November 29, 2014 - I don't know what's wrong with this wine. It doesn't taste corked, but maybe oxidized...perhaps poor storage before I brought it home from Seattle? $18 from Full Pull, a definite waste of money for me. I've loved other Syrahs from NB, and from a knockout vintage like 2007 this should have been a slam dunk. Stewey fruit, sickly sweet and cloying, and lots of VA make this undrinkable for me. A friend liked it a lot, so who knows.
June 9, 2014 - Inky purple, blackberry nose. Tart blackberry with prominent oak and bold body, bold fruit of cherries and blackberries with a little bitter note. The oak is pretty noticeable, I like a good oaky wine that has fruit to match. Not a subtle wine, whole cluster tannins and some VA on the PnP, 86. Much better with some air and tart cheddar, not for solo drinking, a food wine. My Syrah drinking friends love this. Another night open on the counter, the oak has tamed down, very fruit forward, but there is balance. Not for the AFWE crowd. In the past I would have scored this much higher, palates change and mature.
May 15, 2014 - Mediocre at best. Overly hot, syrupy, and really harsh. Everything was too big: Fruit, acid, alcohol, oak. Don't know if this was stored improperly at some point, or just a chunky, disjointed mess. Recorked and let it sit in the wine fridge for a day, and it wasn't any better.
June 3, 2012 - On first opening the nose is showing dark fruit, smoked meat, earth, forest floor and pine needles. The palate is also showing dark fruit along with all spice leading to a tart slightly buttery and peppery finish.
One hour later the nose showing some floral notes along with dark red fruit, cedar, cracked pepper and some herbal green pepper notes. The palate is dark fruit, pepper and smoke with atart pepper finish.
One day later the nose is showing dusty earth, dark creamy savory soy, currant and licorice. The palate has bulked up too featuring dark currant and pepper spices with a spicy tart cherry bark finish.
November 22, 2011 - Nice Syrah, lacks the rich meatiness and bacon fat I like in WA Syrah, but is fruit forward and finishes with a nice tartness.
June 11, 2011 - A friend and I tasted this at the winery on 6/11/11. It had a mild and pleasant bouquet of plum, toast, licorice, spice, blackberry and black cherry aromas. The palate was balanced and exceptionally smooth with flavors that followed the nose. I was surprised at the lack of any meatiness!
November 24, 2010 - Fruit forward, comforting, good holiday drinking