Surprise of the night, this was still really good. Did not guess Australia blind. Has a real savory character now, like hot and sour soup. Notes of soy sauce and fish sauce… very interesting. This has a second gear towards the finish that puts a smile on your face. Not an elegant or refined wine but has a nice rustic punch that is appealing. Drank best basically upon open and then slowly started to fade so I’d say drink up.
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dark red, maroon, in color. blueberry, citrus, earth, on the nose. oak, blackberry, pepper, vanilla, raspberry, apple, on the palate. low acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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still youthful with purple edge, bright fruit and pepper make this a still very enjoyable wine... I was somewhat surprised that it had held up this well. I bought it at release and storage has been at 55F for the life of the wine. Have three more bottles left and will post reports over the next year or two...Certainly agree that it will likely not improve with age.
Decanted for 1 hour. No nose, slight soft tannins remain with strong overbearing alcohol. On the palate appeared nondescript. Drink with food (emphasis on food) or consider cooking wine.
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This is no longer improving in my opinion. I was surprised how well this aged, but I think it is on the decline. Still pretty good, but seemed to be showing the alcohol in this last bottle.
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Still very drinkable. Decanted for 30 minutes. Opened up quickly. Smooth drinking. Not sure how it will hold up for a 2nd day once opened. No need to wait any longer -- drink now.
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OK, I'm taking this 03 Sarah's up a notch or two from the last time I tried it two years ago. I don't think anyone expected MP wines to have ageing structure, but the proof is in the taste, and this is the best tasting Sarah's I've had. This wine maintains its youthful hedonistic characteristics of ripe fruit, over the top sweet and spicy fruits, cracked pepper, smoked meats and buttered popcorn.
It has improved in its smoothness and integration. This wine is not about terroir as much as it is about winemaking, and I did not expect Sarah's blend to show such a backbone and an ability to improve with age. I have one more, and I will put it down for another two years. If it is as good as it is now, I will lament my last bottle.
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Had side-by-side the '02. This was better--not quite so candied and syrup-like, and drinkable for me. Actually fared similar to the last bottle almost three years ago in terms of flavors, although lost a bit of the sweet edge.
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These seem to be getting better over time. The nose on this after 30 minutes or so was very candied with glycerin and pencil box. The palate was dominated by dark fruits with noticeable oak still present.
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Night and day difference between the '02 and '03 Sarah's. This has a profusion of buttered popcorn, kinda like the bottom of a bag of microwave popcorn when there is only kernels left with a tinge of burnt oil. Fruit abounds with oak and I don't know what else, but this wine belongs in every one of those movie nite at home baskets.
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a bit hot on the nose, getting whiffs of cola and maple. burnt sugar. first taste, I think i have either a bad bottle, or I just dont like this wine. I am flagging it as a bad bottle.
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Color: Purple Nose: Earth and currant Taste: Intense black pepper, spice box, plum Finish: Intense, complex with pepper and currant intermixing. Evaluation: A solid wine which has improved from a few years back. 90 points
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Wow - what a mouthful. I had the unfortunate experience of drinking this immediately after a Pax syrah - it made the Pax seem refined and nuanced! This wasn't bad, just overwhelming. I can't imagine what one would eat with this - perhaps 'que?
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Intense blueberry with smooth texture. Much better than earlier vintages of this label as this one has had time to calm. But my goodness, still so hot and intense. Must be paired with food lest your hair be straightened.
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Dark berry fruits on the palate with too much oak and alcohol. This was almost cloyingly sweet. Half the bottle remains to be revisited, hopefully it improves. This was disappointing.
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I've had a few of the MP wines over the last several years, and I must admit I enjoy Sarah's the most. It's like a witch's brew, not that Sarah Marquis is a witch, but in blending this wine I just envision her stirring a black caludron with the exotic smells of the concoction filling a room. This wine evokes an image of an incense filled Indian spice shop, and an Italian sasuage cooler. There is tea and menthol, very ripe berry, menthol and a green mint stemminess. It sweet and unctous, with very ripe fruit ,oak, vanilla cookies, and eucalyptus. It's just fun trying to take it apart. I believe it is primarily Shiraz and some vigonier. After that, I don't know, but it is a blend that challenges the palate.
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After having a bottle of the '02 several days ago that was beginning to show medicinal notes, I thought it might be time to test the '03 again. It is still a very dark fruit bomb, but some of the silkiness I've noticed in other bottles was largely absent. There is a danger in generalizing from two examples, but I'm beginning to think these wines really need to be consumed within 1-2 years of release.
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Very hot when first opened. Should decant for about 30 minutes. Blackberry, Currant, and Liquorice in the smell. Still a little tight and sharp with a lasting note of oak. Very good even this soon. But I would prefer waiting a year or so.
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Solid, dacanted for 2 hours did improve this over last time when we drank out of bottle...not the fruit bomb of some of the big assie shiraz, but still a solid solid wine
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Interesting. When you taste this, its pretty good, deep dark and intense in colour, very intense on the nose - tonnes of sweer blackberry and blackcherry fruit. The palate is super intense, sweet almost jammy with loads of blackfruit. Tinge of menthol on the finish.
Sounds good? only trouble is drinking more than half a glass - it becomes cloying and overly sweet. I kept this waiting for something to drink it with - i thought - ideal - turkey leftovers + the trimmings - but this beast was too powerful for them. Left over sparking shiraz with its acidity went so much better with food.
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This is the third time I have had this and I seem to like it less each time. Olives on the nose. While there is a lot of fruit it seems bitter and hot on the finish.
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Big nose of ripe fruits. Flavors on the palate took a few minutes to open up, but then became rich, almost sweet raspberry liqueur. Kind of one-dimensional. Enjoyable wine for this style, but still not one of my favorite MP wines.
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Very nice. Entirely as expected - full throttle, rich, extracted and hedonistic. Deep colour and lots of black cherry and berry fruit on the nose. Not overly complex but sweet and ripe. Palate more of the same. Some acidity and soft dry tannins give this some structure and prevent this from being cloying. Stood up well to some pretty spicy moroccan chicken. Very nice. On balance probably the best of the MP 2003's IMO.
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So this is a fun wine. Pretty one-dimensional with oak and fruit. pretty open right from the bottle but gain a little depth with a couple hours decanted
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First wine consumed after a change of career and a big move from PA to NY/NJ. Decided to try a repeat combo of an MP wine with Greek food, as our new locale has a good Greek restaurant. Again, the wine pairs very well with tiropita, grilled calamari, and grilled meats. There is something about the combination of an over-the-top fruit bomb, grilled meats, and assertive herbs, spices, and cheeses that just works very well. The wine itself was consistent with previous tasting notes; no subtlety on the palate, just loads of fruit. I know it's popular to bash this wine, but I wonder how much bashing would be going on if it wasn't an RMP fave, and it was taken for what it is; a straightforward, pleasurable wine that pairs well with assertive foods, at a good price point.
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As with previous bottles, the wine showed nearly black in the glass, turning to deep red at the rim. The fruit is still very much present, but this bottle showed much more tannins than recent bottles. The wine was balanced in the sense that there were plenty of tannins to counter the rich, silky fruit, but in no way could this be considered integrated. I preferred the bottles where the tannins were less primary.
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Nearly black in the glass, red at the rim. Tannins are better integrated, and the wine has a softer mouthfeel than it did several months ago. Very fruit forward on the palate, and fruit is really what this wine is all about. Little complexity, and a moderate finish.
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Less over-the-top than previous bottles. Still almost black in the glass, fading to red at the rim. Tannins more in balance with the fruit, with more notes of vanilla sweetness on the palate, and a velvety smooth texture. This seems to be showing differently every time I open a bottle, judging from my previous notes. Fast evolution, or bottle variability?
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Better than the 2002, which was far too hot, but not up to the level of the 2001s, which, in my mind, have been the most balanced (while powerful) of the Marquis Phillips. The luster of these wines has worn off for me, and I think I may have bought the last of these wines while I work through those I already have. Still a massive, fruit forward wine, but simply lacks any complexity. Not bad for the money and when you feel like an Aussie fruit bomb.
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New Year's Day 2005 (Mount Joy, PA): This is not a subtle wine. Very fruit forward, and the alcohol and tannins are right there. However, I found the fruit and the acidity to be in balance, leading to a nice drinking experience, but most definitely an assertive one. Even given the strong fruit on the palate, I still noted some complexity on the palate, with hints of raspberry, blackberry, and blueberries. I can see why this wine is too much for some, but for our group, this was the WOTN.
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Not my favorite MP, but not bad. Intense fruits, in-your-face in fact, but less delineated and a bit of a fruit bomb. It'll be interesting to see if this one comes together a bit more in the future.
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Deep purple with slight fade towrds rim, and medium thick legs. Meaty, vanilla, plum, nose with light black pepper and lush anise. Med-heavy mouthfeel withh noticeable alcohol that didn't distract from the taste. Soft tannins framed flavors of cherry, vanilla, blackberry, light spice and an overall lush richness.
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Vanilla, dark, jammy fruit, lots of cinnamon, cloves, pepper and other non-specific spices, and something of a bitter finish. The cloying sweetness is not really my style but wife really likes it so.....
Ate with rib-eyes, steamed vegetables, and a guilty pleasure mac & cheese. The wine either overwhelmed or distracted from the food. Not a good match for my taste.
Not sure if age will improve this wine but will see. Glad that we didn't go too long on this one.
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($16) Not bad, but not quite up to the 2001. Similar nose of liquer, sweet vanilla, and red berry milkshake. Full-bodied if a little rough in the finish with sweet berry fruit. Just doesn't have the power and seamlessness of previousvintages. Still not bad QPR.
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First crack at the 2003. It's a bit less hot and a bit further evolved than the 2002 was at this stage. Hints of vanilla, and right on the edge of being almost too sweet, with a slightly spicy finish.
Our best experience with the 2002 was with Greek food (braised lamb shank, tiropita) from the semi-annual food festival at the nearby Orthodox church. This surprised me, but it just really blended nicely with the seasoned meat, the puff pastry, and the feta cheese. The 2003 is already sufficiently similar to the 2002 that I'm looking forward to the next Greek food festival...
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Consumed with Chinese food. Bright disc. Deep ruby robe with red rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of boysenberry syrup, coffee and vanilla. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, ample sweet tannins and hot alcohol (despite chilling to about 65 degrees). The flavors mirror the nose and the medium finish shows a whiff of heat. While certainly not unpleasant, this wine is no standout.
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Against the regular Shiraz, the Sharah's is more balanced and less over the top raw fruit. Unlike the regular shirz, the sharah's didn't start to open up until 40 minutes after open, and then it kept opening up. Velventy smooth, notes of vanilla raw red fruit. Pretty full in the mouth, with a good medium to medium-long finish. Overally, I"ll give this wine the edge over the regular 2003 in balance.
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Drank side by side with the '03 MP Shiraz. I give the edge to Sarah's. I found it better balanced. I expect this will show slightly better with a little more airtime and served at a little cooler temp. (Seafair BBQ)
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I really thought this wine was interesting. Right out of the bottle, it showed an amazing bouquet. I decated it for 2 hours+ and during that time, the wine was thick, inky purple in the decanter. On my first taste, I thought I was biting into a bunch of peppered cinnamon sticks and sweet dark berry fruit. The finish was a little hot, but no show stopper for me. But the most interesting part of tasting this was that it made me fell like I was in the middle of an asian (especially indian) spice market. Texture-wise, this wine is silky smooth on the palate and feels good. Certainly a little over the top, but utterly enjoyable.
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4/7/2023 - Joelene wrote: 93 Points
Surprise of the night, this was still really good. Did not guess Australia blind. Has a real savory character now, like hot and sour soup. Notes of soy sauce and fish sauce… very interesting. This has a second gear towards the finish that puts a smile on your face. Not an elegant or refined wine but has a nice rustic punch that is appealing. Drank best basically upon open and then slowly started to fade so I’d say drink up.
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9/8/2015 - GregBates Likes this wine:
Still good
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9/3/2013 - affordableCollector wrote: 87 Points
dark red, maroon, in color. blueberry, citrus, earth, on the nose. oak, blackberry, pepper, vanilla, raspberry, apple, on the palate. low acid, medium tannins, on the finish.
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9/3/2013 - rhanke wrote: 91 Points
showed very well at the group tasting of 2003 wines. One of the best ones of the night.
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12/6/2012 - dfontana wrote: 92 Points
stunned at how well this wine has held up. Still dark, black fruit although certainly ready to drink. Delightful surprise.
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11/4/2012 - garymouton wrote: 89 Points
still youthful with purple edge, bright fruit and pepper make this a still very enjoyable wine... I was somewhat surprised that it had held up this well. I bought it at release and storage has been at 55F for the life of the wine. Have three more bottles left and will post reports over the next year or two...Certainly agree that it will likely not improve with age.
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9/12/2011 - garrigue65 wrote: 84 Points
still nicely balanced with dark fruit.
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6/11/2011 - garrigue65 wrote: 88 Points
Still a nicely balanced wine with earthy notes on finish. Shouldn't last much longer so drink up
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5/6/2011 - Winecat wrote: 79 Points
Very fruity lots of blueberries and not much else
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3/27/2011 - phenricsson wrote: flawed
Blind tasted. The wine has fallen apart. Sour, tannic, sweet, all at the same time. I'll try a bottle again in a few days - have 4 left.
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3/14/2011 - garrigue65 wrote: 72 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. No nose, slight soft tannins remain with strong overbearing alcohol. On the palate appeared nondescript. Drink with food (emphasis on food) or consider cooking wine.
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1/21/2010 - thelostverse wrote: 87 Points
This is no longer improving in my opinion. I was surprised how well this aged, but I think it is on the decline. Still pretty good, but seemed to be showing the alcohol in this last bottle.
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10/18/2009 - MDRwinos wrote: 91 Points
Still very drinkable. Decanted for 30 minutes. Opened up quickly. Smooth drinking. Not sure how it will hold up for a 2nd day once opened. No need to wait any longer -- drink now.
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5/21/2009 - N2Vin wrote: 92 Points
OK, I'm taking this 03 Sarah's up a notch or two from the last time I tried it two years ago. I don't think anyone expected MP wines to have ageing structure, but the proof is in the taste, and this is the best tasting Sarah's I've had. This wine maintains its youthful hedonistic characteristics of ripe fruit, over the top sweet and spicy fruits, cracked pepper, smoked meats and buttered popcorn.
It has improved in its smoothness and integration. This wine is not about terroir as much as it is about winemaking, and I did not expect Sarah's blend to show such a backbone and an ability to improve with age. I have one more, and I will put it down for another two years. If it is as good as it is now, I will lament my last bottle.
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1/27/2009 - bistro wrote: 90 Points
Actually still quite good, no funk, no wear from age. it even got better the next day, softening around the edges but still providing plenty of punch.
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9/25/2008 - tacman wrote:
for braising of the short ribs
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6/17/2008 - MarkC wrote:
Had side-by-side the '02. This was better--not quite so candied and syrup-like, and drinkable for me. Actually fared similar to the last bottle almost three years ago in terms of flavors, although lost a bit of the sweet edge.
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5/17/2008 - azichilov wrote: 89 Points
Strong fruit flavor. Great value for money. Enjoyed bottle.
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2/24/2008 - texaswino wrote:
a nice blend from Australia, especially for the price. Sweet fruit and oak.
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12/24/2007 - thelostverse wrote: 88 Points
These seem to be getting better over time. The nose on this after 30 minutes or so was very candied with glycerin and pencil box. The palate was dominated by dark fruits with noticeable oak still present.
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10/14/2007 - N2Vin wrote: 91 Points
Night and day difference between the '02 and '03 Sarah's. This has a profusion of buttered popcorn, kinda like the bottom of a bag of microwave popcorn when there is only kernels left with a tinge of burnt oil. Fruit abounds with oak and I don't know what else, but this wine belongs in every one of those movie nite at home baskets.
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7/28/2007 - dave smigielski wrote: flawed
a bit hot on the nose, getting whiffs of cola and maple. burnt sugar. first taste, I think i have either a bad bottle, or I just dont like this wine. I am flagging it as a bad bottle.
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3/4/2007 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Color: Purple
Nose: Earth and currant
Taste: Intense black pepper, spice box, plum
Finish: Intense, complex with pepper and currant intermixing.
Evaluation: A solid wine which has improved from a few years back. 90 points
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11/30/2006 - cofidis2 wrote: 88 Points
Very jammy and fruit forward. A nice qpr
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10/30/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 91 Points
Great wine for the price - perfect for a last wine of the evening (6th wine for 4 people)
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10/8/2006 - KevinP wrote: 85 Points
Wow - what a mouthful. I had the unfortunate experience of drinking this immediately after a Pax syrah - it made the Pax seem refined and nuanced! This wasn't bad, just overwhelming. I can't imagine what one would eat with this - perhaps 'que?
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10/2/2006 - Mlermontov wrote: 87 Points
nice. very ripe but it has calmed down with time. not a qpr but decent wine for the $
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9/26/2006 - Haj wrote: 83 Points
Intense blueberry with smooth texture. Much better than earlier vintages of this label as this one has had time to calm. But my goodness, still so hot and intense. Must be paired with food lest your hair be straightened.
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9/24/2006 - E wrote: 82 Points
fading
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9/2/2006 - lteng wrote: 88 Points
Got better throughout the evening. Sweet and spicy.
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8/21/2006 - thelostverse wrote: 85 Points
Dark berry fruits on the palate with too much oak and alcohol. This was almost cloyingly sweet. Half the bottle remains to be revisited, hopefully it improves. This was disappointing.
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5/3/2006 - N2Vin wrote: 91 Points
I've had a few of the MP wines over the last several years, and I must admit I enjoy Sarah's the most. It's like a witch's brew, not that Sarah Marquis is a witch, but in blending this wine I just envision her stirring a black caludron with the exotic smells of the concoction filling a room.
This wine evokes an image of an incense filled Indian spice shop, and an Italian sasuage cooler. There is tea and menthol, very ripe berry, menthol and a green mint stemminess.
It sweet and unctous, with very ripe fruit ,oak, vanilla cookies, and eucalyptus. It's just fun trying to take it apart. I believe it is primarily Shiraz and some vigonier. After that, I don't know, but it is a blend that challenges the palate.
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4/4/2006 - E wrote: 84 Points
This wine is, I'm afraid, past its prime.
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4/4/2006 - E wrote: flawed
Corked
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3/10/2006 - jshufelt wrote: 87 Points
After having a bottle of the '02 several days ago that was beginning to show medicinal notes, I thought it might be time to test the '03 again. It is still a very dark fruit bomb, but some of the silkiness I've noticed in other bottles was largely absent. There is a danger in generalizing from two examples, but I'm beginning to think these wines really need to be consumed within 1-2 years of release.
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3/9/2006 - E wrote: 91 Points
I continue to enjoy this wine.
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3/1/2006 - ajjar wrote: 91 Points
Still drinking wonderfully, big fruit and wonderful textured tannins- lots of life and aging left.
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2/9/2006 - joshtpa wrote: 89 Points
Very hot when first opened. Should decant for about 30 minutes. Blackberry, Currant, and Liquorice in the smell. Still a little tight and sharp with a lasting note of oak. Very good even this soon. But I would prefer waiting a year or so.
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12/4/2005 - E wrote: 92 Points
Solid, dacanted for 2 hours did improve this over last time when we drank out of bottle...not the fruit bomb of some of the big assie shiraz, but still a solid solid wine
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11/25/2005 - thebonnydooner wrote: 87 Points
Interesting. When you taste this, its pretty good, deep dark and intense in colour, very intense on the nose - tonnes of sweer blackberry and blackcherry fruit. The palate is super intense, sweet almost jammy with loads of blackfruit. Tinge of menthol on the finish.
Sounds good? only trouble is drinking more than half a glass - it becomes cloying and overly sweet. I kept this waiting for something to drink it with - i thought - ideal - turkey leftovers + the trimmings - but this beast was too powerful for them. Left over sparking shiraz with its acidity went so much better with food.
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11/1/2005 - cookie7 wrote: 87 Points
This is the third time I have had this and I seem to like it less each time. Olives on the nose. While there is a lot of fruit it seems bitter and hot on the finish.
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10/30/2005 - phenricsson wrote: 89 Points
Very similar to last bottle - enjoyable but not great - but great for the price.
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10/27/2005 - jwwinec wrote: 86 Points
Some nice fruit and body, but showed a bit hot and oakey.
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10/24/2005 - phenricsson wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable but not great. Sweet, good fruit. OK balance but a bit low in acidity. Drinks well now but not a long lived wine
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9/27/2005 - MarkC wrote: 89 Points
Big nose of ripe fruits. Flavors on the palate took a few minutes to open up, but then became rich, almost sweet raspberry liqueur. Kind of one-dimensional. Enjoyable wine for this style, but still not one of my favorite MP wines.
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9/10/2005 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
Very nice. Entirely as expected - full throttle, rich, extracted and hedonistic. Deep colour and lots of black cherry and berry fruit on the nose. Not overly complex but sweet and ripe. Palate more of the same. Some acidity and soft dry tannins give this some structure and prevent this from being cloying. Stood up well to some pretty spicy moroccan chicken. Very nice. On balance probably the best of the MP 2003's IMO.
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9/4/2005 - burcusabrews wrote: 89 Points
So this is a fun wine. Pretty one-dimensional with oak and fruit. pretty open right from the bottle but gain a little depth with a couple hours decanted
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7/10/2005 - cookie7 wrote: 89 Points
Note after 24 hours. Licorice, olives, long finish - though a bit hot.
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6/24/2005 - SGates wrote: 86 Points
Typical to the MP style, a huge, concentrated fruit bomb. Inky black. Not as hot as prior vintages but a little bitter on the finish.
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6/23/2005 - cookie7 wrote: 90 Points
Ruby Colored, licorice on the nose, a bit tight, nice fruit, good QPR
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6/11/2005 - jshufelt wrote: 88 Points
First wine consumed after a change of career and a big move from PA to NY/NJ. Decided to try a repeat combo of an MP wine with Greek food, as our new locale has a good Greek restaurant. Again, the wine pairs very well with tiropita, grilled calamari, and grilled meats. There is something about the combination of an over-the-top fruit bomb, grilled meats, and assertive herbs, spices, and cheeses that just works very well. The wine itself was consistent with previous tasting notes; no subtlety on the palate, just loads of fruit. I know it's popular to bash this wine, but I wonder how much bashing would be going on if it wasn't an RMP fave, and it was taken for what it is; a straightforward, pleasurable wine that pairs well with assertive foods, at a good price point.
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5/16/2005 - jshufelt wrote: 87 Points
As with previous bottles, the wine showed nearly black in the glass, turning to deep red at the rim. The fruit is still very much present, but this bottle showed much more tannins than recent bottles. The wine was balanced in the sense that there were plenty of tannins to counter the rich, silky fruit, but in no way could this be considered integrated. I preferred the bottles where the tannins were less primary.
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5/6/2005 - jshufelt wrote: 88 Points
Nearly black in the glass, red at the rim. Tannins are better integrated, and the wine has a softer mouthfeel than it did several months ago. Very fruit forward on the palate, and fruit is really what this wine is all about. Little complexity, and a moderate finish.
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2/16/2005 - jshufelt wrote: 90 Points
Less over-the-top than previous bottles. Still almost black in the glass, fading to red at the rim. Tannins more in balance with the fruit, with more notes of vanilla sweetness on the palate, and a velvety smooth texture. This seems to be showing differently every time I open a bottle, judging from my previous notes. Fast evolution, or bottle variability?
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2/7/2005 - Tom E wrote: 88 Points
Better than the 2002, which was far too hot, but not up to the level of the 2001s, which, in my mind, have been the most balanced (while powerful) of the Marquis Phillips. The luster of these wines has worn off for me, and I think I may have bought the last of these wines while I work through those I already have. Still a massive, fruit forward wine, but simply lacks any complexity. Not bad for the money and when you feel like an Aussie fruit bomb.
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1/1/2005 - jshufelt wrote: 91 Points
New Year's Day 2005 (Mount Joy, PA): This is not a subtle wine. Very fruit forward, and the alcohol and tannins are right there. However, I found the fruit and the acidity to be in balance, leading to a nice drinking experience, but most definitely an assertive one. Even given the strong fruit on the palate, I still noted some complexity on the palate, with hints of raspberry, blackberry, and blueberries. I can see why this wine is too much for some, but for our group, this was the WOTN.
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12/24/2004 - MarkC wrote: 89 Points
Not my favorite MP, but not bad. Intense fruits, in-your-face in fact, but less delineated and a bit of a fruit bomb. It'll be interesting to see if this one comes together a bit more in the future.
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12/12/2004 - obiscoito wrote:
Deep purple with slight fade towrds rim, and medium thick legs. Meaty, vanilla, plum, nose with light black pepper and lush anise. Med-heavy mouthfeel withh noticeable alcohol that didn't distract from the taste. Soft tannins framed flavors of cherry, vanilla, blackberry, light spice and an overall lush richness.
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11/23/2004 - ajlewis wrote: 87 Points
Vanilla, dark, jammy fruit, lots of cinnamon, cloves, pepper and other non-specific spices, and something of a bitter finish. The cloying sweetness is not really my style but wife really likes it so.....
Ate with rib-eyes, steamed vegetables, and a guilty pleasure mac & cheese. The wine either overwhelmed or distracted from the food. Not a good match for my taste.
Not sure if age will improve this wine but will see. Glad that we didn't go too long on this one.
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11/4/2004 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($16) Not bad, but not quite up to the 2001. Similar nose of liquer, sweet vanilla, and red berry milkshake. Full-bodied if a little rough in the finish with sweet berry fruit. Just doesn't have the power and seamlessness of previousvintages. Still not bad QPR.
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10/14/2004 - jshufelt wrote: 90 Points
First crack at the 2003. It's a bit less hot and a bit further evolved than the 2002 was at this stage. Hints of vanilla, and right on the edge of being almost too sweet, with a slightly spicy finish.
Our best experience with the 2002 was with Greek food (braised lamb shank, tiropita) from the semi-annual food festival at the nearby Orthodox church. This surprised me, but it just really blended nicely with the seasoned meat, the puff pastry, and the feta cheese. The 2003 is already sufficiently similar to the 2002 that I'm looking forward to the next Greek food festival...
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9/18/2004 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 83 Points
Consumed with Chinese food. Bright disc. Deep ruby robe with red rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of boysenberry syrup, coffee and vanilla. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, ample sweet tannins and hot alcohol (despite chilling to about 65 degrees). The flavors mirror the nose and the medium finish shows a whiff of heat. While certainly not unpleasant, this wine is no standout.
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9/5/2004 - JustinM wrote: 91 Points
Good match with rib-eye steaks. Spicy. Enjoyed it.
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8/28/2004 - juggernt wrote: 89 Points
Third bottle of same vintage. Tasted with consistent notes.
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8/27/2004 - peternelson wrote: 86 Points
Heritage: Dusty dry smells of dusty blkberry, thistle, med+ bod, a bit of eucalyptus/benadyne; tart cherry a’s behind. OK red.
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8/12/2004 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
Against the regular Shiraz, the Sharah's is more balanced and less over the top raw fruit. Unlike the regular shirz, the sharah's didn't start to open up until 40 minutes after open, and then it kept opening up. Velventy smooth, notes of vanilla raw red fruit. Pretty full in the mouth, with a good medium to medium-long finish. Overally, I"ll give this wine the edge over the regular 2003 in balance.
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8/8/2004 - lorenzo wrote: 88 Points
Drank side by side with the '03 MP Shiraz. I give the edge to Sarah's. I found it better balanced. I expect this will show slightly better with a little more airtime and served at a little cooler temp. (Seafair BBQ)
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8/8/2004 - steffenpelz wrote:
I really thought this wine was interesting. Right out of the bottle, it showed an amazing bouquet. I decated it for 2 hours+ and during that time, the wine was thick, inky purple in the decanter. On my first taste, I thought I was biting into a bunch of peppered cinnamon sticks and sweet dark berry fruit. The finish was a little hot, but no show stopper for me. But the most interesting part of tasting this was that it made me fell like I was in the middle of an asian (especially indian) spice market. Texture-wise, this wine is silky smooth on the palate and feels good. Certainly a little over the top, but utterly enjoyable.
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7/11/2004 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Anita: Very good, rich, fruity, with a touch of pepper, cassis, soft merlot berry. Good, but not feeling well that evening.
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