Tasted double blind. Easily identifiable as Central Cali Syrah. A very seductive, sexy wine with beautiful olive notes. For a higher rating it would have needed a touch higher complexity and precision but this was lots of fun to drink and easily on a 93/94pts level.
TN: At first a bit muted on the nose, then more and more dark fresh black fruit and loads of olives. On the palate expressive from the get-go. Lots of dark fruit, not too ripe, spices, some herbs and again loads of olives. Medium precision. Ultra-velvety structure and feel with good freshness. Well balanced.
Decanting: 1-2 hours should do the job.
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Tasted blind. 1h decanted. Black berry, black olives, ripe and dark berry fruit of plum and fig, but leaning a bit into cooked territory with increasing temperature in the glass. Adding overlays of Asian five spice and rose water. Structural tannin, harmonious palate. Limited experience with Reva so far, but while this is good, the fruit was again rather on the extracted side, as was the 2014. Not ideal.
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Opened on Easter, six days ago. Cork had good pull but felt pliant. Bouquet leapt from bottle like race horses from the starting gate, very aromatic. That doesn't happen a lot in my experience. Deep purple, thick and slow legs. I could tell that there was considerable alcohol but no one does high alcohol wines better than Reva. Full bodied wine. Fruit was great and stood up admirably to alcohol. Was at its best on day six, where the alcohol really receded, leaving a medium bodied fruit. I don't know how that is possible, as alcohol is alcohol, and cant see it leaving wine through evaporation. But it felt like it had or at least changed so it appeared to decrease. Was a great wine but can see where others don't like this style. Well made wine and was ready. Fruit didn't fade at all.
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Stored since release. Perfect cork. Middle aged with few signs of oxidation. Dark purple, holds the alcohol well. Dense with notes of raspberry liqueur, blueberry, and vanilla. Medium to long finish. Great example of this high octane style of Syrah.
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During a structured tasting session. What the Guillaume Gilles 2010 Cornas had to little, this one had too much. I was good right upon opening, opulent with plum and prune, but it fell apart very quickly and became oxidative with aromas of cooked fruit. Most agreed, too thick a wine to enjoy more than one glass. Mature, drink up
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The missus gave this a big score - echoed by our daughter. Very big wine, doesn't give any clue it's 15 years old, rich ripe red and black fruit, still some heat, big finish.
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Remarkably focused, mature fruit flavors. Blackberry jam, cured tobacco, grilled steak. Fresh blackberry and black raspberry on the nose, and lifting the finish. Fine tannins linger with the fruit.
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Served out of magnum with 1 hr slow o. Go big or go home. That seems to be the motto for Alban. Voluptuous dark berries , anise, good grip. I found the oak to be big but commensurate to the lip-smacking nature of the wine. Subtle this is not, but balanced it sort of is. I found the supposedly distinctive iodine/shell scent in it - but only after I was pointed to it by the website. I can compare this to a 2006 Lorraine I had recently: the Lorraine is definitely softer and a little sweeter. It’s not massively different from the Reva. Hard to say which I prefer so I am scoring them identically. Then again the Lorraine put me in more of a party mood, so…. Would I buy again? This is well made - this is massive but not too tiring to drink. A real crowd pleaser. So yes I would restock, understanding that the number of occasions I am really in the mood for this is not that high. That said, when you want a party beast, this fills the bill big time. Score : 92. Relative to expectations : +
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Oak, oak, and more oak. After decanting (lots of sediment!) and allowing to breathe for a couple of hours prior to serving, the predominant note on this, both the nose and palate, was, well, oak. Lurking beneath were big, jammy luscious berried fruits, but it was hard to get beyond the initial onslaught of oak.
Saved half of the bottle for night 2 and will update the note if things have shifted overnight. Fingers crossed.
Update after night 2: the oak notes receded somewhat but still dominated the wine. It's a shame, as it was more apparent on the second day that there were some gorgeous things going on beneath, but we just couldn't get past the barrier. Not sure if this was somehow an off bottle, as others' notes here suggest it should be lovely, but for us, this weekend, it was not.
Decanted for 3 hours. This a a massive, full body wine. Alcohol very present & not full integrated or balanced. Deep black & blue fruit. Tannins very present & prickly. Signature sweet, smoke & spicy fruit on the nose. Compared to the 2007 opened earlier today, this is no where close. Ingredients are there, just not seamless or integrated.
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Similar to previous notes. Drank this over a 3 day period. Didn't take detailed notes but as the days progressed, this became more smooth and more fruit with less grip. Stunning as always
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Decanted an hour in advance. Dense purple. Black fruited. Hint of tobacco. Slight bacon-y finish. Quite Zinfandel like, being a little sweet and lacking that bitter olive tapenade tarriness belonging to all great Rhône syrahs. The excess alcohol doesn’t help. Lacks tannic structure. It’s good but not great. At this price point it should be the latter. I can’t see this getting any better so I’d drink up...
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I decided not to decant the wine. Poured three small glasses and left the rest in the bottle. I did pull the cork out 30 minutes before dinner and drank over the next 90 minutes. LOTS of sediment so you’ll need a strainer. Dark dark purple. Super full nose of blue fruits. Incredible, heavy mouthfeel with an explosion of blueberry, licorice, burnt wood, tobacco. Long lingering finish. Tannins are smooth but still present. Don’t think the wine improves much with more collaring. Super extraction is just amazing. Explosion of flavors with each sip. Not many California Syrah’s better than this one. You want this....Trust me.
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Wow. Really great now. Good nose, not great, but the flavor was bursting! Flowers, berries, licorice, oh my!! But sweetness in check. Great acidity matched the food really well. Great structure and long finish. NOTE: Only did 30 mins decant. Drank over next three hours. Started fading after two hours so recommend consuming in that window. Should be easy with how delicious this is...
Deep dark and serious with long, long legs… Beautiful dark fruits, with hints of olive in the middle and violets and other flowers on the finish. Truly lovely wine!
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Can be done differently but not better. Dark dark blueberry and chocolate. Tobacco, jam, açaí, pepper, roux of bacon fat and meat. Tobacco. Heaven. Perfect. 2020-2030?
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Had each wine paired with steak on two separate nights (2 days apart). The 2009 was far superior (IMHO) at this stage of development.
2008 - Popped a bottle as recent posters had indicated this had peaked. Found it one dimensional in both the nose and taste. Pleasant Syrah but not special at this stage. 3 more left and hoping for better (90)
2009 - multi-dimensional and complex. Excellent aromas of black fruit and wild sage. Strong mid palate and finish. Thick, glycerine-like mouthfeel that almost sticks to the glass. Bravo! (96)
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One of the most Northern Rhone like California Syrah's that I've ever had. Some Griffin Lair Vineyard California Syrah can be like this too. Amazing power and structure yet delicate and balanced. not overly ripe. Acidity is perfect. This wine can go many more years but why wait. Along with Araujo Eisele Syrahs this is one of the best California Syrah's you will taste. I know Sine Qua Non is great but it's also 2 to 3 times the price. I'm very impressed. Lots of wonderful savory notes. Finish goes on forever. You just don't want the wine to be finished.
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Bold nose of soy sauce, meat, black fruit, some spice & potpurri. Similar notes on the palate albeit much less complex, some choco. Big but not overpowering, soft integrated tannins. Long, slightly spicy finish. 90-91.
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Double decanted and served from magnum before Thanksgiving dinner. Delicious, big refined wine with lots of dark fruit, soft tannins and medium acidity.
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Aromatically this is wonderful. Lots of blackberry, grilled meat, graphite, chocolate. Tannins are fully integrated now....but still a decent acid backbone to carry all the fruit (and alcohol). For sure this is a hedonistic wine and I really like it. It is NOT a “food wine” which is fine with me but others may be turned off by its sheer size. From my perspective it is balanced, so it has the acid and structure to pull off all the weight.
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From magnum. In fairness, at a dinner with lots of wines. But too soft on the palate, no structure, too much blown up fruit. Tasted cheap. Bought at auction.
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Stunning on the nose with wonderful floral and perfumed notes. Rich and full on the palate this one is a bomb and maybe too much so but wow what a ride. Later vintages are better balanced but this one is still showing amazing elements of a great wine.
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Oh geez... where to begin. I loved this wine and am very glad to have an 09 in the cellar. PnP. It’s decidedly new world, but aromatic, powerful, full of spice and pure red fruits. Wonderful balance and very little hint of any sweetness, which was my concern prior to tasting. Generously proportioned but super classy at the same time.
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I opened this for our 1/12/19 beef tenderloin dinner with our neighbors. It had a powerful and intense nose of violet, smoked meat, blackberry, prune, licorice and spice aromas. The palate was rich, dense and dry with flavors of plum, prune, blackberry, burnt toast, black olive, licorice and spice.
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Incredibly rich despite being a relatively cooler vintage. Very precise dark fruits that reminds you of the abyss but counter balanced with heady acid keeping the wine in relative balance. This wine would excel with heavy body foods (such as red meat) but if you drink it by it self, while delicious, can be quite fatiguing after a glass due to its high octane of 15.1% alc and extreme richness.
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This wine is holding steady like crazy. Needs time still. Tight upon opening still. Last specimen was over a year ago, and it was tighter back then. Notable decant necessary to fully get this beauty going. A touch of VA showing with the prickly fruit, but it wasn't off putting at all. Enjoyed with roasted Berkshire pork loin. Yum.
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Inky purple. Sweet red current and black cherry fruit. Pepper and baking spice notes- fine, well integrated tannins. Very smooth and ready to drink tonight.
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Blind Syrahs at Chevalier (Chicago, IL): Served blind. Big nose of candied, rich black fruit and vanilla toast. The palate is super candied with forward, rich tooty-fruity black fruit. There is brightness and freshness to the wine despite it's candied style. Well-made in the style, I suppose, but well outside of my current strike zone. No typical Syrah notes to be found (meat, olive, etc.) Mid 80s for me, perhaps mid 90s for a fan of the style.
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very tasty and actually pretty nicely balanced....6 folks polished off the mag quickly and drunk too early in the meal, but yum, would gladly drink this again and fortunately still have plenty of the 750
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Drank in Winter Park. Decanted about two hours. Rich nearly opaque red and purple hues. Pleasant refined nose. Smooth voluptuous integrated purple and dark fruit. Full bodied but not overwhelming. Quite enjoyable but nothing particularly spectacular that would make it a 100 point wine of the year.
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A wine that's wonderful in so many ways. Although slightly muted on the nose, once the juice hits the palate, there is nothing short of excitement. Layered and complex. Special juice!
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Dark red fruits, strawberry, ripe cherry, loads of cinnamon and five spice, background ham, white pepper, very intense wine with great balance and is what some would call super yummy! Very good.
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On the elegant side for a Reva. Not a huge blockbuster in my taste. This will be on the fast track, perhaps due to the vintage. If you like them young, drink up. If you like them more elegant, this can age another 10 years easily. Enjoy!
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Lots of blackberry, chocolate, and oak. This is complex and interesting, but the tannins still have not fully integrated. I think this may need another few years to hit peak.
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Blue and black fruits take center stage. Underbrush and a mix of mineral notes and spring flowers stand close by. Amazing texture and complexity. Everything is in the right place. If you can get access to wonderful juice you won't be disappointed.
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Wow! Blueberries, black berries, even some cherry emerge in this great wine. While it drank well within minutes of opening, it will benefit from a couple hours of air. Drinking well now, it will last another 10 years.
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Same as last year's notes. Without question, one of the best domestic Syrah producers in the nation. This is fully resolved and ready to be consumed now. No decant necessary, unless you want to microfilter some of the sediment out before consumption (which is what I did).
This is becoming more medium-bodied. Sure, I miss some of the concentration and energy that comes from a quality wine's youth, but the layers of flavors make up for it at this point. As a wine smooths out, it delivers in a more finessed fashion. This wine epitomizes that profile. You're not getting hit with all sorts of crazy flavors, but instead, a seamless glide of more subtle and nuanced notes.
Drink now. Not sure how long this will go before it starts to taper off, but I'd guess at least 3+ years. Just starting to transition to more plum and earth flavors, but not yet in that saddle leather and mushroom funk mood; that'll probably come in 3-4 years. I hope to drink my remaining bottles in the next couple of years.
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Rich, dark, opaque red, with big-time legs. Just beginning to turn color at the rim. Big, rich, full California syrah nose, with huge black, purple and blue fruit. Total fruit bomb, but in no way overdone, alcoholic, hot or oaky. Richly fruited in the mouth, full-bodied but sleek and smooth. Has loads of plump fruit. Seems that this could go on for quite some time, but the tannins are resolved and I don't see it improving, drink it now while it shows all of its heady, hedonistic fruit. This wine lacks complexity and nuance, but the sheer effusive fruitiness really helps compensate. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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my first Alban. Splurged on wines at Aureole in Las Vegas and I wanted to try one. Not disappointed, excellent, Mineral smokey dark fruits, smooth, good depth. The wine list is amazing, but pricey. Food was good, not on a par with the wines. We also had a 1991 German riesling that was perfect and a Kathryn Kennedy 1983 Cab. Yes a 1983, 94pts, bricking a little, boudeaux barnyard at first, but just got better and better in the glass.
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Oddly, unfortunately , I did not care too much for this. Tried again day 2 and same feeling. I never want to use this word, but, cloying a bit. I really liked the Patrina both '12 and '13. I got this same feel with a '06 Grenache, but I liked that better. This one was the biggest disappointment - maybe because I was expecting the most from this 08 reva? Still rolling with Alban, maybe this bottle or vintage is slightly off.
On PNP the wine aroma of blackberry liquor, dark flowers, and assorted fruits just exploded from the glass. Rich and sappy on the palate with an unctuous and hedonistic feel. Tannin is well integrated and smooth as silk at this age. Others at the table found the wine to be a tad over the top in some respects; but I love these bombastic offerings sometimes. Paired well with rare prime rib and charred brussel sprouts.
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how about a one of my favorite sexy ones tonight, why not? well she was ready, sumptuous and giving beautiful color, and depth, the real deal a bit cold coming out the cellar? yes, but I'm still ffing hot, I'll warm up soon great nose of mineral, elemental and fruits, carnal flavor flavor, slurp slurp...so good how can a Syrah be any better look no further than Alban
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A superb wine. Tasted immediately after decanting. Rich aroma of ripe fruit and anise. Very full flavor of dark cherry, brine, cinnamon, clove and mint. Not heavy or cloying. Long, smooth and luscious finish. Still plenty of tannin but it does not distract. Good as it is now, I strongly suspect that this will get better with time.
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My first Alban. Really tasty wine. Liked this out of the gates and it only got better over the few hours it was consumed. Super dark and rich with a long finish and ripe tannin structure. My kind of syrah!
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Can summarize this note by our friend Maureen's reaction: WOW
We followed an excellent 2010 Turley Zin with this and what an outstanding bottle. My last of three that I had over the years and I'm so glad I'm back on the mailing list after passing on the offerings for a few years. Depth, concentration, elegance, power all can describe this bottle.
Vegas w kids. P&P. Not as dark and as extracted as anticipated. Beautiful nose. Can't really differentiate any one note. Floral, ripe fruit, mineral. Small glass and no decant so a bit handicapped.
Entry is smooth for this heavy alch, the balance is perfect. Fruit, tannin, oak acid. Not exploding on the palate, but subdued. Lingering tarish oaked fruit. Then fades off nicely.
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Syrah vs. Shiraz - Shoot out of the best (Singapore): Deep purple. Expressive nose of dark berries, spices, jam, bonbon. Everybody guessed new world. Full bodied, lots of fruit and alcohol but with strong but ripe/soft tannins and enough acidity to balance it. For most people on the table this was too heavy as well.
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In a nice place right now. Tannin has been tamed a bit (decant, lots of sediment), but still no shortage of grip. Big black fruit bomb, propped up by plenty of structure. All meat and blackberries, with typical Alban, explosive nose. In an age where everyone else is trying to 'dial it back', I'm happy to report Alban continues to march to the beat of their own drum. Always a treat.
First hour - 92. Nose from the bottle suggested a port like depth and complexity. I was excited. Poured it into a wide brim decanter but the aromatics were nowhere to be found. Where were they hiding? I've had some great vintages of Reva, but sadly the 2008 initially fell short of my huge expectations, though there is still a lot to like. There's no mistaking the burnt port like dry mid palate and considerable character. It needs over an hour to come into its own. And then...
After an hour - 94. Wow how the bouquet opens after swimming several laps of the wide decanter. Nose in the glass is seductive too and the palate offers inky deep violets. Any initial disillusionment has vanished and I'm drawn in by succulent sweet tannin offering substance to my fruity friend.
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Tampa Spring Break (the abridged version); 3/17/2016-3/18/2016 (Various Tampa locations (Mise en Place, Ocean Prime, etc.)): Wine #2: This wine had been decanted in the morning and then rebottled and served and I think it maybe could have used more time. It was a big wine. Almost red candied fruit in a glass. Very ripe, red currant, alcohol just there, hints of black pepper at the end. Amazing to see the difference between this one and the 2006 which was a bit more restrained. Would love to see this in some more years.
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Same as previous notes. An absolute bottle of bad ass Syrah. Drinking great now with a two hour decant. Superb quality of fruit; outstanding complexity. Consistently one of the best Syrah producers in the nation.
PnP with notes of blackberry, ripe raspberry, dark plum, charcoal, and a streak of sweet oak. Initially, this Reva came off as a 93-ish point wine, as it was a bit closed, with the flavors coming out only in small ripples across the palate. The finish was a tad clipped.
After two hours in the decanter at cellar temperature (54 degrees), and then another 20-30 minutes in the glass at cooler room temperature (67 degrees), this wine woke up. Additional notes of powerful black and blue berry fruit, intense (but not distracting) charcoal and BBQ smoke, rich molasses, gingerbread snap, fresh vanilla bean, mushroom, and clove.
Either hold until after 2017 or give this a solid decant for a few hours. Texturally a true pleasure to drink; deep and silky. Threw off a little bit of sediment, so I recommend filtering through the decanter if possible.
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After a mere one hour decant, this one was firing on all cylinders. Rich, concentrated and layered, with notes of spice, pepper, smoke and meaty texture. Rather pronounced oak, though balanced by the minerality. Some definite heat on the finish.
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Decanted for 10 min, then rebottled. Opened 1 hour later, & drank over 1.5 hours. Smooth & delicious dark fruits, though not revealing it's best until the last glass.
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Wanted something special for my last Friday as a "company" man as I am retiring on Tue 6/30/15 so everyday after that will feel like Friday! A wonderful expression of Syrah with a rich, deep bouquet and a lush long finish bursting with ripe fruit. I usually am averse to too much oak but the fruit in this wine held up to the oak vanilla influences to create a nice balance. Will hold my last bottle (if I can keep my hands off it) for a few years to see how the wood and fruit integrate. Ha, wish I bought more while I was drawing a salary but the tariff to get it shipped to Connecticut thru a 3rd party company felt too steep. Oh well enjoy them if you have 'em.
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My first Alban, and boy did it live up to the billing! Dark purple, almost inky. Decanted for an hour. Black fruit on the palette, long silky finish. Drinking well now, but probably best after another couple years in the cellar.
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A quick decant at a restaurant. As close to perfection as you will find. Huge, but light on its feet. Incredible balance. I expected the 2008 Reva to be less than the 07 and 06 - but this may be better. This is California's version of a syrah that re-writes the book. WOTY. Everyone that tried this wine was stunned at the quality. Simply awesome.
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Mildly reductive nose. Big palate with beef, bbq, red berries, and spices. Long and delicious. Not for the faint of heart. A very satisfying California syrah.
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Deep dark fruit on the nose. Blackberries and some beef. The palate is just as deep and somewhat chewy with some charred beef and ripe blackberries. Awesome with steak.
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Some Syrahs on a Saturday afternoon (Loretta Paganini School fo Cooking): Continuing in my hit or miss with Alban. Sometimes I love them and other times, they just don't get there for me. The nose has prunes and lots of oak on the palate. Also plenty of black raspberries. On the palate, there is a lot of depth but also a lot of oak and a bit of heat. It is enjoyable wit plenty of black fruit. Lacks precision though.
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The John Wayne of Rhone Rangers, this wine is always best after a few years. Many raved, definitely packing, and delivering the goods. So many Syrah choice's to make today, lets just say, this one is always in contention.
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Wine introduction 202 (Morton's - Reston, VA): It is interesting that I usually find red fruits in Alban syrahs. Big, ripe, red fruits, dry cherries, cherry, caramel, sweet spices and coconut. Excellent cocnetration, round, warm and silky palate and sweet tannins. Impressive wine that will require a bold dish to complement.
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First time trying a Reva. All I can think of is WOW. This is drinking beautifully right now. Did not take detailed notes but got a lot of raw meat and some pepper spice. Awesome wine
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Wow! One awesome wine, in a great spot. Fruit, spice, floral, meats -- this has it all. Palate coating presence, oodles of dark fruit with a myriad of secondary flavors (already), especially smoked meats and all spice, perhaps some cocoa. Long, long finish. Big done right.
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Tasted blind at the "Rhone wine Tasting" at the Bistro Provence, Bethesda Was presented in the same flight as the 2005 Relentless from Shafer. Younger on the nose than the Shafer, some ink; on palate more structure. I took it to be a modern style Souther Rhone wine. both overwhelmed the dish: Zucchini/crab
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We had this with Chanfana on 4/26/14. It had a rich, powerful and truly spectacular bouquet of floral, smoked meat, plum, blackberry, licorice, spice and black olive aromas. The palate was rich, dense and layered with flavors of plum, blackberry, licorice and spice…great mouthfeel.
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By reva standards, elegant. 15.1% abv. Saline minerality; oak blows off after decanting... Beautiful blue and black fruit; tar; herbs of sage, Provence; coffee/chocolate;meat; pine; ultra long finish...
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Decanted for 1 hour then drank over the next hour with a fillet dinner. Dark purple brown color. Complex spicy nose. Medium weight on the palate. Silky with a well integrated long finish. Loads of coconut, cedar, spicy tobacco, cinnamon toast, black fruits and other warm notes. Great wine! Not as big and concentrated as the 2006, but stylistically very similar. Another great Reva!!!
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Delicious. deep purple, medium weight, perfectly balanced, pure fruit, blackberry, blueberry, floral notes, long finish. Drank alongside bottles of Cayuse Bionic Frog and Colgin IX. The Alban more than held its own, and had the finest balance of the three syrahs in my opinion.
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The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like meaty, cool/menthol, barnyard, coffee and forest floor.
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Awesome. Had this over 2 nights. I got lots of minerals, the floral. The alch got me smashed, but I did not detect in on the palate. Huge waves of fruit, not one dimensional for me. Smoke, herb, mineral, fruit. Delicious. Decadent.
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Drank with Don H. Amazing fruit purity, blackberry, blueberry, and floral tones on the nose. Repeated on the palate, integrated with tar and saline notes. Medium grain tannins on the long, succulent finish.
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From magnum on Christmas Eve. It is amazing how John Alban can produce wines with massive amounts of fruit and concentration that are not heavy and ponderous. Silky smooth and opaque purple in the glass. Heady nose of blueberry compote-raspberry jam. Acidity and massive structure all well integrated. It is obvious why these wines are in high demand, they are extremely well made and give so much pleasure. Bravo once again to the team at Alban Vineyards!
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Wow! Marvelous! My second bottle. Less primary fruit this time. Big nose, dark,rich favors of ripe cherry, black raspberry jam and blueberry compote. Oak is there but well integrated. Exceptional finish. Will leave my other two alone for a few years, but awesome now. We drank over several hours. None of it survived to try the next day!
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Ok, I get it. It's explosive, big,e rich, etc But it didn't taste great, and a bottle at this price should. Too much extraction to be pleasurable w food. Don't think it will age gracefully. Lillian and Peay much better in their different styles
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I've loved Alban's wines over the years, but this particular bottling and vintage just comes off as hugely vanilla-coated. The fruit is pure and the texture unctuous, but it seems a bit off balance in that to me it is overly sweet and candied. A miss for me.
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What an expressive nose of dark berries, spices and hints of chocolate, leather and black pepper. Very complex. Full body, strong and ripe tannins and good acidity. Very long finish. Perfect wine, looking forward to the next bottle in a few years.
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During a tasting. Deep purple color. Very expressive nose of dark berries with sweet spices and hints of leather, hot and "southern" but complex. Full body, full throttle on the fruit and alcohol but with strong but ripe/soft tannins and enough acidity to balance it. I am not into new world Syrah but this is one of the better examples I know.
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This was another "de-luxe" pirate in an Italy tasting. Deep purple color. Very sweet and expressive aromatics of dark fruits (blackberries, blueberries, black currant), sweet spices (cinnamon, clove, licorice) and some leather/meat notes. Full-bodied with high, but sweet tannins. There is a medium acidity that adds freshness. Very good length. The longer it was in the glass, the more the whole components came together. A massive "very California" kind of wine, but with enough tannin structure and acidity to keep everything together. Impressive!
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Third bottle in the last couple months. Classic Reva in style. Nose is just remarkable in its complexity and olive, briny, dark jammy fruit intensity. Midpalate has a creamy texture and the finish is just an attack of fruit and briny nuances.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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A bunch of Syrahs on a Saturday Afternoon: Inky purple in color. There is some VA on the nose but not a problem. Aromas of gamey meat, black raspberries and white pepper. Good fruit on the palate. Jammy black raspberries. Easy to gulp. Not much complexity but seems to have some stuffing.
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Deepest purple color. The nose shows mocha, coconut, and sorched earth. This is almost like drinking a dark roast coffee. Rich powerful and full bodied, but so delicious. The palate is firm with sweet fine grained tannins. This wine should not be open for another 5 years.
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This absolutely crushed the '06 Araujo. Some of that may be vintage differences. Incredibly balanced, no rough edges and no overt Oak. Black fruited Syrah awesomeness.
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From Magnum, aerated in decanter 3 hours. I prefer this to the 2006, as I find it more elegant, and polished, with an untold number of intriguing nuances. It would be really fun to see this in a few more years as I think the best is yet to come. Drink thru 2020, recommended
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Wow this is a crazy good wine. Just a baby but big juicy fruit and incredible balance all ready. A truly amazing syrah which will be incredible to follow over the next 10 years.
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I opened this at our 1/19/13 lamb dinner. It had a fragrant, deep, elegant and harmonious bouquet of blackberry, licorice, cola, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was complex, layered long with flavors of blackberry, licorice, cola, pepper, spice and minerals. Our group’s average score was 94.5 points.
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15.1% ABV. Pretty much opaque dark garnet in the glass. Aromas of tapendade, smoke, and a savory soy sauce/meat quality. Full bodied with ripe black fruit, but the smoky/savory note seems to dominate the wine for at this point. Tasty and showing obvious quality, but I won't try another for a couple years.
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I finally made it to the mailing list and was able to procure 3 bottles of a wine I had never tasted but certainly read enough about. Decided to have this bottle on Christmas Eve as the crowd is much smaller than our big bash on Christmas Day so I would have some chance to enjoy the wine and share it with close friends and family. Decanted for 2+ hours but from the first sip as I was decanting I knew this wine was something special as it had that complexity that we all search for in a wine. Deep opaque purple it had an intoxicating nose that had everyone swirling and sniffing rather than just gulping the wine down like the other opening bottles of the evening. I detected almost a Napa Cab type cassis and menthol on the palate, which was an interesting taste in a Syrah. Tannins were there but smooth and accessible at this young age with the decant. Excellent juice and will stay on the list.
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Christmas BYO (HSH): Concentrated and extreme nose just packed with dark fruit and seaweed. The concentration follows through on the palate with explosive flavors of dark plum, liquorice and vanilla. An impressive, complex and explosive wine but still seems to maintain some sort of balance. I loved it and this vintage seems to be in a style that is both Reva and Lorraine.
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2/24/2024 - Deryl Likes this wine: 94 Points
Luscious. Ready now for sure. Paired beautifully with cote du boeuf.
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6/8/2023 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
Tasted double blind. Easily identifiable as Central Cali Syrah. A very seductive, sexy wine with beautiful olive notes. For a higher rating it would have needed a touch higher complexity and precision but this was lots of fun to drink and easily on a 93/94pts level.
TN: At first a bit muted on the nose, then more and more dark fresh black fruit and loads of olives. On the palate expressive from the get-go. Lots of dark fruit, not too ripe, spices, some herbs and again loads of olives. Medium precision. Ultra-velvety structure and feel with good freshness. Well balanced.
Decanting: 1-2 hours should do the job.
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6/2/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
Tasted blind. 1h decanted. Black berry, black olives, ripe and dark berry fruit of plum and fig, but leaning a bit into cooked territory with increasing temperature in the glass. Adding overlays of Asian five spice and rose water. Structural tannin, harmonious palate. Limited experience with Reva so far, but while this is good, the fruit was again rather on the extracted side, as was the 2014. Not ideal.
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4/14/2023 - pmarlo wrote: 94 Points
Opened on Easter, six days ago. Cork had good pull but felt pliant. Bouquet leapt from bottle like race horses from the starting gate, very aromatic. That doesn't happen a lot in my experience. Deep purple, thick and slow legs. I could tell that there was considerable alcohol but no one does high alcohol wines better than Reva. Full bodied wine. Fruit was great and stood up admirably to alcohol. Was at its best on day six, where the alcohol really receded, leaving a medium bodied fruit. I don't know how that is possible, as alcohol is alcohol, and cant see it leaving wine through evaporation. But it felt like it had or at least changed so it appeared to decrease. Was a great wine but can see where others don't like this style. Well made wine and was ready. Fruit didn't fade at all.
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4/9/2023 - Matt T wrote: 95 Points
Stored since release. Perfect cork. Middle aged with few signs of oxidation. Dark purple, holds the alcohol well. Dense with notes of raspberry liqueur, blueberry, and vanilla. Medium to long finish. Great example of this high octane style of Syrah.
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3/9/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 90 Points
During a structured tasting session. What the Guillaume Gilles 2010 Cornas had to little, this one had too much. I was good right upon opening, opulent with plum and prune, but it fell apart very quickly and became oxidative with aromas of cooked fruit. Most agreed, too thick a wine to enjoy more than one glass. Mature, drink up
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1/16/2023 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 96 Points
The missus gave this a big score - echoed by our daughter. Very big wine, doesn't give any clue it's 15 years old, rich ripe red and black fruit, still some heat, big finish.
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10/10/2022 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Same notes as last time. At peak for me but not going anywhere. 2022-2030?
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9/4/2022 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Remarkably focused, mature fruit flavors. Blackberry jam, cured tobacco, grilled steak. Fresh blackberry and black raspberry on the nose, and lifting the finish. Fine tannins linger with the fruit.
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12/9/2021 - RR47 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Outstanding, mature, perfect timing for magnum.
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11/25/2021 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served out of magnum with 1 hr slow o. Go big or go home. That seems to be the motto for Alban. Voluptuous dark berries , anise, good grip. I found the oak to be big but commensurate to the lip-smacking nature of the wine. Subtle this is not, but balanced it sort of is. I found the supposedly distinctive iodine/shell scent in it - but only after I was pointed to it by the website. I can compare this to a 2006 Lorraine I had recently: the Lorraine is definitely softer and a little sweeter. It’s not massively different from the Reva. Hard to say which I prefer so I am scoring them identically. Then again the Lorraine put me in more of a party mood, so….
Would I buy again? This is well made - this is massive but not too tiring to drink. A real crowd pleaser. So yes I would restock, understanding that the number of occasions I am really in the mood for this is not that high. That said, when you want a party beast, this fills the bill big time.
Score : 92. Relative to expectations : +
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10/25/2021 - Mr T wrote:
folks loved it...classic Alban as expected
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8/7/2021 - Fugu Me wrote:
Oak, oak, and more oak. After decanting (lots of sediment!) and allowing to breathe for a couple of hours prior to serving, the predominant note on this, both the nose and palate, was, well, oak. Lurking beneath were big, jammy luscious berried fruits, but it was hard to get beyond the initial onslaught of oak.
Saved half of the bottle for night 2 and will update the note if things have shifted overnight. Fingers crossed.
Update after night 2: the oak notes receded somewhat but still dominated the wine. It's a shame, as it was more apparent on the second day that there were some gorgeous things going on beneath, but we just couldn't get past the barrier. Not sure if this was somehow an off bottle, as others' notes here suggest it should be lovely, but for us, this weekend, it was not.
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5/7/2021 - gbbwino wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. This a a massive, full body wine. Alcohol very present & not full integrated or balanced. Deep black & blue fruit. Tannins very present & prickly. Signature sweet, smoke & spicy fruit on the nose. Compared to the 2007 opened earlier today, this is no where close. Ingredients are there, just not seamless or integrated.
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4/17/2021 - fdub Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank after the Las Lamas. Desert wine in comparison. Super dense and thick. Yummy night cap. Should drink up.
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3/30/2021 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big hit. Finished the magnum. Fairly typical Alban. Full bodied, very bold fruit, tannins still hanging around.
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12/27/2020 - bablues wrote: 96 Points
Similar to previous notes. Drank this over a 3 day period. Didn't take detailed notes but as the days progressed, this became more smooth and more fruit with less grip. Stunning as always
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12/20/2020 - Soapy_Stevens Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted an hour in advance. Dense purple. Black fruited. Hint of tobacco. Slight bacon-y finish. Quite Zinfandel like, being a little sweet and lacking that bitter olive tapenade tarriness belonging to all great Rhône syrahs. The excess alcohol doesn’t help. Lacks tannic structure. It’s good but not great. At this price point it should be the latter. I can’t see this getting any better so I’d drink up...
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11/27/2020 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ginormous but excellent. Peaked? 15.1%
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11/23/2020 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 95 Points
I decided not to decant the wine. Poured three small glasses and left the rest in the bottle. I did pull the cork out 30 minutes before dinner and drank over the next 90 minutes. LOTS of sediment so you’ll need a strainer. Dark dark purple. Super full nose of blue fruits. Incredible, heavy mouthfeel with an explosion of blueberry, licorice, burnt wood, tobacco. Long lingering finish. Tannins are smooth but still present. Don’t think the wine improves much with more collaring. Super extraction is just amazing. Explosion of flavors with each sip. Not many California Syrah’s better than this one. You want this....Trust me.
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11/13/2020 - WizardNeedsFood Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Really great now. Good nose, not great, but the flavor was bursting! Flowers, berries, licorice, oh my!! But sweetness in check. Great acidity matched the food really well. Great structure and long finish. NOTE: Only did 30 mins decant. Drank over next three hours. Started fading after two hours so recommend consuming in that window. Should be easy with how delicious this is...
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9/12/2020 - e-r.portzline Likes this wine: 97 Points
Deep dark and serious with long, long legs… Beautiful dark fruits, with hints of olive in the middle and violets and other flowers on the finish. Truly lovely wine!
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5/29/2020 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 100 Points
Can be done differently but not better. Dark dark blueberry and chocolate. Tobacco, jam, açaí, pepper, roux of bacon fat and meat. Tobacco. Heaven. Perfect. 2020-2030?
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4/14/2020 - RCS73 wrote: 90 Points
Dual tasting note along with the 2009 Reva.
Had each wine paired with steak on two separate nights (2 days apart). The 2009 was far superior (IMHO) at this stage of development.
2008 - Popped a bottle as recent posters had indicated this had peaked. Found it one dimensional in both the nose and taste. Pleasant Syrah but not special at this stage. 3 more left and hoping for better (90)
2009 - multi-dimensional and complex. Excellent aromas of black fruit and wild sage. Strong mid palate and finish. Thick, glycerine-like mouthfeel that almost sticks to the glass. Bravo! (96)
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3/28/2020 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the most Northern Rhone like California Syrah's that I've ever had. Some Griffin Lair Vineyard California Syrah can be like this too. Amazing power and structure yet delicate and balanced. not overly ripe. Acidity is perfect. This wine can go many more years but why wait. Along with Araujo Eisele Syrahs this is one of the best California Syrah's you will taste. I know Sine Qua Non is great but it's also 2 to 3 times the price. I'm very impressed. Lots of wonderful savory notes. Finish goes on forever. You just don't want the wine to be finished.
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3/15/2020 - ZMAng Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bold nose of soy sauce, meat, black fruit, some spice & potpurri. Similar notes on the palate albeit much less complex, some choco. Big but not overpowering, soft integrated tannins. Long, slightly spicy finish. 90-91.
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12/2/2019 - VinNoobie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Double decanted and served from magnum before Thanksgiving dinner. Delicious, big refined wine with lots of dark fruit, soft tannins and medium acidity.
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10/13/2019 - bigneil Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aromatically this is wonderful. Lots of blackberry, grilled meat, graphite, chocolate. Tannins are fully integrated now....but still a decent acid backbone to carry all the fruit (and alcohol). For sure this is a hedonistic wine and I really like it. It is NOT a “food wine” which is fine with me but others may be turned off by its sheer size. From my perspective it is balanced, so it has the acid and structure to pull off all the weight.
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9/7/2019 - rcg62 Does not like this wine: 88 Points
From magnum. In fairness, at a dinner with lots of wines. But too soft on the palate, no structure, too much blown up fruit. Tasted cheap. Bought at auction.
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7/3/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid wine, but not as spectacular as I remembered. Drank at Morcilla.
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6/23/2019 - TK Mastres wrote: 94 Points
Stunning on the nose with wonderful floral and perfumed notes. Rich and full on the palate this one is a bomb and maybe too much so but wow what a ride. Later vintages are better balanced but this one is still showing amazing elements of a great wine.
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5/18/2019 - jviz wrote: 96 Points
Oh geez... where to begin. I loved this wine and am very glad to have an 09 in the cellar. PnP. It’s decidedly new world, but aromatic, powerful, full of spice and pure red fruits. Wonderful balance and very little hint of any sweetness, which was my concern prior to tasting. Generously proportioned but super classy at the same time.
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4/6/2019 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consumed over a week via Coravin. Quite a beast, but no surprise there. 15.1%
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3/2/2019 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely wine with blueberry and spice and touch of clove in a plush long finish. Beautiful!
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3/1/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Blueberry, touch of raspberry, always amazing
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2/16/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Consistent. Nose is a little different, palate is consistent
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2/15/2019 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Purple, blueberries and black raspberry nose, subtle smoke, cigar tobacco, minerals but nice vanilla and well done balanced acidity. Marvelous!
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2/15/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Amazing. Blueberry preserves on the nose. Touch of black raspberry. Tobacco and light earth. Always a favorite
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2/13/2019 - Mr T wrote:
Terrific PNP with grilled lamb burgers....classic Reva with great fruit. Always fun
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1/12/2019 - garambler Likes this wine: 94 Points
I opened this for our 1/12/19 beef tenderloin dinner with our neighbors. It had a powerful and intense nose of violet, smoked meat, blackberry, prune, licorice and spice aromas. The palate was rich, dense and dry with flavors of plum, prune, blackberry, burnt toast, black olive, licorice and spice.
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12/16/2018 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Nice, juicy tangy fruit with an a little age showing, slightly mellowed, exuberant black berry fruits, some bramble. At Taylors with MP gang.
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9/27/2018 - sung251 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Incredibly rich despite being a relatively cooler vintage. Very precise dark fruits that reminds you of the abyss but counter balanced with heady acid keeping the wine in relative balance. This wine would excel with heavy body foods (such as red meat) but if you drink it by it self, while delicious, can be quite fatiguing after a glass due to its high octane of 15.1% alc and extreme richness.
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9/26/2018 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 94 Points
This wine is holding steady like crazy. Needs time still. Tight upon opening still. Last specimen was over a year ago, and it was tighter back then. Notable decant necessary to fully get this beauty going. A touch of VA showing with the prickly fruit, but it wasn't off putting at all. Enjoyed with roasted Berkshire pork loin. Yum.
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9/15/2018 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar tasting notes to previous bottle.
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9/4/2018 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 93 Points
Inky purple. Sweet red current and black cherry fruit. Pepper and baking spice notes- fine, well integrated tannins. Very smooth and ready to drink tonight.
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4/21/2018 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 97 Points
Outstanding again.
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3/3/2018 - tantotinto wrote: 95 Points
Last bottle of the 2008. Soft, smooth, elegant and delicious. Anise, dark fruit and clove. Long luscious finish. Great tonight with steak au poivre.
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2/24/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
consistent with notes of 12/28/2013 - minimal decant needed at this point, but still fully expressive.
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2/3/2018 - Nanda wrote:
Blind Syrahs at Chevalier (Chicago, IL): Served blind. Big nose of candied, rich black fruit and vanilla toast. The palate is super candied with forward, rich tooty-fruity black fruit. There is brightness and freshness to the wine despite it's candied style. Well-made in the style, I suppose, but well outside of my current strike zone. No typical Syrah notes to be found (meat, olive, etc.) Mid 80s for me, perhaps mid 90s for a fan of the style.
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1/21/2018 - Mr T wrote:
very tasty and actually pretty nicely balanced....6 folks polished off the mag quickly and drunk too early in the meal, but yum, would gladly drink this again and fortunately still have plenty of the 750
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1/15/2018 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank in Winter Park. Decanted about two hours. Rich nearly opaque red and purple hues. Pleasant refined nose. Smooth voluptuous integrated purple and dark fruit. Full bodied but not overwhelming. Quite enjoyable but nothing particularly spectacular that would make it a 100 point wine of the year.
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1/1/2018 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 95 Points
A wine that's wonderful in so many ways. Although slightly muted on the nose, once the juice hits the palate, there is nothing short of excitement. Layered and complex. Special juice!
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12/31/2017 - DavidDay Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pretty nose, blackberry and mineral notes, still some tannin on the palate, this wine has a ways to go, beautifully balanced
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12/17/2017 - pakabear wrote: 95 Points
Dark red fruits, strawberry, ripe cherry, loads of cinnamon and five spice, background ham, white pepper, very intense wine with great balance and is what some would call super yummy! Very good.
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12/15/2017 - Matt T wrote: 93 Points
From magnum. Smooth and rich with very refined tannins. Not as deep or complex as the 2006, but still very enjoyable. 15% alcohol is well masked here.
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11/14/2017 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich blackberry, mocha, and gamey aromas with rich fruit and complexity on the palate. The finish is long and mouth staining.
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11/13/2017 - ToddS wrote:
Integrating nicely now.
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10/9/2017 - 9 and 3/4 wrote: 99 Points
WTF, this stuff is great!
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10/7/2017 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
Same as my previous notes. A beautiful bottle of Syrah. 95-96 points. Drink now and over the next couple of years.
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9/6/2017 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 93 Points
On the elegant side for a Reva. Not a huge blockbuster in my taste. This will be on the fast track, perhaps due to the vintage. If you like them young, drink up. If you like them more elegant, this can age another 10 years easily. Enjoy!
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8/27/2017 - Matt T Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of blackberry, chocolate, and oak. This is complex and interesting, but the tannins still have not fully integrated. I think this may need another few years to hit peak.
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8/21/2017 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Blue and black fruits take center stage. Underbrush and a mix of mineral notes and spring flowers stand close by. Amazing texture and complexity. Everything is in the right place. If you can get access to wonderful juice you won't be disappointed.
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7/29/2017 - EstimatedEyes Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hr decant. Rich dark fruit; layered and complex, In full stride right now. Yum.
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7/14/2017 - Stevere wrote: 97 Points
Wow! Blueberries, black berries, even some cherry emerge in this great wine. While it drank well within minutes of opening, it will benefit from a couple hours of air. Drinking well now, it will last another 10 years.
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6/30/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
consistent with notes of 12/28/2013 - still vibrant and young.
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4/21/2017 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
Same as last year's notes. Without question, one of the best domestic Syrah producers in the nation. This is fully resolved and ready to be consumed now. No decant necessary, unless you want to microfilter some of the sediment out before consumption (which is what I did).
This is becoming more medium-bodied. Sure, I miss some of the concentration and energy that comes from a quality wine's youth, but the layers of flavors make up for it at this point. As a wine smooths out, it delivers in a more finessed fashion. This wine epitomizes that profile. You're not getting hit with all sorts of crazy flavors, but instead, a seamless glide of more subtle and nuanced notes.
Drink now. Not sure how long this will go before it starts to taper off, but I'd guess at least 3+ years. Just starting to transition to more plum and earth flavors, but not yet in that saddle leather and mushroom funk mood; that'll probably come in 3-4 years. I hope to drink my remaining bottles in the next couple of years.
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4/7/2017 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich, dark, opaque red, with big-time legs. Just beginning to turn color at the rim. Big, rich, full California syrah nose, with huge black, purple and blue fruit. Total fruit bomb, but in no way overdone, alcoholic, hot or oaky. Richly fruited in the mouth, full-bodied but sleek and smooth. Has loads of plump fruit. Seems that this could go on for quite some time, but the tannins are resolved and I don't see it improving, drink it now while it shows all of its heady, hedonistic fruit. This wine lacks complexity and nuance, but the sheer effusive fruitiness really helps compensate. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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3/21/2017 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 95 Points
my first Alban. Splurged on wines at Aureole in Las Vegas and I wanted to try one. Not disappointed, excellent, Mineral smokey dark fruits, smooth, good depth. The wine list is amazing, but pricey. Food was good, not on a par with the wines. We also had a 1991 German riesling that was perfect and a Kathryn Kennedy 1983 Cab. Yes a 1983, 94pts, bricking a little, boudeaux barnyard at first, but just got better and better in the glass.
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1/26/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Giant blueberry nose, mouth-filling fruit, marred by very heavy graphite finish and high alcohol.
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1/21/2017 - Wine G Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Oddly, unfortunately , I did not care too much for this. Tried again day 2 and same feeling. I never want to use this word, but, cloying a bit. I really liked the Patrina both '12 and '13. I got this same feel with a '06 Grenache, but I liked that better. This one was the biggest disappointment - maybe because I was expecting the most from this 08 reva? Still rolling with Alban, maybe this bottle or vintage is slightly off.
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12/26/2016 - drdan8 Likes this wine: 94 Points
On PNP the wine aroma of blackberry liquor, dark flowers, and assorted fruits just exploded from the glass. Rich and sappy on the palate with an unctuous and hedonistic feel. Tannin is well integrated and smooth as silk at this age. Others at the table found the wine to be a tad over the top in some respects; but I love these bombastic offerings sometimes. Paired well with rare prime rib and charred brussel sprouts.
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12/12/2016 - 9 and 3/4 Likes this wine: 99 Points
how about a one of my favorite sexy ones tonight, why not?
well she was ready, sumptuous and giving
beautiful color, and depth, the real deal
a bit cold coming out the cellar? yes, but I'm still ffing hot, I'll warm up soon
great nose of mineral, elemental and fruits, carnal
flavor flavor, slurp slurp...so good
how can a Syrah be any better
look no further than Alban
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11/29/2016 - tantotinto wrote: 95 Points
A superb wine. Tasted immediately after decanting. Rich aroma of ripe fruit and anise. Very full flavor of dark cherry, brine, cinnamon, clove and mint. Not heavy or cloying. Long, smooth and luscious finish. Still plenty of tannin but it does not distract. Good as it is now, I strongly suspect that this will get better with time.
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11/18/2016 - kwn70 Likes this wine:
My first Alban. Really tasty wine. Liked this out of the gates and it only got better over the few hours it was consumed. Super dark and rich with a long finish and ripe tannin structure. My kind of syrah!
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9/20/2016 - bablues wrote: 96 Points
Brought to La Sirene in NY and paired beautifully with the Rabbit. Intense dark fruits on the nose and pallate with some spices, meats. Delicious
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9/8/2016 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Can summarize this note by our friend Maureen's reaction: WOW
We followed an excellent 2010 Turley Zin with this and what an outstanding bottle. My last of three that I had over the years and I'm so glad I'm back on the mailing list after passing on the offerings for a few years. Depth, concentration, elegance, power all can describe this bottle.
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8/18/2016 - tplskylrk wrote:
Vegas w kids. P&P. Not as dark and as extracted as anticipated. Beautiful nose. Can't really differentiate any one note. Floral, ripe fruit, mineral. Small glass and no decant so a bit handicapped.
Entry is smooth for this heavy alch, the balance is perfect. Fruit, tannin, oak acid. Not exploding on the palate, but subdued. Lingering tarish oaked fruit. Then fades off nicely.
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8/14/2016 - Collector1855 wrote: 93 Points
Syrah vs. Shiraz - Shoot out of the best (Singapore): Deep purple. Expressive nose of dark berries, spices, jam, bonbon. Everybody guessed new world. Full bodied, lots of fruit and alcohol but with strong but ripe/soft tannins and enough acidity to balance it. For most people on the table this was too heavy as well.
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8/12/2016 - G_H wrote: 94 Points
Awesome, classic alban, rich sweet opulent. No need to wait!
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7/31/2016 - cfulbright Likes this wine: 97 Points
Big rich nose of meat, cherries and blackberries, vanilla. Wonderful rich flavors and mouth feel.
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7/2/2016 - Jody Smith wrote:
In a nice place right now. Tannin has been tamed a bit (decant, lots of sediment), but still no shortage of grip. Big black fruit bomb, propped up by plenty of structure. All meat and blackberries, with typical Alban, explosive nose. In an age where everyone else is trying to 'dial it back', I'm happy to report Alban continues to march to the beat of their own drum. Always a treat.
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4/29/2016 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 94 Points
First hour - 92. Nose from the bottle suggested a port like depth and complexity. I was excited. Poured it into a wide brim decanter but the aromatics were nowhere to be found. Where were they hiding? I've had some great vintages of Reva, but sadly the 2008 initially fell short of my huge expectations, though there is still a lot to like. There's no mistaking the burnt port like dry mid palate and considerable character. It needs over an hour to come into its own. And then...
After an hour - 94. Wow how the bouquet opens after swimming several laps of the wide decanter. Nose in the glass is seductive too and the palate offers inky deep violets. Any initial disillusionment has vanished and I'm drawn in by succulent sweet tannin offering substance to my fruity friend.
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3/27/2016 - Knicksfan wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle although I will let these rest a little longer.
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3/18/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Tampa Spring Break (the abridged version); 3/17/2016-3/18/2016 (Various Tampa locations (Mise en Place, Ocean Prime, etc.)): Wine #2: This wine had been decanted in the morning and then rebottled and served and I think it maybe could have used more time. It was a big wine. Almost red candied fruit in a glass. Very ripe, red currant, alcohol just there, hints of black pepper at the end. Amazing to see the difference between this one and the 2006 which was a bit more restrained. Would love to see this in some more years.
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3/3/2016 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
Same as previous notes. An absolute bottle of bad ass Syrah. Drinking great now with a two hour decant. Superb quality of fruit; outstanding complexity. Consistently one of the best Syrah producers in the nation.
97 points all day long!
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2/1/2016 - DaninClearwater wrote: 96 Points
Really lived up to its reputation
great bottle of wine
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1/30/2016 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Reductive nose with some grilled meats. The palate is big and boozy with dark fruit and lots of black pepper. Huge wine. Lots of fun.
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1/25/2016 - kfk wrote: 96 Points
Wotn
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1/5/2016 - 88rebel wrote: 97 Points
One of the best wines on the planet
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12/4/2015 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
PnP with notes of blackberry, ripe raspberry, dark plum, charcoal, and a streak of sweet oak. Initially, this Reva came off as a 93-ish point wine, as it was a bit closed, with the flavors coming out only in small ripples across the palate. The finish was a tad clipped.
After two hours in the decanter at cellar temperature (54 degrees), and then another 20-30 minutes in the glass at cooler room temperature (67 degrees), this wine woke up. Additional notes of powerful black and blue berry fruit, intense (but not distracting) charcoal and BBQ smoke, rich molasses, gingerbread snap, fresh vanilla bean, mushroom, and clove.
Either hold until after 2017 or give this a solid decant for a few hours. Texturally a true pleasure to drink; deep and silky. Threw off a little bit of sediment, so I recommend filtering through the decanter if possible.
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11/21/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
consistent with notes of 12/28/2013 - just an awesome powerhouse
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10/19/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 94 Points
After a mere one hour decant, this one was firing on all cylinders. Rich, concentrated and layered, with notes of spice, pepper, smoke and meaty texture. Rather pronounced oak, though balanced by the minerality. Some definite heat on the finish.
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10/9/2015 - patwjr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 10 min, then rebottled. Opened 1 hour later, & drank over 1.5 hours. Smooth & delicious dark fruits, though not revealing it's best until the last glass.
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9/26/2015 - patwjr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Big, bold & the last glass was beautiful. Give it more time or an hour+ decant.
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6/26/2015 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wanted something special for my last Friday as a "company" man as I am retiring on Tue 6/30/15 so everyday after that will feel like Friday! A wonderful expression of Syrah with a rich, deep bouquet and a lush long finish bursting with ripe fruit. I usually am averse to too much oak but the fruit in this wine held up to the oak vanilla influences to create a nice balance. Will hold my last bottle (if I can keep my hands off it) for a few years to see how the wood and fruit integrate.
Ha, wish I bought more while I was drawing a salary but the tariff to get it shipped to Connecticut thru a 3rd party company felt too steep. Oh well enjoy them if you have 'em.
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5/2/2015 - peterk wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Lovely, big, rich, concentrated, fruity Syrah - no need to wait to drink this.
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4/10/2015 - lafish Likes this wine: 94 Points
My first Alban, and boy did it live up to the billing! Dark purple, almost inky. Decanted for an hour. Black fruit on the palette, long silky finish. Drinking well now, but probably best after another couple years in the cellar.
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3/28/2015 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 98 Points
A quick decant at a restaurant. As close to perfection as you will find. Huge, but light on its feet. Incredible balance. I expected the 2008 Reva to be less than the 07 and 06 - but this may be better. This is California's version of a syrah that re-writes the book. WOTY. Everyone that tried this wine was stunned at the quality. Simply awesome.
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3/14/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Mildly reductive nose. Big palate with beef, bbq, red berries, and spices. Long and delicious. Not for the faint of heart. A very satisfying California syrah.
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2/21/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Deep dark fruit on the nose. Blackberries and some beef. The palate is just as deep and somewhat chewy with some charred beef and ripe blackberries. Awesome with steak.
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1/10/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 88 Points
Some Syrahs on a Saturday afternoon (Loretta Paganini School fo Cooking): Continuing in my hit or miss with Alban. Sometimes I love them and other times, they just don't get there for me. The nose has prunes and lots of oak on the palate. Also plenty of black raspberries. On the palate, there is a lot of depth but also a lot of oak and a bit of heat. It is enjoyable wit plenty of black fruit. Lacks precision though.
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1/10/2015 - shadow wrote: 94 Points
The John Wayne of Rhone Rangers, this wine is always best after a few years.
Many raved, definitely packing, and delivering the goods.
So many Syrah choice's to make today, lets just say, this one is always in contention.
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12/25/2014 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Christmas eve dinner. Wonderful complexity. Smooth and rich. Big notes of olive and black fruit. Very balanced. 93+
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10/1/2014 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Wine introduction 202 (Morton's - Reston, VA): It is interesting that I usually find red fruits in Alban syrahs. Big, ripe, red fruits, dry cherries, cherry, caramel, sweet spices and coconut. Excellent cocnetration, round, warm and silky palate and sweet tannins. Impressive wine that will require a bold dish to complement.
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9/4/2014 - CMCLR wrote: 95 Points
1st place in a blind tasting w/ 17 other syrahs
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7/29/2014 - bablues wrote: 97 Points
First time trying a Reva. All I can think of is WOW. This is drinking beautifully right now. Did not take detailed notes but got a lot of raw meat and some pepper spice. Awesome wine
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6/5/2014 - cadamson Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow! One awesome wine, in a great spot. Fruit, spice, floral, meats -- this has it all. Palate coating presence, oodles of dark fruit with a myriad of secondary flavors (already), especially smoked meats and all spice, perhaps some cocoa. Long, long finish. Big done right.
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5/14/2014 - cab blends wrote: 92 Points
Rhone Theme Wine Dinner - Bistro Provence, BEthesda MD: Jammy and very young new world style. Tannins 7/10. Great without food for cheese and biscuits. (Jim Cahill)
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5/14/2014 - Bandreas wrote: 87 Points
Tasted blind at the "Rhone wine Tasting" at the Bistro Provence, Bethesda
Was presented in the same flight as the 2005 Relentless from Shafer.
Younger on the nose than the Shafer, some ink; on palate more structure.
I took it to be a modern style Souther Rhone wine.
both overwhelmed the dish: Zucchini/crab
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4/26/2014 - garambler Likes this wine: 95 Points
We had this with Chanfana on 4/26/14. It had a rich, powerful and truly spectacular bouquet of floral, smoked meat, plum, blackberry, licorice, spice and black olive aromas. The palate was rich, dense and layered with flavors of plum, blackberry, licorice and spice…great mouthfeel.
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4/26/2014 - jonnyoro wrote: 98 Points
By reva standards, elegant. 15.1% abv. Saline minerality; oak blows off after decanting... Beautiful blue and black fruit; tar; herbs of sage, Provence; coffee/chocolate;meat; pine; ultra long finish...
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4/5/2014 - johnh1001 wrote: 93 Points
Deliciously pure black fruit and black pepper. Great depth and concentration. Sleek and precise.
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3/29/2014 - TEKinsider wrote: 97 Points
Decanted for 1 hour then drank over the next hour with a fillet dinner. Dark purple brown color. Complex spicy nose. Medium weight on the palate. Silky with a well integrated long finish. Loads of coconut, cedar, spicy tobacco, cinnamon toast, black fruits and other warm notes. Great wine! Not as big and concentrated as the 2006, but stylistically very similar. Another great Reva!!!
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3/19/2014 - phenricsson Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great intensity, rich and smooth. Great fruit.
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3/9/2014 - cabber wrote: 96 Points
Delicious. deep purple, medium weight, perfectly balanced, pure fruit, blackberry, blueberry, floral notes, long finish. Drank alongside bottles of Cayuse Bionic Frog and Colgin IX. The Alban more than held its own, and had the finest balance of the three syrahs in my opinion.
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1/29/2014 - Brownvino wrote: 97 Points
The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like meaty, cool/menthol, barnyard, coffee and forest floor.
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1/25/2014 - Azbearoh wrote: 94 Points
PnP -- still young started opening up a lot more towards end of bottle. Looking forward to seeing what this will do with more time.
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1/25/2014 - tplskylrk wrote:
Awesome. Had this over 2 nights. I got lots of minerals, the floral. The alch got me smashed, but I did not detect in on the palate. Huge waves of fruit, not one dimensional for me. Smoke, herb, mineral, fruit. Delicious. Decadent.
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12/29/2013 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wonderful Syrah. One of my favorites. No notes taken.
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12/28/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank with Don H. Amazing fruit purity, blackberry, blueberry, and floral tones on the nose. Repeated on the palate, integrated with tar and saline notes. Medium grain tannins on the long, succulent finish.
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12/25/2013 - markydecker Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum on Christmas Eve. It is amazing how John Alban can produce wines with massive amounts of fruit and concentration that are not heavy and ponderous. Silky smooth and opaque purple in the glass. Heady nose of blueberry compote-raspberry jam. Acidity and massive structure all well integrated. It is obvious why these wines are in high demand, they are extremely well made and give so much pleasure. Bravo once again to the team at Alban Vineyards!
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12/23/2013 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow! Marvelous! My second bottle. Less primary fruit this time. Big nose, dark,rich favors of ripe cherry, black raspberry jam and blueberry compote. Oak is there but well integrated. Exceptional finish. Will leave my other two alone for a few years, but awesome now. We drank over several hours. None of it survived to try the next day!
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12/8/2013 - Kbrumback wrote:
Ok, I get it. It's explosive, big,e rich, etc
But it didn't taste great, and a bottle at this price should. Too much extraction to be pleasurable w food. Don't think it will age gracefully. Lillian and Peay much better in their different styles
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10/27/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote: 90 Points
I've loved Alban's wines over the years, but this particular bottling and vintage just comes off as hugely vanilla-coated. The fruit is pure and the texture unctuous, but it seems a bit off balance in that to me it is overly sweet and candied. A miss for me.
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9/13/2013 - shadow wrote: 97 Points
Nose is durnt coffee and deep, flavors just bury the palate in rich fruit, touch of spice, pepper on the close, very satisflying and classy wine
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7/26/2013 - StephenDavis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific. Had it with kobe strip. Opened for 90+ minutes and needed a little more time. Still though very drinkable and absolutely terrific.
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6/8/2013 - jctra Likes this wine: 98 Points
What an expressive nose of dark berries, spices and hints of chocolate, leather and black pepper. Very complex. Full body, strong and ripe tannins and good acidity. Very long finish.
Perfect wine, looking forward to the next bottle in a few years.
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5/11/2013 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
During a tasting. Deep purple color. Very expressive nose of dark berries with sweet spices and hints of leather, hot and "southern" but complex. Full body, full throttle on the fruit and alcohol but with strong but ripe/soft tannins and enough acidity to balance it. I am not into new world Syrah but this is one of the better examples I know.
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5/11/2013 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was another "de-luxe" pirate in an Italy tasting. Deep purple color. Very sweet and expressive aromatics of dark fruits (blackberries, blueberries, black currant), sweet spices (cinnamon, clove, licorice) and some leather/meat notes. Full-bodied with high, but sweet tannins. There is a medium acidity that adds freshness. Very good length. The longer it was in the glass, the more the whole components came together. A massive "very California" kind of wine, but with enough tannin structure and acidity to keep everything together. Impressive!
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5/4/2013 - 88rebel wrote: 97 Points
Might just be the best syrah I have ever had. Lots of texture and flavor: lots of smoke, spicy tar.
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4/30/2013 - Gestalted Likes this wine: 96 Points
Third bottle in the last couple months. Classic Reva in style. Nose is just remarkable in its complexity and olive, briny, dark jammy fruit intensity. Midpalate has a creamy texture and the finish is just an attack of fruit and briny nuances.
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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4/27/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
A bunch of Syrahs on a Saturday Afternoon: Inky purple in color. There is some VA on the nose but not a problem. Aromas of gamey meat, black raspberries and white pepper. Good fruit on the palate. Jammy black raspberries. Easy to gulp. Not much complexity but seems to have some stuffing.
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4/12/2013 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still quite young but extremely well balanced with rich smooth mouth-feel. Really lovely with wonderful depth.
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3/8/2013 - fdub Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deepest purple color. The nose shows mocha, coconut, and sorched earth. This is almost like drinking a dark roast coffee. Rich powerful and full bodied, but so delicious. The palate is firm with sweet fine grained tannins. This wine should not be open for another 5 years.
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2/16/2013 - ToddS Likes this wine:
This absolutely crushed the '06 Araujo. Some of that may be vintage differences. Incredibly balanced, no rough edges and no overt Oak. Black fruited Syrah awesomeness.
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1/29/2013 - Tim Heaton wrote:
From Magnum, aerated in decanter 3 hours. I prefer this to the 2006, as I find it more elegant, and polished, with an untold number of intriguing nuances. It would be really fun to see this in a few more years as I think the best is yet to come. Drink thru 2020, recommended
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1/23/2013 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow this is a crazy good wine. Just a baby but big juicy fruit and incredible balance all ready. A truly amazing syrah which will be incredible to follow over the next 10 years.
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1/19/2013 - garambler Likes this wine: 95 Points
I opened this at our 1/19/13 lamb dinner. It had a fragrant, deep, elegant and harmonious bouquet of blackberry, licorice, cola, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was complex, layered long with flavors of blackberry, licorice, cola, pepper, spice and minerals. Our group’s average score was 94.5 points.
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12/26/2012 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine:
15.1% ABV. Pretty much opaque dark garnet in the glass. Aromas of tapendade, smoke, and a savory soy sauce/meat quality. Full bodied with ripe black fruit, but the smoky/savory note seems to dominate the wine for at this point. Tasty and showing obvious quality, but I won't try another for a couple years.
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12/24/2012 - Arch57 wrote: 95 Points
I finally made it to the mailing list and was able to procure 3 bottles of a wine I had never tasted but certainly read enough about. Decided to have this bottle on Christmas Eve as the crowd is much smaller than our big bash on Christmas Day so I would have some chance to enjoy the wine and share it with close friends and family.
Decanted for 2+ hours but from the first sip as I was decanting I knew this wine was something special as it had that complexity that we all search for in a wine. Deep opaque purple it had an intoxicating nose that had everyone swirling and sniffing rather than just gulping the wine down like the other opening bottles of the evening. I detected almost a Napa Cab type cassis and menthol on the palate, which was an interesting taste in a Syrah. Tannins were there but smooth and accessible at this young age with the decant. Excellent juice and will stay on the list.
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12/9/2012 - tripkirby Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is american syrah at its finest, amazing concentated clean fruit, amazing wine.
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12/8/2012 - canan Likes this wine: 97 Points
Christmas BYO (HSH): Concentrated and extreme nose just packed with dark fruit and seaweed.
The concentration follows through on the palate with explosive flavors of dark plum, liquorice and vanilla.
An impressive, complex and explosive wine but still seems to maintain some sort of balance.
I loved it and this vintage seems to be in a style that is both Reva and Lorraine.
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12/1/2012 - El Tej Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nose of dark chocolate, fig, sage. Dark berries, spicebox and leather on the palate. Firm tannins, great finish.
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