• der Schmecker Likes this wine: 95 points

    February 28, 2024 - Yum! I waited a long time to open this bottle because my nickname for K Vintners Syrah Milbrandt is "The Beast." The tannins have softened, the wine is now in a special place, just fantastic, big, brawny, deep, but welcoming, like an embrace from a loved one, so a positive wine experience, still an overwhelming experience. An extraordinary, even profound wine.
    Deep purple color.
    Hint of vanilla on initial taste.
    Smooth mid-palette taste and just the right amount of tannin on swallow.
    Tastes like Syrah, duh. I won't write other descriptors. Really solid, but more than that, worthy of a designation like 'first growth', but that's old world, Bordeaux, different varietals, but man oh man, this is what wine is all about and this deserves special merit. Outstanding.

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  • randy1358 Likes this wine: 95 points

    June 24, 2023 - After reading the review below we were worried about our bottle. We opened it and decanted it for about 90 minutes. We thoroughly enjoyed it with rack of lamb, blanched asparagus and oyster mushrooms. Good body-some spice- black cherry and nice structure and mouth feel. Delicious

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  • Kustjagr wrote: 86 points

    May 31, 2023 - As others have said, closed and jumpy. Harsh and bitter. And truly fizzy as others have said. Like lightly carbonated. Not really recognizable as a Syrah. For the first hour, I was certain this was corked. I as well would have guessed some weird acidic strong Pinot Noir. The 2014 is one of my, if not the, favorite wines ever. Have had like 20 bottles of that one. The 2017 is good too. This one? First thought it was corked. So acidic and jumpy. Horrible vintage of a wine I like. What happened to this one? Something is way, way off.

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  • Quiller wrote: 86 points

    January 22, 2022 - Opened, poured and let sit 1/hr. Then: Muted darkish fruit on the nose. Prickly sensation (as some have noted) on first sip and for the next 1/2 hour or so. From a taste perspective, i I didn't know this was a syrah, I would have said pinot (on the heavy side). Darkish fruit taste, but no noticeable syrah. Medium weight until about 45 min. into drinking, then it seems to put on weight. For the first 1/2 hr, tannins not an issue, then as it puts on weight, tannins much more noticeable. No finish to speak of, but even that gets fairly tannic at the 45 min. mark. Not interesting and not fun to drink. I have a couple more of these and guess I'll wait a year to try the next one and hope things get better.

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  • Dine&Vine Likes this wine: 92 points

    July 15, 2021 - So smooth yet complex. Drinking perfectly now; blue fruit, slight meat and spice. Went great with ratatouille!

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  • VAGenius Likes this wine: 92 points

    December 18, 2020 - Nose shows a lot of sawdust with black pepper. Sweet red raspberry fruit has some rustic notes and is quickly followed with oregano and other dried herbs. Smooth finish, with plum fruit, leather, and firm tannins that start strong and linger for a long time. Nicely done, even on its own.

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  • VAGenius Likes this wine:

    April 4, 2020 - No detailed notes or score. It wasn't eye-popping - just a nice Syrah.

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  • Susaninaustin Likes this wine: 91 points

    February 24, 2020 - 3

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  • VAGenius Likes this wine:

    June 19, 2019 - Nose of blackberry and black fruit. Very dry black fruit with a massive wall of granite, stones, and tannins. Load of minerals on the finish with black pepper and aggressive dried herbs (oregano and chicory)... it was drier and more austere than expected and we forgot to score it.

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  • DB Lawton Likes this wine: 91 points

    June 16, 2019 - 2nd bottle, good as the first

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