Last of my 3 bottles First night seemed a bit past its prime. Day two the color was more vibrant, the wine smoother. The fruit more beautiful and forward I thought it would be the other way around on an older wine.
Not sure if they did any more of these projects but enjoyed them quite immensely
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Fruit forward with a back palate spice. Thought would be past prime but was surprisingly flavorful with a sophisticated finish. Enjoyed first glass on its own, the rest was with Greek salad and pizza. Made the pizza that much better! I have two more bottles that I thought I would have to rush to, but this made me feel I have a little bit of time and will look forward to enjoying them!
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Just alright. It definitely taste like españa, Tempranillo and probably a few other varietals. Beginning to soften both tannins and the color. Still some tobacco and leather notes. Give it 30 minutes of air to unwind.
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Needs an hour or so of air. Blackberries, smoke, new leather, earth, and herbs on the nose. Blackberries, blueberries, a little cranberry, earth, herbs, and some barrel notes on the palate. Okay acidity (could use more), decent structure, pleasant finish. This was a good wine (after it got some air), though I can't really say that it seemed like a Spanish wine.
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Drank over 4 nights and the wine held together, typically a sign of quality to me. The couple years of bottle age have helped this one.. Dark, intense blue and black fruit dominate. Smooth finish but with some tannins holding everything together. Acidity in the background, but enough to keep the wine from being flabby. Would pair well with summer BBQ pork, chicken, or burgers. International in style, could have been a new world Syrah.
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A nice change with this spice box of unknown contents. I don't get why he doesn't put a vintage on these bottles. A nice wine and I am thinking that the bottle age has helped this wine. I recall younger bottles being a little more hot.
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I hate it when my ratings are within a point of the running average as I feel like a sheep. Still, I suppose there's some truth in the hive-mentality theory that is the basis of this website. The E1 is a pleasant Tuesday-night quaffer. Not particularly complex or deep, but blessed with decent (mostly red), well-integrated, Garnacha-dominated fruit. Thankfully, it's not over-oaked and the alcohol is not overly apparent.
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This is a very good wine at its price point. These "Location Wines" will probably never be 90+ bottles, but they will always be crowd pleasers. This Spanish blend has a deep, dark purple color and a nose of dark berries, florals, and tobacco. It is very fruit forward with ample blackberries, boysenberries, spice, leather, and espresso. Overall, it has a smooth mouthfeel and is medium bodied with a moderate finish. It culminates with polished tannins. Excellent PQR.
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I had a much more enjoyable experience with this bottle than the last. Still not what the first bottle was but I think the aging helped it. A nice mix of old and new world wine making. It was good with lamb pasta. I have one more that I will hold on to for a while but I will probably not be buying anymore of the Locations wines.
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I liked this the first time I had it, hence buying four bottles. This was so sickly sweet though I had a half glass and dumped the rest. I didn't even want to keep it for cooking. I should have kept it until tomorrow to see what happens with it so I did act a little rash.
Every single Locations E-1 that I've had has been different in flavor and structure (and not due to age or serving temp). Not sure what's going on, but this wine was BITTER! No cork taint, no oxidation... something I've never experienced with wine before. I wish these Locations wines were more consistent, because I've had too much variability with this label. It's a sad day in age we live in because 2011 vintage and later Dave Phinney wines are rubbish.
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Warm Blackberry and red plum on the nose. Palate is very silky, tannins have integrated somewhat from the last experience. Very fruit driven still, but softening.
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Surprised how much air this needed. Left in decanter for an hour and at first it was nothing but fake fruit on the nose and stewed fruit on the palate. Given some more time it started to lose its cloying nature, showed a bit of finesse, and mellowed into a decent daily drinker.
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Definitely in the style of Phinney's other wines, which means it's not supposed to be subtle. On the other hand, tasted blind I might have mistaken this for a grenache-dominated, "new world" CdP, so he's found a nice balance. Good stuff that remained good for several nights.
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Not a bad little wine. Deep purple in color. Notes of plum & red cherry, tobacco and pepper. Decanted for an hour prior to pouring. Might be even better with food.
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Is this worthy of 91 points? Yes. The reason why, its $17 a bottle. I've tried the F and I and wasn't really impressed but just finished like my 10th bottle of E. It's the best daily sub $20 bottle I've found in a long time. Is this a 90+ pointer if the price were double? Probably not, but comparing price points, this stuff is a must buy in my book.
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I just don't get it. Old world but very new world in style- just big, plump fruit bomb, nothing more. Obviously just doesn't jive with my personal preference, but almost made me sick after accidentally picking up someones glass after I had changed over to a Dolcetto D'Alba, which was fruity in it's on regard, but half the price and far more structured.
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It is not my favorite OS wine but I will tell you what, for the price point it is exceptional. It has a heavy powerful mouthfeel, and while it can be a bit hot it has a fruit forward - fig flavor. This profile may be appreciated by some and disliked by others. We bought a couple of cases and drank one and gave the rest for gifts to friends.
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Is this getting better with age? A lovely wine, lots of dark berries, some spice, medium tannin, great sipping wine that also pairs well with food. I'm out now, but may have to get more -- if I can.
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Of the Locations lineup from Orin Swift cellars, this places 2nd for me. I really enjoy the F-1 the best and the I-1 the least. About this one though, I have to say that yes, I'd buy it again because it is a complex blend. I decanted it and it really opened up into a powerhouse of aromas with nice fruit forward drink ability
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Very dark purple, with straightforward flavors of blackberries and figs at the end. Shared this wine with my brother in law and his wife. They are "new" to wine, and this was a great transitional red. They enjoyed it immensely, and were not overwhelmed by oak or tannins. And at the price, this is a great value.
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Dark purple colored with aromas of dark fruit. Tastes of dark berries (blackberries and blueberries), cherries, and Figs. Medium bodied and fruit forward. The wine has a nice crisp acidity, and a slightly chalky and more tannic taste at the end that I believe is from the Carignon. The finish is moderate with smooth tannins. This is a staple in my every night drinking repertoire. For some odd reason, this bottle was much more enjoyable than my last (I rated it 4 pts higher). At $18, this is an easy drinking value wine.
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Dark purple/red color with aromas of cherry and jam. Medium bodied and very fruity. I noted flavors of blueberries, blackberries, and figs. Finnish was kind of muddy. Ok overall (considering the price), but not a good as my previous bottle. I am a fan of David Phinney and I buy multiples of his wines. Perhaps this was a bad bottle, as I enjoyed my first encounter more, with this wine. I remember the distinct taste of the Carignan, that was hard to discern with this bottle.
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I had this with country fried steak (and mushroom gravy) on 3/11/13. It had a deep, complex bouquet of floral, blackberry, black cherry, plum, cola and spice aromas. The palate was ripe and rich with fine grained tannins…flavors of blackberry, black cherry, plum, cola, and spice.
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Not as good as the last bottle. At all. Uncorked to a very faint pink stain on the cork. Nose was earth, boysenberry jam, earthy. I didn't decant this one and I'm not sure that decanting was even necessary. It was already expressing a lot of brambleberry, fig, and SOME soil and a muted barnyard, with mocha coming in the middle along with almost a pumpkin spice. The wine finished with some heat, which kind of retarded some of the soil and earth and berry flavors that were probably in the finish. I don't really think this one is very "cellar-able" and I definitely wouldn't admit that I had this to any of my "wine snob" friends. Phinney does make wines that lots of people will like, and it seems like he toned down a lot of the characteristics that would make a wine from "E" particularly pleasing to those that like the "E"spana wines. In doing this he really took away the very characters that make these wines age-able. I don't think this one will last more than 1-2 years honestly, given that the last sip 3 hours later was no different than the first sip that was enjoyed within 5 minutes of popping the cork. So, drink up. Done by 2014, maybe 2015 with a constant cellar temp of 55.
Good. Fruity. Medium in most every way except for fruit forward style. QPR is good but would be happier if this was $5 less. Most reviews here seem to have this wine figured out.
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Good fruit up front, with heavy doses of ripe plumb and strawberry. Tight and tannic on the back palate with stiff oak. May have required decanting or a little more time laying down.
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A tasty wine, but not a rebuy. This is a little to CA for my Spanish tastes. Dark fruits and pepper- too heavy. Very not Spanish IMHO, a crowd pleasing wine though.
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Very much a Phinney wine but not firing on all cylinders. Given the price I didn't mind taking a flyer on a few bottles but won't rush out for more (or feel compelled to try the other Locations series). Overripe fruit drowns with a thick vanilla spine.
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A very robust Spanish red from Orin Swift. Has some serious legs, as it was drinking nicely 3+ days after opening. A bit primal, disjointed and funky when first opened, this turned into a darling. On day 3 showing bright berry fruit, earthy mushroom, and (unfortunately) quite a bit of wood. Still a nice wine, but I think it needs some time to come together. Initial score when popped was low 80s due to heat, wood and funk. Nice turnaround, 3 days later!
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Rich deep ruby color. Cherry and spice on the nose. Cherry, jammy hint of pepper on the tongue. Tannin is well integrated. Really enjoyable wine, feels like great QPR.
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Pop n pour. In a dark room so it wasn't possible to get a read on the color. Nose was muted. Attack is ripe dark fruit dominated by plum. Mid palate is leather and tobacco. The finish is very long and the tobacco note really comes on strong with a huge dose of rough tannin. Very gripping at this age, definitely a food wine and a solid decant would help soften up the tempranillo. No rush to drink this yet, a well built wine and nice QPR.
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This wine grew on me. Initially I was impressed by the silky black color and the restrained nose with hints of smoke and ash. However, there was a metallic aftertaste at first which was later replaced by a full balanced finish.
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EYE: Somewhere between dark garnet and ruby. NOSE: much more forward than Location F tasted on the same night - unexpected given the Tempranillo base vs Location F's Grenache base. Red fruit - red cherries dominate followed by strawberry jam; PALATE: flips nose order with strawberry jam and cherry backnote. Tannin present, but pretty well integrated, indicating this could lay down for a few years. High Alc - doubt this is really 14.5%. Like the "F" a nice QPR and ill probably pick up a few more to lay down for a bit.
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Peppery with a little spice. Dark fruits prevail after it opens up a little. Touch of oak on the finish with a nice amount of tannins. Excellent for the price.
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Interesting, as are most of the Orin Swift/Dave Phinney wines. Really big upon opening, overwhelming, but all over the place. Set it aside overnight -- day 2 was much, much better. A little more structured, fruit died down a bit and became pleasant.
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Red fruit and spice notes. There is a refreshing and intersting quality but I am distracted by what I call a fake candied taste to the fruit that caused me to quit buying Prisoner a few years ago.
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nose - vegetal mouth - sloppy fruit with lots of celery bits in it; slight peppery. first instinct was yum, but upon further analysis, i found this lacking focus and elegance. still not bad. Is this really the 2011 or is it a NV - i couldnt see any evidence that this is a vintage bottling.
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Big, bold red that starts with a lot of fruit and ends with a long complex finish. Balanced acids coupled with a smoothness that is hard to find at this price range. Excellent value.
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Terrific structure. Starts on the palette with typical Grenache fruits, then finishes with an unmistakable hint of the Tempranillo. Great value - tastes like a $35 bottle of wine.
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Great nose and palate of red fruits, figs and plums. On the palate, it has enough depth and richness to hit the sweet spot for me. Just enough acidity to make it go well with a range of foods but not so much as to be overpowering.
Definitely the best value from Orin Swift, to date.
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One of many tasted at Debbie and Brad's first wine dinner at Bella Ranch. Bottle decanted for about 20 minutes and then ran through a vinturi when tasting. This wine was poured into the glass with a dark red tone, slightly dirty, unrefined. On the nose was some floral characteristics, but not much. Much more blackberry and briar patch than anything. Some smoke and a hint of acidity. The wine was consistent with blackberry cassis, some dark chocolate. But, all in all this one seemed a bit brittle for what it was professed to be. This one has Grenache from Priorat, Tempranillo and Grenache from Rioja, and Carignane from Ribera del Duero, so I expected much more body, a more alcoholic finish. But, medium at best on both. Not very tannic, and short finish - 5 seconds and done. Drink now. I wouldn't attempt to lay any of this down. Done by the end of 2013.
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Initial impressions from day one were of a well made Grenache+, as in plus a little spice, weight, and oak influence. Days two and three show an increasingly spicy wine dominated by tart black raspberry and soft strawberry notes, framed by high acidity. While tannins are present, they are almost blown into obscurity by the amount of acid present. The alcohol is noticeable, if not unpleasantly so. An interesting wine for sure, but it seems a little disjointed. Perhaps, with a little time the disparate elements of this wine will become more cohesive.
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Lots of fruit flavors, not well balanced but if you want something juicy off the bat this will do the trick. Could use sometime and maybe it comes together for a higher score. -S
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This is a very sophisticated fruit blend. Think this is Dave Phinney's best European projects yet. And for the price??? Fruit bouquet bomber. Bought 2 this weekend. Drank one already and going to buy more. D66 was great, this is even more enjoyable. What a blend. Loving this.
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Very much a Phinney wine. Massive fruit but with a herbal and somewhat severe spine. Willing to concede some bottle shock here as I drank it four days after it arrived via UPS. Will try again in a couple weeks and reconsider.
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Dense fruit nose-breath it in! Blackberry and black cherry at first, then rose petals. Tasty. Good by itself , but better with a warm chocolate spread on salty bread.
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Same as Prior TN's. Lot's of fruit. Some depth and secondary meaty notes. Good quality to price ratio, but you have to be in the mood for this fruit driven wine. Good on its own, or with food. Maybe better with the right food.
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I am a sucker for Dave's wine. I like that he is branching out to Europe though. Spicy palate, fruit driven like others have said but not as much as the New World wines. Great flavor but I think it needs some bottle aging. I will wait about six months before opening another. Great QPR.
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Another fruit driven effort for Phinney. Typical spanish grenacha fruit, earth, carmel, characters on the nose. While not a fruit-bomb like some new spanish wines, this is a fruit driven wine. There are some secondary flavors, but the fruit stands out. That said, the quality is very high for this price point. It drinks well by itself, and with food. However, it needs to be paired with food that can stand up to the fruit. It's a tad sweet to me, but not candy sweet. Overall a nice wine at this price. It be interesting to see how it holds up after 1-2 years.
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Wonderful value for the cost, and a fine example of a Dave Phinney wine. A Garnacha, Tempranillo and Cariena blend... compares well to a Rhone blend. Feels a bit young, should allow to breath a bit before sampling.
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Classic grenache nose initially (oak and dark cherry), but also lots of spices on the palate, and medium tannin. A great all-round wine, good for sipping as well as food. Will definitely get more.
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Blockbuster. Gorgeous dark purple-black in glass, rich aromas of baked black fruit that carry to palate with explosive blackberry, black cherry and cassis, rolling into notes of rhubarb, dark chocolate and expresso, and braced with sweet but rustic tannins and finishing long. The Prisoner goes to Spain. Great blend, great balance, extraordinary.
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2/18/2023 - Docemann5 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last of my 3 bottles First night seemed a bit past its prime. Day two the color was more vibrant, the wine smoother. The fruit more beautiful and forward I thought it would be the other way around on an older wine.
Not sure if they did any more of these projects but enjoyed them quite immensely
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4/11/2021 - Docemann5 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ruby red color. Dark and rich looking
Bouquet muted and short but floral
Fruit forward with a back palate spice. Thought would be past prime but was surprisingly flavorful with a sophisticated finish. Enjoyed first glass on its own, the rest was with Greek salad and pizza. Made the pizza that much better! I have two more bottles that I thought I would have to rush to, but this made me feel I have a little bit of time and will look forward to enjoying them!
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2/1/2021 - Mezz Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fading, don’t wait any longer
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4/1/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Just alright. It definitely taste like españa, Tempranillo and probably a few other varietals. Beginning to soften both tannins and the color. Still some tobacco and leather notes. Give it 30 minutes of air to unwind.
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2/10/2017 - rmh66 wrote: 88 Points
Needs an hour or so of air. Blackberries, smoke, new leather, earth, and herbs on the nose. Blackberries, blueberries, a little cranberry, earth, herbs, and some barrel notes on the palate. Okay acidity (could use more), decent structure, pleasant finish. This was a good wine (after it got some air), though I can't really say that it seemed like a Spanish wine.
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12/30/2016 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 87 Points
I'm going with Tiger on this one.
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9/10/2016 - firstgrowth Likes this wine: 88 Points
A tad oakey
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8/1/2016 - firstgrowth Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice dry Spanish red. Easy drinking, dark chocolate & tobacco.
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5/16/2015 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drank over 4 nights and the wine held together, typically a sign of quality to me. The couple years of bottle age have helped this one.. Dark, intense blue and black fruit dominate. Smooth finish but with some tannins holding everything together. Acidity in the background, but enough to keep the wine from being flabby. Would pair well with summer BBQ pork, chicken, or burgers. International in style, could have been a new world Syrah.
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4/26/2015 - sayward Likes this wine: 90 Points
A nice change with this spice box of unknown contents. I don't get why he doesn't put a vintage on these bottles. A nice wine and I am thinking that the bottle age has helped this wine. I recall younger bottles being a little more hot.
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3/1/2015 - cultdrinker Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice wine with a Rhone-like character.
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2/4/2015 - Omadobs Likes this wine: 89 Points
I hate it when my ratings are within a point of the running average as I feel like a sheep. Still, I suppose there's some truth in the hive-mentality theory that is the basis of this website. The E1 is a pleasant Tuesday-night quaffer. Not particularly complex or deep, but blessed with decent (mostly red), well-integrated, Garnacha-dominated fruit. Thankfully, it's not over-oaked and the alcohol is not overly apparent.
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2/1/2015 - Endodr Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is a very good wine at its price point. These "Location Wines" will probably never be 90+ bottles, but they will always be crowd pleasers. This Spanish blend has a deep, dark purple color and a nose of dark berries, florals, and tobacco. It is very fruit forward with ample blackberries, boysenberries, spice, leather, and espresso. Overall, it has a smooth mouthfeel and is medium bodied with a moderate finish. It culminates with polished tannins. Excellent PQR.
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1/30/2015 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
This was an enjoyable bottle. Nothing fantastic but a good midweek wine.
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12/14/2014 - SoccerMark Does not like this wine:
Used for Amy's mom group christmas party 2014
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12/13/2014 - BaylinBoy wrote: 90 Points
my last bottle :-( love it, solid, warm cherry nose but also herbaceous , warm full mouth feel with lingering fruit and spice - beautiful
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12/6/2014 - DooRag Dude Does not like this wine:
Would not purchase again
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10/20/2014 - dfresh wrote: 84 Points
Nose is best aspect of wine. Bramble and tobacco. Wine falls apart on pallet. No structure, flabby and notes of burnt tar and stewed prunes.
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10/5/2014 - BaylinBoy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big bold but very balanced with notes of tobacco and chocolate behind red cherries
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9/30/2014 - bwk wrote: 86 Points
Surprisingly grapey, while dry, it suggests sweet red fruit. Not bad but not outstanding. Needs a hearty protein to offset this fruit bomb.
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9/30/2014 - Mtpisgah wrote:
I had a much more enjoyable experience with this bottle than the last. Still not what the first bottle was but I think the aging helped it. A nice mix of old and new world wine making. It was good with lamb pasta. I have one more that I will hold on to for a while but I will probably not be buying anymore of the Locations wines.
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8/9/2014 - StageOneRacing Likes this wine: 88 Points
I think this was better than the last bottle I had, show more maturity and cohesion. Very enjoyable.
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7/24/2014 - rebs1 wrote: 88 Points
Eh...
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7/14/2014 - Mezz wrote: 90 Points
Showing softer and more old world after some aging, very good.
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7/14/2014 - Purple Tooth wrote: 85 Points
Nice blend, but not much spain in it. It might as well be from anywhere...
To me it tastes like a Granache and Tempranillo blend...Not enough tannins to hold.
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3/30/2014 - Mtpisgah Does not like this wine:
I liked this the first time I had it, hence buying four bottles. This was so sickly sweet though I had a half glass and dumped the rest. I didn't even want to keep it for cooking. I should have kept it until tomorrow to see what happens with it so I did act a little rash.
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1/5/2014 - ZachF88 wrote: flawed
Every single Locations E-1 that I've had has been different in flavor and structure (and not due to age or serving temp). Not sure what's going on, but this wine was BITTER! No cork taint, no oxidation... something I've never experienced with wine before. I wish these Locations wines were more consistent, because I've had too much variability with this label. It's a sad day in age we live in because 2011 vintage and later Dave Phinney wines are rubbish.
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12/30/2013 - Mezz wrote: 90 Points
Warm Blackberry and red plum on the nose. Palate is very silky, tannins have integrated somewhat from the last experience. Very fruit driven still, but softening.
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12/6/2013 - millerarner Likes this wine: 89 Points
Surprised how much air this needed. Left in decanter for an hour and at first it was nothing but fake fruit on the nose and stewed fruit on the palate. Given some more time it started to lose its cloying nature, showed a bit of finesse, and mellowed into a decent daily drinker.
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11/14/2013 - Quarked wrote: 89 Points
Definitely in the style of Phinney's other wines, which means it's not supposed to be subtle. On the other hand, tasted blind I might have mistaken this for a grenache-dominated, "new world" CdP, so he's found a nice balance. Good stuff that remained good for several nights.
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10/31/2013 - wadcorp Likes this wine: 86 Points
Not a bad little wine. Deep purple in color. Notes of plum & red cherry, tobacco and pepper. Decanted for an hour prior to pouring. Might be even better with food.
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10/23/2013 - LongViewCellars wrote: 91 Points
Is this worthy of 91 points? Yes. The reason why, its $17 a bottle. I've tried the F and I and wasn't really impressed but just finished like my 10th bottle of E. It's the best daily sub $20 bottle I've found in a long time. Is this a 90+ pointer if the price were double? Probably not, but comparing price points, this stuff is a must buy in my book.
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10/7/2013 - easttide Does not like this wine: 85 Points
I just don't get it. Old world but very new world in style- just big, plump fruit bomb, nothing more. Obviously just doesn't jive with my personal preference, but almost made me sick after accidentally picking up someones glass after I had changed over to a Dolcetto D'Alba, which was fruity in it's on regard, but half the price and far more structured.
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10/7/2013 - Jillandscott Likes this wine: 84 Points
Not very good the next day. Suggest drinking in same sitting as opening. Very fruit forward. Excellent wine to just open and drink.
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9/23/2013 - okiedocs Likes this wine: 88 Points
It is not my favorite OS wine but I will tell you what, for the price point it is exceptional. It has a heavy powerful mouthfeel, and while it can be a bit hot it has a fruit forward - fig flavor. This profile may be appreciated by some and disliked by others. We bought a couple of cases and drank one and gave the rest for gifts to friends.
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8/26/2013 - jpstough wrote: 92 Points
Vanilla on the nose. Tastes of plum and tobacco/pepper with a warm (boozy) finish. Opens up nicely with a quick decanting. Excellent value.
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7/28/2013 - DiveDVM wrote: 91 Points
Mildly fruity
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7/26/2013 - Richard123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Is this getting better with age? A lovely wine, lots of dark berries, some spice, medium tannin, great sipping wine that also pairs well with food. I'm out now, but may have to get more -- if I can.
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7/4/2013 - Macapito wrote: 90 Points
Of the Locations lineup from Orin Swift cellars, this places 2nd for me. I really enjoy the F-1 the best and the I-1 the least. About this one though, I have to say that yes, I'd buy it again because it is a complex blend. I decanted it and it really opened up into a powerhouse of aromas with nice fruit forward drink ability
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6/23/2013 - Paradigm Media wrote: 85 Points
Very dark purple, with straightforward flavors of blackberries and figs at the end. Shared this wine with my brother in law and his wife. They are "new" to wine, and this was a great transitional red. They enjoyed it immensely, and were not overwhelmed by oak or tannins. And at the price, this is a great value.
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6/12/2013 - Endodr Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dark purple colored with aromas of dark fruit. Tastes of dark berries (blackberries and blueberries), cherries, and Figs. Medium bodied and fruit forward. The wine has a nice crisp acidity, and a slightly chalky and more tannic taste at the end that I believe is from the Carignon. The finish is moderate with smooth tannins. This is a staple in my every night drinking repertoire. For some odd reason, this bottle was much more enjoyable than my last (I rated it 4 pts higher). At $18, this is an easy drinking value wine.
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6/11/2013 - Dan & Krista Stockman Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fabulous. Rich and deep, massive structure. Really yummy.
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5/27/2013 - Dguitreau wrote: 90 Points
Solid Dave Phinney- typical big Orin Swift. Lay it down for a couple of years and it will be great.
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4/22/2013 - Endodr wrote: 84 Points
Dark purple/red color with aromas of cherry and jam. Medium bodied and very fruity. I noted flavors of blueberries, blackberries, and figs. Finnish was kind of muddy. Ok overall (considering the price), but not a good as my previous bottle. I am a fan of David Phinney and I buy multiples of his wines. Perhaps this was a bad bottle, as I enjoyed my first encounter more, with this wine. I remember the distinct taste of the Carignan, that was hard to discern with this bottle.
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4/13/2013 - Mezz wrote: 90 Points
Very lush fruit, black cherry, hints of savory bacon fat. Almost, dare I say, like a rhone.
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4/6/2013 - SoccerMark Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Potentially the worst Orin Swift / Dave Phinney wine made, barely consumable
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4/1/2013 - Slug81 wrote: 91 Points
Dark rich color, let breath for 1-2 hours, full body with a long finish, went well with cheese.
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3/17/2013 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
This was great tonight. I think letting it sit helped a lot.
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3/13/2013 - jctra wrote: 89 Points
Modern, fruit foreward (cherry), noticeable alcohol. Medium body. Short to medium finish. Ok for this price.
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3/11/2013 - garambler wrote: 89 Points
I had this with country fried steak (and mushroom gravy) on 3/11/13. It had a deep, complex bouquet of floral, blackberry, black cherry, plum, cola and spice aromas. The palate was ripe and rich with fine grained tannins…flavors of blackberry, black cherry, plum, cola, and spice.
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3/7/2013 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice Granache with good extraction and Granache character. great price point. Phinney knows how to make wine.
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3/5/2013 - mflesh wrote: 85 Points
Not as good as the last bottle. At all. Uncorked to a very faint pink stain on the cork. Nose was earth, boysenberry jam, earthy. I didn't decant this one and I'm not sure that decanting was even necessary. It was already expressing a lot of brambleberry, fig, and SOME soil and a muted barnyard, with mocha coming in the middle along with almost a pumpkin spice. The wine finished with some heat, which kind of retarded some of the soil and earth and berry flavors that were probably in the finish. I don't really think this one is very "cellar-able" and I definitely wouldn't admit that I had this to any of my "wine snob" friends. Phinney does make wines that lots of people will like, and it seems like he toned down a lot of the characteristics that would make a wine from "E" particularly pleasing to those that like the "E"spana wines. In doing this he really took away the very characters that make these wines age-able. I don't think this one will last more than 1-2 years honestly, given that the last sip 3 hours later was no different than the first sip that was enjoyed within 5 minutes of popping the cork. So, drink up. Done by 2014, maybe 2015 with a constant cellar temp of 55.
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3/1/2013 - RobbieC wrote: 87 Points
Good. Fruity. Medium in most every way except for fruit forward style. QPR is good but would be happier if this was $5 less. Most reviews here seem to have this wine figured out.
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2/28/2013 - JLPwine wrote: 85 Points
Big fruit bomb, needs some decanting. Good, not great
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2/26/2013 - davedtw wrote: 90 Points
Big wine. Lots of fruit up front. Decanted.
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2/23/2013 - ted-wine wrote: 80 Points
Overpriced for only a fair quality wine. Seems more of a marketing strategy to sell an undistinguished wine.
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2/18/2013 - cawineaux wrote: 80 Points
Primary fruits and bright plum describe the nose and the palate. Poorly structured.
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2/16/2013 - erikjwithak wrote: 86 Points
Good fruit up front, with heavy doses of ripe plumb and strawberry. Tight and tannic on the back palate with stiff oak. May have required decanting or a little more time laying down.
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2/9/2013 - VinoPKM wrote: 87 Points
A tasty wine, but not a rebuy. This is a little to CA for my Spanish tastes. Dark fruits and pepper- too heavy. Very not Spanish IMHO, a crowd pleasing wine though.
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2/1/2013 - top_chef wrote: 91 Points
Really nice fruit-forward taste; very flavorful; bright; ready to drink.
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1/31/2013 - mreinhard74@gmail.com wrote: 85 Points
Very much a Phinney wine but not firing on all cylinders. Given the price I didn't mind taking a flyer on a few bottles but won't rush out for more (or feel compelled to try the other Locations series). Overripe fruit drowns with a thick vanilla spine.
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1/24/2013 - BReeder Likes this wine: 92 Points
this wine was just explosive and was ready to be drank right out of the bottle. Loved everything about it
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1/15/2013 - RPerro wrote: 89 Points
A very robust Spanish red from Orin Swift. Has some serious legs, as it was drinking nicely 3+ days after opening. A bit primal, disjointed and funky when first opened, this turned into a darling. On day 3 showing bright berry fruit, earthy mushroom, and (unfortunately) quite a bit of wood. Still a nice wine, but I think it needs some time to come together. Initial score when popped was low 80s due to heat, wood and funk. Nice turnaround, 3 days later!
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1/14/2013 - dfresh wrote: 92 Points
This wine is exceptional for the price. It is the Prisoner of Spanish Blends. Not overly sophisticated but juicy and delicious.
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1/11/2013 - donknotts Likes this wine: 89 Points
Rich deep ruby color. Cherry and spice on the nose. Cherry, jammy hint of pepper on the tongue. Tannin is well integrated. Really enjoyable wine, feels like great QPR.
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1/9/2013 - MarshPDX wrote: 90 Points
Primo red food wine.
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1/6/2013 - Ceo wrote: 90 Points
Good balance opened up after 30 minutes. I will buy more.
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1/2/2013 - brigcampbell wrote:
Pop n pour. In a dark room so it wasn't possible to get a read on the color. Nose was muted. Attack is ripe dark fruit dominated by plum. Mid palate is leather and tobacco. The finish is very long and the tobacco note really comes on strong with a huge dose of rough tannin. Very gripping at this age, definitely a food wine and a solid decant would help soften up the tempranillo. No rush to drink this yet, a well built wine and nice QPR.
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1/1/2013 - high_pockets wrote: 90 Points
Easy drinking for a weekend afternoon with apps. Really enjoyed this and excellent qpr
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12/30/2012 - wdlohr wrote: 89 Points
This wine grew on me. Initially I was impressed by the silky black color and the restrained nose with hints of smoke and ash. However, there was a metallic aftertaste at first which was later replaced by a full balanced finish.
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12/30/2012 - 1H2oMan wrote: 90 Points
Love this wine and for the price you can't beat it.
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12/26/2012 - Bs769@comcast.net wrote: 90 Points
Great wine with appetizers.. Nice nose well balanced, nice finish.
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12/22/2012 - BLSausTX wrote: 89 Points
EYE: Somewhere between dark garnet and ruby. NOSE: much more forward than Location F tasted on the same night - unexpected given the Tempranillo base vs Location F's Grenache base. Red fruit - red cherries dominate followed by strawberry jam; PALATE: flips nose order with strawberry jam and cherry backnote. Tannin present, but pretty well integrated, indicating this could lay down for a few years. High Alc - doubt this is really 14.5%. Like the "F" a nice QPR and ill probably pick up a few more to lay down for a bit.
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12/22/2012 - klanham wrote: 87 Points
I hate the fruit bomb term, but have to use it. Being a winemaker, I think this will be very good, it is just not ready. May be a gem in 2years.
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12/17/2012 - Mverbeck21 wrote: 90 Points
Peppery with a little spice. Dark fruits prevail after it opens up a little. Touch of oak on the finish with a nice amount of tannins. Excellent for the price.
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12/4/2012 - j3w wrote:
Interesting, as are most of the Orin Swift/Dave Phinney wines. Really big upon opening, overwhelming, but all over the place. Set it aside overnight -- day 2 was much, much better. A little more structured, fruit died down a bit and became pleasant.
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11/30/2012 - gmbdds wrote: 87 Points
Red fruit and spice notes. There is a refreshing and intersting quality but I am distracted by what I call a fake candied taste to the fruit that caused me to quit buying Prisoner a few years ago.
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11/26/2012 - aRobertParker wrote: 89 Points
- Crimsom color - Excellent value. Carmel Cafe w seasonal flatbread apps, perfect match
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11/25/2012 - JRR9307 wrote: 87 Points
Carmel Cafe after dinner, by itself mild tannin, fruity finish oak not too intense, great by itself.
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11/24/2012 - MLoscalzo wrote: 90 Points
- Brick color.
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11/23/2012 - Willie Wild wrote: 86 Points
Drank with Judy at my house.
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11/23/2012 - carlsport wrote: 90 Points
Took about 30 minutes to hit its stride, but showing a lot of fruit. Good QPR.
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11/22/2012 - Mezz wrote: 91 Points
Kirsch nose. Great acidity. Minor tannins. Good balance.
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11/17/2012 - Gsdwight wrote: 90 Points
Second bottle ( 2 days later) was fruit forward and very drinkable out of the bottle. Decanted 20 min and was even better. This bottle was smooth.
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11/16/2012 - soyhead wrote:
nose - vegetal
mouth - sloppy fruit with lots of celery bits in it; slight peppery. first instinct was yum, but upon further analysis, i found this lacking focus and elegance. still not bad. Is this really the 2011 or is it a NV - i couldnt see any evidence that this is a vintage bottling.
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11/14/2012 - Gsdwight wrote: 89 Points
Must decant 30-45 min before drinking. Wine is very tight right out of the bottle and needs to breathe.
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11/13/2012 - Caligrrl wrote:
Took a while to open up. Did not pair well with salami. Much better after a hour or so, last glass was drinkable, expected more from Orin Swift.
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11/11/2012 - Soleman wrote: 90 Points
Big, bold red that starts with a lot of fruit and ends with a long complex finish. Balanced acids coupled with a smoothness that is hard to find at this price range. Excellent value.
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11/10/2012 - jeward wrote: 90 Points
Terrific structure. Starts on the palette with typical Grenache fruits, then finishes with an unmistakable hint of the Tempranillo. Great value - tastes like a $35 bottle of wine.
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11/7/2012 - franco rosso wrote: 91 Points
Fresh, vibrant blend of fruits. A very pleasing wine. I highly recommend this wine.
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10/29/2012 - powersaxo wrote: 92 Points
Great nose and palate of red fruits, figs and plums. On the palate, it has enough depth and richness to hit the sweet spot for me. Just enough acidity to make it go well with a range of foods but not so much as to be overpowering.
Definitely the best value from Orin Swift, to date.
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10/28/2012 - mflesh wrote: 88 Points
One of many tasted at Debbie and Brad's first wine dinner at Bella Ranch. Bottle decanted for about 20 minutes and then ran through a vinturi when tasting. This wine was poured into the glass with a dark red tone, slightly dirty, unrefined. On the nose was some floral characteristics, but not much. Much more blackberry and briar patch than anything. Some smoke and a hint of acidity. The wine was consistent with blackberry cassis, some dark chocolate. But, all in all this one seemed a bit brittle for what it was professed to be. This one has Grenache from Priorat, Tempranillo and Grenache from Rioja, and Carignane from Ribera del Duero, so I expected much more body, a more alcoholic finish. But, medium at best on both. Not very tannic, and short finish - 5 seconds and done. Drink now. I wouldn't attempt to lay any of this down. Done by the end of 2013.
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10/28/2012 - PDX-S wrote:
Initial impressions from day one were of a well made Grenache+, as in plus a little spice, weight, and oak influence. Days two and three show an increasingly spicy wine dominated by tart black raspberry and soft strawberry notes, framed by high acidity. While tannins are present, they are almost blown into obscurity by the amount of acid present. The alcohol is noticeable, if not unpleasantly so. An interesting wine for sure, but it seems a little disjointed. Perhaps, with a little time the disparate elements of this wine will become more cohesive.
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10/26/2012 - dmitchell4 wrote: 88 Points
If I had more would lay down for a few years, but was not motivated to buy more.
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10/23/2012 - sasvino Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lots of fruit flavors, not well balanced but if you want something juicy off the bat this will do the trick. Could use sometime and maybe it comes together for a higher score. -S
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10/23/2012 - mcole23 wrote: 92 Points
This is a very sophisticated fruit blend. Think this is Dave Phinney's best European projects yet. And for the price??? Fruit bouquet bomber. Bought 2 this weekend. Drank one already and going to buy more. D66 was great, this is even more enjoyable. What a blend. Loving this.
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10/22/2012 - mmoss wrote: 88 Points
Went well with some mexican food.
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10/20/2012 - chodur wrote: 90 Points
awesome wine for the price
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10/17/2012 - mreinhard74@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
Very much a Phinney wine. Massive fruit but with a herbal and somewhat severe spine. Willing to concede some bottle shock here as I drank it four days after it arrived via UPS. Will try again in a couple weeks and reconsider.
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10/13/2012 - Cesayian wrote: 89 Points
Dense fruit nose-breath it in! Blackberry and black cherry at first, then rose petals. Tasty. Good by itself , but better with a warm chocolate spread on salty bread.
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10/13/2012 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
Same as Prior TN's. Lot's of fruit. Some depth and secondary meaty notes. Good quality to price ratio, but you have to be in the mood for this fruit driven wine. Good on its own, or with food. Maybe better with the right food.
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10/12/2012 - Mtpisgah wrote: 90 Points
I am a sucker for Dave's wine. I like that he is branching out to Europe though. Spicy palate, fruit driven like others have said but not as much as the New World wines. Great flavor but I think it needs some bottle aging. I will wait about six months before opening another. Great QPR.
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10/8/2012 - alex.lewis Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another winner from Dave Phinney. Smooth but complex with deep earth, a little funk and bright fruit.
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10/7/2012 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
Another fruit driven effort for Phinney. Typical spanish grenacha fruit, earth, carmel, characters on the nose. While not a fruit-bomb like some new spanish wines, this is a fruit driven wine. There are some secondary flavors, but the fruit stands out. That said, the quality is very high for this price point. It drinks well by itself, and with food. However, it needs to be paired with food that can stand up to the fruit. It's a tad sweet to me, but not candy sweet. Overall a nice wine at this price. It be interesting to see how it holds up after 1-2 years.
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10/6/2012 - mgottberg wrote: 89 Points
Wonderful value for the cost, and a fine example of a Dave Phinney wine. A Garnacha, Tempranillo and Cariena blend... compares well to a Rhone blend. Feels a bit young, should allow to breath a bit before sampling.
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10/4/2012 - weingutwilhelm wrote: 90 Points
Black berry fruit, crushed rocks. Silky texture, intense fruit, spicy, grippy, heat. Hard to gauge the acidity in this fire-y lil' monster.
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9/25/2012 - Richard123 wrote: 88 Points
Classic grenache nose initially (oak and dark cherry), but also lots of spices on the palate, and medium tannin. A great all-round wine, good for sipping as well as food. Will definitely get more.
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9/24/2012 - Snoman wrote: 92 Points
Blockbuster. Gorgeous dark purple-black in glass, rich aromas of baked black fruit that carry to palate with explosive blackberry, black cherry and cassis, rolling into notes of rhubarb, dark chocolate and expresso, and braced with sweet but rustic tannins and finishing long. The Prisoner goes to Spain. Great blend, great balance, extraordinary.
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