Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: Paloma Syrah Vertical

Our house
Tasted Sunday, June 9, 2013 by AllRed with 700 views

Introduction

The host (this time Domino & I) provides a couple of warm up wines, and selects a theme of 8 wines, served double blind to the group. The warm ups are tasted and evaluated as members arrive, then unveiled prior to the main tasting. The main tasting is done in one flight- all 8 wines are poured and evaluated, all the while being discussed. Everyone settles on their guess as to the theme, and if possible, specific wines. Each taster ranks the wines from 1 to 8, with 1 point awarded for their favorite. The scores are tallied and unveiled from last place (most points) to first place (least points). After the main tasting we enjoy dinner and a few nonblind reds and dessert wines.

Flight 1 - I. Warm ups (4 Notes)

The Champagnes were served nonblind; the Vergets, blind.

Flight 2 - II. Main flight (8 Notes)

This was an interesting flight. I decanted the wines very briefly off their sediment, starting with the 2003 & working backwards, about two hours before the main flight was poured. It took me a full hour to get through all eight wines. During the tasting, many tasters found a mix of old and new world characteristics in the wines. I recall just about everyone pegging these as Syrah, though some thought old world, some new, and some a mix. All in all, this was a very fun tasting.

  • 1995 Paloma Syrah Milagro 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Crimson color. Notes of leather, licorice and florals turn to dark fruit, leather and meat. Medium-bodied with flavors of red fruit, meat, licorice and dark fruit. Nice acidity with a good finish.

    My #3, Domino #6
    Group #3, 46 pts

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  • 1996 Paloma Syrah Milagro 88 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Brownish red color with an initial bouquet of tomatoe paste and sous bois. Dark fruit notes emerge with a little more air. Medium-bodied with red fruit, meat and tart acidity. Develops an intriguing floral note though retains the tomato/sous bois quality.

    My #8, Domino #8
    Group #8, 72 pts

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  • 1997 Paloma Syrah 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Aromas of florals and red fruit, black licorice as well. Medium-bodied with lovely dark fruit, meat and leather flavors. Nice finish. Nothing spectacular, but very pleasant.

    My #6, Domino #7
    Group #7, 69 pts

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  • 1998 Paloma Syrah 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Notes of pine needles, leather, plum and dark fruit. Medium-bodied, showing dark fruit, evergreen and plum flavors on the palate. Nicely balanced with softened tannins and fruit with good underlying acidity. Drinking very well. 92+ pts.

    My #2, Domino #3
    Group #2, 38 pts

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  • 1999 Paloma Syrah 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Aromas of plum, dark fruit, leather and licorice. Shuts down a bit in the glass, develops an odd cheesy note, eventually coming back around. Flavors of sour cherry and plum with tart acidity.

    My #7, Domino #5
    Group #5, 60 pts

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  • 2000 Paloma Syrah 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Dark color with notes of leather, licorice, dark fruit, pepper and beef bouillon. bright acidity with firm tannin and flavors of dark fruit, leather and cherries with a long finish.

    My #4, Domino #1
    Group #1, 33 pts

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  • 2002 Paloma Syrah 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Dark color. Notes of black fruit, plum, leather & cedar. Medium-bodied with flavors of dark fruit, leather and cherries. Good acidity.

    My #5, Domino #6
    Group #6, 65 pts

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  • 2003 Paloma Syrah 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Aromas of dark fruit, plum, leather, florals and pepper. Well-balanced, featuring plum, black fruit, spice, meat and florals with fine tannins and a long finish. 92-93 pts.

    My #1, Domino #2
    Group #4, 49 pts

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Flight 3 - III. Nonblind dinner & dessert wines (6 Notes)

Served with herb-roasted chicken, marinated hanger steak, mac & cheese and a salad. Desserts were chocolate mousse cake and pear frangipane tart.

  • 1989 Château Cheval Blanc 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Light crimson color. Notes of red berries and roasted herbs, a touch weedy/vegetal. Balanced, with nice red fruit, earth and herb qualities. A little bit thin and short across the midpalate and finish. 89 for me, 88 for Domino.

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  • 1993 Beringer Vineyards Merlot Bancroft Ranch 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    Red colro with notes of red fruit, plum and black fruit, leather and spice. Balanced, with fully resolved tannins and flavors of plum, cigar box, dark fruit and leather. Long, velvety finish. 92-93 pts.

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  • 2003 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Notes of red currants, spice, game and pepper. Balanced with a good bit of fruit and spice. Finsihes very nicely.

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  • 1998 Delas Frères Côte-Rôtie Seigneur de Maugiron 89 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Mix of red & dark fruits, white pepper and roasted meat. Red fruit and pepper tones with a nice finish.

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  • 2004 Domaine Georges Vernay Côte-Rôtie Maison Rouge 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Dark fruit dominates, along with pepper, bacon fat and spice. Dark fruit and pepper tones with a nice finish.

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  • 1988 Château Rieussec 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Deep color. Roasted apricot, honey and marmalade flavors on the nose and palate. Rich texture with a long finish, tinged with baked pineapple and spice notes.

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