Bought almost 20 years ago. This was Kevin Harvey's first ever Syrah from Rhys or Alessia. Decant for an hour and then followed for a few more.
Still on the upswing. No sign of 20 years of age. My wife suggested it showed about 10 years old and I agree. Dark red and black fruit, spicy acidity, a tiny bit of pepper. Years ago, I sent him an email asking for a tech sheet and he laughed (in an email) and said he had no such thing because he just made the wine in his garage. Anyone who says that Cali Syrah is too ripe and will fall apart is 100% full of you know what. No sign at all. My guess is that this wine will not peak for 5 more years because it continued to improve for at least an hour in the glass after the decant. If Irate this based upon what I expected versus what I actually got, this gets a few more points. patience is a virtue. Bravo.
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This is probably the first wine I bought from Rhys off their mailing list, back in September 2006. It had sat undisturbed in my parents' Massachusetts cold underground cellar for the last 17 years until I grabbed a few cases to take home to NC a few weeks ago. So pretty good provenance here. Can't recall where exactly the fruit came from for these early blends (Falstaff, Adler Springs?), but these early Alesia wines are a bit of a mixed bag. I had a pretty excellent '06 Green Valley pinot a few nights ago, but this is not quite in the same league. Lots of red berry aromas on the nose, with a bit of mulling spices and stewed plum. If I hadn't read the label, I never would never have guessed syrah, as this shows more of a zin-like flavor profile. In any case, it's clearly Californian and missing the bacon/game/tapenade notes I admire in syrah. Fully evolved and a bit tired, this is pleasant, but nothing more.
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Medium-dark red color with limited transparency. Aromas of red fruit, smoke, and tar. Palate is full of red fruit with a hint of meatiness that carries into a medium finish. This is fully integrated and seems younger tasting than I would have expected. My last bottle and best showing. Really nice red wine with Syrah typicity and lovely balance.
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I had been looking for an excuse to mix this in with some Rhys wines. The big blind tasting at Frank's was the excuse I needed. Rubbery, tar nose. Sweet fruit that is comes off younger than I might have guessed. This may never reach anything better but judging by this bottle there's plenty of time to try.
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Aromatic nose of graphite, coal and crayons crushed with bramble cherries. Seamless flowing delicious sweet black currants and touch of thyme. Full bodied yet balanced.
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Paired well with World Series Game 3 and slow smoked pork ribs. The cork crumbled so I had to decant to remove the bits and pieces. The wine was impressive. Leather nose red fruited up front, creamy strawberry mid-palate, spicy finish with darker fruit and polished tannins. Drinking at its' peak? Not sure, had a glass left in the decanter this morning and it was still alive and kicking. The drinking window listed here doesn't do this wine justice. Should still go a couple more years before fading.
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Lifted aromatics of red fruit, herbs, stems and an interesting medicinal note. Palate is bright and fresh with medium- bodied fruit. Plenty or crackling acidity provides persistence across the palate. Good medium plus finish of red berries and spice. In a really stride right now. Plenty of freshness and energy -- showing no signs of fading.
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Drinking just great right now - with mature fruit and nuanced secondary herbal, stem, smoked meat and earth notes. Palate has medium body with juicy underlying acidity. Fruit is plush and soft with restraint that doesn't tire the palate. Great persistence from start to finish.
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Great nose. Middle-bodied. May be a little past its prime, but most of the flavors are still there. It's actually better with a little salty food. I think I would have *loved* this two years ago.
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Double decanted and then recorked for 5 hours. First impressions were, WOW what a great nose! Bricking color. Red fruit focused nose and palate. Savory red fruit, eucalyptus, perfume, earthy nose. Palate of tart red fruit, blackberry, creamy texture. Dusty tannins on the finish. Was better on Day 1. Nose and palate fell a bit flat on Day 2. Didn't take detailed notes on 1st day though. Was good on PNP and excelled after air. Drinking real nice now.
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Decanted 90 minutes (copious sediment and aromatically tight). Violet-tinged red. Nose of dark berries, some pepper and meat. Warmish dark berries with soft tannins and balancing acid (barely). Not complex, a little 'grapey', but very tasty and with good satisfying length. Nice with a ribeye. Still somewhat youthful (but integrated). No hurry on last bottle.
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My eighth bottle of this wine in past 4 years. I thinking this wine will fall down one day, I keep getting good showings. It's a dark and brooding Syrah, there is BBQ notes and tar-ish nose. Palate shows some rich plummy fruit, but the acidity is still here and brisk. Not especially long, but Very nice. Still drinking quite well.
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outstanding, plums just burst out of the glass and then just keep going in the mouth followed by a bit of cherry. Finishes with a little chocolate. Very muscular wine.
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Half a dozen bottles or so over the past couple years, and this wine never really disappoints me. Dark and meaty,with some tarry notes and lush dark fruit. There is a very present acidity tonight that really gives some lift to the wine. Betrays its age so to speak. Very tasty with my Momofuku pork shoulder done 12 hours on the Big Green Egg today. Solid wine that has shown me no sign that it is in decline.
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Tough to show well after the 08 Fevre Chablis Jimmy brought and the 97 Burg that Don opened. I thought it was good wine, just a tough one to drink after that. Heavy minerals that lean towards Iron, Don felt it was like an SQN, I countered it was like SQN light in that this is not qute as monolithic, but not by much. Very similar to the FE III ( or whatever its called) in that it is so tough to drink and swirl in your mouth in order to get a component out of it. Overall, we agreed that CT statnig that it has only a year to go is crazy, and that this 03 is drinking like an 06. DON"T GO HERE YET. Let em lie. No score given
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Needs some air to fully come alive. Shows similarly to my last bottle from July 2008, except that this was a bit lighter on the tongue with more raspberry tones mixed in with the blueberries. The light and lively feel is probably the most notable feature but the balance and the layers of flavor certainly raise no complaint. Drinking well now, but no hurry.
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I just like this wine; don't know what else to say. Dark and meaty, tarry, dark fruit palate. Lush. Nothern Rhone-ish palate with expansive dark fruit and still some acidity hanging in. Nice Syrah.
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Four of us drank this and the 2005 Copain James Berry Syrah. 2 preferred the Alesia and 2 preferred the Copain. Both wines were very fruity, but compared to the Copain this wine showed more spice, pepperiness, and funk. The Copain, however, was more restrained and tannic, perhaps because of the two years difference in age. I preferred the Alesia but after three hours of tasting these wines I am beginning to wonder how much residual sugar do they really have? To be honest I don't think I'll buy any more of either of these wines. I'm hoping the Rhys domaine syrahs show more subtlety.
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We drank a bottle at a Oaxacan restaurant and it went great with our meal. It is drinking beautifully right now but should hold at this plateau for a few years. I don't think it will improve.
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Blueberry, camphor, nutmeg, and a slight hint of earthy funk reminescent of morels sauteed in butter with one minced--not crushed--garlic clove on the nose. On the palate jammy blueberry, a bit of plum, spicy undertones of ginger, nutmeg, and clove, tanzer-suave tannins. Very nice but not much staying power hence the 88. With a longer finish it would have merited a 90. Drink it now; it won't get any better.
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Big beautiful nose of raspberries and bacon, with a touch of raw meat. Balanced palate of ripe red berries and meat, with a touch of pepper and a floral quality in the background. A joy to drink, but did get a touch hot once it warmed to room temp – needs to be served at just above cellar temp. Pleasant drying tannins toward the end of the bottle gives the impression of staying power for at least a couple more years.
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Really enjoyed this. Good nose from the pop and complex, evolving flavors. Not a heavy syrah by any stretch. Fair amount of sediment probably warranted a decant.
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This is probably the best Alesia wine I've had to date, I think partly because it has a little bit of age on it. The nose on this wine stood out with mushrooms, a meatiness and touch of hay/straw/barnyard . . . really what you hope for in a good syrah. The palate had nice fruit, a bit of a bacon and was very well balanced. The only drawback may have been a pleasant, but somewhat abbreviated finish. All in all, I wish I had more and I'm hopeful that this is a sign of things to come . . . i.e. that the Rhys/Alesia labeled wines will continue to improve with age
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Deep red color. Aromas of blueberry and vanilla with meat in the background. Ripe, round, full palate of blueberry, raspberry, and vanilla with hints of iron and meat in the background. Delicious now. No notable tannin or acid structure present to hold for extended aging.
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No notes taken, but this was really good!! This represents everything I love in a Syrah. It's so meaty and bacony (sp?) yet still has plenty of dark fruit and is just perfectly balanced with a great finish. I love this wine and I'm bummed I only have 1 left. No reason to wait on this one, I have to believe it's at it's peak drinking window. 93+
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If the Syrahs from purchased grapes hit this level, what can we expect when the home-grown Horseshoe Ranch and Skyline Vineyards come on line? This bottle was opened two hours before dinner and sampled over the next two hours. A dark and somewhat cloudy purplish red. Compelling nose right from the start featuring black, blue fruits. First sips were tart and lean, but the wine kept filling in; becoming fruitier and smoother as the night went on. Layered, mostly pure fruits with a hint of spice and a scintilla of unsweetened chocolate. Balanced and lingering.
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meaty and barnyardy. dark and brooding. Fruit peaks out underneath the meat with some herb-like sent s as well. some sediment.
first half on friday night and the rest saturday. Less barnyard on day 2 with plenty of grilled meat remaining, little more dark fruit and herb going on.
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Just delicious really. What more can I say? Barnyardy nose. Dark and meaty, tarry, dark fruit palate. Lsuh. Nothern Rhone-ish. My second bottle in '08 and one of my fave Syrahs for drinking now. Two more bottles for the next year or so.
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Deep red color. Meaty iron notes behind a wave of blueberry and raspberry fruit on the nose. The palate is clean, lush and rich with plenty of blueberry and iron at the core with hints of raspberry, cream, and meat to round it out. Very nice and more to expectation than the first bottle consumed, which was probably flawed.
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my last bottle, and although i believe most US syrahs should be drunk early, I missed the boat on this one. very cote rotie-ish. nose with some barnyard, earth grilled meat, spice and pepper. very spicy, pepper mouth with good balance and acidity.
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Very tight and maybe slightly reductive at first but that blew off quickly. A nose of cassis, blackberry and some smokiness yielded to a densely structured wine that needs time to develop. There is definitely a background minerality to this wine that provides a perfect balance to the ripe fruit. It almosts tastes like a blend of fruit from cote rotie and sonoma.
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I probably should have held this a bit longer, but even six months made a difference. This was lovely from the get go. The first glass was aromatic, deep dark fruit, integrated cassis that is becoming a syrah signature for me. Very smooth. Some sediment. Did not decant although the wine was sipped over a 45 min. period with our first course. I had a small glass about 4 hours later and it was delightful. Have a small amount in glass stopper bottle to try tomorrow.
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One of the better Syrahs I have had lately, just delightful with grilled lamb chops and baby potatoes. Opened the bottle and poured half into a 375 ml, then let it sit for 3 hours. The air definitely helped.
Nose of blackberries and a bit of heat, palate is smoothed-out cherry plus that blackberry plus some soy or saline or something that I like with the fruit. Barely any heat on the palate and finish.
Really really enjoyable package as a whole.
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A little bit too overpowering with it's fruit and heat. This wine seemed out of balance. Lots of jammy fruit up front on the nose and palate without much else to balance it out.
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Decanted for an hour. No fizz or funk. The nose was a little floral. Rasberry/Blackberry with a touch of pepper and chocolate and on the lighter side as compared to the recently consumed Alban and Tensley. Seamless mouthfeel. I drank nearly the entire bottle. Delicious wine but almost pinot-like in its finesse.
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Popped and poured. Initially this offered up some funk but in a good way as it complimented the nose and fruit rather than overpowering it. If you are funk adverse no worries as it blew off quickly with air. Wonderful nose of blackberry, white pepper and the most amazing floral note that reminded me of a mixture of violets and gardenia. The palate is perfectly balanced with blackberry, white pepper and some gamey notes that leads to a long spicey blackberry finish with uplifting acidity and the slightest kiss of chocolate. The tannins are fully integrated. This drank significantly better as it warmed in the glass. This is drinking great and certainly one of the better CA syrahs I have had. I still believe that when grown in the correct location and produced by the right winemaker, syrah is CA's best grape.
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this tasted like a pinot to me! isn't that backward? :-) i took some shit for it,too. ok, i'll give it some typicity, but once again, keeping with the trend of the evening, i enjoyed this less than a previous bottle. ugh. i can't remember if we decanted this which could have effected comparative performance.
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Blueberry, black pepper, blackberry and charred oak. Extracted and rich. Full bodied. Fruit forward style with surprisingly good balance and freshness from the acidity. Good mid palate depth and complexity. Long rich finish. 14.2% alcohol.
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Very nice. Raspberry and pepper dominate the nose; on the palate there is great balance with spice, beef blood, and blackberry. At a great stage right now, and will continue to improve over the next few years.s My first Rhys, and I will be looking for more of them...
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Deep, dark nose of blueberries and blackberries. Some oak sticks out and is a little too pronounced for my tastes but does not detract too much. A very round wine. Revisted it later in the night and it was fading a bit .
Not as enjoyable as my last bottle but still a pleasure to drink.
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Deep red color, nearly opaque. Nose of iron and gamey meat with juicy red fruit. Palate showed a cheesy character that covered some of the lush fruit and meat overtones. Possibly flawed?
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Again, another delicious 2003 SC syrah from Rhys/Alesia. This one didn't seem as restrained or feminine as the last that I had, but came right out of the gates with a little earth, funk, black fruit, and good depth of flavor. I sensed a bit of heat on the finish, but all in all a good wine.
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Decanted two hours -- simply love the wine! Very well crafted wine. Beautiful balance and harmony -- lovely and somewhat restrained nose of black fruits, earth, some funk and white pepper. Lovely long and smooth mouthfeel with none of the huge tannins of Pax or super extraction of Alban. Just a lovely wine that will match beautifully with a wide range of foods. Superb.
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Up until now I have not been bowled over by CA syrah. This time, following Jeff N.'s lead, I left the bottle with a friend who followed decanting instructions. Therefore, I was able to try it after a two hour airing and WOW, this was one nice wine!! Very smooth, no rough edges, deep fruit and a long finish. I will hold my second bottle in the hope it will eventually reach the "pop, pour, drink" stage that we enjoy on a Friday night gathering after work. I will have to share my allocation with the friends who shared the bottle. It was definitely a hit.
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14.2% alcohol. decanted 2 hours. i thought this was a very tasty and interesting wine. there is some oak trying to ruin the party, and it's definitely going to be better with some time in the cellar, but the dark fruit laced with some minerals and displaying nice acidity is favorable. i would characterize it as medium bodied and elegant/ feminine. the tannins don't pucker the lips, but roll off the back of the tongue. i rather like the restrained profile that nevertheless has expressive fruit. it was structured enough to pair nicely with grilled swordfish. very nice and easily recommended.
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On the tart and leaner side. This is my 2nd taste of this wine in the last month with basically the same result. Finish loaded with the tart juicy acidity I usually attribute to tartric acid additions. Nice wine but could use more expression on the entry and in the fruit.
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I was on the Rhys list for the Pinots, and only took one of these. (I don't generally go for New World Syrah.) Mistake! Thus far, my favorite of the lot. Very open, expressive note of boysenberry, pepper, vanilla, with floral notes and hint of meatiness. Excellent balance, and though the vanilla is somewhat prominent, traditional oak flavors are not. There's the slightest touch of heat on the finish, but this is fresher than most, and thoroughly delicious.
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Not an over oaked huge Cali syrah. A little oak on the palate along with smoky berry and vanilla ... and a hint of chocolate. Long finish. Nose of smoke. dusky berry and, again, vanilla.
This is a very nice Syrah and will be better in another year as the oak and tanins integrate with the smoke and berry tastes.
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Beautiful perfume leaps out of the bottle, much of it repeating on the palate. Plush but still shapely. Plenty of fruit but far from a fruit bomb. Finish really echos. One of the better domestic Syrahs I've had. Don't recognize what's in my glass based on the other notes here. Only great bottles, I guess, but I'd buy this again.
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Double decanted for 40 minutes. Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark ruby/magenta in color. On the nose, dark fruits, salami, and licorice. On the palate, blueberries, blackberries, chocolate, and vanilla on the very long 30-second finish. Decent structure and good acidity here, with nicely grippy tannins. Enjoyable SC Syrah, but only a fair QPR.
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Not big styled syrah, medium bodied. First thing I noticed was the oak in this one. I think it would be much better with less as the fruit just doesnt hold up to it. Definately red fruit predominates. Somewhat tannic finish. A decent wine but probably not a buy at the price.
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Nothing wrong with the bottle. It definitely opened up but had that funky syrah smell with some spices. Not really my favorite type of wine. Pretty well balanced but it wasn't very exciting. Certainly not at the price range. I definitely prefer the pinots much more.
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You can tell this syrah was made by someone who also makes Pinot Noir. Delicate fruit in an earthy package that knows it is good -- and doesn't need to beat you over the head to show it.
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Decanted for about an hour. Sweet blackberry fruit developing some smokiness and intermittently showing some oaky-vanilla notes. The oak is a turn-off for me, but on the whole this is nice, if not very complex on the nose. The palate shows this to be a forward, fruity wine, though still with a fine, well integrated acidity which kept it medium bodied and silky in texture and not at all heavy or syrupy in weight. Nevertheless, did not have much going on apart from the fruit. Some pepper notes and firm tannin showing up on a mid-length finish. I would hold and let this develop more complexity, but it is just not really to my taste.
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Took a little while to open up and smooth out. Best with 1-2 hours of air time. just a touch of reduction at opening, but went away with air. Medium fruit with some spine. just did not ring my bell, though it is totally competent.
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A well made wine that didn't do it for me. Fruity in a coast-y sort of way (red spice, candied cherries, some earthy floraly things going on) but I found the wine to be, well, just sort of boring.
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pull a bottle to decide on ordering more. initially underwhelming. some good spice, wet Stone minerality and red fruits but a little on the light side of my tastes. by day two it gained some weight and was very enjoyable. a touch more dark fruits. I'll probably order some and cellar for longer. (although I think I said that before)
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Big, syrupy Syrahs are definately not my thing, and I don't think this is one if those. On the nose, I get a dusty, caramel notes with sweet dark fruits. This is quite elegant on the palate, with a core of sweet fruit, nice richness, and grippy tannins on the finish. It is a bit hollow on the mid-palate, and a little disjointed now. Yes, the fruit is sweet and perhaps a bit syrupy, but didn't seem out of balance or cloying to me (unlike so very many other new world wines). Saved a bit for the next day - it was thinner, a bit hot and more disjointed, less balanced. Hmm...
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Strong steak of acidity and broad tannins. Unlike most CA Syrahs, this is not a fruit bomb... just pure nice fruit. Slightly disjointed. Needs time to integrate and shed tannins.
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Dark purple. initial nose of cassias and boysenberries. a little thin at first, but it picked up weight with time. developed into a very nice wine, loads of boysenberry, raspberry, and smoky vanilla. also some spiciness. good feel but a touch on the acid side. nice fruity finish with just a touch of bitterness. will see how it evolves.
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"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Second time with this wine. I cheated and opened a bottle last weak. This bottle showed a little more than the last one though, showing more of its tannic bones (which helped moderate the fat fruit) and a little kick of pepper. But it’s a very primary youthful fruit bomb. Tastes like cherry syrup stirred with milk chocolate and toast. If you have it, hold it. Unless that’s your thing.
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3/8/2024 - Jay Hack Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bought almost 20 years ago. This was Kevin Harvey's first ever Syrah from Rhys or Alessia. Decant for an hour and then followed for a few more.
Still on the upswing. No sign of 20 years of age. My wife suggested it showed about 10 years old and I agree. Dark red and black fruit, spicy acidity, a tiny bit of pepper. Years ago, I sent him an email asking for a tech sheet and he laughed (in an email) and said he had no such thing because he just made the wine in his garage. Anyone who says that Cali Syrah is too ripe and will fall apart is 100% full of you know what. No sign at all. My guess is that this wine will not peak for 5 more years because it continued to improve for at least an hour in the glass after the decant. If Irate this based upon what I expected versus what I actually got, this gets a few more points. patience is a virtue. Bravo.
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2/25/2023 - GrapeScott wrote: 85 Points
This is probably the first wine I bought from Rhys off their mailing list, back in September 2006. It had sat undisturbed in my parents' Massachusetts cold underground cellar for the last 17 years until I grabbed a few cases to take home to NC a few weeks ago. So pretty good provenance here. Can't recall where exactly the fruit came from for these early blends (Falstaff, Adler Springs?), but these early Alesia wines are a bit of a mixed bag. I had a pretty excellent '06 Green Valley pinot a few nights ago, but this is not quite in the same league. Lots of red berry aromas on the nose, with a bit of mulling spices and stewed plum. If I hadn't read the label, I never would never have guessed syrah, as this shows more of a zin-like flavor profile. In any case, it's clearly Californian and missing the bacon/game/tapenade notes I admire in syrah. Fully evolved and a bit tired, this is pleasant, but nothing more.
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4/16/2020 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium-dark red color with limited transparency. Aromas of red fruit, smoke, and tar. Palate is full of red fruit with a hint of meatiness that carries into a medium finish. This is fully integrated and seems younger tasting than I would have expected. My last bottle and best showing. Really nice red wine with Syrah typicity and lovely balance.
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11/9/2019 - WetRock wrote:
I had been looking for an excuse to mix this in with some Rhys wines. The big blind tasting at Frank's was the excuse I needed. Rubbery, tar nose. Sweet fruit that is comes off younger than I might have guessed. This may never reach anything better but judging by this bottle there's plenty of time to try.
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7/10/2015 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Aromatic nose of graphite, coal and crayons crushed with bramble cherries. Seamless flowing delicious sweet black currants and touch of thyme. Full bodied yet balanced.
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10/25/2014 - River Rat Likes this wine:
Paired well with World Series Game 3 and slow smoked pork ribs. The cork crumbled so I had to decant to remove the bits and pieces. The wine was impressive. Leather nose red fruited up front, creamy strawberry mid-palate, spicy finish with darker fruit and polished tannins. Drinking at its' peak? Not sure, had a glass left in the decanter this morning and it was still alive and kicking. The drinking window listed here doesn't do this wine justice. Should still go a couple more years before fading.
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10/18/2014 - andolini Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Vibrant, bright, flavorful, leather, smoked meat. Smooth and rich. Great value.
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3/15/2013 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Lifted aromatics of red fruit, herbs, stems and an interesting medicinal note. Palate is bright and fresh with medium- bodied fruit. Plenty or crackling acidity provides persistence across the palate. Good medium plus finish of red berries and spice. In a really stride right now. Plenty of freshness and energy -- showing no signs of fading.
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2/15/2013 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Drinking just great right now - with mature fruit and nuanced secondary herbal, stem, smoked meat and earth notes. Palate has medium body with juicy underlying acidity. Fruit is plush and soft with restraint that doesn't tire the palate. Great persistence from start to finish.
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12/5/2012 - alpha_ori Likes this wine: 88 Points
Great nose. Middle-bodied. May be a little past its prime, but most of the flavors are still there. It's actually better with a little salty food. I think I would have *loved* this two years ago.
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9/17/2012 - River Rat wrote:
Double decanted and then recorked for 5 hours. First impressions were, WOW what a great nose! Bricking color. Red fruit focused nose and palate. Savory red fruit, eucalyptus, perfume, earthy nose. Palate of tart red fruit, blackberry, creamy texture. Dusty tannins on the finish.
Was better on Day 1. Nose and palate fell a bit flat on Day 2. Didn't take detailed notes on 1st day though. Was good on PNP and excelled after air. Drinking real nice now.
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5/27/2012 - thomaskeil wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 90 minutes (copious sediment and aromatically tight). Violet-tinged red. Nose of dark berries, some pepper and meat. Warmish dark berries with soft tannins and balancing acid (barely). Not complex, a little 'grapey', but very tasty and with good satisfying length. Nice with a ribeye. Still somewhat youthful (but integrated). No hurry on last bottle.
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2/11/2012 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
My eighth bottle of this wine in past 4 years. I thinking this wine will fall down one day, I keep getting good showings. It's a dark and brooding Syrah, there is BBQ notes and tar-ish nose. Palate shows some rich plummy fruit, but the acidity is still here and brisk. Not especially long, but Very nice. Still drinking quite well.
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10/9/2011 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
wonderully food wine. Plums and berries over a bit of earthy chocolate. Has some more time to go in the bottle to peak.
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2/12/2011 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
such a smooth wine. Plums and cherries with a bit of chocolate on the finish.
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1/29/2011 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
outstanding, plums just burst out of the glass and then just keep going in the mouth followed by a bit of cherry. Finishes with a little chocolate. Very muscular wine.
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10/24/2010 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
Half a dozen bottles or so over the past couple years, and this wine never really disappoints me. Dark and meaty,with some tarry notes and lush dark fruit. There is a very present acidity tonight that really gives some lift to the wine. Betrays its age so to speak. Very tasty with my Momofuku pork shoulder done 12 hours on the Big Green Egg today. Solid wine that has shown me no sign that it is in decline.
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9/3/2010 - jfkwines wrote:
Tough to show well after the 08 Fevre Chablis Jimmy brought and the 97 Burg that Don opened. I thought it was good wine, just a tough one to drink after that. Heavy minerals that lean towards Iron, Don felt it was like an SQN, I countered it was like SQN light in that this is not qute as monolithic, but not by much. Very similar to the FE III ( or whatever its called) in that it is so tough to drink and swirl in your mouth in order to get a component out of it. Overall, we agreed that CT statnig that it has only a year to go is crazy, and that this 03 is drinking like an 06. DON"T GO HERE YET. Let em lie. No score given
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1/26/2010 - Rangstrom wrote: 91 Points
Needs some air to fully come alive. Shows similarly to my last bottle from July 2008, except that this was a bit lighter on the tongue with more raspberry tones mixed in with the blueberries. The light and lively feel is probably the most notable feature but the balance and the layers of flavor certainly raise no complaint. Drinking well now, but no hurry.
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8/1/2009 - schimmy23 wrote: 90 Points
Drank at assafs. Needs time to open up.
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7/22/2009 - Patch wrote: 89 Points
Decent, but a bit on the light side for my taste. True, it probably should have sat for a while longer but damnit, we were thirsty!
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7/18/2009 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
I just like this wine; don't know what else to say. Dark and meaty, tarry, dark fruit palate. Lush. Nothern Rhone-ish palate with expansive dark fruit and still some acidity hanging in. Nice Syrah.
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7/4/2009 - onewineheaven wrote: 89 Points
Four of us drank this and the 2005 Copain James Berry Syrah. 2 preferred the Alesia and 2 preferred the Copain. Both wines were very fruity, but compared to the Copain this wine showed more spice, pepperiness, and funk. The Copain, however, was more restrained and tannic, perhaps because of the two years difference in age. I preferred the Alesia but after three hours of tasting these wines I am beginning to wonder how much residual sugar do they really have? To be honest I don't think I'll buy any more of either of these wines. I'm hoping the Rhys domaine syrahs show more subtlety.
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6/12/2009 - madeiradog wrote: 90 Points
A solid syrah with excellent structure. Enjoyable combination of smoky fruit and tannin that is drinking well now.
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5/5/2009 - onewineheaven wrote: 90 Points
We drank a bottle at a Oaxacan restaurant and it went great with our meal. It is drinking beautifully right now but should hold at this plateau for a few years. I don't think it will improve.
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2/24/2009 - onewineheaven wrote: 88 Points
Blueberry, camphor, nutmeg, and a slight hint of earthy funk reminescent of morels sauteed in butter with one minced--not crushed--garlic clove on the nose. On the palate jammy blueberry, a bit of plum, spicy undertones of ginger, nutmeg, and clove, tanzer-suave tannins. Very nice but not much staying power hence the 88. With a longer finish it would have merited a 90. Drink it now; it won't get any better.
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1/8/2009 - SuitePhoto wrote:
Big beautiful nose of raspberries and bacon, with a touch of raw meat. Balanced palate of ripe red berries and meat, with a touch of pepper and a floral quality in the background. A joy to drink, but did get a touch hot once it warmed to room temp – needs to be served at just above cellar temp. Pleasant drying tannins toward the end of the bottle gives the impression of staying power for at least a couple more years.
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12/24/2008 - conform wrote:
Really enjoyed this. Good nose from the pop and complex, evolving flavors. Not a heavy syrah by any stretch. Fair amount of sediment probably warranted a decant.
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11/9/2008 - lbrent wrote: 88 Points
Very enjoyable - missing some pepper spice that would have been great.
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10/26/2008 - TomTom wrote:
This is probably the best Alesia wine I've had to date, I think partly because it has a little bit of age on it. The nose on this wine stood out with mushrooms, a meatiness and touch of hay/straw/barnyard . . . really what you hope for in a good syrah. The palate had nice fruit, a bit of a bacon and was very well balanced. The only drawback may have been a pleasant, but somewhat abbreviated finish. All in all, I wish I had more and I'm hopeful that this is a sign of things to come . . . i.e. that the Rhys/Alesia labeled wines will continue to improve with age
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10/19/2008 - fredb wrote:
Deep red color. Aromas of blueberry and vanilla with meat in the background. Ripe, round, full palate of blueberry, raspberry, and vanilla with hints of iron and meat in the background. Delicious now. No notable tannin or acid structure present to hold for extended aging.
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9/5/2008 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
See my previous note. Love it.
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8/6/2008 - assaf wrote: 93 Points
No notes taken, but this was really good!! This represents everything I love in a Syrah. It's so meaty and bacony (sp?) yet still has plenty of dark fruit and is just perfectly balanced with a great finish. I love this wine and I'm bummed I only have 1 left. No reason to wait on this one, I have to believe it's at it's peak drinking window. 93+
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7/7/2008 - Rangstrom wrote: 91 Points
If the Syrahs from purchased grapes hit this level, what can we expect when the home-grown Horseshoe Ranch and Skyline Vineyards come on line? This bottle was opened two hours before dinner and sampled over the next two hours. A dark and somewhat cloudy purplish red. Compelling nose right from the start featuring black, blue fruits. First sips were tart and lean, but the wine kept filling in; becoming fruitier and smoother as the night went on. Layered, mostly pure fruits with a hint of spice and a scintilla of unsweetened chocolate. Balanced and lingering.
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7/5/2008 - jbaron wrote: 89 Points
Fruity, meaty, slightly smelly, and mostly boring. A nice drink, but no real excitement.
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6/28/2008 - AlexRed wrote: 90 Points
meaty and barnyardy. dark and brooding. Fruit peaks out underneath the meat with some herb-like sent s as well. some sediment.
first half on friday night and the rest saturday. Less barnyard on day 2 with plenty of grilled meat remaining, little more dark fruit and herb going on.
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5/18/2008 - assaf wrote: 93 Points
Delicious. Meaty and barnyardy with dark fruit. Well balanced with a long finish.
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5/16/2008 - decaturwinedude wrote: 91 Points
Just delicious really. What more can I say? Barnyardy nose. Dark and meaty, tarry, dark fruit palate. Lsuh. Nothern Rhone-ish. My second bottle in '08 and one of my fave Syrahs for drinking now. Two more bottles for the next year or so.
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5/15/2008 - fredb wrote:
Deep red color. Meaty iron notes behind a wave of blueberry and raspberry fruit on the nose. The palate is clean, lush and rich with plenty of blueberry and iron at the core with hints of raspberry, cream, and meat to round it out. Very nice and more to expectation than the first bottle consumed, which was probably flawed.
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5/3/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 93 Points
my last bottle, and although i believe most US syrahs should be drunk early, I missed the boat on this one. very cote rotie-ish. nose with some barnyard, earth grilled meat, spice and pepper. very spicy, pepper mouth with good balance and acidity.
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3/29/2008 - madeiradog wrote: 93 Points
Very tight and maybe slightly reductive at first but that blew off quickly. A nose of cassis, blackberry and some smokiness yielded to a densely structured wine that needs time to develop. There is definitely a background minerality to this wine that provides a perfect balance to the ripe fruit. It almosts tastes like a blend of fruit from cote rotie and sonoma.
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3/23/2008 - BonnieM wrote:
I probably should have held this a bit longer, but even six months made a difference. This was lovely from the get go. The first glass was aromatic, deep dark fruit, integrated cassis that is becoming a syrah signature for me. Very smooth. Some sediment. Did not decant although the wine was sipped over a 45 min. period with our first course. I had a small glass about 4 hours later and it was delightful. Have a small amount in glass stopper bottle to try tomorrow.
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3/22/2008 - jbposell wrote: 93 Points
One of the better Syrahs I have had lately, just delightful with grilled lamb chops and baby potatoes. Opened the bottle and poured half into a 375 ml, then let it sit for 3 hours. The air definitely helped.
Nose of blackberries and a bit of heat, palate is smoothed-out cherry plus that blackberry plus some soy or saline or something that I like with the fruit. Barely any heat on the palate and finish.
Really really enjoyable package as a whole.
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3/22/2008 - EhrlichDY wrote: 84 Points
A little bit too overpowering with it's fruit and heat. This wine seemed out of balance. Lots of jammy fruit up front on the nose and palate without much else to balance it out.
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3/13/2008 - JFish wrote:
Decanted for an hour. No fizz or funk. The nose was a little floral. Rasberry/Blackberry with a touch of pepper and chocolate and on the lighter side as compared to the recently consumed Alban and Tensley. Seamless mouthfeel. I drank nearly the entire bottle. Delicious wine but almost pinot-like in its finesse.
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3/7/2008 - RussW wrote:
Popped and poured. Initially this offered up some funk but in a good way as it complimented the nose and fruit rather than overpowering it. If you are funk adverse no worries as it blew off quickly with air. Wonderful nose of blackberry, white pepper and the most amazing floral note that reminded me of a mixture of violets and gardenia. The palate is perfectly balanced with blackberry, white pepper and some gamey notes that leads to a long spicey blackberry finish with uplifting acidity and the slightest kiss of chocolate. The tannins are fully integrated. This drank significantly better as it warmed in the glass. This is drinking great and certainly one of the better CA syrahs I have had. I still believe that when grown in the correct location and produced by the right winemaker, syrah is CA's best grape.
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2/11/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 89 Points
this tasted like a pinot to me! isn't that backward? :-) i took some shit for it,too. ok, i'll give it some typicity, but once again, keeping with the trend of the evening, i enjoyed this less than a previous bottle. ugh. i can't remember if we decanted this which could have effected comparative performance.
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2/11/2008 - kstoddard wrote:
Blueberry, black pepper, blackberry and charred oak. Extracted and rich. Full bodied. Fruit forward style with surprisingly good balance and freshness from the acidity. Good mid palate depth and complexity. Long rich finish. 14.2% alcohol.
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2/9/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Raspberry and pepper dominate the nose; on the palate there is great balance with spice, beef blood, and blackberry. At a great stage right now, and will continue to improve over the next few years.s My first Rhys, and I will be looking for more of them...
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2/3/2008 - popquizkid wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for an hoiur
Deep, dark nose of blueberries and blackberries. Some oak sticks out and is a little too pronounced for my tastes but does not detract too much. A very round wine. Revisted it later in the night and it was fading a bit .
Not as enjoyable as my last bottle but still a pleasure to drink.
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1/19/2008 - NolesOnTop wrote:
Med. red. Smell is tight-slight cherry and pepper. Pepper is the dominant taste. Starts with cherry and finishes with black pepper.
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12/20/2007 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Plum, pepper and spices. Medium finish and concentrated. Should age for five plus years.
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11/14/2007 - fredb wrote:
Deep red color, nearly opaque. Nose of iron and gamey meat with juicy red fruit. Palate showed a cheesy character that covered some of the lush fruit and meat overtones. Possibly flawed?
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11/5/2007 - Cow Town wrote: 91 Points
Again, another delicious 2003 SC syrah from Rhys/Alesia. This one didn't seem as restrained or feminine as the last that I had, but came right out of the gates with a little earth, funk, black fruit, and good depth of flavor. I sensed a bit of heat on the finish, but all in all a good wine.
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10/1/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Decanted two hours -- simply love the wine! Very well crafted wine. Beautiful balance and harmony -- lovely and somewhat restrained nose of black fruits, earth, some funk and white pepper. Lovely long and smooth mouthfeel with none of the huge tannins of Pax or super extraction of Alban. Just a lovely wine that will match beautifully with a wide range of foods. Superb.
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9/28/2007 - BonnieM wrote:
Up until now I have not been bowled over by CA syrah. This time, following Jeff N.'s lead, I left the bottle with a friend who followed decanting instructions. Therefore, I was able to try it after a two hour airing and WOW, this was one nice wine!! Very smooth, no rough edges, deep fruit and a long finish. I will hold my second bottle in the hope it will eventually reach the "pop, pour, drink" stage that we enjoy on a Friday night gathering after work. I will have to share my allocation with the friends who shared the bottle. It was definitely a hit.
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9/21/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 91 Points
14.2% alcohol. decanted 2 hours. i thought this was a very tasty and interesting wine. there is some oak trying to ruin the party, and it's definitely going to be better with some time in the cellar, but the dark fruit laced with some minerals and displaying nice acidity is favorable. i would characterize it as medium bodied and elegant/ feminine. the tannins don't pucker the lips, but roll off the back of the tongue. i rather like the restrained profile that nevertheless has expressive fruit. it was structured enough to pair nicely with grilled swordfish. very nice and easily recommended.
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9/10/2007 - JScott wrote: 91 Points
Charcoal, smoke and blackberry undertones. Very floral and showy. Full.
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9/7/2007 - CMCLR wrote: 90 Points
Great balance.
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9/2/2007 - WetRock wrote:
On the tart and leaner side. This is my 2nd taste of this wine in the last month with basically the same result. Finish loaded with the tart juicy acidity I usually attribute to tartric acid additions. Nice wine but could use more expression on the entry and in the fruit.
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6/23/2007 - djb wrote: 92 Points
I was on the Rhys list for the Pinots, and only took one of these. (I don't generally go for New World Syrah.) Mistake! Thus far, my favorite of the lot. Very open, expressive note of boysenberry, pepper, vanilla, with floral notes and hint of meatiness. Excellent balance, and though the vanilla is somewhat prominent, traditional oak flavors are not. There's the slightest touch of heat on the finish, but this is fresher than most, and thoroughly delicious.
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6/21/2007 - wequedad wrote: 91 Points
Not an over oaked huge Cali syrah. A little oak on the palate along with smoky berry and vanilla ... and a hint of chocolate. Long finish. Nose of smoke. dusky berry and, again, vanilla.
This is a very nice Syrah and will be better in another year as the oak and tanins integrate with the smoke and berry tastes.
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6/12/2007 - JScott wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful perfume leaps out of the bottle, much of it repeating on the palate. Plush but still shapely. Plenty of fruit but far from a fruit bomb. Finish really echos. One of the better domestic Syrahs I've had. Don't recognize what's in my glass based on the other notes here. Only great bottles, I guess, but I'd buy this again.
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6/8/2007 - DFC wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted for 40 minutes. Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark ruby/magenta in color. On the nose, dark fruits, salami, and licorice. On the palate, blueberries, blackberries, chocolate, and vanilla on the very long 30-second finish. Decent structure and good acidity here, with nicely grippy tannins. Enjoyable SC Syrah, but only a fair QPR.
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5/23/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 89 Points
Not big styled syrah, medium bodied. First thing I noticed was the oak in this one. I think it would be much better with less as the fruit just doesnt hold up to it. Definately red fruit predominates. Somewhat tannic finish. A decent wine but probably not a buy at the price.
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5/12/2007 - NolesOnTop wrote:
Smoky bacon. Deep blueberries. Chocolate. Blackberries. Nice syrah profile.
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4/19/2007 - hudamang wrote: 87 Points
Nothing wrong with the bottle. It definitely opened up but had that funky syrah smell with some spices. Not really my favorite type of wine. Pretty well balanced but it wasn't very exciting. Certainly not at the price range. I definitely prefer the pinots much more.
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3/17/2007 - Cow Town wrote: 92 Points
You can tell this syrah was made by someone who also makes Pinot Noir. Delicate fruit in an earthy package that knows it is good -- and doesn't need to beat you over the head to show it.
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3/16/2007 - jlm wrote:
Decanted for about an hour. Sweet blackberry fruit developing some smokiness and intermittently showing some oaky-vanilla notes. The oak is a turn-off for me, but on the whole this is nice, if not very complex on the nose. The palate shows this to be a forward, fruity wine, though still with a fine, well integrated acidity which kept it medium bodied and silky in texture and not at all heavy or syrupy in weight. Nevertheless, did not have much going on apart from the fruit. Some pepper notes and firm tannin showing up on a mid-length finish. I would hold and let this develop more complexity, but it is just not really to my taste.
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3/2/2007 - Hillbilly wrote: 89 Points
Took a little while to open up and smooth out. Best with 1-2 hours of air time. just a touch of reduction at opening, but went away with air. Medium fruit with some spine. just did not ring my bell, though it is totally competent.
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2/22/2007 - jbaron wrote: 89 Points
A well made wine that didn't do it for me. Fruity in a coast-y sort of way (red spice, candied cherries, some earthy floraly things going on) but I found the wine to be, well, just sort of boring.
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2/17/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 90 Points
pull a bottle to decide on ordering more. initially underwhelming. some good spice, wet Stone minerality and red fruits but a little on the light side of my tastes. by day two it gained some weight and was very enjoyable. a touch more dark fruits. I'll probably order some and cellar for longer. (although I think I said that before)
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1/28/2007 - jwwinec wrote: 88 Points
Big, syrupy Syrahs are definately not my thing, and I don't think this is one if those. On the nose, I get a dusty, caramel notes with sweet dark fruits. This is quite elegant on the palate, with a core of sweet fruit, nice richness, and grippy tannins on the finish. It is a bit hollow on the mid-palate, and a little disjointed now. Yes, the fruit is sweet and perhaps a bit syrupy, but didn't seem out of balance or cloying to me (unlike so very many other new world wines). Saved a bit for the next day - it was thinner, a bit hot and more disjointed, less balanced. Hmm...
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1/16/2007 - Rick D wrote:
Strong steak of acidity and broad tannins. Unlike most CA Syrahs, this is not a fruit bomb... just pure nice fruit. Slightly disjointed. Needs time to integrate and shed tannins.
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1/16/2007 - Rick D wrote: flawed
Corked
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1/15/2007 - jbrekke wrote: 90 Points
Initially tasted like a pinot on steroids, then picked up more smoke/spice and typical syrah characteristics
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12/26/2006 - goofy Yno wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple. initial nose of cassias and boysenberries. a little thin at first, but it picked up weight with time. developed into a very nice wine, loads of boysenberry, raspberry, and smoky vanilla. also some spiciness. good feel but a touch on the acid side. nice fruity finish with just a touch of bitterness. will see how it evolves.
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12/21/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Second time with this wine. I cheated and opened a bottle last weak. This bottle showed a little more than the last one though, showing more of its tannic bones (which helped moderate the fat fruit) and a little kick of pepper. But it’s a very primary youthful fruit bomb. Tastes like cherry syrup stirred with milk chocolate and toast. If you have it, hold it. Unless that’s your thing.
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12/12/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Youthful fruit bomb. Tastes like syrupy red berries stirred with milk chocolate and toast. Finishes a little hot.
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12/9/2006 - ChillyWino wrote: 91 Points
Currant with plum, pepper and spice with a medium finish
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