September 26, 2018 - Damp earth, and funky cooked onions on the nose. The palate shows stewed plums, dried cranberry, tart blueberries, tobacco leaf, green peppercorns, black olive and fennel salami. On the decline but certainly enjoyable and interesting at $15.
November 8, 2011 - Drank this over the course of two evenings, gassed the bottle in between. Still plenty of tannin left which faded after an hour or two in the glass leaving the dark fruit and spice others have described. Still plenty of life left in this wine.
January 16, 2010 - Dark, macerated berry fruit and spicy, but not overwhelming oak. There's a tannic backbone as well, so with this level of fruit, several years of cellaring is possible.
October 17, 2009 - Very good value from Southern France with tons of dark Syrah fruit but also a lot of oak, so don't go near this if you are a total oakphobe. Despite my usual preferences for lower oak I seem to have a blind spot for it in old world Syrah, so this is very tasty wine for me. I think the oak will also integrate further, as there is a ton of fruit and good structure. At $17.99 this is a very good value for 100% Syrah.
August 27, 2009 - old world raspberry fruit and all new oak used here. very present level of spice in this wine. lingering. for sure.
June 13, 2009 - TWC does the South of France (South Tulsa): Dark ruby in color, with a wow-wow-wow nose of blackberry, black raspberry, and licorice assaulting the nose in wave after wave of pure and expressive fruit. The flavors are equally expressive and sublime in this full-bodied wine, with blackberries, kirsch, licorice, and a beautiful finish incorporating dark chocolate and hints of black pepper. A wine of impeccable class and pedigree.
February 1, 2009 - Dark garnet, red fruit, TC and oak with hints of cedar and raspberry on the nose, chewy on the attack but settles down to ripe but balanced fruit, medium-bodied, hints of funk and fizz but with lots of underlying complexity, lengthy, meaty finish, easy drinking
June 19, 2008 - While still young, this shows all the hallmarks of the classic 05 Rhone vintage. For the price, it drinks like a $50+ bottle. Will leave the rest to sleep for another year or so.