This was excellent. Deep purply red in the glass, looks velvety. Nose nice tannic, polish, classic petite Syrah. Taste - smooth dark fruits, plum, black cherry, softer blueberry. Little bit of grip (tannat?). Very enjoyable.
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Bought 3b for 6/b from a local gourmet grocery chain about two months ago; this is #1. No decant. Dark purple; big ripe plum nose that follows on the palate plus some blackberry, oak, good mouthfeel; some persistence. More interesting than a "fruit bomb", but leaning that way. Hits delicious. Stored vertically (screwcap) in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is notable+ when considering quality, age, and price.
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Sat, 09/21/19, $2 Tasting (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 81% P.S., 16% Tannat, & 3% Teroldego "harvested between 9/21-10/2/17, with an ave Brix of 26.2. After fermenting on the skins for 6-9 days, the must was pressed & the resulting wine finished fermentation in s/s tanks. The wine then was aged 7 mos in a combination of new & used FR & AM oak. 13.5% ABV, 5.82 g/L T.A., & 3.58 pH;
N: RIPE, DUSTY bramble (poss blue) berries with notes of vanilla?
P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a bit of astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with almost an elegant tangy/swtness to the fairly innocuous, DUSTY tannins. For now, could improve for 6 mos or so, then drink into '23. My VG+/EXC-, & one can easily make an argument for the higher based upon QPR. 92 pts The Tasting Panel, Jan/Feb '19 Issue, 86 pts WE with a "Best Buy" @ $10, and the ff'ing '19 Contest results: Gold @ Critics Challenge, Silvers @ S.F. Chronicle, Int'l Womens, & CA State Fair, and Bronze @ Sunset Int'l. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive pricing.]
Note: Also tasted on 11/10/18 & 3/23/19
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Sat, 03/23/19, $2 Tasting (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 81% P.S., 16% Tannat, & 3% Teroldego "harvested between 9/21-10/2/17, with an ave Brix of 26.2. After fermenting on the skins for 6-9 days, the must was pressed & the resulting wine finished fermentation in s/s tanks. The wine then was aged 7 mos in a combination of new & used FR & AM oak. 13.5% ABV, 5.82 g/L T.A., & 3.58 pH;
N: Init SMOKE with bacon fat atop RIPE berries, though the smoke, etc., blows off over time
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S.?) met by some astringent pucker which quite resolves by the VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the DUSTY, yet fairly inoffensive tannins. For now (at least with food) & through '21 with 6 mos or so of improvement ahead. My VG+/EXC- in the style, the higher arguably for the QPR of this vendor's $7.95 which, as with past vintages, tops the wine-searcher competition. 92 pts The Tasting Panel, Jan/Feb '19 Issue, 86 pts WE with a "Best Buy" @ $10, and Silver @ the '19 S.F. Chronicle Int'l Wine Comp.
FYI, I've now tasted this wine 2x, & while it's not MY style, my VG to EXC- ranges mean I feel it's a SOLID 89 pt wine, not the "65" which is the one current score showing.
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Purple-black in color, this densely sumptuous red offers up a nose of blueberries and blue-foral tones. Chalky, teeth-gripping tannins work well with a mouth-watering array of ripe blue and black fruit. Dark chocolate and a streak of graphite lend gravitas as Tannat (16%) and Teroldego (3%) add body and color.
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N: RIPE berries with undertones of smoke &, at least init, a note I can't quite parse, though def grnish & almost pyrazine-like
P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S., I'd surmise) fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which, working within the context of the init "frt", evolves into a LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a swtness to the inoffensive, dusty tannins. Still coming together, NEEDS through '19, I'm guessing, then drinking for the ff 2 or 3 yrs. My VG/VG+ currently, though I might well go more down the line. [I did not currently see a competitor for this vendor's $7.95, though for previous vintages that HAS been wine-searcher's best price.]
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12/5/2020 - Cheesybee wrote: 90 Points
This was excellent. Deep purply red in the glass, looks velvety.
Nose nice tannic, polish, classic petite Syrah. Taste - smooth dark fruits, plum, black cherry, softer blueberry. Little bit of grip (tannat?). Very enjoyable.
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10/6/2020 - Gruffalius Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stunning qpr at $13. So smooth. Very popular with the group.
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4/26/2020 - CentreIce Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great Petite Shiraz! Some chocolate and black berry notes. Glad I have 2 more bottles of this vintage.
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12/11/2019 - Oenecnist wrote:
Bought 3b for 6/b from a local gourmet grocery chain about two months ago; this is #1. No decant. Dark purple; big ripe plum nose that follows on the palate plus some blackberry, oak, good mouthfeel; some persistence. More interesting than a "fruit bomb", but leaning that way. Hits delicious. Stored vertically (screwcap) in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is notable+ when considering quality, age, and price.
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9/21/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Sat, 09/21/19, $2 Tasting (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 81% P.S., 16% Tannat, & 3% Teroldego "harvested between 9/21-10/2/17, with an ave Brix of 26.2. After fermenting on the skins for 6-9 days, the must was pressed & the resulting wine finished fermentation in s/s tanks. The wine then was aged 7 mos in a combination of new & used FR & AM oak. 13.5% ABV, 5.82 g/L T.A., & 3.58 pH;
N: RIPE, DUSTY bramble (poss blue) berries with notes of vanilla?
P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by a bit of astringent pucker which pretty much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with almost an elegant tangy/swtness to the fairly innocuous, DUSTY tannins. For now, could improve for 6 mos or so, then drink into '23. My VG+/EXC-, & one can easily make an argument for the higher based upon QPR. 92 pts The Tasting Panel, Jan/Feb '19 Issue, 86 pts WE with a "Best Buy" @ $10, and the ff'ing '19 Contest results: Gold @ Critics Challenge, Silvers @ S.F. Chronicle, Int'l Womens, & CA State Fair, and Bronze @ Sunset Int'l. [Check with this vendor if interested in their competitive pricing.]
Note: Also tasted on 11/10/18 & 3/23/19
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5/7/2019 - roadhawk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Typical of the varietal, excellent wine for the price.
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3/23/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Sat, 03/23/19, $2 Tasting (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 81% P.S., 16% Tannat, & 3% Teroldego "harvested between 9/21-10/2/17, with an ave Brix of 26.2. After fermenting on the skins for 6-9 days, the must was pressed & the resulting wine finished fermentation in s/s tanks. The wine then was aged 7 mos in a combination of new & used FR & AM oak. 13.5% ABV, 5.82 g/L T.A., & 3.58 pH;
N: Init SMOKE with bacon fat atop RIPE berries, though the smoke, etc., blows off over time
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S.?) met by some astringent pucker which quite resolves by the VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the DUSTY, yet fairly inoffensive tannins. For now (at least with food) & through '21 with 6 mos or so of improvement ahead. My VG+/EXC- in the style, the higher arguably for the QPR of this vendor's $7.95 which, as with past vintages, tops the wine-searcher competition. 92 pts The Tasting Panel, Jan/Feb '19 Issue, 86 pts WE with a "Best Buy" @ $10, and Silver @ the '19 S.F. Chronicle Int'l Wine Comp.
FYI, I've now tasted this wine 2x, & while it's not MY style, my VG to EXC- ranges mean I feel it's a SOLID 89 pt wine, not the "65" which is the one current score showing.
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3/15/2019 - Polarlow wrote: 65 Points
Kat really liked this one. I thought it was a little bland and on the sweeter side.
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2/9/2019 - Localdin wrote:
Purple-black in color, this densely sumptuous red offers up a nose of blueberries and blue-foral tones. Chalky, teeth-gripping tannins work well with a mouth-watering array of ripe blue and black fruit. Dark chocolate and a streak of graphite lend gravitas as Tannat (16%) and Teroldego (3%) add body and color.
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11/10/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Sat, 11/10/18, $2 Tasting (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): [Spec sheet not yet avail on the winery's pg]
N: RIPE berries with undertones of smoke &, at least init, a note I can't quite parse, though def grnish & almost pyrazine-like
P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (threshold R.S., I'd surmise) fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which, working within the context of the init "frt", evolves into a LONG, very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a swtness to the inoffensive, dusty tannins. Still coming together, NEEDS through '19, I'm guessing, then drinking for the ff 2 or 3 yrs. My VG/VG+ currently, though I might well go more down the line. [I did not currently see a competitor for this vendor's $7.95, though for previous vintages that HAS been wine-searcher's best price.]
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