Community Tasting Notes 7

• czarnik wrote: 91 points

  May 12, 2014 - Must decant two hours in advance.

  Comment

• srh wrote:

  March 9, 2013 - N: Blackberries, possibly raspberries
  
  P: M body; Tart acidity with a decided astringency. Some heat on the finish? [15.4 % listed alcohol] Seems balanced, & improved with air, so... ??

  Comment

• RNgrapes wrote: 92 points

  March 6, 2013 - Delicious, big, bold, flavorful. Tastes like tart boysenberry pie, spices, a little earthy

  Comment

• Mike Kopanski wrote: 90 points

  March 3, 2012 - Giant Wine Sale & Tasting 3/3/2012 (Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC): This big boy is the real thing. Unashamed to send us a 15.4% alcohol, purple teeth, almost over the top hedonistic wine. Not all varietals can make a wine this big, that somehow remains balanced . This producer has decades of experience with these grapes, and has figured out how what works. This is textbook Napa Petit Sirah. We expect boysenberry, and this one gives us boysenberry pie. The color is opaque. The nose has violets, cola bubbles, blueberry, sassafras root, and of course vanilla. Most of the time fruit this jammy, leads up to a flabby wine, not this one. Though weighty, we can determine layers of fruit like boysenberry, blueberry, and blackberry, accompanied by spicy undertones of herbs, smoke, minerals, and vanilla. There seems to be an emergence of some of those secondary flavors like cola and caramel. One of those wines so balanced, it seems sweet, which it may be. Not near as rustic as this varietal can be. The oak is understated. Despite the alcohol, there is a smooth softness across the palate. Enough acid to keep things interesting. Big blue fruit finish. Would love to decant a bottle for several hours and let this wine show us what it has.

  Comment

• jacraig wrote: 85 points

  September 17, 2011 - Pretty acidic. Opened up over time.

  Comment

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Wine Definition

• Vintage 2008
• Type Red
• Producer Ballentine Vineyards
• Varietal Petite Sirah
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard Fig Tree Vineyard
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Napa Valley
• Appellation St. Helena
• UPC Code 679081955228

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 24 (32%)
• Consumed 50 (68%)

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