Decanted and consumed over 2 hrs with minimal change. Meaty and earthy, with dark chocolate and spice notes on the nose and palate. Long finish with grippy tannins and spice on the finish. Dried fruit elements balance the flavor. High in alcohol, but goes undetected due to the pleasant results of aging. Me - 92, Wife - 93
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Very well crafted wine. Comes out of the bottle with a medium purple red shade with a bit of "heat" coming off the nose (we drank undecanted out of magnum). The heat faded pretty quickly giving way to nice aromas of ripe strawberry, espresso, and cassis. Still very fully bodied with oak imparting a nice amount of backbone, not overdone. Secondary elements are a little more savory, a bit of roasted meat and cedar, all comes together fairly well. Definitely one for those who like the GSM central coast style. I've had some of the 2009s from this producer which were not drinking as well, so this restored my faith in the medium term age-worthiness of these wines.
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No Detailed Notes - A monster of a wine, clocking in at 16.1% alcohol, the nose erupts from the glass with dark purple fruits and charred wood. The full bodied wine is thick and coats the palate with the same dark fruits, vanilla and charred wood. Well received by many, if not to my taste.
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Dark purple in color. Phenomenal nose, if the score was based solely on this I would give it 100 points. Loads of dark fruits, dark chocolate , minerals, blackberry cobbler, vanilla finishes a little drying hot and tannic on day one, and not much difference on day two.
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Still garnet, with the slightest browning at the edge. Not as completely opaque as last time, which was five years ago. Pronounced and complex aromas predominantly syrah, with dark fruits, charred wood, meat, pepper. Full-bodied flavors, also black fruits, still has high alcohol, but tannins, while still present, have softened. Long but hot aftertaste. Overall, a higher score than last time. Probably at full maturity but should easily last another 3-5 years. Ric
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Preface: this is only the second Epoch wine I've had, and the first one was one of the BIG wines they make. This one is, I am told, the entry level (cheaper) Rhone blend. So I expected it to be lighter, and as a 2010 it was also, I think, maybe a year too old. It was very "grapey" to begin (in fact my dining companion, Carl, commented that it tasted like Manishevitz - he's Jewish). Grapes, some red fruit, but mostly purple. Not sweet, but just not a lot going on. Later, it opened up, but not a whole lot to write home about. Again, I think it's just lost a step from too much cellaring. Oh well.
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Drinking perfectly right now, huge dark fruit and spice on the nose, lush but integrated flavors with enough acidity to prevent over saturation. Long finish. Stellar
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Usually don't let my Epoch wines age this long, but after this I may have to. This was really wonderful when tasted at their new tasting room so I bought a bottle. First night was pop and pour and all I can say is WOW. Rich, full-bodied, wonderful black fruit, well integrated. Faded some the second night, so seems like now is the time for this.
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I have been drinking this wine the last three years & this was my last bottle out of a case. Much softer now as tan is have subsided but still go go longer. More mellow and drinking beautifully. Wonderful GSM from top Paso producer. Till lots of structure and wishI had a couple more. I have some 2011 & 2012. Very close to other Epoch offerings ( Veracity, Ingenuity) which cost more. Typical jammy, higher alcohol GSM but beautiful.
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Definitely fruit forward in a good way with red and black fruit, integrated oak and a some slight savory characteristics. High abv, around 16% and it showed. Drank along side a couple of other Paso wines with similar alcohol levels and this one stuck out the most, dropping it down a notch or two for me. Still a delicious and enjoyable wine.
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In a good spot right now with a decant. Some tertiary flavors are starting to emerge but will get better in a few more years. Some good fruits and tobacco and will hold my last bottle for another 2-6 years
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Popped and poured. Very closed down for the first 30 minutes. It opened up slowly there were dark fruit notes blueberry, bright plum but also a lot of green, brambly notes. The finish is still a bit hard and earthy/dusty. It opened slowly over two hours, and the fruit bloomed and the harshness of the tannins receded. The green/dusty tinge remained.
I am bewildered by this wine, the tannin structure suggests to continue to wait. On the other hand, I can't tell where this is going.
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Showing very well. Tannins present but not overwhelming. Each element -- Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Tempranillo identifiable in the blend but well integrated. Big, but balanced with enough acidity to stand up to the abundant fruit. Not over-oaked as are so many wines. My only regret is this is my last bottle and I won't get to find out how it develops in the future.
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Brought this to a wine tasting party with 8 other high quality great wines. This wine was talked about as being one of the top 2. Great balance and finish. Excellent!
No decanting. Pretty violet color. Limited nose of dark fruit and earth. Medium body. Big, firm tannins overwhelm the fruit. Seems out of balance for me. Not sure waiting for tannins to smooth out will help. Finish definitely didn't make me want more. Maybe my expectations were too high since I've enjoyed so many wines from Epoch. Did get better in the glass as the night moved on. This was a decent wine but not anything I'd recommend to a friend.
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Decanted 2 hrs. So fine and well balanced. Glass staining and mouthcoating for sure but this is more a dancer than a puncher. No need to wait as this is ready now, though will hold a few years. Delicious.
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Intriguing blend (56% Syrah 26% Grenache 11% Mourvedre 7% Tempranillo) that evolved in the glass. Integrated fruit but each varietal spoke up at different moments. At the end, it had almost a port-like quality. A very fine Epoch. Good QPR.
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From a Coravined bottle and a tasting pour so basically a PNP assessment. Bright ruby red. Lovely nose of spicy red raspberry, cherry cola and has lots of red fruits, spiciness, and tannins that holds it together well. Still young and vibrant. Rich and complex. Terrific.
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Used the Coravin to try a glass. This is still very young & hot. The initial nose was pure fruit (other than the strong alcohol). A bit unbalanced with a tart medicinal finish. Has the "cherry cough syrup" feel that Grenache can often have, even though this has only 26%. After 3+ hours in glass, and lots of swirling, it finally opened to reveal the cocoa nib/chocolate note that Andrew mentioned, which was great. Finally softened as well, but to me this needs a lot more cellar time or a very long decant.
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Coravin # 1 - wow. Side by side vs an '05 Saxum Booker and this was drinking even better. Licorice, chocolate, and raspberry. Classic Paso. Smitten. Will be buying more Epoch in the future. High glycerin. Decent tannins left. Young.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of pepper, plum, berries and currants. Flavors of plums, currants and berries. Medium acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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Didn't enjoy this as much as previous bottles. The fruit didn't integrate as much as expected. Not as complex as I would have hoped. Still a good wine; notes of licorice and red fruits. Just good, nothing more.
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toasty oak, licorice, and blue fruit on the nose. dense blueberry fruit with good depth on the palate with more toasty, spicy oak. Medium finish with jammy fruit lingering. Very nice wine even though oak shows a little heavy.
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Not liking this as much as I did the first bottle a year ago.
Decanted for an hour. Dark purple and limited clarity. Big nose of black fruits, spice and grainy leather.
Medium to heavy body and big fruit and leather on the palate. This was too much of a fruit bomb for me and I found it distracting.
Good tannin structure so this has the bones to go for a while longer but I am not convinced that age will lessen the fruit forward explosion on this wine.
I do have 1 more bottle so we will see if my prediction pans out. But if I am wrong I still win... no wonder I love wine so much.
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big fan of Epoch wines, but didn't see the hype or ranking in WS behind this vintage. Have one more in the cellar, may keep for another year and see what happens.
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Improved since last bottle on 5/14/2013. Big notes of chambord and licorice. Some fine tannins provide structure. Better on the 2nd day - feels like many years are in front of this wine.
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This is my last bottle, and while I love this winery and their wines, this one has always been a bit disjointed, acidic l, and hot. It is okay, but does not suggest longevity or improvement with age. I have to take it down a notch from my past reviews. If you are new to Epoch, and this is your first experience, I wound say other labels and other vintages have been much better than this one.
Petrol, plum, licorice on a racy and hot finish.
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Decanted for an hour. Great blend 56% Syrah,26% Grenache,11% Mourvèdre,7% Tempranillo. We loved this one. Could not get enough. I have two more bottles to enjoy.
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Took about two hours to really open up, but once it did it was really nice. The high alcohol is somewhat kept in check. But it's always in the background. However, it is coming together nicely.
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Now THIS is what I'm talking about. A $40 bottle of wine that get's me excited and has WOW factor. Excellent QPR. Decanted 3 hours before a meal of homemade crab cakes.
Deep purple color, Wonderful GSM nose, and still tannic after 3 hours. This wine is too young (for me) at this point to drink. I will give it al least another 6 months to a year. I'm buying more of this wine based on this bottle because it's excellent.
I drink lots of Paso GSM and this is NOT a finesse wine (at this point). It is an "in your face" extracted GSM. Ripe style, heavy mouth feel and wonderful layering of flavors. This is right up there with all of the best GSM's from Paso I have tasted, Thacher, Villa Creek, Daou, Denner, Halter Ranch, Tablas Creek etc. I haven't tasted Saxum yet but it would be hard for me that it is 3 times better (based on price) than this wine. At $40..this is a NO BRAINER !!
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--- COLOR: Opaque purple with medium purple rim NOTE: This is like a great Saxum, full of voluptuous black fruit liqueur, chocolate, espresso and a little "fur". Unbelievable that this is their entry-level wine and it's half the price of any Saxum wine. Great QPR at $40 in this vintage. The alcohol is high at 16.1 so it will struggle with some food but it's a great wine just to indulge in. It's pretty sexy stuff and totally blows away the 2009 which I enjoyed very much. I'm really close to picking up more bottles if I can find room in the cellar...
DECANT: 1 hour GLASS USED: Bordeaux TASTE: 9.4- COST: 40 VALUE: 8.9 TRY AGAIN: now-2018 PAIRING: probably beef or burgers Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net ---
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Grips the glass like oil. Good color, deep red and a boost of sugar and alcohol - tannin grip. Long finish but mostly alcohol. Mix of old red grape skin, black licorice. Don't let it open it falls out.
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A big mouthful just the way Jordan wants it to be. Still you and rough around the edges. The Syrah stands up and holds the other varietal's together. Dark, intense and will age nicely.
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Decanted 8 hours prior to tasting. Initial impression of mocha java turning to licorice surrounding blue to black fruits. Rich, supple, and in perfect balance, this is the best it has tasted, perhaps due to the length of decant. Very nice.
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POP, Very nice. I'm a bit surprised that everyone is talking about the heat from the alcohol, this is about as smooth of an Epoch wine as I have tasted. Typical Cali fruit forward which I happen to like, cherries, raisin with a little spice. Could maybe use a little more body but very enjoyable. At $40 dollars I think this was a very good value, no complaints from me on the QPR.
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Continuing to perform well, and while not cheap, relatively good value among California (high land and fruit price) wines.
Dark plum and blackberry, cocoa on the finish. Still feel like this has a bit of a sharp acidic edge that keeps me from quite going as high as I otherwise would be inclined.
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Aromas of blackberry jam, brambly earth & spice, and hints of gamey savory notes. Ultra concentrated and rich, with notes of espresso, ripe black fruit, and hints of earth and spice. Round polished tannins and plenty of long ripe fruit notes and a little heat on the finish. A bombastic wine.
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Very tasty wine, even better the second night. Juicy and succulent, nice cabernet aroma and flavor, very round and approachable with tannin in the background. Only problem is...there are wines I'd like just as much (or even prefer) for half the price! Why are so few tasting notes mentioning price-quality comparisons? Ric
Decanted 1 hour. Clearly needs more time. Alcohol really strong here right out of the gate and took a while to wear off (didn't completely). This one didn't come together as much as other Epoch's and was a bit one dimensional to me - not in a good way. Heat, chocolate, dark fruit, some spice.
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In an entirely different place than 7 months ago, and its a very good place. Learning that the Estate Blend needs time in bottle to integrate and shed the heavy alc feel. Very nice effort. Consistent from sight, smell and taste. Too bad it's my last of the vintage. Well, at least the new vintage is here!
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Cherry cola, chocolate, blueberry syrup. Extracted flavors that need to be served on the cooler side or the alc begins to dominate. Has gotten better with cellar time.
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PnP as part of a do nothing night at the start of a weekend. Great value...A dark brooding wine with excellent depth of flavor. Dark berries, mocha on the mid palate. Long finish. Another epic from Epoch!
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Decanted for 3+ hours. Followed over several days. 16.1% ABV
Going against the grain here, but this is an overripe bomb. Followed for 2 full days; Raisins dominate throughout, and the alcohol makes no attempt to hide. NR
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Consumed over 4 nights with stops in the vacuum bar in between. Deep rich masculine wine. Lush ripe fruits with a pronounced chocolate overlay and some earthy aspects. Plush texture. Not much evolution over the 4 nights... basically a chocolate covered fruit smoothie. Delicious, though may be a bit limited if pairing with food.
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Popped and poured at restaurant. Big, lush wine. Love the mouthfeel, just coats the tongue with flavor. Long finish, balanced well. A lot to like here.
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tar and tobacco nose, fronted by blackberry tones. Blackberry, dark cherry, and orange rind flavors are balanced with some drying herb tones. The flavors are a little ripe and the 16.1% alc shows a bit more than I would like, but this a matter of degrees, and I would consider these minor issues.
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Decanted 1 hour and drank over another 1. Very nice representation of this style. Great nose, grenache came through. Dark fruits, chocolate, coffee. A bit of heat at the end but to be expected this young, otherwise great balance
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Very nice, wonderful weight in the mouth, seems to coat the palate then develop from there to a heavy finish which I imagine will soften and refine with time
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This was wonderful it's full body with so much to offer. it's not only great tasting its an education bottle due to all that is going on with with it. Worth every penny
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Nice wine. Dark berry, maybe some anise. A little rough on the finish still -- I think a year or two in bottle helps bring this one together. But a very good value at Epoch's $45 release price.
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Never really came around for me. Maybe just needs more time. Experience was unlike prior tastings. Great purple color. Muted nose. Alc on finish is worst part. Will give other bottles more time.
Update to TN. Had a glass leftover on day 3. Wine seemed to integrate a bit more. Alc burn on finish had almost dissipated. Still a little left, but more tolerable. Next bottle definitely needs a lot of time to integrate. Maybe 5+ hour decant will help.
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This wine is big and chewy. as well as nice and smooth. I wish I was elegant enough to share all of the different things that was in this bottle it was down right enjoyable and educational. I read a review about it was not good high content. Make sure you serve this cellar temperature to get the flavors. I thing this was ready to drink now. it was a blast.
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I do not understand why people review this wine positively. It is hot alcoholic mess with no structure to support over extracted fruit. As big as fruit is, burning sensation in the back of the palate dominates profile. It did not get better over three days and I do not see how it would be better with aging. I guess I should have known better when I saw 16.1% alcohol.
Dark purple and completely opaque. Very pronounced jammy black fruit and cassis nose. Very concentrated fruit, hint of bitterness back of the tongue after 10 seconds. Mouth-coating. High alcohol, a bit out of balance. Very long aftertaste, still some bitterness. This is somewhat awkward and may come together with time, but I'm reserving judgment.
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Splash decanted at Buona Tavola and paired with grilled flat iron steak. Great wine. Lush waves of warm boysenberry cream with cocoa and leather caress and envelop the palate. Its easy going, generous, mouthcoating presense was loved by all. A comfortable wine to be sure. Outstanding "entry level" cuvee from Epoch and to my palate better than their '09. A lot of wine for the money. 91-92
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A point better than last tasting. Heat on finish a little less noticeable. Opened up earlier and smooth mouthfeel. Deep dark fruit colors, medium nose and medium plus finish. This is just going to get better. Holding remaining bottles for now.
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Excellent wine. Chocolate covered boysenberries on toast. Lush and round... almost a bit yogurty. Warm and inviting with excellent depth and balance. Good stuff.
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A nose of blueberry and dark cherry. Flavors of dark berry, chocolate and a bit of espresso bitterness on the finish. Long finish. The structured tannins suggest this can sit a while. A touch hot, had me looking up the alcohol content. Nice.
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4-hour decant consumed over 4 hours. surprisingly reticent nose, with some warm spice cake, some vegetal red fruit, and toasty oak. a tasty red and black fruit filled palate. a decent if short finish that was tasty but uninspiring. the last hour or so turned into maraschino cherries. it was good, but for $40 I don't see the QPR. if scoring 88-90.
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Popped and poured, drank over 2 nights. Dark garnet hue. Black cherries on the nose, with a touch of pencil lead. Big red fruit on the palate, with a lush mouthfeel. Finishes with a bit of heat, but overall, plenty tasty.
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OMG....this is Epoch's low end wine????? Opened about 1 hour b/4 pouring. HUGE legs....what do you expect when alc is 16.1? Gotta admit, I love Cali wines! Wonderful nose of cherries, raspberries and some chocolate. Big condensed wine with raspberries, cherries, chocolate on palate....Beautifully balanced, even this early. Someone mentioned that it needs years yet...We don't have a whole bunch of years left. Thankfully it is really (REALLY) enjoyable now! We're trying to decide which wine clubs from Paso to keep and which to discard (space is becoming a problem). Epoch is absolutely a keeper!
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Bottle opened 8 hrs. Full body with soft and fleshy plums and boysenberries, saddle leather, and a complimentary chocolate overlay. Sweet, but reasonably so. Enough structure to keep it within the lines but overall impression is generous and assessable. Should clean up with some additional cellaring. A well made and delicious fruit ball of a wine that offers some intrigue and room for growth. Good QPR
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Early sacrifice. Drank over two days thanks to notes from @mootsie. Similar experience. Day 1 showed too much heat on finish. Day 2 much more integrated with very small traces of heat. This is a dense, concentrated wine. Great color of dark purple fruit. Nose was a bit muted at first. Smooth mid palate. Nice finish. Definitely has a nice life ahead.
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9/10/2020 - Dangotti Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still excellent concentration. Not past it’s prime.
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2/15/2020 - Justin B Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well, aged nicely. Drink now.
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6/21/2019 - signotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still cruising along quite nicely. Delicious.
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4/14/2019 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted and consumed over 2 hrs with minimal change.
Meaty and earthy, with dark chocolate and spice notes on the nose and palate. Long finish with grippy tannins and spice on the finish. Dried fruit elements balance the flavor. High in alcohol, but goes undetected due to the pleasant results of aging.
Me - 92, Wife - 93
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3/31/2019 - hrazdiiv Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well crafted wine. Comes out of the bottle with a medium purple red shade with a bit of "heat" coming off the nose (we drank undecanted out of magnum). The heat faded pretty quickly giving way to nice aromas of ripe strawberry, espresso, and cassis. Still very fully bodied with oak imparting a nice amount of backbone, not overdone. Secondary elements are a little more savory, a bit of roasted meat and cedar, all comes together fairly well. Definitely one for those who like the GSM central coast style. I've had some of the 2009s from this producer which were not drinking as well, so this restored my faith in the medium term age-worthiness of these wines.
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12/17/2018 - PDX-S wrote:
No Detailed Notes - A monster of a wine, clocking in at 16.1% alcohol, the nose erupts from the glass with dark purple fruits and charred wood. The full bodied wine is thick and coats the palate with the same dark fruits, vanilla and charred wood. Well received by many, if not to my taste.
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11/1/2018 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark purple in color. Phenomenal nose, if the score was based solely on this I would give it 100 points. Loads of dark fruits, dark chocolate , minerals, blackberry cobbler, vanilla finishes a little drying hot and tannic on day one, and not much difference on day two.
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9/10/2018 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine:
Still garnet, with the slightest browning at the edge. Not as completely opaque as last time, which was five years ago. Pronounced and complex aromas predominantly syrah, with dark fruits, charred wood, meat, pepper. Full-bodied flavors, also black fruits, still has high alcohol, but tannins, while still present, have softened. Long but hot aftertaste. Overall, a higher score than last time. Probably at full maturity but should easily last another 3-5 years.
Ric
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8/15/2018 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Preface: this is only the second Epoch wine I've had, and the first one was one of the BIG wines they make. This one is, I am told, the entry level (cheaper) Rhone blend. So I expected it to be lighter, and as a 2010 it was also, I think, maybe a year too old. It was very "grapey" to begin (in fact my dining companion, Carl, commented that it tasted like Manishevitz - he's Jewish). Grapes, some red fruit, but mostly purple. Not sweet, but just not a lot going on. Later, it opened up, but not a whole lot to write home about. Again, I think it's just lost a step from too much cellaring. Oh well.
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5/19/2018 - brianofthevine wrote: 90 Points
Basically a GSM + Tempranillo. Blackberry, boysenberry, and plum fruit. Tobacco, black pepper, and spicy earth notes. Dusty tannins, medium finish.
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11/25/2017 - arnold2015 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking perfectly right now, huge dark fruit and spice on the nose, lush but integrated flavors with enough acidity to prevent over saturation. Long finish. Stellar
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9/4/2017 - expres1038 wrote: 87 Points
Beyond its time
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6/4/2017 - spidersva Likes this wine:
Opened for the Forstner/Lewis wine reunion...big hit
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5/27/2017 - Beezleton Likes this wine:
Very good. Big, peppery. High alcohol at 16% but not hot tasting. SGM+tempranillo. Tasted at winery 12/14.
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5/22/2017 - LoopooK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking great 2017. Full bodied, lots of flavors.
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5/20/2017 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at the winery, no formal tasting notes.
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3/20/2017 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 95 Points
Usually don't let my Epoch wines age this long, but after this I may have to. This was really wonderful when tasted at their new tasting room so I bought a bottle. First night was pop and pour and all I can say is WOW. Rich, full-bodied, wonderful black fruit, well integrated. Faded some the second night, so seems like now is the time for this.
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2/19/2017 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 92 Points
I have been drinking this wine the last three years & this was my last bottle out of a case. Much softer now as tan is have subsided but still go go longer. More mellow and drinking beautifully. Wonderful GSM from top Paso producer. Till lots of structure and wishI had a couple more. I have some 2011 & 2012. Very close to other Epoch offerings ( Veracity, Ingenuity) which cost more. Typical jammy, higher alcohol GSM but beautiful.
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11/14/2016 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely fruit forward in a good way with red and black fruit, integrated oak and a some slight savory characteristics. High abv, around 16% and it showed. Drank along side a couple of other Paso wines with similar alcohol levels and this one stuck out the most, dropping it down a notch or two for me. Still a delicious and enjoyable wine.
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10/25/2016 - cobhcork wrote: 89 Points
soft
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8/21/2016 - johnny1206 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good
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8/17/2016 - Griffeyfan04 wrote: 90 Points
In a good spot right now with a decant. Some tertiary flavors are starting to emerge but will get better in a few more years. Some good fruits and tobacco and will hold my last bottle for another 2-6 years
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7/9/2016 - VAD wrote: 93 Points
Great fruit, nice and smooth. Full finish
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10/27/2015 - millerarner Likes this wine: 91 Points
Give this one plenty of time to open and it'll reward you.
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10/24/2015 - plechazunga wrote:
Popped and poured. Very closed down for the first 30 minutes. It opened up slowly there were dark fruit notes blueberry, bright plum but also a lot of green, brambly notes. The finish is still a bit hard and earthy/dusty. It opened slowly over two hours, and the fruit bloomed and the harshness of the tannins receded. The green/dusty tinge remained.
I am bewildered by this wine, the tannin structure suggests to continue to wait. On the other hand, I can't tell where this is going.
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10/19/2015 - Corrie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very Good
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8/23/2015 - VoVo wrote: 94 Points
Showing very well. Tannins present but not overwhelming. Each element -- Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Tempranillo identifiable in the blend but well integrated. Big, but balanced with enough acidity to stand up to the abundant fruit. Not over-oaked as are so many wines. My only regret is this is my last bottle and I won't get to find out how it develops in the future.
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8/9/2015 - mhewitt wrote: 94 Points
Still just a fantastic wine. Starting to lose some of its baby fat.
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5/30/2015 - VAD wrote: 94 Points
Brought this to a wine tasting party with 8 other high quality great wines. This wine was talked about as being one of the top 2. Great balance and finish. Excellent!
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4/6/2015 - coreywb wrote: 88 Points
No decanting. Pretty violet color. Limited nose of dark fruit and earth. Medium body. Big, firm tannins overwhelm the fruit. Seems out of balance for me. Not sure waiting for tannins to smooth out will help. Finish definitely didn't make me want more. Maybe my expectations were too high since I've enjoyed so many wines from Epoch. Did get better in the glass as the night moved on. This was a decent wine but not anything I'd recommend to a friend.
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2/19/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
consistent with notes of 8/27/2014
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2/13/2015 - Redguy wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. So fine and well balanced. Glass staining and mouthcoating for sure but this is more a dancer than a puncher. No need to wait as this is ready now, though will hold a few years. Delicious.
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2/8/2015 - ELH wrote: 94 Points
Intriguing blend (56% Syrah 26% Grenache 11% Mourvedre 7% Tempranillo) that evolved in the glass. Integrated fruit but each varietal spoke up at different moments. At the end, it had almost a port-like quality. A very fine Epoch. Good QPR.
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2/6/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
From a Coravined bottle and a tasting pour so basically a PNP assessment.
Bright ruby red. Lovely nose of spicy red raspberry, cherry cola and has lots of red fruits, spiciness, and tannins that holds it together well. Still young and vibrant. Rich and complex. Terrific.
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1/16/2015 - millerarner wrote:
Used the Coravin to try a glass. This is still very young & hot. The initial nose was pure fruit (other than the strong alcohol). A bit unbalanced with a tart medicinal finish. Has the "cherry cough syrup" feel that Grenache can often have, even though this has only 26%. After 3+ hours in glass, and lots of swirling, it finally opened to reveal the cocoa nib/chocolate note that Andrew mentioned, which was great. Finally softened as well, but to me this needs a lot more cellar time or a very long decant.
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1/15/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Coravin #2 - consistant with last go around. More of a cocoa nib/chocolate nuance going on this time. Still enamored.
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1/9/2015 - pme Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just a fabulous wine drinking beautifully right now...very impressive
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12/31/2014 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderfully deep and complex. Drinking very well.
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12/25/2014 - wine maestro wrote: 92 Points
Christmas Day Tasting
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12/24/2014 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Coravin # 1 - wow. Side by side vs an '05 Saxum Booker and this was drinking even better. Licorice, chocolate, and raspberry. Classic Paso. Smitten. Will be buying more Epoch in the future. High glycerin. Decent tannins left. Young.
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12/14/2014 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of pepper, plum, berries and currants. Flavors of plums, currants and berries. Medium acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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11/25/2014 - UofM wrote: 90 Points
Didn't enjoy this as much as previous bottles. The fruit didn't integrate as much as expected. Not as complex as I would have hoped. Still a good wine; notes of licorice and red fruits. Just good, nothing more.
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11/10/2014 - signotim wrote: 90 Points
toasty oak, licorice, and blue fruit on the nose. dense blueberry fruit with good depth on the palate with more toasty, spicy oak. Medium finish with jammy fruit lingering. Very nice wine even though oak shows a little heavy.
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11/8/2014 - uncle al Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well balanced and smooth. Good fruit with a fine finish. An excellent wine at a reasonable price.
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11/7/2014 - wineforrest Likes this wine: 90 Points
dark, lush
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10/9/2014 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful. Good balance with mild flavors. Smooth.
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10/5/2014 - brouigu1 wrote: 86 Points
Not liking this as much as I did the first bottle a year ago.
Decanted for an hour. Dark purple and limited clarity. Big nose of black fruits, spice and grainy leather.
Medium to heavy body and big fruit and leather on the palate. This was too much of a fruit bomb for me and I found it distracting.
Good tannin structure so this has the bones to go for a while longer but I am not convinced that age will lessen the fruit forward explosion on this wine.
I do have 1 more bottle so we will see if my prediction pans out. But if I am wrong I still win... no wonder I love wine so much.
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9/21/2014 - UofM wrote: 89 Points
big fan of Epoch wines, but didn't see the hype or ranking in WS behind this vintage. Have one more in the cellar, may keep for another year and see what happens.
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9/7/2014 - jcbrand wrote: 90 Points
Hot
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8/27/2014 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Improved since last bottle on 5/14/2013. Big notes of chambord and licorice. Some fine tannins provide structure. Better on the 2nd day - feels like many years are in front of this wine.
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8/16/2014 - Dr. Larue wrote: 94 Points
solid spectacular wine, 3 hr decant, opened up beautifully...great price point!
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7/6/2014 - brianngibson wrote: 89 Points
This is my last bottle, and while I love this winery and their wines, this one has always been a bit disjointed, acidic l, and hot. It is okay, but does not suggest longevity or improvement with age. I have to take it down a notch from my past reviews. If you are new to Epoch, and this is your first experience, I wound say other labels and other vintages have been much better than this one.
Petrol, plum, licorice on a racy and hot finish.
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7/3/2014 - rodsjuice Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour. Great blend 56% Syrah,26% Grenache,11% Mourvèdre,7% Tempranillo. We loved this one. Could not get enough. I have two more bottles to enjoy.
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5/24/2014 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 93 Points
Kings win! Kings win!
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4/12/2014 - eldiabloazul Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine...
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4/12/2014 - STM82 wrote: 93 Points
Took about two hours to really open up, but once it did it was really nice. The high alcohol is somewhat kept in check. But it's always in the background. However, it is coming together nicely.
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4/5/2014 - Backdoctor wrote: 92 Points
great nose, smooth on the palate. The tannins were soft and as it opened the grenache showed up more and more
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3/24/2014 - jfaulk wrote: 87 Points
OK. Not well structured. Kind of odd
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2/24/2014 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Now THIS is what I'm talking about. A $40 bottle of wine that get's me excited and has WOW factor. Excellent QPR. Decanted 3 hours before a meal of homemade crab cakes.
Deep purple color, Wonderful GSM nose, and still tannic after 3 hours. This wine is too young (for me) at this point to drink. I will give it al least another 6 months to a year. I'm buying more of this wine based on this bottle because it's excellent.
I drink lots of Paso GSM and this is NOT a finesse wine (at this point). It is an "in your face" extracted GSM. Ripe style, heavy mouth feel and wonderful layering of flavors. This is right up there with all of the best GSM's from Paso I have tasted, Thacher, Villa Creek, Daou, Denner, Halter Ranch, Tablas Creek etc. I haven't tasted Saxum yet but it would be hard for me that it is 3 times better (based on price) than this wine. At $40..this is a NO BRAINER !!
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2/2/2014 - mattdathan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful!
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2/1/2014 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 Points
---
COLOR: Opaque purple with medium purple rim
NOTE: This is like a great Saxum, full of voluptuous black fruit liqueur, chocolate, espresso and a little "fur". Unbelievable that this is their entry-level wine and it's half the price of any Saxum wine. Great QPR at $40 in this vintage. The alcohol is high at 16.1 so it will struggle with some food but it's a great wine just to indulge in. It's pretty sexy stuff and totally blows away the 2009 which I enjoyed very much. I'm really close to picking up more bottles if I can find room in the cellar...
DECANT: 1 hour
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.4-
COST: 40
VALUE: 8.9
TRY AGAIN: now-2018
PAIRING: probably beef or burgers
Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net
---
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1/3/2014 - Vinfidel Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Grips the glass like oil. Good color, deep red and a boost of sugar and alcohol - tannin grip. Long finish but mostly alcohol. Mix of old red grape skin, black licorice. Don't let it open it falls out.
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12/29/2013 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 90 Points
A big mouthful just the way Jordan wants it to be. Still you and rough around the edges. The Syrah stands up and holds the other varietal's together. Dark, intense and will age nicely.
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12/24/2013 - joefouche wrote: 89 Points
It was a little inelegant and hot today. Could have benefited from aeration, perhaps. Still a nice experience but can overwhelm at 16% ABV.
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12/23/2013 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 80 Points
Not my favorite at epoch, but very well composed wine.
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11/23/2013 - ddingley wrote: 91 Points
Rich and lush right out of the bottle, didn't get the heat. Next time will try a longer decant to see if that further improves it.
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11/7/2013 - jeagle wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 8 hours prior to tasting. Initial impression of mocha java turning to licorice surrounding blue to black fruits. Rich, supple, and in perfect balance, this is the best it has tasted, perhaps due to the length of decant. Very nice.
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10/30/2013 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good concentrated fruit balanced with some acidity and earthiness.
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10/29/2013 - RLP805 wrote: 92 Points
POP, Very nice. I'm a bit surprised that everyone is talking about the heat from the alcohol, this is about as smooth of an Epoch wine as I have tasted. Typical Cali fruit forward which I happen to like, cherries, raisin with a little spice. Could maybe use a little more body but very enjoyable. At $40 dollars I think this was a very good value, no complaints from me on the QPR.
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10/18/2013 - spidersva Likes this wine: 92 Points
So big and yummy...
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10/17/2013 - brianngibson wrote: 91 Points
Continuing to perform well, and while not cheap, relatively good value among California (high land and fruit price) wines.
Dark plum and blackberry, cocoa on the finish. Still feel like this has a bit of a sharp acidic edge that keeps me from quite going as high as I otherwise would be inclined.
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10/13/2013 - JonnyG wrote: 89 Points
Overripe and jammy/raisiny, with too prominent a presence of alcohol for my taste
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9/29/2013 - MattMauldin wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of blackberry jam, brambly earth & spice, and hints of gamey savory notes. Ultra concentrated and rich, with notes of espresso, ripe black fruit, and hints of earth and spice. Round polished tannins and plenty of long ripe fruit notes and a little heat on the finish. A bombastic wine.
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9/28/2013 - spidersva Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brooding and big. Yummy.
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9/24/2013 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very tasty wine, even better the second night. Juicy and succulent, nice cabernet aroma and flavor, very round and approachable with tannin in the background. Only problem is...there are wines I'd like just as much (or even prefer) for half the price! Why are so few tasting notes mentioning price-quality comparisons?
Ric
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9/9/2013 - cpsmith33 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Clearly needs more time. Alcohol really strong here right out of the gate and took a while to wear off (didn't completely). This one didn't come together as much as other Epoch's and was a bit one dimensional to me - not in a good way. Heat, chocolate, dark fruit, some spice.
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9/7/2013 - Ilikadajuice wrote: 91 Points
In an entirely different place than 7 months ago, and its a very good place. Learning that the Estate Blend needs time in bottle to integrate and shed the heavy alc feel. Very nice effort. Consistent from sight, smell and taste. Too bad it's my last of the vintage. Well, at least the new vintage is here!
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7/29/2013 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cherry cola, chocolate, blueberry syrup. Extracted flavors that need to be served on the cooler side or the alc begins to dominate. Has gotten better with cellar time.
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7/18/2013 - T.O.Wineaux Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP as part of a do nothing night at the start of a weekend. Great value...A dark brooding wine with excellent depth of flavor. Dark berries, mocha on the mid palate. Long finish. Another epic from Epoch!
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7/13/2013 - wineberg Does not like this wine:
Decanted for 3+ hours. Followed over several days. 16.1% ABV
Going against the grain here, but this is an overripe bomb. Followed for 2 full days; Raisins dominate throughout, and the alcohol makes no attempt to hide. NR
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6/24/2013 - Annie1 wrote: 93 Points
I've already given my opinion....nothing has changed.
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6/3/2013 - Redguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consumed over 4 nights with stops in the vacuum bar in between. Deep rich masculine wine. Lush ripe fruits with a pronounced chocolate overlay and some earthy aspects. Plush texture. Not much evolution over the 4 nights... basically a chocolate covered fruit smoothie. Delicious, though may be a bit limited if pairing with food.
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5/29/2013 - TPowe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine!! Huge fan of Epoch.
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5/27/2013 - cepageyakima wrote: 93 Points
liked it a lot..no description tonight...to much epoch!
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5/25/2013 - The Wine Write wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured at restaurant. Big, lush wine. Love the mouthfeel, just coats the tongue with flavor. Long finish, balanced well. A lot to like here.
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5/14/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 90 Points
tar and tobacco nose, fronted by blackberry tones. Blackberry, dark cherry, and orange rind flavors are balanced with some drying herb tones. The flavors are a little ripe and the 16.1% alc shows a bit more than I would like, but this a matter of degrees, and I would consider these minor issues.
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4/28/2013 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour and drank over another 1. Very nice representation of this style. Great nose, grenache came through. Dark fruits, chocolate, coffee. A bit of heat at the end but to be expected this young, otherwise great balance
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4/17/2013 - brianngibson wrote: 92 Points
Chocolate covered espresso beans, nutty, and dark plum and blueberry fruit. Minerally on the finish, with perhaps a little too much acid.
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4/7/2013 - BrianMc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice, wonderful weight in the mouth, seems to coat the palate then develop from there to a heavy finish which I imagine will soften and refine with time
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3/27/2013 - BigSchmove Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was wonderful it's full body with so much to offer. it's not only great tasting its an education bottle due to all that is going on with with it. Worth every penny
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3/12/2013 - rcg62 wrote: 91 Points
Nice wine. Dark berry, maybe some anise. A little rough on the finish still -- I think a year or two in bottle helps bring this one together. But a very good value at Epoch's $45 release price.
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3/4/2013 - jaxpaj wrote: 90 Points
Slate, dark fruit, touches of dust and mineral. Yet this still has a touch of sweetness to it. Interesting wine.
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2/25/2013 - Ilikadajuice wrote: 89 Points
Never really came around for me. Maybe just needs more time. Experience was unlike prior tastings. Great purple color. Muted nose. Alc on finish is worst part. Will give other bottles more time.
Update to TN. Had a glass leftover on day 3. Wine seemed to integrate a bit more. Alc burn on finish had almost dissipated. Still a little left, but more tolerable. Next bottle definitely needs a lot of time to integrate. Maybe 5+ hour decant will help.
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2/21/2013 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice soft fruit and good depth. Still young but drinking nicely at present.
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2/14/2013 - BigSchmove Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is big and chewy. as well as nice and smooth. I wish I was elegant enough to share all of the different things that was in this bottle it was down right enjoyable and educational. I read a review about it was not good high content. Make sure you serve this cellar temperature to get the flavors. I thing this was ready to drink now. it was a blast.
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2/14/2013 - megropolis wrote: 85 Points
I do not understand why people review this wine positively. It is hot alcoholic mess with no structure to support over extracted fruit. As big as fruit is, burning sensation in the back of the palate dominates profile.
It did not get better over three days and I do not see how it would be better with aging. I guess I should have known better when I saw 16.1% alcohol.
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2/6/2013 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark purple and completely opaque. Very pronounced jammy black fruit and cassis nose. Very concentrated fruit, hint of bitterness back of the tongue after 10 seconds. Mouth-coating. High alcohol, a bit out of balance. Very long aftertaste, still some bitterness. This is somewhat awkward and may come together with time, but I'm reserving judgment.
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1/16/2013 - bigskymind Likes this wine: 92 Points
Touch of smokiness...beautiful concentration of fruit without being overly ripe...nicely balanced....
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1/13/2013 - uncle al Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine crystal dark fruit in color. This wine has just the right fruit on the palate and it is so smooth. Resembles Saxum.
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1/9/2013 - Redguy Likes this wine:
Splash decanted at Buona Tavola and paired with grilled flat iron steak. Great wine. Lush waves of warm boysenberry cream with cocoa and leather caress and envelop the palate. Its easy going, generous, mouthcoating presense was loved by all. A comfortable wine to be sure. Outstanding "entry level" cuvee from Epoch and to my palate better than their '09. A lot of wine for the money. 91-92
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1/1/2013 - spidersva Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow yummy, and biggity. This was the new year's eve winner by far.
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12/25/2012 - philipmac wrote: 93 Points
Remniscent of previous vintages. Love how they make this combination, albeit a little high on the alcohol side.
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12/23/2012 - Ilikadajuice wrote: 91 Points
A point better than last tasting. Heat on finish a little less noticeable. Opened up earlier and smooth mouthfeel. Deep dark fruit colors, medium nose and medium plus finish. This is just going to get better. Holding remaining bottles for now.
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12/13/2012 - Redguy wrote: 91 Points
Excellent wine. Chocolate covered boysenberries on toast. Lush and round... almost a bit yogurty. Warm and inviting with excellent depth and balance. Good stuff.
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12/10/2012 - mcsac67 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A nose of blueberry and dark cherry. Flavors of dark berry, chocolate and a bit of espresso bitterness on the finish. Long finish. The structured tannins suggest this can sit a while. A touch hot, had me looking up the alcohol content. Nice.
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11/14/2012 - caeleric wrote:
4-hour decant consumed over 4 hours. surprisingly reticent nose, with some warm spice cake, some vegetal red fruit, and toasty oak. a tasty red and black fruit filled palate. a decent if short finish that was tasty but uninspiring. the last hour or so turned into maraschino cherries. it was good, but for $40 I don't see the QPR. if scoring 88-90.
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11/13/2012 - The Wine Write wrote:
Popped and poured, drank over 2 nights. Dark garnet hue. Black cherries on the nose, with a touch of pencil lead. Big red fruit on the palate, with a lush mouthfeel. Finishes with a bit of heat, but overall, plenty tasty.
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11/13/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 93 Points
Well put together. Velvety dark fruit, touch of oak and vanilla.
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11/12/2012 - Annie1 wrote: 93 Points
OMG....this is Epoch's low end wine????? Opened about 1 hour b/4 pouring. HUGE legs....what do you expect when alc is 16.1? Gotta admit, I love Cali wines! Wonderful nose of cherries, raspberries and some chocolate. Big condensed wine with raspberries, cherries, chocolate on palate....Beautifully balanced, even this early. Someone mentioned that it needs years yet...We don't have a whole bunch of years left. Thankfully it is really (REALLY) enjoyable now! We're trying to decide which wine clubs from Paso to keep and which to discard (space is becoming a problem). Epoch is absolutely a keeper!
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11/5/2012 - Redguy wrote: 90 Points
Bottle opened 8 hrs. Full body with soft and fleshy plums and boysenberries, saddle leather, and a complimentary chocolate overlay. Sweet, but reasonably so. Enough structure to keep it within the lines but overall impression is generous and assessable. Should clean up with some additional cellaring. A well made and delicious fruit ball of a wine that offers some intrigue and room for growth. Good QPR
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10/29/2012 - Ilikadajuice wrote: 90 Points
Early sacrifice. Drank over two days thanks to notes from @mootsie. Similar experience. Day 1 showed too much heat on finish. Day 2 much more integrated with very small traces of heat. This is a dense, concentrated wine. Great color of dark purple fruit. Nose was a bit muted at first. Smooth mid palate. Nice finish. Definitely has a nice life ahead.
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