit, oak, pepper and seemed quite youthful. The SH was quite a bit more restrained, felt more mature. Nose was smoky, earthy, ripe raspberry and quite lifted.
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lovely balance. fruit forward with dark flavors of blackberry and currants. Drinks like a much younger wine. My last bottle but has time to go. High alcohol but nice. Garagiste Mystery wine #60
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This showed excellent pepper and zip, smoke and raspberry with a deep underbrush element in the nose. It finished with a lengthy, peppery bite that also showed a bit of tannic grit and grip.
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Great over two nights (essentially unchanged the second night). Immediately recognizable as a WA wine from the first sniff, the palate was sandalwood, dark fruits, lots of dark chocolate, some cassis. I used to love syrah-cab blends from Australia, but now I find too many to be disjointed and hot. This was the opposite: beautifully balanced, smooth and lovely. Will probably hits its peak in 5+ more years.
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Decanted about 2 hours. Very smooth. The Syrah evens out the Cab but this is a big, hearty wine. Paired with some large, grilled rib eyes. Wine held its own. Delicious. Drinking very nicely right now. Wish I had a few more.
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Drank my last one. Short decant and drank over 2 hours. This wine is peaking out and is just great to drink. Subtle nose of black cherry and floral or violet notes. The palate has a very nice complexity to it that just makes this wine very interesting to drink. Very well integrated fruit, no edge, mouthcoating with a medium to long finish. Would like have a few more bottes. Should drink well for another year or so.
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Much better than I remember from my last bottle a few years ago. This has taken on some sweetness. It's in its prime now. It is what you would expect from a cool climate valley floor cab from Washington - some minerality and sweetness, nothing over-done. Wish I had more.
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Opened half hour before dinner. Took another 30-60 minti s to sing. Then fruit and Eucalyptus and apricot. Pallets is full bodied. Finsish is slightly tannic but long.
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Rich black fruit, a touch of mint/eucalyptus, plums. Tannins still there but not overpowering. Decanted for an hour. If i had more I'd wait a few more years.
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John the Charlatan passed off a bottle of 2008 for 2007, unfortunately it was drunk prior to my spying his egregious error. Well at least he made some good coin off that swap ... seeing as the 08 was a far inferior vintage here.
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This wine is still in the 'zone'. Nose is fantastic out of the bottle. Full on fruit and crushed berries and maybe a little floral going on. The palate took about 45 minutes of sitting in the glass to fully come together. Started out a little tart on the finish but really integrated and smoothed out. Nice long finish and a super tasty wine. At 8 years in is at the top of its game.
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Great nose of anise, dark berry and subtle spice. Smooth mouthfeel, medium to full bodied, good structure and plenty of tannin left to hold up for many years. Smokey, bright fruit and well balanced. 30 second finish is very pleasant.
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Inky dark ruby, light cherry nose with cedar. Dry, tart fruit, full body, chewy tart tannins. Open a couple of hours, nice fruit forward cherry, cola with some lemon to compliment the cherry. Light oak and cedar. Improved with food, sharp cheddar and crackers. Drinking well for the fruit lovers and should age well when the fruit subsides. A night later and while still a bold wine, the balance is good with a bitter tannin note starting to show like an Italian IGT.
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Blackberry, black pepper, and a bit of cream on the nose. Fruit driven, medium to long finish. Tannins are approachable but still assertive. Drinking well now, probably would improve still over the next couple years.
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Cabernet and Syrah blend. Meaty and gamy character with lots of black pepper, dark chocolate and liqueur hints. Everything in nice balance, moderate length.
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I really liked this wine and thought it was drinking great. Full mixed fruit and plum on the nose. Very expressive. The palate was a nice dark combination of red and dark berry, a little gravelly and a good medium finish. probably peaking out now.
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Consumed over 2 days, note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, candied fruit - black, blue and red, red licorice, rose petal, and shoe leather. Palate: Full bodied, sweet dark red fruit attack with spicy undertones, solid acidic presence thru the mid-palate, spicy kick in the back-end - falls apart just a little displaying some harsh back-end edges. Finish: Medium-plus length dominated by spicy dark red fruit, earth, and leather. Not quite as good as the previous 2 bottles as the back-end seems to be falling apart just a bit with this bottle, still quite enjoyable though.
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Really loved this - another awesome Garagiste Mystery wine. On day one, pop & pour directly from cellar. The Syrah is front and center with the Cab taking a back seat. A plush wine with a bit of structure added by the Cabernet. I will say on day one it seemed a bit flabby - delicious on its own but not sure how well it would stand up to food. On day two, after Vacuvin at room temperature overnight, the Cabernet was more assertive, adding structure compared to the prior day. Enjoyed with beef sukiyaki at our favorite Japanese restaurant - maybe not a classic pairing but it worked for me.
This is a good wine... Opened an hour before drinking... Good fruit, middle (almost light) tannin, and the aroma of oak barrels lurking on the nose. However, I did not find it to be outstanding. It lacked that rich depth that I'd expected, given the other reviews, and seemed not fully integrated. Maybe my bottle was slightly flawed, maybe the food pairing too strong (porterhouse steak), maybe it needed to open longer or maybe just not to my taste. I'll leave the other bottle for a year or two and try again with lighter food.
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I opened my last bottle on 10/12/13. It had a rich, fragrant bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, mocha, cocoa, sage, cinnamon and spice aromas. The palate was big and powerful with flavors that followed the nose.
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Decanted for a hour before dinner of beef fajitas and grilled vegetables. A gorgeous wine displaying aromas and flavors of the smokiness and sweet licorice of Syrah and the dark berries, cherries, plums, and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. A very good and serious wine that might rival Napa stalwarts such as Persistence and Relentless at a much more affordable price. Silky finish. I regret I didn't purchase more than two bottles.
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Consumed over 2 days, note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, candied red and black fruit, dark flowers, tobacco, and saddle leather. Palate: Medium-full bodied, spicy dark fruit attack, tobacco, nice mid-palate density, milk chocolate and spice dominate the back-end and a lengthy 20-30 second finish. Similar overall impression as my July note, big wine - but still graceful. Paired great with a grilled NY Strip. A great Garagiste purchase at $36 per.
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Nice fruit, well integrated oak and subtle hints of tobacco and chocolate on the nose. On the palate a beautiful coffee note also makes its appearance. Well integrated sweet tannins, nice acidity and lingering finish. Beautiful.
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Consumed over 2 days, note from day 2. Nose: Medium plus expressiveness, candied dark fruit - black berry & blueberry, spice, and licorice. Palate: Full bodied, dark fruit attack - though it isn't as sweet and candied as the nose indicates, a little spice and acid kick thru the mid-palate, shows some leather and tobacco towards the back-end. Finish: Medium length finish dominated by dark fruit, leather, and tobacco. It's a big wine but it carries it weight pretty gracefully.
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This is a nice blend of Syrah and Cab Sav that has a good body and I think has a lot of life left in it yet. Acidity is low. We drank this over a couple of nights with no loss of flavour. It was the accompaniment to two very different meals, one fairly heavy and one very light on what has probably been the hottest day of the year. Always a fan of Washington wines this is one that offers good value for a mix of this combination.
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I took a bottle of this to a friend’s graduation party on 6/22/13. It had a big, rich, ripe bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, mocha and spice aromas. The palate was big, bold and dense with flavors that followed the nose.
One person who tasted it blind remarked “This has to be a Washington wine”! 90+
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Blueberries, plums, tar and tobacco on the nose. The palate shows dark berries as well as earthiness and a touch of anise. Tannins are well integrated and overall do not overpower the wine.
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I had this with an after dinner cheese plate on 5/11/13. It had a rich, powerful bouquet of cassis, black cherry, blackberry, mocha, cinnamon and spice aromas. The palate was big, bold, fruit-forward and dry with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, black currant, mocha and spice. 90+
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nose - dark berry, and plenty of wood mouth - rich dark berry, heavily extracted big fruitbomb with silky mouthfeel, low acidity, and lots of tannins. In spite of the big fruit, i find it overoaked for my palate. This seems like it should be a RP homerun if he were to weigh in.
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Really enjoyed this whine without knowing the mix...turns out it is a Cab/Syrah blend, which is right in my wheelhouse. Blackberry, blueberry, grilled meat, bacon fat. Nicely polished, left me wanting more.
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day 3 after enjoying on NYE at Hinterland. Tar-y red fruit aromas. a little floral and a little asian white fruit-y. Palate is fresh and present. good acid on Medium tannin. tar, red fruit, cherry, tobacco, transparent black fruit. fruit but not entirely new world. oak is pretty wrapped into this.
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Dark purple in color. Big dark berries explode off the nose along with vanilla and a mocha coffee note as well. Palate was still pretty tight and tannic. Notes of chocolate, spice, black berries and vanilla. Full-bodied with a medium plus finish.
SS 91 pts.
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More "serious" than the '06 vintage with structure and density. Is this the higher proportion of Syrah showing through? Whatever the reason an incredible wine. Over six hours it kept getting better and better. Massive, dense, but also lifted an easy to drink. What a treat!
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More subtle than the last time I tasted it -- on the nose, so less pronouced. But on the palate that rich Buty feel. Delicious, tight, needing some time.
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Pop and pour. This has a dark color - deep maroon. The nose is a bit funky; some barnyard element and dried fruit. Full bodied and rich but not showing much personality. Leaves the tongue a bit numb. Tightly wound and a bit eccentric.
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700-1000cs, very different than the 06. more powerful and less lush. 52%syrah, 48% cabernet. much tighter aromas of pronounced intensity. again, stone and fruit. texture still shows a creamy core!! 40% new wood.
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Hedonistic nose of caramel and creme brulee. Absolutely monstrous concentration of flavors - some might find over-extracted but for me it worked because it wasn't weighted down by a sickly sweetness or too much oak. So I was loving the tsunami of various fruits, spices, and earth notes. Very well balanced offering a soft mouthfeel but enough structure to grip. Long sensuous finish left me smiling.
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Walla Walla Holiday Barrel Tasting 2010; 12/3/2010-12/5/2010 (Walla Walla, WA): A clear cut above their other wines. An excellent blend that shows each contributing grape uniquely and clearly. Warm sweetness of the cab, followed by the size and spice of the syrah. Seemingly reduced to show the potency of the dark fruit core, and finishing with plum, some flint, mineral, earth, and a gentle, but still has-room-to-go finish. Very long flavor. Cellar it, it has a long ways to go, and could definitely soften with a bit of time.
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4/13/2024 - Fourpin wrote: 90 Points
Still very deep red for a 17 year old wine.
Wonderful nose. A bit of funk from the rocks. Also tilled earth and deep dark fruit.
Taste is a very balanced tannin with fresh dark fruit flavors. Drank it on its own but would have gone great with grilled red meat.
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6/19/2022 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
A bit better than the previous one. Pretty solid and dense, though the sweetness was a bit grainy and pronounced. Felt surprisingly young and fresh for such a relatively old cab. 91+pts.
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12/18/2021 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Similar to previous notes. Makes the '07 vintage feel quite over-rated. This is reasonably solid at about $30 plus tax, but there is congestion there, and the age is not apparent. Not something to seek out really - I think I preferred some of the other older vintages around this time like '08, '06 or '09 where the age and secondary notes were more apparent.
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8/26/2021 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Reasonably solid, a bit chalky and congested. You would not know it's 14 years old - feels a lot younger, and not fading at all. May benefit from even more age really. Good for the price of $30+tax, but nothing special.
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6/17/2021 - MK9786 wrote: 93 Points
Doesn’t feel like it’s 14 years old! Outstanding wine with a hint of round sweetness and good depth.
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5/31/2021 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Similar to previous notes. I picked up these on sale for $30 plus tax. This is definitely more open and complete vs. the ones I had in '16 and '13. Might get more of this.
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2/16/2021 - kanab ram Likes this wine:
Popped and poured. Incredible depth and finish. Seamless. Forgot to vacuum seal the bottle overnight and was even better on night two. Paired great with a Flannery steak.
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4/4/2020 - Richard123 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well now... Just needed 10+ years, I guess!
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3/9/2020 - jcj wrote:
Beautiful wine...big fan of Syrah/Cab blend. Plenty of life left but I would not expect much improvement with more cellaring.
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8/14/2019 - guitarguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Juicy, peppery, blueberry with a pleasantly pepper and tannin bite in the finish. This should probably be kept on a short leash.
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7/8/2019 - Kyle83 wrote: 92 Points
Great - wish I had another, seems like it's got a lot of life left
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5/20/2019 - cwiebe Likes this wine: 92 Points
A powerhouse of strawberries and some bing cherry. Well integrated with waves of flavor supported by some minerality. A lot of years were left in this bottle, very vibrant.
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12/28/2018 - wmccone54 wrote: 92 Points
Fully mature and full bodied. Medium plus aromas and flavors reflecting the smokiness and sweet licorice of Syrah and the dark berries, cherries, plums, and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. Acidity and tannin still present and may support another 1-2 years of good drinking. Solid finish.
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10/7/2018 - guitarguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
In great contrast to the Seven Hills ‘07 Pentad I had earlier this week. This was a big mouthful of ripe, raspberry fruit, oak, pepper and seemed quite youthful. The SH was quite a bit more restrained, felt more
mature. Nose was smoky, earthy, ripe raspberry and quite lifted.
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8/20/2018 - juneau bob wrote:
A bit fruity but still drinking nicely.
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7/28/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Black berries, cassis, black pepper and dark chocolate with good+ overall balance. Good weight and length.
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4/15/2018 - winoma Likes this wine: 90 Points
lovely balance. fruit forward with dark flavors of blackberry and currants. Drinks like a much younger wine. My last bottle but has time to go. High alcohol but nice. Garagiste Mystery wine #60
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3/22/2018 - guitarguy wrote: 90 Points
This showed excellent pepper and zip, smoke and raspberry with a deep underbrush element in the nose. It finished with a lengthy, peppery bite that also showed a bit of tannic grit and grip.
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2/12/2018 - LXVETTE Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent aged well, fruit, md tannins clean finish
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12/22/2017 - Quarked wrote: 93 Points
Great over two nights (essentially unchanged the second night). Immediately recognizable as a WA wine from the first sniff, the palate was sandalwood, dark fruits, lots of dark chocolate, some cassis. I used to love syrah-cab blends from Australia, but now I find too many to be disjointed and hot. This was the opposite: beautifully balanced, smooth and lovely. Will probably hits its peak in 5+ more years.
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9/1/2017 - Ralphie1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice!
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5/6/2017 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 2 hours. Very smooth. The Syrah evens out the Cab but this is a big, hearty wine. Paired with some large, grilled rib eyes. Wine held its own. Delicious. Drinking very nicely right now. Wish I had a few more.
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4/21/2017 - WAWINEFAN wrote: 91 Points
Opened and let sit for a bit. Still got a lot going on for a 10 year old WA wine.
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12/4/2016 - WAWINEFAN wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful. Popped and poured. Delicious
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9/12/2016 - enjoyvino wrote: 93 Points
Drank my last one. Short decant and drank over 2 hours. This wine is peaking out and is just great to drink. Subtle nose of black cherry and floral or violet notes. The palate has a very nice complexity to it that just makes this wine very interesting to drink. Very well integrated fruit, no edge, mouthcoating with a medium to long finish. Would like have a few more bottes. Should drink well for another year or so.
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8/28/2016 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Much better than I remember from my last bottle a few years ago. This has taken on some sweetness. It's in its prime now. It is what you would expect from a cool climate valley floor cab from Washington - some minerality and sweetness, nothing over-done. Wish I had more.
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7/22/2016 - WAWINEFAN wrote: 93 Points
Wow, Caleb did an awesome job on this wine. While a subtle nose, it is very full bodied, well integrated and a long full finish.
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2/28/2016 - OldwineinVT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Garagiste Selection (Mystery Wine).
52% Syrah; 48% Cabernet
Color: purple with dark red edge
Nose: medium-full intensity. Very herbal and spicy. Wine seemed to evolve -- sometimes very intense fruits and then would close up.
Body/flavor: medium to full body. Luscious dark fruits; spicy especially black pepper and cinnamon!
Aftertaste: lingering.
Very unique wine -- we finished the bottle, so cannot comment on how it might evolve with a few more hours
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2/25/2016 - Francophile Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice full bodied wine. This had low tannins but plenty of fruit
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1/30/2016 - Atlantean wrote: 91 Points
Opened half hour before dinner. Took another 30-60 minti s to sing. Then fruit and Eucalyptus and apricot. Pallets is full bodied. Finsish is slightly tannic but long.
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11/7/2015 - Smudge4! wrote:
Rich black fruit, a touch of mint/eucalyptus, plums. Tannins still there but not overpowering. Decanted for an hour. If i had more I'd wait a few more years.
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10/10/2015 - Francophile Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great full bodied smooth wine
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9/18/2015 - Francophile Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep crimson in color, very full body but nicely balanced tannins.
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9/9/2015 - fitchbuck wrote:
John the Charlatan passed off a bottle of 2008 for 2007, unfortunately it was drunk prior to my spying his egregious error. Well at least he made some good coin off that swap ... seeing as the 08 was a far inferior vintage here.
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9/2/2015 - enjoyvino wrote: 93 Points
This wine is still in the 'zone'. Nose is fantastic out of the bottle. Full on fruit and crushed berries and maybe a little floral going on. The palate took about 45 minutes of sitting in the glass to fully come together. Started out a little tart on the finish but really integrated and smoothed out. Nice long finish and a super tasty wine. At 8 years in is at the top of its game.
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8/29/2015 - memphishusky Likes this wine:
Still a strong wine. Going nicely at 8 years of age. Well received last night.
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8/8/2015 - tmhouse Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great nose of anise, dark berry and subtle spice. Smooth mouthfeel, medium to full bodied, good structure and plenty of tannin left to hold up for many years. Smokey, bright fruit and well balanced. 30 second finish is very pleasant.
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4/25/2015 - enjoyvino wrote: 93 Points
Expressive nose of cherry, plum and just a great mouthfeel with fine tannins, a little earthy and a medium to long finish.
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2/21/2015 - enjoyvino wrote: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully right now. Looking for more!
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1/18/2015 - dsgris wrote: 91 Points
Inky dark ruby, light cherry nose with cedar. Dry, tart fruit, full body, chewy tart tannins. Open a couple of hours, nice fruit forward cherry, cola with some lemon to compliment the cherry. Light oak and cedar. Improved with food, sharp cheddar and crackers. Drinking well for the fruit lovers and should age well when the fruit subsides. A night later and while still a bold wine, the balance is good with a bitter tannin note starting to show like an Italian IGT.
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12/12/2014 - edgar wrote: 88 Points
very nice; prunes, stewed fruits on the nose, lots of dark fruit on palate as well; i presume the syrah? looking forward to day 2.
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11/28/2014 - Stelvinator Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blackberry, black pepper, and a bit of cream on the nose. Fruit driven, medium to long finish. Tannins are approachable but still assertive. Drinking well now, probably would improve still over the next couple years.
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10/29/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Cabernet and Syrah blend. Meaty and gamy character with lots of black pepper, dark chocolate and liqueur hints. Everything in nice balance, moderate length.
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9/20/2014 - ravbik wrote: 91 Points
Rich full bodied blend with blueberries , dark cherry, mocha and some pepper. Well developed
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7/2/2014 - enjoyvino wrote: 93 Points
I really liked this wine and thought it was drinking great. Full mixed fruit and plum on the nose. Very expressive. The palate was a nice dark combination of red and dark berry, a little gravelly and a good medium finish. probably peaking out now.
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6/20/2014 - Francophile Likes this wine: 90 Points
See earlier comments second wine tonight for the group
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6/19/2014 - Francophile wrote: 90 Points
This was a nice wine
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5/31/2014 - Penguino212 wrote: 91 Points
Great nose with layers of complexity. Well balanced with tons of depth. Only wish was for a bit better finish. Worth waiting for.
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4/11/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Wow, and wow again. If this was Kaleb's swan song, its a great one. Probably one of the best WA wines I have ever had.
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2/21/2014 - prasm wrote: 89 Points
Consumed over 2 days, note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, candied fruit - black, blue and red, red licorice, rose petal, and shoe leather. Palate: Full bodied, sweet dark red fruit attack with spicy undertones, solid acidic presence thru the mid-palate, spicy kick in the back-end - falls apart just a little displaying some harsh back-end edges. Finish: Medium-plus length dominated by spicy dark red fruit, earth, and leather. Not quite as good as the previous 2 bottles as the back-end seems to be falling apart just a bit with this bottle, still quite enjoyable though.
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1/30/2014 - Francophile Likes this wine: 89 Points
A good strong flavourful wine
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11/19/2013 - Francophile Likes this wine: 89 Points
This has a nice full bodied wine, with good friuit
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11/2/2013 - CDH Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really loved this - another awesome Garagiste Mystery wine. On day one, pop & pour directly from cellar. The Syrah is front and center with the Cab taking a back seat. A plush wine with a bit of structure added by the Cabernet. I will say on day one it seemed a bit flabby - delicious on its own but not sure how well it would stand up to food. On day two, after Vacuvin at room temperature overnight, the Cabernet was more assertive, adding structure compared to the prior day. Enjoyed with beef sukiyaki at our favorite Japanese restaurant - maybe not a classic pairing but it worked for me.
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10/25/2013 - Richard123 Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is a good wine... Opened an hour before drinking... Good fruit, middle (almost light) tannin, and the aroma of oak barrels lurking on the nose. However, I did not find it to be outstanding. It lacked that rich depth that I'd expected, given the other reviews, and seemed not fully integrated. Maybe my bottle was slightly flawed, maybe the food pairing too strong (porterhouse steak), maybe it needed to open longer or maybe just not to my taste. I'll leave the other bottle for a year or two and try again with lighter food.
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10/12/2013 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
I opened my last bottle on 10/12/13. It had a rich, fragrant bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, mocha, cocoa, sage, cinnamon and spice aromas. The palate was big and powerful with flavors that followed the nose.
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10/12/2013 - wmccone54 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for a hour before dinner of beef fajitas and grilled vegetables. A gorgeous wine displaying aromas and flavors of the smokiness and sweet licorice of Syrah and the dark berries, cherries, plums, and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. A very good and serious wine that might rival Napa stalwarts such as Persistence and Relentless at a much more affordable price. Silky finish. I regret I didn't purchase more than two bottles.
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9/22/2013 - prasm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consumed over 2 days, note from day 2. Nose: Medium-plus expressiveness, candied red and black fruit, dark flowers, tobacco, and saddle leather. Palate: Medium-full bodied, spicy dark fruit attack, tobacco, nice mid-palate density, milk chocolate and spice dominate the back-end and a lengthy 20-30 second finish. Similar overall impression as my July note, big wine - but still graceful. Paired great with a grilled NY Strip. A great Garagiste purchase at $36 per.
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9/12/2013 - Firefly78 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice fruit, well integrated oak and subtle hints of tobacco and chocolate on the nose. On the palate a beautiful coffee note also makes its appearance. Well integrated sweet tannins, nice acidity and lingering finish. Beautiful.
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9/9/2013 - Russ P Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second on 8/30 comments
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8/30/2013 - Nbkat8 wrote: 94 Points
Peaking right now - super good, very well integrated with softening tannins. Always one of my favorite wines.
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8/26/2013 - Jamesgold wrote: 95 Points
Drinking beautiful right now. A perfect blend of dark fruits, game and chocolate. Glad I have one more.
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7/19/2013 - prasm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consumed over 2 days, note from day 2. Nose: Medium plus expressiveness, candied dark fruit - black berry & blueberry, spice, and licorice. Palate: Full bodied, dark fruit attack - though it isn't as sweet and candied as the nose indicates, a little spice and acid kick thru the mid-palate, shows some leather and tobacco towards the back-end. Finish: Medium length finish dominated by dark fruit, leather, and tobacco. It's a big wine but it carries it weight pretty gracefully.
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7/18/2013 - Francophile Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a nice blend of Syrah and Cab Sav that has a good body and I think has a lot of life left in it yet. Acidity is low. We drank this over a couple of nights with no loss of flavour. It was the accompaniment to two very different meals, one fairly heavy and one very light on what has probably been the hottest day of the year.
Always a fan of Washington wines this is one that offers good value for a mix of this combination.
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7/14/2013 - jay_hawk@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted about 3 hours. Nose: blueberry and plums Taste: Berry's and some tobacco. Long finish. Paired wonderfully with smoked leg of lamb.
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7/7/2013 - fitchbuck wrote: 91 Points
This needs a fatty steak pairing ... and a lot more time. Too much cab here for burgers, but that was my fault.
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6/22/2013 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
I took a bottle of this to a friend’s graduation party on 6/22/13. It had a big, rich, ripe bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, mocha and spice aromas. The palate was big, bold and dense with flavors that followed the nose.
One person who tasted it blind remarked “This has to be a Washington wine”! 90+
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5/26/2013 - Minkey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blueberries, plums, tar and tobacco on the nose. The palate shows dark berries as well as earthiness and a touch of anise. Tannins are well integrated and overall do not overpower the wine.
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5/17/2013 - ravbik wrote: 92 Points
Good value. Loaded red fruits. The cab blend is well rounded. Smooth velvety finish.
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5/11/2013 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
I had this with an after dinner cheese plate on 5/11/13. It had a rich, powerful bouquet of cassis, black cherry, blackberry, mocha, cinnamon and spice aromas. The palate was big, bold, fruit-forward and dry with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, black currant, mocha and spice. 90+
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5/8/2013 - Francophile Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice full bodied wine with a Syrah and Cab Sav mix that is mellow, low acidity
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4/23/2013 - soyhead wrote: 88 Points
nose - dark berry, and plenty of wood
mouth - rich dark berry, heavily extracted big fruitbomb with silky mouthfeel, low acidity, and lots of tannins.
In spite of the big fruit, i find it overoaked for my palate. This seems like it should be a RP homerun if he were to weigh in.
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4/18/2013 - Tintin wrote: 92 Points
Lots of velvety rich fruit. A delicious wine.
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3/20/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
Typical Washington wine for me - somewhat dry, very precise and narrow palate profile, more elegant than plush. Nice enough.
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3/12/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really enjoyed this whine without knowing the mix...turns out it is a Cab/Syrah blend, which is right in my wheelhouse. Blackberry, blueberry, grilled meat, bacon fat. Nicely polished, left me wanting more.
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2/4/2013 - cwiebe Likes this wine: 92 Points
No notes this time around, will describe my next bottle.
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1/2/2013 - nzinkgraf wrote:
day 3 after enjoying on NYE at Hinterland. Tar-y red fruit aromas. a little floral and a little asian white fruit-y. Palate is fresh and present. good acid on Medium tannin. tar, red fruit, cherry, tobacco, transparent black fruit. fruit but not entirely new world. oak is pretty wrapped into this.
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10/27/2012 - cepageyakima wrote: 92 Points
Very nice and will get even better...A little heavy right now
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10/10/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
This is incredible stuff. Intense yet elegant. Never mind, its wonderful, I am just going to drink it.
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7/18/2012 - slippytoad wrote: 93 Points
One of the best wines I've ever had from Washington. Gorgeous sweet and floral palate and quite a long finish.
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3/3/2012 - IWineAlot wrote: 91 Points
This was a Pop 'N Pour.
Dark purple in color. Big dark berries explode off the nose along with vanilla and a mocha coffee note as well. Palate was still pretty tight and tannic. Notes of chocolate, spice, black berries and vanilla. Full-bodied with a medium plus finish.
SS 91 pts.
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9/19/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
From magnum. Big, full, rounded and delicious.
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7/10/2011 - Pointchaser wrote: 89 Points
Good structure and finish but not a memorable wine for me.
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6/21/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
More "serious" than the '06 vintage with structure and density. Is this the higher proportion of Syrah showing through? Whatever the reason an incredible wine. Over six hours it kept getting better and better. Massive, dense, but also lifted an easy to drink. What a treat!
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6/20/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
More subtle than the last time I tasted it -- on the nose, so less pronouced. But on the palate that rich Buty feel. Delicious, tight, needing some time.
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6/16/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 88 Points
Pop and pour. This has a dark color - deep maroon. The nose is a bit funky; some barnyard element and dried fruit. Full bodied and rich but not showing much personality. Leaves the tongue a bit numb. Tightly wound and a bit eccentric.
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4/26/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Tight and young but man oh man, all that smooth voluptiousness is all there.
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4/9/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
700-1000cs, very different than the 06. more powerful and less lush. 52%syrah, 48% cabernet. much tighter aromas of pronounced intensity. again, stone and fruit. texture still shows a creamy core!! 40% new wood.
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3/11/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Showing a bit tighter and more syrah like than the 2006, which would make sense given tasting them side by side.
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3/11/2011 - cpsmith33 wrote: 91 Points
great blend. smooth and easy to drink yet complex. nice dark fruits balanced with the syrah characteristics. definitely want more!
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3/6/2011 - Jack Cranley wrote: 93 Points
Hedonistic nose of caramel and creme brulee. Absolutely monstrous concentration of flavors - some might find over-extracted but for me it worked because it wasn't weighted down by a sickly sweetness or too much oak. So I was loving the tsunami of various fruits, spices, and earth notes. Very well balanced offering a soft mouthfeel but enough structure to grip. Long sensuous finish left me smiling.
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12/4/2010 - JasonG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Walla Walla Holiday Barrel Tasting 2010; 12/3/2010-12/5/2010 (Walla Walla, WA): A clear cut above their other wines. An excellent blend that shows each contributing grape uniquely and clearly. Warm sweetness of the cab, followed by the size and spice of the syrah. Seemingly reduced to show the potency of the dark fruit core, and finishing with plum, some flint, mineral, earth, and a gentle, but still has-room-to-go finish. Very long flavor. Cellar it, it has a long ways to go, and could definitely soften with a bit of time.
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11/18/2010 - AlexHop wrote: 92 Points
Really nice- interesting blend with a great flavor profile. Tasted at the Corson building.
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