From magnum: Drinks very good but has the ability to improve and hold for another 7 years...at least in magnum. This was what 3 of us thought when we drank it a few days ago. Cherry and red berry fruit and spice with some mineral or silky tannins still around. Has the fruit and body for more aging more.
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Still drinks with intensity, youth, complexity and lovely balance for all its hugeness. Benefits from a few hour decant or wait a few years too, but its delicious now
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I can confirm this bottle tastes just like last months. Decidedly cherry and red berry fruits make this Optimnus on the 'brighter' side. Still is full bodied, rich mouthfeel and a slight soft edge then great finish.
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Very ripe, soft and advanced with the 42% Syrah dominating over the Cab and Verdot. Tons of cherry and red berry fruit, quite soft and drinking like an aged GSM that's in great shape. Lots of soft spice and pie cherry, soft cinnamon with the red berry fruits adding flavor. Hard to know what to expect in a few years but I feel like I need to drink all up in 2023 but might extend it. Heavy sediment so turn upright for a day before opening
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Incredibly big and burly. Still needs more time. Slow ox’d for an hour and aerated into glass, still could have used more air. Can see the goodness, will have more in a few years.
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Opened and decanted 3 hours before serving- needed an hour more. Still tannic and one-dimensional until it starts to open. Better with food that as a stand-alone drink. Served with brisket burgers from Whole Foods and as others have noted, the acidity and power of the 2014 Optimus made the pairing work.
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Opened two hours before consuming but very tight. 24 hours later it is starting to open up but still a little sharp on the finish. This a big wine that should age well. I'm extending the drinking window an additoinal four years. Would highly recommend decanting before drinking.
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Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of aspirin, smoke, black cherries and black raspberries. Flavors of plums, currants and cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink over the short to medium term.
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Tasty red blend of 42% Syrah, 33% Cab Sauv, and 25% Petit Verdot. Great balance and acidity. Dark fruit, oak licorice, smoke. Very enjoyable and well made.
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Coravin glass, let sit for about an hour. Rather tannic as others have said, dark fruits, slightly bitter finish. Will try again in another 6 months or so with more air time.
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I read everyone's recommendation to allow some air time so I decanted for 3 hours. This made a big difference, and the wine opened up nicely. Paired well with NY steak.
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Very tight even after a couple of hours. Dark brooding tannic wine. Dark fruit and earthy spice. Would've sworn there was a little Zin in the blend. I'm not sure it's going to get better with another year or two on the shelf. I think it is what it is, which is still pretty good
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Similar to my previous note. This needed about two hours to open up and be...well...less stubborn and boring. It kinda reminded me of a pouty little snot kid sitting by himself on a stool in some sort of silent protest over an insignificant objection. You just let him sit there in a wannabe stoic posture as you go on with your day, working around this boring little statue that sits there hoping you'll notice him enough to muster up some energy and ask, "What's wrong?"...but you don't ask...and you don't care...
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Feels like it hasn’t moved an inch in 14 months. Tannins still a bit tough, but didn’t have with food. Has plenty of fruit and some acidity, so I’d hold to see if it matures better.
Day 2: Hasn’t moves much. Despite the large Syrah component recommend a big cab glass.
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While we did not have the patience to follow the recommendation to decant, we thoroughly enjoyed this wine. It did evolve over the hour it took for the 4 of us to drink it, and it will be interesting to see if we can wait a few months or more to open up our other bottle. The Syrah dominated the palate, but I did not think it was especially tannic.
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PnP was tight and a bit off-putting. Linear flavors of purple and red fruit. A total of 2 hours in the decanter allowed for some more focused and flavorful notes to emerge. Some deeply pitched cranberry, plum, and cedar. Still not a wine that I love, especially as a stand-alone. With food (grilled lamb loin), it was much better; the acid offered a nice cut. But otherwise, this is a fairly simple wine.
88-90 points tops.
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Blind Tasting of Paso Robles Red Blends: Paso red blends blind tasting- ranked 1 of 6. Dark ruby color. Really nice savory notes on the nose- saddle leather, earth, spices, dried lavender, along with cherry and fig fruit. Nice lift and energy on the palate, showing red fruits, tea leaf and spices, florals, cedar and sandalwood- very nice complex layers of flavor. Medium-plus acid, medium grain tannins, very well balanced. Nice complexity and length on the finish. Excellent.
one of the best wineries in paso. this wine is above average now and will improve nicely over the next few years; i advise 2 hour decant, and serve cool.
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Drank at a wine bar but had them decant it 2 hours prior to arrival. Still a bit tight originally. Drank over an hour and a half. Started to resolve and gain weight and complexity. This is a big wine that is still young. Will wait 2 years to open the bottles in my cellar. Could see this gaining a point or two in the future. If you drink now I would recommend at least a 4 hour decant.
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90-91+ Nose was nice, blackberry and sage. Palate was very tight, even with an hour of air. Needs a good decant if opening soon, but id hold out for at least 5 years.
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Dark dark with purple pink rim. Beautiful floral mineral woodsy tea aroma that is mouth-watering. Palate is similar with prominent tannins. This is excellent QPR and will be great with a couple more years bottle age or another day open in the cellar perhaps. This delights for those who like the paso blends (Milk and Honey, Borderlands, etc).
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Smells wonderful. Super dark - inky in color. Primarily tea and tannin flavors, with not much forward fruit. Purple boysenberry and cassis flavors start to show with air. Tasted just after bottling.
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4/3/2024 - BizzyCouple wrote: 93 Points
Dry, earthy red with wonderfully subtle fruit on the palate. Aging very well!
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3/31/2024 - redz wrote: 92 Points
Always a crowd pleaser, tonight being no exception. There's that guilty, chocolaty, silky flavor. Maybe 93.
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3/22/2024 - Raywilliams420 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice fruit notes. No where near overly fruity. Slight tannins nice finish but not lingering. Well made. Good wine. Can drink without food
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8/21/2023 - dino_mike Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum:
Drinks very good but has the ability to improve and hold for another 7 years...at least in magnum.
This was what 3 of us thought when we drank it a few days ago. Cherry and red berry fruit and spice with some mineral or silky tannins still around. Has the fruit and body for more aging more.
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5/29/2023 - oaxaca90049 Likes this wine: 94 Points
When in doubt this is the wine that I always turn to. It's delicious.
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3/23/2023 - dino_mike Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still drinks with intensity, youth, complexity and lovely balance for all its hugeness. Benefits from a few hour decant or wait a few years too, but its delicious now
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3/6/2023 - oaxaca90049 wrote:
delicious as always. One of my favorite wines. Always a crowd pleaser. So easy to drink.
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2/9/2023 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
this still has some residual tannins. looking forward to the second day.
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12/25/2022 - dino_mike Likes this wine: 93 Points
I can confirm this bottle tastes just like last months. Decidedly cherry and red berry fruits make this Optimnus on the 'brighter' side. Still is full bodied, rich mouthfeel and a slight soft edge then great finish.
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11/28/2022 - dino_mike Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very ripe, soft and advanced with the 42% Syrah dominating over the Cab and Verdot. Tons of cherry and red berry fruit, quite soft and drinking like an aged GSM that's in great shape. Lots of soft spice and pie cherry, soft cinnamon with the red berry fruits adding flavor. Hard to know what to expect in a few years but I feel like I need to drink all up in 2023 but might extend it. Heavy sediment so turn upright for a day before opening
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8/22/2022 - SLOman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Superb!
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5/6/2022 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Incredibly big and burly. Still needs more time. Slow ox’d for an hour and aerated into glass, still could have used more air. Can see the goodness, will have more in a few years.
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11/29/2021 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
drinking right on.
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11/24/2021 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and decanted 3 hours before serving- needed an hour more. Still tannic and one-dimensional until it starts to open. Better with food that as a stand-alone drink. Served with brisket burgers from Whole Foods and as others have noted, the acidity and power of the 2014 Optimus made the pairing work.
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11/20/2021 - DrBad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Improved significantly from the bottle a couple of years ago. Tannins have settled out, juicy, big blue and black fruits.
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6/15/2021 - The Wine Write Likes this wine:
Dark fruit flavors and enough acid backbone to cut through the fat of grilled ribeyes. Life ahead, but good now.
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3/18/2020 - kanab ram Likes this wine:
Opened two hours before consuming but very tight. 24 hours later it is starting to open up but still a little sharp on the finish. This a big wine that should age well. I'm extending the drinking window an additoinal four years. Would highly recommend decanting before drinking.
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3/13/2020 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big and black fruited with good spice and touch of herbal aromatics. Very nice!
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2/22/2020 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of aspirin, smoke, black cherries and black raspberries. Flavors of plums, currants and cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink over the short to medium term.
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11/4/2019 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasty red blend of 42% Syrah, 33% Cab Sauv, and 25% Petit Verdot. Great balance and acidity. Dark fruit, oak licorice, smoke. Very enjoyable and well made.
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7/29/2019 - silton Does not like this wine: 86 Points
A hot mess. Bold fruit with depth and impact but no complexity or refinement and showing its alcohol. Paso caricature.
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1/31/2019 - DrBad wrote: 89 Points
Coravin glass, let sit for about an hour. Rather tannic as others have said, dark fruits, slightly bitter finish. Will try again in another 6 months or so with more air time.
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12/30/2018 - mhenry Likes this wine:
I read everyone's recommendation to allow some air time so I decanted for 3 hours. This made a big difference, and the wine opened up nicely. Paired well with NY steak.
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5/28/2018 - Jobu wrote: 90 Points
Very tight even after a couple of hours. Dark brooding tannic wine. Dark fruit and earthy spice. Would've sworn there was a little Zin in the blend. I'm not sure it's going to get better with another year or two on the shelf. I think it is what it is, which is still pretty good
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12/25/2017 - csimm wrote: 88 Points
Similar to my previous note. This needed about two hours to open up and be...well...less stubborn and boring. It kinda reminded me of a pouty little snot kid sitting by himself on a stool in some sort of silent protest over an insignificant objection. You just let him sit there in a wannabe stoic posture as you go on with your day, working around this boring little statue that sits there hoping you'll notice him enough to muster up some energy and ask, "What's wrong?"...but you don't ask...and you don't care...
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12/16/2017 - losososjoe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fantastic as usual.
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12/15/2017 - Babik Likes this wine:
Feels like it hasn’t moved an inch in 14 months. Tannins still a bit tough, but didn’t have with food. Has plenty of fruit and some acidity, so I’d hold to see if it matures better.
Day 2: Hasn’t moves much. Despite the large Syrah component recommend a big cab glass.
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11/26/2017 - Vino911 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is opening up nicely after another year in the bottle.
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9/3/2017 - MikeOstr Likes this wine: 91 Points
While we did not have the patience to follow the recommendation to decant, we thoroughly enjoyed this wine. It did evolve over the hour it took for the 4 of us to drink it, and it will be interesting to see if we can wait a few months or more to open up our other bottle. The Syrah dominated the palate, but I did not think it was especially tannic.
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8/20/2017 - Vino911 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Too young. Agree with other reviews. Needs more time in the bottle, probably 2 more years.
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6/8/2017 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
PnP was tight and a bit off-putting. Linear flavors of purple and red fruit. A total of 2 hours in the decanter allowed for some more focused and flavorful notes to emerge. Some deeply pitched cranberry, plum, and cedar. Still not a wine that I love, especially as a stand-alone. With food (grilled lamb loin), it was much better; the acid offered a nice cut. But otherwise, this is a fairly simple wine.
88-90 points tops.
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3/18/2017 - MattMauldin Likes this wine:
Blind Tasting of Paso Robles Red Blends: Paso red blends blind tasting- ranked 1 of 6. Dark ruby color. Really nice savory notes on the nose- saddle leather, earth, spices, dried lavender, along with cherry and fig fruit. Nice lift and energy on the palate, showing red fruits, tea leaf and spices, florals, cedar and sandalwood- very nice complex layers of flavor. Medium-plus acid, medium grain tannins, very well balanced. Nice complexity and length on the finish. Excellent.
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2/27/2017 - bruce.lovett@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
one of the best wineries in paso. this wine is above average now and will improve nicely over the next few years; i advise 2 hour decant, and serve cool.
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1/29/2017 - RayT Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at a wine bar but had them decant it 2 hours prior to arrival. Still a bit tight originally. Drank over an hour and a half. Started to resolve and gain weight and complexity. This is a big wine that is still young. Will wait 2 years to open the bottles in my cellar. Could see this gaining a point or two in the future. If you drink now I would recommend at least a 4 hour decant.
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1/14/2017 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 91 Points
90-91+ Nose was nice, blackberry and sage. Palate was very tight, even with an hour of air. Needs a good decant if opening soon, but id hold out for at least 5 years.
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12/31/2016 - oropeza Likes this wine: 89 Points
big, lush, CA Cab-ish with nice backend and minimal oak... decent little tannic chew... nice
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12/2/2016 - theoz wrote: 92 Points
Good, big, powerful, needs long decant right now but shows great potential
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8/30/2016 - Babik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark dark with purple pink rim. Beautiful floral mineral woodsy tea aroma that is mouth-watering. Palate is similar with prominent tannins. This is excellent QPR and will be great with a couple more years bottle age or another day open in the cellar perhaps. This delights for those who like the paso blends (Milk and Honey, Borderlands, etc).
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4/10/2016 - silbakor wrote: 92 Points
Smells wonderful. Super dark - inky in color. Primarily tea and tannin flavors, with not much forward fruit. Purple boysenberry and cassis flavors start to show with air. Tasted just after bottling.
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