10/11/2023 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Double decant, 7 hours ahead. No sediment. Medium + acid and tannins. Good fruit. Paired with Texas smoked brisket and it held up well.

10/8/2023 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Delightful and would buy again. Classic Napa styled cab, fresh and balanced.

8/15/2023 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Patience rewarded? No more barnyard ... actually delightful. Good balance of acid and fruit. Interesting that it's just now coming around.

6/4/2023 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Admittedly I love acid and this wine delivers mouth watering bundles along with incredibly fresh red fruits. An apparent lack of tannin structure cause a slip from the 90’s keeping this a fresh midweek quaffer … that I enjoy. Not as an age worthy classic but a tasty diversion.

5/9/2023 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

There seems to be a "manufactured" style to this one. The woodiness gives me the sense of chips over barrels. The tennis seem more inserted through something like Mega Purple which is created from skins. Even the acid builds awkwardly in the mouth through the finish. Each component seems to work independently and are pronounced, not in an integrated way. I'll give you that the aroma is quite appealing. It was a bit better with food. Hard to assign a score as it's a personal overall dislike.

9/13/2022 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Double decanted with a Wine Breather. Medium + acid and tannins. Fruit is a bit more ripe from what I recall but still quite good. End of window and end of my supply :)

6/19/2022 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Wow, this is singing right now. Well balanced, terrific dark brooding red fruits with a solid acidic base and tannins to match.

6/18/2022 - BostonDoug wrote:

Faded ... past prime. Drinkable, but it's lost it's luster.

6/5/2022 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

I needed one bottle to fill a case being shipped and picked this unknown little gem. The groups ratings are less than stellar but, maybe it's having a couple more years under her belt ... she's quite lovely. Well balanced. Medium acid and bright, still fresh, dark fruit. Tannins are soft. I rather liked it.

6/2/2022 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Singing!

5/11/2022 - BostonDoug wrote:

Okay, if you love low acid/tannin flabby merlot this is not for you. This is a balanced well made wine with medium plus acid/tannins and delightful fresh red fruits somewhere between raspberries and strawberries I also get a beautiful centered vanilla taste. Long finish.

5/6/2022 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

This is a fruit forward, pleasing, well made wine. I found the tannins to be very mellow. Acid is medium plus allowing it to compliment dinner. It's aroma is of fresh dark fruits. Happy with this purchase. Good QPR from Garagiste.

4/28/2022 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

This wine is flawed. While the bones of a great wine are there it defiantly has a lingering "smoke taint" taste. It's not undrinkable and I sat there last night thinking ... maybe drink it with smoked meats? Fortunately I only acquired 3 bottles. Buyer beware. My hope it the "reserve" from another source isn't tainted.

9/26/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

91/92 ... wow, this is a lesson in evolution in a bottle. I really didn't enjoy this wine when purchased but now, years later, it's really drinking well. Quite a bit of sediment for a '15 ... it's fresh cherry and fruity aromatics balanced with medium acid and tannins ... happy now.

9/2/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Very tasty Syrah. Dark, opaque. Fresh red fruits, medium plus acid and rounded tannins. Very well balanced. Happy to have these.

8/25/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Agree with majority of notes, this wine is ready and in it's sweet spot. Noting too young, nothing so old, just a well balanced, tasty wine. Love it.

8/23/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

A nostalgic buy for me, love the wine, the story of block 28 and the Hendry family. It hits the "crowd pleaser" button for me. Not overly tannic and just enough acid to lengthen the finish. Fruit is young and fresh. Aromatic. Very smooth. Lovely mouth feel. Not as peppery as you might expect from a Napa Zin. You might not guess Zin blind. Best on a cool sunny day, hanging with friends on the back porch! Though I drank this inside on the outer fringes of Henri watching a recording of the Patriots pre-season 2nd game. Terrific wine year after year!

8/17/2021 - BostonDoug wrote:

Incredible wine. I was there for a different wine and on tasting I tossed in a couple. I should have bought many more!! So delicious, black berries, dark chocolate, luxardo cherries… long finish, medium plus acid and tannins. Beautiful.

8/11/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Drank over two nights. Night one was delicious but night two was sublime! As smooth and easy as you could want a wine. The acid was a medium plus and the tannins have rounded beautifully. Fruit is still quite fresh. This could compete on a global scale.

7/10/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Juicy, low tannins, stronger acidity. I'm surprised that I rater enjoy this wine. Rate is against other syrah wines ... I can't. But I can say I rather enjoy it. I'll just call it a fun wine.

7/9/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

This is a beautiful wine. Deep purple, fairly fresh red ripe fruits, medium tannins and acid. Just a delightful sipper. Two bottles over four nights and I'd say it shines alone more than with food.

6/22/2021 - BostonDoug wrote:

Wow, just wow! I'm not a big juice bomb fan, but when you can balance that with acid and tannins ... bring it on! Fresh red juicy fruits, medium plus acid and already rounded tannins. This will quickly become a personal favorite!

5/28/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Tasty but thinning out slightly. Wouldn't give it much air, just PnP, and I'd get after these now. Enjoy!

5/23/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

An amazing balance with a long finish. Always in stock!

5/13/2021 - BostonDoug wrote:

No rating. Trying to get after past-prime wines and this one should be all done. Fully expected to pour it out. Surprisingly tasty. It has a minty tactile thing going on ... fairly strong acid, faded tannins, raisins ... I'll say, I don't dislike this wine. An interesting experience.

5/13/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Really good now, drinking from Plum dispenser one glass at a time. It opens fairly quickly in the glass and is in it's sweet spot now.

5/8/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

purchased through garagiste_wine. This red blend, cab dominant, is absolutely perfect. Know that I love acid and tannins when the ever present fresh dark red fruit flavors and aromas give slight, ever so slight space to that juxtaposition of salivating while drying your gums. And the finish ... long and warm. #beautiful

4/17/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Well made, tasty ... just needs a little time to open. Will update with day two.

4/17/2021 - BostonDoug wrote:

Notes have not changed much, but there was some development (maybe 88 1/2) ... next bottle, next year.

4/7/2021 - BostonDoug wrote:

While I won't run out for more, I opened and poured just a glass last night. Not a bad wine, no glaring flaws, just not too exciting. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. If motivated I'll add some tasting notes, but then, why? These should be gone from cellars by now.

Edit day 2: such an improvement! That “last glass is the best glass” hit me. Totally smoothed out. Rounded tannins. Medium plus acid. Dried cherries, currents, dried flowers.

4/5/2021 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

A beautiful wine. As day three (skipped a day) was so much smoother on the tannin side than day one (PnP), I do think these will continue to improve for some time in the bottle. Enjoy!

4/4/2021 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

Oh man, I wanted to love this wine. It was so strongly in the horses stall prior to cleaning. Brett was overwhelming. I can like, even love a bit of brett ... this was a stable at 6AM as you open the barn doors. Sad. I will let the bottle sit open for sometime, but I can't see it improving. On to the next. No rating.

12/13/2020 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

Bottom of good. Won't buy again. IDK ... juicy, low tannin, low acid ... closer to Welchs than wine. Weak finish.

11/7/2020 - BostonDoug wrote:

While not a bad wine, I find this a bit dull. It lacks the acid to pump up the life of this wine.

10/30/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

A delight. PnP from Plum.wine. Medium plus acid, medium integrated tannins. Lovely dark fresh fruit on nose and palet.

10/12/2020 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

No, no, no. This GSM should have bright fruit both on taste and aroma, it has none. It should be a bit zingy, peppery on the finish. None. I found it vegetal and poured it out.

10/12/2020 - BostonDoug wrote:

For sure a confusing wine. Not bad, certainly drinkable and enjoyable. But I agree with some that this isn't syrah like. I'm not going as far as identifying this as another grape, but it lacks the mouth feel I'd expect, can even turn a little thin in the mid palate. I've got three more and will wait until next spring to drink again.

11/22 update: very fruit forward, even a bit (fruit) sweet. Not a style I'd repeat purchases of, but it's as good as it will get. Still at 90 as I don't sense any true flaws. Lacks tannins, medium minus acid.

9/29/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Absolutely delightful. Perfectly balanced. Soft and silky. Poured from Plum, glass by glass. Doesn't need too much air to kick in.

9/14/2020 - BostonDoug wrote:

This wine continues to out perform my expectations. I don't believe it will improve anymore, so drink up. Terrific balance. Well rounded. Smooth finish.

9/13/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

A consistent fruit forward red blend. PnP ... or twist and pour ... drank in darkness around a fire pit in plastic (wine) cups.

8/29/2020 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

I may be an outlier here but I think this wine is out of balance. Tannins are nearly undetectable, light acid or maybe it's all hidden behind a somewhat sweet, fruity wine. Might be a good pizza wine. I didn't pour it out, not bad in that way, but it's not a Pax I'll reorder. I bought this bottle at the tasting room ... so I must have liked something about it ... just can't find that enjoyment now. PnP, drank over 3 evenings and did develop a little but not enough to care.

8/23/2020 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

Strong barn yard aroma on opening. It too a two hour decay for that to blow off. After two hours it has medium plus tannins. Medium acid. Fruit is hiding. Not a great brunello.

8/5/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

PnP ... it took a good hour to open in glass. Once it did everything popped! Terrific wine with great balance and aroma. A classic Brunello.

8/4/2020 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

This wine wasn't well made. Odd flavors and no balance. Poured it out.

7/6/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Delicious. Served from Plum.wine so it needed time in the glass. Aromas of dark cherry. Medium plus acid. Round integrated tannins.

6/12/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Finally! My last bottle consumed was a year ago and it was a bit funky, drinkable but I wanted better integration. Last nights was a very different experience. PnP, drank over 2 hours. Acid medium plus, medium tannin and a delicious bowl of cherries. Great QPR. I'm happy this one came around.

6/8/2020 - BostonDoug wrote:

PnP, however took about an hour in glass to fully open up and two hours in ... absolutely delicious. Medium plus acid. Great fresh fruit. Medium tannins. I loved this wine. I only have one as it was added in to complete a case and recommended by the shop manager.

6/7/2020 - BostonDoug wrote:

I've had a few of these now. I keep looking for development but there is a "barn yard" aroma on opening. I double decanted this bottle which helped. After a few hours it mellowed a bit but still not really enjoyable. 8 more bottles that will rest until Fall.

6/5/2020 - BostonDoug wrote:

It is a bit "hot" for me. Day 1 was almost burning hot and day two a bit more friendly. I think with a hearty meal this might be fine, but as a sipper I'm thinking not-so-much. I'll open my next a day ahead of a Tuscan meal.

5/26/2020 - BostonDoug Likes this wine:

Excellent. Fairly well balanced. Edit ... this opens up very nicely with time in the glass. Fruit was hiding at first, wood was a bit strong but now, really well balanced.