11/11/2023 - TowerCellar wrote:

Still too sweet and oaky. I'm not a fan of this style.

11/11/2023 - TowerCellar wrote:

Very big, and it needs some serious time to open. It's got a variety of juicy and dark fruits throughout, ending with dark, tart flavors. I'd love to try pairing this with a dish with a sauce that has some fruit bits notes to it, possibly duck.

8/19/2023 - TowerCellar Likes this wine:

I paired this, and 2 other Spanish wines, for my regular Trash Movie Night. The challenge is pairing pair with Taco Bell. This wine sung. Mexican pizza? Check. Nachos Bell Grande? Check. Chalupa? Check. The real winner? The Double Beef Volcano Burrito.

The sweet notes hone in on the sugar in the sauces, with the slight pepper notes enhancing the beef seasoning. This was the third wine in the series, and the deeper fruit notes sung compared to the others.

4/29/2023 - TowerCellar wrote:

Sweet and sour. This might go well with a really spicy dish, but this isn't something I'd normally drink.

12/17/2022 - TowerCellar Likes this wine:

Deep, rich cherries, with solid tartness. This wine needs a bit more time, but it's drinking well. It needs to breathe a bit more than the hour we gave it.

1/26/2022 - TowerCellar wrote:

Fairly straight forward to drink with minimal notes. Coming off of a solid chianti, this was disappointing and boring to say the least. It wasn't bad, but there wasn't a reason to open this again.

1/17/2022 - TowerCellar wrote:

The alcohol and vegetal notes overpowered the fruit. Paired with steaks, and the tannins broke through the fat. Still, this wine just didn't hold up enough on it's own to bring anything of interest to the meal.

1/16/2022 - TowerCellar wrote:

Solid entry barolo. Decanted for a few hours, and this was a great wine, but nothing remarkable. Notes where clear, but lacked multiple layers or complexity.

1/16/2022 - TowerCellar wrote:

Light. Fruity. Not memorable, but a crowd pleaser.

1/16/2022 - TowerCellar wrote:

Too high on alcohol on the nose. Fruit was sharp and not complex. This wasn't a bad wine, but there wasn't much depth. Tasted alongside the 2015, and it was by far the inferior wine.

1/16/2022 - TowerCellar wrote:

Tasted along with the 2016. The depth of this wine stood out. The fruit had broken down, so deeper, earthy notes were present. A wonderful mix with the hard sheep's cheese we had to pair.

11/3/2020 - TowerCellar wrote:

High alcohol. Serious crowd pleaser because it was a pop abd pour. Solid syrah/grenache blend, with nothing surprising. It was just too hot and lacking nuiance.

10/15/2018 - TowerCellar Does not like this wine:

Way too much alcohol, and muted flavors. There wasn't much to work with here. It was paired with a gently cooked pork (taragon, cherry tomatoes alongside) and a braised squid. Worked well with the foods (aside from being way too hot).

10/15/2018 - TowerCellar Does not like this wine:

Strong alcohol on this really turned me off. There wasn't much nuance in the flavors, which was sad, since I have really liked a previous vintage. It was overly fruity, without much differentiation over time. I had a hard time pairing this with anything (we had manchego, parmesan, pecorino, sweet salami, and peppered salami - worked best with the manchego).

10/15/2018 - TowerCellar Does not like this wine:

There was nothing overtly bad with the wine, except that it lacked flavor and was extremely weak. I suspect this is fast past its prime.

10/15/2018 - TowerCellar Likes this wine:

I opened a bottle a few years back, and it was great, so I was looking forward to the next bottle. Finally had a chance to dig into it, and it was wonderful.

Deep, dark currants with hints of leather. It still was lightly tannic. It was one of the two hits for the night out of 5 wines.

5/11/2012 - TowerCellar wrote:

Extremely dark, almost a petite sirah style. It's got a very fruit forward flavor, with strong notes of vanilla. This felt more of a wine that needed to be paired with something that cut through the thickness, as we had it to drink by itself. While others I was drinking it with really loved it, I think it was a bit too much of a one-note wine without any interesting subtleties. However, it definitely is an interesting wine I'd say works almost as a dessert wine if paired excellently.

11/29/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Initial smell: Very tight, almost nothing. Slight fuit, but it's really really minimal.
Initial taste: Cherries, with a bit of sharpness at the end.

Taste 45 min in: Deeper flavor flushed out so that the tartness of the cherry is gone. It's definitely fruity, and it's not complex.
Smell 45 min in: Clear fruit, without much heat. It's not blowing me away with a ride, but it's clean and fresh.

11/25/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Needs more time!

11/22/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Excellent syrah! Very balanced and smooth - the fruit didn't overpower it and there wasn't much heat. After opening the first bottle, which just sucked, this was a refreshing change. Consumed it after a carne asada burrito with a ton of hot sauce, but I don't think it would have paired well with the burrito. I let it sit in the bottle for about 30 minutes before initial consumption.

11/3/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Excellent cab. After a recent tasting of a host of Napa cabs, this one didn't have the alcohol burning up the flavor. It was smooth and subtle. I plan on keeping the rest of my bottles many more years to watch this wine get even better.

9/5/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted. Initial smell and initial taste were very one-note (fruit) and closed. Let it sit for an hour and returned. Taste was much deeper, with a solid fruit flavor, but balanced well with a spicy finish and good acid. Hints of minerals were present, but the wine was not extremely complex. Somewhat hot, but not overpowering, and it decreased over time. Paired very well with spicy, dry-rubbed pork ribs. I'm glad I've got more bottles.

6/18/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted.
Initial smell: Deep, rich, dark fruit. Alcohol at the back.
Initial taste: Tart berries at the beginning. Fresh blackberry ending.
Smell 45 min: Darker fruit smell has moved down, with a lighter berry that's light and on top. There is leather at the end. Heat has died down.
Taste 45 min: Tartness has mostly gone to the edges. Middle is fairly light, finishing with a some heat and a bit of acid. Good balance, but too more alcohol than I would prefer. It's not a fruit bomb, yet fruit is definitely the controlling element.

5/18/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted.
Initial smell: Soft fruit that is very mellow. Earthy around the edges.
Iniital taste: The berry is clear, but light. It's at the front, and the flavor shifts to some slightly bitter notes. The ending is soft. Hints of acid, but nothing too strong. There is also some small heat at the end.
Smell 45 min later: Berry has become saturated and richer, but the earthiness has moved more to the front. The heat is more noticeable.
Taste 45 min later: Taste is more acidic, and the fruit has interlaced throughout the entire thing, removing the soft finish. There is a musty, barnyard flavor towards the back end. The heat is much stronger at the end - bit too much for me.

4/26/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted.
Initial smell: There is a soft overtone of fruit. However, heat comes from underneath instantly, leading to a deep berry that flows into a wonderful earthy smell. There is a bit of heat at the end as well.
Initial taste: Sharp at first, giving way to broken down fruit. Spicy, with some heat at the end. The acid notes are strong towards the end that is also a bit sour. There is complexity, but it needs to open up a lot.
Smell 1.5 hours later: Dark cherry with a tart spike has developed at the start. The heat has really come out, providing a smell akin to that of a magic marker. The deep earthiness has disappeared.
Taste 1.5 hours later: The wine is very sharp and sour now. There is still a hint of fruit, but it's really hot. It hasn't opened up yet, if it will at all beyond this point. Very disappointing. In the words of a friend, "it's opened up, but not to anything pleasant."
Poured back into bottle, popped in the cork.
Smell 17 hours later: Light berry. No earthiness anymore. Heat is at the end.
Taste 17 hours later: This wine has cleaned up. Soft berry flavors are at the front, with a stronger blackberry coming up in the middle. This still ends up really hot. It's not anywhere as promising as it should be, but it's by no means a bad wine.

4/21/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted.
Initial smell: A dark fruit is at the top, but it is a light smell and doesn't overpower the rest of the smell. There is a hint of a greenness right after and under the fruit. The ending is soft, with very little heat.
Initial taste: Very soft berry. It flows really well, and there is a high note of acid in the middle. The wine isn't overly layered with flavor, but it isn't hollow in flavor. Tannins are at the end, but it's not too powerful.
Smell 45 min later: The fruit has deepened and darkened. The greenness has gone, replaced with a bit of spice that leads to an additional heat.
Taste 45 min later: It's even smoother. The acid has mellowed, but the heat is still there moreso at the edges. It's great, but there isn't a ton of depth. I really with I had paired this with some food to bring out more of the flavors.

4/15/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Pop and pour. Will be reviewing this again with a decanter.
Taste: Heavy black fruit at the start. Very much like a plum, with tart edge. Center has a bit of leather, but the wine has a balanced, mellow overall feel to it. There is a bit of acid and heat at the end.
Smell: Fruit is a bit muted in power, but it's still very present. A very small hint of alcohol at the end.

4/11/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Initial smell: Bits of cherry in an earthy flow, hot.
Initial taste: The heat is noticeable and a bit overpowering. There are berry flavors at the edge, but it seems a bit decomposed. Nothing particularly stands out right now.
Decanted, paired with Indian food (tandoori lamb + garlic naan).
45 min in small: A great two-tier smell is emerging, each with a distinct berry. The heat is still there, but it has taken a back seat.
45 min in taste: Taste is wonderful with Indian. Velvety berry is on top, with a nice middle. It's not perfect or complex, but it pairs extremely well. There is a bright acid at the edges, followed by some heat, but the food carries it well. Definitely drink this with food.

4/4/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted.
Initial smell: Starts out with dark berry, bit of mineral in the mid, ending hot.
Initial taste: Bit of currant at the start, with a wonderful mineral mid, ending with a green bell pepper flavor. Needs to decant a bit, but this is very promising.
Hour later smell: The berry at the start has softened significantly, shifting into a subtle, complex scent. Earthiness has come out in the mid, with a bit of grassy bit in the end of it. The hot end has disappeared.
Hour later taste: Currant is still present, and the mineral has opened up into a complex mid. The bell pepper at the end has been replaced with hints of pepper. It's a wonderful wine.

3/28/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted.
Initial smell: Blackberry, with hints of pepper. Heat is present, but not overpowering.
Initial taste: Broken down blackberry, with a nice deep earthy taste. Slides into a mineral phase for a bit, before ending spicy and hot.
Paired with some spicy curry. Wine didn't completely fall apart, but it didn't accentuate the food.
Hour later smell: Mostly flattened out. Heat has taken over.
Hour later taste: Berry has become a bit brighter with less spice. The mid originally looked to be complex, but it's degraded a bit. However, the heat has grown and overpowers the mid and finish. It doesn't look like this has much else to offer.

3/27/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Taste: Fruit forward, leaning towards softer cherries or raspberries. Not overly sweet, but it doesn't go deep into darker berries flavors. Medium-light bodied, with a soft finish. Lacked complexity, but it's still a good wine.
Smell: Soft fruit, with no heat coming off.
Paired with stewed rabbit. It was okay, but the strong fruit worked against the rabbit.

3/23/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted first.
Initial smell: Cherry, hints of spice at the end. Bouquet seems closed. Not hot at all.
Initial taste: Cherry at the start, with a closed finish with a bit of heat. A friend commented that it was more raspberry, but I think its a bit more tart at the end than bitter. It needs to open.
Smell an hour later: Not much change.
Taste an hour later: Not much change. It's a bit smoother, but the taste is consistent.
Taste 2 hours later: Wine has become much sweeter. It's hiding some of the initial flavor, so I'm not a fan.

3/16/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Initial smell after pouring into decanter: Raspberry smell is at the forefront. Bit earthy in the middle, but this is really faint. The end is spicy, but this isn't a strong pepper.
Initial taste after pouring into decanter: Bitter, but starts soft and gets harsher. Needs some time to open up.
Hour later smell: A plastic scent is at the forefront now, but the rest has disappeared.
Hour later taste: Bitterness has disappeared. Blackberry hint is present, with a gentle middle. There is acid towards the end that calls out for something to pair with it, maybe cheese. Slight mineral notes.
2 hours later smell: Smell has finally developed. Bit hot at the end, but the berry is much stronger throughout. The plastic has gone away. It seems like the syrah is really coming out now.
2 hours later taste: Blackberry is smooth throughout, but not overpowering. The fruit is nicely structured, but not strong. Slight hint of pepper appears at the end again. Acid starts at the middle and flows to the end, accompanied by a hot alcohol.
This is a fun wine to drink.

3/2/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Initial smell: Earthy, light. Doesn't burn. I want to say it's round because the smell doesn't collapse like some.
Initial taste: Very balanced. Excellent flow throughout the entire taste. It's soft, and definitely needs some food for a bit of the acid. Slight sweet, but by no means does this define the taste.
Smell several hours later: Less earthy, but mostly the same.
Taste several hours later: Depth of the wine has increased. The acid notes are more noticeable, demanding food.

2/28/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Initial smell: Chemically, not what I am used to from a syrah. The normal smell is there under a film of cleaner. Not a bad smell, just different.
Initial taste: Tastes tight. Slight tannins (sharp start and finish), hint of sweetness. Not jammy, but fruit is present. More of a mineral taste around the edges.
Going to take a taste tomorrow and see how this plays out.
Smell 12 hrs later: No chemically/alcohol burn. Very gentle.
Taste 12 hrs later: Taste is clean syrah, but the flavor just doesn't seem to be there. The sharpness has disappeared.
I think it hit its peak sometime while I was asleep. This might be something that needs to decant for about 4 hours to enjoy it.

2/18/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Straight forward wine. Nothing spectacular, but it isn't bad by any means. The wine was structured, but the depth within it was lacking. The cabernet is present throughout tasting, but the sum of the blend wasn't impressive.

2/3/2011 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted for about 40 minutes.
Smell: Leathery, with a spiciness. A friend described it as a spice like nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon. I can see that part, but without the actual cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg flavor. It's a bit two-dimensional.
Taste: Earthy, hints of bell pepper. Not fruity at all. Tobacco aftertaste. The entire experience is fairly linear.
1 hour later
Smell: Less leather, still spicy.
Taste: A bit of fruit has come out at the front end. The earthiness has moved to the end with less of the bell pepper.
This wine continually tricks me. It needs to sit out and breathe for a while. It's not bad, but I doubt I'll be coming back to this particular vintage.

12/2/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Poured without decanting.
Immediate smell: Strong fruit. Earthy tones, with some artificial notes. Scents of acetone, but it works here.
Immediate taste: Bit sweet. Very earthy, deep flavors beyond that.
Smell 30 min in: the same. Taste: Smoothed out. Sweetness has mellowed. Bit astringent at the end.

12/1/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Possibly corked. Too astringent. Didn't have a chance to let it decant beyond the initial pour, so this is a first taste only.

12/1/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted, then poured. Wine opened up over time, but this bottle needs a bit more time. The flavors were not balanced quite right yet. Next bottle will have a tasting review.

12/1/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted, then poured. There was none of the sharp sweetness of the first bottle. Excellent reintroduction to pinot noir. The flavor profile was a bit different, but I can't rate effectively as it was the second bottle of the night.

11/26/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Opened this with friends during Thanksgiving. Excellent flavor, with a complex flavor profile. Sadly, we opened it right before the next course, which didn't flow with the wine. This definitely needs a food pairing. I don't want to create a tasting profile since I feel I didn't do that well.

11/3/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Smell: Sharp rubber. Taste: Burnt rubber, with berry notes. Not a fan of this wine.

11/2/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours. Smell: Smooth berry, soft. No alcohol burn. Hints of pepper. Taste: Extremely smooth. Amazing! Subtle berry notes in the center. Bits of pepper at the end.

11/2/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Good wine, but nothing really stood out. Decanted for 20 minutes. Smell was interesting, but the initial taste didn't match. After about another hour and a half, the taste opened up. Much smoother, slightly deeper. Definitely decant/air for at least an hour before really delving into the bottle.

10/20/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

After drinking Central Coast Rhone-styles, this was a bit disappointing. It wasn't jammy, but there was a strong fruit presence rather than a deeper flavor with much complexity. It satisfied as the second bottle of the night. I wouldn't buy again, but I'd drink it if served.

10/20/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

First tasting: Quick pour into a decanter. Didn't let it sit more than 5 minutes.
Smell: Bit rubbery. Not sharp, but there are some deeper scents in there.
Taste: Very sweet. This was my first pinot noir, so maybe I'm just not used to it. Overpowered my taste at first.
Second tasting 5 hours later: Tasted much better. There was some depth in the wine. Sweetness had almost completely gone. Next time, I'm decanting for several hours first. A couple of these are going to have to sit for a bit.

10/5/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Decanted for about 1.5 hrs.
Smell: Starts out leathery, hints of asparagus, with a growing bouquet of berries.
Taste: Slightly throughout, sharp acidity. Gets smoother, with a soft hint of berries. After a couple hours, it is much smoother, with a touch of sweetness - no longer sour. It's not complex at all, and I doubt it will improve with age.

10/4/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Smell: Separates into two levels. Top starts out just a bit rubbery and escalates to a gentle burn. Bottom is a ripe berry that starts out shallow and ends up deep.
Initial taste: First taste is a bit sour, sharp, and tangy. Fruit overwhelmed me a bit. With the food and a bit more airing, the bite went away. Smooth fruity flow in the center, with a gently rising complexity at the edges and underneath. Good wine, but it lacks much complexity.
Food pairing: Tasted after the first couple sips with a pepperoni/peppercini/provolone/salami/lettuce/onion/oil/vinegar sandwich.
Taste after 2 hours: This wine opened up fairly well. The fruit is still the primary drive, but there are hints of spice at the edges.

10/3/2010 - TowerCellar wrote:

Smooth, with a complex mid. Deep, dark berry with chocolate flavor that opens up over time (decanted and drank over 2 hours, but good to go from the start). Definitely stronger with the fruit on this one. No bite at the end, just a nice velvety flow. Pairs well with extremely spicy food.