January 22, 2015 - (Mostly) Northern Rhone Night (Browntrout - Chicago, IL): A stunning syrah that combines elegance, concentration, and rugged syrah-ness. There was some olive notes, dark fruits, earth, and meat. Just a wonderful wine that shows the genius of Steve Edmunds.
January 22, 2015 - Geeky Syrah Night at Browntrout (Chicago, IL): Another revelation wine. The nose is quite ripe and spicy, with a lot of dark fruit character showing -- this is almost grapey on the nose. But to be honest, the freshness there would have had me thinking this was maybe 10 years old. The palate is jam-packed with sweet black fruit, and comes across quite ripe, though there's a leanness to it from a firm acidic backbone. There's also a very lovely meat juice character on the palate that gives this added interest. What a fantastic bottle.
May 21, 2014 - Wines @ Salil's (Vernon, CT): Cloudy, ruby red in color.Very fresh and savory, with herbs, meat drippings, and tapenade notes. So much going on here, with great liveliness on the finish. Very old-world in character. Aging very well.
May 21, 2014 - Mindblowingly great Syrah that drinks like a perfectly mature, very classic Cote-Rotie. All sorts of meaty, floral, smoky and spicy aromas around a core of pure red fruits and olives. So polished and elegant on the palate, remarkably light on its feet and drinking at peak now with tannins resolved and bright acids beneath, and a long finish. Amazing wine.
November 26, 2012 - 1992 Guess the Red (Rich & Peggy's House, Los Altos, CA): Nice raspberry aroma with a little bit of brett (borderline acceptable). Lots of brett on the palate (too much). Tasted blind. Correctly guessed as a Syrah.
My #5, Group's #5
July 16, 2009 - Not the awesome wine it was last time for sure. Don't know what went wrong in this bottle. Hard to describe what's off except that it feels like the coloring went outside the lines. Incredibly tannic to boot.
July 15, 2009 - Belated Peking Duck House notes. Mostly Rhone, some Burgs, Champagne & California. (Peking Duck House- Midtown): I was really looking forward to trying this treat as I've had some killer bottles in the past, but this bottle was not cooperating. It smells a little dirty and while there's pleasant enough cherry, spice and licorice on the palate, it's very tough and unyielding with an abrupt finish. B, though this wine usually is in the Solid A- range for me.
July 22, 2008 - BBQ Night at Keith's; 7/20/2008-7/22/2008 (NYC): WOW. ade me quite a believer. Cote- Rotie calls rippled all around, mineral and meat, and more mineral. herbs, lots of black fruit. trully excellent wine and one i wish i had time to sit down and play with. YUM!!!
July 20, 2008 - I Can't Believe It's Not Cote-Rotie!
February 21, 2005 - This is why people cellar wine. It is a beautiful syrah, with a nose of black fruit and earth. Great complexity with layered flavors of bittersweet chocolate and cranberries wrapped in resolved sweet tannins. Good acidity makes the wine refreshing and balances medium-full body and the exuberance of the flavors. Great long finish. Didn't seem tired at all. I would expect this to drink well for years.