April 28, 2020 - Still drinking well at 12 years old. My last bottle unfortunately. Dark color, savoury olive tapenade notes, bright acid, wish I had more to keep cellaring.
January 7, 2017 - Think this needed time. Right now this is drinking great! Agree with others on taste colour smell. But man. It has style. Finish Decanted for an hour and enjoying. Don't be put off by the odd bad review. This is a solid Syrah
November 18, 2016 - It smells like blackberry and cherry. The wine finishes long. The wine looks inky coloured. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. The wine has juicy texture.
October 15, 2014 - Concerned by previous note, I opened one of these. Not totally flat, but indeed not a whole lot going on here. Drink up.
October 11, 2014 - Rather than call this flawed, I'll just say past its prime. Lots of sediment, dark and opaque, and as it opened up it just got flat instead of integrating. Still has that Syrah funk, and intend to use for a pot roast or similar.
March 20, 2014 - judgement of sweden - wines from oregon and washington state (Operaterassen, Stockholm): well structured, classic syrah with more emphasis on leather, underbrush etc rather than jammy shiraz. but there is a note of bitterness (from the oak?) that I could have been without.
March 24, 2013 - This is densely colored garnet and nearly opaque. The smells are hoisin, meat, smoke, camphor, blackberry, pepper, and subtle spices. The tastes are dark chocolate, pepper, cedar, and blackberry fruit. The acidity is nice and the tannins are velvety.
January 4, 2013 - Very young. Don't drink before 2018
November 17, 2012 - Yakima Valley Maiden Voyage Tasting Tour!; 11/14/2012-11/18/2012 (Yakima Valley AVA, Naches Heights, Snipes, Horse Heaven Hills, Red Mountain, Rattlesnake AVAs): Gamey, hedonistic, blood and sanguine up front. Plenty of earth, river rocks, smoked sea salt, rehydrated raisins and date flavors. This big, dark, chewy wine opens up wildly with a diffuse finish.
Drink now or hold 3-5 years
May 1, 2011 - The nose is smoky and earthy, giving off a feeling of the wine brooding in the glass. Some bright blackberry scents struggle to peak out of the dark nose, but they stay in the background. Oak and blackberry flavors mix with a full savory note on the mid palate which delivers a tangy sensation. Nice fruit lingers on the palate along with some acidity, with dried cherries being the dominant flavor late. The different expressions of flavor invite contemplation, and make me reach for another sip.