My final bottle. decanted and showing light sediment. Sadly this is at the end of its road. Jammy fruits cloaked in alcohol and notes of licorice, ganache and spice. The palate follows suit. Fruit, alcohol, spice and ganache notes. finish falls short of what this once was and seems a little clunky.
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This David Phinney wine never disappoints and this vintage aged perfectly. A hint of dark berry and pepper on the nose. The palate is much richer with thick texture, dark berry, pepper and sweet spices all with velvety tannins and a long finish.
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Lengthy decant given. Aromas still showing medium-plus intensity with notes of ripe boysenberry, blueberry, jammy strawberry and a touch of dark cherry that mingle with scents of vanilla, white pepper, baking spice, sage, chocolate ganache, hot stone and a hint of graphite. Still showing life on the palate; Rich, creamy texture; bright, moderate acidity and soft, smooth tannins. Flavors show a blend of ripe blueberry, boysenberry, strawberry preserve, and dark cherry with supporting notes of vanilla creme anglaise, white pepper, chutney, sage, violets and bramble that linger through the finish lingering on baking spices and heat. Overall still showing well, which after recently tasting the '11 and '12 vintages which were very disappointing, I am surprised.
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Bit of stink nose on opening but burned off quickly. On the soft side right now with a good amount of Eucalyptus on the palate. Back side goes a little mint julep
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It has improved with time and the seein day it was much better. THe alcohol was not as pronounced but it was still a little flabby. Definitely a food wine.
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This has surprisingly improved in the last 18 months. Very much enjoyed this bottle as it became less flabby and the ABV was not as noticeable. I would say the drinking window is open on this one right now. Served at room temp (72F)...maybe that had something to do with it?
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Had with slow smoked Pulled Pork and Baby Back Ribs. Drinking really well. Loads of red fruits, very jammy. Smooth as silk tannins. Nice finish but not incredibly long, but still very satisfying. Perfect level of oak. Very nice bottle of wine.
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Very big wine with a lot of complexity. Took awhile to open.. Loads of jammy fruit with a lot of competing flavors. Was a "tweener" for me--heavy and lush and just missed on the flavor profile.
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Been a while since my last tasting, this starts the line up of the Abstract vertical. Dark red core with deep ruby on the rim. Viscosity is medium-plus, leaving the legs falling slowly, set by set from the thick ridge. Day bright reflections and showing moderate-plus concentration. Still needs a little coaxing from the air to show its aromas, but once it opens notes of dark cherry, blackberry, white pepper, boysenberry, vanilla and cedar with light accents of violets, cola and dark chocolate. The palate remains youthful, with moderate plus acidity and rich concentrated flavors of boysenberry, blackberry, huckleberry and bramble that weave their way into the notes of pepper, licorice, hot brick and crushed violets. The mid palate density is moderate with the flavors lingering throughout the long finish with soft, ripe moderate tannins that gently hold on the gums. Should continue to age well.
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Opened by Emilio. A blend of Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. 15.7% alcohol.Full bodied with big tannins. Very creamy and heavy. Thick texture. Notes of cassis, blackberry and licorice. A huge wine which did not seem balanced to me and was not a style that I gravitate to. 86 points.
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My overall impression has not changed on this wine from my note 3/2011. It has not improved with age and I don't see it getting better as it sits in the glass. I enjoy the Prisoner and Saldo but will not buy more Abstract.
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Decanted several hours before tasting. Enjoyed this bottle (grenache, petite, and syrah) upon release for its boldness despite the noticeable oak. At this point, the oak is fully integrated, and the fruit has receded tasting more like mourvedre. As a clerk in a Sydney wine shop once said to me many years ago: "It's as smooth as a baby's bottom."
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- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of alcohol and black pepper. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of alcohol, vanilla, oak and black pepper with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - A bit hot at first. Mellowed out after 1-2 hours of air. Might be better served with a few more years in the cellar. Definitely not my favorite Orin Swift wine.
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Still primarily fruit-driven, but showing better balance and a touch more evolution than prior bottles would have indicated. The heat from the ABV, in particular, was considerably more toned done than previously experienced. Made for a good barbecue wine with friends.
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An exciting bottle -- I've chalked the prior ones up to being full-throttle fruit bombs, albeit very good examples of the style. This one, however, is actually evolving. The primary dark fruit flavors, while still delicious, are withdrawing, and classic secondary flavors are emerging. Smoke, graphite, bacon fat, and tar, all in good balance. Didn't see this coming, but I exhort the haters to revisit within the next year or two.
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Attempted a pop and pour but it was really bad, almost undrinkable. After about an hour it opened up. Drinkable but really just not much there. a little hot from the alcohol still, some tannins and fruit but it just didn't seem to balance out.
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Just a lot of big bold syrupy fruit. How do you talk about anything like tannins or acid or finish. It's just one big glob of dark raisiny fruit. Not interesting at all. Save your coin.
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This wine feels like a cheat. Orin Swift is a reliable name (Dave Phinney is the winemaker) - we really like the Prisoner and Papillon, as well as his Sauv Blanc, but this wine is a grapey, uninteresting blob. It feels like something McDonald's would make if they got in the wine game. I reserve sub 80 scores for truly offensive wines, and this one is drinkable, but not a pleasure.
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Decanted 1 hour. This was very disappointing. The nose was very nice with notes of game and a little spice. Beyond that it had nothing to offer in my opinion .Very bland and grapey on the palate. The fruit was a little sweet and generic. It seemed somewhat manufactured and artificial with no character. The finish was short with a little pepper and spice which really was the only indication that it was a Rhone blend. Although this wine is drinkable you can buy better for less than half the price. Discarded about half the bottle in disappointment. A poor effort which is not recommended.
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Too over the top in my opinion and losing balance. Seemed to show very little of the typical Granache expression apart of a little leather gaminess on the nose, quiet the absolute opposite to CDP in style. Also the PS seemed to be quite muted here. It is big bodied but seems somewhat confused on which direction it should go. Also a little too RS sweet for my taste (at 15.7% there must have been a lot of very ripe fruit in there). Mellowed out somewhat on day 2 but really struggled to stand-out. disappointed.
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I am not sure if I opened a bottle of Robitussin or wine. This wine is an over the top medicinal syrup fruit bomb with too much alcohol(15.7%) My wife will drink almost anything, but not this. With a few hours of air it mellowed a bit, but not an enjoyable wine. If you are looking for Granache based wine stick with a CDR. Not sure what to do with the last 3 bottles, wait a couple of years, decant for 4 hours, or give away to someone I don't like a lot. Maybe it could come in handy for symptom relief when the obligatory winter chest cold hits.
Lot's going on in this bottle. Dark purple color. Wild bramble berry fruit, raspberries, spice, and some herbal notes. The grenache is what i enjoy the most about this blend, but the petit sirah brings a gammy meat profile to the back end. Interesting stuff. (recently #45 on WS top 100).
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I enjoy big, bold reds, but I would best describe the bottle we had as "gross". Couldn't finish the glass. Horrid. I was expecting something like "The Prisoner". Instead, we got "The Poisoner".
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What a difference a year makes. I first tasted this on release and it had interesting herbal, eucalyptus and minty notes. Toss all that out the window. Now I have a soft side for big wines as I am a longtime Turley fan but this wine just doesn't bring the whole package. Been open 24hrs plus. Great color, fruit forward nose but a lot of alcohol as well. Palate is a big goopy fruity explosion with an almost syrupy texture a hint of acid but just overly ripe sweet fruit with oaky vanilla but no spice.. Tannins are overmatched and glossed over. Keep turning the bottle around looking for a thumb-ring. Maybe I should have ordered pepperoni pizza in for dinner. Or maybe I just should open something else. What happened?
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this showed brilliantly. still fantastic mocha and cocoa aromas and flavors, but the alcohol and fruit are finally in balance. still lots of grenache aromas and flavors, more so than the other varietals in the blend imho. phinney has a winner with the abstract. 2010 is pretty delicious too.
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Similar to prior TNs. This has mellowed some, with less white pepper finish, but still offers a Calif fruit punch, meets toasted oak and spice. Actually paired well with Lasagna, but even better with fresh Chocolate chip cookies!!
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As always this wine is a crowd pleaser. Opened it up for an hour but could have used more. Still a little heat but on the palate it was wonderful. Big fruit and leather.
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A little time as done this wine good. This time the wine wasn't as disjointed and was enjoyable with gobs of fruit and some spice. The heat though is still coming on strong and I don't think I'll ever love it.
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Decanted approx. 30 minutes on night one then overnight on counter with airtight seal ... My first time drinking this wine over two days. (Single bottles no longer tend to last multiple days at our place <sigh>.)
Much smoother and stronger on day two. Lush and rich, but also less complex and, counterintuitively, hotter. The alcohol is standing out more now that the tart berry fruit that dominated the palate on day one has subsided. Still good and striking me as well-made, but not extraordinary. My fourth bottle and, while I'm enjoying it a lot, I'm still not sure if this a label we'll be buying regularly.
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Honestly, this wine and Phinney's wines in general seem to really divide the wine world. I have to admit that I find this wine just way to heavy and extracted, where is the acid? Loads of over-ripe Grenache notes dominate, but I miss the bouncy spice and red currants that I love in Grenache. Like Sly Stone said, different strokes for different folks, but to me this like a detuned les paul into a marshall stack with the bass on 10 and the treble on 0. Powerful, sure, but not much nuance and mystery.
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this wine is getting better every time i drink it. pop and pour. awesome phinney-fied grenache aromas of sweet raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and even a little violets. no bubble-gummy fakeness detected before. the palate was bursting with ripe red fruits, and the finish brought in nuances of baking spices and sweet oak to go with the pretty fruits. this is a steal at $21, and the wife loved it which is always a big plus!!
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Before work I decanted, returned to the bottle and recorked for dinner about 8 hours later. Violet color and muted granache nose. Predominantly granache fruit forward palate, medium body, and soft/round finish that ends a bit hot. I'd give this a couple more points if not for the alcohol on the back end. Universally well liked around the table with our chicken Marbella. I'm not sure why everyone thinks this is too young, this is a reasonably priced bottle built for early drinking. I'd recommend they try decanting it.
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Decanted approx. 30 min. ... This bottle was a lot tarter and more tightly wound than previous showings. More classic Grenache; less Orin Swift. As a Phinney fan that was a detriment for us; others might consider it an upgrade. Not sure if we didn't give it enough air or it was just bottle variation but, while still tasty, we didn't enjoy this one quite as much.
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Consistent with prior notes. Interesting to read the varied press on this one. If you like birght Calif fruit driven wine, then it should be up your alley. If you prefer only subtle fruit old world style, then maybe less to your liking. Either way, this wine does not hold back. I find it more flexible with food, and holds up well over several hours. Also, it seems to have found more balance resting in the cellar over last few months. Thanks Mr. Phinney.
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For what this wine is going for it is very good. A huge fruit bomb. Not as complex as the prisoner or the other original 3 varietals but still very good. And the high alcohol content is very well integrated.
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A bombastic, over-the-top, in-your-face, steroidially opulent, overwhelming New World "atomic-fruit" Bomb. Decant for 90 minutes. Once palate fatigue sets in...use whatever remains the next day over pancakes. What a deal...how many wines cover both dinner & breakfast? [15.7% abv.; $23.00].
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I don't get the WS hype for this. Interesting blend that has a nose of bing cherry and meat, with a meat/bbq & herb component on the palate. Not nearly as much of a fruit bomb as I anticipated and the alcohol was only minimally apparent. Somewhat lacking on the mid-palate and finish, light tannins. I'll give my other bottle a few years just to see what happens.
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good tight cork, not quite sure about the nose, some good dark fruits, a little alcohol. Decent color, dark. On the taste I did not get the heat/alcohol expected considering the %. Been open about one hour, so we'll have to see how it evolves...ok so 24 hrs later there is actually more alcohol coming through, but still not over powering in my opinion. Drinking with Eggplant Parma tonight...much better with food, went well the roasted tomato sauce and eggplant. Bumping it up a point. Not a great QPR, but a nice wine at a not unreasonable price.
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Not sure what to think of this...doesn't taste like anything I've had before; not really a zin like others seem to have mentioned; deep dark purple, nice nose of smoke, fruit, heaviness and alcohol; there is definitely alcohol in the taste, too, but it fades over several hours of being open; probably will buy another bottle and keep for a couple years.
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Peppery and very hot at the outset. Stretched over three days, this very young grenache blend opened up tremendously and displayed tremendous, big bright red fruits. If you like Phinney and his other Orin Swift offerings, this will likely be a winner; if you don't, then look elsewhere.
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Very big fruity wine, that continued to open and show how good of wine this is going to be after a few more years in the cellar. Wine is better paired with red meat at this point and time.
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Nose: alcohol at primary smell. Gets fruitier as it opens. After an hour getting notes of vegetable. Taste: sharp at the onset. As it opens, fruit comes forward. After an hour, smooths out. Short finish. I was expecting more. Like it. Not in love with it.
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Decanted approx. 2-1/2 hours ... Straight from the bottle I agree with other tasters that the alcohol is dominating in this blend, but after time in the decanter it was much better integrated and other flavors came to the fore. Bright red fruit (strawberry, cherry) dominates the profile, with some smoke and vanilla in the background. Tannins are there, but soft, with a short finish. This one held its own against a meaty lamb stew.
Overall, I liked this and found it very unique. It's much more in-your-face than most Grenache blends. This tastes bright and young, cause it is, and I expect will be a very different animal one, two or three years down the road. As a Phinney fan who prefers New World blends, I appreciate the style, others may not.
If this is your cup of tea (grapes) this is well-made, interesting example at a very reasonable, if not fantastical, price point.
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09 Orin Swift, Abstract; Fresh white pepper nose w sweet berries, mouthcoating w/o being syrupy, however thick strawberry chocolate finish. This is straight up an Aussie style of wine. Thick and sweet. There are much better Rhone blends for $25
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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I don't get the fascination with Orin Swift. Overly sweet raspberry and cherry. A bit of tar and smoke (sulfur) and the taste of alcohol. Fruit bomb and not my style at all. Then again, I really don't like the Prisoner.
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A monster of a wine. Big dark aromas of blackberries and blueberries all wrapped in smoked feel. Meaty on the palate with beefy jerky and dark berry flavors. A little hot on the finish, but that blows of with some air. Surprisingly, a very food friendly wine.
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OK, already! Uncle! You can taste every bit of the 15.7% alcohol as it beats your palate into submission. The mouthfeel is impressively not as viscous as expected for such a hot wine, and there are nice sweet fruit flavours here, but this is all about overt power and concentration and leaves me wishing for just a bit of subtlety and restraint. A well-made wine, but too much of a blunt instrument for my liking...one of the best labels I've ever seen though.
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The nose is a little hot with alcohol. Big bold dark fruit and earth with spice in the middle. The finish is just not quite right. I would much prefer a southern Rhone grenache blend over this over-manipulated wine. I will revisit this in a year but I will not be purchasing more.
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Inky, nearly black. Lots of red and black fruit. A little hot at first sip, can definitely taste the high alcohol. This is very young and definitely needs some more time to come around.
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I agree with the reviews: fruit bomb, overripe, overpowering. That is until the wine is properly allowed to breathe. This is a very young wine, and frankly too young to drink at this time. But the future of this wine should be bright. Good fruit to tannin balance, and enough distinction to warrant aging. Will it live up to Wine Spectator's Smart Buy rating. Probably. But I won't try it again for another couple of years. That said, it went really well with the spicy meatball heroes that we ate with it!
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A great nose, makes me feel like I am drinking McPrice Myers. Lush fruit and a little wood in the nose. Very dark. On the palate, a smooth and full introduction with big fruit that dissipates too quickly and almost masks the heat. Manageable, rounded tannins on the short finish. Vacuumed, three hours later. Wow, how did I miss the alcohol in the nose, huge. Grenache, Petite Syrah, and Syrah blend per web site. Methinks predominantly grenache given the vibrant fruit and short finish with less body than advertised (though I do love my grenache), and the petite syrah really shows in the midpalate here.
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This wine was a major pass and, considering the price point, sheer vinous-robbery! PEDESTRIAN from start to finish - the bubble gum nose, that one in the group accurately described as a dead ringer for Nouveau Boujolais, was descriptive of the entire experience. Perhaps in the right place at the right time, this wine could be enjoyable. For me, that would have been in the early 90's, when we'd finish a long day of tasting through Dry Creek Vly, at Preston Vineyards; playing bocce ball and smoking cigars, while quaffing chilled bottles of their Gamay...for under $10/btl! ...Cool label, though.
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Abstract, the name fits this wine. Not sure what I am drinking but it is good. Very interesting wine, I need to research the grapes used to make this wine.
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Didn't know what to expect from this, the wife picked it for dinner to go with lamb shanks. Deep and warm, berries certainly present, smooth like a Cab or Merlot at first taste but packs a Zin punch as you savor the memory... nice !
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Consistent with previous notes. Went amazing with Pulled pork Bar-B-que, and roasted Chicken, and the works!! Then paired brilliantly with the desert tray! This may not be for everyone, but with the right group, and the right food, this is a bang-up bottle with loads of hyper-Rhone Ranger character. If you want nuance in a Rhone, then get it from France. If you want power and energy, then go California Rhone Ranger. Orin Swift delivers again in spades!!
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Great bargain C- Dense, near black purple N- Stewed dark fruits and earth T- Medium to full-bodied, 4+ fruit, black currants, blackberries, pepper and oak, good for laying down a bit
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Dark and inky purple core. good viscosity which lets the legs form for minutes.. Mouth-watering fruit aromas of blackberry, black cherry and raspberry, along with ganache and vanillia make this an inviting wine. Flavors are complex with black and red fruits, sage, violets, black licorice, pepper, cocoa powder, spices, vanillia/oak, and a bit of a dusty, stone or brick component. The finish lingers with excellent grip. give this wine time to "OPEN UP". Should age well.
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Great nose right off the bat. Pop and pour, no need to give this one any air. Phinney gets such maximum gaminess and ripeness here. Everyone at the table assumed this was a zinfandel blend, especially knowing this was the creator of the Prisoner, and many could make that mistake. Petite Sirah, Grenache, and Syrah make up the blend. The grenache is what I am thinking makes this wine so ripe and inviting, with the others providing the earthy, gamey, textured qualities. Everything is singing in harmony here.
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This had to be one of the most undrinkable bottles of wine I've ever opened. Nose of grape bubblegum. The alcohol was so overpowering that my palate couldn't really pick up anything. I waited a couple of hours before a second taste and not much had changed. Strangely similar to the kit wines that are sold to educational institutions for teaching wine making.
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More super-ripe Orin Swift wines w00t! Boozey aromas of oak, garrigue and dark jammy fruit. In the mouth things are glossy and oaky with a good acidity to keep the wine buoyant. Can't hate Dave Phiney for giving people what they want.
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I had to give this one an 85 for now due to the fact that it is very overpowering at first, almost not drinkable...almost. But the second day it really opens up and starts to tell its story. Very ripe fruit that keeps going on the attack and finishes with oak and hints of spice and cedar. Very Orin Swift, Very Dave Phinney! This will most likely get better with some age under its belt.
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So amazing now that I'm looking forward to how it develops in the bottle over the next few years. Deep inky color with complex berry flavors. Beautiful structure and finish.
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This showed very nicely before dinner, with deep fruits and some creme brûlée on the finish. However it didn't really go with the garlicky dinner we had. But it's a style that is a favorite of my wife.
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showed very well, much to my liking. i get mostly grenache out of this bottle and not much of the other varietals. soft and sweet (relatively speaking). this may have been a magical bottle of wine: drank the whole thing in about 4-5 hours by myself and had -0- hangover the next day. went very well with a new year meal of bbq boston pork butt, stewed okra with tomatoes and corn, boiled collard greens, and homemade mac-n-cheese with a side of college football. great day!
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Nose: Berry Compote, Sour Cherry, Iron Filings, Minerals and an Earthy/Salty note. Palate: Dense and well extracted with Cherry, Blackberry and bitter Chocolate notes. Secondary flavors of roasted herbs, scorched clay and minerals. Finish: Medium finish that is nicely defined with tart fruit, earth and metallic/mineral notes.
Did not decant and saw the last 2 glasses improve significantly. Great blend of Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah.
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Consistent with previous. Still really enjoy this bottle, particularly after day two. Give the bottle some air-time, and the secondary flavors, of bacon fat, smoke, and mulling spices come out to dance with the substancial red berry fruit.
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rich and extracted. The alcohol is noticeable. Not enough acidity to balance out the deep dark flavors and the richness of all that alcohol. Tasted alongside a '07 Schild Estate Shiraz and it really made the lack of balance in this wine obvious. Good for those who like the big aussie style rhone blends and can stand the 15.7% alcohol. Wines with high alcohol and low acidity always seem hot to me.
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One of the finest wines Orin Swift has made. Bold fruit flavor, long finish. The label is definitely a conversation piece. When drinking with Freinds, I Han Ve had 2 requests to keep the bottle.
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Consistent with prior tastings. Beautiful red berry fruit, with smoky edges on the nose, that extends to the palate with earth, spices, and toasty oak. The body lends itself well to a wide range of food choices, and and joy to partake. Thank you Dave Phinney!
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One word: Balanced. Nice dark fruit with smokey, spicy notes on the finish a bit of cocoa in there as well. Enough structure to even out the fruit. A little more time to open up and this would have been even better.
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Dark fruits and truffle/earth on the nose. Black cherry, earth, oak on the palate along with heat and building sweetness. Fuzzy tannins build through the finish that is mocha'ish. CdR ringer. Earth is too strong to my palate, heat is prevalent. Pairs well with acidic and sweet food, good balance. This is 87-88 for somebody, but not me. Interesting how varied notes are here but I can see why.
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pop and pour on day 1, consumed over 2 days. inky purple in the glass, with violet edges. the nose is predominantly CA grenache, with a little meat from the syrah coming through. on the nose and on the finish, i found the alcohol to stick out too much. this wine is currently out of balance for me, leading to an overall assessment of good, but not great. i do like the wine, but it's not yet thrilling. maybe in 4-6 months it will settle and be special, but right now i'm nonplussed.
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Biased towards this vintner, I will still say that this is a lovely Rhone Ranger, at a terrific price point. Wife says, to buy a case and I am tempted. Real dark garnet red color in the glass. The Smoky notes leap from the glass, with the Grenache playing a more prominent role, which I really appreciate. The Syrah, and Petit Sirah are noticeable, but do not over power the blend. Given a few hours to air, this wine gains so many secondary flavors. Really a great value for the price of entry. Give this wine some time and it will offer a lot in return!
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Chocolate, oak, blackberry, plum, and other black fruits on the nose. Big fruit upfront in the mouth of blackberries and plum. Chocolate seems to come in midpalate and holds on throughout the finish. It is a medium mouth wine with a long finish. At first I drank the wine after letting the bottle set up for an hour and could catch the alcohol on the nose and mouth and it was highly unpleasant. Also, the tannins were a bit harsh an hour after the bottle had been opened. After leaving the bottle open for a few more hours the wine mellowed out and became much more pleasant. I would drink it if it was free, but I would not pay for it again.
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Trick or Treat! (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had loads of chocolate covered oak, blackberry and raspberry, spice and vanilla, and a little earth at the end. The palate was soft, with cherry and strawberry, mocha and spice, and a good vanilla finish.
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Huge blackberry nose--upfront fruit, really ripe; big vanilla cream pie aspect with super over the top, gooey rich body with a slight aspirin finish. This is very extracted and has a lot of oak and is for those who like big fruit forward reds.
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Pop and pour... Huge nose of mint and eucalyptus, really reminded me of a Thackrey Pleiades XVIII, fruity and herbal on the palate. Medium bodied with some residual mint. Alcohol is muted and this drinks well right out of the bottle. Interesting Rhone take to it. With some air it is developing more and the tannins are coming forth but not overwhelming. Real interesting wine. Phinney may have hit a home run with this one for me. I'm liking it big time.
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I am a huge Orin Swift fan, but am forcing myself not to let the excitement of a new bottling cloud my judgement. The color is solid, deep garnet or blood ruby. Not opaque, but very little light passing. The nose on this bottle speaks to the Rhone, with California sun. Plenty of Grenache red berry peaking through, but right now the Petite Sirah was front and center the most prominent. As is typical with most OS bottles, I wonder what 6 months to a year will do to this bottle. After 2 hours of open hour, this juice takes on some really interesting secondary flavors, of black licorice, asian spices, and hints of mulling spice. Really nice for fall! My gut is that this will get better with a little time in the bottle. It's so young and vibrant right now, I will have difficulty leaving it in the cellar!
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Another bottle that went too quick to properly evaluate. Good raspberry and red fruit aromas with a little pepper or smoke. Really good flavor and just enough tannin to give a lengthy finish. Went back for more.
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Another good product from Orin Swift. I opened this and put it in a decanter for about an hour, the alcohol was heavy on the open which I expected. After an hour it had blown off decently and continued to do so over the two hours of drinking. I got some damp earth on the nose and the mid-palette was tart cherry with minor strawberry and perhaps raspberry. There was a slight hint of black pepper on the finish which I love. A very good bottle at a great price point. I'm very happy to have grabbed 12 of these
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Cherry cola nose. Red raspberry on mid-palate with strawberry and rhubarb on medium finish. Excellent Cote de Rhone style, will pair well with variety of foods.
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Candied red fruits and tons of vanilla on the nose. Good concentration on the palate but way too goopy, overripe, cloying...whatever you want to call it. Whatever it is, definitely not for me. I had no idea this was a Rhone blend until I went to put this note in....would never have guessed. I was not getting much structure to balance out the sweetness at all and it was actually somewhat unpleasant to drink. Not sure where the Cotes du Rhone comparisons are coming from. Pass.
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10/20/2022 - fmoehl@yahoo.com wrote:
dtill good, a bit past its peak
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10/26/2020 - SICILIAN-SOLE wrote: 80 Points
This one is all gone. Nothing but raisins and alcohol.
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5/8/2020 - alteralysis wrote:
Probably past its peak - showed nothing but heat from the alcohol and dark fruit jam. tasted... "thick".
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12/24/2018 - David_T wrote:
Aging nicely, still drinking well, big but the alcohol again doesn't overpower; mostly fruit with a bit of herbs. Drink now.
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12/21/2018 - BGK810 wrote: 91 Points
Rich, extracted dark fruits, black pepper, oak. Very tasty. Not for the feint of heart.
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4/10/2018 - bjamesclark wrote: 87 Points
My final bottle. decanted and showing light sediment.
Sadly this is at the end of its road. Jammy fruits cloaked in alcohol and notes of licorice, ganache and spice.
The palate follows suit. Fruit, alcohol, spice and ganache notes. finish falls short of what this once was and seems a little clunky.
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9/4/2017 - fritza wrote: 91 Points
This David Phinney wine never disappoints and this vintage aged perfectly. A hint of dark berry and pepper on the nose. The palate is much richer with thick texture, dark berry, pepper and sweet spices all with velvety tannins and a long finish.
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12/15/2016 - bjamesclark wrote: 91 Points
Lengthy decant given.
Aromas still showing medium-plus intensity with notes of ripe boysenberry, blueberry, jammy strawberry and a touch of dark cherry that mingle with scents of vanilla, white pepper, baking spice, sage, chocolate ganache, hot stone and a hint of graphite.
Still showing life on the palate; Rich, creamy texture; bright, moderate acidity and soft, smooth tannins. Flavors show a blend of ripe blueberry, boysenberry, strawberry preserve, and dark cherry with supporting notes of vanilla creme anglaise, white pepper, chutney, sage, violets and bramble that linger through the finish lingering on baking spices and heat.
Overall still showing well, which after recently tasting the '11 and '12 vintages which were very disappointing, I am surprised.
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12/6/2016 - spectrumphoto Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bit of stink nose on opening but burned off quickly. On the soft side right now with a good amount of Eucalyptus on the palate. Back side goes a little mint julep
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3/4/2016 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 89 Points
Easy drinking; stood up well to a Friday night pizza.
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12/13/2015 - ebert Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great depth and complexity
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5/20/2015 - JuliannaD Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark berries with a creamy mouthful. Smooth and well integrated tannins. Just delicious.
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11/20/2014 - Mtpisgah Does not like this wine:
It has improved with time and the seein day it was much better. THe alcohol was not as pronounced but it was still a little flabby. Definitely a food wine.
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8/12/2014 - Joegish Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has surprisingly improved in the last 18 months. Very much enjoyed this bottle as it became less flabby and the ABV was not as noticeable. I would say the drinking window is open on this one right now. Served at room temp (72F)...maybe that had something to do with it?
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5/26/2014 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had with slow smoked Pulled Pork and Baby Back Ribs. Drinking really well. Loads of red fruits, very jammy. Smooth as silk tannins. Nice finish but not incredibly long, but still very satisfying. Perfect level of oak. Very nice bottle of wine.
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4/8/2014 - joet626 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very big wine with a lot of complexity. Took awhile to open.. Loads of jammy fruit with a lot of competing flavors. Was a "tweener" for me--heavy and lush and just missed on the flavor profile.
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3/2/2014 - BeaverBob Likes this wine: 89 Points
Plenty of blackberries and raspberries on the nose, maybe some black licorice in the mouth, medium finish.
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2/12/2014 - kevinws Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice and balanced now. Nose of blackberries and oak. Jammy but not sweet on the palette. Nice long finish.
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12/26/2013 - Varnerhome Likes this wine: 90 Points
blackberries and other dark berries, medium finish...
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11/16/2013 - bjamesclark wrote: 91 Points
Been a while since my last tasting, this starts the line up of the Abstract vertical.
Dark red core with deep ruby on the rim. Viscosity is medium-plus, leaving the legs falling slowly, set by set from the thick ridge. Day bright reflections and showing moderate-plus concentration.
Still needs a little coaxing from the air to show its aromas, but once it opens notes of dark cherry, blackberry, white pepper, boysenberry, vanilla and cedar with light accents of violets, cola and dark chocolate.
The palate remains youthful, with moderate plus acidity and rich concentrated flavors of boysenberry, blackberry, huckleberry and bramble that weave their way into the notes of pepper, licorice, hot brick and crushed violets. The mid palate density is moderate with the flavors lingering throughout the long finish with soft, ripe moderate tannins that gently hold on the gums.
Should continue to age well.
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11/9/2013 - Vino Me wrote: 86 Points
Opened by Emilio. A blend of Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. 15.7% alcohol.Full bodied with big tannins. Very creamy and heavy. Thick texture. Notes of cassis, blackberry and licorice. A huge wine which did not seem balanced to me and was not a style that I gravitate to. 86 points.
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10/22/2013 - chanote44 Does not like this wine: 85 Points
My overall impression has not changed on this wine from my note 3/2011. It has not improved with age and I don't see it getting better as it sits in the glass. I enjoy the Prisoner and Saldo but will not buy more Abstract.
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8/31/2013 - BobMilton wrote: 90 Points
Good fruit, smooth, full mouthfeel.
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7/30/2013 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
Aerated and poured it was great should have decanted for a couple of hours. Good news still have a bottle left.
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7/21/2013 - Dbader wrote: 74 Points
I'm not impressed with this wine at all. The taste after first opening is ok but then falls very flat and undrinkable very quickly.
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7/20/2013 - BornToRhone Does not like this wine: 84 Points
This wine tastes like bad cough syrup. High alcohol at 15.7%, over extracted, and syrupy. Glad I only had one.
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7/18/2013 - Normones wrote: 87 Points
Love Dave Phinney wines but not this one. green and bitter and all over the place - almost like a failed experiment.
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7/5/2013 - GJenn2209 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes and opened up nicely over the next hour. Very smooth finish.
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5/24/2013 - jeagle wrote: 92 Points
Decanted several hours before tasting. Enjoyed this bottle (grenache, petite, and syrah) upon release for its boldness despite the noticeable oak. At this point, the oak is fully integrated, and the fruit has receded tasting more like mourvedre. As a clerk in a Sydney wine shop once said to me many years ago: "It's as smooth as a baby's bottom."
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3/10/2013 - Dbader wrote: 79 Points
Don't know if it was a bad bottle but it seemed the bottle was starting to turn. It would have been a good bottle.
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2/11/2013 - vegaswino wrote: 88 Points
- Purple color with medium forming legs and aromas of alcohol and black pepper. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of alcohol, vanilla, oak and black pepper with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - A bit hot at first. Mellowed out after 1-2 hours of air. Might be better served with a few more years in the cellar. Definitely not my favorite Orin Swift wine.
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11/19/2012 - dino_mike wrote: 92 Points
Wine just keeps getting better with age. Balance and smooth, deep dark blue fruits and long smokey and dense finish with super fine velvety tannins.
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10/11/2012 - sniffy wrote: 91 Points
Still big, but settled a bit. much more homogenous. black fruit, berries, licorice, juicy bottle.
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8/18/2012 - Fugu Me wrote:
Still primarily fruit-driven, but showing better balance and a touch more evolution than prior bottles would have indicated. The heat from the ABV, in particular, was considerably more toned done than previously experienced. Made for a good barbecue wine with friends.
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8/7/2012 - ANSKYTC wrote: 83 Points
Had high expectations, however did not deliver at all. Solid nose...however taste / finish was disappointing. Does not live up to the hype.
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5/13/2012 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 Points
An exciting bottle -- I've chalked the prior ones up to being full-throttle fruit bombs, albeit very good examples of the style. This one, however, is actually evolving. The primary dark fruit flavors, while still delicious, are withdrawing, and classic secondary flavors are emerging. Smoke, graphite, bacon fat, and tar, all in good balance. Didn't see this coming, but I exhort the haters to revisit within the next year or two.
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3/30/2012 - RLP805 wrote: 84 Points
Attempted a pop and pour but it was really bad, almost undrinkable. After about an hour it opened up. Drinkable but really just not much there. a little hot from the alcohol still, some tannins and fruit but it just didn't seem to balance out.
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3/1/2012 - hende14 wrote: 84 Points
Just a lot of big bold syrupy fruit. How do you talk about anything like tannins or acid or finish. It's just one big glob of dark raisiny fruit. Not interesting at all. Save your coin.
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2/29/2012 - mreinhard74@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Better than the last bottle. Firm upfront fruit upon a powerful jammy base. Would love this even more if it dialed back the abv just a bit.
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2/19/2012 - PIntag wrote: 78 Points
Toasty oak and raisiny fruit were the order of the day here. As others have noted, quite goopy and medicinal.
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2/2/2012 - danielbleier wrote: 82 Points
This wine feels like a cheat. Orin Swift is a reliable name (Dave Phinney is the winemaker) - we really like the Prisoner and Papillon, as well as his Sauv Blanc, but this wine is a grapey, uninteresting blob. It feels like something McDonald's would make if they got in the wine game. I reserve sub 80 scores for truly offensive wines, and this one is drinkable, but not a pleasure.
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1/6/2012 - Yamadori Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Decanted 1 hour. This was very disappointing. The nose was very nice with notes of game and a little spice. Beyond that it had nothing to offer in my opinion .Very bland and grapey on the palate. The fruit was a little sweet and generic. It seemed somewhat manufactured and artificial with no character. The finish was short with a little pepper and spice which really was the only indication that it was a Rhone blend. Although this wine is drinkable you can buy better for less than half the price. Discarded about half the bottle in disappointment. A poor effort which is not recommended.
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1/5/2012 - Scruff wrote:
Too over the top in my opinion and losing balance. Seemed to show very little of the typical Granache expression apart of a little leather gaminess on the nose, quiet the absolute opposite to CDP in style. Also the PS seemed to be quite muted here. It is big bodied but seems somewhat confused on which direction it should go. Also a little too RS sweet for my taste (at 15.7% there must have been a lot of very ripe fruit in there). Mellowed out somewhat on day 2 but really struggled to stand-out. disappointed.
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12/29/2011 - Eric K wrote:
I am not sure if I opened a bottle of Robitussin or wine. This wine is an over the top medicinal syrup fruit bomb with too much alcohol(15.7%) My wife will drink almost anything, but not this. With a few hours of air it mellowed a bit, but not an enjoyable wine. If you are looking for Granache based wine stick with a CDR. Not sure what to do with the last 3 bottles, wait a couple of years, decant for 4 hours, or give away to someone I don't like a lot. Maybe it could come in handy for symptom relief when the obligatory winter chest cold hits.
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12/20/2011 - Dano13xx wrote: 88 Points
Really glad I sat on this for a while it was developed and special
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12/3/2011 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Lot's going on in this bottle. Dark purple color. Wild bramble berry fruit, raspberries, spice, and some herbal notes. The grenache is what i enjoy the most about this blend, but the petit sirah brings a gammy meat profile to the back end. Interesting stuff. (recently #45 on WS top 100).
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11/20/2011 - RobM2 wrote: 69 Points
I enjoy big, bold reds, but I would best describe the bottle we had as "gross". Couldn't finish the glass. Horrid. I was expecting something like "The Prisoner". Instead, we got "The Poisoner".
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11/15/2011 - River Rat wrote:
What a difference a year makes. I first tasted this on release and it had interesting herbal, eucalyptus and minty notes. Toss all that out the window. Now I have a soft side for big wines as I am a longtime Turley fan but this wine just doesn't bring the whole package.
Been open 24hrs plus. Great color, fruit forward nose but a lot of alcohol as well. Palate is a big goopy fruity explosion with an almost syrupy texture a hint of acid but just overly ripe sweet fruit with oaky vanilla but no spice.. Tannins are overmatched and glossed over. Keep turning the bottle around looking for a thumb-ring. Maybe I should have ordered pepperoni pizza in for dinner. Or maybe I just should open something else. What happened?
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11/12/2011 - caeleric wrote:
this showed brilliantly. still fantastic mocha and cocoa aromas and flavors, but the alcohol and fruit are finally in balance. still lots of grenache aromas and flavors, more so than the other varietals in the blend imho. phinney has a winner with the abstract. 2010 is pretty delicious too.
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11/4/2011 - sniffy wrote: 93 Points
much less aggressive compared to the release tasting. dark, fruit, long finish.
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10/28/2011 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Similar to prior TNs. This has mellowed some, with less white pepper finish, but still offers a Calif fruit punch, meets toasted oak and spice. Actually paired well with Lasagna, but even better with fresh Chocolate chip cookies!!
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10/21/2011 - UofM wrote: 89 Points
As always this wine is a crowd pleaser. Opened it up for an hour but could have used more. Still a little heat but on the palate it was wonderful. Big fruit and leather.
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10/19/2011 - GlenviewGSW wrote: 89 Points
A big alcoholic wine with a sweet mid palate with significant oak overtones. Rich and decadent but needs a good food match.
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9/27/2011 - Fugu Me wrote:
Consistent with prior note. Big red fruits, a bit of heat but not overwhelming. Fun without a lot of complexity.
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9/2/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 86 Points
grapey taste and aroma. Lacks tannins or strong acidity but is not flabby, just tastes a little like grape punch.
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7/23/2011 - cmr wrote: 88 Points
A little time as done this wine good. This time the wine wasn't as disjointed and was enjoyable with gobs of fruit and some spice. The heat though is still coming on strong and I don't think I'll ever love it.
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6/25/2011 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted approx. 30 minutes on night one then overnight on counter with airtight seal ... My first time drinking this wine over two days. (Single bottles no longer tend to last multiple days at our place <sigh>.)
Much smoother and stronger on day two. Lush and rich, but also less complex and, counterintuitively, hotter. The alcohol is standing out more now that the tart berry fruit that dominated the palate on day one has subsided. Still good and striking me as well-made, but not extraordinary. My fourth bottle and, while I'm enjoying it a lot, I'm still not sure if this a label we'll be buying regularly.
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6/24/2011 - pvd420 wrote: 86 Points
Honestly, this wine and Phinney's wines in general seem to really divide the wine world. I have to admit that I find this wine just way to heavy and extracted, where is the acid? Loads of over-ripe Grenache notes dominate, but I miss the bouncy spice and red currants that I love in Grenache. Like Sly Stone said, different strokes for different folks, but to me this like a detuned les paul into a marshall stack with the bass on 10 and the treble on 0. Powerful, sure, but not much nuance and mystery.
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6/23/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine:
this wine is getting better every time i drink it. pop and pour. awesome phinney-fied grenache aromas of sweet raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and even a little violets. no bubble-gummy fakeness detected before. the palate was bursting with ripe red fruits, and the finish brought in nuances of baking spices and sweet oak to go with the pretty fruits. this is a steal at $21, and the wife loved it which is always a big plus!!
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6/20/2011 - bullmrkt wrote: 87 Points
Before work I decanted, returned to the bottle and recorked for dinner about 8 hours later. Violet color and muted granache nose. Predominantly granache fruit forward palate, medium body, and soft/round finish that ends a bit hot. I'd give this a couple more points if not for the alcohol on the back end. Universally well liked around the table with our chicken Marbella. I'm not sure why everyone thinks this is too young, this is a reasonably priced bottle built for early drinking. I'd recommend they try decanting it.
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5/23/2011 - lushlife wrote: 90 Points
yummy fruit, nicely balanced, a touch of heat on the finish but with so much concentration it's not a distraction
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5/23/2011 - WineSnob7 wrote: 91 Points
Shows a lot of fruit, could use a buy more time. Classic Dave Phinney. Yummy
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5/16/2011 - markandsusanw wrote: 88 Points
Decanted approx. 30 min. ... This bottle was a lot tarter and more tightly wound than previous showings. More classic Grenache; less Orin Swift. As a Phinney fan that was a detriment for us; others might consider it an upgrade. Not sure if we didn't give it enough air or it was just bottle variation but, while still tasty, we didn't enjoy this one quite as much.
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5/15/2011 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with prior notes. Interesting to read the varied press on this one. If you like birght Calif fruit driven wine, then it should be up your alley. If you prefer only subtle fruit old world style, then maybe less to your liking. Either way, this wine does not hold back. I find it more flexible with food, and holds up well over several hours. Also, it seems to have found more balance resting in the cellar over last few months. Thanks Mr. Phinney.
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5/1/2011 - PBG wrote: 89 Points
Huge fruit flavors...like extra over the top but still enjoyable. High alcohol was tucked in with the fruit so the finish was not too hot.
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4/26/2011 - tucsonwino wrote: 87 Points
Lots of fruit, high with alcohol, but not offensive. Very enjoyable.
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4/24/2011 - conga523 wrote: 91 Points
For what this wine is going for it is very good. A huge fruit bomb. Not as complex as the prisoner or the other original 3 varietals but still very good. And the high alcohol content is very well integrated.
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4/23/2011 - Diddle Joye wrote: 87 Points
A bombastic, over-the-top, in-your-face, steroidially opulent, overwhelming New World "atomic-fruit" Bomb. Decant for 90 minutes. Once palate fatigue sets in...use whatever remains the next day over pancakes. What a deal...how many wines cover both dinner & breakfast? [15.7% abv.; $23.00].
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4/22/2011 - David_T wrote: 88 Points
I don't get the WS hype for this. Interesting blend that has a nose of bing cherry and meat, with a meat/bbq & herb component on the palate. Not nearly as much of a fruit bomb as I anticipated and the alcohol was only minimally apparent. Somewhat lacking on the mid-palate and finish, light tannins. I'll give my other bottle a few years just to see what happens.
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4/18/2011 - mmurmac wrote: 89 Points
fruit bomb. Great for the bottle you pull when you have no palate and you are a little drunk!
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4/17/2011 - DBell65 wrote: 86 Points
good tight cork, not quite sure about the nose, some good dark fruits, a little alcohol. Decent color, dark. On the taste I did not get the heat/alcohol expected considering the %. Been open about one hour, so we'll have to see how it evolves...ok so 24 hrs later there is actually more alcohol coming through, but still not over powering in my opinion. Drinking with Eggplant Parma tonight...much better with food, went well the roasted tomato sauce and eggplant. Bumping it up a point. Not a great QPR, but a nice wine at a not unreasonable price.
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4/8/2011 - tcufletch wrote: 89 Points
Not sure what to think of this...doesn't taste like anything I've had before; not really a zin like others seem to have mentioned; deep dark purple, nice nose of smoke, fruit, heaviness and alcohol; there is definitely alcohol in the taste, too, but it fades over several hours of being open; probably will buy another bottle and keep for a couple years.
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4/2/2011 - spmulligan wrote: 83 Points
Vanilla and almond. Good, not at all great. Very little on the nose.
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3/29/2011 - Fugu Me wrote:
Peppery and very hot at the outset. Stretched over three days, this very young grenache blend opened up tremendously and displayed tremendous, big bright red fruits. If you like Phinney and his other Orin Swift offerings, this will likely be a winner; if you don't, then look elsewhere.
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3/25/2011 - RMundell Likes this wine: 89 Points
big fruit, heavy wine. Pretty nice.
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3/24/2011 - h20medic wrote: 92 Points
Good wine. A little heavy on the alcohol. Bold sweet fruit. Smooth and chewy thick zin.
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3/22/2011 - ClubTerry wrote: 91 Points
Very big fruity wine, that continued to open and show how good of wine this is going to be after a few more years in the cellar. Wine is better paired with red meat at this point and time.
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3/19/2011 - Rmwood69@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
Needs time. A young wine that is wonderful with some time in the decanter.
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3/19/2011 - cmr Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Unbalanced and hot.
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3/19/2011 - Mezz wrote: 90 Points
Smoky plums barbecued over oakwood. A pleasing if one dimensional wine. Worth every penny.
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3/18/2011 - Vawerner wrote: 80 Points
Nose: alcohol at primary smell. Gets fruitier as it opens. After an hour getting notes of vegetable. Taste: sharp at the onset. As it opens, fruit comes forward. After an hour, smooths out. Short finish. I was expecting more. Like it. Not in love with it.
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3/14/2011 - markandsusanw Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted approx. 2-1/2 hours ... Straight from the bottle I agree with other tasters that the alcohol is dominating in this blend, but after time in the decanter it was much better integrated and other flavors came to the fore. Bright red fruit (strawberry, cherry) dominates the profile, with some smoke and vanilla in the background. Tannins are there, but soft, with a short finish. This one held its own against a meaty lamb stew.
Overall, I liked this and found it very unique. It's much more in-your-face than most Grenache blends. This tastes bright and young, cause it is, and I expect will be a very different animal one, two or three years down the road. As a Phinney fan who prefers New World blends, I appreciate the style, others may not.
If this is your cup of tea (grapes) this is well-made, interesting example at a very reasonable, if not fantastical, price point.
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3/13/2011 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 82 Points
Blackberry and cherry explosion with smokey oak on the finish. It was a little too one dimensional.
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3/8/2011 - Gestalted wrote: 88 Points
09 Orin Swift, Abstract; Fresh white pepper nose w sweet berries, mouthcoating w/o being syrupy, however thick strawberry chocolate finish. This is straight up an Aussie style of wine. Thick and sweet. There are much better Rhone blends for $25
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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3/8/2011 - j.michael.kilgore wrote: 75 Points
I don't get the fascination with Orin Swift. Overly sweet raspberry and cherry. A bit of tar and smoke (sulfur) and the taste of alcohol. Fruit bomb and not my style at all. Then again, I really don't like the Prisoner.
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3/6/2011 - WineSnob7 wrote: 91 Points
Typical Dave Phinney, fruit bomb!!
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3/6/2011 - ecola Likes this wine: 91 Points
A monster of a wine. Big dark aromas of blackberries and blueberries all wrapped in smoked feel. Meaty on the palate with beefy jerky and dark berry flavors. A little hot on the finish, but that blows of with some air. Surprisingly, a very food friendly wine.
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3/5/2011 - pvetsch wrote: 85 Points
OK, already! Uncle! You can taste every bit of the 15.7% alcohol as it beats your palate into submission. The mouthfeel is impressively not as viscous as expected for such a hot wine, and there are nice sweet fruit flavours here, but this is all about overt power and concentration and leaves me wishing for just a bit of subtlety and restraint. A well-made wine, but too much of a blunt instrument for my liking...one of the best labels I've ever seen though.
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3/4/2011 - chanote44 wrote: 86 Points
The nose is a little hot with alcohol. Big bold dark fruit and earth with spice in the middle. The finish is just not quite right. I would much prefer a southern Rhone grenache blend over this over-manipulated wine. I will revisit this in a year but I will not be purchasing more.
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3/2/2011 - aztecmark wrote: 80 Points
This wine is a mess from start to finish. My second bottle was consistent with my first which means there wont be a third.
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2/19/2011 - elefkowitz wrote:
Lots of fruit - almost too much fruit - like drinking alcoholic punch. Enjoyable, but not terribly interesting or complex.
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2/13/2011 - 818wines wrote: 89 Points
Inky, nearly black. Lots of red and black fruit. A little hot at first sip, can definitely taste the high alcohol. This is very young and definitely needs some more time to come around.
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2/13/2011 - Brewcreu Likes this wine: 92 Points
I agree with the reviews: fruit bomb, overripe, overpowering. That is until the wine is properly allowed to breathe. This is a very young wine, and frankly too young to drink at this time. But the future of this wine should be bright. Good fruit to tannin balance, and enough distinction to warrant aging. Will it live up to Wine Spectator's Smart Buy rating. Probably. But I won't try it again for another couple of years. That said, it went really well with the spicy meatball heroes that we ate with it!
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2/11/2011 - samiamx_1999 wrote: 89 Points
A great nose, makes me feel like I am drinking McPrice Myers. Lush fruit and a little wood in the nose. Very dark. On the palate, a smooth and full introduction with big fruit that dissipates too quickly and almost masks the heat. Manageable, rounded tannins on the short finish. Vacuumed, three hours later. Wow, how did I miss the alcohol in the nose, huge. Grenache, Petite Syrah, and Syrah blend per web site. Methinks predominantly grenache given the vibrant fruit and short finish with less body than advertised (though I do love my grenache), and the petite syrah really shows in the midpalate here.
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2/10/2011 - golfwine wrote: 74 Points
This wine was a major pass and, considering the price point, sheer vinous-robbery! PEDESTRIAN from start to finish - the bubble gum nose, that one in the group accurately described as a dead ringer for Nouveau Boujolais, was descriptive of the entire experience. Perhaps in the right place at the right time, this wine could be enjoyable. For me, that would have been in the early 90's, when we'd finish a long day of tasting through Dry Creek Vly, at Preston Vineyards; playing bocce ball and smoking cigars, while quaffing chilled bottles of their Gamay...for under $10/btl!
...Cool label, though.
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2/10/2011 - mblecher wrote: 92 Points
Drank at L'Albatros.
Great fruit bomb! Syrupy.
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2/7/2011 - xboomer wrote: 90 Points
Abstract, the name fits this wine. Not sure what I am drinking but it is good. Very interesting wine, I need to research the grapes used to make this wine.
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2/6/2011 - cmr wrote: 87 Points
To hot, big and tannins still coming through harsh and little disjointed this bottle.
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2/5/2011 - Guyc wrote: 90 Points
Didn't know what to expect from this, the wife picked it for dinner to go with lamb shanks. Deep and warm, berries certainly present, smooth like a Cab or Merlot at first taste but packs a Zin punch as you savor the memory... nice !
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2/5/2011 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Went amazing with Pulled pork Bar-B-que, and roasted Chicken, and the works!! Then paired brilliantly with the desert tray! This may not be for everyone, but with the right group, and the right food, this is a bang-up bottle with loads of hyper-Rhone Ranger character. If you want nuance in a Rhone, then get it from France. If you want power and energy, then go California Rhone Ranger. Orin Swift delivers again in spades!!
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2/4/2011 - VinoMax Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great bargain C- Dense, near black purple N- Stewed dark fruits and earth T- Medium to full-bodied, 4+ fruit, black currants, blackberries, pepper and oak, good for laying down a bit
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2/4/2011 - bjamesclark wrote: 91 Points
Dark and inky purple core. good viscosity which lets the legs form for minutes.. Mouth-watering fruit aromas of blackberry, black cherry and raspberry, along with ganache and vanillia make this an inviting wine. Flavors are complex with black and red fruits, sage, violets, black licorice, pepper, cocoa powder, spices, vanillia/oak, and a bit of a dusty, stone or brick component. The finish lingers with excellent grip. give this wine time to "OPEN UP". Should age well.
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2/2/2011 - rradish wrote: 93 Points
Great nose right off the bat. Pop and pour, no need to give this one any air. Phinney gets such maximum gaminess and ripeness here. Everyone at the table assumed this was a zinfandel blend, especially knowing this was the creator of the Prisoner, and many could make that mistake. Petite Sirah, Grenache, and Syrah make up the blend. The grenache is what I am thinking makes this wine so ripe and inviting, with the others providing the earthy, gamey, textured qualities. Everything is singing in harmony here.
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1/29/2011 - cowtownguy wrote: 87 Points
Nothing real special here. Not near caliber of Saldo or Prisoner. May get a bit better in a year or two.
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1/26/2011 - cawineaux wrote: 74 Points
This had to be one of the most undrinkable bottles of wine I've ever opened. Nose of grape bubblegum. The alcohol was so overpowering that my palate couldn't really pick up anything. I waited a couple of hours before a second taste and not much had changed. Strangely similar to the kit wines that are sold to educational institutions for teaching wine making.
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1/24/2011 - Vino_Divine wrote: 88 Points
More super-ripe Orin Swift wines w00t! Boozey aromas of oak, garrigue and dark jammy fruit. In the mouth things are glossy and oaky with a good acidity to keep the wine buoyant. Can't hate Dave Phiney for giving people what they want.
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1/21/2011 - cubswinws wrote: 88 Points
More of everything, jammy big fruit but balanced and a delight to drink.
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1/16/2011 - tequilajake wrote: 85 Points
I had to give this one an 85 for now due to the fact that it is very overpowering at first, almost not drinkable...almost. But the second day it really opens up and starts to tell its story. Very ripe fruit that keeps going on the attack and finishes with oak and hints of spice and cedar. Very Orin Swift, Very Dave Phinney! This will most likely get better with some age under its belt.
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1/13/2011 - Alarmmandan wrote: 89 Points
Very fruity
Nice wine
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1/8/2011 - Klensing wrote: 87 Points
Heavily extracted Aussie Shiraz style, not my taste but well done
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1/4/2011 - MurphyCellar wrote: 93 Points
So amazing now that I'm looking forward to how it develops in the bottle over the next few years. Deep inky color with complex berry flavors. Beautiful structure and finish.
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1/4/2011 - Quarked wrote: 89 Points
This showed very nicely before dinner, with deep fruits and some creme brûlée on the finish. However it didn't really go with the garlicky dinner we had. But it's a style that is a favorite of my wife.
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1/2/2011 - gkjrs wrote: flawed
Corked
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1/1/2011 - caeleric Likes this wine: 89 Points
showed very well, much to my liking. i get mostly grenache out of this bottle and not much of the other varietals. soft and sweet (relatively speaking). this may have been a magical bottle of wine: drank the whole thing in about 4-5 hours by myself and had -0- hangover the next day. went very well with a new year meal of bbq boston pork butt, stewed okra with tomatoes and corn, boiled collard greens, and homemade mac-n-cheese with a side of college football. great day!
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12/25/2010 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
To to England
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12/24/2010 - dave smigielski wrote: 87 Points
Underwhelmed. Nose and palate of grenache, but the rest of the wine was not what I expected from this producer
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12/22/2010 - RockinCabs wrote: 89 Points
Nose: Berry Compote, Sour Cherry, Iron Filings, Minerals and an Earthy/Salty note. Palate: Dense and well extracted with Cherry, Blackberry and bitter Chocolate notes. Secondary flavors of roasted herbs, scorched clay and minerals. Finish: Medium finish that is nicely defined with tart fruit, earth and metallic/mineral notes.
Did not decant and saw the last 2 glasses improve significantly. Great blend of Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah.
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12/19/2010 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with previous. Still really enjoy this bottle, particularly after day two. Give the bottle some air-time, and the secondary flavors, of bacon fat, smoke, and mulling spices come out to dance with the substancial red berry fruit.
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12/17/2010 - njmays wrote: 86 Points
rich and extracted. The alcohol is noticeable. Not enough acidity to balance out the deep dark flavors and the richness of all that alcohol. Tasted alongside a '07 Schild Estate Shiraz and it really made the lack of balance in this wine obvious. Good for those who like the big aussie style rhone blends and can stand the 15.7% alcohol. Wines with high alcohol and low acidity always seem hot to me.
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12/11/2010 - mcole23 wrote: 92 Points
One of the finest wines Orin Swift has made. Bold fruit flavor, long finish. The label is definitely a conversation piece. When drinking with Freinds, I Han
Ve had 2 requests to keep the bottle.
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12/4/2010 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
this is a good blend nice dark fruit and great for the price
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12/3/2010 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with prior tastings. Beautiful red berry fruit, with smoky edges on the nose, that extends to the palate with earth, spices, and toasty oak. The body lends itself well to a wide range of food choices, and and joy to partake. Thank you Dave Phinney!
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11/20/2010 - Xtriguy wrote: 89 Points
One word: Balanced. Nice dark fruit with smokey, spicy notes on the finish a bit of cocoa in there as well. Enough structure to even out the fruit. A little more time to open up and this would have been even better.
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11/19/2010 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 88 Points
Turned into some nice dark chocolate, briary fruit, licorice and a touch of seaweed after an hour; quite interesting. I'll grab another to try.
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11/11/2010 - kenhoeve wrote: 87 Points
Dark fruits and truffle/earth on the nose. Black cherry, earth, oak on the palate along with heat and building sweetness. Fuzzy tannins build through the finish that is mocha'ish. CdR ringer. Earth is too strong to my palate, heat is prevalent. Pairs well with acidic and sweet food, good balance. This is 87-88 for somebody, but not me. Interesting how varied notes are here but I can see why.
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11/9/2010 - caeleric Likes this wine: 88 Points
pop and pour on day 1, consumed over 2 days. inky purple in the glass, with violet edges. the nose is predominantly CA grenache, with a little meat from the syrah coming through. on the nose and on the finish, i found the alcohol to stick out too much. this wine is currently out of balance for me, leading to an overall assessment of good, but not great. i do like the wine, but it's not yet thrilling. maybe in 4-6 months it will settle and be special, but right now i'm nonplussed.
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11/6/2010 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Biased towards this vintner, I will still say that this is a lovely Rhone Ranger, at a terrific price point. Wife says, to buy a case and I am tempted. Real dark garnet red color in the glass. The Smoky notes leap from the glass, with the Grenache playing a more prominent role, which I really appreciate. The Syrah, and Petit Sirah are noticeable, but do not over power the blend. Given a few hours to air, this wine gains so many secondary flavors. Really a great value for the price of entry. Give this wine some time and it will offer a lot in return!
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11/4/2010 - Food&Wine wrote: 86 Points
Chocolate, oak, blackberry, plum, and other black fruits on the nose. Big fruit upfront in the mouth of blackberries and plum. Chocolate seems to come in midpalate and holds on throughout the finish. It is a medium mouth wine with a long finish. At first I drank the wine after letting the bottle set up for an hour and could catch the alcohol on the nose and mouth and it was highly unpleasant. Also, the tannins were a bit harsh an hour after the bottle had been opened. After leaving the bottle open for a few more hours the wine mellowed out and became much more pleasant. I would drink it if it was free, but I would not pay for it again.
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10/30/2010 - mmurry Likes this wine: 89 Points
Trick or Treat! (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had loads of chocolate covered oak, blackberry and raspberry, spice and vanilla, and a little earth at the end. The palate was soft, with cherry and strawberry, mocha and spice, and a good vanilla finish.
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10/29/2010 - RandomCoil wrote: 91 Points
Very Rhone-esque, heavy on the Grenache. Reminded me of some not-so-fruity syrahs (like Zaca Mesa).
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10/21/2010 - peternelson wrote: 87 Points
Huge blackberry nose--upfront fruit, really ripe; big vanilla cream pie aspect with super over the top, gooey rich body with a slight aspirin finish. This is very extracted and has a lot of oak and is for those who like big fruit forward reds.
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10/19/2010 - River Rat wrote:
Pop and pour... Huge nose of mint and eucalyptus, really reminded me of a Thackrey Pleiades XVIII, fruity and herbal on the palate. Medium bodied with some residual mint. Alcohol is muted and this drinks well right out of the bottle. Interesting Rhone take to it. With some air it is developing more and the tannins are coming forth but not overwhelming. Real interesting wine. Phinney may have hit a home run with this one for me. I'm liking it big time.
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10/16/2010 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
I am a huge Orin Swift fan, but am forcing myself not to let the excitement of a new bottling cloud my judgement. The color is solid, deep garnet or blood ruby. Not opaque, but very little light passing. The nose on this bottle speaks to the Rhone, with California sun. Plenty of Grenache red berry peaking through, but right now the Petite Sirah was front and center the most prominent. As is typical with most OS bottles, I wonder what 6 months to a year will do to this bottle. After 2 hours of open hour, this juice takes on some really interesting secondary flavors, of black licorice, asian spices, and hints of mulling spice. Really nice for fall! My gut is that this will get better with a little time in the bottle. It's so young and vibrant right now, I will have difficulty leaving it in the cellar!
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10/15/2010 - rjrausch Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another bottle that went too quick to properly evaluate. Good raspberry and red fruit aromas with a little pepper or smoke. Really good flavor and just enough tannin to give a lengthy finish. Went back for more.
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10/14/2010 - Burton96 wrote: 88 Points
Another good product from Orin Swift. I opened this and put it in a decanter for about an hour, the alcohol was heavy on the open which I expected. After an hour it had blown off decently and continued to do so over the two hours of drinking. I got some damp earth on the nose and the mid-palette was tart cherry with minor strawberry and perhaps raspberry. There was a slight hint of black pepper on the finish which I love. A very good bottle at a great price point. I'm very happy to have grabbed 12 of these
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10/13/2010 - raydawgone wrote: 93 Points
Cherry cola nose. Red raspberry on mid-palate with strawberry and rhubarb on medium finish. Excellent Cote de Rhone style, will pair well with variety of foods.
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10/10/2010 - pete s. wrote: 84 Points
Candied red fruits and tons of vanilla on the nose. Good concentration on the palate but way too goopy, overripe, cloying...whatever you want to call it. Whatever it is, definitely not for me. I had no idea this was a Rhone blend until I went to put this note in....would never have guessed. I was not getting much structure to balance out the sweetness at all and it was actually somewhat unpleasant to drink. Not sure where the Cotes du Rhone comparisons are coming from. Pass.
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