Very nice. It needed to warm up from cellar temperature to open up. Aging well. Cork was still a problem child. I don’t know what it is about the 2007 & 08 Andrew Will corks. They dry out or stick. Humidity in the storage was constant 60%.
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Tasted great, but lighter than I expected. Why are the corks in this vintage all bad? Out of 6 I’ve opened all 6 had corks that fell apart. If anything, my storage is on the humidity high side (65-70).
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Cork broke in half but eventually came out fine, without seepage or debris. 2-hour decant. Opaque purple with no sign of bricking. Nose features graphite, fireplace, and violets. Palate is intensely dark but not heavy: umami, blackberries, cherries, iron. Tannins are still present but are well-integrated and carry through a lengthy finish. Tons of fruit left. Very serious and well-made wine, fabulous with prime rib. Perhaps slightly better than a 2008 Cayuse Cab that it was served with, and leaps and bounds better than my previous 2008 Sorella (which had more significant cork issues). A benchmark Washington Bordeaux blend. I’m out of bottles but if you’re lucky enough to be holding these I suspect it will improve a little over the next 2-3 years and hold its peak for 5-7 more.
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2008 Sorella is a solid wine. Always delicious. Tannin structure was quite mellow. I suspect this is reaching its peak drinkability in the next year or two. Nose was diminished. Tastes great.
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The cork was stuck and showed signs of cracking on top. I used the Ah-so to pull it and it actually turned out fine. The bottle was double decanted and had a fair amount of sediment. However, the wine opened up nicely and was enjoyable over tow days. Time to drink this vintage; watch the cork and decant.
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This bottle is drinking absolutely amazingly currently. The nose as I poured it into the decanter was screamingly great. I loved just smelling the decanter. Did a p&p taste which was excellent and got a bit of grape bubble yum on the first taste but noted that the tannins are definitely still there with a definite drying note to the wine but in a beautifully balanced way. The palate is full of dark fruits with a definite blackberry note repeatedly appearing. Also noting soysauce notes and smoke lingering on the very long awesome finish. Long story short, this is a great wine in a great spot. Tannins suggest it can handle more cellar time, but decanting hasnt notably improved the wine over 3 hours. Drink up and enjoy, there is a reason AW is almost always awesome.
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The nose was dark, wild and leaning toward savory herbs, as notes of crushed red berry fruit and tobacco emerged, gaining sweetness in the glass with time. On the palate, I found a fresh expression, with juicy acids coasting along silky textures in a cool-toned expression, displaying red berries, wild herbs, and sweet spice. The finish was long, long, long…saturating the senses in tart berries and spice while also showing tremendous tension and verve.
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4 hour decant. Hot on the nose. Tastes pleasantly balanced, tannins are gone. the fruit and acidity are both bright and enjoyable. Bright red fruit and a hint of something deeper. Also elements of eucalyptus/menthol and spice. Lengthy finish and very pleasant, but the heat from the alcohol and lack of nuance hold it short of greatness. Still a very nice wine and worth the $50-60 paid.
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This is a classy wine. Best overall analogy is a very warm year Bordeaux of about the same age. Color is still opaque purple garnet, youthful. Nose has dark baked dark stone fruits, tobacco, a hint of Cabernet (it’s 80%), a wee touch of mint. Promising!
On the palate, no green at all but not fat. Some old-fashioned kid’s candy “fruit juice in mini bite-off wax bottles,” if you ever had it. If not, the equivalent is a hint of sweet bright grapey fruit. Acidity is “a point,” to use French. The finish is not long, but no penalty because (Bordeaux-wise) it’s “correct.” Kind of like a bigger Leoville Barton. Chris Camarda wants this to be modeled on a Bordeaux blend from northwest U.S. terroir, and worthy remembrance of his wife. He succeeded. Worked with food (simple chili rub on beef filet), too. Would please a crowd, but best with contemplation. From winery, at release.
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Had a tough start to the evening as the cork broke in half, which required fishing out the remaining cork and straining. Looked fine--no signs of seepage or oxidation. Dark, brooding, and bitter, but got a little better after 3-4 hours of air (with multiple runs through a venturi). This did not measure up to my past experience with this blend, which is normally one of my favorites. One bottle left of the 2008, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
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Lively wine loaded with fruit, a nice acidity, and a mix of balancing secondary aspects. Dark cherry, berries, plum and currant all present on the palate. In the background but not far behind is tobacco, menthol and a tiny bit of char-grill. Very enjoyable and well matched with burgers.
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Spicy and structured on the palate, but does not have the focused flavors that make the wine special. It was reminding me of Cabernet frack rather than Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Juicy and autumnal. Flavors fully realized with oomph and tannic structure to give. Grilled pear and copper penny. Strawberry and stone. Mustard seed and sweat. Blackberry wellwater with a hot sauce glowstick fade.
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This blend drinks like a new world bordeaux with dark blackberry fruit and strong secondary notes of cedar, leather and cassis. After an hour decant the wine still had active tannins but after two hours, it became more balanced, structured and smoother. Overall, you must be patient with these wines both in holding them for years and then allowing for at least two hour decant.
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Last drank this 6 months ago. And it is so spot on - gorgeous wine. It shows its age in tertiary flavors of leather, cedar and some sort of purple flower - violets?? The aromatics - after a couple hours in the decanter - are so sexy and gorgeous. In the mouth it's cassis, leather, baking spice and a tiny hint of bakers chocolate on the end. Soft, subdued and lingering finish. What a remarkable wine. Each time I come back to Chris Camarda's wines I think he is the most gifted and focused winemaker in Washington with the Bordeaux varietals.
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Beautiful wine, with notes of plum, black cherry and vanilla across the palate. I picked up a bit of tobacco and graphite too. The longer it was opened the more it turned towards the red fruit end of the spectrum - red cherries and raspberry, still rich with a slight spice. Beautifully integrated, drinking very well.
The wine was very closed to start - it took a solid two hours in the decanter to really open.... I really think you'll be underwhelmed if you don't give it some time or plan ahead.
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January Wine Group Dinner (Campagna at the Bedford Post Inn): This was pretty full throttle and loaded with well balanced dark fruit and earthy notes, it's very well made and expressive. Smooth and velvety in texture with a long finish. Really nice.
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Decanted 2 hours. Dark fruit with some notes of leather and graphite. A little closed and tannic. I think this needs another 5 years in the cellar before entering its' drinking window. (NR).
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Gorgeous aromatics - the wine is quite good but if it was as good as it smells, it would be a knockout. Regardless - the nose is blackberry, cedar and a little bit of new leather. The wine is balanced, luscious and long. The prominent flavors were cassis, tobacco and a tiny bit of bakers chocolate. Had it over two nights - the first night the nose was a bit muted but the wine was open and vivid. Second night, the aromatics were off the chart but the wine had become a bit subdued. The lesson, I think, is to decant about 2 -3 hours. And finish it in one night!
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Pop and pour and served with food (prime NY strip steak, and salad, in case you were wondering). Dark color. Rich fruits of black cherries and plums. Deeply concentrated with levels of fruit. Dry, dusty tannins fill the mouth. Dark chocolate notes with some good acidity on the finish. The tannic element is a bit off-putting, otherwise this would be an outstanding wine. Tasted again on the following day. Shows a bit of heat but still holding up well.
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1 hour decant. This is really quite nice...tannins are softening with lots of fruit and a beautiful lavender subtlty. If you have a few bottles, you should drink one now, and then others as you wish.
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Well integrated and balance wine drinking well of pnp and improving over two hours. Well integrated with cab dominant, soft, smooth. I am in no rush to consume the others. I see this in a good place for at least 10+ years, but you won't regret opening it now.
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I had the 07 last year in Chicago and while this is not nearly the blockbuster the 07 was it is still very nice. A little more subdued than the 07 but still a big one. Lots of black cherry, anise, with some red clay and almost a little like smelling a crayon. Opened up after an hr and the finish was great. I love the earthy, clay component mixed in with sweet dark purple fruit. Smooth yet dense and multilayered. Like it.
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Drank this over dinner with the JJs. Very good bottle of sorella and my first shot at the 08 version. Not drinking nearly as nicely as the bottle of 06 that I had last November. Overall with an hour to open up it is showing very well at this point. Nicely balanced with the fruit remaining nicely intact and moderate very smoothed out tannins. Went very nicely with some medium rare NY strips. Not sure I was impressed enough to make the QPR work though.
Moins bien que le 2007 en ce moment. Nez unidemensionel, épices et peu de fruit. En bouche, un peu confituré mais trop jeune. ...à revisité dans quelques années!
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Had to pop something to watch the elections. Ordered & shipped direct from winery. Cellared since. Pop n pour into a decanter. Clearly a young wine...wondering if this will improve with age. Some heat & strong sweet tannin...picked up some stewed fruit as well on the palate & some green notes on the nose. While long, this has an astringent finish...some espresso, dirt, spice, mint. This seems like a great attempt to manufacture a great wine, but it falls short, especially when considering the price. This is my 1st Andrew Will wine, let alone Sorella. Don't think I'll be buying more of this unless someone convinces me that other vintages are materially different. Rated an 87 on wine quality. Would rate it much lower on a QPR scale.
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Decanted 2 hrs. While the 2hr decant certainly helped open this up a spell, I think this wine would have been a candidate for extended aeration, something in the 8+ hour range, but given this was a last second, “It’s Thursday, so let’s drink something damn good” night, not one to complain. And damn good this wine was. As expected, a bit tight on the nose initially, even leading with a strong edge of new oak. But with some Olympic force glass swirling, the nose developed, slowly, but the complexity was evident. An array of striking floral aromatics, exotic spices, both red and dark fruits had me thinking if this was served blind, I think I would have guessed a top shelf Carlisle Zinfandel. The one word that describes the palate is “layered”. Though tight, and still in an embryotic state, one could easily feel the many layers of Champoux goodness just waiting to unfold in due time. Very little to no oak and the tannins, while young and just a touch firm, were in prefect proportion to the overall symmetry of the wine. And this in a nut shell, is what differentiates a strong AW effort from a very good WA Bordeaux blend, the overall symmetry and precision is simply seamless. I think this why they age so darn well. Baby killing of the first order, but great wine, no doubt.
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Dark ruby-red. Plum, spicem oak and earth on the nose. Seamless on the palate with notes of raspberrry and chocolate. Very clean profile. Long, broad, sweetly tannic finish.
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Only opened 1 hour before consumption. Strong tannins, a bit tart. Not at all enjoyable. Decent berry flavor, but hard to define. I hope age will be kind to this wine. I'm not sure why MS said it was one of the Top 100.
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This is starting to really really come together. Dark fruit, bell peppers, blue berry, with a cornucopia of underlying soft red fruits. This is truly a beautiful wine and one of my favorites this year.
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Beautiful nose with blackberries with swirls of smoke and a touch of oak. Moderate dark purple legs. Starts smooth with strawberry rhubarb that quickly gives way to eucalyptus and green mango with a nicely balanced finished with a slight dominance of tannicity over acidity..
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The nose is full, showing scents of green pepper, blackberries, and bacon. The green pepper and blackberries both deliver fully on the palate. This wine has a very juicy feel to it! BIG structure rolls in later. The tannins and acidity are balanced with each other, but they dominate the other characteristics as the finish sets in. This has lots of aging potential, and it needs that time for everything to really work together.
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this is possibly my favorite sorella in the last decade. i have drunk a case of early ones already, and it has just been released, so is fully available. i have just reordered.
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Sarah and I shared a half-bottle at Passionfish in Pacific Grove. It was just phenomenal, with a structure that perfectly balanced the black fruit, with just a hint of cedar and eucalyptus. I was surprised the 08 was drinking as well as it was, but it was a half-bottle. I can't wait to find more!
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This wine is blended to perfection. 80% old vine cab from Champoux. This has some slight green vegetable notes on the mid palate. Blueberry, black berry, vanilla, lavender, with a touch of red fruits on the finish. Elegant and feminine. A wine destined to age well because of the balance and food friendly. Very impressive.
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2/15/2023 - NPBWineGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice. It needed to warm up from cellar temperature to open up. Aging well. Cork was still a problem child. I don’t know what it is about the 2007 & 08 Andrew Will corks. They dry out or stick. Humidity in the storage was constant 60%.
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1/29/2023 - NPBWineGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted great, but lighter than I expected. Why are the corks in this vintage all bad? Out of 6 I’ve opened all 6 had corks that fell apart. If anything, my storage is on the humidity high side (65-70).
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9/13/2021 - jdreillyjr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Surprisingly tannic. Deep garnet color, with deep garnet edge. Dark fruit flavors hint of a longer life. At least five years.
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4/24/2021 - mlawren1 wrote: 91 Points
Plums and cherries with a hint of currant. Finishes a bit acidic.
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12/25/2020 - Magnolian Likes this wine: 96 Points
Cork broke in half but eventually came out fine, without seepage or debris. 2-hour decant. Opaque purple with no sign of bricking. Nose features graphite, fireplace, and violets. Palate is intensely dark but not heavy: umami, blackberries, cherries, iron. Tannins are still present but are well-integrated and carry through a lengthy finish. Tons of fruit left. Very serious and well-made wine, fabulous with prime rib. Perhaps slightly better than a 2008 Cayuse Cab that it was served with, and leaps and bounds better than my previous 2008 Sorella (which had more significant cork issues). A benchmark Washington Bordeaux blend. I’m out of bottles but if you’re lucky enough to be holding these I suspect it will improve a little over the next 2-3 years and hold its peak for 5-7 more.
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11/13/2020 - NPBWineGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
2008 Sorella is a solid wine. Always delicious. Tannin structure was quite mellow. I suspect this is reaching its peak drinkability in the next year or two. Nose was diminished. Tastes great.
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4/1/2020 - Redteeth wrote:
The cork was stuck and showed signs of cracking on top. I used the Ah-so to pull it and it actually turned out fine. The bottle was double decanted and had a fair amount of sediment. However, the wine opened up nicely and was enjoyable over tow days. Time to drink this vintage; watch the cork and decant.
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1/19/2020 - WaWineFan in TX Likes this wine: 96 Points
This bottle is drinking absolutely amazingly currently. The nose as I poured it into the decanter was screamingly great. I loved just smelling the decanter. Did a p&p taste which was excellent and got a bit of grape bubble yum on the first taste but noted that the tannins are definitely still there with a definite drying note to the wine but in a beautifully balanced way. The palate is full of dark fruits with a definite blackberry note repeatedly appearing. Also noting soysauce notes and smoke lingering on the very long awesome finish. Long story short, this is a great wine in a great spot. Tannins suggest it can handle more cellar time, but decanting hasnt notably improved the wine over 3 hours. Drink up and enjoy, there is a reason AW is almost always awesome.
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12/18/2019 - NPBWineGuy wrote: 94 Points
Delicious. Smooth with rounded flavors and tannin. Nose was a little shallow, but the taste made up for it.
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10/23/2019 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose was dark, wild and leaning toward savory herbs, as notes of crushed red berry fruit and tobacco emerged, gaining sweetness in the glass with time. On the palate, I found a fresh expression, with juicy acids coasting along silky textures in a cool-toned expression, displaying red berries, wild herbs, and sweet spice. The finish was long, long, long…saturating the senses in tart berries and spice while also showing tremendous tension and verve.
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9/28/2019 - dankrems wrote: 92 Points
4 hour decant. Hot on the nose. Tastes pleasantly balanced, tannins are gone. the fruit and acidity are both bright and enjoyable. Bright red fruit and a hint of something deeper. Also elements of eucalyptus/menthol and spice. Lengthy finish and very pleasant, but the heat from the alcohol and lack of nuance hold it short of greatness. Still a very nice wine and worth the $50-60 paid.
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9/14/2019 - Been There wrote: 94 Points
This is a classy wine. Best overall analogy is a very warm year Bordeaux of about the same age. Color is still opaque purple garnet, youthful. Nose has dark baked dark stone fruits, tobacco, a hint of Cabernet (it’s 80%), a wee touch of mint. Promising!
On the palate, no green at all but not fat. Some old-fashioned kid’s candy “fruit juice in mini bite-off wax bottles,” if you ever had it. If not, the equivalent is a hint of sweet bright grapey fruit. Acidity is “a point,” to use French. The finish is not long, but no penalty because (Bordeaux-wise) it’s “correct.” Kind of like a bigger Leoville Barton. Chris Camarda wants this to be modeled on a Bordeaux blend from northwest U.S. terroir, and worthy remembrance of his wife. He succeeded. Worked with food (simple chili rub on beef filet), too. Would please a crowd, but best with contemplation. From winery, at release.
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8/3/2019 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 93 Points
in a good drinking spot right now
dark and tart fruit with nice earthy integration
my sister liked it too
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5/18/2019 - Magnolian wrote:
Had a tough start to the evening as the cork broke in half, which required fishing out the remaining cork and straining. Looked fine--no signs of seepage or oxidation. Dark, brooding, and bitter, but got a little better after 3-4 hours of air (with multiple runs through a venturi). This did not measure up to my past experience with this blend, which is normally one of my favorites. One bottle left of the 2008, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
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5/12/2019 - dankrems wrote: 92 Points
Lively wine loaded with fruit, a nice acidity, and a mix of balancing secondary aspects. Dark cherry, berries, plum and currant all present on the palate. In the background but not far behind is tobacco, menthol and a tiny bit of char-grill. Very enjoyable and well matched with burgers.
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5/27/2018 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine:
Beautiful wine. Needs a solid decant, it took a good two hours to really open up. Paired perfectly with grilled ribeyes.
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1/20/2018 - Winiac wrote: 90 Points
Spicy and structured on the palate, but does not have the focused flavors that make the wine special. It was reminding me of Cabernet frack rather than Cabernet Sauvignon.
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1/17/2018 - Simonyser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent comme toujours! Peut durer encore longtemps!
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11/6/2017 - Rollerball wrote: 94 Points
Juicy and autumnal. Flavors fully realized with oomph and tannic structure to give. Grilled pear and copper penny. Strawberry and stone. Mustard seed and sweat. Blackberry wellwater with a hot sauce glowstick fade.
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8/12/2017 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 93 Points
This blend drinks like a new world bordeaux with dark blackberry fruit and strong secondary notes of cedar, leather and cassis. After an hour decant the wine still had active tannins but after two hours, it became more balanced, structured and smoother. Overall, you must be patient with these wines both in holding them for years and then allowing for at least two hour decant.
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6/4/2017 - randyjc wrote: 94 Points
Last drank this 6 months ago. And it is so spot on - gorgeous wine. It shows its age in tertiary flavors of leather, cedar and some sort of purple flower - violets?? The aromatics - after a couple hours in the decanter - are so sexy and gorgeous. In the mouth it's cassis, leather, baking spice and a tiny hint of bakers chocolate on the end. Soft, subdued and lingering finish. What a remarkable wine. Each time I come back to Chris Camarda's wines I think he is the most gifted and focused winemaker in Washington with the Bordeaux varietals.
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5/7/2017 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine:
Beautiful wine, with notes of plum, black cherry and vanilla across the palate. I picked up a bit of tobacco and graphite too. The longer it was opened the more it turned towards the red fruit end of the spectrum - red cherries and raspberry, still rich with a slight spice. Beautifully integrated, drinking very well.
The wine was very closed to start - it took a solid two hours in the decanter to really open.... I really think you'll be underwhelmed if you don't give it some time or plan ahead.
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4/22/2017 - familydoc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose: raspberry tea, floral, herbs (oregeno), mushroom
Taste: big acidity and tannin, with air tastes like "high end Bourdeaux blend".
Andrew Will seems to make wines just for me, a bit of old world, good fruit, delicious and integrates. When in doubt- Andrew Will for me.
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1/18/2017 - Vinomarcus Likes this wine: 93 Points
January Wine Group Dinner (Campagna at the Bedford Post Inn): This was pretty full throttle and loaded with well balanced dark fruit and earthy notes, it's very well made and expressive. Smooth and velvety in texture with a long finish. Really nice.
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12/23/2016 - Yamadori wrote:
Decanted 2 hours. Dark fruit with some notes of leather and graphite. A little closed and tannic. I think this needs another 5 years in the cellar before entering its' drinking window. (NR).
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12/2/2016 - randyjc wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous aromatics - the wine is quite good but if it was as good as it smells, it would be a knockout. Regardless - the nose is blackberry, cedar and a little bit of new leather. The wine is balanced, luscious and long. The prominent flavors were cassis, tobacco and a tiny bit of bakers chocolate. Had it over two nights - the first night the nose was a bit muted but the wine was open and vivid. Second night, the aromatics were off the chart but the wine had become a bit subdued. The lesson, I think, is to decant about 2 -3 hours. And finish it in one night!
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7/2/2016 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 88 Points
Shared a post dinner bottle around the fire pit on one of the nicest days of the year
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6/8/2016 - EvanRose Does not like this wine:
CORK FAILED
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5/5/2016 - Vino Me wrote: 90 Points
Opened by Bill. Dark purple color. A fruity wine but with an underlying earthiness. Notes of tart red fruit and leather. Round finish. 90-91 points.
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10/31/2015 - t_moderne wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour and served with food (prime NY strip steak, and salad, in case you were wondering).
Dark color. Rich fruits of black cherries and plums. Deeply concentrated with levels of fruit. Dry, dusty tannins fill the mouth. Dark chocolate notes with some good acidity on the finish.
The tannic element is a bit off-putting, otherwise this would be an outstanding wine.
Tasted again on the following day. Shows a bit of heat but still holding up well.
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10/23/2015 - familydoc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bought at restaurant with good storage
Nose: cherry, resin (violin bow), short bread cookie
Taste: cherry, licorice, kirsch, well integrated and silky, very refined wine.
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7/30/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very rich, dry, medium finish
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7/20/2015 - sanjuanlewis wrote: 92 Points
A bit clunky next to the 2007, but still a good solid wine. Needs a bit more time in the bottle.
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12/27/2014 - Siebs Cellar Likes this wine: 85 Points
Good. Strong nose, but flavor did not match. Very restrained fruit. Texture was good plus.
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12/3/2014 - kstoddard Does not like this wine:
Not a fan
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10/19/2014 - ssock wrote: 95 Points
1 hour decant. This is really quite nice...tannins are softening with lots of fruit and a beautiful lavender subtlty. If you have a few bottles, you should drink one now, and then others as you wish.
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9/19/2014 - Floyd77 wrote: 93 Points
Aromatic -- great nose. Cherry, juniper -- a bit tannic -- not the best showing for a Sorella, but a perfect companion for my grilled hanger steak.
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5/31/2014 - thatrick wrote: 93 Points
Could use another year or 2 - it was a nice soft and smooth wine after 30 to 45 minutes of air.
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4/13/2014 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well integrated and balance wine drinking well of pnp and improving over two hours. Well integrated with cab dominant, soft, smooth. I am in no rush to consume the others. I see this in a good place for at least 10+ years, but you won't regret opening it now.
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11/9/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had the 07 last year in Chicago and while this is not nearly the blockbuster the 07 was it is still very nice. A little more subdued than the 07 but still a big one. Lots of black cherry, anise, with some red clay and almost a little like smelling a crayon. Opened up after an hr and the finish was great. I love the earthy, clay component mixed in with sweet dark purple fruit. Smooth yet dense and multilayered. Like it.
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9/14/2013 - WaWineFan in TX wrote: 92 Points
Drank this over dinner with the JJs. Very good bottle of sorella and my first shot at the 08 version. Not drinking nearly as nicely as the bottle of 06 that I had last November. Overall with an hour to open up it is showing very well at this point. Nicely balanced with the fruit remaining nicely intact and moderate very smoothed out tannins. Went very nicely with some medium rare NY strips. Not sure I was impressed enough to make the QPR work though.
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8/11/2013 - skinut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice fruit, complex on the palate. With 1/2 hour of air nose gained some weightiness. I am never disappointed with AW wines.
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7/14/2013 - Acohen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs time to get better integrated but has lots of potential and nice dark fruit
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11/27/2012 - maxima Likes this wine: 89 Points
Moins bien que le 2007 en ce moment.
Nez unidemensionel, épices et peu de fruit.
En bouche, un peu confituré mais trop jeune.
...à revisité dans quelques années!
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11/6/2012 - gbbwino wrote: 87 Points
Had to pop something to watch the elections. Ordered & shipped direct from winery. Cellared since. Pop n pour into a decanter. Clearly a young wine...wondering if this will improve with age. Some heat & strong sweet tannin...picked up some stewed fruit as well on the palate & some green notes on the nose. While long, this has an astringent finish...some espresso, dirt, spice, mint. This seems like a great attempt to manufacture a great wine, but it falls short, especially when considering the price. This is my 1st Andrew Will wine, let alone Sorella. Don't think I'll be buying more of this unless someone convinces me that other vintages are materially different. Rated an 87 on wine quality. Would rate it much lower on a QPR scale.
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8/31/2012 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Finally tried it. True Bordeaux blend. Very good, but pricey for Washington.
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6/15/2012 - Dale M wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. While the 2hr decant certainly helped open this up a spell, I think this wine would have been a candidate for extended aeration, something in the 8+ hour range, but given this was a last second, “It’s Thursday, so let’s drink something damn good” night, not one to complain. And damn good this wine was. As expected, a bit tight on the nose initially, even leading with a strong edge of new oak. But with some Olympic force glass swirling, the nose developed, slowly, but the complexity was evident. An array of striking floral aromatics, exotic spices, both red and dark fruits had me thinking if this was served blind, I think I would have guessed a top shelf Carlisle Zinfandel. The one word that describes the palate is “layered”. Though tight, and still in an embryotic state, one could easily feel the many layers of Champoux goodness just waiting to unfold in due time. Very little to no oak and the tannins, while young and just a touch firm, were in prefect proportion to the overall symmetry of the wine. And this in a nut shell, is what differentiates a strong AW effort from a very good WA Bordeaux blend, the overall symmetry and precision is simply seamless. I think this why they age so darn well. Baby killing of the first order, but great wine, no doubt.
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4/29/2012 - jhieb wrote: 91 Points
Classic Washington notes.
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2/2/2012 - short and confused wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby-red. Plum, spicem oak and earth on the nose. Seamless on the palate with notes of raspberrry and chocolate. Very clean profile. Long, broad, sweetly tannic finish.
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12/16/2011 - NPBWineGuy wrote: 86 Points
Only opened 1 hour before consumption. Strong tannins, a bit tart. Not at all enjoyable. Decent berry flavor, but hard to define. I hope age will be kind to this wine. I'm not sure why MS said it was one of the Top 100.
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9/11/2011 - emdub wrote: 94 Points
This is starting to really really come together. Dark fruit, bell peppers, blue berry, with a cornucopia of underlying soft red fruits. This is truly a beautiful wine and one of my favorites this year.
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5/17/2011 - truthseekder1 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful nose with blackberries with swirls of smoke and a touch of oak. Moderate dark purple legs. Starts smooth with strawberry rhubarb that quickly gives way to eucalyptus and green mango with a nicely balanced finished with a slight dominance of tannicity over acidity..
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5/1/2011 - subtlet Likes this wine: 88 Points
The nose is full, showing scents of green pepper, blackberries, and bacon. The green pepper and blackberries both deliver fully on the palate. This wine has a very juicy feel to it! BIG structure rolls in later. The tannins and acidity are balanced with each other, but they dominate the other characteristics as the finish sets in. This has lots of aging potential, and it needs that time for everything to really work together.
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3/2/2011 - mathwonk wrote:
this is possibly my favorite sorella in the last decade. i have drunk a case of early ones already, and it has just been released, so is fully available. i have just reordered.
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1/1/2011 - DC_EO wrote: 94 Points
Sarah and I shared a half-bottle at Passionfish in Pacific Grove. It was just phenomenal, with a structure that perfectly balanced the black fruit, with just a hint of cedar and eucalyptus. I was surprised the 08 was drinking as well as it was, but it was a half-bottle. I can't wait to find more!
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9/12/2010 - emdub wrote: 94 Points
This wine is blended to perfection. 80% old vine cab from Champoux. This has some slight green vegetable notes on the mid palate. Blueberry, black berry, vanilla, lavender, with a touch of red fruits on the finish. Elegant and feminine. A wine destined to age well because of the balance and food friendly. Very impressive.
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