A really fine showing of this wine - as good as our previous bottle in March of this year so please reference that TN. This bottle was decanted for 20 minutes. This wine should continue to hold but is in a totally enjoyable place now.
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Decanted for 30 minutes which was enough to allow the wine to open. This bottle was even better than our previous bottle some four months ago. This bottle showed lots of dark red fruits, black fruits, and spice, along with some earth on the medium plus bodied palate. The acidity was juicy, but up to the job of balancing all that fruit. All tannins were completely integrated and there was no evidence of the 16.1% abv. A really attractive dark and hefty version of California Grenache that should hold for at least another couple of years.
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Aged Herman Story w/ Brian & John (Our place): Decanted for one hour but definitely improved with more decanter time. The nose yielded solid doses of red (cherry) and dark red (black cherry and raspberry) fruits, with a touch of earth. The medium bodied palate showed the same fruit and earth profile, along with some spice. The acidity was juicy and balancing, there was just a touch of drying tannin on the finish, but the 16.1% abv was nowhere to be found. Another great effort by Russell & team that should hold for another couple of years and will show best with some air up front.
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– 2016 Raymond Generations Chardonnay (starter wine) – 2013 Chris Ringland Dimchurch – 2012 domaine hauvette les baus de Provence cuvée cornaline – 2013 K Vintners Syrah River Rock Vineyard – 2014 Tor Napa Valley Syrah Rogers La Herradura – 2015 Cave de Tain Hermitage - Grand Classique – 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road
All wines single blind and poured at around 3:30 pm into jars, then to transported and drank from 6:00-9:00. Group's top 3: Number 3 - 2012 domaine hauvette les baus de Provence cuvée cornaline; Number 2 - 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road; and Group's WOTN - 2013 Chris Ringland Dimchurch. My order: WOTN 2013 Chris Ringland Dimchurch; (2) 2012 domaine hauvette les baus de Provence cuvée cornaline; (3) (tied) 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road; (3) (tied) 2013 K Vintners Syrah River Rock Vineyard; (5) 2015 Cave de Tain Hermitage - Grand Classique; and (6) 2014 Tor Napa Valley Syrah Rogers La Herradura.
– 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road: A super value! This wine showed plenty of dark fruit on the nose, with some licorice, smoked beef and herbs. On the palate was plenty of plum and blackberry, with some pepper, meat and olives, with a hint of oak. Unlike some of the notes, I did not experience any undue heat or alcohol. In fact, I found the alcohol masked by the fruit and pretty much undetectable, except a little coming through on the finish. While the wine was fruit forward, it was not out of balance, and tasted quite nice. This was the group's number 2 and my number 3 (tied). I will say that I feel this wine offered the most bang for the buck, and I can see its attraction. I also see this as a very consumer friendly wine (at least the way this bottle was drinking). A solid 92 points!
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Big, bold, heavy-duty, full-throttled Grenache. Lots of bright fruit, good acidity, and the alcohol is well balanced. Holds true to the Herman Story style of wine making. This wine is holding up well. I don't know that it can get much better, but it's fantastic now.
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I'm confused by CT scores relative to tasting notes. My impressions are similar to others but folks seem unwilling to score it appropriately. This is hot and medicinal. Fruit is light and tannins are a bit drying. Fairly acidic, but this is mostly out of balance. Big disappointment.
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First Herman Story and it gets plenty of good to great reviews. I find it super extracted, high alcohol and still hot after all these years. My nose is long gone but even I could smell, or feel, the power. Seems artificial and a poor QPR. Other than that, I liked it. Just pulled up the utube version of "on the road again" by Willie Nelson--not sure if that is the reference for the wine name but the song is far better than the wine.
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Decanted Showing rich aromas of over-ripe strawberry, cherry pie filling, raspberry liquor and blueberry syrup that are accented with notes of potpourri, lavender, warm asphalt, leather, ginger beer, star anise, spice and rubbed herbs. The mouth-filling palate shows good structure revealing the high, but balanced, ABV, mouthwatering acidity and gripping tannins along with a dense mid-palate. Smooth from start to finish. Flavors of strawberry preserve, blueberry pastilles, cinnamon, toasted anise, white pepper, lavender, rose, sage, tar and earth. The finish shows great traction and is long.
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To say this is big, bold, and heady is an understatement. The nose is lavish, concentrated, and penetrating. Dark fruit, black raspberry liqueur, tar, pastille, menthol, licorice, and purple flowers are paved by streaks of crushed rocks and asphalt. Thick, rich, and voluptuous in the mouth, with an abundance of flavors and layers that take on mineral depth, complexity and immensity the longer it's in the glass. It clocks in at a hefty 16.1% ABV but it carries it well. I'm not a fan of high alcohol wines but I couldn't help but like this. A lot.
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Pronounced aroma of dark fruits, very enjoyable. However, on the palate it's all power with no charm or finesse, grew tiring by the second glass. Would not guess this was a grenache. Would not buy more.
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Lots of red fruit on the nose. Palate of boysenberry, cherries and a light pepper finish. Still young but if decanted for a couple of hours, very quaffable.
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Immediately after opening and pouring, it was extremely concentrated and flavorful, with plenty of viscous dark fruit aromas and flavors. We were very impressed. Amazingly, within three hours the fruit had faded, leaving a high alcohol, very tannic structure without much fruit and with no charm. It was no better the second night. It definitely was not corked, though. I can't recall such a downhill course for a wine in such a short period. I'd drink this in the first hour after opening! Ric
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Tasted blind. Had a modern CA aromatic of very ripe fruit and a good dose of heat that was distracting for me. The palate was plummy, with red fruits, a little tar. Didn't care for this as the wine was a bit sweet and hot for my taste.
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Blind: guessed Paso GSM. Came across as very high alcohol with plum nose and sweet cherry fruit. The house style regardless of vintage. Tough to relax and enjoy, IMHO.
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Decanted 2 hrs. Big dark fruit nose. Big, smooth cherry & dark fruit tastes which improved as we drank from the bottle. Will try decanting the next bottle longer before serving.
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Rich, ripe grenache. Plum, saddle leather and tobacco. Very ripe and rich with soft tannins. Just beginning to show some secondary characteristics and bottle age. HS can really bring out the savory notes in grenache.
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My wife and I had this at a local testing. The nose is just insane. High octane no holds barred wine 16.1 alcohol. I could overlook that because I love Grenache and this wine exploited all that Grenache can be with huge beautiful fruit. Picked up two bottles under $40 such a deal.
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Game of Rhones (The WineSellar & Brasserie, San Diego, CA): 100% Grenache from the Alamo Creek, Bien Nacido, Chelle, Rolph, Shadow Canyon, Rancho Real, Spanish Springs, Santa Barbara Highlands, Stolpman, & Terra Bella Vyds, 50% whole cluster fermenated, & aged 16 mos in 65% New French Oak; 16.1% ABV; 1210 cases made
N: Attractively RIPE berries with oaky undertones
P: MF, poss Full, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by somewhat tannic pucker (though with a swtish bent), this only somewhat resolving by the very LONG, BITTERswt choc finish. *Very* stylistic, & within that context I can "see" the 93 pts from WA & 92 from Vinous, even though it's NOTHING in which I'd be interested personally -- PARTICULARLY not in the $39-$55 mid-May 2018 price range wine-searcher shows for it.
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Mix of ruby and garnet red. Elegant nose with cinnamon, purple flowers, roses and darker berries. Strong acidity and warm mouthfeel. Medium tannins (6.5/10) and medium plus bodied. Darker on the palate than the nose with notes of blackcurrants, cassis, and nutmeg. Medium plus finish. Made of 100% Grenache. Fruit comes from 9 coastal vineyards. Drink from 2018 till 2024.
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Tampa Spring Break (the second); 2/17/2017-2/19/2017 (Various spots (homes, Mis en Place, Capital Grille)): The youngest of the On the Roads that we were drinking, this wine was all about the promise rather than the delivery. Just young. You can tell you're going to get to a point with some sweet candied fruits going, but at this point it's a bit tighter than that and yet smooth and not quite as nuanced as it I think it will be with a few more years. Touch of spritz which I got on some of the wines. Just time (and more than CT thinks - if I was going to pick a time to open this it's again another 10 years instead of 2021).
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No formal notes, drank from a mag at a dinner party with about a 2 hour slow O before consuming. Wine in a nice place, tasting when opened tannins we in forefront but after the wine sat for a few hours they subsided and wine was nice and balanced, good fruit and long finish. Drank really well but would strongly suggest opening before consuming or decanting.
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HdR Seminar #4: Paso Robles and Santa Barbara (Hospice du Rhone): Purple in color. The nose is slightly candied black raspberr and black cherries. Nice texture. Slightly bitter on the attack turning to black cherries. Finishes with some menthol, tannins and black cherries. Some warmth but not hot.
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PNP and thru Vinturi. Drank from a Mondavi Bordeaux stem. Giving up little on the nose other than menthol and burnt ash. I have to agree with the previous poster Allred; this is an unpleasant melange of roasted and stewed dark fruit and not much else. There is no acidity, structure, or lift to carry the wine. In actuality it is a disjointed mess ! As a lover of well crafted Grenache from the Southern Rhone / Spain... This is a poor rendition of the varietal. I can't imagine any food this could pair with.
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Second Sunday Group: Domestic Grenache (Frank's): The second darkest wine in the flight. Aromas of diesel and black fruit with a dirty herbal overtone - this is an odd one. Full-bodied and tannic with flavors of dark fruit, white pepper and burnt herbs. Not flawed in any obvious way, but a damn odd profile to be sure.
My #8, Domino's #6 Group #3, 44 pts
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Big huge Grenache. Dark color and extracted. I would not call this restrained in any sense. Very nice fruit in a very new world style. Big nose and very ripe, but not prune or dried fruit type of ripe. Enjoyed very much
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Big big wine, covers the massive alcohol very well, but there is still some sign of it. Dark fruit, with cream, great acidity. Nice length and mouthfeel, my wife lived this but I suspect that was due to 16.1% alcohol.
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Just opened, roasted salted and dried cherry fruit on the nose (in a good way). Palate is big and full, massive, with some Grenache typicity showing through, then a bit. Just opened.
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At the winery: really good, with a bit more stuffing in mid-palate, fuller more pure fruit and balance me thinks than the somewhat disjointed late '12 bloomer.
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Soooo hot. Tasted like a stewed amarone. Bitter chocolate, hints of beautiful Grenache below the surface, but really hard for me to get beyond the heat. Drunk over 2 days, with the bottle open for over 10 hours to breathe. Alcohol no less overwhelming after. Love HS wines, not a fan of this bottle.
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Popped and poured, drank over 3 nights. Best night 3. Huge wine. Meaty, smoky red fruit. Licorice on the finish. Smooth texture. A nice drink that likely could stand a bit more bottle age. I couldn't resist trying one.
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Just phenomenal! Wasn't my favorite HS wine at the release party but just blew us away at home. It's higher in Alc than most grenache but didn't taste like it. Nose is fruity and it's got a beautiful plush and velvety mouth feel with berries galore. We decanted for about 90 minutes.
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pop and pour, consumed over 3 hours. probably my favorite otr yet. if i didn't know better, i'd say there's a darker, weightier grape blended in. this was the most plush, velvety, textured otr i can remember, with a darker fruit profile than grenache can be. as masculine a grenache as i can ever imagine, with brambly, spiced red fruits but with a dollop of roasted blacker fruits mixed in. so fantastically balanced in the mouth, and a phenomenal finish that brings in a little of that graham cracker goodness i like in extracted grenache. if scoring, 92-93. great stuff that should improve over the next 2-3 years.
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2 Hour Decant. Lite purple color and an easy drinker. Found this vintage to be lighter than the both the 2011 and 2012s and at this point not with the same complexity. Will be curious to see how it develops over the next couple of years and I will wait at least another year before trying again. Interestingly I did not get the heat/alcohol that other tasters got, so would recommend decanting if you are anxious to try now.
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This Grenache is great. Tanins and complexity that will benefit from time. I have four added bottles to the one tasted on 4/12/15, and I'm noting to wait until 2016 or 2017 before opening another. Nice fruit as well. Definitely worth holding
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Ouch, this is high high. The nose is a blast of booze. Palate is sweet red fruit but the heat persist. Chris liked it but it's definitely full throttle.
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8/10/2023 - VlgJeff wrote: 93 Points
A really fine showing of this wine - as good as our previous bottle in March of this year so please reference that TN. This bottle was decanted for 20 minutes. This wine should continue to hold but is in a totally enjoyable place now.
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3/4/2023 - VlgJeff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes which was enough to allow the wine to open. This bottle was even better than our previous bottle some four months ago. This bottle showed lots of dark red fruits, black fruits, and spice, along with some earth on the medium plus bodied palate. The acidity was juicy, but up to the job of balancing all that fruit. All tannins were completely integrated and there was no evidence of the 16.1% abv.
A really attractive dark and hefty version of California Grenache that should hold for at least another couple of years.
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10/30/2022 - VlgJeff wrote: 92 Points
Aged Herman Story w/ Brian & John (Our place): Decanted for one hour but definitely improved with more decanter time. The nose yielded solid doses of red (cherry) and dark red (black cherry and raspberry) fruits, with a touch of earth. The medium bodied palate showed the same fruit and earth profile, along with some spice. The acidity was juicy and balancing, there was just a touch of drying tannin on the finish, but the 16.1% abv was nowhere to be found. Another great effort by Russell & team that should hold for another couple of years and will show best with some air up front.
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11/22/2021 - redz wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed the nuts and bolts a little more from this vintage, but this is always dependable.
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10/9/2021 - BDono wrote: 90 Points
Fruit forward and jammy. Quite enjoyable but drinks like a bigger and younger red
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6/27/2020 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
A Zoom tasting of Syrah and Grenache wines.: Syrah and Grenache tasting featuring the following wines:
– 2016 Raymond Generations Chardonnay (starter wine)
– 2013 Chris Ringland Dimchurch
– 2012 domaine hauvette les baus de Provence cuvée cornaline
– 2013 K Vintners Syrah River Rock Vineyard
– 2014 Tor Napa Valley Syrah Rogers La Herradura
– 2015 Cave de Tain Hermitage - Grand Classique
– 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road
All wines single blind and poured at around 3:30 pm into jars, then to transported and drank from 6:00-9:00. Group's top 3: Number 3 - 2012 domaine hauvette les baus de Provence cuvée cornaline; Number 2 - 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road; and Group's WOTN - 2013 Chris Ringland Dimchurch. My order: WOTN 2013 Chris Ringland Dimchurch; (2) 2012 domaine hauvette les baus de Provence cuvée cornaline; (3) (tied) 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road; (3) (tied) 2013 K Vintners Syrah River Rock Vineyard; (5) 2015 Cave de Tain Hermitage - Grand Classique; and (6) 2014 Tor Napa Valley Syrah Rogers La Herradura.
– 2013 Herman Story Grenache On The Road: A super value! This wine showed plenty of dark fruit on the nose, with some licorice, smoked beef and herbs. On the palate was plenty of plum and blackberry, with some pepper, meat and olives, with a hint of oak. Unlike some of the notes, I did not experience any undue heat or alcohol. In fact, I found the alcohol masked by the fruit and pretty much undetectable, except a little coming through on the finish. While the wine was fruit forward, it was not out of balance, and tasted quite nice. This was the group's number 2 and my number 3 (tied). I will say that I feel this wine offered the most bang for the buck, and I can see its attraction. I also see this as a very consumer friendly wine (at least the way this bottle was drinking). A solid 92 points!
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6/7/2020 - ezachry wrote:
Smells earthy, tastes pretty fruit forward. Overall easy drinking now, but would likely be good in a year or two also.
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5/30/2020 - WineSlim wrote: 93 Points
Old reliable
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5/3/2020 - davidspieker wrote: 89 Points
Dark red viscus color and showing signs of age. Fermented dark fruit aromas. Goopy dark berry flavors with some raisin and ripe olive. Lots of heat.
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4/30/2020 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 91 Points
A lovely full wine. The alcohol is a little pronounced but not overwhelming. The flavors are good and the nose has ripened raspberries. Very nice.
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4/11/2020 - Central Coast Wino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, bold, heavy-duty, full-throttled Grenache. Lots of bright fruit, good acidity, and the alcohol is well balanced. Holds true to the Herman Story style of wine making. This wine is holding up well. I don't know that it can get much better, but it's fantastic now.
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3/24/2020 - wiscgrad wrote: 84 Points
I'm confused by CT scores relative to tasting notes. My impressions are similar to others but folks seem unwilling to score it appropriately. This is hot and medicinal. Fruit is light and tannins are a bit drying. Fairly acidic, but this is mostly out of balance. Big disappointment.
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12/29/2019 - redzins Likes this wine: 89 Points
Extracted wine. Big red fruit aromas and flavors. Long finish and balanced wine. Better wi5 food
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11/17/2019 - spicy1 wrote: 88 Points
First Herman Story and it gets plenty of good to great reviews. I find it super extracted, high alcohol and still hot after all these years. My nose is long gone but even I could smell, or feel, the power. Seems artificial and a poor QPR. Other than that, I liked it. Just pulled up the utube version of "on the road again" by Willie Nelson--not sure if that is the reference for the wine name but the song is far better than the wine.
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11/17/2019 - bjamesclark wrote: 92 Points
Decanted
Showing rich aromas of over-ripe strawberry, cherry pie filling, raspberry liquor and blueberry syrup that are accented with notes of potpourri, lavender, warm asphalt, leather, ginger beer, star anise, spice and rubbed herbs.
The mouth-filling palate shows good structure revealing the high, but balanced, ABV, mouthwatering acidity and gripping tannins along with a dense mid-palate. Smooth from start to finish. Flavors of strawberry preserve, blueberry pastilles, cinnamon, toasted anise, white pepper, lavender, rose, sage, tar and earth. The finish shows great traction and is long.
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9/14/2019 - herzog330 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gorgeous wine. Just all the brooding dark fruit with a bit of savory and coffee notes. It's drinking really well right now.
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7/19/2019 - fredman wrote: 91 Points
In its drinking window. Smooth Grenache. Lovely.
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3/24/2019 - mdvillaverde wrote: 91 Points
Quite ripe. Strong licorice notes. Some pepper.
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1/31/2019 - Baron Slick wrote: 92 Points
To say this is big, bold, and heady is an understatement. The nose is lavish, concentrated, and penetrating. Dark fruit, black raspberry liqueur, tar, pastille, menthol, licorice, and purple flowers are paved by streaks of crushed rocks and asphalt. Thick, rich, and voluptuous in the mouth, with an abundance of flavors and layers that take on mineral depth, complexity and immensity the longer it's in the glass. It clocks in at a hefty 16.1% ABV but it carries it well. I'm not a fan of high alcohol wines but I couldn't help but like this. A lot.
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12/16/2018 - FlyPig wrote: 87 Points
Can’t get over the alcohol, over the top upon opening, blew off after 60 mins or so, but still the most prominent attribute. Not for me.
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10/19/2018 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. Dark fruit nose. Tastes of red & darker fruits. Tastes were not as big as 8/11/17 bottle.
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9/2/2018 - lushlife wrote: 88 Points
can't escape 16 % ABV
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8/13/2018 - CieloVista wrote: 92 Points
....rich dark fruit flavors and cola; silky, clean finish
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8/8/2018 - davidspieker wrote: 90 Points
These wines always go down quickly. Dark red viscus color. Fermented dark fruit aromas. Goopy dark berry flavors with a lush richness. Nice finish.
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3/26/2018 - mkemw Likes this wine: 91 Points
massive, black fruit good acidity, smoky in a good way, high octane Grenache
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3/26/2018 - bobpsi wrote:
Big, expressive nose of red fruits, spice and pepper. Shows a little too hot on the palate distracting from the wine.
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1/10/2018 - Ex-Ray wrote: 86 Points
Pronounced aroma of dark fruits, very enjoyable. However, on the palate it's all power with no charm or finesse, grew tiring by the second glass. Would not guess this was a grenache. Would not buy more.
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12/1/2017 - azscot wrote: 90 Points
Lots of red fruit on the nose. Palate of boysenberry, cherries and a light pepper finish. Still young but if decanted for a couple of hours, very quaffable.
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9/23/2017 - Ex-Ray wrote: 85 Points
Immediately after opening and pouring, it was extremely concentrated and flavorful, with plenty of viscous dark fruit aromas and flavors. We were very impressed. Amazingly, within three hours the fruit had faded, leaving a high alcohol, very tannic structure without much fruit and with no charm. It was no better the second night. It definitely was not corked, though. I can't recall such a downhill course for a wine in such a short period. I'd drink this in the first hour after opening!
Ric
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9/23/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Tasted blind. Had a modern CA aromatic of very ripe fruit and a good dose of heat that was distracting for me. The palate was plummy, with red fruits, a little tar. Didn't care for this as the wine was a bit sweet and hot for my taste.
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9/23/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Blind: guessed Paso GSM. Came across as very high alcohol with plum nose and sweet cherry fruit. The house style regardless of vintage. Tough to relax and enjoy, IMHO.
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8/11/2017 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. Big dark fruit nose. Big, smooth cherry & dark fruit tastes which improved as we drank from the bottle. Will try decanting the next bottle longer before serving.
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8/10/2017 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich, ripe grenache. Plum, saddle leather and tobacco. Very ripe and rich with soft tannins. Just beginning to show some secondary characteristics and bottle age. HS can really bring out the savory notes in grenache.
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8/5/2017 - DeLuz wrote: 93 Points
My wife and I had this at a local testing. The nose is just insane. High octane no holds barred wine 16.1 alcohol. I could overlook that because I love Grenache and this wine exploited all that Grenache can be with huge beautiful fruit. Picked up two bottles under $40 such a deal.
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7/15/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Game of Rhones (The WineSellar & Brasserie, San Diego, CA): 100% Grenache from the Alamo Creek, Bien Nacido, Chelle, Rolph, Shadow Canyon, Rancho Real, Spanish Springs, Santa Barbara Highlands, Stolpman, & Terra Bella Vyds, 50% whole cluster fermenated, & aged 16 mos in 65% New French Oak; 16.1% ABV; 1210 cases made
N: Attractively RIPE berries with oaky undertones
P: MF, poss Full, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by somewhat tannic pucker (though with a swtish bent), this only somewhat resolving by the very LONG, BITTERswt choc finish. *Very* stylistic, & within that context I can "see" the 93 pts from WA & 92 from Vinous, even though it's NOTHING in which I'd be interested personally -- PARTICULARLY not in the $39-$55 mid-May 2018 price range wine-searcher shows for it.
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6/25/2017 - The Wine Write Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP. Very approachable now. Beautiful aromatics. Lush texture. Red fruit pops from the glass and coats the mouth. Finish is smooth. Very nice overall.
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6/18/2017 - wendyinwlv wrote: 90 Points
Yum!! Always good.
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6/6/2017 - mpsocal Likes this wine: 91 Points
Strawberry nose with tons of fruit on the palate. Love the style.
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5/11/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 90 Points
Mix of ruby and garnet red. Elegant nose with cinnamon, purple flowers, roses and darker berries. Strong acidity and warm mouthfeel. Medium tannins (6.5/10) and medium plus bodied. Darker on the palate than the nose with notes of blackcurrants, cassis, and nutmeg. Medium plus finish. Made of 100% Grenache. Fruit comes from 9 coastal vineyards. Drink from 2018 till 2024.
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2/18/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Tampa Spring Break (the second); 2/17/2017-2/19/2017 (Various spots (homes, Mis en Place, Capital Grille)): The youngest of the On the Roads that we were drinking, this wine was all about the promise rather than the delivery. Just young. You can tell you're going to get to a point with some sweet candied fruits going, but at this point it's a bit tighter than that and yet smooth and not quite as nuanced as it I think it will be with a few more years. Touch of spritz which I got on some of the wines. Just time (and more than CT thinks - if I was going to pick a time to open this it's again another 10 years instead of 2021).
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12/3/2016 - RLP805 wrote: 90 Points
No formal notes, drank from a mag at a dinner party with about a 2 hour slow O before consuming. Wine in a nice place, tasting when opened tannins we in forefront but after the wine sat for a few hours they subsided and wine was nice and balanced, good fruit and long finish. Drank really well but would strongly suggest opening before consuming or decanting.
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10/13/2016 - sayward wrote: 92 Points
It was drinking well. Pop and pour
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8/29/2016 - jpecht Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic
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7/17/2016 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark ruby-garnet, almost opaque. Plummy, smokey flavors, nice balance of savory and fruit. Finishes with some heat (16.1% ABV).
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7/11/2016 - Cmhaggar wrote: 91 Points
What's not to like?
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4/19/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
HdR Seminar #4: Paso Robles and Santa Barbara (Hospice du Rhone): Purple in color. The nose is slightly candied black raspberr and black cherries. Nice texture. Slightly bitter on the attack turning to black cherries. Finishes with some menthol, tannins and black cherries. Some warmth but not hot.
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2/8/2016 - drdan8 Does not like this wine: 83 Points
PNP and thru Vinturi. Drank from a Mondavi Bordeaux stem. Giving up little on the nose other than menthol and burnt ash. I have to agree with the previous poster Allred; this is an unpleasant melange of roasted and stewed dark fruit and not much else. There is no acidity, structure, or lift to carry the wine. In actuality it is a disjointed mess ! As a lover of well crafted Grenache from the Southern Rhone / Spain... This is a poor rendition of the varietal. I can't imagine any food this could pair with.
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1/10/2016 - AllRed wrote: 85 Points
Second Sunday Group: Domestic Grenache (Frank's): The second darkest wine in the flight. Aromas of diesel and black fruit with a dirty herbal overtone - this is an odd one. Full-bodied and tannic with flavors of dark fruit, white pepper and burnt herbs. Not flawed in any obvious way, but a damn odd profile to be sure.
My #8, Domino's #6
Group #3, 44 pts
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12/5/2015 - EvanJB wrote: 92 Points
Opened 6 hrs before group HS wine dinner. Compared to P&P at TR, this really helped wine open up.
Very nice fruit on nose, smooth , nice mouthfeel
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11/20/2015 - Mendy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tight chewy tannins.
Touch of CdP in both nose and taste
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10/26/2015 - suburbanfrog Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big huge Grenache. Dark color and extracted. I would not call this restrained in any sense. Very nice fruit in a very new world style. Big nose and very ripe, but not prune or dried fruit type of ripe. Enjoyed very much
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10/17/2015 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big big wine, covers the massive alcohol very well, but there is still some sign of it. Dark fruit, with cream, great acidity. Nice length and mouthfeel, my wife lived this but I suspect that was due to 16.1% alcohol.
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10/15/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Just opened, roasted salted and dried cherry fruit on the nose (in a good way). Palate is big and full, massive, with some Grenache typicity showing through, then a bit. Just opened.
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10/7/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
All Grenache but in that smoked out way. Lots of barrel here, but not really in a bad way.
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10/5/2015 - peternelson wrote:
At the winery: really good, with a bit more stuffing in mid-palate, fuller more pure fruit and balance me thinks than the somewhat disjointed late '12 bloomer.
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9/25/2015 - FlyPig wrote:
Soooo hot. Tasted like a stewed amarone. Bitter chocolate, hints of beautiful Grenache below the surface, but really hard for me to get beyond the heat. Drunk over 2 days, with the bottle open for over 10 hours to breathe. Alcohol no less overwhelming after. Love HS wines, not a fan of this bottle.
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8/15/2015 - The Wine Write Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured, drank over 3 nights. Best night 3. Huge wine. Meaty, smoky red fruit. Licorice on the finish. Smooth texture. A nice drink that likely could stand a bit more bottle age. I couldn't resist trying one.
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7/13/2015 - Matt and Rebecca Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just phenomenal! Wasn't my favorite HS wine at the release party but just blew us away at home. It's higher in Alc than most grenache but didn't taste like it. Nose is fruity and it's got a beautiful plush and velvety mouth feel with berries galore. We decanted for about 90 minutes.
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6/14/2015 - caeleric Likes this wine:
pop and pour, consumed over 3 hours. probably my favorite otr yet. if i didn't know better, i'd say there's a darker, weightier grape blended in. this was the most plush, velvety, textured otr i can remember, with a darker fruit profile than grenache can be. as masculine a grenache as i can ever imagine, with brambly, spiced red fruits but with a dollop of roasted blacker fruits mixed in. so fantastically balanced in the mouth, and a phenomenal finish that brings in a little of that graham cracker goodness i like in extracted grenache. if scoring, 92-93. great stuff that should improve over the next 2-3 years.
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5/27/2015 - r4Cali Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 Hour Decant. Lite purple color and an easy drinker. Found this vintage to be lighter than the both the 2011 and 2012s and at this point not with the same complexity. Will be curious to see how it develops over the next couple of years and I will wait at least another year before trying again. Interestingly I did not get the heat/alcohol that other tasters got, so would recommend decanting if you are anxious to try now.
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5/3/2015 - corkcork wrote: 91 Points
Kick-ass
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4/15/2015 - JohnpbJr Likes this wine:
This Grenache is great. Tanins and complexity that will benefit from time. I have four added bottles to the one tasted on 4/12/15, and I'm noting to wait until 2016 or 2017 before opening another. Nice fruit as well. Definitely worth holding
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4/12/2015 - brigcampbell wrote:
Ouch, this is high high. The nose is a blast of booze. Palate is sweet red fruit but the heat persist. Chris liked it but it's definitely full throttle.
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4/4/2015 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Huge wine, very good complexity but very hot, maybe a couple years in the cellar will tame this beast
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