Popped and let sit in the bottle for about an hour and it was ready to drink. Had quite a bit more smoke and meaty flavors than I expected but this was the first time I've had a Heart Stone. No need to wait on these but I think it will stay in this tasting window for a couple years.
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Dark as hell and very fruity, it has burnt notes of oak barrel and sage but very little complexity - typical fruit bomb. Heart Stone is my favorite blend from Saxum but this was less than satisfying.
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Opened and poured and drank this bottle over three hours or so. Color of dark red. Scents of red and black berries prominently. Tastes were red and black berries with a little pepper or spice or something like that. Certainly much more mellow now, than it was the last time I had this a couple years ago.
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Fully mature and ready to drink. Dark amethyst color and interesting aromas that evoke dried flowers, olive, and a slightly disconcerting scent of hay/barnyard/animal fat (Brett?) that prompted me to change glasses to confirm. On the palate it's pleasing with ripe berry, dried herbs, olive, earthy truffle, and a hint of minerality. Smooth texture, long finish, medium acidity, and light sediment in the bottle.
Interestingly, I am fortunate to have a friend who shared a 2013 Saxum Heart Stone from a magnum the night before and I definitely found it more satisfying. By comparison, the 2011 was delicious, but seemed less vibrant and perhaps a little past its peak. FWIW, this 2011 bottle was acquired a few years ago via WineBid. The bottle and cork appear in fine condition, which is to say it was not flawed. While my experience may be unique, I'm inclined to say to drink up if you're holding the 2011.
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Nice wine. Interesting nose and a pleasure drinking. Reminds me of a Southern Rhone, nice oak, little earth and nice fruit. Could definitely last many more years.
*2nd night tasting like classic CDP young. *5th night From strawberries the last couple of nights to now musky blackberries, incense and thyme. This bottle has won me over. Well made and has developed nicely over the past days and nights. And years.
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A softer, lighter Saxum that is really enjoyable. Fully mature - drinks a bit like a classic Southern Rhone. What a pleasure even if a bit different from the typical Saxum profile.
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Crimson in color with a touch of bricking at the edge of the glass. 14.8% ABV. 58% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre. Savory nose of black fruits, smoke, grilled meats and flowers. Full bodied with strong acidity. Well balanced with concentrated fruits. Black cherry liqueur, barbecued meats, kirsch and pepper on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and plush. Awesome wine from what is generally considered a mediocre vintage. Best over the next 2-4 years.
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Agree with others recent notes. This bottle doesn't come together on my palate - seems a bit disjointed. Minimal evidence of maturity so maybe all this means it needs cellar time?
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Pop and pour. In the glass, dark reddish-indigo. On the nose, raspberries, blackberries, and a hint of grenache liqueur. On the palate, more blackberries, raspberries, currants, and a mild saline note that was overtaken by assertive tannins on a long finish. This is approachable now, but will pretty clearly improve with 3-5 more years of cellar time.
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1 hour slow ox then drank in the glass over the next hour. Deep garnet. Nose of blackberries, dandelion and bourbon. Flavors are similar with some charcoal and stone. Tangy acidity and low integrated tannins. Medium plus body. Nice but I generally expect more from Saxum wines.
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Similar to other bottles of this wine that I have had. Fruit and hints of chocolate on the nose. The palate is berries, dark cherries, plums, charred meat and chocolate. The finish is oh so long. Just outstanding
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Note after 3 hours in the decanter. Very floral nose of violets and rose petals. Light and pleasant on the palate. Different from most vintages of Saxum as it drinks lighter and almost N Rhône like. Drinking well now.
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Great blend of 58% Syrah 37% Grenache 5% Mourvedre. Integrated but with each varietal leaving an impression. Subtle, elegant, silky, understated but powerful. Drinking well now, but it's hard to anticipate any material improvement with further bottle life.
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It has been over a year since I last drank a bottle at my son's birthday dinner and as it was a milestone birthday for my good friend Dave so to the Saxum side of the cellar I went. Slow ox'd the bottle for 12 hours. The nose was dark fruit and chocolate. The palate was dark berries, plums, dark cherry, charred meat, cedar and of course hints of chocolate that came our on the very long full finish. Just an outstanding bottle of wine.
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Significantly better than one year ago. Opened and poured into decanter, from which we drank this bottle over three hours. Color of dark red. Scents of red and black berries prominently. Tastes were red and black berries with a little pepper or spice or something like that.
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Carlisle, Saxum (Home): Saxum did very well in 2011, better than most, but the wines are different. Not as ripe, but clearly from California. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, pepper, slight grilled meats and a plum note. On the palate, this has juicy acidity. Not as deft as some vintages but certainly not cumbersome. Nice texture. Good boysenberry fruit. Nice finish. Still young and it will be interesting to see how it opens up. I think the future will be better than right now, so I would hold these for now.
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For Adam's birthday dinner, opened and slow ox'd for 10 hours and then decanted through a vinturi. Dark red fruit on the nose with hints of chocolate, the palate is red plum, dark cherry, raw meat, cedar and chocolate Typical Saxum finish that goes on and on.
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Good wine but decanted for 4 hours prior to drinking and still tannic. Overall not a bad wine, full bodied and a bit more jammy to me than I'd prefer. Graphite and leather hints as well. A decent effort but definitely not one of their bests.
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Meh. Opened and poured into decanter, from which we drank this bottle over three days. Color of dark red. Scents of red and black berries prominently. Tastes were kind of nondescript mix of red and black berries with a little pepper or spice. Not necessarily any better (or worse) when comparing day one versus day two and/or versus day three. Older vintages were significantly better.
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Decanted for 12 hours then consumed over two days. This is my third different bottle from the 2011 vintage, and sad to say I have not really enjoyed any of them. This bottle was overwhelmed by tannin on both days. Although the fruit emerged on day two, it was prune dominant and felt tired. The tannin was typically soft and fine, the fruit was typically silky so the effort was obviously there but unfortunately undone by the cold vintage.
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Almost certainly caught this in an early, awkward moment. Very big wine, noticeable heat on nose and palate. A bit short, but the fruit is tasty. Would check back in couple years or decant the hell out of it.
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We brought it to my pre-birthday dinner at Fascino's in Montclair, decanted through a vinturi and let sit for an hour and a half while we drank the Journey SB and the Seasmoke pinot noir. Deep in color, big nose of crushed red fruit, the palate is dominated by flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, some prune and red meat with just a hint of spice. Typical Saxum finish which goes on forever. Still young I believe it will evolve further with age.
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Popped, decanted and poured at restaurant. Prominant nose of black cherries. Full bodied palate of blackcurrant, black cherries, spicy with long complex finish. The wine opened up after about 1 hour when flavors kind of peaked and then started to become more muted at around the 2 hour mark. Not sure if it closed up or just didn't have the staying power. Interesting wine indeed.
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Dark ruby. Extremely expressive, mostly black fruit aromas. Blackberry nod black cherry dominate a concentrated, focused palate impression. A very nice Saxum.
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A bit more full bodied than I remember Heart Stone being, but none the less very enjoyable yet still tannic... dominated by Syrah at the moment. Blackberry and spice. The more air this wine had over dinner (after a small decant) the better the wine got. So decant for a few hours if you must drink now, or better yet just wait a few years on this one.
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Take a big sniff, ummm, perfume. Take a sip, first rush is just big burst of spicy dark fruit. Than on the finish, very subdued, leather, faint lavender. Did I mention, was decanted hours ago, even put the decanter into a hot water bath to warm things up a bit. Second sip, very smooth this flying fish, very approachable. Tannins are, just, noticeable, nice. Another sip, this is hard work, is that lamb?
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2/10/2024 - rogerr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid but not memorable. Agree with recent notes. May improve with age.
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1/3/2024 - jshufelt wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes.
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4/8/2023 - PDXWineO Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and let sit in the bottle for about an hour and it was ready to drink. Had quite a bit more smoke and meaty flavors than I expected but this was the first time I've had a Heart Stone. No need to wait on these but I think it will stay in this tasting window for a couple years.
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12/10/2021 - bambam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very smooth and pretty floral nose. Drinking very smooth and enjoyable. Drinking well now.
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5/23/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark sweet fruit with lots of blueberry and spice on long finish
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5/7/2021 - Sanlucar wrote: 90 Points
Dark as hell and very fruity, it has burnt notes of oak barrel and sage but very little complexity - typical fruit bomb. Heart Stone is my favorite blend from Saxum but this was less than satisfying.
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5/2/2021 - dase13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and poured and drank this bottle over three hours or so. Color of dark red. Scents of red and black berries prominently. Tastes were red and black berries with a little pepper or spice or something like that. Certainly much more mellow now, than it was the last time I had this a couple years ago.
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4/9/2021 - Immigrator wrote: 93 Points
Fully mature and ready to drink. Dark amethyst color and interesting aromas that evoke dried flowers, olive, and a slightly disconcerting scent of hay/barnyard/animal fat (Brett?) that prompted me to change glasses to confirm. On the palate it's pleasing with ripe berry, dried herbs, olive, earthy truffle, and a hint of minerality. Smooth texture, long finish, medium acidity, and light sediment in the bottle.
Interestingly, I am fortunate to have a friend who shared a 2013 Saxum Heart Stone from a magnum the night before and I definitely found it more satisfying. By comparison, the 2011 was delicious, but seemed less vibrant and perhaps a little past its peak. FWIW, this 2011 bottle was acquired a few years ago via WineBid. The bottle and cork appear in fine condition, which is to say it was not flawed. While my experience may be unique, I'm inclined to say to drink up if you're holding the 2011.
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1/2/2021 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious red berry, blackberry, and floral notes notes on the nose and open palate with refreshing tannins on the moderate long finish.
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12/23/2020 - 559Cheers Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nice wine. Interesting nose and a pleasure drinking. Reminds me of a Southern Rhone, nice oak, little earth and nice fruit. Could definitely last many more years.
*2nd night tasting like classic CDP young.
*5th night From strawberries the last couple of nights to now musky blackberries, incense and thyme.
This bottle has won me over. Well made and has developed nicely over the past days and nights.
And years.
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10/10/2020 - Munch Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fairly ripe but not over the top or pruney. Seems like there’s no rush to drink but not sure it will
Improve. Nice but not a wow..
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9/3/2020 - cookie7 Likes this wine:
A softer, lighter Saxum that is really enjoyable. Fully mature - drinks a bit like a classic Southern Rhone. What a pleasure even if a bit different from the typical Saxum profile.
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8/30/2020 - Rktekt3 wrote: 90 Points
Seriously, ehh.
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6/4/2020 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 93 Points
Lovely, although if you have this I would drink up, I think this has definitely peaked.
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3/29/2020 - tomlee wrote: 95 Points
Crimson in color with a touch of bricking at the edge of the glass. 14.8% ABV. 58% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre. Savory nose of black fruits, smoke, grilled meats and flowers. Full bodied with strong acidity. Well balanced with concentrated fruits. Black cherry liqueur, barbecued meats, kirsch and pepper on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and plush. Awesome wine from what is generally considered a mediocre vintage. Best over the next 2-4 years.
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3/14/2020 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice with red fruits and some funk to it. Tastes almost like a CdP.
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12/24/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great. Took a minute to open up. Meaty, Rhône forward, beef blood and dark raspberry. Less modern fruit forward than I expect from Saxum. Still good.
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8/31/2019 - rogerr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Agree with others recent notes. This bottle doesn't come together on my palate - seems a bit disjointed. Minimal evidence of maturity so maybe all this means it needs cellar time?
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4/4/2019 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. In the glass, dark reddish-indigo. On the nose, raspberries, blackberries, and a hint of grenache liqueur. On the palate, more blackberries, raspberries, currants, and a mild saline note that was overtaken by assertive tannins on a long finish. This is approachable now, but will pretty clearly improve with 3-5 more years of cellar time.
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3/9/2019 - VoteferPedro Likes this wine:
pop n pour
glorious aroma
beautiful syrah fruit with a zip of acidity but the finish is not terribly long
really enjoyable now
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1/5/2019 - RockyII Likes this wine: 92 Points
1 hour slow ox then drank in the glass over the next hour. Deep garnet. Nose of blackberries, dandelion and bourbon. Flavors are similar with some charcoal and stone. Tangy acidity and low integrated tannins. Medium plus body. Nice but I generally expect more from Saxum wines.
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12/6/2018 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Lots of pepper
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11/11/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to other bottles of this wine that I have had. Fruit and hints of chocolate on the nose. The palate is berries, dark cherries, plums, charred meat and chocolate. The finish is oh so long. Just outstanding
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6/17/2018 - cookie7 wrote:
Note after 3 hours in the decanter. Very floral nose of violets and rose petals. Light and pleasant on the palate. Different from most vintages of Saxum as it drinks lighter and almost N Rhône like. Drinking well now.
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2/6/2018 - ELH wrote: 95 Points
Great blend of 58% Syrah 37% Grenache 5% Mourvedre. Integrated but with each varietal leaving an impression. Subtle, elegant, silky, understated but powerful. Drinking well now, but it's hard to anticipate any material improvement with further bottle life.
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1/10/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
It has been over a year since I last drank a bottle at my son's birthday dinner and as it was a milestone birthday for my good friend Dave so to the Saxum side of the cellar I went.
Slow ox'd the bottle for 12 hours. The nose was dark fruit and chocolate. The palate was dark berries, plums, dark cherry, charred meat, cedar and of course hints of chocolate that came our on the very long full finish. Just an outstanding bottle of wine.
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8/12/2017 - sonodoc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red and black fruit, a little spice. Smooth. Very nice wine, but not as memorable as most other Saxum vintages.
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2/12/2017 - dase13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Significantly better than one year ago. Opened and poured into decanter, from which we drank this bottle over three hours. Color of dark red. Scents of red and black berries prominently. Tastes were red and black berries with a little pepper or spice or something like that.
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2/12/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Carlisle, Saxum (Home): Saxum did very well in 2011, better than most, but the wines are different. Not as ripe, but clearly from California. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, pepper, slight grilled meats and a plum note. On the palate, this has juicy acidity. Not as deft as some vintages but certainly not cumbersome. Nice texture. Good boysenberry fruit. Nice finish. Still young and it will be interesting to see how it opens up. I think the future will be better than right now, so I would hold these for now.
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12/21/2016 - Pquaker wrote: 94 Points
Smoothest GSM, almost a Pinot like silken quality. Seductively understated.
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12/18/2016 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
For Adam's birthday dinner, opened and slow ox'd for 10 hours and then decanted through a vinturi. Dark red fruit on the nose with hints of chocolate, the palate is red plum, dark cherry, raw meat, cedar and chocolate Typical Saxum finish that goes on and on.
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11/24/2016 - Andrewhsu22 wrote: 88 Points
Good wine but decanted for 4 hours prior to drinking and still tannic. Overall not a bad wine, full bodied and a bit more jammy to me than I'd prefer. Graphite and leather hints as well. A decent effort but definitely not one of their bests.
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7/9/2016 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Extremely expressive nose - bright fruit. Rounded out more on day 2
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4/15/2016 - dase13 wrote: 88 Points
Meh. Opened and poured into decanter, from which we drank this bottle over three days. Color of dark red. Scents of red and black berries prominently. Tastes were kind of nondescript mix of red and black berries with a little pepper or spice. Not necessarily any better (or worse) when comparing day one versus day two and/or versus day three. Older vintages were significantly better.
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1/24/2016 - leadpencil wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit, allspice, limestone
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9/20/2015 - jeagle wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 12 hours then consumed over two days. This is my third different bottle from the 2011 vintage, and sad to say I have not really enjoyed any of them. This bottle was overwhelmed by tannin on both days. Although the fruit emerged on day two, it was prune dominant and felt tired. The tannin was typically soft and fine, the fruit was typically silky so the effort was obviously there but unfortunately undone by the cold vintage.
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4/27/2015 - Aunt Esther Likes this wine: 90 Points
Almost certainly caught this in an early, awkward moment. Very big wine, noticeable heat on nose and palate. A bit short, but the fruit is tasty. Would check back in couple years or decant the hell out of it.
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4/26/2015 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
We brought it to my pre-birthday dinner at Fascino's in Montclair, decanted through a vinturi and let sit for an hour and a half while we drank the Journey SB and the Seasmoke pinot noir. Deep in color, big nose of crushed red fruit, the palate is dominated by flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, some prune and red meat with just a hint of spice. Typical Saxum finish which goes on forever. Still young I believe it will evolve further with age.
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2/6/2015 - Stevey Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped, decanted and poured at restaurant. Prominant nose of black cherries. Full bodied palate of blackcurrant, black cherries, spicy with long complex finish. The wine opened up after about 1 hour when flavors kind of peaked and then started to become more muted at around the 2 hour mark. Not sure if it closed up or just didn't have the staying power. Interesting wine indeed.
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1/18/2015 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby. Extremely expressive, mostly black fruit aromas. Blackberry nod black cherry dominate a concentrated, focused palate impression. A very nice Saxum.
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1/17/2015 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic Saxum, the texture is pure silk, dark fruit, spice and good balance. Consisten year after year this producer is. great stuff!
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9/27/2014 - Justin B Likes this wine: 94 Points
A bit more full bodied than I remember Heart Stone being, but none the less very enjoyable yet still tannic... dominated by Syrah at the moment. Blackberry and spice. The more air this wine had over dinner (after a small decant) the better the wine got. So decant for a few hours if you must drink now, or better yet just wait a few years on this one.
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1/22/2014 - shadow wrote: 96 Points
Take a big sniff, ummm, perfume.
Take a sip, first rush is just big burst of spicy dark fruit.
Than on the finish, very subdued, leather, faint lavender.
Did I mention, was decanted hours ago, even put the decanter into a hot water bath to warm things up a bit.
Second sip, very smooth this flying fish, very approachable.
Tannins are, just, noticeable, nice.
Another sip, this is hard work, is that lamb?
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