Nose shows pure blueberries, black raspberry and black cherries. I also get a bit steamy meats, framboise and cardamom. Very interesting. Palate shows all those blue/black fruits qualities with very admirable balance, structure and finesse. I love the slight lushness I get tonight-- a real bonus. Mouth feel is full and pure with tannins nicely resolved. A pretty wine with some nice warm river stones, spring flowers and sarsaparilla. Acidity is spot on. Finish is long and true. I have always been a fan since my buddy Greg DP turned me onto this some years ago. When found (as this was) for $15, it really becomes a super QPR and that alone adds 2 points. :) What's not to love?
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Nose of violets and crushed river stones amongst some intense fresh blueberries. Palate is pure and focused with intense blueberries and black raspberries. There are hints of white pepper and kirsch with some new leather. Balance is near perfect with tannins a bit chewy, but pleasing. Acidity is perfect. Finish goes for minutes with the fresh notes of blue and black fruits remaining pure and in control. This really is an amazing wine for the price.
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I had to drink this because I now have more coming in. Its just as good as I remembered it. Nose I am getting chocolate and dark fruits. I popped and poured this one because I really liked the flavor on opening. As it opens in the glass I get a lot more fruit, so smooth and tasty
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Enjoyed this last bottle very much. Very solid wine all the way around. Tannins were well represented, though not over powering, and the fruit was very featured even through the tannins. Wish I had more of this.
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Upon opening, the cork bottom had a deep purple tinge and a smell of must and earth. At first pour, the beautiful deep garnet color of the wine reminded me of the forthcoming holidays. I poured a bit into my moderately priced Reidel Vivant red wine stems I just received as a gift and decanted the rest of the bottle. This Petite Syrah has long legs that hold on to the sides of the glass. The first sip was a bit tannic, but it settled down quite nicely with time in the decanter.
There was earth and fresh air on the nose. Berries, earth and smooth oak on the palate. The finish was neither too long nor short with a some spice and a dreamy warmth.
This wine just got better and better as time passed. I was surprised and pleased at the tendency of this wine to get slightly sweeter as it stood open to the air.
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This is a wonderful Syrah. It's a very thick, heavy wine with a dense texture that you really feel in your mouth as well as taste. It's hot (14.5%) but you really can't taste the heat - this is a very well balanced wine.
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I opened a bottle of this last night, and good god! Was this wine good!
I wasn't sure if this would need to decant or just breathe in the glass, so upon opening I poured a small amount into the glass, gave it a swirl and took a sip. Wow, tasty. I took a bigger drink. This was great! Screw decanting, I poured a full glass right there, and plugged the cork back in the bottle, because I didn't want this stuff changing one bit!
Firstly, the nose of this wine was very fruity. I even had my 13 year old sniff it and his comments were, "Just like wine. No, actually, it is fruity and a little acid-y". (Ok, so he's better at this already than I am). The aroma was not very strong, as in it did not waft out of the glass or linger in my nose, but it was very very pleasant.
The color, before I get to the taste was ruby on the edges, blending to a rather opaque purple. Even with only a small amount in the glass, it was mostly opaque when held to the light.
Now, the flavor: this is one my favorites wines I have ever tried. Quite fruity, but not sweet. Definitely tasting berries and plums in this one, with a creamy undercurrent. The finish nicely balances the fruity beginning with a slight acidity that leaves the whole experience feeling complete. Even with the long finish, I could not wait for the next drink.
As eager as I was for each next drink, I was still helping my 7 year old study spelling and Native Americans, so I did not blow through this like I would had I been drinking with friends. As the wine developed in the glass, the acidic finish tended to get stronger. Never to the point of being unpleasant, but not quite as balanced after 30 minutes as it was upon pouring. Fortunately, my re-corked bottle had maintained the original character, so a second glass was quickly enjoyed.
If I were to give this wine a number, I'd say 90. The original taste, for me, is definitely a 94 - 95, but the fact that it declined over the course of 30 minutes or so, brings it down a bit. Still a fabulous wine that I cannot wait to finish tonight. I am glad I ordered two sets, and wishing now that I had ordered a full case.
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9/21/2012 - King Cab wrote: 93 Points
Nose shows pure blueberries, black raspberry and black cherries. I also get a bit steamy meats, framboise and cardamom. Very interesting. Palate shows all those blue/black fruits qualities with very admirable balance, structure and finesse. I love the slight lushness I get tonight-- a real bonus. Mouth feel is full and pure with tannins nicely resolved. A pretty wine with some nice warm river stones, spring flowers and sarsaparilla. Acidity is spot on. Finish is long and true. I have always been a fan since my buddy Greg DP turned me onto this some years ago. When found (as this was) for $15, it really becomes a super QPR and that alone adds 2 points. :) What's not to love?
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4/29/2012 - rykk0007 wrote: 90 Points
4.5 years after my first bottle of this wine, still outstanding.
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1/16/2012 - King Cab wrote: 92 Points
Nose of violets and crushed river stones amongst some intense fresh blueberries. Palate is pure and focused with intense blueberries and black raspberries. There are hints of white pepper and kirsch with some new leather. Balance is near perfect with tannins a bit chewy, but pleasing. Acidity is perfect. Finish goes for minutes with the fresh notes of blue and black fruits remaining pure and in control. This really is an amazing wine for the price.
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6/12/2008 - yathink2 wrote: 90 Points
I had to drink this because I now have more coming in. Its just as good as I remembered it. Nose I am getting chocolate and dark fruits. I popped and poured this one because I really liked the flavor on opening. As it opens in the glass I get a lot more fruit, so smooth and tasty
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6/10/2008 - jwhite6114 wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed this last bottle very much. Very solid wine all the way around. Tannins were well represented, though not over powering, and the fruit was very featured even through the tannins. Wish I had more of this.
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12/15/2007 - jwhite6114 wrote: 87 Points
Not quite as blown away as the first time ... not sure what made it different, but the flavor was not as strong.
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12/8/2007 - conroo wrote: 91 Points
Upon opening, the cork bottom had a deep purple tinge and a smell of must and earth. At first pour, the beautiful deep garnet color of the wine reminded me of the forthcoming holidays. I poured a bit into my moderately priced Reidel Vivant red wine stems I just received as a gift and decanted the rest of the bottle. This Petite Syrah has long legs that hold on to the sides of the glass. The first sip was a bit tannic, but it settled down quite nicely with time in the decanter.
There was earth and fresh air on the nose. Berries, earth and smooth oak on the palate. The finish was neither too long nor short with a some spice and a dreamy warmth.
This wine just got better and better as time passed. I was surprised and pleased at the tendency of this wine to get slightly sweeter as it stood open to the air.
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11/4/2007 - rykk0007 wrote: 90 Points
This is a wonderful Syrah. It's a very thick, heavy wine with a dense texture that you really feel in your mouth as well as taste. It's hot (14.5%) but you really can't taste the heat - this is a very well balanced wine.
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11/1/2007 - jwhite6114 wrote: 90 Points
Holy Toledo, Batman!
I opened a bottle of this last night, and good god! Was this wine good!
I wasn't sure if this would need to decant or just breathe in the glass, so upon opening I poured a small amount into the glass, gave it a swirl and took a sip. Wow, tasty. I took a bigger drink. This was great! Screw decanting, I poured a full glass right there, and plugged the cork back in the bottle, because I didn't want this stuff changing one bit!
Firstly, the nose of this wine was very fruity. I even had my 13 year old sniff it and his comments were, "Just like wine. No, actually, it is fruity and a little acid-y". (Ok, so he's better at this already than I am). The aroma was not very strong, as in it did not waft out of the glass or linger in my nose, but it was very very pleasant.
The color, before I get to the taste was ruby on the edges, blending to a rather opaque purple. Even with only a small amount in the glass, it was mostly opaque when held to the light.
Now, the flavor: this is one my favorites wines I have ever tried. Quite fruity, but not sweet. Definitely tasting berries and plums in this one, with a creamy undercurrent. The finish nicely balances the fruity beginning with a slight acidity that leaves the whole experience feeling complete. Even with the long finish, I could not wait for the next drink.
As eager as I was for each next drink, I was still helping my 7 year old study spelling and Native Americans, so I did not blow through this like I would had I been drinking with friends. As the wine developed in the glass, the acidic finish tended to get stronger. Never to the point of being unpleasant, but not quite as balanced after 30 minutes as it was upon pouring. Fortunately, my re-corked bottle had maintained the original character, so a second glass was quickly enjoyed.
If I were to give this wine a number, I'd say 90. The original taste, for me, is definitely a 94 - 95, but the fact that it declined over the course of 30 minutes or so, brings it down a bit. Still a fabulous wine that I cannot wait to finish tonight. I am glad I ordered two sets, and wishing now that I had ordered a full case.
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