12/10/2010 - slada wrote:

deep dark purple; exotic rich nose with up front blackberries spiced with cloves, pepper, black licorice with some meatiness and vanilla undertones- a touch Cali-syrah esque IMO; big broad though fresh in the mouth with long finish- great balance despite size. very very very good.

11/24/2010 - slada wrote:

classic cab on the nose with fresh clean big fruit in the mouth. really quite delicious, if not overtly complex.

11/24/2010 - slada wrote:

a bit modern IMO, i mean, sweet fruit, seems a bit heavy, but delicious nonetheless with briary peppery red fruits on nose with deep, sweet broad red fruit in the mouth. perhaps a bit generic in some regards but tasty and fresh.

11/24/2010 - slada wrote:

nice big fruity wine. sweet briary zin fruit with a bit more structure than expected with zinfandel. very nice.

11/4/2010 - slada wrote:

what an unbelievably delicious wine. really this surpassed all expectation and to be honest, i found it one of the best wines i have had in recent memory- it was that good- in some ways reminiscent of a Pax Kobler from '03-'04 with similar fruit and floral qualities but with such openness depth and complexity that blew away any recent syrah- in particular i found this much more on the red-purple fruit profile (rather than black) and with a grippy textured mouthfeel quite unusual for today's ripe round glycerin loaded CA syrahs . previously purchased from winebid for around $20. popped and poured.

deep reddish purple; sweet, somewhat smoky red and purple fruit with soaring floral notes, marked interesting fruit stripe bubblegum and vanilla candy note, with a touch of expresso and pepper; broad round though with some savory grip and layers and layers of flavor that float effortlessly into a decidedly sweet floral finish. Brilliant.

10/30/2010 - slada wrote:

hmm, this was not as good as prior bottles and just tasted a bit tired and not as clean as I recall. dark red; smoky touch funky peppery red fruits with good flavor that needed more fullness and focus.

10/30/2010 - slada wrote:

this was quite good; ruby red; nose with smoky bing cherry, touch orange zest and chai masala; big with somewhat sappy red fruits finishing touch short. great for $20.

10/30/2010 - slada wrote:

deep dark garnet into purple; nose a bit reticent but slowly unveils currants, cedar, black tea; fresh and juicy in the mouth though not giving much fruit and with tannic finish. Tight and compact. Very good with food but will probably not open another for several years.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

hey this is really nice, better than expected. smoky cherry, tobacco, cassis with nice mouth feel. interesting with marked non fruit aspects both in the nose and in the mouth. lots of sediment. and cloudy.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

delicious yummy wine, if not especially complex. dark purple, rich chocolate covered cherries with a hint of blueberry and vanilla. great finish.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

consistently awesome. i have seriously had this particular wine/vintage more than any other single wine ever.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

wow, now, i haven't had too many Aussie shirazes lately, and I was indeed in the mood for a big flavorful wine. this was great, really awesome. Dark purple-black; rich touch heady nose dominated by blackberries, with notes of pepper, caramel, coffee, and bittersweet chocolate; in the mouth though just exploded with layers of fruit and more savory characterstics- markedly delicious and interesting with a nice freshness and long finish.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

deep purple color; somewhat muted nose though reminiscent of syrah dominated wine with sweet black fruits with pepper, vanilla, and touch of petite asphalt; compact and tannic and needs time IMO.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

Good though with subdued aromas and flavors. Some cherry and underbrush trying to climb out. Not sure where this will go.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

showed flashes of prior heady pleasure but mostly just grapey pruney raisiny and well past it's prime

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

wow wow wow. deep purple-garnet color. intoxicating nose that leads with sweet red and black fruits before becoming dominated by more savory aspects- oregano, lavender, olive, pepper, even some tar/asphalt that I associated more with syrah; big and round and rich in the mouth though with freshness and long finish. Loved it. Aerated for 2 hours.

10/18/2010 - slada wrote:

wonderful, deep garnet; popped and poured with immediate effusive cherry, cassis, chocolate and even some expresso notes; round and rich with a touch of a glycerin feel with nice lift into long finish. Delicious. And a bargain.

9/18/2010 - slada wrote:

similar to last bottle with perhaps a touch more body/sweet fruit. very good and so easy to drink.

9/18/2010 - slada wrote:

a touch more fruit than last time but still relatively thin and tart

9/18/2010 - slada wrote:

deep garnet; deep cherry, raspberry with hint of savory herbs and pepper (CdP like to some degree) with focused smoky high toned fruits delivering clean fresh finish. Why spend more?

9/2/2010 - slada wrote:

very good but was expecting more. a bit simple on the nose with sweet black fruit, coffee, and hint of salinity. smooth and broad but not particularly interesting on the palate. nice finish.

9/2/2010 - slada wrote:

purple black; savory notes dominate with meat, blood, iron, olive, pepper, capers overlying touch floral dark fruits; huge, huge in the mouth that was inspiring though challenging to drink and just enjoy; nonetheless, powerful concentrated wine that I think holds years of interest.

9/2/2010 - slada wrote:

not quite as compelling as prior bottles, in part because drank with spicy Thai food and some nuance lost in the spice. but very good to excellent and i really like this wine.

9/2/2010 - slada wrote:

dark garnet; clearly pinot with spiced strawberries turning into blackberries with hint of citrus and earthy floor, though laden with caramel, coffee, and even pepper notes- smelled like a big pinot; quite big in the mouth and somewhat one note- though that was a delicious one note. Not as good as '07 IMO but very good wine for price and perhaps will open up a bit more with some time.

9/2/2010 - slada wrote:

yellow gold, compelling apple, spiced pea, just a touch of petrol, ginger, cardamom; a tad fat in the mouth- needed a to be colder or have a bit more acid. overall excellent.

8/26/2010 - slada wrote:

omg, this wine is f'in insane. wow wow wow. in a nutshell, for me, nearly the perfect combination of riesling sweetness with underlying acid frame. really what i imagine a (relatively) aged riesling to taste like. perhaps could use a tiny tiny bit more acid, but then again, it is a 2003. one of the best rieslings i have had.

golden yellow; effusive though soft and inviting nose with granny smith apple, asian pear, clove, touch pepper, mulling spices and subdued petrol; caresses the mouth with sweet, creamy fruit driven by cascading acid into sailing finish. both sweet and sharp, broad yet focused, soft and driven.

8/26/2010 - slada wrote:

pale yellow; waxy tropical nose with lemon blossom, pineapple, pear with trailing characteristic white rhone petrol; huge in the mouth with size that made enjoying a bit challenging- difficult to appreciate nuance, complexity; touch harsh/alcoholic finish.

8/26/2010 - slada wrote:

pale garnet; strawberry, raspberry with fading spice and earth notes; a bit thin in the mouth with a shadow of fruit and more dominant smoky herbal notes (though not unpleasant). much better a year or so ago.

8/26/2010 - slada wrote:

pale gold; bright nose wiht tropical fruits- pineapple, guava- with trailing citrus notes and hint of vanilla; focused and clean in the mouth with pleasant (and needed IMO) touch of creaminess at finish. Really nice wine.

8/26/2010 - slada wrote:

dark ruby; big deep nose with dried cherries, currants, plums, cedar, and touch of cocoa, turning a bit ripe (too ripe) and pruny; broad rich, easygoing flavor with nice finish. Very good, if just a tad pruny.

8/26/2010 - slada wrote:

pale yellow; crisp apple, pineapple, vanilla with touch savory minerality; sharp focused clear fruits. A bit like the '07 Ridge SCM chardonnay minus some creaminess, spice and complexity. Very good.

8/18/2010 - slada wrote:

wow this was great, surprisingly fresh though rich. dark purple, rich effusive nose with blackberry preserves, expresso, touch of pepper and vanilla bean; big full bodied round and fat though with freshness and clean long finish.

8/18/2010 - slada wrote:

deep garnet; briary red raspberry ganache with touch vanilla; no heat; medium bodied supple nice finish. great outdoor bbq wine missing perhaps a bit of zip that I recall fondly from Turleys in the early 2000s

8/18/2010 - slada wrote:

deep garnet; briary red raspberry ganache with touch vanilla; no heat; medium bodied supple nice finish. great outdoor bbq wine missing perhaps a bit of zip that I recall fondly from Turleys in the early 2000s.

8/18/2010 - slada wrote:

dark purple into black, deep smoky oaky tarry blackberries with a bit of asphalt funk, big broad a bit superficial but good

8/18/2010 - slada wrote:

dark red into purple initially somewhat tart peppery strawberry and raspberries with touch thin medium body- night number 2 so much better, fuller nose, bigger deeper body. all and all pretty good.

8/7/2010 - slada wrote:

yum yum in my tum tum, this wine was rocking. Popped and poured. Deep garnet purple color. Nose smelled like red berries over braised veal shanks in red wine with thyme, shallots, garlic, touch oregano, pepper; wonderful balance in the mouth with great sweet fruit with depth, fullness and fresh acid leading into long, smooth finish. Fantastic.

8/7/2010 - slada wrote:

wow, a nice surprise; deep dark purple color; immediately open bright nose dominated by meaty, iron, coffee and pepper notes overshadowing somewhat sweet smelling dark fruits; medium to full bodied on the palate with fresh acid and little tannins- perhaps a bit thin in the middle, nice finish. Really a nice, not overblown, interesting syrah. Not dissimilar to some Carlisle Bennett Valley syrah's I have had, though with less stuffing (in some ways good) than the Carlisles. I think I paid $25- great price for this wine.

8/7/2010 - slada wrote:

red purple, nose with cherry, currant, cedar, smoke though a touch stewed prunes; initially a bit thin but over an hour or two broadened and gained depth- nice weight, fruit in the mouth with good acid- very good with food- food seemed to cover the wine's less attractive notes, namely the slightly pruny nose on the nose and in the mouth. Will definitely drink the next one soon and with a meal.

8/7/2010 - slada wrote:

purple black, brambly blackberries with a hint of raspberry, lots of pepper trace alcohol, big broad and unfortunately somewhat one note in the mouth thinning out a touch on the finish. ok but not to prior montafi bottlings for me.

7/29/2010 - slada wrote:

dark red, smoky peppered strawberries with darker, more coffee/tea notes tad harsh, bit disjointed with wannabe fruit that thins out and tapers into short finish. decent.

7/23/2010 - slada wrote:

thin shell of former glory, thin pruny and somewhat hot shell. though good while camping with a campfire and under some redwood trees.

7/23/2010 - slada wrote:

pale yellow, ethereal fleeting crisp apples, ice, minerals, touch vanilla; liquid crystals shining brightly in the mouth sailing clear crisp finish. wow, just incredible bottle.

7/23/2010 - slada wrote:

deep red, initially closed red currant cedar nose, somewhat thin and initially tart but with hours fleshed out nicely with sweet red fruits, currants, and touch of tobacco; decent finish.

7/23/2010 - slada wrote:

pleasant surprise. garnet color, raspberries spiced with pepper, clove, oregano; medium bodied well balanced with touch short finish. Nice wine, great for $20.

7/23/2010 - slada wrote:

what is this burgundy? as in acidic limited fruit burgundy? pale red, decent strawberry, minty nose but thin sharp and a bit harsh in the mouth and on the finish. disappointing.

7/23/2010 - slada wrote:

dark purple black, a bit OTT blackberry vanilla nose with some smoke and pepper, big bruising in the mouth though with decent acid and ok finish.

7/23/2010 - slada wrote:

wow wow probably the best $20 wine I have had. deep garnet color; remarkably, immediately aromatic with rich buttery red fruits overlying earthy, spicy garrigue notes; big broad yet fresh in the mouth with long finish. love this wine.

7/5/2010 - slada wrote:

fading red; more feminine smoky light red fruits, pepper, oregano; medium bodied, though lighter in style from other CdP I typically drink, more elegant decent finish. No big weakness but lacked some degree of punch/focus/intensity in the nose/mouth.

7/5/2010 - slada wrote:

dark red with faint bricking; initially somewhat muted with sour cherry cedar nose- in the mouth tasted initially a bit oxidized/old with failing red fruits- over a couple hours though came around with brighter, sweeter smelling nose and rounder lusher (relatively) fruit.