Garnet color Lots of black fruits in the nose, black cherries, black raspberries, blackberries, licorice, and hints of minerals, floral and herbalness. Deep, rich fruit in the flavor, blueberries and black currants. Complex, nice acidity, full bodied, very well balanced and a very long smooth finish.
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Tasted six times since 2014, when it was tight and tannic. Each bottle has gotten progressively better and more complex, and this one was perfect! Our last bottle. Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, jammy and a bit sweet. The tannin which was noticeable a year ago has resolved. The wine is mature and excellent...enjoy! Ric
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I didn't take good notes with this one, but I remember thinking it's good, but I've had better versions of Reva. Definitely would not say no to this as it's one of my favorite wines and producers. Cork was deeply stained and deep, deep purple. What gave me pause was the fruit wasn't as intense as I recall, but at 13 years can be expected. Still a good wine.
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Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, jammy and a bit sweet. The tannin which was noticeable a year ago has resolved. The wine is mature and excellent...enjoy! Ric
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Still drinking great and simply delicious. Big dark rich black fruit with a hint of tar. Velvety texture and beautiful ripe large scale fruit throughout. Enough structure and black spices to balance out the bold flavors. In a wonderful drinking window now.
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Dark reddish purple. Just loaded with blueberries and spice, richly concentrated, supporting acidity, nicely oaked, chocolate cherry and superbly long finish. Had over two nights.first with grilled filet mignon and with stroganoff
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Rich blackberry, mocha, and floral aromas with rich fruit and layers of complexity on the palate. The finish is long and mouth staining. Drinking beautifully!
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Decanted and it did not need it from an aeration standpoint but it did due to significant sediment. Last two bottles have had heavy sediment. Superb once strained. Another Alban beauty.
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Deep ruby color and opaque. On the PnP, the 09 Reva has heavy oak tones. With air, the tannins flatten out, but that new French oak is still a bit glossy on the nose after 90 minutes.
Aromatic profile of, boysenberry, black cherry liquor, dark plum and blueberry compote, and pencil shavings. The palate adds a hint of rose water and black pepper on the finish. Full scaled and expansive. High but not obtrusive alcohol. There are some subtle creamy lactic tones that weave into the fruit fabric.
The ripeness of this wine is hard to replicate. A slightly less rich man’s SQN. I suppose this will live forever.. but it’s good to drink now if next to something else with dominant flavors. A Flannery hanger steak worked just fine
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Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, jammy and a bit sweet. The tannin which was noticeable a year ago has resolved. The wine is mature and excellent...enjoy! Ric
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Big, ripe, juicy, youthful with solid structure but focused tannins and very approachable... powerful without being the least bit heavy. The fruit flavor profile is almost California Pinot, only bigger. Lots of strawberry. Quite nice.
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Pnp; nose had ripe blueberry, mint/menthol, violets, crushed rock, loads of dark fruit, young, fragrant and powerful. Palate matched with resolved tannin, ripe, balanced as the 15.5 abv is not really noticeable. Showing very well and stayed consistent throughout the evening so no rush but in a great spot.
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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.
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)
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)
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This wine is still performing at its peak at age eleven. The nose is aromatically pleasing, so fragrant. My palate was awakened to notes of blue and black fruit, with iodine, granite and garrigue. Northern Rhône meets central coast California. Amazing depth and texture. Layers of goodness throughout the entire bottle. Great juice!
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Deep Garnet color. Slow legs. There is light sediment in the bottle. The body is full with a leathery texture and a long finish. The wine has high acidity.
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big dark fruit. bramble, plum, savory, chewy. coated the mouth. needed a steak knife with this one! black in color. off the charts richness. long lingering sweet finish.
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The missus really likes this wine. Initially has a bit of Oz heat and menthol. With air becomes a plush rich full-bodied syrah with more than enough complex fruit. Huge finish.
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Blackberry, licorice and a touch of spice. Rich, sweet and full. If you like big wines this is right down the fairway. Superb tonight with grilled ribeyes.
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Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, but a bit too much tannin. Doubt it will improve with any more age, so enjoy. Ric
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A very nice bottle of wine but less so than the 08 and the 10. Still enjoyed it greatly but tasted in a vertical and this one was outshone by its siblings :-)
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Dark fruit, iodine, garrigue and an “X” performing like a Mozart concerto. Silky texture, the nose is so beautifully fragrant. The depth on the palate is simply amazing, lingering for 30 seconds. I believe this wine is at its peak, but can cruise for another hand full of years. Amazing juice!
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This wine is ready to rock. A solid 95 if not 95.5. The density of this wine is incredible. Rounded edges on the front and back. Fruit core of baked plum and fig that expresses right up front. Started to get a little bit of bell pepper, smoke and meaty Savory characteristics in the middle and towards the finish. Stood up very well to the peppers and paired quite nicely with the braised pork. I think this one could be held another five years as the fruit intensity up front is significant and rather youthful. But, I think this one is in such a good spot right now that you probably just want to go ahead and pop it!
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Robust with an equal amount of fruit and earth tones. Best after at least an hour decant. My impression was that it was getting old, but I have had less than 3 bottles of Reva. I wouldn't hesitate to drink one at 5-7 years of age to see the difference, although that horse has left the barn on the 09!
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I usually don't drink my Alban's this young, but I wanted to give this vintage a try. Pop-and-poured, it was dense and tightly wound, but still fantastic. Tons of sweet, bitter, smokey charred meats and savory, peppery charcuterie. The only drawback was that the 15.5% alcohol was a bit noticeable but it was not distracting. Yummy. This deserved to be paired with dry-rubbed smoked ribs.
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Not the best of Alban. Kind of vegetal. Still, the finish is unquestionably impressive at 45 seconds plus, and there is a robust minty and leathery type of experience that focuses the attention. Doesn’t live up to its price, but still a very enjoyable wine.
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Exotic and quasi-funky notes of wild black raspberry, blackberry, black olive, burnt embers, damp earth, bruised crimini mushroom, Zoe's ghost pepper uncured salami, sanguine, wet railroad tie, camphor, melted tar, coffee grounds, and hints of wet black rust. Some wet burnt underbrush appeared on the back end, along with the black olive note repeating.
This is fairly resolved at this point, but still carries a perfect amount of energy to carry the dark, ripe flavors across the palate. A beautiful array of interesting and unique flavors, holding interest throughout consumption. Medium-to full bodied, with notable depth and complexity. Aside from throwing off a fair amount of sediment (filter and decant if you can), this was a fabulous showing.
Drink now and over the next few years. 96+ points.
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Garnet-purple, opaque. Thick and viscous. Powerful black cherry and blackberry aromas with an acetic component but also a hint of prunes. Lots of concentrated fruit on the palate, plenty of tannin but not out of balance, mostly dark fruit flavors. None of the roasted meat or burnt wood components often associated with syrahs. Very long, viscous aftertaste. I'm a bit confused by the prune notes in the aroma, whether this is early maturity, but the flavors are rich and young. On balance, I'd wait another year to try one. Ric
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Wife opened this by mistake a few nights back...vacuumed sealed until tonight and had with grilled thick boneless ribeyes; deep red rich long legged great finish.
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My last bottle and shared at dinner with friends. This was our 3rd and final bottle of the night. Everyone agreed the best wine of night. Truly is a powerful wine.
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Consumed during a dinner party, so I didn’t have much time to get overly analytical by what was in my glass. Similar to my tasting note from April 2015, this is a dynamite expression of the Syrah grape. While unctuous and powerful, it has all of the right ingredients in all the right places with precision and symmetry. Much more white pepper on the finish this time, but it was not overpowering. Wonderful nose with a classic varietal long smooth finish that goes on for 60 seconds. This is hitting on all cylinders right now. Decanted 1 hour and then consumed over dinner.
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I used to find these the epitome of Syrah. Blue and black fruits, anise, cinnamon, cola.... Now they seem heavy, dense and unbalanced. I wish they had more pop, verve, something to zig to the heavy zag, but they don’t.
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A Powerful wine, certainly, but also balanced and nuanced. Blackberry and raspberry mix with tar and saline notes. Could use another year, but fantastic today
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Previous notes apply for the most part. Continue to hold another 8-12 months. Core fruit is quality, but still holding a little back. Exhibiting streaks of more red fruit than I usually associate with the Reva. Also started to develop some mushroom funk: interesting and a bit distracting at the same time.
I feel like this wine is currently in the process of redefining itself. 93-94? points this time around.
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I initially thought that this was too straight forward for the price. However it went down sooo well and sooo quickly, that it pushed me to re-evaluate. This was my first Alan, and it is a lovely wine. Almost too well made - totally integrated, fine tannins, deep red fruit. Mid to full mouthfeel. Good length finish. This has several more years to go. Nice!
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Had a bottle for Dinner @ Wine Cask in Santa Barbara. Dark ruby color, lots of red berries both on the palate and in the nose. Very silky tannins. Fruit bomb. Really enjoyed the wine. However some kind of marmelade taste on the palate and a lack of complexity made me only score it with 94 points.
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Similar to my previous notes. A little more higher toned black raspberry liqueur and Amarena Fabbri black cherry notes dominating the palate this time around. This particular bottle threw off a lot of sediment, which caused a bitter clip on the back end that struggled to fully dissipate. Missing some of the earth and olive notes frequently found in this wine. Decanted for four hours total. It needed more. Still amazingly full off life and complex vigor.
I'll continue to hold remaining bottles for another year longer. 96+ points.
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One of the best Syrah's in California. Massive, unctuous, velvety, fruit forward wine. I've only had this one vintage, but, I am truly impressed. There is no fluff here, just pure, beautiful fruit.
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95+ 2 hr decant- Solid wine, nose had lots of dark fruit and some black olive, moderate to high intensity. So much going on here, tannins are pretty fine, very velvety, rich mouthfeel, excellent balance. Minus the very abundant and ripe dark fruits this wasn't your stereotypical CA syrah.
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Wow, this is incredible! Not much else to say than what has already been posted here. A hugely rich and creamy wine with blackberry and blueberry liqueur, fantastic structure and balance throughout with a long finish. Beautiful wine!
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From magnum on Fathers Day. Dark purple to the rim, full bodied. Aromas of leather, roasted meat, bacon, blueberry jam. Good balance of acidity, fruit, tannin. Structured, large and complex without being ponderous. Especially in large format, this has a very long life ahead. Signature John Alban.
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Nose is rich in fruit and hints of leather. First sip, wow, so tasty this minute, I hit this in its peak. Perfect taste of black fruit and dark slow cooked meat crust, goes down leaving a big smile in its wake. For just a brief instant, the tannins say hi, than more memories of dark berries and hints of leather. If you have one of these beauties, don't wait another moment, enjoy.
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PnP with amazing ready-to-go flavors of deep, exotic red, purple, and black berry fruit, black raspberry liqueur, beautiful charred oak and scorched earth, olive tapenade (but not the overly salty kind), vanilla, earth, and subtle spice. I was hovering in the 96-97 point range, while my other half instantly went to the 100 point mark.
Three+ hours in the decanter brought about even more nuanced flavors, further enhancing the olive, earth, briquette, and subtle loam and spice notes. The purity of fruit in this wine was most notable, with a mid-palate that was perfectly enveloping.
One of the best Revas I've ever had. One of the best domestic Syrahs I've ever had, with a finesse that had me struggling to find any flaws.
99 points in the final sips, with a three digit score possible in a year or so. In a near-perfect drinking window now with a short decant.
I'll hold my remaining bottles until early/mid 2017.
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What a way to celebrate my sisters 60th BD...3 course filet mignon dinners with a mag of this full bodied long legged & balanced syrah...2 hour decant allowed this well rounded & polished big boy to sing; no need to rush to drink the remaining 6 bottles as this will get better with more cellar time
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Decanted 3 hours and drank over 3 - improving throughout the evening. Great - deep, dark blue & black fruits, smoke and tar, spice and other mole negro kind of flavors. Balanced throughout but with an expansive finish. May get better but will drink through mine early!
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A great bottle of wine. Sweet black cherry and raspberry aromas with a very pretty melting asphalt aroma. On the palate all these flavors follow through with lots of black spices and a bit of dark chocolate. Deep and creamy texture, yet has plenty of structure and support. A truly delicious bottle that is packed with dense flavors without going over the top. Crowd favorite tonight as this magnum evaporated before I could even get a third glass, lol.
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Dark purple. Not sure California Syrah can get much better than this. Smells like black raspberry cobbler just out of the oven. The palate is black raspberry , blueberry, chocolate cherry with vanilla. The tannins are there balancing the fruit, mineral notes are present and add to the complexity. Will have to taste this blind against Shafer Relentless. Massive finish. Impressive!
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This was drank at The Paris Club in Chicago with friends. It was opened for about 2 hours prior to drinking but not decanted. It was consumed as the last bottle at the end of a night in which 10 were opened so notes are hard to recall with all details. The wine was clear and deep red in colour with quite a noticeable amount of caramel in the glass. The spices were quite mild and both the tannins and acidity were nicely balanced.
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US Wine Dinner with Friends (Paris Club - Chicago IL): Open several hours before serving. Reductive start that never really went away. Extremely ripe beyond the level I find enjoyable. I'm rarely a big Alban fan, and the fact that this bottle was on several airline flights, traveling 2000 miles in the past week surely did not help.
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Most memorable and remarkable Syrah I have ever tasted and one I won't soon forget. There is a tremendous amount going on with this wine. Super extracted, dark garnet in the glass. Beautiful nose of cola, stone fruits, essence of rose. Fully integrated lush and velvety tannins, coat the palate and the finish went on and on. Everyone who had a glass kept asking where this was from. On par with the best coming out of the Rhone. Decanted for 1 hour. Drinking absolutely beautifully right now. Server with a bone in, roasted pork butt.
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Excellent and enjoyable wine, although not quite up there with the Lorraine that we compared it to. As last bottle, I found it more of Northern Rhone style. More open than last time 18 months ago, but still more brooding and restrained than I am used to. In another 18 months, I am sure it will be more open and flamboyant.
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love the nose....it is just awesome to breath the aroma of vanilla fruit and jam! deep dark color fantastic flavor and length on the palate thank you sir, I think I'll have another
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Just stunning. Aromatically amazing, tobacco, chocolate city, vanilla from the oak. Still tannic, black raspberry, blueberry but not jammy. These wines have such an amazing purity of fruit. Cured meat, mid-palate is just killer. 60+ second finish, tad of green peppercorn. LOVE these wines. 99+ now, could be perfect when fully mature.
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Very rich and layered. Pure, balanced, decadent, but not overblown. My new front runner for best Syrah I've ever had and I've had a lot. Poured into a decanter and followed the evolution in the glass. Very drinkable at pop and pour, but layers of flavors evolve with time. Blue/black fruit, anise, Christmas spices, sweet milk chocolate, cola and pepper are all evident.
I was in the mood for a big wine. Wowza I love these. Firing on all cylinders. Big, red and purple fruit with a hint of vanilla and lots of beef. Big but smooth on the palate with no heat that I could find. My friend, who drinks wine regularly but rarely over 20 dollars said "damn, I forget how great wine can be sometimes."
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Alban takes the Syrah grape to a new level. Unbelievable extraction and opulence with a silky mouthfeel. Normally a wine of this structure would have extreme tannin, but that is not the case with this wine. This is a deep, rich and inky wine that is black as pitch. Explosive nose of white flowers and spice. Love the blue fruit that almost tastes like blue Bic pen ink (in a good way). Not showing white pepper like many other Syrahs, but that is ok by me because I don't like too much pepper on the finish. Reminds me of a new world version of a Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon. Yum!
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Mor röfleside olan siyah mürekkebimsi renkte.Orta üstü aromatik yoğunluğa sahip ön burnu belirgin is, füme notaları ile dengeli ahududu,kiraz,kasis gibi olgun meyve, karabiber,otsal, zamanla çikolata notaları ile katmanlılık gösteriyor.Tam gövdeli, yumuşak ve tatlımsı textbook yeni dünyayım diyen,big and bold stil de yapılmış bir Syrah. Ancak meyvenin saf halini , olgunluk sınırını zorlayarak da olsa ,çok başarılı bir şekilde aktararak derinlikle göstermeyi başaran konsantre bir yapıya ve tüm bunları taşıyan diri bir aside sahip, kesinlikle hantal değil,tersine tazeleyiciliği var. Meyvenin katman katman gelişini damakta olduğu gibi oldukça uzun,lezzetli ve çok güçlü bitiminde ,mevcut alkolü de başarı ile karşılayarak gösteriyor .93 Puan 2015- 2022
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Nose is inviting, dark Syrah with a touch of cinnamon First sip, perfect ballance, smooth river of fruit and leather, long finish. Another sip, love the dept and fresh tasting flavors.
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Decanted two hours. Very big wine. Lots of lush ripe fruit but also lots of alcohol and tannins. Will let the next bottles sit for 3-5 years before trying again.
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Big and bold Syrah with lots of dark berries, black pepper, herbal notes. Well balanced and long finish. After a long decant easy to enjoy now but will be best in 3+ years.
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Big and brawny. Reductive at first with dark fruits and chocolate. The palate is thick and tannic with dark fruits and some herbal elements. Delicious and decadent.
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Big, really big massive fruit, a slight medicinal flavor, gripping tannins and acid help control the fruit. An outstanding Syrah. John Alban is a genius.
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Thick, rich, concentrated, or should I say dense? Espresso bean, black and blue fruit, licorice, the wine is fat, palate coating and as I mentioned dense. There is a nice freshness in the fruit and a long, powerful finish.
Big and bold. Not even close to fully expressing its full potential yet still remarkably enjoyable. This wine needs another 5+ years and has the stuff to seemingly last forever.
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This is a tall, full bodied woman with exaggerated curves in all the right places. The kind of a woman you wonder if you can handle, but never pause in your attempt to find out. Powerful, sexy...a punch in the head with a velvet glove. My first of 6 bottles, I expect each one will be a similar and yet completely different experience, as this wine clearly has much development and transformation ahead of it. Wow.
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This was drank at a local restaurant with 30 minutes of decanting. The wine was clear and deep purple in colour. Very noticeable dark cherries on the nose and in the glass. The spices were certainly there but not overbearing. The acidity was at a good level and the tannins were still very strong. I think this wine has many years of aging potential ahead of it and may even get slightly better with time.
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We had this with Rack of Lamb on 6/7/14. It had a rich and intense bouquet of violet, smoked meat, blackberry, blueberry and spice aromas. The palate was rich, layered and complex with flavors of blackberry, blueberry, black olive and spice. This one got a definite WOW from me!
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Huge nose upon opening of dark berries, kirsch, mocha. This is still a baby and has not opened itself up just yet. It seemed to shut down after being opened for a bit but the initial impressions lean towards a monumental wine down the road. I enjoyed this as much as if not more than the 2006.
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Very young but already enjoyable drinking. Rich, dark more northern Rhone like than I normally find them. Deep fruit and quite tannic. Blood, salt and a flowery note. Not quite as flamboyant as normal. But impressive.
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For a five year-old wine, still big and tannic. Pronounced nose, syrah aromas with an acetic component. Very concentrated black fruit on the palate, but not much complexity. Significant tannin, although it didn't interfere with enjoyment of the wine. Very long, somewhat hot aftertaste. I think this is an outstanding wine, but I'll wait another couple of years before trying another. Ric
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Slightly reductive with raspberries, smoke, some vegetables in a good way. The palate is medium to full with ripe berries, plums, butter chocolate and charred notes. Some significant tannins.
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Syrahs from Around the World (SF Wine Trading Company): This looks like a young vintage port. Piercing high toned herbs, red fruit and baking spices. Lush feel, super sweet raspberry fruit, complex array of flavors, incredible feel and length. Good structure underneath all of that fruit, much more interest and material than the Tensley possesses. All of that said, this is still head spinning and too much to be suitable table wine. I imagine there are proponents who would say "This is how 1947 Cheval Blanc tasted at this age", but really.
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This was part if a big wine night. Received a few WOTN votes against, M'Etain, Carte Blanche, and Robert Foley Claret. This is a huge wine with tons of ripe fruit. I need to hide my other bottles so I can see where this goes over the next few years.
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Not as extracted or complex as some of it's recent vintages but great silky texture, medium red to very dark fruit, some meaty notes, and loads of oak, toast and tar. It's quite good, but the fruit doesn't stand up to the oak as it has in previous outrageous vintages. I think with 4-5 years this could be even better.
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60-second hyper decant, consumed over 5 hours. if you are curious, hyper decanting is basically putting an entire bottle of wine in the blender, and using a lowish setting to get air into the wine. I was in a pinch, and it worked! this wine was stellar. thick and concentrated, but graceful and balanced. loads of black cherry, black raspberry, cherry coke, funky spice, wet rocks, and toasty vanilla. plush and deeply fruited in the mouth, and the finish was well over 90 seconds with an amazing balance of tannin, acid, alcohol, dark brooding fruit, and funky terroir spice. gorgeous, and even though expensive, a great value. can't wait to get allocations of the other stuff. if scoring, 95-97. this will probably shut down, but it will wake back up and be truly special.
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Super pungent on opening. Powerful coffee notes. Radiant purple in the glass. Deep and powerful. Mouth coating and persistent. Wonderfully rich wine but needs several years.
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12/1/2023 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Garnet color Lots of black fruits in the nose, black cherries, black raspberries, blackberries, licorice, and hints of minerals, floral and herbalness. Deep, rich fruit in the flavor, blueberries and black currants. Complex, nice acidity, full bodied, very well balanced and a very long smooth finish.
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6/25/2022 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 100 Points
Tasted six times since 2014, when it was tight and tannic. Each bottle has gotten progressively better and more complex, and this one was perfect! Our last bottle. Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, jammy and a bit sweet. The tannin which was noticeable a year ago has resolved. The wine is mature and excellent...enjoy!
Ric
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5/6/2022 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 93 Points
I didn't take good notes with this one, but I remember thinking it's good, but I've had better versions of Reva. Definitely would not say no to this as it's one of my favorite wines and producers. Cork was deeply stained and deep, deep purple. What gave me pause was the fruit wasn't as intense as I recall, but at 13 years can be expected. Still a good wine.
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12/12/2021 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 98 Points
Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, jammy and a bit sweet. The tannin which was noticeable a year ago has resolved. The wine is mature and excellent...enjoy!
Ric
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11/2/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still drinking great and simply delicious. Big dark rich black fruit with a hint of tar. Velvety texture and beautiful ripe large scale fruit throughout. Enough structure and black spices to balance out the bold flavors. In a wonderful drinking window now.
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7/4/2021 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to prior note after a 90 min double decant; outstanding, drink or hold
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5/2/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Dark reddish purple. Just loaded with blueberries and spice, richly concentrated, supporting acidity, nicely oaked, chocolate cherry and superbly long finish. Had over two nights.first with grilled filet mignon and with stroganoff
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4/12/2021 - jvphoto Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark going medicinal cherry, soy sauce, raspberry, cola, porkbelly, graphite
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2/14/2021 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich blackberry, mocha, and floral aromas with rich fruit and layers of complexity on the palate. The finish is long and mouth staining. Drinking beautifully!
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2/11/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
consistent with notes of 9/28/2017 - still brooding and dark, still fantastic.
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2/4/2021 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and it did not need it from an aeration standpoint but it did due to significant sediment. Last two bottles have had heavy sediment. Superb once strained. Another Alban beauty.
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11/25/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich blackberry, mocha, and floral aromas with rich fruit and layers of complexity on the palate. The finish is long and mouth staining.
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9/22/2020 - jviz wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby color and opaque. On the PnP, the 09 Reva has heavy oak tones. With air, the tannins flatten out, but that new French oak is still a bit glossy on the nose after 90 minutes.
Aromatic profile of, boysenberry, black cherry liquor, dark plum and blueberry compote, and pencil shavings. The palate adds a hint of rose water and black pepper on the finish. Full scaled and expansive. High but not obtrusive alcohol. There are some subtle creamy lactic tones that weave into the fruit fabric.
The ripeness of this wine is hard to replicate. A slightly less rich man’s SQN. I suppose this will live forever.. but it’s good to drink now if next to something else with dominant flavors. A Flannery hanger steak worked just fine
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9/4/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to prior note after a 90 min double decant; outstanding, drink or hold
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8/20/2020 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, jammy and a bit sweet. The tannin which was noticeable a year ago has resolved. The wine is mature and excellent...enjoy!
Ric
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8/14/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark purple, just a gorgeous nose of blueberry cobbler and spice, although big everything is in balance, great depth and long finish.
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4/27/2020 - joshabramson wrote: 95 Points
Big, ripe, juicy, youthful with solid structure but focused tannins and very approachable... powerful without being the least bit heavy. The fruit flavor profile is almost California Pinot, only bigger. Lots of strawberry. Quite nice.
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4/15/2020 - Vinophiliac559 wrote:
Pnp; nose had ripe blueberry, mint/menthol, violets, crushed rock, loads of dark fruit, young, fragrant and powerful. Palate matched with resolved tannin, ripe, balanced as the 15.5 abv is not really noticeable. Showing very well and stayed consistent throughout the evening so no rush but in a great spot.
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4/14/2020 - RCS73 wrote: 96 Points
Dual tasting note along with the 2008 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.
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)
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)
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4/9/2020 - gesusser Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent Pesach wine w/ brisket;
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4/2/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note after a 90 min double decant; outstanding, drink or hold (no rush)
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3/23/2020 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine is still performing at its peak at age eleven. The nose is aromatically pleasing, so fragrant. My palate was awakened to notes of blue and black fruit, with iodine, granite and garrigue. Northern Rhône meets central coast California. Amazing depth and texture. Layers of goodness throughout the entire bottle. Great juice!
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3/8/2020 - markydecker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent with prior note. Four years later, no sign of aging in large format. Hedonistic and utterly delicious.
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2/22/2020 - GPFontenot wrote: 95 Points
Deep Garnet color. Slow legs. There is light sediment in the bottle. The body is full with a leathery texture and a long finish. The wine has high acidity.
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1/10/2020 - madmagnum Likes this wine: 97 Points
big dark fruit. bramble, plum, savory, chewy. coated the mouth. needed a steak knife with this one! black in color. off the charts richness. long lingering sweet finish.
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1/7/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
The missus really likes this wine. Initially has a bit of Oz heat and menthol. With air becomes a plush rich full-bodied syrah with more than enough complex fruit. Huge finish.
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12/31/2019 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Superb. Tasting note from last month still applies with one exception. Lots of sediment in this bottle and we did not decant. It was a mistake.
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11/27/2019 - bablues wrote: 95 Points
Fabulous as the Reva's always are. Pepper, licorice, fig and some vegetal aspects hinting through. Black cherries and dark plums as well.
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11/7/2019 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Blackberry, licorice and a touch of spice. Rich, sweet and full. If you like big wines this is right down the fairway. Superb tonight with grilled ribeyes.
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8/9/2019 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Garnet, mostly opaque. Sweet black cherry aromas, some complexity, with oak and acetic overtones. Concentrated black cherry and plum flavors, but a bit too much tannin. Doubt it will improve with any more age, so enjoy.
Ric
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7/30/2019 - DonDon wrote: 94 Points
Delicious. Not as amazing as the 2013 I had recently but still fab
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6/23/2019 - TK Mastres wrote: 93 Points
A very nice bottle of wine but less so than the 08 and the 10. Still enjoyed it greatly but tasted in a vertical and this one was outshone by its siblings :-)
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4/22/2019 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark fruit, iodine, garrigue and an “X” performing like a Mozart concerto. Silky texture, the nose is so beautifully fragrant. The depth on the palate is simply amazing, lingering for 30 seconds. I believe this wine is at its peak, but can cruise for another hand full of years. Amazing juice!
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1/25/2019 - mflesh wrote: 95 Points
This wine is ready to rock. A solid 95 if not 95.5. The density of this wine is incredible. Rounded edges on the front and back. Fruit core of baked plum and fig that expresses right up front. Started to get a little bit of bell pepper, smoke and meaty Savory characteristics in the middle and towards the finish. Stood up very well to the peppers and paired quite nicely with the braised pork. I think this one could be held another five years as the fruit intensity up front is significant and rather youthful. But, I think this one is in such a good spot right now that you probably just want to go ahead and pop it!
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1/1/2019 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 96 Points
A very easy wine to drink with grill notes, and pure fruit that just goes down easy. This will drink now or for quite a few years down the road
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11/4/2018 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
Robust with an equal amount of fruit and earth tones. Best after at least an hour decant. My impression was that it was getting old, but I have had less than 3 bottles of Reva. I wouldn't hesitate to drink one at 5-7 years of age to see the difference, although that horse has left the barn on the 09!
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8/29/2018 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 95 Points
I usually don't drink my Alban's this young, but I wanted to give this vintage a try. Pop-and-poured, it was dense and tightly wound, but still fantastic. Tons of sweet, bitter, smokey charred meats and savory, peppery charcuterie. The only drawback was that the 15.5% alcohol was a bit noticeable but it was not distracting. Yummy. This deserved to be paired with dry-rubbed smoked ribs.
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8/26/2018 - eeeeeradicator wrote: 91 Points
Not the best of Alban. Kind of vegetal. Still, the finish is unquestionably impressive at 45 seconds plus, and there is a robust minty and leathery type of experience that focuses the attention. Doesn’t live up to its price, but still a very enjoyable wine.
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6/22/2018 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Same notes as three months ago. Showed some reductive qualities toward the end. Drink now.
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6/18/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted & had at dinner, deep ruby, beautiful CA syrah with blueberries; delicious, drink or hold
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3/24/2018 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
At Mr. Jiu's in SF.
Exotic and quasi-funky notes of wild black raspberry, blackberry, black olive, burnt embers, damp earth, bruised crimini mushroom, Zoe's ghost pepper uncured salami, sanguine, wet railroad tie, camphor, melted tar, coffee grounds, and hints of wet black rust. Some wet burnt underbrush appeared on the back end, along with the black olive note repeating.
This is fairly resolved at this point, but still carries a perfect amount of energy to carry the dark, ripe flavors across the palate. A beautiful array of interesting and unique flavors, holding interest throughout consumption. Medium-to full bodied, with notable depth and complexity. Aside from throwing off a fair amount of sediment (filter and decant if you can), this was a fabulous showing.
Drink now and over the next few years. 96+ points.
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2/11/2018 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 95 Points
Garnet-purple, opaque. Thick and viscous. Powerful black cherry and blackberry aromas with an acetic component but also a hint of prunes. Lots of concentrated fruit on the palate, plenty of tannin but not out of balance, mostly dark fruit flavors. None of the roasted meat or burnt wood components often associated with syrahs. Very long, viscous aftertaste. I'm a bit confused by the prune notes in the aroma, whether this is early maturity, but the flavors are rich and young. On balance, I'd wait another year to try one.
Ric
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1/27/2018 - gesusser Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wife opened this by mistake a few nights back...vacuumed sealed until tonight and had with grilled thick boneless ribeyes; deep red rich long legged great finish.
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1/20/2018 - gsiokis wrote: 96 Points
My last bottle and shared at dinner with friends. This was our 3rd and final bottle of the night. Everyone agreed the best wine of night. Truly is a powerful wine.
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12/2/2017 - Castle Peak wrote: 96 Points
Elegant power!
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11/24/2017 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Consumed during a dinner party, so I didn’t have much time to get overly analytical by what was in my glass. Similar to my tasting note from April 2015, this is a dynamite expression of the Syrah grape. While unctuous and powerful, it has all of the right ingredients in all the right places with precision and symmetry. Much more white pepper on the finish this time, but it was not overpowering. Wonderful nose with a classic varietal long smooth finish that goes on for 60 seconds. This is hitting on all cylinders right now. Decanted 1 hour and then consumed over dinner.
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11/23/2017 - Mootsie wrote: 90 Points
I used to find these the epitome of Syrah. Blue and black fruits, anise, cinnamon, cola.... Now they seem heavy, dense and unbalanced. I wish they had more pop, verve, something to zig to the heavy zag, but they don’t.
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9/28/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
A Powerful wine, certainly, but also balanced and nuanced. Blackberry and raspberry mix with tar and saline notes. Could use another year, but fantastic today
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8/8/2017 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Previous notes apply for the most part. Continue to hold another 8-12 months. Core fruit is quality, but still holding a little back. Exhibiting streaks of more red fruit than I usually associate with the Reva. Also started to develop some mushroom funk: interesting and a bit distracting at the same time.
I feel like this wine is currently in the process of redefining itself. 93-94? points this time around.
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5/4/2017 - sayward Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Very smooth and nose of blueberry soy. Monolithic in nature. Tanins well disguised.
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4/16/2017 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
I initially thought that this was too straight forward for the price. However it went down sooo well and sooo quickly, that it pushed me to re-evaluate. This was my first Alan, and it is a lovely wine. Almost too well made - totally integrated, fine tannins, deep red fruit. Mid to full mouthfeel. Good length finish. This has several more years to go. Nice!
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4/16/2017 - Kellch Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had a bottle for Dinner @ Wine Cask in Santa Barbara. Dark ruby color, lots of red berries both on the palate and in the nose. Very silky tannins. Fruit bomb. Really enjoyed the wine. However some kind of marmelade taste on the palate and a lack of complexity made me only score it with 94 points.
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3/3/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote:
HDH Magnum Dinner (Del Frisco - Chicago IL): Magnum. The best I can say is that this is prototypically Alban...reduction, sulfur, extreme ripeness and all.
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2/5/2017 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
Similar to my previous notes. A little more higher toned black raspberry liqueur and Amarena Fabbri black cherry notes dominating the palate this time around. This particular bottle threw off a lot of sediment, which caused a bitter clip on the back end that struggled to fully dissipate. Missing some of the earth and olive notes frequently found in this wine. Decanted for four hours total. It needed more. Still amazingly full off life and complex vigor.
I'll continue to hold remaining bottles for another year longer. 96+ points.
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11/13/2016 - jhieb Likes this wine: 97 Points
One of the best Syrah's in California. Massive, unctuous, velvety, fruit forward wine. I've only had this one vintage, but, I am truly impressed. There is no fluff here, just pure, beautiful fruit.
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9/24/2016 - MV2007 wrote: 96 Points
This is entering its sweet spot. Decanted 4 hours + time in the glass and it kept improving. Great stuff.
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9/20/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Everyone loved it. Strong smooth fruit with length. Bummed last bottle.
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9/13/2016 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 95 Points
95+ 2 hr decant- Solid wine, nose had lots of dark fruit and some black olive, moderate to high intensity. So much going on here, tannins are pretty fine, very velvety, rich mouthfeel, excellent balance. Minus the very abundant and ripe dark fruits this wasn't your stereotypical CA syrah.
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8/31/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pnp. Very nice at first, but 30 min later it was WOW. Big, dense yet smooth fruit. Everyone thought it was balanced and amazingly delicious.
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7/24/2016 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow, this is incredible! Not much else to say than what has already been posted here. A hugely rich and creamy wine with blackberry and blueberry liqueur, fantastic structure and balance throughout with a long finish. Beautiful wine!
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7/4/2016 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great showing for this wine, it's entered it's optimal drinking window IMO. Very open, ripe red fruits, rhubarb, tailing oak with excellent balance.
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6/30/2016 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Domestic Red Wine Dinner - 94 & 95 Harlan, 05 Bionic, Selosse Le Bout du Clos and etc. (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner): Explosive nose displaying extremely ripe black fruits, blackberry liqueur, licorice, fruitcake, dark sweet spices, dark maple syrup and root beer. Incredible concentration, chewy, no noticeable tannins due to monstrous fruit concentration and long finish. This is a Frankenstein of wine in scale and ripeness.
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6/19/2016 - markydecker Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum on Fathers Day. Dark purple to the rim, full bodied. Aromas of leather, roasted meat, bacon, blueberry jam. Good balance of acidity, fruit, tannin. Structured, large and complex without being ponderous. Especially in large format, this has a very long life ahead. Signature John Alban.
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6/10/2016 - shadow wrote: 97 Points
Nose is rich in fruit and hints of leather.
First sip, wow, so tasty this minute, I hit this in its peak.
Perfect taste of black fruit and dark slow cooked meat crust, goes down leaving a big smile in its wake.
For just a brief instant, the tannins say hi, than more memories of dark berries and hints of leather.
If you have one of these beauties, don't wait another moment, enjoy.
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5/18/2016 - csimm wrote: 99 Points
PnP with amazing ready-to-go flavors of deep, exotic red, purple, and black berry fruit, black raspberry liqueur, beautiful charred oak and scorched earth, olive tapenade (but not the overly salty kind), vanilla, earth, and subtle spice. I was hovering in the 96-97 point range, while my other half instantly went to the 100 point mark.
Three+ hours in the decanter brought about even more nuanced flavors, further enhancing the olive, earth, briquette, and subtle loam and spice notes. The purity of fruit in this wine was most notable, with a mid-palate that was perfectly enveloping.
One of the best Revas I've ever had. One of the best domestic Syrahs I've ever had, with a finesse that had me struggling to find any flaws.
99 points in the final sips, with a three digit score possible in a year or so. In a near-perfect drinking window now with a short decant.
I'll hold my remaining bottles until early/mid 2017.
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5/1/2016 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 96 Points
Outstanding as expected.
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4/3/2016 - gesusser wrote: 95 Points
What a way to celebrate my sisters 60th BD...3 course filet mignon dinners with a mag of this full bodied long legged & balanced syrah...2 hour decant allowed this well rounded & polished big boy to sing; no need to rush to drink the remaining 6 bottles as this will get better with more cellar time
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2/6/2016 - MV2007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 3 hours and drank over 3 - improving throughout the evening.
Great - deep, dark blue & black fruits, smoke and tar, spice and other mole negro kind of flavors. Balanced throughout but with an expansive finish. May get better but will drink through mine early!
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12/31/2015 - KenK Likes this wine: 95 Points
A great bottle of wine. Sweet black cherry and raspberry aromas with a very pretty melting asphalt aroma. On the palate all these flavors follow through with lots of black spices and a bit of dark chocolate. Deep and creamy texture, yet has plenty of structure and support. A truly delicious bottle that is packed with dense flavors without going over the top. Crowd favorite tonight as this magnum evaporated before I could even get a third glass, lol.
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12/29/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 99 Points
Had this with a more flavorful dish and it still held up well. Blueberry and vanilla predominates . Terrific!
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12/29/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Sweet Jesus. Amazing per usual. Consistent notes. Chocolate, blackberry, açaí, vanilla. Off the charts.
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12/29/2015 - mhewitt wrote: 97 Points
Spectacular. Totally open now. Better in 2-3 years but no reason to wait.
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12/20/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 99 Points
Dark purple. Not sure California Syrah can get much better than this. Smells like black raspberry cobbler just out of the oven. The palate is black raspberry , blueberry, chocolate cherry with vanilla. The tannins are there balancing the fruit, mineral notes are present and add to the complexity. Will have to taste this blind against Shafer Relentless. Massive finish. Impressive!
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12/19/2015 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruit and a creamy finish with strong vanilla notes. Really delightful
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12/12/2015 - Rosengoo wrote: 90 Points
This was drank at The Paris Club in Chicago with friends. It was opened for about 2 hours prior to drinking but not decanted. It was consumed as the last bottle at the end of a night in which 10 were opened so notes are hard to recall with all details. The wine was clear and deep red in colour with quite a noticeable amount of caramel in the glass. The spices were quite mild and both the tannins and acidity were nicely balanced.
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12/12/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote:
US Wine Dinner with Friends (Paris Club - Chicago IL): Open several hours before serving. Reductive start that never really went away. Extremely ripe beyond the level I find enjoyable. I'm rarely a big Alban fan, and the fact that this bottle was on several airline flights, traveling 2000 miles in the past week surely did not help.
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11/24/2015 - GillT Likes this wine: 97 Points
Most memorable and remarkable Syrah I have ever tasted and one I won't soon forget.
There is a tremendous amount going on with this wine. Super extracted, dark garnet in the glass. Beautiful nose of cola, stone fruits, essence of rose. Fully integrated lush and velvety tannins, coat the palate and the finish went on and on. Everyone who had a glass kept asking where this was from. On par with the best coming out of the Rhone. Decanted for 1 hour. Drinking absolutely beautifully right now. Server with a bone in, roasted pork butt.
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11/18/2015 - espesq Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a remarkable Syrah, a remarkable wine.
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11/7/2015 - phenricsson Likes this wine: 97 Points
Excellent and enjoyable wine, although not quite up there with the Lorraine that we compared it to. As last bottle, I found it more of Northern Rhone style. More open than last time 18 months ago, but still more brooding and restrained than I am used to. In another 18 months, I am sure it will be more open and flamboyant.
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11/1/2015 - 9 and 3/4 wrote: 97 Points
love the nose....it is just awesome to breath the aroma of vanilla fruit and jam!
deep dark color
fantastic flavor and length on the palate
thank you sir, I think I'll have another
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10/25/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Just stunning. Aromatically amazing, tobacco, chocolate city, vanilla from the oak. Still tannic, black raspberry, blueberry but not jammy. These wines have such an amazing purity of fruit. Cured meat, mid-palate is just killer. 60+ second finish, tad of green peppercorn. LOVE these wines. 99+ now, could be perfect when fully mature.
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7/20/2015 - G_H wrote: 94 Points
Alban kicks a**
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7/10/2015 - G_H Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big, rich, plush and velvety. Really nice but the alcohol is quite present
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5/31/2015 - Brindley Likes this wine: 97 Points
plush and velvety with big fruit
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5/30/2015 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 98 Points
Very rich and layered. Pure, balanced, decadent, but not overblown. My new front runner for best Syrah I've ever had and I've had a lot.
Poured into a decanter and followed the evolution in the glass. Very drinkable at pop and pour, but layers of flavors evolve with time. Blue/black fruit, anise, Christmas spices, sweet milk chocolate, cola and pepper are all evident.
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5/23/2015 - cobhcork Likes this wine: 95 Points
With Tom and Danny very good bottle of wine...
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5/20/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
I was in the mood for a big wine. Wowza I love these. Firing on all cylinders. Big, red and purple fruit with a hint of vanilla and lots of beef. Big but smooth on the palate with no heat that I could find. My friend, who drinks wine regularly but rarely over 20 dollars said "damn, I forget how great wine can be sometimes."
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4/30/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Alban takes the Syrah grape to a new level. Unbelievable extraction and opulence with a silky mouthfeel. Normally a wine of this structure would have extreme tannin, but that is not the case with this wine. This is a deep, rich and inky wine that is black as pitch. Explosive nose of white flowers and spice. Love the blue fruit that almost tastes like blue Bic pen ink (in a good way). Not showing white pepper like many other Syrahs, but that is ok by me because I don't like too much pepper on the finish. Reminds me of a new world version of a Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon. Yum!
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4/17/2015 - ŞarapTutkunları wrote: 93 Points
Mor röfleside olan siyah mürekkebimsi renkte.Orta üstü aromatik yoğunluğa sahip ön burnu belirgin is, füme notaları ile dengeli ahududu,kiraz,kasis gibi olgun meyve, karabiber,otsal, zamanla çikolata notaları ile katmanlılık gösteriyor.Tam gövdeli, yumuşak ve tatlımsı textbook yeni dünyayım diyen,big and bold stil de yapılmış bir Syrah. Ancak meyvenin saf halini , olgunluk sınırını zorlayarak da olsa ,çok başarılı bir şekilde aktararak derinlikle göstermeyi başaran konsantre bir yapıya ve tüm bunları taşıyan diri bir aside sahip, kesinlikle hantal değil,tersine tazeleyiciliği var. Meyvenin katman katman gelişini damakta olduğu gibi oldukça uzun,lezzetli ve çok güçlü bitiminde ,mevcut alkolü de başarı ile karşılayarak gösteriyor .93 Puan 2015- 2022
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4/10/2015 - shadow wrote: 96 Points
Nose is inviting, dark Syrah with a touch of cinnamon
First sip, perfect ballance, smooth river of fruit and leather, long finish.
Another sip, love the dept and fresh tasting flavors.
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4/5/2015 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted two hours. Very big wine. Lots of lush ripe fruit but also lots of alcohol and tannins. Will let the next bottles sit for 3-5 years before trying again.
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4/3/2015 - jctra Likes this wine: 96 Points
Big and bold Syrah with lots of dark berries, black pepper, herbal notes. Well balanced and long finish. After a long decant easy to enjoy now but will be best in 3+ years.
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2/27/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Big and brawny. Reductive at first with dark fruits and chocolate. The palate is thick and tannic with dark fruits and some herbal elements. Delicious and decadent.
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1/31/2015 - G8tor80 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Big, really big massive fruit, a slight medicinal flavor, gripping tannins and acid help control the fruit. An outstanding Syrah. John Alban is a genius.
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12/25/2014 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Nose of black berries, jam, pepper, and spices. High tannins and long finish.
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11/29/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Thick, rich, concentrated, or should I say dense? Espresso bean, black and blue fruit, licorice, the wine is fat, palate coating and as I mentioned dense. There is a nice freshness in the fruit and a long, powerful finish.
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11/26/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big and bold. Not even close to fully expressing its full potential yet still remarkably enjoyable. This wine needs another 5+ years and has the stuff to seemingly last forever.
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11/26/2014 - Cashious Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a tall, full bodied woman with exaggerated curves in all the right places. The kind of a woman you wonder if you can handle, but never pause in your attempt to find out. Powerful, sexy...a punch in the head with a velvet glove. My first of 6 bottles, I expect each one will be a similar and yet completely different experience, as this wine clearly has much development and transformation ahead of it. Wow.
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11/22/2014 - scooter260 wrote: 90 Points
Super beefy and meaty on day 1....too much so for my taste; blew off on day 2; dense, rich, black/red, heavy. Still a monster.
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9/12/2014 - Rosengoo wrote: 95 Points
This was drank at a local restaurant with 30 minutes of decanting. The wine was clear and deep purple in colour. Very noticeable dark cherries on the nose and in the glass. The spices were certainly there but not overbearing. The acidity was at a good level and the tannins were still very strong. I think this wine has many years of aging potential ahead of it and may even get slightly better with time.
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8/29/2014 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 95 Points
Great Syrah! Not quite at the level of the '06 but definitely an experience in itself.
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6/7/2014 - garambler Likes this wine: 96 Points
We had this with Rack of Lamb on 6/7/14. It had a rich and intense bouquet of violet, smoked meat, blackberry, blueberry and spice aromas. The palate was rich, layered and complex with flavors of blackberry, blueberry, black olive and spice. This one got a definite WOW from me!
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5/15/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark and dense with long finish and nice meaty vanilla tones. Still quite young with tremendous upside.
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4/28/2014 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Thick and brooding nose, meaty, some green herbs. Opened 2 hours ahead, decanted at restaurant.
Rich purple fruit, cola and tar, earthy, very complex.
Very long finish, sommelier loved his taste too.
Happy to have many more of these for special occasions.
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4/8/2014 - twelch wrote: 95 Points
Huge nose upon opening of dark berries, kirsch, mocha. This is still a baby and has not opened itself up just yet. It seemed to shut down after being opened for a bit but the initial impressions lean towards a monumental wine down the road. I enjoyed this as much as if not more than the 2006.
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3/22/2014 - glou.sf wrote: 90 Points
Very high alcohol, nose of black berries, but alcohol dominated. High tannins, probably too young.
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3/11/2014 - phenricsson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very young but already enjoyable drinking. Rich, dark more northern Rhone like than I normally find them. Deep fruit and quite tannic. Blood, salt and a flowery note. Not quite as flamboyant as normal. But impressive.
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3/10/2014 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 96 Points
For a five year-old wine, still big and tannic. Pronounced nose, syrah aromas with an acetic component. Very concentrated black fruit on the palate, but not much complexity. Significant tannin, although it didn't interfere with enjoyment of the wine. Very long, somewhat hot aftertaste. I think this is an outstanding wine, but I'll wait another couple of years before trying another.
Ric
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3/7/2014 - Uglypinga wrote:
Slightly reductive with raspberries, smoke, some vegetables in a good way. The palate is medium to full with ripe berries, plums, butter chocolate and charred notes. Some significant tannins.
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1/20/2014 - jhieb Likes this wine: 96 Points
My First Alban. Exquisite, unique, and profound. I've had a lot of great Syrah, but this was unlike anything I've experienced. A truly special wine.
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1/4/2014 - drwine2001 wrote:
Syrahs from Around the World (SF Wine Trading Company): This looks like a young vintage port. Piercing high toned herbs, red fruit and baking spices. Lush feel, super sweet raspberry fruit, complex array of flavors, incredible feel and length. Good structure underneath all of that fruit, much more interest and material than the Tensley possesses. All of that said, this is still head spinning and too much to be suitable table wine. I imagine there are proponents who would say "This is how 1947 Cheval Blanc tasted at this age", but really.
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12/16/2013 - jaxpaj wrote: 96 Points
This was part if a big wine night. Received a few WOTN votes against, M'Etain, Carte Blanche, and Robert Foley Claret. This is a huge wine with tons of ripe fruit. I need to hide my other bottles so I can see where this goes over the next few years.
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12/15/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not as extracted or complex as some of it's recent vintages but great silky texture, medium red to very dark fruit, some meaty notes, and loads of oak, toast and tar. It's quite good, but the fruit doesn't stand up to the oak as it has in previous outrageous vintages. I think with 4-5 years this could be even better.
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11/25/2013 - caeleric Likes this wine:
60-second hyper decant, consumed over 5 hours. if you are curious, hyper decanting is basically putting an entire bottle of wine in the blender, and using a lowish setting to get air into the wine. I was in a pinch, and it worked! this wine was stellar. thick and concentrated, but graceful and balanced. loads of black cherry, black raspberry, cherry coke, funky spice, wet rocks, and toasty vanilla. plush and deeply fruited in the mouth, and the finish was well over 90 seconds with an amazing balance of tannin, acid, alcohol, dark brooding fruit, and funky terroir spice. gorgeous, and even though expensive, a great value. can't wait to get allocations of the other stuff. if scoring, 95-97. this will probably shut down, but it will wake back up and be truly special.
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11/17/2013 - 560 B&W wrote: 92 Points
Grande. Yet has a certain grace and is drinkable now.
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11/14/2013 - jaxpaj wrote: 94 Points
Thick and rich. Powerful yet not over the top.
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11/9/2013 - fdub Likes this wine: 96 Points
Super pungent on opening. Powerful coffee notes. Radiant purple in the glass. Deep and powerful. Mouth coating and persistent. Wonderfully rich wine but needs several years.
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