Alcohol as been tamed somewhat buy age. However, you might need to decant to allow for the super dark richness to come through. Superb Cal Syrah. We tasted this in Riedel Syrah stems.
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Inky purple. Cassis, milk chocolate, and a bit of smoke on the nose. Definitely not a big as I remember, but actually more the style of Syrah I enjoy now.
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This is a good cross between something from California with traditional northern Rhone characteristics - perhaps a new world wine made with a nod to old world?
This was my first taste of this wine in two+ years and I can tell that it is losing some of its charm. I will consider drinking the remainder in my cellar over the next two years.
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Adam's House; 7/3/2010-7/4/2010: Inky and dark. Plums and other dark fruit with a very subtle edge of pepper. Well balanced tannins and smooth acidity. Wonderful wine. (4+13+17+8)
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Dark red with slightly attenuated nose. Decanted for only an hour before drinking over a few more. Improved considerably but still somewhat hot. Tannins slightly too much oak in reasonably balance with air time. Chocholate, anise, with mild acidity. Reasonably good with food. Heat minimizes maximal enjoyment. A bit more cellar time might improve even futher.
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Got this one right! Decanted for 2 hours and poured back, then let sit uncorked for about two more hours. Massive structure! We started dinner with a 2006 Black Bart's Bounty and candied pear, prosciutto, mountain gorgonzola, rocket salad with honey balsamic dressing which was the perfect primer to this. Main courses were bresaola and spaghetti carbonara. The dark fruit and smoke flavors made a great dinner even better. I think it could improve over the next 3-4 years.
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(with baby back ribs): an incredible food wine; dark in color, with dark fruit/plum on the nose that carries through in the palate, along with some white pepper and and hint of green (olive?)
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You could mistake this for a really good, mature Cote Rotie if tasting blind! Very well balanced flavors, but not a lot of "structure." I think it may be in decline, because it wasn't as great as the others I've had. I did open an hour before drinking, where I popped and poured the others. Anyway, still delicious and I'm drinking the rest this year.
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First of a six pack. Need at least a two hour decant to smooth out and allow the complexity of this wine to emerge. Black olive, smooth smoke and black fruits dominate with a touch of pepper and spice. This is an excellent example of a big, bold California syrah with the proper amount of complexity to make this quite interesting. Would be outstanding with food.
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Les Granits and Black Bart; St. Joseph and Napa; paired tastings of marsanne and syrah (Our house): Black olive notes right off the bat, with campfire smoke and pepper, over a blackberry/cassis core. A mustard spice note was recognized by A. This was a quite generous and pure wine, very fruit-forward, but adding really distinctive characteristics to keep it interesting. The group was evenly split in their preferences for this or the Les Granits. My sense was that Black Bart was showing better tonight and ready to drink, while the Les Granits needs and will benefit from some time...
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Dense fruity nose, but no depth. Dense fruit with definite oaked spicing and astringency. Somewhat plummy with a bit of bright berry, but no finesse or interest. A poor wine.
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1/15/2021 - Scar510 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Loved it!! RH Laura bday dinner. Super smooth. Amazing.
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10/9/2020 - Scar510 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bonterra wine cellar night. Very good!! Great wine. Not to earthly, decanted for about an hr.
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7/4/2020 - Scar510 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very good! Loved it! Home.
Next day headache.
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5/8/2020 - Scar510 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Zoom tasting. Nice noise, dark fruit. Got better and better.
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12/28/2017 - redz wrote: 92 Points
I didn't get my Red Ryder rifle, but I got Black Bart for christmas(for christmas story fans). Really black color, gutsy, tasty syrah. decanted 3 hrs.
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6/22/2014 - BillStensrud wrote:
- Brick color with slow forming legs with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a long finish.
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4/27/2013 - AIB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Love. Too bad they keep upping the price as it is now beyond what it is worth for the new vintages.
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9/29/2012 - Pattirichard wrote: 91 Points
Excellent wine! Great nose, mouth, finish. Depth, layers, peppery, rich.
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4/27/2012 - Rickfd wrote: 93 Points
Alcohol as been tamed somewhat buy age. However, you might need to decant to allow for the super dark richness to come through. Superb Cal Syrah. We tasted this in Riedel Syrah stems.
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4/27/2012 - dfarley wrote: 89 Points
Inky purple. Cassis, milk chocolate, and a bit of smoke on the nose. Definitely not a big as I remember, but actually more the style of Syrah I enjoy now.
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4/16/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding aged syrah. Balanced, deep, lush wine with a lomg finish. It has an earthy quality amongst the dark fruit.
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12/10/2011 - elise wrote: 90 Points
This is a good cross between something from California with traditional northern Rhone characteristics - perhaps a new world wine made with a nod to old world?
This was my first taste of this wine in two+ years and I can tell that it is losing some of its charm. I will consider drinking the remainder in my cellar over the next two years.
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12/3/2011 - AIB wrote: 92 Points
Always love this wine. It never disappoints me!
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11/23/2011 - Red Loki wrote: 92 Points
Very dark - tons of black fruit.
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6/25/2011 - CasaHernandez wrote:
a much smoother syrah than I expected. Still delicious, but didn't have that huge pepper or fruit I remembered from the first time I tasted it.
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10/23/2010 - stantheman wrote: 91 Points
Excellent as always, but not showing as big as it had 1-2 years ago.
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7/3/2010 - gbm wrote: 92 Points
Adam's House; 7/3/2010-7/4/2010: Inky and dark. Plums and other dark fruit with a very subtle edge of pepper. Well balanced tannins and smooth acidity. Wonderful wine. (4+13+17+8)
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5/22/2010 - Fishboy wrote: 90 Points
Deep inky dark color with dark fruit, currant, spice and coffee notes. Even better on day two.
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2/4/2010 - bigdogflow wrote: 92 Points
Dark color. Tons of blackberry, currant with some pepper, spice and a super long finish. Absolutely enjoyable!!!
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12/11/2009 - kennyg wrote: 89 Points
Dark red with slightly attenuated nose. Decanted for only an hour before drinking over a few more. Improved considerably but still somewhat hot. Tannins slightly too much oak in reasonably balance with air time. Chocholate, anise, with mild acidity. Reasonably good with food. Heat minimizes maximal enjoyment. A bit more cellar time might improve even futher.
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11/22/2009 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 95 Points
Got this one right! Decanted for 2 hours and poured back, then let sit uncorked for about two more hours. Massive structure! We started dinner with a 2006 Black Bart's Bounty and candied pear, prosciutto, mountain gorgonzola, rocket salad with honey balsamic dressing which was the perfect primer to this. Main courses were bresaola and spaghetti carbonara. The dark fruit and smoke flavors made a great dinner even better. I think it could improve over the next 3-4 years.
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10/15/2009 - iamandyc wrote: 91 Points
Agree with the comments already posted. Dark, smooth, balanced, complex. Need to decant for alcohol to blow off. Looking forward to Day 2.
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9/6/2009 - bmmcneill wrote: 92 Points
Nice wine lots of dark fruit up front with pepper and spice notes. Taste is balanced with dark fruit flavors
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8/29/2009 - mellie wrote: 88 Points
initially very hot, so needed to be decanted for a while. after that, really nice silky mouth feel.
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8/22/2009 - dmania wrote: 93 Points
Very interesting. No need to hold too long. Dark. Pencil.
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3/1/2009 - tacman wrote: 92 Points
(with baby back ribs): an incredible food wine; dark in color, with dark fruit/plum on the nose that carries through in the palate, along with some white pepper and and hint of green (olive?)
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1/2/2009 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 93 Points
You could mistake this for a really good, mature Cote Rotie if tasting blind! Very well balanced flavors, but not a lot of "structure." I think it may be in decline, because it wasn't as great as the others I've had. I did open an hour before drinking, where I popped and poured the others. Anyway, still delicious and I'm drinking the rest this year.
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12/24/2008 - Red Loki wrote: 90 Points
Big, dark syrah. Very Californian in style.
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11/2/2008 - bmmcneill wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruits with chocolate and espresso notes, taste was big and bold, needs more time
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9/27/2008 - mmurry wrote: 92 Points
Napa vs. Sonoma (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had plum, berry, and pepper. The palate had berry, plum, leather, and a dirt and spice finish.
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9/27/2008 - orcharddude22 wrote: 92 Points
First of a six pack. Need at least a two hour decant to smooth out and allow the complexity of this wine to emerge. Black olive, smooth smoke and black fruits dominate with a touch of pepper and spice. This is an excellent example of a big, bold California syrah with the proper amount of complexity to make this quite interesting. Would be outstanding with food.
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8/13/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Bold, powerful and massively rich. Good spice, pepper and intrigue. Good stuff at $44.99.
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8/9/2008 - pgm wrote: 91 Points
Les Granits and Black Bart; St. Joseph and Napa; paired tastings of marsanne and syrah (Our house): Black olive notes right off the bat, with campfire smoke and pepper, over a blackberry/cassis core. A mustard spice note was recognized by A. This was a quite generous and pure wine, very fruit-forward, but adding really distinctive characteristics to keep it interesting.
The group was evenly split in their preferences for this or the Les Granits. My sense was that Black Bart was showing better tonight and ready to drink, while the Les Granits needs and will benefit from some time...
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8/1/2008 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 92 Points
Lots of pepper and fruit
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5/27/2008 - mike l. wrote: 88 Points
is parker high on crack? this is more mediocre than i wouldve ever guessed. oak for days and little in the way of character.
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5/16/2008 - EMichels wrote: 93 Points
Red Carpet Tasting: Brown sugar nose; Beautiful balance; Great secondary characteristics; Strawberry
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4/29/2008 - msu wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very nicely. Pleanty of fruit on the pallate, mainly blackberries, tart cherries. Nice peppery finish.
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11/2/2007 - EMichels wrote: 86 Points
Red Carpet Wine Tasting: Rather simple; Long; Good fruit nose
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5/10/2007 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Dense fruity nose, but no depth. Dense fruit with definite oaked spicing and astringency. Somewhat plummy with a bit of bright berry, but no finesse or interest. A poor wine.
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