Community Tasting Notes 31

• TXRhoneRanger wrote: 94 points

  December 24, 2020 - The one and only bottle. Didn't know when the right time to open this was so we figured Christmas Eve of 2020 was the perfect time to do this. Served alongside Chinese turkey AKA duck. Great fruit great concentration, elegance and harmony. Really fine at this stage in life

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• BVal Likes this wine: 95 points

  November 11, 2013 - Color: deep, dark ruby -> medium ruby rim (tough to tell exactly since the light in the restaurant wasn't all that bright). Fabulous nose of bacon, smoke, minerals, a little vanilla and black fruits on PnP. Opened at lunch and consumed over about 45 minutes so it didn't get a chance to develop further than that. But what a wonderful 45 minutes! Massive, delicious wine built for hedonistic enjoyment. Perfect accompaniment to the beef brisket over savoury bread pudding we had for lunch. Thick wine with layers of flavour like peeling onions to find further levels beneath. Smoke, leather, Alban garrigue (is it the sheep he keeps?) and intense black fruits. I agree with those who say if this is the stuff for cellar rats, let me be one! Last bottle and so very sorry for that but so happy to have enjoyed it too! Like I've said before, Alban was rolling all strikes in '02 and this just adds another frame to the perfect game -- especially considering this was the leftover juice ! ! !

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• winestem wrote: 90 points

  May 15, 2013 - Still plush, plenty of fruit, no volatile alcohol and a pleasure to drink. Bricking in color, but nothing off-putting about it! It can still go for a few years at the very least and still offer gobs of excellent drinking.

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• Dnathanson wrote: 89 points

  November 24, 2012 - Opened beautifully but the alcohol started to show as the night went on. Not as strong a showing as many of the classic Alban varietals. Drink now.

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• smokie wrote: 93 points

  January 25, 2011 - Real good. Still with explosive fruit. Feared varnish on the nose, got none. Very modern fruit bomb bit not over the top.

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Wine Definition

• Vintage 2002
• Type Red
• Producer Alban Vineyards
• Varietal Syrah Blend
• Designation Tithings
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Central Coast
• Appellation Edna Valley

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 1 (1%)
• In Cellars 46 (29%)
• Consumed 112 (70%)

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