Community Tasting Note
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VeniceCalif wrote: 84 points
April 26, 2011 - Decanted 2 hrs ahead. Very deep garnet color, with orange/brown edges showing. Nose has abundant black fruits and wood: Blackberries, blueberries, cedar, with chocolate notes, a bit of licorice. The combination is pleasing. Somewhat less jammy on the palate, with wood and black pepper joining the fruit. The weight of this wine has a syrup element, though, that typifies Lodi wines. Bottle age takes it out of the "fruit bomb" realm, though it's definitely fruit-driven. Overall, it's not really recognizable as a Syrah: just a full-bodied, intense, fruit-forward, dark piece of work. The finish is metallic with very light tannins. Summary: This wine is a bit of a monster, something of a curiosity. Need not be kept any longer, though it will likely hold a few more years. The challenge for this wine is finding something to eat with it. A grilled steak is a good idea, but let it be buffalo or grass-fed beef. With steak sauce. I rated this wine a little higher about a year ago, but the earthy/mushroomy elements are less in evidence now.
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