Tasted blind. Red and black fruit aromas with a nice floral touch. Good fruit, overall good balance. Held up to its 14.7% to start, but faded slightly after a couple of hours compared to other Syrahs tasted tonight.
Tasted blind. Ultra ripe start with dense black fruit. Powerful but compact with a bitter note on finish. Others liked this considerably more than I did tonight, it was the group's #2 Wine of the Night.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Intense, fresh fruit aromas with earthy hints. Red and black fruit on palate with god spice and very elegant balance for New World Syrah. I liked this far more than most of the group, which ranked it 10th of 12 wines.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Total shock this wasn't Cote Rotie. Incredible fruit with black pepper on the nose, followed by same great black fruit on the palate with great balance of tannins and spice. Sensational powerful fruit with great pepper and spice combination. A great pleasant surprise.
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Huge black fruit aromas. Same on palate, certainly good but little subtlety. Lots of heat on finish masks some good spice trying to emerge as well.
Tasted blind. I had trouble getting past huge sulphur on nose, but couldn't miss the over-ripe fruit or the 16.5% alcohol. Good enough black fruit flavors, but no sense of proportionality here. Others liked this style more than I did; it was my least favorite wine but #5 (of 12) for the group tonight.
Tasted blind. Slightly over-ripe fruit to start with an interesting flavor of olives mixed in with the black fruit. Big scaled, slightly off balance, slightly bitter on finish.
Tasted blind. Very unusual wine. Massive blackberry and plum aromas and flavors. This must have some residual sugar, given the type of sweetness coming through...can't just be new oak and alcohol.
Tasted blind. What a positive surprise at its price! Red and black fruit, slightly floral. Good fruit on palate, nothing super complicated or long, but very balanced and easy to enjoy. Probably a wine to drink in the next year or two.
Tasted blind. Ripe black fruit aromas. Blackberry, black cherry on palate, modest spice. Wonderful nuance on interesting, evolving finish with good balance.
2004 Red Car Syrah Red Wind 86 Points
USA, California
Tasted blind. ripe black fruit aromas with simple character. Simple and one dimensional on palate with modest spice at best.
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2002 Lagier Meredith Syrah 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
Tasted blind. Red and black fruit aromas with a nice floral touch. Good fruit, overall good balance. Held up to its 14.7% to start, but faded slightly after a couple of hours compared to other Syrahs tasted tonight.
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2003 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend 87 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind. Ultra ripe start with dense black fruit. Powerful but compact with a bitter note on finish. Others liked this considerably more than I did tonight, it was the group's #2 Wine of the Night.
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2003 DuMOL Syrah Russian River Valley 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Intense, fresh fruit aromas with earthy hints. Red and black fruit on palate with god spice and very elegant balance for New World Syrah. I liked this far more than most of the group, which ranked it 10th of 12 wines.
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2003 Pax Syrah Castelli-Knight Ranch 96 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Total shock this wasn't Cote Rotie. Incredible fruit with black pepper on the nose, followed by same great black fruit on the palate with great balance of tannins and spice. Sensational powerful fruit with great pepper and spice combination. A great pleasant surprise.
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2003 Carlisle Syrah Russian River Valley 86 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Huge black fruit aromas. Same on palate, certainly good but little subtlety. Lots of heat on finish masks some good spice trying to emerge as well.
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2003 Radio-Coteau Syrah Timbervine 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Tasted blind. Good aromas aromas that are ripe but balanced. Red and black fruit with good structural support, also showing some finesse on finish.
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2002 L'Aventure Syrah Estate 82 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Tasted blind. I had trouble getting past huge sulphur on nose, but couldn't miss the over-ripe fruit or the 16.5% alcohol. Good enough black fruit flavors, but no sense of proportionality here. Others liked this style more than I did; it was my least favorite wine but #5 (of 12) for the group tonight.
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2003 Scholium Project Iseult Hudson Vineyard 87 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind. Slightly over-ripe fruit to start with an interesting flavor of olives mixed in with the black fruit. Big scaled, slightly off balance, slightly bitter on finish.
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2004 Scholium Project Scythia Donati Vineyards 85 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, San Benito County
Tasted blind. Very unusual wine. Massive blackberry and plum aromas and flavors. This must have some residual sugar, given the type of sweetness coming through...can't just be new oak and alcohol.
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2003 Cameron Hughes Syrah Lot 6 Lodi 89 Points
USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi
Tasted blind. What a positive surprise at its price! Red and black fruit, slightly floral. Good fruit on palate, nothing super complicated or long, but very balanced and easy to enjoy. Probably a wine to drink in the next year or two.
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2003 Pax Syrah The Terraces Alder Springs Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
Tasted blind. Ripe black fruit aromas. Blackberry, black cherry on palate, modest spice. Wonderful nuance on interesting, evolving finish with good balance.
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