Black cherries & raspberries, hints of black olive, cedar and earth aromas. The palate matches though the oak/cedar is a bit strong. Medium tannins/acid. Drinking young for its age & very tasty now, I just anticipate the fruit will fade & wood overwhelm down the road.
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Complete bummer. Very bretty or maybe TCA. My last of three bottles, of which the other two were so terrific and no barnyard funk/mustiness whatsoever. There was still some fruit, bacon fat and deep lavender, but those were all behind a layer something else that I didn't want.
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My last bottle of this, but the wine still has time. Getting close to maturity I think, but should last a decade more. This is middle of the road in style. Plenty of black raspberry fruit, some grilled meats and some bacon fat on the nose. Showing a nice complexity. Slightly fat in style but with enough acidity to make it work well. Finished up the last glass on day 2, and no degradation. Wonderful wine.
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Pop and pour: way too heavy handed on the charred oak. Smells like smoked bacon, tastes like smoke. Would have thought this was a 2008 smoke tainted wine. There may be some syrah character under there somewhere, but the charred oak is too overwhelming for me.
Couple hours after opening: smoke has receded. Tapenade and dark chocolate to the fore. Much more enjoyable. Give this wine some air.
Curiously when pouring this wine, the bubbles don't recede immediately but instead linger for several minutes. What's up with that?
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Evolving gorgeously. Nose of olive tapenade, brined raspberries, and a campfire which was just doused. On the palate it's much more about the secondary notes now. Smoked bacon, meats, lavender, thyme, all spice, and some blackberries peeking through in the background. Opulent body which is supple, but not too heavy. Everything in check and continues to impress.
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I went through two bottles I think the first was a 2008 I drank some time ago but remember it being similar to the 2009 I had tonight. What I got out of it was very tart berries, some olive and minerals with a slight bitterness on the finish. I love Syrah but this wine is too austere for me. Perhaps it needed to paired with some food. There are many other Syrahs at this price point I would pick over this one.
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Drinks almost like a full bodied pinot. Very fruit forward and minimal leather, tar, and smoke notes. Very enjoyable but not at all like a typical syrah.
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Nose is wonderful, full of spices, herbs, and smokiness. Mouth is full of flavorful fruit with a creamy medium long finish and gentle perfect tannins, which are especially apparent as the wine opens. This is an excellent syrah, wish I had more. I am a syrah lover and can't say I every given a 94 to one before. The last sip was a melancholic experience.
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Opened this beauty to celebrate my lovely wife's birthday dinner. Paired perfectly with grilled ribeye steaks. Very memorable bottle. Same notes applied after a shorter decant. Looking forward to what the upcoming vintage will offer.
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Rich, elegant, full of dark berries, slight meatiness and a mineral finish. Notes of mesquite emerge after a few minutes. Love this and am usually not over impressed by syrah.
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Vibrant purple fruit, showing stony minerality on the back end. Smooth and well balanced. My guests really loved it. I wish I spent a little more time with the wine, but it was gone quick.
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Same notes still apply, but it really opened up after 3 hours in the decanter. I mean opened up like Charlton Heston was parting the Red Sea! Really closed initially. Great notes of herbs, zesty berries, and campfire. Such great complexity and medium to full body.
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One glass a day for four straight days and I can't say enough about this wine. The nose was so very compelling and vibrant every day; strong leather, smoked cedar, mesquite, blackberries, and mocha; even now on day four I can smell it in the glass from two feet away. I'm not a big fan of those Syrahs full of wild game and olive brine and this is not that; instead, a wonderful balance of dark fruits, mild oak and cedar, pepper, bacon and a smattering of floral notes. Great balance of acid and tannin and so very smooth in all aspects. 92+
Another very nice showing for this wine. Lots of boysenberry fruit with some black pepper and a bit of charred wood on the nose. Great texture. Better on Day 2. Juicy fruit on the palate. Not yet at peak.
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Notes from day two. Young, with deep aromas of dark fruit, anise, dried flowers, white pepper and meat. The palate matches the nose but in a progression, starting out with blackberries/black cherries, moving to anise/dried flowers on the midpalate, with a finish of black + white pepper and meat. Medium acidity and tannins that initially taste light but build as the long finish progresses. I was 90 on the PnP two days ago but as I finish the last glass this is 92+ and showing its best at the end, I'll check back in a year or two as I think it's still hiding its potential.
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Decanted for 3 hrs., but was still tight & unyielding even after another 6 hrs. of air time. Didn't start to reveal what is underneath until the last glass. Bouquet was most appealing in comparison to the palate. Initial aromas of blood iron, meat, leather, & white pepper, & later revealing red & blue fruit and black licorice/anise tones. Tart red fruit on entry, later evolving into more darker fruit notes w/mineral & wet rocks on mid palate. Bold & complex w/drying grainy tannins, low:moderate acidity & a short finish. Will wait at least another 2-3 yrs. before popping open the next one.
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Wonderful cooler climate syrah. Nose of smoked mesquite, tire smoke, pine, campfire, and grilled meats. I caught a whiff of chicken mole'! Decanted for an hour and on the palate there was black and white pepper, herbs, more smoked mesquite, sage, and creosote. Beef drippings, black fruit, and tart berries. Every glass shows different dimensions. Very complex wine and will look forward to what the other bottles offer in due time.
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Straight out delicious. Yes, it is is leathery, earthy, and meaty, but it has a great deal of fruit to balance those aspects combined with nice acidity.
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This was a very robust and powerful wine. Opened it up and drank one night and it was quite tight despite using an aerator. Corked it and finished the next night and it completely opened up. Wonderfully long finish. Will let my other bottle age a few more years in the bottle
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Coffee, licorice and chocolate along with black fruit on the delicious nose. The palate has espresso and a great mix of dark berries with balance and poise. In a nice drinking window.
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Drank at lunch with Macario (winemaker/owner). Pop and pour. Explosive and expressive nose. Lovely fruit, smoked meat, and flowers on the nose very rich but balanced. Tasty black fruit palate with great acidity. Delicious juice.
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This seems to have shut down a bit since last summer. The acidity stood out on Day 1. I wanted to try it on day 2, but my wife drank it first, so I can only assume it improved. In any event, i will wait a bit before opening another.
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Campesino Wines (Sonoma, CA): Macario opened this, but I think it won't be released for a couple of months. Perhaps not as good as the 2008, this is also no weak sister. The primary difference to me was the the fruit seemed less exuberant. Perhaps in the long term, that will make a more ageable wine, but that is splitting hairs. This also seems to have more red fruits although there are still some black raspberry notes on the nose. Plenty of violets as well make a pretty nose. This is a slicker texture. I think this will actually work better with food. Another delicious wine.
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2/22/2020 - David_T Likes this wine: 91 Points
Black cherries & raspberries, hints of black olive, cedar and earth aromas. The palate matches though the oak/cedar is a bit strong. Medium tannins/acid. Drinking young for its age & very tasty now, I just anticipate the fruit will fade & wood overwhelm down the road.
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4/28/2019 - Zo65 wrote: 90 Points
Really nice new-world Syrah. Solid
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4/2/2019 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP. Palate is intense and layered with meat, spice and game with the dark black fruit taking a back stage. Very nice Syrah with plenty of life left.
Finished the last glass, after VinVac, on night four. Same overall impression but better integrated. Bumped from 93-94. Has plenty of time left.
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4/22/2017 - tcufletch wrote:
Complete bummer. Very bretty or maybe TCA. My last of three bottles, of which the other two were so terrific and no barnyard funk/mustiness whatsoever. There was still some fruit, bacon fat and deep lavender, but those were all behind a layer something else that I didn't want.
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9/3/2015 - STM82 wrote: 91 Points
Peppery, smokey goodness!
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6/2/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
My last bottle of this, but the wine still has time. Getting close to maturity I think, but should last a decade more. This is middle of the road in style. Plenty of black raspberry fruit, some grilled meats and some bacon fat on the nose. Showing a nice complexity. Slightly fat in style but with enough acidity to make it work well. Finished up the last glass on day 2, and no degradation. Wonderful wine.
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3/29/2015 - rama Likes this wine:
Pop and pour: way too heavy handed on the charred oak. Smells like smoked bacon, tastes like smoke. Would have thought this was a 2008 smoke tainted wine. There may be some syrah character under there somewhere, but the charred oak is too overwhelming for me.
Couple hours after opening: smoke has receded. Tapenade and dark chocolate to the fore. Much more enjoyable. Give this wine some air.
Curiously when pouring this wine, the bubbles don't recede immediately but instead linger for several minutes. What's up with that?
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3/28/2015 - STM82 wrote: 94 Points
Evolving gorgeously. Nose of olive tapenade, brined raspberries, and a campfire which was just doused. On the palate it's much more about the secondary notes now. Smoked bacon, meats, lavender, thyme, all spice, and some blackberries peeking through in the background. Opulent body which is supple, but not too heavy. Everything in check and continues to impress.
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12/6/2014 - DeLuz wrote: 85 Points
I went through two bottles I think the first was a 2008 I drank some time ago but remember it being similar to the 2009 I had tonight. What I got out of it was very tart berries, some olive and minerals with a slight bitterness on the finish. I love Syrah but this wine is too austere for me. Perhaps it needed to paired with some food. There are many other Syrahs at this price point I would pick over this one.
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10/18/2014 - vinophobic Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinks almost like a full bodied pinot. Very fruit forward and minimal leather, tar, and smoke notes. Very enjoyable but not at all like a typical syrah.
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10/10/2014 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 87 Points
Meaty, almost medicinal with a hint of barnyard
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6/30/2014 - Chasms Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose is wonderful, full of spices, herbs, and smokiness. Mouth is full of flavorful fruit with a creamy medium long finish and gentle perfect tannins, which are especially apparent as the wine opens. This is an excellent syrah, wish I had more. I am a syrah lover and can't say I every given a 94 to one before. The last sip was a melancholic experience.
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6/24/2014 - STM82 wrote: 93 Points
Opened this beauty to celebrate my lovely wife's birthday dinner. Paired perfectly with grilled ribeye steaks. Very memorable bottle. Same notes applied after a shorter decant. Looking forward to what the upcoming vintage will offer.
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5/15/2014 - doctornoah wrote: 92 Points
Rich, elegant, full of dark berries, slight meatiness and a mineral finish. Notes of mesquite emerge after a few minutes. Love this and am usually not over impressed by syrah.
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4/21/2014 - pifcho Likes this wine: 91 Points
Vibrant purple fruit, showing stony minerality on the back end. Smooth and well balanced. My guests really loved it. I wish I spent a little more time with the wine, but it was gone quick.
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4/8/2014 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 89 Points
We're just not as enthusiastic as some of the other reviewers. Nice meaty taste, well balanced but maybe we're not as big syrah fans.
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2/1/2014 - STM82 wrote: 93 Points
Same notes still apply, but it really opened up after 3 hours in the decanter. I mean opened up like Charlton Heston was parting the Red Sea! Really closed initially. Great notes of herbs, zesty berries, and campfire. Such great complexity and medium to full body.
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1/15/2014 - wiscgrad wrote: 93 Points
drinking beautifully right now. lovely perfume on the nose. light tannins with smooth, yet short finish. must find more of this. Great QPR
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1/15/2014 - tcufletch wrote: 92 Points
One glass a day for four straight days and I can't say enough about this wine. The nose was so very compelling and vibrant every day; strong leather, smoked cedar, mesquite, blackberries, and mocha; even now on day four I can smell it in the glass from two feet away. I'm not a big fan of those Syrahs full of wild game and olive brine and this is not that; instead, a wonderful balance of dark fruits, mild oak and cedar, pepper, bacon and a smattering of floral notes. Great balance of acid and tannin and so very smooth in all aspects. 92+
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11/9/2013 - fdub Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great drinking window at this point. Flavors have really melded together. Black fruits, deep mocha and espresso on the nose and palate. Smooth finish.
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11/3/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
Another very nice showing for this wine. Lots of boysenberry fruit with some black pepper and a bit of charred wood on the nose. Great texture. Better on Day 2. Juicy fruit on the palate. Not yet at peak.
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6/25/2013 - David_T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes from day two. Young, with deep aromas of dark fruit, anise, dried flowers, white pepper and meat. The palate matches the nose but in a progression, starting out with blackberries/black cherries, moving to anise/dried flowers on the midpalate, with a finish of black + white pepper and meat. Medium acidity and tannins that initially taste light but build as the long finish progresses. I was 90 on the PnP two days ago but as I finish the last glass this is 92+ and showing its best at the end, I'll check back in a year or two as I think it's still hiding its potential.
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5/11/2013 - DRS-Inc wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 3 hrs., but was still tight & unyielding even after another 6 hrs. of air time. Didn't start to reveal what is underneath until the last glass. Bouquet was most appealing in comparison to the palate. Initial aromas of blood iron, meat, leather, & white pepper, & later revealing red & blue fruit and black licorice/anise tones. Tart red fruit on entry, later evolving into more darker fruit notes w/mineral & wet rocks on mid palate. Bold & complex w/drying grainy tannins, low:moderate acidity & a short finish. Will wait at least another 2-3 yrs. before popping open the next one.
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5/7/2013 - STM82 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful cooler climate syrah. Nose of smoked mesquite, tire smoke, pine, campfire, and grilled meats. I caught a whiff of chicken mole'! Decanted for an hour and on the palate there was black and white pepper, herbs, more smoked mesquite, sage, and creosote. Beef drippings, black fruit, and tart berries. Every glass shows different dimensions. Very complex wine and will look forward to what the other bottles offer in due time.
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2/16/2013 - Ron Felthoven wrote:
Really nice flavors and weight. Finish was clipped a bit by some unresolved tannins but this is young so that will smooth out.
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2/10/2013 - redwinefan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Straight out delicious. Yes, it is is leathery, earthy, and meaty, but it has a great deal of fruit to balance those aspects combined with nice acidity.
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1/31/2013 - macliii Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a very robust and powerful wine. Opened it up and drank one night and it was quite tight despite using an aerator. Corked it and finished the next night and it completely opened up. Wonderfully long finish. Will let my other bottle age a few more years in the bottle
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11/20/2012 - randymac88 wrote:
I'm sure this is appealing to some, but it was way too leathery for my taste. Well made and balanced but just not my favorite taste. Won't buy again.
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11/8/2012 - fdub wrote: 93 Points
Coffee, licorice and chocolate along with black fruit on the delicious nose. The palate has espresso and a great mix of dark berries with balance and poise. In a nice drinking window.
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4/20/2012 - fdub wrote: 93 Points
Drank at lunch with Macario (winemaker/owner). Pop and pour. Explosive and expressive nose. Lovely fruit, smoked meat, and flowers on the nose very rich but balanced. Tasty black fruit palate with great acidity. Delicious juice.
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1/9/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
This seems to have shut down a bit since last summer. The acidity stood out on Day 1. I wanted to try it on day 2, but my wife drank it first, so I can only assume it improved. In any event, i will wait a bit before opening another.
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8/15/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Campesino Wines (Sonoma, CA): Macario opened this, but I think it won't be released for a couple of months. Perhaps not as good as the 2008, this is also no weak sister. The primary difference to me was the the fruit seemed less exuberant. Perhaps in the long term, that will make a more ageable wine, but that is splitting hairs. This also seems to have more red fruits although there are still some black raspberry notes on the nose. Plenty of violets as well make a pretty nose. This is a slicker texture. I think this will actually work better with food. Another delicious wine.
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