Second bottle a year after the first and initially it seemed pretty much the same as bottle #1...a bit out of balance and a lot of green Grenache flavors. But this time a couple hours did a lot for the wine: the acidity moderated and the wine came into much more balance and the finish developed with a bit of fruit on the end but most of all a nice medium strength black tea tannin that was impressively long lasting. From this bottle my conclusion is that any of us drinking the wine now are drinking this wine a couple years too early.
First tasting - 83 again; but last tasting - 86 ---I'll give this one the benefit and give it the overall 86, saying it needs to 1 have significantly more bottle time, or 2 be decanted before drinking, or 3 opened for at least a couple hours to get its flavor potential.
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Really went down hill since it was delivered. This bottle was unremarkable, some plum flavors, didn't change much with a day being open. Past its prime I think.
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Deep dark red with floral and red fruit aromas. It was a little acidic, rich with red fruit on the palate. It had a clean, easy, medium finish. This is fully mature.
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Deep dark red fruit bomb that explodes but has little structure other than acidity that makes things out of balance. Did not impove with time. I did not dislike this wine but I did not like it either. I have one more bottle which I will drink in a few months to give it a second chance
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PnP. Yet another example of a Parker-must-smoke-crack wine review. 90 points? Are you smoking...uh...OK, I already said that Parker must be smoking crack. This stuff is honestly vile. Wicked, wicked pyrazine. STRONG basil bouquet. Strong. Basil. Like SERIOUS basil. Weird, weird note. Don't know if I have gotten it before on a wine. And oregano. Unbelievable green notes. Tomato. It's like I'm in an Italian kitchen, but without the good wine.
Palate continues a lot of the same. Strong tannins, good acid, but the pyrazine just overwhelms everything else. It's like chewing on a mud, green pepper, basil, mint and oregano sandwich. With a little sweet blue fruit and a lot of alcohol heat on the back end. Blech. Unfortunately, I bought a case in the hype. Luckily, I only paid 2.99 a bottle. The rest are going out as gifts for people who won't notice or care how bad it is.
(p.s. - if you read this and I gave you a bottle as a gift, this tasting note was intended as satire and as a means to scare off anyone else who might try to buy it up from under me. Seriously. I gave this wine to you because I value our friendship and this wine, just like you, means a lot to me.)
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Complex and savory on the nose with notes of milk chocolate, dusty earth and dried red fruit. Medium bodied on the palate, silky upon entry, but with some serious grippy tannins on the backside.
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Sorry but I found this utterly undrinkable. Stunk like a week old wet rag and didn't taste much different though I have to admit I don't speak from experience relative to the comparator. I let it sit in the decanter for an hour, no change. Let it sit over, no change. It pretty much gave off the same aroma going down the drain.
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Medium bodied with straightforward black fruit flavors, tasted again after 18 hours to see if anything interesting developed but without positive results.
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This is a wonderful Rhone-style blend, at a fantastic QPR. Deep red color, rich Grenache-based flavor and perfectly complementary tannins. One of the finest house reds I've encountered!
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Great QPR, although perhaps not for everyone. The wine is purple without a hint of clouds, the nose is fresh and maybe a bit floral, I get a lot of minerals in the flavor, limestone, but also very light. This wine doesn't linger, a nice refreshing red if you like your refreshing reds without fruit.
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11/18/2015 - rsed Does not like this wine: 80 Points
was not at all impressed, thought it was over the hill a bit
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3/22/2014 - wtianseter wrote: 86 Points
Second bottle a year after the first and initially it seemed pretty much the same as bottle #1...a bit out of balance and a lot of green Grenache flavors. But this time a couple hours did a lot for the wine: the acidity moderated and the wine came into much more balance and the finish developed with a bit of fruit on the end but most of all a nice medium strength black tea tannin that was impressively long lasting. From this bottle my conclusion is that any of us drinking the wine now are drinking this wine a couple years too early.
First tasting - 83 again; but last tasting - 86 ---I'll give this one the benefit and give it the overall 86, saying it needs to 1 have significantly more bottle time, or 2 be decanted before drinking, or 3 opened for at least a couple hours to get its flavor potential.
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9/4/2013 - laetulos wrote: 84 Points
Really went down hill since it was delivered. This bottle was unremarkable, some plum flavors, didn't change much with a day being open. Past its prime I think.
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5/12/2013 - CieloVista wrote: 87 Points
I drank it a little cooler and more of the Granche came thru.
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4/28/2013 - Sidewalkshoes Likes this wine: 86 Points
Fruity, but not to sweet. Medium bodied. Very nice
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3/29/2013 - CieloVista wrote: 85 Points
Deep dark red with floral and red fruit aromas. It was a little acidic, rich with red fruit on the palate. It had a clean, easy, medium finish. This is fully mature.
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3/16/2013 - Young Panda wrote: 85 Points
2009. Mild and easy. Slightly acidic.
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2/22/2013 - wtianseter wrote: 83 Points
Deep dark red fruit bomb that explodes but has little structure other than acidity that makes things out of balance. Did not impove with time. I did not dislike this wine but I did not like it either. I have one more bottle which I will drink in a few months to give it a second chance
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2/20/2013 - gbanks Likes this wine: 88 Points
Always a solid QPR, and a perennial favorite here. Bit hotter than usual? I don't feel this is over the hill but I would drink up within the year.
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2/10/2013 - paul1064 wrote: 83 Points
dark cherry, heat, acidic, a bit syrupy ... perhaps past it's prime
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9/5/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Sweet and soft, no finish, raspberry, touch of tannin. For $9.99 at 90 points it will work. The "gourmet burger" wine.
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8/7/2012 - CaliCab wrote: 60 Points
PnP. Yet another example of a Parker-must-smoke-crack wine review. 90 points? Are you smoking...uh...OK, I already said that Parker must be smoking crack. This stuff is honestly vile. Wicked, wicked pyrazine. STRONG basil bouquet. Strong. Basil. Like SERIOUS basil. Weird, weird note. Don't know if I have gotten it before on a wine. And oregano. Unbelievable green notes. Tomato. It's like I'm in an Italian kitchen, but without the good wine.
Palate continues a lot of the same. Strong tannins, good acid, but the pyrazine just overwhelms everything else. It's like chewing on a mud, green pepper, basil, mint and oregano sandwich. With a little sweet blue fruit and a lot of alcohol heat on the back end. Blech. Unfortunately, I bought a case in the hype. Luckily, I only paid 2.99 a bottle. The rest are going out as gifts for people who won't notice or care how bad it is.
(p.s. - if you read this and I gave you a bottle as a gift, this tasting note was intended as satire and as a means to scare off anyone else who might try to buy it up from under me. Seriously. I gave this wine to you because I value our friendship and this wine, just like you, means a lot to me.)
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8/3/2012 - zinfomaniac wrote: 86 Points
First day was pretty good. Second day was better with a nice round silken mouth feel.
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3/21/2012 - wino_tim wrote: 87 Points
Complex and savory on the nose with notes of milk chocolate, dusty earth and dried red fruit. Medium bodied on the palate, silky upon entry, but with some serious grippy tannins on the backside.
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3/18/2012 - PBM wrote:
Sorry but I found this utterly undrinkable. Stunk like a week old wet rag and didn't taste much different though I have to admit I don't speak from experience relative to the comparator. I let it sit in the decanter for an hour, no change. Let it sit over, no change. It pretty much gave off the same aroma going down the drain.
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3/3/2012 - KBLEE wrote: 88 Points
Very enjoyable, well-balanced Rhone Blend. Deep purple in color. Fruit-forward, but not overly sweet. Medium finish.
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2/25/2012 - Advisingprincess wrote: 87 Points
Light tannins
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12/17/2011 - lockestep wrote: 83 Points
Medium bodied with straightforward black fruit flavors, tasted again after 18 hours to see if anything interesting developed but without positive results.
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10/20/2011 - patsox wrote: 91 Points
This is a wonderful Rhone-style blend, at a fantastic QPR. Deep red color, rich Grenache-based flavor and perfectly complementary tannins. One of the finest house reds I've encountered!
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9/12/2011 - laetulos wrote: 89 Points
Great QPR, although perhaps not for everyone. The wine is purple without a hint of clouds, the nose is fresh and maybe a bit floral, I get a lot of minerals in the flavor, limestone, but also very light. This wine doesn't linger, a nice refreshing red if you like your refreshing reds without fruit.
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