Singing. After a couple of hours in the decanter this was gorgeous, black fruits, medium + tannin and long finish. This has a few years ahead, shame this was my last bottle.
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This is quite nice. The nose is blue fruit with violets and cherry coke. The palate is filled with more blueberries and a bit of cigar ash. At first open, the mid=palate seemed a bit thin, but that has evolved into a more rich, blue fruit blast that coasts the mouth. Good acidity and bright finish that lasts quite a while. This is excellent, but the blue fruit domination keeps it from reaching the elite levels IMO. For the price, sign me up for more.
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Very big wine. Some dark fruits on the nose but not getting much more than that. The taste is explosive with blueberries, pepper and tobacco. The finish is also very spicy with a long mouthfeel. This is right on par with my expectations for this and interested to see where my last bottle with end up.
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Every Booker wine I've ever opened proved to be superliative. This one is no exception - great depth, wonderful fruit taste and a balance between tannins and acidity.
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Big, big, big, but avoids being clumsy or overbearing. Could use a pinch more acidity to keep things lively, but that’s borderline nitpicking. The nose is a bit restrained, particularly considering how flavorful it is in the mouth. For a 9+ year old, it’s showing quite young. Overall a great cocktail wine.
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Still thinking about this wine two weeks later. So happy to have cellared this wine for a decent amount of time. I've long loved the French syrah-heavy blends and I was pleased that this one added something to the conversation. A few weeks out, the main lasting impression was how elegant this was (yes, still a brute but an elegant one... like 007). PnP (well, maybe an hour decant)
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I enjoyed this bottle much more than the first one I had 3 years ago. It's a classic Paso wine with gobs of dark fruit. But the oak was much more in balance, the fruit had purity and freshness, and the finish lingered nicely. Drinking beautifully now.
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Inky dark purple in color. Rich blackberry on the nose with alcohol that persists. Very high acidity with tannins that have resolved to near medium with age. The structure is nothing like the earlier tasting notes. Extremely fruit forward palate of primarily blackberry and a heavy-handed approach to the oak. Silky texture with well integrated alcohol for a luxurious mouthfeel. Strange residual sugar component in a fresh fruit style like a Bandol, rather than a Port. Beautiful wine on the approach, then the heavy oak and excessive sugar kicks in, making it challenging to like this wine. The good acidity worked with a coffee-rubbed rib eye steak that also helped to mute the sweetness. I wonder if the balance is just off, from a wine that is past its drinking window?
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A huge wine for sure, but it's damn tasty. Still black as night with explosive Paso GSM style fruits on the nose, and blackberries, Tar, and licorice on the palate. Seriously full bodied but with a little shot of acidity to keep it drinkable. Still, AFWE peeps should run, not walk away from this wine. Bit of a tannic bite on the finish but I don't see much upside to holding this any longer. Drink up and enjoy if you've got any.
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Seriously good place right now. Fragrant & smooth. Tannins are medium, with notes of red & black berry, mocha, with terrific integration & balance. Thanks tacman!
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Mind blowing...seriously. The purity of the fruit is amazing. This bottle was silky smooth and very enjoyable young, much like most of the Booker wines I've had. If you have more than one bottle of this definitely open it now!
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On the sweet side for sure with very rich fruit. Hard to pair with food... maybe some BBQ? But the wine is delicious and the fruit it pure. Oak is kept in check with all the sweet fruit. Not a wine I want to drink often but a hedonistic pleasure as a change of pace.
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Decanted 4 hours. Gorgeous depth and quality to the California Grand Cru quality fruit but it is buried beneath excessive oak. A problem repeated throughout his entire '09 vintage. Even our grilled ribeye couldn't tame it. Aargh, so frustrating!
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Beautiful. Berry juice bomb. Really love how the Cab emerges here. Still a bit of heat which is why my rating is low. 2016 this will be 94 IMO. Booker does not disappoint!
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A big, rich, ripe and fruit-forward berry medley. Licorice and tobacco notes. Absolutely nothing subtle about this bottle but well done and excellent if you like the style. If it has changed any since the last bottle a year ago I didn't notice.
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Decanted 12 hours before consuming. It s impossible for me to rate this wine due to the still dominant oak which masks whatever is under it all and ties up the package with a dry tannic ribbon.
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Decanted in the glass for an hour; but it really opened up and came together after a further 45 to 50 minutes. A blend now in balance and in a great drinking window: 65% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 Petit Verdot, and 10% Grenache. Fully integrated, with each varietal contributing a nuance.
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Strong nose of dark fruit, earth tones and alcohol was present. Mod body with still some strong acid. A little strong on the alcohol and somewhat overwhelmed the fruit. Dark fruit, spices and cedar on the palate. Wine was good but not sure would get much better with time.
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15.5%. Inky, purple color. The nose was reluctant at first, but with air, it blossoms and showcases plummy, dark cherry notes. On the palate, the ripe cherry fruit melds with tart plum skin flavors and soil. This is medium bodied with good acidity and a tannic thread. The finish is long, but it has a fair amount of tannins. Overall, this is a wonderful blend of 65% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Verdot, and 10% Petite Syrah. The hedonistic fruit is balanced and hides the alcohol well.
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90 minute decant, ready to rock. Silk and round, glides straight to the mid-palate. Medium - long finish. A powerhouse, but not blowing out the palate. Very good now; I imagine it improves in another year or two.
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Wow. What an incredible wine. Decanted for about 1-1/2 hours. Explosive nose. Full mouth of flavors. Light to medium tannin. Fairly smooth and drinking very well now but will last for several more years. Great finish.
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This is an incredibly well made wine. For me, I like bigger and bolder. It gets a little soft around the edges - Booker's higher % Syrah are even more to my liking.
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Rich and fantstically smooth for such a brash wine. Alcohol somewhat obvious on the nose, but more integrated on the palate. If this wine can't convince me that Syrah and CS go well together, than I'm done searching. I can't recommend at the price.
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Decanted through a Vinturi 10 hours prior to tasting. Dark and mostly brooding despite the 10% grenache's attempt to lighten things up. I did not really enjoy the flavors produced by this blend all that much. Solidly built, the tannin is still too bullying at this point. I don't know, it just seemed like the wine was sullen, in a bad mood, the flavors in-fighting.
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Tasted after an hour in a decanter. Very rich, ripe, dark fruit nose. The unusual varietal combination leads to an unusual flavor profile. Black fruit, red fruit, anise, smooth, excellent and a touch exotic is about as close as I can get. It's big but in a masterfully controlled way. Superb if you like the style. Enough tannins to keep it going for awhile but I like this one a lot right now.
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Nearly speechless... dark, bold, and beautiful. Expressive, deep black berry draws to burnt sugar, and some tobacco, like cuban style on the finish. You want the finish to last forever, and it almost delivers there as well. It goes with food, but it sings a solo so well on it's own. Thanks again Booker for a unique experience!
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Opened and aired 30+ minutes (poured via Vinturi, for what that's worth). Very nice combination of dark and red fruit. Tannins softened with a little time, and heat faded quickly. Very enjoyable, and a little bit "different".
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Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Needs a few years, but I am not sure how much that will do as it is just very heat and huge dark fruits. I think for this style of wine, you can do better than the '09 Bookers. Maybe the recent vintages are stepping up given praise but I am struggling a bit with these.
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Beautiful and complex mouthful of ripe plums, chocolate, warm pumpkin pie, fuscia and nectarines. Oak and mineral notes notes were present but restrained. Loads of unique fun flavors, yet still wonderfully elegant.
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Gave this bottle about 4 hours to decant before drinking. Much improved over the bottle I had a year ago. Great balanced with the right amount of acidity and oak. Dark purple in color with wonderful dark fruits on the palate. Not a long finish but enough to make you remember.
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Deep ruby color with a slight haze. This is a full-bodied, off-dry and lively Syrah, Cab, Petit Verdot and Grenache blend. I tasted caramel, chocolate, pepper and licorice, which suggests that the Cab dominates this wine at least now. Overall, a delicious wine.
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Been open since yesterday afternoon. In a decanter for 10 hours or so then put back in the bottle until this morning. 15.5% ABV. I normally don't note the blend, but this is a fairly interesting blend of 65% Syrah, 15% Cab Sauv, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Grenache.
Gorgeous nose of ripe plum, strawberry, florals, vanilla, smokey spices, but I feel like most of this gets lost in the palate. Also very tannic, and noticeable alcohol to me in aroma and palate. Interestingly, its like the Syrah and Grenache is mainly dominating the nose, but very tannic Petit Verdot really comes through in the palate.
It feels a bit like two separate wines to me...I love the nose but don't feel the same about the palate. This is my last bottle, otherwise I'd probably cellar it for a while longer and see if these components integrate. 92+
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Fresh, ground cinnamon on nose. Luscious layers of raspberry and red currant. Pipe smoke and asian spice on a finish that goes on seemingly 60 + seconds. Has the backbone to cellar for 7-10 years. Tasting fine now and will only get better.
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Popped and poured at local restaurant. Beautiful nose with plenty of red fruit, sweet tobacco and a dusty character. Lush mouthfeel. Red and black fruit, chocolate, smoked meat and leather notes on the palate. Enjoyed this a lot.
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Juicy, rich, thick, fruity, a tremendous wine. Still young and emerging but this is fantastic wine with a finish that stands for at least a minute maybe longer and just keeps your mouth watering. Aromas of earth, berries, dark fruit, cherries, leather, tobacco, and on the palate initially tobacco and leather and evolving to cherries and raspberries. A dark purple in color I can't recommend this wine highly enough, I am drinking this with other people and they have very similar thoughts. Booker wines never disappoint.
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15.5% ABV. Opaque dark garnet in the glass. Sweet vanilla, leather, and oak nose. Full bodied ripe red berry fruit palate. Pretty good, but it didn't get excited about it.
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A spur of the moment pull from the cellar. A little young perhaps but I was curious about this wine. My initial impression was BLACK! Both in color and in taste. Lots of dark fruits and some stone notes. This was pretty tight and I am sure it would have benefited with some additional air time. The quality and complexity however, was not hidden. I have one more that I will let sleep awhile longer.
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Put to the test up against a Reva. This one clearly outperformed. Beautiful, balanced and mouth coating with pure fruit and soft tannins. Sorry no specifics in this tasting note but drank during a wonderful dinner with friends thus no time for specifics.
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Similar to last experience - lovely aromatics with sweet cherry blossoms and Twizzlers joined by a touch of cinnamon and oak. Red cherries and plums in vanilla cream on the palate with white pepper and cinnamon. This enters somewhat delicately but expands considerably as it crosses the palate. While a big wine with good depth, this is also elegantly constructed but it's currently subdued as it's draped in a robe of oak. Good length but for now the oak runs parallel to the fruit stiffling it a bit. This needs a few years yet.
After 24 hrs, the cherry/plum fruit is more accessable and lots of mocha emerges but the oak really coats the palate. Like some of the other '09 Bookers, this seems overly oaked presently.
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Decanted 5 hours. Fruit & Alcohol! Right in your face. Smell The alcohol, and taste it at the end too. Blueberry and plum, vanilla. I will wait a while on the second one because it needs it, just not sure the age will allow it to develop more complexity rather than tame the alcohol and oak.
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Similar tasting notes except sweetness and slight spritsiness of grenache poking through, fruit became more expansive and better integrated 24 hours after opening
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Big fan after visiting tasting room last year. was worried about possible heat, decanted 3 hours and did not notice at all. dark fruit on the palate, very nice plum. syrah does not overpower the cab and petite verdot. very nice wine
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I loved this wine, but i realize it's not for everyone....and it's very young. Big fruit both on the nose and pallet. This will get more sophisticated with age. If you like big fruit then you'll enjoy this. I plan to hold the second bottle for a year or more, can't wait to see how it develops.
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Put in the decanter and started to drink right away over the course of two hours. Aroma of black cherry. Taste has dark fruit - I said to my wife that it is like putting five blackberries in your mouth at once...and she added that it is also like having cherry cola following it. Very big, I can definitely see this needing more time, but I needed to reduce inventory. I would definitely recommend holding off a bit, another year at least.
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Decanted and drunk over four hours. Opaque, almost black. Plum, radish, and burnt strawberries on the nose; some heat. Weighty and viscous. Dark plum, black raspberry cassis and smoked bacon on the palate. No heat and incredible length. One of the longest finishes I can remember, which makes me wonder about some of the previous notes. Little experience with wines of this quality and I will buy more from this producer because the quality is undeniable. Paired wonderfully with grilled lamb chops.
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Garnet and ruby edges with med-heavy viscosity in the glass. Blueberry, bramble and cocoa powder on the nose. Blueberry, plum and heat on the palate. Tight. Med-long finish. Good quality, but immemorable.
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REALLY tight, lots of fruit, oak and extraction though. This needs a couple years to be really approachable, the decant now helps, but doesn't do it justice.
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Wow, I am thoroughly impressed, especially after my negative experience with the 2009 Fracture. The 2009 Alchemist is immediately distinctive from the nose with rich, yet bright vanilla and blueberry, plum and blackberry. The midpalate is intensely rich and mouthcoating with strawberry, plum and blackberry jam followed by a savory tar and game, morphing into a mocha laced finish. Brilliant!!!
Tasted again on 11/11 with consistent results. Really amazing wine from Booker. I wish their other 2009's were this good!
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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Rich, delicious blackberry fruit with black olive and moca flavors, a little candied, excellent structure and texture, heat of wine thins the roundness of fruit, finish is a litte short
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Popped and poured, big ginourmous aroma up front, great big black fruit, just too much wine for most food, but we happened to make super salty, buttered 2 inch thick rib eyes and sourdough bread and it worked? After about 2 hours it settled down, could really use about 4 hours out of bottle, and since I have one more bottle I am going to give it at least 3 more years!
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Couldn't keep my hands off this...had to try it. Very nice bottle for the style. Big, explosive candy fruit, lots of alcohol but a nice finish. Doesn't really go well with food, but great for a tasting or after dinner.
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At Booker annual party. Freshly bottled. Aromatically explosive with red cherry, twizzlers, white pepper, and cinnamon. Round and rich, fruit forward style but with some good depth and more of the red cherries, twizzlers, and white pepper on palate with some nice tannins. Very nice bottle of wine. 90+
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5/17/2024 - RedFilth Likes this wine: 92 Points
Singing. After a couple of hours in the decanter this was gorgeous, black fruits, medium + tannin and long finish. This has a few years ahead, shame this was my last bottle.
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3/23/2020 - bablues wrote: 93 Points
This is quite nice. The nose is blue fruit with violets and cherry coke. The palate is filled with more blueberries and a bit of cigar ash. At first open, the mid=palate seemed a bit thin, but that has evolved into a more rich, blue fruit blast that coasts the mouth. Good acidity and bright finish that lasts quite a while. This is excellent, but the blue fruit domination keeps it from reaching the elite levels IMO. For the price, sign me up for more.
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4/14/2019 - bablues wrote: 93 Points
Very big wine. Some dark fruits on the nose but not getting much more than that. The taste is explosive with blueberries, pepper and tobacco. The finish is also very spicy with a long mouthfeel. This is right on par with my expectations for this and interested to see where my last bottle with end up.
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4/11/2019 - Montana Likes this wine: 94 Points
Every Booker wine I've ever opened proved to be superliative. This one is no exception - great depth, wonderful fruit taste and a balance between tannins and acidity.
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3/13/2019 - mvande21 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderfully balanced Syrah dominant blend. Dark, deep, rich black fruits. Perfectly integrated tannins. Smooth, with a long finish.
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1/29/2019 - HOS wrote: 88 Points
PnP. Just didn’t come together for me. No fruit and not much else. Just blah.
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1/6/2019 - millerarner wrote: 93 Points
Big, big, big, but avoids being clumsy or overbearing. Could use a pinch more acidity to keep things lively, but that’s borderline nitpicking. The nose is a bit restrained, particularly considering how flavorful it is in the mouth. For a 9+ year old, it’s showing quite young. Overall a great cocktail wine.
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12/14/2018 - A6Rover Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still thinking about this wine two weeks later. So happy to have cellared this wine for a decent amount of time. I've long loved the French syrah-heavy blends and I was pleased that this one added something to the conversation. A few weeks out, the main lasting impression was how elegant this was (yes, still a brute but an elegant one... like 007). PnP (well, maybe an hour decant)
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11/1/2018 - wiscgrad wrote: 93 Points
delicious, round and sexy. not sure I could pick this as syrah in a blind tasting, but who cares when its this tasty.
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4/20/2018 - signotim wrote: 92 Points
I enjoyed this bottle much more than the first one I had 3 years ago. It's a classic Paso wine with gobs of dark fruit. But the oak was much more in balance, the fruit had purity and freshness, and the finish lingered nicely. Drinking beautifully now.
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1/27/2018 - djlevin wrote: 89 Points
Inky dark purple in color. Rich blackberry on the nose with alcohol that persists. Very high acidity with tannins that have resolved to near medium with age. The structure is nothing like the earlier tasting notes. Extremely fruit forward palate of primarily blackberry and a heavy-handed approach to the oak. Silky texture with well integrated alcohol for a luxurious mouthfeel. Strange residual sugar component in a fresh fruit style like a Bandol, rather than a Port. Beautiful wine on the approach, then the heavy oak and excessive sugar kicks in, making it challenging to like this wine. The good acidity worked with a coffee-rubbed rib eye steak that also helped to mute the sweetness. I wonder if the balance is just off, from a wine that is past its drinking window?
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1/5/2018 - RichEB1 wrote: 90 Points
A huge wine for sure, but it's damn tasty. Still black as night with explosive Paso GSM style fruits on the nose, and blackberries, Tar, and licorice on the palate. Seriously full bodied but with a little shot of acidity to keep it drinkable. Still, AFWE peeps should run, not walk away from this wine. Bit of a tannic bite on the finish but I don't see much upside to holding this any longer. Drink up and enjoy if you've got any.
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11/23/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just fantastic. Sweet briery dark raspberry. Tannins have subsided somewhat. Some residual sugar here? Loved it, knock out nose
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8/6/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit unbalanced toward the blackcurrant note, but otherwise tasty.
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12/5/2015 - johnny1206 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good. Great flavors, smooth tannins, nice lasting finish.
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11/26/2015 - pdemaio wrote: 91 Points
Sweet and fruity. This is a big, over the top beast.
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10/14/2015 - wadcorp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Seriously good place right now. Fragrant & smooth. Tannins are medium, with notes of red & black berry, mocha, with terrific integration & balance. Thanks tacman!
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9/30/2015 - Montana Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was an amazingly good, rich but but very smooth wine. Wish I had a lot more.
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9/15/2015 - Corrie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Flavor and balance excellent right now.
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7/19/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Best Burger Event, Monthly Tasting Group (Jason and Tracy's, Mpls, MN): Sweet ripe fruit, fairly well balanced, not over the top at this point, very dark fruit, firm tannins. Can hold on a bit more.
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7/3/2015 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful. Tannin aged nicely but has more time to improve.
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6/13/2015 - sterin wrote: 96 Points
Mind blowing...seriously. The purity of the fruit is amazing. This bottle was silky smooth and very enjoyable young, much like most of the Booker wines I've had. If you have more than one bottle of this definitely open it now!
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5/4/2015 - signotim wrote: 89 Points
On the sweet side for sure with very rich fruit. Hard to pair with food... maybe some BBQ? But the wine is delicious and the fruit it pure. Oak is kept in check with all the sweet fruit. Not a wine I want to drink often but a hedonistic pleasure as a change of pace.
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4/11/2015 - Redguy wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Gorgeous depth and quality to the California Grand Cru quality fruit but it is buried beneath excessive oak. A problem repeated throughout his entire '09 vintage. Even our grilled ribeye couldn't tame it. Aargh, so frustrating!
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2/22/2015 - Brandovious wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful. Berry juice bomb. Really love how the Cab emerges here. Still a bit of heat which is why my rating is low. 2016 this will be 94 IMO. Booker does not disappoint!
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11/1/2014 - gfm10 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow!
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10/5/2014 - Surfdoc wrote: 91 Points
Big, lush, full body with ripe dark fruit and moderate oak.
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9/18/2014 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
A big, rich, ripe and fruit-forward berry medley. Licorice and tobacco notes. Absolutely nothing subtle about this bottle but well done and excellent if you like the style. If it has changed any since the last bottle a year ago I didn't notice.
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7/14/2014 - jeagle wrote:
Decanted 12 hours before consuming. It s impossible for me to rate this wine due to the still dominant oak which masks whatever is under it all and ties up the package with a dry tannic ribbon.
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6/7/2014 - JohnnyShiraz Likes this wine: 92 Points
15.5% ABV
94 WA, 93 WS, 92 IWC, 545 cases
65% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Tempranillo, 5% Grenache
I decanted for 2 hours, but it still did not show. IMHO opening any time before 2016 is a waste. Please wait, it will be worth it.
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5/3/2014 - ELH wrote: 93 Points
Decanted in the glass for an hour; but it really opened up and came together after a further 45 to 50 minutes. A blend now in balance and in a great drinking window: 65% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 Petit Verdot, and 10% Grenache. Fully integrated, with each varietal contributing a nuance.
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3/8/2014 - West Coast Wine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Strong nose of dark fruit, earth tones and alcohol was present. Mod body with still some strong acid. A little strong on the alcohol and somewhat overwhelmed the fruit. Dark fruit, spices and cedar on the palate. Wine was good but not sure would get much better with time.
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3/8/2014 - Meerlust wrote:
15.5%. Inky, purple color. The nose was reluctant at first, but with air, it blossoms and showcases plummy, dark cherry notes. On the palate, the ripe cherry fruit melds with tart plum skin flavors and soil. This is medium bodied with good acidity and a tannic thread. The finish is long, but it has a fair amount of tannins. Overall, this is a wonderful blend of 65% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Verdot, and 10% Petite Syrah. The hedonistic fruit is balanced and hides the alcohol well.
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3/8/2014 - jwolniak Likes this wine: 93 Points
90 minute decant, ready to rock. Silk and round, glides straight to the mid-palate. Medium - long finish. A powerhouse, but not blowing out the palate. Very good now; I imagine it improves in another year or two.
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2/26/2014 - mojowine wrote: 94 Points
Awesome wine! Took less than an hour to open up.
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2/15/2014 - PinotPaul wrote: 93 Points
Wow. What an incredible wine. Decanted for about 1-1/2 hours. Explosive nose. Full mouth of flavors. Light to medium tannin. Fairly smooth and drinking very well now but will last for several more years. Great finish.
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1/18/2014 - spidersva Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is an incredibly well made wine. For me, I like bigger and bolder. It gets a little soft around the edges - Booker's higher % Syrah are even more to my liking.
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12/23/2013 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich and fantstically smooth for such a brash wine. Alcohol somewhat obvious on the nose, but more integrated on the palate. If this wine can't convince me that Syrah and CS go well together, than I'm done searching. I can't recommend at the price.
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12/14/2013 - wrm Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deeply pitched dark fruit with gentle tannins.
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11/29/2013 - Castle Peak wrote: 93 Points
Wine of the night on Thanksgiving. Fabulous.
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11/19/2013 - jeagle wrote: 91 Points
Decanted through a Vinturi 10 hours prior to tasting. Dark and mostly brooding despite the 10% grenache's attempt to lighten things up. I did not really enjoy the flavors produced by this blend all that much. Solidly built, the tannin is still too bullying at this point. I don't know, it just seemed like the wine was sullen, in a bad mood, the flavors in-fighting.
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10/13/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Tasted after an hour in a decanter. Very rich, ripe, dark fruit nose. The unusual varietal combination leads to an unusual flavor profile. Black fruit, red fruit, anise, smooth, excellent and a touch exotic is about as close as I can get. It's big but in a masterfully controlled way. Superb if you like the style. Enough tannins to keep it going for awhile but I like this one a lot right now.
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10/7/2013 - mpricher wrote: 93 Points
Nearly speechless... dark, bold, and beautiful. Expressive, deep black berry draws to burnt sugar, and some tobacco, like cuban style on the finish. You want the finish to last forever, and it almost delivers there as well. It goes with food, but it sings a solo so well on it's own. Thanks again Booker for a unique experience!
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9/9/2013 - 2loyal Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and aired 30+ minutes (poured via Vinturi, for what that's worth). Very nice combination of dark and red fruit. Tannins softened with a little time, and heat faded quickly. Very enjoyable, and a little bit "different".
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7/18/2013 - cpsmith33 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and drank over 3 hours. Needs a few years, but I am not sure how much that will do as it is just very heat and huge dark fruits. I think for this style of wine, you can do better than the '09 Bookers. Maybe the recent vintages are stepping up given praise but I am struggling a bit with these.
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6/16/2013 - TPowe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine!! Showing well now after being open for 30+ minutes, but should age nicely for the next 5 years. Booker always delivers.
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4/2/2013 - Castle Peak wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful and complex mouthful of ripe plums, chocolate, warm pumpkin pie, fuscia and nectarines. Oak and mineral notes notes were present but restrained. Loads of unique fun flavors, yet still wonderfully elegant.
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3/1/2013 - UofM Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gave this bottle about 4 hours to decant before drinking. Much improved over the bottle I had a year ago. Great balanced with the right amount of acidity and oak. Dark purple in color with wonderful dark fruits on the palate. Not a long finish but enough to make you remember.
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1/19/2013 - Ltomanek wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby color with a slight haze. This is a full-bodied, off-dry and lively Syrah, Cab, Petit Verdot and Grenache blend. I tasted caramel, chocolate, pepper and licorice, which suggests that the Cab dominates this wine at least now. Overall, a delicious wine.
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12/24/2012 - wineberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Been open since yesterday afternoon. In a decanter for 10 hours or so then put back in the bottle until this morning. 15.5% ABV. I normally don't note the blend, but this is a fairly interesting blend of 65% Syrah, 15% Cab Sauv, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Grenache.
Gorgeous nose of ripe plum, strawberry, florals, vanilla, smokey spices, but I feel like most of this gets lost in the palate. Also very tannic, and noticeable alcohol to me in aroma and palate. Interestingly, its like the Syrah and Grenache is mainly dominating the nose, but very tannic Petit Verdot really comes through in the palate.
It feels a bit like two separate wines to me...I love the nose but don't feel the same about the palate. This is my last bottle, otherwise I'd probably cellar it for a while longer and see if these components integrate. 92+
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7/29/2012 - raydawgone wrote: 94 Points
Fresh, ground cinnamon on nose. Luscious layers of raspberry and red currant. Pipe smoke and asian spice on a finish that goes on seemingly 60 + seconds. Has the backbone to cellar for 7-10 years. Tasting fine now and will only get better.
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7/21/2012 - The Wine Write wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured at local restaurant. Beautiful nose with plenty of red fruit, sweet tobacco and a dusty character. Lush mouthfeel. Red and black fruit, chocolate, smoked meat and leather notes on the palate. Enjoyed this a lot.
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7/15/2012 - bzell wrote: 95 Points
Juicy, rich, thick, fruity, a tremendous wine. Still young and emerging but this is fantastic wine with a finish that stands for at least a minute maybe longer and just keeps your mouth watering. Aromas of earth, berries, dark fruit, cherries, leather, tobacco, and on the palate initially tobacco and leather and evolving to cherries and raspberries. A dark purple in color I can't recommend this wine highly enough, I am drinking this with other people and they have very similar thoughts. Booker wines never disappoint.
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5/26/2012 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 92 Points
15.5% ABV. Opaque dark garnet in the glass. Sweet vanilla, leather, and oak nose. Full bodied ripe red berry fruit palate. Pretty good, but it didn't get excited about it.
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4/28/2012 - S2 wrote: 93 Points
A spur of the moment pull from the cellar. A little young perhaps but I was curious about this wine. My initial impression was BLACK! Both in color and in taste. Lots of dark fruits and some stone notes. This was pretty tight and I am sure it would have benefited with some additional air time. The quality and complexity however, was not hidden. I have one more that I will let sleep awhile longer.
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3/17/2012 - Cperkins2 wrote: 87 Points
Still one of the best paso wines.
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3/16/2012 - J-Sho wrote: 94 Points
Put to the test up against a Reva. This one clearly outperformed. Beautiful, balanced and mouth coating with pure fruit and soft tannins. Sorry no specifics in this tasting note but drank during a wonderful dinner with friends thus no time for specifics.
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2/28/2012 - ddsolomon2000 wrote: 93 Points
Spectacular wine. Rich nose, well balanced. I wish I could get more.
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2/25/2012 - Redguy wrote: 90 Points
Similar to last experience - lovely aromatics with sweet cherry blossoms and Twizzlers joined by a touch of cinnamon and oak. Red cherries and plums in vanilla cream on the palate with white pepper and cinnamon. This enters somewhat delicately but expands considerably as it crosses the palate. While a big wine with good depth, this is also elegantly constructed but it's currently subdued as it's draped in a robe of oak. Good length but for now the oak runs parallel to the fruit stiffling it a bit. This needs a few years yet.
After 24 hrs, the cherry/plum fruit is more accessable and lots of mocha emerges but the oak really coats the palate. Like some of the other '09 Bookers, this seems overly oaked presently.
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2/10/2012 - cpsmith33 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 5 hours. Fruit & Alcohol! Right in your face. Smell The alcohol, and taste it at the end too. Blueberry and plum, vanilla. I will wait a while on the second one because it needs it, just not sure the age will allow it to develop more complexity rather than tame the alcohol and oak.
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2/1/2012 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Similar tasting notes except sweetness and slight spritsiness of grenache poking through, fruit became more expansive and better integrated 24 hours after opening
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1/30/2012 - russdan60 wrote: 93 Points
Solid wine. Nice texture and finish. Popped and poured. I got no heat at all. Excellent.
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1/23/2012 - cwdent10 wrote:
Big fan after visiting tasting room last year. was worried about possible heat, decanted 3 hours and did not notice at all. dark fruit on the palate, very nice plum. syrah does not overpower the cab and petite verdot. very nice wine
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1/19/2012 - Swise73 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I loved this wine, but i realize it's not for everyone....and it's very young. Big fruit both on the nose and pallet. This will get more sophisticated with age. If you like big fruit then you'll enjoy this. I plan to hold the second bottle for a year or more, can't wait to see how it develops.
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1/14/2012 - Wine Sparty wrote: 88 Points
Put in the decanter and started to drink right away over the course of two hours. Aroma of black cherry. Taste has dark fruit - I said to my wife that it is like putting five blackberries in your mouth at once...and she added that it is also like having cherry cola following it. Very big, I can definitely see this needing more time, but I needed to reduce inventory. I would definitely recommend holding off a bit, another year at least.
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12/24/2011 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted and drunk over four hours. Opaque, almost black. Plum, radish, and burnt strawberries on the nose; some heat. Weighty and viscous. Dark plum, black raspberry cassis and smoked bacon on the palate. No heat and incredible length. One of the longest finishes I can remember, which makes me wonder about some of the previous notes. Little experience with wines of this quality and I will buy more from this producer because the quality is undeniable. Paired wonderfully with grilled lamb chops.
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11/12/2011 - christophee Likes this wine: 89 Points
Garnet and ruby edges with med-heavy viscosity in the glass. Blueberry, bramble and cocoa powder on the nose. Blueberry, plum and heat on the palate. Tight. Med-long finish. Good quality, but immemorable.
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10/28/2011 - BradboBaggins wrote:
REALLY tight, lots of fruit, oak and extraction though. This needs a couple years to be really approachable, the decant now helps, but doesn't do it justice.
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10/14/2011 - Gestalted wrote: 94 Points
Wow, I am thoroughly impressed, especially after my negative experience with the 2009 Fracture. The 2009 Alchemist is immediately distinctive from the nose with rich, yet bright vanilla and blueberry, plum and blackberry. The midpalate is intensely rich and mouthcoating with strawberry, plum and blackberry jam followed by a savory tar and game, morphing into a mocha laced finish. Brilliant!!!
Tasted again on 11/11 with consistent results. Really amazing wine from Booker. I wish their other 2009's were this good!
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Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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10/7/2011 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Rich, delicious blackberry fruit with black olive and moca flavors, a little candied, excellent structure and texture, heat of wine thins the roundness of fruit, finish is a litte short
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9/24/2011 - Deckerd wrote:
Popped and poured, big ginourmous aroma up front, great big black fruit, just too much wine for most food, but we happened to make super salty, buttered 2 inch thick rib eyes and sourdough bread and it worked? After about 2 hours it settled down, could really use about 4 hours out of bottle, and since I have one more bottle I am going to give it at least 3 more years!
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7/26/2011 - melli0 wrote: 91 Points
Couldn't keep my hands off this...had to try it. Very nice bottle for the style. Big, explosive candy fruit, lots of alcohol but a nice finish. Doesn't really go well with food, but great for a tasting or after dinner.
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6/11/2011 - Redguy wrote: 90 Points
At Booker annual party. Freshly bottled. Aromatically explosive with red cherry, twizzlers, white pepper, and cinnamon. Round and rich, fruit forward style but with some good depth and more of the red cherries, twizzlers, and white pepper on palate with some nice tannins. Very nice bottle of wine. 90+
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