Tasted from the winelist at Italian Village Chicago. This was dark deep purple colored, full bodied with complex plum and blackberry fruits with notes of game, dark chocolate, spices and herbs, pepper and hints of cedar with a moderate tannin and acidic lingering finish. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/12/merry-christmas-frozen-and-gala-family.html
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Not quite as good as it was 5 years ago, but still very good. Huge nose, Lots of fruit, super smooth, just not enough 'umphf' to bring it to the next level.
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Tasty, but I agree with others that this may have been better younger, as the tannins are now quite soft. This opened up with a powerful fruit-forward nose (I was shocked it was a 2004) but a watery and weak palate. Gradually this integrated after an hour to a balanced wine. Dark fruit, vanilla, cocoa, earth, spice. Medium-bodied for a syrah, with smooth tannins. Me - 91, Wife - 92
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Opened Saturday night. Unbalanced emphasis on acidity; so we Vac-u-Vinned for Sunday. Opened and poured immediately: necrotic nose, stewed fruit. Fed it to the camellias.
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NOSE: lush, ripe fruits; noticeable medium-strong note of creamy oak; hints of smoke and rose petals.
BODY: significant amount of sediment present; full bodied
TASTE: 14.3% alc.; oak is the dominant flavor; soft mouthfeel; oak on the finish, too; medium to medium+ acidity; with air exposure, the oak lessened in intensity and the fruit came forward somewhat; now, good, but still bad QPR @ $50; hint of sweetness; for the big/soft/lush style, this is very good, but it fails to escape that style; for my preferences, this was probably better a couple years ago.
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Absolutely terrific. I'm glad I was able to hold off. This was some of the night. Many thanks to Bonny Hawley (formerly) of LSV for the John Duval signed bottle.
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Drank over two nights. Second night was better. First night it was disjointed with alcohol showing. Second night it softened and was more like the first bottle we had on release - but with more layers of flavor. It's a big wine that needs more time to evolve. I'm not sure where Wine Spectator gets it's drink by dates (they must assume their clientele don't have cellars). I'll hold our last one for at least 4 more years.
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Blueberry jam and vanilla on the nose. Palate of sweet fruit, oak, and meat. Mild tannin and acidity. Drinking well - it appears time has softened this wine a bit.
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Even though it's made by Australia's John Duval it's Washington fruit, so it's a big surprise that it's showing like a McLaren Vale wine with saturated blueberry fruit and an assertive malty malo-lactic flavor. I can drink it, but this isn't at all the kind of syrah I want and expect from WA.
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smoky meat and soy sauce on the nose, dark berries, espresso, plum sauce and beef jus palate, very well-made, smoothed out, low to medium acid, in a prime drinking spot right now, had with mushroom-garlic pizza, full of fruit and savoury flavor
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Initially decanted one hour. Big and aromatic with blackberry pie, dried fruits, creme caramel, mulling spices, and a crushed peppercorn that wasn't present in the previous tastings. Was dumb and a little hot on the mid palette until at least the second hour, at which point it filled out beautifully. Lush and dense with solid grip from the silky oak tannins. Really singing by day three. Yum!
These can be held for 3+ years or enjoyed today with several hours of coaxing.
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Brought to dinner at Laurelhurst Market in Portland, and paired with a great hanger steak, medium-rare. Sommelier decanted for 30 min. Big fruit chock full of blackberries, some black pepper, although much less than I have experienced in the past with this vintage. Vanilla on the finish, no woody notes at all. Just a touch of earthiness too. Enjoyed by all at the table.
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Fantastic. Decanted one hour. Funk and meaty notes with huge aromas of blueberry pie, clove cigarettes, molasses, creme caramel, and mulling spices. Lush across the palette but with solid grip from the mouth-filling oak tannins. Has held roughly the same level as the bottle I had a year ago.
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Had a bottle in a restaurant; the last one, we were told. Decanted, but with little time to breathe. No matter. The nose was dense, fruity and had a whiff of honey that did not stick around. The acid, tannin, fruit and savory flavors were in perfect balance. Great with spinach salad with duck and a main of venison with mushrooms.
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Drank for NYE. Great wine, lots of funk going on...meaty, earthy, peppery...with tons of blackberry fruit underneath. Nice finish showing a touch of vanilla.
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Outstanding bottle of Syrah that has life left in it. This took a good 30-45 minutes to really open up; once it did, it was smoky, with blueberry syrup. My first Sequal and I am impressed.
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WOW. First time opening a Sequel, so my only expectation was from cellar tracker. This lived up to all my expectations. The first taste after popping the cork, the nose was a little muted, some fruit with a healthy acid backbone. After 30 minutes in the glass, this wine started coming together, went well with stuffed mushrooms and lobster raviolis. After an hour in the glass this syrah was rocking. It was smooth, round velvety feel with a great med-long finish. The nose after the hour had dark chocolate raspberries, some earthy dust, some smokey oak, and the typical syrah spice. The acid, tannins, and fruit were in perfect harmony. I noticed the fruit started to fade after 3 hours but it was fantastic to the last drop.
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Friends brought this over to have with beef stew on 5/1/11. It had a rich, powerful bouquet of roasted meat, blackberry, plum, blueberry, cocoa and spice aromas. The palate was extremely smooth and soft with flavors of plum, blackberry, blueberry, spice and cocoa. 91+
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gets better every time I try it...a long decant is surely the key...roasted meat and pepper when first opened, this can feel a little rough. 2-3 hours later, blackberry, plum and sweet spices come to the forefront...without losing earlier flavors. Very strong effort.
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Either this is a "love it or hate it" wine, or there's some form of bottle variation at play, based on a quick review of the notes below. In any event, I really enjoy this bottle. Blue fruits dominate the nose, with oak, spice and brown sugar in supporting roles. On the palate, thick without being cloying, and a very lush mouthfeel. Very long finish. The two wines that evoked (from memory) a similar overall impression were the '04 Lillian and the '05 Poonawatta Estate.
This is very different than my last outing with the '03 Sequel, which was quite harsh and disjointed on the backend. That vintage also seemed to vary a bit from bottle to bottle. As I look back on my scores and comments for the '03, there's not a lot of consistency from bottle to bottle.
Update: after 3 hours, this kind of falls apart. Fruit diminished, and the oak turns into kind of a cardboard vanilla. Probably 89-91 points after the turn.....
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Better than the last bottle...it really still needs 3 hours of decant to show itself propoerly. Good earth and spice from the start, but the blackberry/cherry flavors do not bloom until much later (hense the decant). Still has years in front of it.
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Hedonistic, yes. A little oaky, yes. But that said, this is really tough not to like. For all of the hedonism, there is also some depth and complexity and solid aromatics. This is blueberry/blackberry pie along with perfumed blackberry liquer, a bit of caramel, some cedar notes and some nice cinnamon and other spices. Velvet texture as well. This is not usually my style, but this walks the line well and is really good. Ripe, but fairly dry. 91+, some upside (93?) if the oak integrates and secondary complexities develop. Drink now for opulence or wait 2-4 years. You won't confuse this with a Cayuse.
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After really enjoying the previous bottle, this one was similar to the first one we drank in early 2008: big, monolithic, oaky, bitter finish. Very disappointing. Horrible QPR for our tastes.
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Nose of blueberry, black pepper, and blackberry. Taste of latte, blackberry and the aforementioned blueberry. A big wine but in perfect balance-nice intensity from beginning to the it’s( long) finish. Love the underling earthiness-a true WA terroir expression!
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Powerful dark aromas of blueberry and cappuccino worried me a bit... On the palate though, this was quite balanced; lush but without any gloppiness. The flavor profile married to the wine's weight with terrific harmony throughout the midpalate. A bit gritty in texture toward the finish, with notes of black dirt and smoke competing against a rising almost citrus acidity.
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Lots of funk on the nose, earth and spice. taste was somewhat subduded in comparision, but good blueberry and cherry flavors. This might have benifited from a good 3-4 hour decant.
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It was interesting reading my tasting notes from 2 years ago when last I tasted this wine. The oak has mellowed out quite a bit and has evolved into what I can best describe as a vanilla latte aroma. Blueberry fruit but a bit subdued. It's a very will balanced wine with great structure and a long finish.
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Pop & pour, and enjoyed with mushroom risotto. Absolutely delicious! Big smokey blackberry fruit, loads of pepper, and seriously structured. This wine has it all. One of my all-time favorites!
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Inky black. Spicy, with plenty of pepper notes. Big and juicy, but I wouldn't describe this as a fruit bomb. Nicely balanced, was fairly consistent over 3 hour drinking period. Not particularly exciting or memorable, and not a great value at ~$50/ bottle.
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Very non descript after 1 hour decant. Thought this might be the one Wash State Syrah i could appreciate, but alas it's no match to the John Duval Entity from 04.
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Last year popped and poured, and we loved it(92). Last night tried the same, and it didn't work. It was drinkable, but undistinctive. Bottle variation, or a dumb period??? (Had just previously transferred to my Cave from the Floor.)
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I have not opened a bottle for over a year. Poured into a Riedel glass. First impression carried some forward fruit on the nose. Sipped the wine until an ounce was left. Became busy for an hour and returned to the glass. Wham-bam a wonderous, haunting perfume filled the nose. Dark coffee mixed with ( I really worked hard on this to get it right) cinnamon bun with the white frosting smell all coupled with a hint of dark chocolate. Da@@ the nose is one of the best I have ever smelled. The nose only comes out in small servings. Gone is any hint of forward fruit. The taste features the same as the nose with a nice complex, plush, lingering finish. I noticed using the wine searcher this still can be bought and five bucks cheaper with the first offering than what I paid in Washington state. I am getting more.
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Took an hour or so to open up and integrate the new oak. Nice nose of currants, black cherry, spice, forest floor. Palate with a fine structured backbone, showing currants, plum, mocha and a little spice. Lengthy finish, just a touch of heat, of earth and mocha, with a little wood mixed in. A nicely structured well made syrah that has great density and concentration without being over extracted.
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Very nice wine. Lot's of dark fruit and some oak, not too much though. Elegantly spiced and structured. Didn't decant, and now I wish I had. Held up well as the evening went along to be sure.
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Not a very good showing from a wine that I used to really enjoy. The nose had plum and currant aromas. None of the sweet fruit flavors I remembered from a tasting right after release were there. The palate was also very simple with dark fruits and a peppery note. The finish was also fairly short. I think that the Mollydooker COL and Kosta Browne Amber Ridge Syrah that we drank next to this didn't help my impression. It just didn't stack up very well next to them. I have one bottle left, and I think I'll sit on it for a while just to see if anything develops. I'd rather take that chance than drink it if it's going to taste like this again.
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Dark red. Lots of blueberry and black pepper at first. Later black olives and bacon. Not as sweet as some of the other wines this evening. I thought it showed a bit like a Northern Rhone from a hot vintage. Still a bit sweeter then a French Syrah. I decanted this one for an hour at home and then poured it back in the bottle. Some sediment left in the bottle. I loved this wine.
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WineFanatic Washington Offline (Vancouver, BC): Tasted blind - Medium to deep ruby, clear throughout. Nose of dark chocolate and darker fruits. Flavours of dark fruits and underlying earthy notes. Medium to full body, medium tannin, medium to high acidity, medium finish that gives some slight heat. I think a few more years and this will be even better. Drink or hold. Excellent. 90+
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An excellent bottle of Syrah! Needed some time in the decanter to open up fully, but once it did, WOW! Reminded me more of a big Aussie Shiraz, than Washington Syrah, but not over the top or a fruit bomb. Some definite oak, earth, and tobacco with the black plums and cherries. One of the best wines I've had this year!
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3rd Annual Wine Tasting Party (Our house): Third wine poured during our wine tasting. This was much better than the bottle we drank in March '08. Great nose, wonderful on the palate and a nice finish. My only knock against it is that I felt the oak was still a bit too strong. Very impressive effort. Wine of the night for a couple of people.
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(Rosendale's) Lots of aromatics on the nose, borderline Vaporub but holding the line enough. Broad on the palate, more of the aromatics, dark fruits, a candied streak. Structure narrowed on the finish and grew more precise with time. Developed into a fairly round wine, lots of fruit and slight meat note. Not a subtle wine and more spoofy than my usual want, but also scratched the itch I had that night.
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I picked up a few bottles of this and decided, despite its probable youth, that I should give it a sniff and taste. This is very impressive bottle of syrah. I already knew how capable the hands that made it were and my few experiences with Washington syrah had been positive. The nose is very complex although slightly reduced at this stage. Slightly stinky but lots going on. A mixture of asphalt, blue fruits and little bit of tomato. At first the acid was too much at the fore but then everything started to balance. Once we had food the really smoothed out. Despite the viscous mouth feel the wine worked really well with food. Everything became more pure. It will be many years before I revisit this. Lots of concentration mixed with medium tannin and fairly high acid. I heavy but not flabby wine.
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Opened the first bottle of the three bottle set which was among first purchases from Long Shadows. Don't know what to think as we were rather underwhelmed and did not have the great experience as other reviewers. First day it felt really tight and had a certain bitterness in mid-palate and finish. Could be more appealing to people who like dark chocolate. We drank the bottle over 4 days and it definitely mellowed over time but never delivered anything close to a wow experience. Will wait another year before trying the next bottle and hopefully will get much better. No score.
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CSCA: Dark brilliant purple; Wow! grt nose of blueberry, ripe pure blackberry, cranberry, smoke--very complex frt driven wine; mth was vibrant, tons of a’s in a rich but smooth and lithe body; long ass fin, really grt structure, fruit--very nice.
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Blueberry, spices and pencil shavings are the keywords for this well balanced Syrah. The oak is a bit aggressive at first but as it evolves in the glass it integrates into the wine nicely. I would decant it more the next time or just let it evolve in the cellar for a bit.
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Aired 2.25 hrs. Try 4 hrs. next time. The nose has bright red fuits mixed with dirt. The nose is very good with burnt earth, spices, minerals. On the palate it has superb concentration and finish with good acidity, smoothness and a fat mouthfeel. A bit tighter than other Washington 2004 syrahs. It seems to have shut down a bit, and lacks a bit of complexity.
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A tremendous effort from Long Shadows and John Duvall, this Washington State Syrah ought to give SQN and Alban a run for their money. A delicate, multilayered nose of white pepper, black cherry, the right amount of oak and asian spices. The fruit is so pure and well grapey actually, and the tannins are in perfect harmony with the alcohol and fruit. Not a blockbuster by any means. but an elegant food friendly syrah. Although John Duvall hails from down under where he made Grange for Penfolds among other great wines for many years, this is by no means an Aussie fruit bomb. With alcohol of 14.3, it does not need gobs of fruit to mask the heat. A solid effort and my Syrah of choice from the US now.
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Yum. The nose jumps out of the glass, smoke, ripe deep red fruits, roasted meats - this nose is more complex than the '03. On the palate the texture is amazing, great acidity, great depth, nice richness, but richness of smoked meats and black fruits. Overall this wine is one I could enjoy daily, no doubt. These notes are from a bottle open for 5 days believe it or not.
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A bit overextracted and lacking any true complexity. Thick black rim and a little hot on the nose, though the alcohol was only 14.3%, it tasted like a bit more. The fruit was big with flavors of blackberry jam, chocolate and expresso. Was hoping for more from this bottle but still somewhat enjoyable.
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This is my first try of any Long Shadows wines and this is pretty impressive. Definitley a savory style of Syrah. Not at all over the top. Great balance.
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This bottle was a real surprise and treat! Excellent fruit and balance..loads of blackberry and casais. very seductive wine velvety mouthfeel, really showed off what a great winemaker can do.. Stood up surprislingly well to a great flight which included the 1999 Jim Barry Armargh, 1995 Penfolds Grange and the 2001 Two hands Lillys Garden. If you can find this wine it is well worth the hunt.
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Very aromatic of spicy fruit and oak. Oak dominates at first on the palate, with the peppery fruit coming on as secondary. Not a big or sappy wine by any means, but very enjoyable. Not a good value at $55, but fans of luscious American syrahs will like this. For the same money, I'd rather roll the dice on Cote Rotie. A nice effort from this freeze year. While I've not drunk too much from '04, this shows promise for the vintage.
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Nose of vanilla, brown sugar, and some cedar. Nice dark fruit flavors and a decent mouthfeel and finish. Of the Long Shadows wines, we like the Saggi and Feather slightly more than the Sequel.
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88;91. Very nice looking wine. Nose is rich and soft with chocolate, plums and a touch of alcohol. Soft entry. Wine is soft with no hard edges but still well balanced for such a young wine. Palate has some spicy notes but mostly very soft, dark and powdery with licorice, vanilla and plums. Lively good finish. Vey long, pleasant aftertaste, soft and with a very sweet note of creme brulee(!?). Very enjoyable wine but a bit unusual. Delicious but not really like a serious wine.
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5/19/2024 - specialk29 wrote:
Beautiful dark fruit. Balanced.
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5/19/2024 - specialk29 wrote:
Beautiful, balanced. Dark fruit notes.
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1/21/2023 - SnobNouveau Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark fruit, some funk, moderate lenght, plum, low sugar, drink now.
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4/16/2022 - SnobNouveau Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well integrated, still holding up. Drink soon.
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12/24/2021 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted from the winelist at Italian Village Chicago.
This was dark deep purple colored, full bodied with complex plum and blackberry fruits with notes of game, dark chocolate, spices and herbs, pepper and hints of cedar with a moderate tannin and acidic lingering finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/12/merry-christmas-frozen-and-gala-family.html
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6/30/2019 - wine4ever wrote: 88 Points
Not quite as good as it was 5 years ago, but still very good. Huge nose, Lots of fruit, super smooth, just not enough 'umphf' to bring it to the next level.
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1/29/2018 - egroves Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still drinking well, but won't improve. Must be consumed over the next 2 years
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4/12/2017 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasty, but I agree with others that this may have been better younger, as the tannins are now quite soft.
This opened up with a powerful fruit-forward nose (I was shocked it was a 2004) but a watery and weak palate. Gradually this integrated after an hour to a balanced wine.
Dark fruit, vanilla, cocoa, earth, spice. Medium-bodied for a syrah, with smooth tannins.
Me - 91, Wife - 92
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8/8/2016 - Neecies Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Opened Saturday night. Unbalanced emphasis on acidity; so we Vac-u-Vinned for Sunday. Opened and poured immediately: necrotic nose, stewed fruit. Fed it to the camellias.
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3/17/2016 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted immediately before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind --
NOSE: lush, ripe fruits; noticeable medium-strong note of creamy oak; hints of smoke and rose petals.
BODY: significant amount of sediment present; full bodied
TASTE: 14.3% alc.; oak is the dominant flavor; soft mouthfeel; oak on the finish, too; medium to medium+ acidity; with air exposure, the oak lessened in intensity and the fruit came forward somewhat; now, good, but still bad QPR @ $50; hint of sweetness; for the big/soft/lush style, this is very good, but it fails to escape that style; for my preferences, this was probably better a couple years ago.
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6/13/2015 - jrglm wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely terrific. I'm glad I was able to hold off. This was some of the night. Many thanks to Bonny Hawley (formerly) of LSV for the John Duval signed bottle.
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8/20/2014 - wine4ever wrote: 90 Points
Drank over two nights. Second night was better. First night it was disjointed with alcohol showing. Second night it softened and was more like the first bottle we had on release - but with more layers of flavor. It's a big wine that needs more time to evolve. I'm not sure where Wine Spectator gets it's drink by dates (they must assume their clientele don't have cellars). I'll hold our last one for at least 4 more years.
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9/9/2013 - suarezd wrote: 89 Points
Blueberry jam and vanilla on the nose. Palate of sweet fruit, oak, and meat. Mild tannin and acidity. Drinking well - it appears time has softened this wine a bit.
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8/14/2013 - Neecies wrote: 88 Points
Even though it's made by Australia's John Duval it's Washington fruit, so it's a big surprise that it's showing like a McLaren Vale wine with saturated blueberry fruit and an assertive malty malo-lactic flavor. I can drink it, but this isn't at all the kind of syrah I want and expect from WA.
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5/18/2013 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very nice wine with BBQ.
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4/26/2013 - Laughs and Juice wrote: 68 Points
Chocolate milk shake, in a word: awful
Disappointed I own 2 more of these
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2/23/2013 - whits Likes this wine: 92 Points
smoky meat and soy sauce on the nose, dark berries, espresso, plum sauce and beef jus palate, very well-made, smoothed out, low to medium acid, in a prime drinking spot right now, had with mushroom-garlic pizza, full of fruit and savoury flavor
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1/21/2013 - overhill wrote: 92 Points
Initially decanted one hour. Big and aromatic with blackberry pie, dried fruits, creme caramel, mulling spices, and a crushed peppercorn that wasn't present in the previous tastings. Was dumb and a little hot on the mid palette until at least the second hour, at which point it filled out beautifully. Lush and dense with solid grip from the silky oak tannins. Really singing by day three. Yum!
These can be held for 3+ years or enjoyed today with several hours of coaxing.
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11/9/2012 - RPerro wrote: 93 Points
Brought to dinner at Laurelhurst Market in Portland, and paired with a great hanger steak, medium-rare. Sommelier decanted for 30 min. Big fruit chock full of blackberries, some black pepper, although much less than I have experienced in the past with this vintage. Vanilla on the finish, no woody notes at all. Just a touch of earthiness too. Enjoyed by all at the table.
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10/9/2012 - Bakek wrote: 90 Points
Classic Walla Walla syrah. Dark fruit, lush mouthfeel, almost overwhelms with the fruit. Would like to see it a bit more balanced.
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10/5/2012 - arthrovine wrote: 91 Points
This is drinking really well now. overhill's tasting notes are spot-on. It did not hold up the next day. Gorgeous wine
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6/24/2012 - overhill wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic. Decanted one hour. Funk and meaty notes with huge aromas of blueberry pie, clove cigarettes, molasses, creme caramel, and mulling spices. Lush across the palette but with solid grip from the mouth-filling oak tannins. Has held roughly the same level as the bottle I had a year ago.
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3/30/2012 - drycab wrote:
This seems to be over the hill and on its way down...Quickly. Very different than my other bottles. I guess that's what 3 years will do!
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3/19/2012 - Wine Poor wrote: 93 Points
Went great with dry garlic ribs. White pepper nose. More Rhone than Aussie, nice balance of smoke and fruit. Great Syrah.
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3/14/2012 - Pedroel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had a bottle in a restaurant; the last one, we were told. Decanted, but with little time to breathe. No matter. The nose was dense, fruity and had a whiff of honey that did not stick around. The acid, tannin, fruit and savory flavors were in perfect balance. Great with spinach salad with duck and a main of venison with mushrooms.
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1/27/2012 - danielbleier wrote: 93 Points
consistent with notes of 04/18/2011
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1/1/2012 - RPerro wrote: 93 Points
Drank for NYE. Great wine, lots of funk going on...meaty, earthy, peppery...with tons of blackberry fruit underneath. Nice finish showing a touch of vanilla.
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12/17/2011 - DDS wine lover Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Syrah. Deep ruby color, full bodied, smooth. Good legs. Smooth aftertaste on the palate. A hint of mocha.
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8/9/2011 - caeleric wrote: flawed
corked
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8/6/2011 - MWes wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding bottle of Syrah that has life left in it. This took a good 30-45 minutes to really open up; once it did, it was smoky, with blueberry syrup. My first Sequal and I am impressed.
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6/9/2011 - ccotton8 Likes this wine: 93 Points
WOW. First time opening a Sequel, so my only expectation was from cellar tracker. This lived up to all my expectations. The first taste after popping the cork, the nose was a little muted, some fruit with a healthy acid backbone. After 30 minutes in the glass, this wine started coming together, went well with stuffed mushrooms and lobster raviolis. After an hour in the glass this syrah was rocking. It was smooth, round velvety feel with a great med-long finish.
The nose after the hour had dark chocolate raspberries, some earthy dust, some smokey oak, and the typical syrah spice. The acid, tannins, and fruit were in perfect harmony. I noticed the fruit started to fade after 3 hours but it was fantastic to the last drop.
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6/1/2011 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 87 Points
Bit much wood else plush, round, tangy syrah, decent
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5/1/2011 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
Friends brought this over to have with beef stew on 5/1/11. It had a rich, powerful bouquet of roasted meat, blackberry, plum, blueberry, cocoa and spice aromas. The palate was extremely smooth and soft with flavors of plum, blackberry, blueberry, spice and cocoa. 91+
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4/18/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 93 Points
gets better every time I try it...a long decant is surely the key...roasted meat and pepper when first opened, this can feel a little rough. 2-3 hours later, blackberry, plum and sweet spices come to the forefront...without losing earlier flavors. Very strong effort.
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2/22/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
Either this is a "love it or hate it" wine, or there's some form of bottle variation at play, based on a quick review of the notes below. In any event, I really enjoy this bottle. Blue fruits dominate the nose, with oak, spice and brown sugar in supporting roles. On the palate, thick without being cloying, and a very lush mouthfeel. Very long finish. The two wines that evoked (from memory) a similar overall impression were the '04 Lillian and the '05 Poonawatta Estate.
This is very different than my last outing with the '03 Sequel, which was quite harsh and disjointed on the backend. That vintage also seemed to vary a bit from bottle to bottle. As I look back on my scores and comments for the '03, there's not a lot of consistency from bottle to bottle.
Update: after 3 hours, this kind of falls apart. Fruit diminished, and the oak turns into kind of a cardboard vanilla. Probably 89-91 points after the turn.....
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1/5/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 92 Points
Better than the last bottle...it really still needs 3 hours of decant to show itself propoerly. Good earth and spice from the start, but the blackberry/cherry flavors do not bloom until much later (hense the decant). Still has years in front of it.
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1/2/2011 - winegr wrote: 91 Points
Hedonistic, yes. A little oaky, yes. But that said, this is really tough not to like. For all of the hedonism, there is also some depth and complexity and solid aromatics. This is blueberry/blackberry pie along with perfumed blackberry liquer, a bit of caramel, some cedar notes and some nice cinnamon and other spices. Velvet texture as well. This is not usually my style, but this walks the line well and is really good. Ripe, but fairly dry. 91+, some upside (93?) if the oak integrates and secondary complexities develop. Drink now for opulence or wait 2-4 years. You won't confuse this with a Cayuse.
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12/31/2010 - arthrovine wrote: 91 Points
Really good syrah. Took 2 hours of decanting to show itself. A bit oaky, however.
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12/28/2010 - Adonisd1956 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is aging beautifully. Nice dark fruits, plum, raisin on the palate. Great tannins, smooth, great finish.
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12/14/2010 - curtispomeroy wrote: 85 Points
After really enjoying the previous bottle, this one was similar to the first one we drank in early 2008: big, monolithic, oaky, bitter finish. Very disappointing. Horrible QPR for our tastes.
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11/21/2010 - Scottlmatthews wrote: 93 Points
Nose of blueberry, black pepper, and blackberry. Taste of latte, blackberry and the aforementioned blueberry. A big wine but in perfect balance-nice intensity from beginning to the it’s( long) finish. Love the underling earthiness-a true WA terroir expression!
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11/3/2010 - AdamWallstein wrote: 92 Points
Powerful dark aromas of blueberry and cappuccino worried me a bit... On the palate though, this was quite balanced; lush but without any gloppiness. The flavor profile married to the wine's weight with terrific harmony throughout the midpalate. A bit gritty in texture toward the finish, with notes of black dirt and smoke competing against a rising almost citrus acidity.
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10/22/2010 - danielbleier wrote: 90 Points
Lots of funk on the nose, earth and spice. taste was somewhat subduded in comparision, but good blueberry and cherry flavors. This might have benifited from a good 3-4 hour decant.
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10/22/2010 - KC Bloodlines Likes this wine:
Good stuff. Had the slightest reductive quality to it.....nevertheless, crisp, flavorful, aromatic and a great example of Washington Syrah.
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7/19/2010 - Mike Bates Likes this wine: 93 Points
It was interesting reading my tasting notes from 2 years ago when last I tasted this wine. The oak has mellowed out quite a bit and has evolved into what I can best describe as a vanilla latte aroma. Blueberry fruit but a bit subdued. It's a very will balanced wine with great structure and a long finish.
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7/4/2010 - goodvine wrote:
Yum
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7/3/2010 - RPerro wrote: 95 Points
Pop & pour, and enjoyed with mushroom risotto. Absolutely delicious! Big smokey blackberry fruit, loads of pepper, and seriously structured. This wine has it all. One of my all-time favorites!
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6/6/2010 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 89 Points
Inky black. Spicy, with plenty of pepper notes. Big and juicy, but I wouldn't describe this as a fruit bomb. Nicely balanced, was fairly consistent over 3 hour drinking period. Not particularly exciting or memorable, and not a great value at ~$50/ bottle.
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4/18/2010 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 87 Points
Very non descript after 1 hour decant. Thought this might be the one Wash State Syrah i could appreciate, but alas it's no match to the John Duval Entity from 04.
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4/5/2010 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
Last year popped and poured, and we loved it(92). Last night tried the same, and it didn't work. It was drinkable, but undistinctive. Bottle variation, or a dumb period??? (Had just previously transferred to my Cave from the Floor.)
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4/3/2010 - sithinfiltrator wrote: 94 Points
Had this with Bobby Flay spicy New York strips.
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3/1/2010 - kgh wrote: 92 Points
Dark, extracted color and vibrant aromas. Very balanced mix of fruit, spice, and tannin. Drinking very well.
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12/16/2009 - vintage1949 wrote: 93 Points
I have not opened a bottle for over a year. Poured into a Riedel glass. First impression carried some forward fruit on the nose. Sipped the wine until an ounce was left. Became busy for an hour and returned to the glass. Wham-bam a wonderous, haunting perfume filled the nose. Dark coffee mixed with ( I really worked hard on this to get it right) cinnamon bun with the white frosting smell all coupled with a hint of dark chocolate. Da@@ the nose is one of the best I have ever smelled. The nose only comes out in small servings. Gone is any hint of forward fruit. The taste features the same as the nose with a nice complex, plush, lingering finish. I noticed using the wine searcher this still can be bought and five bucks cheaper with the first offering than what
I paid in Washington state. I am getting more.
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11/3/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
Took an hour or so to open up and integrate the new oak. Nice nose of currants, black cherry, spice, forest floor. Palate with a fine structured backbone, showing currants, plum, mocha and a little spice. Lengthy finish, just a touch of heat, of earth and mocha, with a little wood mixed in. A nicely structured well made syrah that has great density and concentration without being over extracted.
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8/9/2009 - jrglm wrote: 90 Points
Very nice wine. Lot's of dark fruit and some oak, not too much though. Elegantly spiced and structured. Didn't decant, and now I wish I had. Held up well as the evening went along to be sure.
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5/30/2009 - drgrape wrote: 91 Points
Inky dark color. Cork was nearly black. Good balance and a great initial nose of fruit. The body did not seem to be as full as the color and nose.
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5/17/2009 - TannicBeast wrote: 93 Points
spicy herbal elegant balanced fruit and spice.
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5/11/2009 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Delicious, deft use of oak. Ellen loved it. We drank 3/4 night 1.
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2/28/2009 - last chance wrote: 87 Points
Not a very good showing from a wine that I used to really enjoy. The nose had plum and currant aromas. None of the sweet fruit flavors I remembered from a tasting right after release were there. The palate was also very simple with dark fruits and a peppery note. The finish was also fairly short. I think that the Mollydooker COL and Kosta Browne Amber Ridge Syrah that we drank next to this didn't help my impression. It just didn't stack up very well next to them. I have one bottle left, and I think I'll sit on it for a while just to see if anything develops. I'd rather take that chance than drink it if it's going to taste like this again.
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2/18/2009 - David J Cooper wrote:
Dark red. Lots of blueberry and black pepper at first. Later black olives and bacon. Not as sweet as some of the other wines this evening. I thought it showed a bit like a Northern Rhone from a hot vintage. Still a bit sweeter then a French Syrah. I decanted this one for an hour at home and then poured it back in the bottle. Some sediment left in the bottle. I loved this wine.
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2/17/2009 - godx wrote: 90 Points
WineFanatic Washington Offline (Vancouver, BC): Tasted blind - Medium to deep ruby, clear throughout. Nose of dark chocolate and darker fruits. Flavours of dark fruits and underlying earthy notes. Medium to full body, medium tannin, medium to high acidity, medium finish that gives some slight heat. I think a few more years and this will be even better. Drink or hold. Excellent. 90+
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2/14/2009 - RPerro wrote: 95 Points
An excellent bottle of Syrah! Needed some time in the decanter to open up fully, but once it did, WOW! Reminded me more of a big Aussie Shiraz, than Washington Syrah, but not over the top or a fruit bomb. Some definite oak, earth, and tobacco with the black plums and cherries. One of the best wines I've had this year!
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2/7/2009 - curtispomeroy wrote: 91 Points
3rd Annual Wine Tasting Party (Our house): Third wine poured during our wine tasting. This was much better than the bottle we drank in March '08. Great nose, wonderful on the palate and a nice finish. My only knock against it is that I felt the oak was still a bit too strong. Very impressive effort. Wine of the night for a couple of people.
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12/10/2008 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
(Rosendale's) Lots of aromatics on the nose, borderline Vaporub but holding the line enough. Broad on the palate, more of the aromatics, dark fruits, a candied streak. Structure narrowed on the finish and grew more precise with time. Developed into a fairly round wine, lots of fruit and slight meat note. Not a subtle wine and more spoofy than my usual want, but also scratched the itch I had that night.
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3/11/2008 - jasonh wrote: 93 Points
I picked up a few bottles of this and decided, despite its probable youth, that I should give it a sniff and taste. This is very impressive bottle of syrah. I already knew how capable the hands that made it were and my few experiences with Washington syrah had been positive. The nose is very complex although slightly reduced at this stage. Slightly stinky but lots going on. A mixture of asphalt, blue fruits and little bit of tomato. At first the acid was too much at the fore but then everything started to balance. Once we had food the really smoothed out. Despite the viscous mouth feel the wine worked really well with food. Everything became more pure. It will be many years before I revisit this. Lots of concentration mixed with medium tannin and fairly high acid. I heavy but not flabby wine.
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3/11/2008 - curtispomeroy wrote:
Opened the first bottle of the three bottle set which was among first purchases from Long Shadows. Don't know what to think as we were rather underwhelmed and did not have the great experience as other reviewers. First day it felt really tight and had a certain bitterness in mid-palate and finish. Could be more appealing to people who like dark chocolate. We drank the bottle over 4 days and it definitely mellowed over time but never delivered anything close to a wow experience. Will wait another year before trying the next bottle and hopefully will get much better. No score.
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3/7/2008 - mightykwan wrote: 94 Points
this was close to stunning. elegant yet concentrated, smooth as a baby's bottom. great focus and purity in the fruit, with a tremendous finish.
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3/5/2008 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
CSCA: Dark brilliant purple; Wow! grt nose of blueberry, ripe pure blackberry, cranberry, smoke--very complex frt driven wine; mth was vibrant, tons of a’s in a rich but smooth and lithe body; long ass fin, really grt structure, fruit--very nice.
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3/1/2008 - Mike Bates wrote: 93 Points
Blueberry, spices and pencil shavings are the keywords for this well balanced Syrah. The oak is a bit aggressive at first but as it evolves in the glass it integrates into the wine nicely. I would decant it more the next time or just let it evolve in the cellar for a bit.
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12/27/2007 - winedrool wrote: 94 Points
Aired 2.25 hrs. Try 4 hrs. next time. The nose has bright red fuits mixed with dirt. The nose is very good with burnt earth, spices, minerals. On the palate it has superb concentration and finish with good acidity, smoothness and a fat mouthfeel. A bit tighter than other Washington 2004 syrahs. It seems to have shut down a bit, and lacks a bit of complexity.
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11/18/2007 - N2Vin wrote: 94 Points
A tremendous effort from Long Shadows and John Duvall, this Washington State Syrah ought to give SQN and Alban a run for their money. A delicate, multilayered nose of white pepper, black cherry, the right amount of oak and asian spices. The fruit is so pure and well grapey actually, and the tannins are in perfect harmony with the alcohol and fruit. Not a blockbuster by any means. but an elegant food friendly syrah. Although John Duvall hails from down under where he made Grange for Penfolds among other great wines for many years, this is by no means an Aussie fruit bomb. With alcohol of 14.3, it does not need gobs of fruit to mask the heat. A solid effort and my Syrah of choice from the US now.
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10/9/2007 - CO CHRIS wrote: 93 Points
14.3% alcohol...
Yum. The nose jumps out of the glass, smoke, ripe deep red fruits, roasted meats - this nose is more complex than the '03.
On the palate the texture is amazing, great acidity, great depth, nice richness, but richness of smoked meats and black fruits.
Overall this wine is one I could enjoy daily, no doubt. These notes are from a bottle open for 5 days believe it or not.
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9/18/2007 - thenapalist wrote: 91 Points
A bit overextracted and lacking any true complexity. Thick black rim and a little hot on the nose, though the alcohol was only 14.3%, it tasted like a bit more. The fruit was big with flavors of blackberry jam, chocolate and expresso. Was hoping for more from this bottle but still somewhat enjoyable.
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9/15/2007 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 93 Points
This is my first try of any Long Shadows wines and this is pretty impressive. Definitley a savory style of Syrah. Not at all over the top. Great balance.
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5/9/2007 - SteveHoch wrote: 93 Points
This bottle was a real surprise and treat! Excellent fruit and balance..loads of blackberry and casais. very seductive wine velvety mouthfeel, really showed off what a great winemaker can do.. Stood up surprislingly well to a great flight which included the 1999 Jim Barry Armargh, 1995 Penfolds Grange and the 2001 Two hands Lillys Garden. If you can find this wine it is well worth the hunt.
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3/3/2007 - cdlater wrote:
Very aromatic of spicy fruit and oak. Oak dominates at first on the palate, with the peppery fruit coming on as secondary. Not a big or sappy wine by any means, but very enjoyable. Not a good value at $55, but fans of luscious American syrahs will like this. For the same money, I'd rather roll the dice on Cote Rotie. A nice effort from this freeze year. While I've not drunk too much from '04, this shows promise for the vintage.
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12/19/2006 - last chance wrote: 91 Points
Nose of vanilla, brown sugar, and some cedar. Nice dark fruit flavors and a decent mouthfeel and finish. Of the Long Shadows wines, we like the Saggi and Feather slightly more than the Sequel.
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12/8/2006 - phenricsson wrote: 94 Points
88;91. Very nice looking wine. Nose is rich and soft with chocolate, plums and a touch of alcohol. Soft entry. Wine is soft with no hard edges but still well balanced for such a young wine. Palate has some spicy notes but mostly very soft, dark and powdery with licorice, vanilla and plums. Lively good finish. Vey long, pleasant aftertaste, soft and with a very sweet note of creme brulee(!?). Very enjoyable wine but a bit unusual. Delicious but not really like a serious wine.
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