This is drinking beautifully right now! Poured through an aerator and drank over the course of 2 hours. Initially it is a bit hot on the the nose @ 14.4% alcohol, and it is dominated by scents of cola, black cherry and spice. The wine coats your front and mid pallate nicely and there is a medium finish, and it's not overly fruity like some Grenache and it has nice firm tannins and just a hint of spice. At first I was surprised by the tannins and spice, but then I read that has 8% petite sirah (one of my favorite varietals) and it definitely shines through. I would drink now since it is so delicious at the moment, but I'd say it definitely still has a few good years left in it before it starts to decline.
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The acid has definitely calmed down from prior bottles and the raspberry primary flavours have given way to a more complex blend of earth, spices, and red fruits. This still needs air, I think, to be in tip top shape.
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Decanted for almost an hour. Great acid balance, raspberry dominant but with a good slathering of mineral and a hint of spice from the oak. Excellent wine.
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Loaded with lavender, violets and dark chocolate covered cherries, this new-world granache packs the punch! Concentrated and long-lasting on the palate. Exceptionally smooth and silky texture. Loving this wine!
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Initially this is very tart and closed, with some raspberry-like flavours trying to come out. The nose is also quite closed. Needs serious air.
After even a few minutes, the nose is opening up to raspberry, red cherry, and a tiny bit of earth. The flavour has become somewhat spicy and even a bit of dark cherry. Getting better.
The acid is still dominant - not for the flabby fruit bomb person. This would probably benefit from a whole bunch more age but it also drinking nicely now if paired with food. Overall a fun interesting wine.
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Orange-tinged ruby. Strawberry, earth, and wood nose. Medium bodied, cranberries, tart blackberries, spice, leathery tannins, good acid, soy sauce, a bit of heat, and a slightly sour medium finish. Better than last time, more balanced.
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- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of alcohol. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of alcohol with a medium body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - This is a nice grenache. Needed a few minutes to start stabilizing, but remains a little hot. Fruit is solid, tannins are
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I really like this wine primarily because it is quite similar to Nero d'Avola wines that I have had. This is not a light wine but has good body and fruit that lingers.
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Eh, it's OK. I kind of expected a lush, low-acid Grenache: a mellow slightly overripe CA rendition of a Southern Rhone or Spanish Garnacha, and though this isn't my ideal wine, was prepared to enjoy that. But although there's some round black cherry on the nose, in the mouth it's more acidic than expected, less deep and roundly fruity, with a pretty good charge of drying tannins and some alcoholic heat. Not great (though it paired pretty well with baby back ribs), not horrible.
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I sure *hope* this was corked - the first bottle in a year+ of consistent wine drinking I've found undrinkably nasty - otherwise it's just undrinkably nasty. I assume it was corked/ And I sure hope the next bottle, untainted by TCA, has more (any!) acidity keeping it fresh.
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No obvious heat like previous note. Good black-foresty cherry on the nose along with a hint of sweet charred sausage. Firm mouth feel, with a little green pepper on the back of the palate. Well-integrated at this point. Smooth. Given the w.w price point, it is going to be very difficult to lay off the 3rd and final bottle. To think I almost traded this away. HA!
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Very hot even after 30min decant. Opened up and calmed down by the end of the bottle 90min later. Curious to see how this develops and (hopefully) integrates. Didn't take the time to fully evaluate. Besides the heat very good wine. 14.4% abv
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Slightly cloudy dark ginger red. Strawberry jam, stems, menthol, and a bit of funk on the nose. Light to medium bodied, pomegranites, tart and somewhat muted cherries, leather, pepper, grainy tannins, good acid, a touch of heat, and a medium to long finish. Pretty good, but a little disjointed. May need more time.
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Decanted. Initial smell: Soft fruit that is very mellow. Earthy around the edges. Iniital taste: The berry is clear, but light. It's at the front, and the flavor shifts to some slightly bitter notes. The ending is soft. Hints of acid, but nothing too strong. There is also some small heat at the end. Smell 45 min later: Berry has become saturated and richer, but the earthiness has moved more to the front. The heat is more noticeable. Taste 45 min later: Taste is more acidic, and the fruit has interlaced throughout the entire thing, removing the soft finish. There is a musty, barnyard flavor towards the back end. The heat is much stronger at the end - bit too much for me.
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Nose: Raspberry jam. Taste: Still quite tannic, needs some air or time in bottle. Red fruit on the approach transitioning to kind of a vanilla cream on the finish. A little hot. Too much oak for my tastes, very "california jammy" in style, but enjoyable.
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A fresh bottle of 100% Grenache from Sonoma County. The nose is muted and/or has shut down a bit and I was hoping it would be more expressive, but it's still a sold bottle of wine.
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12/6/2014 - jleonard711 wrote: 91 Points
This is drinking beautifully right now! Poured through an aerator and drank over the course of 2 hours. Initially it is a bit hot on the the nose @ 14.4% alcohol, and it is dominated by scents of cola, black cherry and spice. The wine coats your front and mid pallate nicely and there is a medium finish, and it's not overly fruity like some Grenache and it has nice firm tannins and just a hint of spice. At first I was surprised by the tannins and spice, but then I read that has 8% petite sirah (one of my favorite varietals) and it definitely shines through. I would drink now since it is so delicious at the moment, but I'd say it definitely still has a few good years left in it before it starts to decline.
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9/8/2014 - klezman wrote:
The acid has definitely calmed down from prior bottles and the raspberry primary flavours have given way to a more complex blend of earth, spices, and red fruits. This still needs air, I think, to be in tip top shape.
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5/31/2013 - klezman wrote:
Decanted for almost an hour. Great acid balance, raspberry dominant but with a good slathering of mineral and a hint of spice from the oak. Excellent wine.
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2/21/2013 - CManthei wrote: 92 Points
Loaded with lavender, violets and dark chocolate covered cherries, this new-world granache packs the punch! Concentrated and long-lasting on the palate. Exceptionally smooth and silky texture. Loving this wine!
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4/13/2012 - klezman Likes this wine:
Initially this is very tart and closed, with some raspberry-like flavours trying to come out. The nose is also quite closed. Needs serious air.
After even a few minutes, the nose is opening up to raspberry, red cherry, and a tiny bit of earth. The flavour has become somewhat spicy and even a bit of dark cherry. Getting better.
The acid is still dominant - not for the flabby fruit bomb person. This would probably benefit from a whole bunch more age but it also drinking nicely now if paired with food. Overall a fun interesting wine.
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3/8/2012 - merryberry wrote: 88 Points
Orange-tinged ruby. Strawberry, earth, and wood nose. Medium bodied, cranberries, tart blackberries, spice, leathery tannins, good acid, soy sauce, a bit of heat, and a slightly sour medium finish. Better than last time, more balanced.
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2/18/2012 - vaaccess wrote: 88 Points
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of alcohol. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of alcohol with a medium body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - This is a nice grenache. Needed a few minutes to start stabilizing, but remains a little hot. Fruit is solid, tannins are
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2/17/2012 - BlackIce wrote: 88 Points
Sad it is my last bottle. Notes consistent with prior one. This is one of the best Grenache wines I have had.
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2/8/2012 - BlackIce wrote: 88 Points
I really like this wine primarily because it is quite similar to Nero d'Avola wines that I have had. This is not a light wine but has good body and fruit that lingers.
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1/6/2012 - Shaver30 wrote: 88 Points
fruity with a hint of spice
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11/30/2011 - Charlie Pendejo wrote: 84 Points
Eh, it's OK. I kind of expected a lush, low-acid Grenache: a mellow slightly overripe CA rendition of a Southern Rhone or Spanish Garnacha, and though this isn't my ideal wine, was prepared to enjoy that. But although there's some round black cherry on the nose, in the mouth it's more acidic than expected, less deep and roundly fruity, with a pretty good charge of drying tannins and some alcoholic heat. Not great (though it paired pretty well with baby back ribs), not horrible.
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11/14/2011 - Charlie Pendejo wrote: flawed
I sure *hope* this was corked - the first bottle in a year+ of consistent wine drinking I've found undrinkably nasty - otherwise it's just undrinkably nasty. I assume it was corked/ And I sure hope the next bottle, untainted by TCA, has more (any!) acidity keeping it fresh.
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10/17/2011 - nlassow wrote:
No obvious heat like previous note. Good black-foresty cherry on the nose along with a hint of sweet charred sausage. Firm mouth feel, with a little green pepper on the back of the palate. Well-integrated at this point. Smooth. Given the w.w price point, it is going to be very difficult to lay off the 3rd and final bottle. To think I almost traded this away. HA!
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7/30/2011 - nlassow wrote:
Very hot even after 30min decant. Opened up and calmed down by the end of the bottle 90min later. Curious to see how this develops and (hopefully) integrates. Didn't take the time to fully evaluate. Besides the heat very good wine. 14.4% abv
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7/23/2011 - Shaver30 wrote: 89 Points
earthy and a bit spicy, opens up nicely
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6/22/2011 - merryberry wrote: 87 Points
Slightly cloudy dark ginger red. Strawberry jam, stems, menthol, and a bit of funk on the nose. Light to medium bodied, pomegranites, tart and somewhat muted cherries, leather, pepper, grainy tannins, good acid, a touch of heat, and a medium to long finish. Pretty good, but a little disjointed. May need more time.
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6/16/2011 - Shaver30 wrote:
opened up after about 20 minutes... a bit spicy, heavy fruit.
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5/18/2011 - TowerCellar wrote: 85 Points
Decanted.
Initial smell: Soft fruit that is very mellow. Earthy around the edges.
Iniital taste: The berry is clear, but light. It's at the front, and the flavor shifts to some slightly bitter notes. The ending is soft. Hints of acid, but nothing too strong. There is also some small heat at the end.
Smell 45 min later: Berry has become saturated and richer, but the earthiness has moved more to the front. The heat is more noticeable.
Taste 45 min later: Taste is more acidic, and the fruit has interlaced throughout the entire thing, removing the soft finish. There is a musty, barnyard flavor towards the back end. The heat is much stronger at the end - bit too much for me.
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5/2/2011 - oog wrote: 87 Points
Nose: Raspberry jam. Taste: Still quite tannic, needs some air or time in bottle. Red fruit on the approach transitioning to kind of a vanilla cream on the finish. A little hot. Too much oak for my tastes, very "california jammy" in style, but enjoyable.
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9/19/2010 - oakland.cory wrote: 91 Points
A fresh bottle of 100% Grenache from Sonoma County. The nose is muted and/or has shut down a bit and I was hoping it would be more expressive, but it's still a sold bottle of wine.
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