Almost two years since my last bottle, and this just keeps getting better. A couple of hours in the decanter to get it ready, and then it was firing on all cylinders. Not much in the way of fruit until a touch of plum comes in on the finish, but it was full of that meaty, bloody, iron rich soul of Syrah. If it had thrown off some bacon aromas I would have lost my mind. It didn’t, but it was still incredibly satisfying, and a wonder for the $18 in 2012. Crazy. Drink now, and likely for the next five years or so.
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$18 wine at ten years of age, and my gosh what value for the money. It's no monster, but I wasn't expecting one. It's still showing some deep, dark cherry fruit, but in a balanced way. The acidity is on point, and there's a hint of orange zest on the finish. A little bit of spice creeps in on the finish, just to add a hint of complexity. Still have five more bottles from a long ago case purchase, and I am glad to have them.
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I didn't find this to be underripe as other commenters have said, I felt it had wonderful, understated sweet purple fruit notes on the nose with excellent cool climate Syrah character, a little gamey, olive, maybe bacon fat, etc., And nicely energetic palate with only a hint of excessive tartness now that the fruit has faded just a touch. I'm bumping my score up a little bit due to the crazy good QPR,- I got this for $20, very very easily worth the money.
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This wine started with plum and floral notes, but the palate seemed slightly underripe with tart plum and olive. The midpalte seemed thin in this medium-bodied wine, and there was ample acidity to handle food. Overall, this wine lacked adequate ripeness, and it presented itself as simple. Not my favorite Anthill Farm.
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Double decanted, taken to a tasting event. First glass seemed a bit thin, very short finish, even after double decant. But 2nd glass really opened up and showed more structure, deeper black fruits, nice acidity and med(-) tannins that coated the mouth and gave a pleasant (if a bit clipped) finish. Very nice now, and probably best if consumed within the next year or so.
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Previous bottle of this was 1 yr ago. This bottle was more pleasing, quite delicious. PnP, had a few glasses. Dark purple. Nose shows off complex, intense aromas of olive paste, smoked bacon, and black and red fruits. The palate reveals a full bodied wine with med+ alcohol and med acidity, still quite fresh and lively and not at all burly or overblown. Tannins are still course and very present, and the finish is med length and repeats the olive and red/black fruits. Very good quality Sonoma Syrah. Has reached a nice level of complexity after 5 yrs in the bottle, but will continue to drink nicely through 2018+. Crazy good value at around $20.
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Balanced, elegant, surprisingly complex. I would have guessed Crozes-Hermitage if tasting this blind. Dead ringer for a good, young Northern Rhone. The best syrah I've had so far from Anthill, and a fantastic value.
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Purple center with a violet rim. Refined nose of plum, wild cherry, herbs, earth, and cola. Interesting, medium-intensity flavor profile of olives, herbs, plums, and lavender. High acidity and a touch of tannin for good measure. Overall, this wine is complex on the nose and palate, but it seems slightly timid at this point. If this adds a little heft with age, it will be a thriller, but if it doesn't, it is a pleasant surprise.
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To me, this is cool climate CA syrah by way of Northern Rhone, with its herby exotic spice / underbrush. Nicely done if you like the style. Very restrained fruit, with some savory olive character and some nice silkiness to the texture.
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Brought to a party y/day we had at the house, it's been sitting open since that time. I do recall tasting the 2011 syrah at the winery a year or so ago, which seemed peppery to me and pretty nice. As for this 2010, shows some faint black pepper, blue and black tones, pretty soft and missing the acidity I would hope to see. Either this wine is light in structure or it all faded out within one day.
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Great showing, ready to go as a pop 'n pour. wish I could buy more at the $18 price I paid.....Nice red fruit profile, with some spice, white pepper and oak all in balance.
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Day 1, this reminds me much more of a lighter Anthill pinot than a syrah. Floral, very light, easy to drink. Couple days later it starts to remind of a Brunello with some age. Why? No idea. Pleasant to drink, I should drink the rest of my bottles sooner rather than later.
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Consistent with previous note, although it improved considerably with air; the last glass at about the four hour mark showed much better aromatics on the nose.
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Clear, med purple/ruby in color, fades to a pale purple rim. The nose is clean, developing, showing med intensity notes of barnyard funk, followed by perfectly ripened black cherry and plum fruit, some earthiness and wet soil notes, a nice black pepper spice kick at the end. The palate echoes the aromas from the nose, showing a med bodied wine, dry, with med alcohol. Med intensity flavors of plum and black cherry, followed by earthy notes of tobacco and soil, followed by a gentle spiciness on the med length finish. Moderate tannins that are fairly round and very drinkable, med acidity that keeps this wine fresh and food friendly. A med length finish, very nice overall. Just entering it's drinking window, this wine is nicely balanced, with quite a lot of earthiness and tart fruit to show it will age nicel for another 3 years or so, but won't further improve in bottle.
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while an entry level syrah, this gives a lot of pleasure for me. It has a lovely nose and taste of lavender, blue fruits and a touch of gaminess. Not a lot of structure for the long term, and would drink these over the next year or two, but what it doesn't give in length it gives in delicious northern rhone a la northern California flavors. Definite re-buy for future vintages.
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No notes taken. Nice fruit and well balanced, but lacks complexity. Desiree described it as "flat" on the palate. Will hold off on the remaining bottles for a while to see if time in the cellar will open it up a bit.
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intially pretty tight on the pop and pour, showing little but a strong dose of black pepper and some light florals with some crisp acidity on the finish. By the last glass this had fleshed out pretty nicely with some smokey charcoal, florals, red and blue fruit... still on the leaner side, but am prefering that style these days. Give a good hour in the decanter if having now. Curious to know how it would have tasted on day 2, but didn't make it that far...
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This is a solid Syrah for the price. I prefer a style of Syrah that's more dense. This is very enjoyable but light in style. A bit more dense than 2009 I think.
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A bit denser and more complex than our previous bottle, this seems to be picking up weight with time in the bottle. Pure dark fruits, lavender, and chalky minerals fill the nose and palate, backed by soil and dried flowers. The acidity, freshness, and minerality to this wine are very encouraging for the cellar. Hold.
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Summer Wines - Syrahs and Pinots ...: Interesting to drink alongside a Carlisle syrah because this is a totally different style of syrah. More mineral and earth here with an aromatic and flavor profile showing dried berries but also a lot of graphite, gravel and roasted herbs. A food friendly syrah.
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Vinturi'd for dinner, followed for an hour. simple, balanced with a bit of funky twang, short finish. Seems like the vines are young or just don't have much going on.... but what do I know. It is a pretty good QPR
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nose was of violets and plums, the palate was not heavy, rather it had a refreshing acidic edge with pepper, black cherries and plums on the palate, very rounded and alive, a solid choice for a dinner wine, had with BBQ steak
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Five hour decant. This was wide open with a nose of ripe red fruits, roasted meats and Welch's grape juice, clean palate with red fruit and minerals on quick finish. Tasty juice.
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Popped and poured, this showed lots of supple red fruit and a peppery edge from the first sip. It fleshed out a bit in the glass, with the fruit deepening and the finish of the wine extending. Very nice accompaniment ot a meal, as it's forward enough for sipping and has sufficient complexity and depth to ot be overwhelmed by food.
What a really nice value this was at $18. A total steal really.
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Best I've had of this btlg. to date. PnP & consumed over 6 hours (best from the 5 hr. mark-on). Started off restrained, but filled out nicely w/air. Notes of tart red fruit & meatiness w/notable black pepper & loads of building minerality. Noticeable yet unobtrusive tannins; medium acidity & light:medium finish.
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Tighter than the 09, it's hard to tell whether the cooler vintage is restraining this right now, or whether this is just a year younger. I'd vote the former, as I don't remember the 09 being this unforthcoming. This may surpass that eventually, but I wouldn't bet on it.
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Similar to last bottle, although perhaps with a bit less aromatic intensity and a bit leaner on the palate.. still a great QPR... may try to hold off for a year until next bottle.
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Vigorous splash decant first night and tasted over three days. First night very tight with red and black fruits and beef blood muted by coNcentrated minerals. Recorked and refrigerated. Day 3 fruit leads the story with plum and astringent berries leading a mineral and tannin finish. Tasty wine with better days ahead if it at a great QPR
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Great nose of black pepper, spice and florals. Palate is a bit simpler, but has tart red fruit, lots of peppery spice. Lean, and a bit lighter bodied than the 2009 at this point, with a shortish finish. It did seam to open a bit and put on weight as we got towards the end of the bottle, so time will probably benefit this. Solid QPR.
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Not the most complex syrah I've ever had (not even close) but immensely enjoyable and completely drinkable right now and should hold up for a few years. Kind of light in body but lots of flavor. Really terrific for the price point.
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Nice upfront nose of dark fruit and hints of vanilla, light bodied Syrah that's elegant and simple, less than average finish length still offers a decent qpr
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Purple and inky in color. Nose is a lot of purple fruit and ink with a fair amount of alcohol (best I can describe it). Taste is better than the nose but not one to drink alone. Paired with a flank steak it was enjoyable just not in my top syrahs. I think I will stick to others. Love anthill Pinot. Just not the Syrah.
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Decanted roughly 1 hour. Deep purple-red color fading quickly at the rim. Muted nose of red fruit and a bit of spice. Where this really picks up is on the palate, where it's palate-staining and rich without being jammy or overt. The finish easily lasts 30 seconds and never loses balance. All in all a very lovely syrah if not a particularly complex one.
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Lacks brightness, a bit muddled (muddy?), not great, very average. I've had much better syrahs for the price. Update: opened up a little on day 2, maybe worth another point.
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A bit less enjoyable than my last outing with this. Quite a bit more lean, without much length on the finish. High-toned, crisp and a bit herbal. Perhaps this is shutting down?
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Same as prior TN's. I feel this is a great value bottling! Good fruit, a little dark root veggie, and some mid-palate pepper-spice action. Tannins are noticable, but don't detract from the fruit.
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Really nice cool climate syrah. Pleasant red fruit with a bit of darker fruit mixed in. Decent fruit while remaining light in texture. Chalky minerality.
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Not quite what I am used to in California Syrah, as this is much more elegant, lighter, high-toned, airy and "wispy". Having said that, I quite enjoyed it. Not much depth, but the mid-palate is laced with (nicely) tart red fruits, sage, tree bark and hints of minerals; the finish is not lengthy, but clean and refreshing. Not a wine for "fruit-hunters". I can see this improving with cellaring.
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Maybe this is not ready for prime time or didn't work as a pop'n pour... I found it a bit thin, as someone said more herbal than fruited, with not much of a finish. Upon opening poured half into a 375ml and re-corked, so I can check back in in a day or two. Seeing as how much of fan I am of their pinot, can't say it met my expectations. Significantly better on day 2... maybe this just needs more time. raised by score to 87
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A very nice cool-climate Syrah with tart blackberry and red currant and savory notes of herbs and game. Tightened up at the 1-2 hour mark and was showing its best after 3 hours open. Hold or give it a good decant. Nice value.
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Very nice, lighter bodied Syrah. More Cote-du-Rhone French in style, with lift of Calif fruit. Really very drinkable. Some tartness, but only had delivered a week ago. The fruit is bright red berry, with some conifer forest floor,and herbal notes. Very pleasant, and the lighter weight makes this go well with wide variety of food. Also drank well on it's own. Tasty stuff.
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Interesting nose that is becoming typical of NoCal syrahs. More herbal than fruit or floral on the nose. Palate is thin and the finish lack-luster. Not a favorite.
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The nose is decidedly fresh with light mixed berries, gorgeous violet/rose florals, chalk, and peppered game. The palate is light to medium bodied and fresh, showcasing fantastic cool red/dark berries over crushed gravel, earth, and a sanguine component. The finish is framed by surprisingly sturdy tannins and driven by persistent sweet/tart cranberry, black tea, dried green herbs, pepper, and leather. This is a very elegant style of syrah, that has the potential to improve over the next few years. R&M 88+
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Consumed over 2 nights. At first PnP, then poured thru Vinturi & let breathe for 30 min. on 1st night. Young & primary w/N. Rhone-like profile. Notes of tart blue fruits, iron, pepper. Mid-bodied w/soft tannins, medium acidity & moderate clean finish. (87+)
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Opened and poured, this wine gave a very good showing with straight forward aromatics of black fruits and black pepper. On both the palate and bouquet the wine seems somewhat simple; however, it displays enough fruit and concentration to keep it interesting. This drinks well now and may benefit from an additional year of bottle age.
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Purchased from bottle barn on 10/26/12. Historically have been a big fan of this producer, both their syrahs and pinots. Enjoyed the 2009 AF SC Syrah so was excited for the 2010 vintage. Pop and Pour: color is a very dark non-hazy purple. Has the fragrant/peppery/very interesting cool climate syrah nose. One of those syrahs that you just want to sniff. Disappointed with the taste and mouthfeel - very thin - tight - lacking fruit. Just not very enjoyable to drink. Day 2: didn't smell/taste. Day 3: more open for business from a taste standpoint, but the interesting nose characteristics are muted. This wine could easily go another day or two of OX and be fine, so there's a good chance this just needs time to come around. I recommend not touching for at least 6 months. Fingers crossed this wine comes around sometime in the future.
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3/11/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Almost two years since my last bottle, and this just keeps getting better. A couple of hours in the decanter to get it ready, and then it was firing on all cylinders. Not much in the way of fruit until a touch of plum comes in on the finish, but it was full of that meaty, bloody, iron rich soul of Syrah. If it had thrown off some bacon aromas I would have lost my mind. It didn’t, but it was still incredibly satisfying, and a wonder for the $18 in 2012. Crazy. Drink now, and likely for the next five years or so.
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5/25/2020 - Rieslingfan wrote:
$18 wine at ten years of age, and my gosh what value for the money. It's no monster, but I wasn't expecting one. It's still showing some deep, dark cherry fruit, but in a balanced way. The acidity is on point, and there's a hint of orange zest on the finish. A little bit of spice creeps in on the finish, just to add a hint of complexity. Still have five more bottles from a long ago case purchase, and I am glad to have them.
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2/2/2020 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
I didn't find this to be underripe as other commenters have said, I felt it had wonderful, understated sweet purple fruit notes on the nose with excellent cool climate Syrah character, a little gamey, olive, maybe bacon fat, etc., And nicely energetic palate with only a hint of excessive tartness now that the fruit has faded just a touch. I'm bumping my score up a little bit due to the crazy good QPR,- I got this for $20, very very easily worth the money.
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2/1/2018 - Meerlust wrote: 84 Points
This wine started with plum and floral notes, but the palate seemed slightly underripe with tart plum and olive. The midpalte seemed thin in this medium-bodied wine, and there was ample acidity to handle food. Overall, this wine lacked adequate ripeness, and it presented itself as simple. Not my favorite Anthill Farm.
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7/27/2017 - alpha_ori Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Dull. Not pleasant.
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1/15/2017 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Still very primary fruity. Needs time to develop.
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8/25/2016 - signotim wrote: 80 Points
This was underripe and lacked true syrah character. I've had great wines from this producer but this was not one of them.
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3/21/2016 - Grape_ape Likes this wine:
last bottle of 4 pk... drinking well, has picked up some secondary characteristics
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11/30/2015 - signotim wrote: 84 Points
This has nice, tart fruit flavors but the mid palate is pretty thin and the finish is lacking. Even on day 2, this was just a nice, simple syrah.
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7/15/2015 - drrobvino wrote: 89 Points
Double decanted, taken to a tasting event.
First glass seemed a bit thin, very short finish, even after double decant. But 2nd glass really opened up and showed more structure, deeper black fruits, nice acidity and med(-) tannins that coated the mouth and gave a pleasant (if a bit clipped) finish.
Very nice now, and probably best if consumed within the next year or so.
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5/14/2015 - drrobvino wrote: 90 Points
Previous bottle of this was 1 yr ago. This bottle was more pleasing, quite delicious.
PnP, had a few glasses. Dark purple.
Nose shows off complex, intense aromas of olive paste, smoked bacon, and black and red fruits.
The palate reveals a full bodied wine with med+ alcohol and med acidity, still quite fresh and lively and not at all burly or overblown. Tannins are still course and very present, and the finish is med length and repeats the olive and red/black fruits.
Very good quality Sonoma Syrah. Has reached a nice level of complexity after 5 yrs in the bottle, but will continue to drink nicely through 2018+. Crazy good value at around $20.
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3/29/2015 - Spencer wrote:
Balanced, elegant, surprisingly complex. I would have guessed Crozes-Hermitage if tasting this blind. Dead ringer for a good, young Northern Rhone. The best syrah I've had so far from Anthill, and a fantastic value.
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1/12/2015 - gzim wrote: 86 Points
Simple, more red than most American syrah, showing some wood and spice. Nice acid level, but no real depth to the fruit. Great QPR...
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1/7/2015 - Meerlust wrote: 88 Points
Purple center with a violet rim. Refined nose of plum, wild cherry, herbs, earth, and cola. Interesting, medium-intensity flavor profile of olives, herbs, plums, and lavender. High acidity and a touch of tannin for good measure. Overall, this wine is complex on the nose and palate, but it seems slightly timid at this point. If this adds a little heft with age, it will be a thriller, but if it doesn't, it is a pleasant surprise.
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11/27/2014 - amateurwino wrote:
To me, this is cool climate CA syrah by way of Northern Rhone, with its herby exotic spice / underbrush. Nicely done if you like the style. Very restrained fruit, with some savory olive character and some nice silkiness to the texture.
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11/24/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Brought to a party y/day we had at the house, it's been sitting open since that time. I do recall tasting the 2011 syrah at the winery a year or so ago, which seemed peppery to me and pretty nice. As for this 2010, shows some faint black pepper, blue and black tones, pretty soft and missing the acidity I would hope to see. Either this wine is light in structure or it all faded out within one day.
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10/27/2014 - gzim Likes this wine:
Great showing, ready to go as a pop 'n pour. wish I could buy more at the $18 price I paid.....Nice red fruit profile, with some spice, white pepper and oak all in balance.
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10/26/2014 - ejca Likes this wine:
better with age, wish I had another.
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10/20/2014 - cartime Likes this wine: 90 Points
Red fruits, herbs, black olives, and lots of minerally acidity. If that's in your wheelhouse, this is a great value.
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10/5/2014 - Tubulus wrote: 88 Points
Day 1, this reminds me much more of a lighter Anthill pinot than a syrah. Floral, very light, easy to drink. Couple days later it starts to remind of a Brunello with some age. Why? No idea. Pleasant to drink, I should drink the rest of my bottles sooner rather than later.
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6/29/2014 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 89 Points
Consistent with previous note, although it improved considerably with air; the last glass at about the four hour mark showed much better aromatics on the nose.
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4/20/2014 - Brian Love wrote:
Good Syrah - on the pepper side.
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3/23/2014 - gzim Likes this wine:
this is softening as it ages, integrating. Are they young vines? as this seems to have more red fruit notes than most syrah.
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3/21/2014 - lolo66 wrote:
a bit thin this time around. unfortunate.
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2/13/2014 - drrobvino wrote: 88 Points
Clear, med purple/ruby in color, fades to a pale purple rim.
The nose is clean, developing, showing med intensity notes of barnyard funk, followed by perfectly ripened black cherry and plum fruit, some earthiness and wet soil notes, a nice black pepper spice kick at the end.
The palate echoes the aromas from the nose, showing a med bodied wine, dry, with med alcohol. Med intensity flavors of plum and black cherry, followed by earthy notes of tobacco and soil, followed by a gentle spiciness on the med length finish. Moderate tannins that are fairly round and very drinkable, med acidity that keeps this wine fresh and food friendly. A med length finish, very nice overall.
Just entering it's drinking window, this wine is nicely balanced, with quite a lot of earthiness and tart fruit to show it will age nicel for another 3 years or so, but won't further improve in bottle.
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2/8/2014 - RobertDwyer wrote: 84 Points
Nothing special here. Priced in line with quality at around $20.
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12/28/2013 - lolo66 wrote:
while an entry level syrah, this gives a lot of pleasure for me. It has a lovely nose and taste of lavender, blue fruits and a touch of gaminess. Not a lot of structure for the long term, and would drink these over the next year or two, but what it doesn't give in length it gives in delicious northern rhone a la northern California flavors. Definite re-buy for future vintages.
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12/13/2013 - gzim wrote:
good QPR, not overly ripe, somehow I got a bit of a dry powder finish.
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11/24/2013 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 88 Points
No notes taken. Nice fruit and well balanced, but lacks complexity. Desiree described it as "flat" on the palate. Will hold off on the remaining bottles for a while to see if time in the cellar will open it up a bit.
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11/4/2013 - Grape_ape wrote: 90 Points
intially pretty tight on the pop and pour, showing little but a strong dose of black pepper and some light florals with some crisp acidity on the finish. By the last glass this had fleshed out pretty nicely with some smokey charcoal, florals, red and blue fruit... still on the leaner side, but am prefering that style these days. Give a good hour in the decanter if having now. Curious to know how it would have tasted on day 2, but didn't make it that far...
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11/2/2013 - mkotlarz wrote: 89 Points
This is a solid Syrah for the price. I prefer a style of Syrah that's more dense. This is very enjoyable but light in style. A bit more dense than 2009 I think.
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10/11/2013 - sehill wrote: 88 Points
Decanted and poured, this bottle gave a very good showing and that was similar to previous experiences with this wine.
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9/23/2013 - Rob and Meg wrote: 89 Points
A bit denser and more complex than our previous bottle, this seems to be picking up weight with time in the bottle. Pure dark fruits, lavender, and chalky minerals fill the nose and palate, backed by soil and dried flowers. The acidity, freshness, and minerality to this wine are very encouraging for the cellar. Hold.
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9/10/2013 - pgb67 wrote: 91 Points
Summer Wines - Syrahs and Pinots ...: Interesting to drink alongside a Carlisle syrah because this is a totally different style of syrah. More mineral and earth here with an aromatic and flavor profile showing dried berries but also a lot of graphite, gravel and roasted herbs. A food friendly syrah.
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9/8/2013 - gzim wrote: 86 Points
Vinturi'd for dinner, followed for an hour. simple, balanced with a bit of funky twang, short finish. Seems like the vines are young or just don't have much going on.... but what do I know. It is a pretty good QPR
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9/1/2013 - Michael Davidson wrote:
Stellar syrah. Nice pepper on the nose, brambly blackberry with ample acidity throughout. Lively and delicious.
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8/20/2013 - whits wrote: 88 Points
nose was of violets and plums, the palate was not heavy, rather it had a refreshing acidic edge with pepper, black cherries and plums on the palate, very rounded and alive, a solid choice for a dinner wine, had with BBQ steak
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8/18/2013 - dgriffin3480 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Five hour decant. This was wide open with a nose of ripe red fruits, roasted meats and Welch's grape juice, clean palate with red fruit and minerals on quick finish. Tasty juice.
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7/25/2013 - jtinto wrote: 87 Points
Nice red fruit with meat. Very simple with not much length.
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7/24/2013 - Rieslingfan Likes this wine:
Popped and poured, this showed lots of supple red fruit and a peppery edge from the first sip. It fleshed out a bit in the glass, with the fruit deepening and the finish of the wine extending. Very nice accompaniment ot a meal, as it's forward enough for sipping and has sufficient complexity and depth to ot be overwhelmed by food.
What a really nice value this was at $18. A total steal really.
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5/24/2013 - DRS-Inc wrote: 88 Points
Best I've had of this btlg. to date. PnP & consumed over 6 hours (best from the 5 hr. mark-on). Started off restrained, but filled out nicely w/air. Notes of tart red fruit & meatiness w/notable black pepper & loads of building minerality. Noticeable yet unobtrusive tannins; medium acidity & light:medium finish.
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5/23/2013 - drrobvino Likes this wine: 88 Points
No formal note. Tasty, med in body, red fruited, med+ acidity, a bit simple in mid palate and finish.
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5/22/2013 - sawira wrote: 87 Points
Tighter than the 09, it's hard to tell whether the cooler vintage is restraining this right now, or whether this is just a year younger. I'd vote the former, as I don't remember the 09 being this unforthcoming. This may surpass that eventually, but I wouldn't bet on it.
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5/20/2013 - Grape_ape wrote: 88 Points
Similar to last bottle, although perhaps with a bit less aromatic intensity and a bit leaner on the palate.. still a great QPR... may try to hold off for a year until next bottle.
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3/24/2013 - dgriffin3480 wrote: 90 Points
Vigorous splash decant first night and tasted over three days. First night very tight with red and black fruits and beef blood muted by coNcentrated minerals. Recorked and refrigerated. Day 3 fruit leads the story with plum and astringent berries leading a mineral and tannin finish. Tasty wine with better days ahead if it at a great QPR
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3/22/2013 - Grape_ape Likes this wine: 88 Points
Great nose of black pepper, spice and florals. Palate is a bit simpler, but has tart red fruit, lots of peppery spice. Lean, and a bit lighter bodied than the 2009 at this point, with a shortish finish. It did seam to open a bit and put on weight as we got towards the end of the bottle, so time will probably benefit this. Solid QPR.
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3/18/2013 - winopops3 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very nice well balanced, lighter style Syrah. Very good qpr.
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3/9/2013 - dublwrap wrote: 88 Points
Black pepper Syrah party
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2/25/2013 - tcarter Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not the most complex syrah I've ever had (not even close) but immensely enjoyable and completely drinkable right now and should hold up for a few years. Kind of light in body but lots of flavor. Really terrific for the price point.
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2/22/2013 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 87 Points
Nice upfront nose of dark fruit and hints of vanilla, light bodied Syrah that's elegant and simple, less than average finish length still offers a decent qpr
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2/17/2013 - Jbird73 wrote: 86 Points
Purple and inky in color. Nose is a lot of purple fruit and ink with a fair amount of alcohol (best I can describe it). Taste is better than the nose but not one to drink alone. Paired with a flank steak it was enjoyable just not in my top syrahs. I think I will stick to others. Love anthill Pinot. Just not the Syrah.
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2/17/2013 - tomandlu Likes this wine: 87 Points
Decanted roughly 1 hour. Deep purple-red color fading quickly at the rim. Muted nose of red fruit and a bit of spice. Where this really picks up is on the palate, where it's palate-staining and rich without being jammy or overt. The finish easily lasts 30 seconds and never loses balance. All in all a very lovely syrah if not a particularly complex one.
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2/15/2013 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 89 Points
Similar experience as last week this is drinking so well now
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2/15/2013 - jzolkowski wrote: 88 Points
Lacks brightness, a bit muddled (muddy?), not great, very average. I've had much better syrahs for the price.
Update: opened up a little on day 2, maybe worth another point.
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2/15/2013 - Zonk wrote: 90 Points
Very light on its feet for CA syrah. Red fruit with a long chalky finish. great value, well made.
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2/8/2013 - mdefreitas wrote: 85 Points
A bit less enjoyable than my last outing with this. Quite a bit more lean, without much length on the finish. High-toned, crisp and a bit herbal. Perhaps this is shutting down?
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2/7/2013 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 87 Points
Great qpr IMHO, nice fruit forward nose of blackberry, vanilla, creme de cassis, similar palate with a smooth mouth feel with a quickish finish
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1/26/2013 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Same as prior TN's. I feel this is a great value bottling! Good fruit, a little dark root veggie, and some mid-palate pepper-spice action. Tannins are noticable, but don't detract from the fruit.
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1/20/2013 - ejca wrote:
Pretty good, I like the valley
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1/19/2013 - sehill wrote: 88 Points
Similar to previously tasted bottle.
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12/28/2012 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Same as prior TN's. A nice Table Syrah. Nice Dark color. Fruit is primary, strong, and a little tart. Well drank with pizza.
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12/17/2012 - Zonk wrote: 90 Points
Really nice cool climate syrah. Pleasant red fruit with a bit of darker fruit mixed in. Decent fruit while remaining light in texture. Chalky minerality.
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12/14/2012 - mdefreitas Likes this wine: 88 Points
Not quite what I am used to in California Syrah, as this is much more elegant, lighter, high-toned, airy and "wispy". Having said that, I quite enjoyed it. Not much depth, but the mid-palate is laced with (nicely) tart red fruits, sage, tree bark and hints of minerals; the finish is not lengthy, but clean and refreshing. Not a wine for "fruit-hunters". I can see this improving with cellaring.
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12/9/2012 - gzim wrote: 87 Points
Maybe this is not ready for prime time or didn't work as a pop'n pour... I found it a bit thin, as someone said more herbal than fruited, with not much of a finish.
Upon opening poured half into a 375ml and re-corked, so I can check back in in a day or two. Seeing as how much of fan I am of their pinot, can't say it met my expectations.
Significantly better on day 2... maybe this just needs more time. raised by score to 87
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11/22/2012 - cartime wrote: 90 Points
A very nice cool-climate Syrah with tart blackberry and red currant and savory notes of herbs and game. Tightened up at the 1-2 hour mark and was showing its best after 3 hours open. Hold or give it a good decant. Nice value.
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11/21/2012 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Very nice, lighter bodied Syrah. More Cote-du-Rhone French in style, with lift of Calif fruit. Really very drinkable. Some tartness, but only had delivered a week ago. The fruit is bright red berry, with some conifer forest floor,and herbal notes. Very pleasant, and the lighter weight makes this go well with wide variety of food. Also drank well on it's own. Tasty stuff.
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11/20/2012 - vinocerus wrote:
Interesting nose that is becoming typical of NoCal syrahs. More herbal than fruit or floral on the nose. Palate is thin and the finish lack-luster. Not a favorite.
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11/16/2012 - Rob and Meg wrote: 88 Points
The nose is decidedly fresh with light mixed berries, gorgeous violet/rose florals, chalk, and peppered game. The palate is light to medium bodied and fresh, showcasing fantastic cool red/dark berries over crushed gravel, earth, and a sanguine component. The finish is framed by surprisingly sturdy tannins and driven by persistent sweet/tart cranberry, black tea, dried green herbs, pepper, and leather. This is a very elegant style of syrah, that has the potential to improve over the next few years. R&M 88+
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11/14/2012 - DRS-Inc wrote: 87 Points
Consumed over 2 nights. At first PnP, then poured thru Vinturi & let breathe for 30 min. on 1st night. Young & primary w/N. Rhone-like profile. Notes of tart blue fruits, iron, pepper. Mid-bodied w/soft tannins, medium acidity & moderate clean finish. (87+)
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11/4/2012 - sehill wrote: 88 Points
Opened and poured, this wine gave a very good showing with straight forward aromatics of black fruits and black pepper. On both the palate and bouquet the wine seems somewhat simple; however, it displays enough fruit and concentration to keep it interesting. This drinks well now and may benefit from an additional year of bottle age.
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10/29/2012 - rwalker82 wrote: 80 Points
Purchased from bottle barn on 10/26/12. Historically have been a big fan of this producer, both their syrahs and pinots. Enjoyed the 2009 AF SC Syrah so was excited for the 2010 vintage. Pop and Pour: color is a very dark non-hazy purple. Has the fragrant/peppery/very interesting cool climate syrah nose. One of those syrahs that you just want to sniff. Disappointed with the taste and mouthfeel - very thin - tight - lacking fruit. Just not very enjoyable to drink. Day 2: didn't smell/taste. Day 3: more open for business from a taste standpoint, but the interesting nose characteristics are muted. This wine could easily go another day or two of OX and be fine, so there's a good chance this just needs time to come around. I recommend not touching for at least 6 months. Fingers crossed this wine comes around sometime in the future.
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