2001 Columbia Crest Syrah Reserve

Community Tasting Notes (31) Avg Score: 89.2 points

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  3/26/2023 - ChairmanKao Likes this wine: 97 Points

  ABV: 14.0%. I don't think I've ever had a Washington Syrah with this kind of bottle age (approximately 22-years-old), but this wine is mind-blowing! About 30-40 minutes after opening, the nose exploded with red fruits, roasted herbs, and a little bit of that meaty/gamey notes found in some Syrahs. On the palate, there's a core of deep red fruits (think raspberries, pomegranates, plums) with a little peppery spice. The tannins are soft and the acidity is well-integrated, leaving a pleasant and lengthy finish. This wine is drinking really well right now, but I'd recommend a quick decant if you're opening your bottle. Also, I think this wine would shine even more with some smoked BBQ meat.
  
  3/28/2023 - Raised the score by two points (from 95 to 97). 36 hours after opening, this Syrah has become super juicy and is drinking like sangria (the good, tasty, traditional kind). There's some spice and peppery notes remaining, which makes it a very pleasant drink. The finish is even juicier and lengthier now. I'm pretty sure this wine was no more than $15/bottle back then and I wish I had stocked up a few cases of this little gem.

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  12/19/2016 - pkatz Likes this wine: 92 Points

  This was overlooked in my cellar and I feared the worst. What a pleasant surprise...showing some complexity of age but still quite youthful and delicious!

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  2/4/2013 - BigWineMan wrote: 88 Points

  Decanted. Opaque purple in the glass. Nose of black pepper, black fruits and subtle spice. On the palate, blackberry tart, meat, green olive, savory, foie gras, and sage. A little too much heat at this stage, and this thing fell apart on day 2. Still, impressively complex, and a little better showing than what I was expecting for this wine. Acidity is flat, and more would have saved it a little.

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  10/27/2012 - Jnispel wrote: 87 Points

  Not a real expert at describing wine...... Decanted for 90 minutes and drank over the next hour plus. Color was still good with a little brown around the edge. Nose started with a little dust (?) or earth (?) and after about two hours started to show more fruit. Decent legs but the wine seemed a bit "thin" at this point. I am sure this is past it's prime, but thought it was worth a try. We haven't had a lot of experience drinking "mature" wines, but trying to expand our horizons. Interesting wine, but wouldn't want another.

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  12/18/2009 - chris_3 wrote: 85 Points

  Pleasant flavor but nothing special at this point in its life

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