Funky, characterful, old-school Syrah. Leads with a silky thread of ripe fruit, accompanied by some meatiness and even a little machine oil. Interesting and memorable for an $18 wine, even if the secondary flavors might not be to everyone's taste.
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This is a fun and delicious wine. Dense, dark color. Awesome Syrah nose right away (no decant - but I'd recommend that at this stage, just pulled from a cold cellar). It's a hair thin - it's only 12%, but I'm enjoying that nonetheless and it's already filling out as it gets a bit of air. It's very fruity and a bit overripe (it seems to me), but has decent acidity. Tannins are still present, but very fine and they are taking a backseat. I think this could easily go for a few more years...
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Consistent with past notes. Light on its feet like a Loire Cab Franc, but it still delivers meaty brambly black fruit mixed with tangy red cherries and green olives. Technical score: 89. Enjoyment score: 90. Drink 2018-2020.
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Exceptional QPR, as always. This vintage seems more fruit-forward, extracted, and voluptuous than past vintages, but still well-balanced. Drink before 2020. Technical score: 89. Enjoyment score: 90.
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Still coming together. Prob needs another year, when the floral, violet, and earthy spice aromas should start meaningfully coming together. Definitely markedly better than the last bottle, already enjoyable, but still a tiny bit spritzy. Texture needs to evolve.
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Hard to beat the value of this bottle; It has some Northern Rhone typicity, with bright red fruit, bramby earth and floral tones, albeit in a rather simple package, but it's quite delicious nonetheless
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This isn't the most complex wine, but delicious for the (modest) money. A little closed on day one, but over the ensuring couple of days it gained texture, length, and complexity, showing the density and ripeness of the vintage. By day three, velvety black fruit with herbal, olive, and mineral notes. Terrific for $22.
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beautiful purple color, fresh scents of wild flowers and licorice, driven by mineral, cranberry and licorice flavors, there is a minty note that carries it away, a lighter, easy to drink syrah that exudes freshness, has mouthwatering acidity and strikes the right notes in seamless fashion
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LA Rookies Syrah Dinner (South Pasadena): Medium to deep purple, high intensity of aroma, purple flowers, plums, ripe blueberries, roasted grapes. Minty finish, acid-driven and lighter in style than other syrahs tasted. My favorite of the night.
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Dinner with Bala (FOB) and for his Birthday, at Indian Accent NYC (New York, NY): 91 with the food. 88 on its own. Notes of blackberry, cherry, anise, mineral. Best with the food (the lamb and potato cheela with turnip korma) and with the wild boar chutney. Great with spicy food; mediocre on its own. Would be good with Afghan food as well.
Was $70 at the restaurant (Indian Accent NYC). About $16-$22 retail in the US; great QPR at retail and with spicy food. Drink now but can age. (Better from the wine in the decanter that has aired longer). I would definitely buy this wine and have it with spicy food.
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9/23/2023 - Mimesis Likes this wine: 88 Points
Funky, characterful, old-school Syrah. Leads with a silky thread of ripe fruit, accompanied by some meatiness and even a little machine oil. Interesting and memorable for an $18 wine, even if the secondary flavors might not be to everyone's taste.
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7/6/2021 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a fun and delicious wine. Dense, dark color. Awesome Syrah nose right away (no decant - but I'd recommend that at this stage, just pulled from a cold cellar). It's a hair thin - it's only 12%, but I'm enjoying that nonetheless and it's already filling out as it gets a bit of air. It's very fruity and a bit overripe (it seems to me), but has decent acidity. Tannins are still present, but very fine and they are taking a backseat. I think this could easily go for a few more years...
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12/26/2020 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
Such a tasty and enjoyable Syrah! It has enough character to elevate it reasonably beyond its humble classification.
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10/2/2018 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with past notes. Light on its feet like a Loire Cab Franc, but it still delivers meaty brambly black fruit mixed with tangy red cherries and green olives. Technical score: 89. Enjoyment score: 90. Drink 2018-2020.
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5/29/2018 - Grape_ape Likes this wine:
great value syrah. Nice floral nose, olive and briney, nice complexity for the price
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4/5/2018 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
A last second pull and very much like the one 9 months ago. Delicious, ripe fruit. Way too easy to drink.
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11/8/2017 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Exceptional QPR, as always. This vintage seems more fruit-forward, extracted, and voluptuous than past vintages, but still well-balanced. Drink before 2020. Technical score: 89. Enjoyment score: 90.
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10/17/2017 - Gargantua Likes this wine:
Still coming together. Prob needs another year, when the floral, violet, and earthy spice aromas should start meaningfully coming together. Definitely markedly better than the last bottle, already enjoyable, but still a tiny bit spritzy. Texture needs to evolve.
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7/10/2017 - eluebchow wrote: 88 Points
Hard to beat the value of this bottle; It has some Northern Rhone typicity, with bright red fruit, bramby earth and floral tones, albeit in a rather simple package, but it's quite delicious nonetheless
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6/22/2017 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
Improving and coming together. Still young fruit but it's very good fruit. Too easy to drink.
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5/9/2017 - Max_K Likes this wine: 90 Points
This isn't the most complex wine, but delicious for the (modest) money. A little closed on day one, but over the ensuring couple of days it gained texture, length, and complexity, showing the density and ripeness of the vintage. By day three, velvety black fruit with herbal, olive, and mineral notes. Terrific for $22.
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4/17/2017 - Rechrom wrote: 89 Points
Drinks very well, tastes like syrah, has nice balance. Does not have the depth to age but should be in a good place for the next year or two.
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4/9/2017 - ravikalaga Likes this wine: 88 Points
Glug glug wine with some decent nose expression and a decent finish.
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3/17/2017 - whits Likes this wine: 88 Points
beautiful purple color, fresh scents of wild flowers and licorice, driven by mineral, cranberry and licorice flavors, there is a minty note that carries it away, a lighter, easy to drink syrah that exudes freshness, has mouthwatering acidity and strikes the right notes in seamless fashion
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2/18/2017 - EMichels wrote: 86 Points
Big minty element; Funky
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1/28/2017 - G.A. Parker Likes this wine:
LA Rookies Syrah Dinner (South Pasadena): Medium to deep purple, high intensity of aroma, purple flowers, plums, ripe blueberries, roasted grapes. Minty finish, acid-driven and lighter in style than other syrahs tasted. My favorite of the night.
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1/20/2017 - JOsgood wrote:
Nice value Syrah. Lovely fruit and freshness.
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1/18/2017 - TashNYC wrote: 89 Points
Dinner with Bala (FOB) and for his Birthday, at Indian Accent NYC (New York, NY): 91 with the food. 88 on its own. Notes of blackberry, cherry, anise, mineral. Best with the food (the lamb and potato cheela with turnip korma) and with the wild boar chutney. Great with spicy food; mediocre on its own. Would be good with Afghan food as well.
Was $70 at the restaurant (Indian Accent NYC). About $16-$22 retail in the US; great QPR at retail and with spicy food. Drink now but can age. (Better from the wine in the decanter that has aired longer). I would definitely buy this wine and have it with spicy food.
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11/24/2016 - VDLT Wine wrote:
Seems youthfully disjointed. A bit shrill and grapey. Still the quality of the vintage and vintner seem to be lurking in the shadows.
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