Opened this over lunch with a very close colleague at Chef Teo's.
Dark purple in colour. Was surprised how youthful and ready this wine was. Notes of raspberries, fruit jam, larvendar, blackcurrant, cassis, black coffee makes this a complex and satisfying wine to have with a wagyu steak.
Made with 50% Syrah, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the less than usual blend created a wonderful solution as compared to some of the mixtures out there.
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Man I love a Cab-Syrah blend... The nose is richly stewy and spicy like a black molé that’s been simmering for days. On the palate, subtle herbaceous and sour cranberry tones from the Cabernet dance atop bloody, leathery notes from the Syrah, almost as if the two grapes are aging at different rates in the bottle. I don’t mean to say that the wine is disjointed, as it is not only complex but also fairly harmonious for such a big bruiser. Probably a few years past its peak, but still a ton of fun - a really well made wine.
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Very interesting - my first real cab/syrah blend and tastes like it. Cassis/blackcurrant/bell pepper/coffee grounds from the Cabernet, and peppery smoked meat with something like warm prunes/figs from the syrah. I can see why people are saying the fruit is fading (it hides a bit behind the pyrazines and smoke), but there is plenty of dusty tannin and some acid left, so maybe it can go even longer. Very BBQ-esque with the meaty, bitter notes mixed with subtle dark fruit.
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Very pleasant. Lots of tannins still, but not too much. Fruit and dark berries dominate. Heavy sediment and very much unfiltered. Leave upright for at least a day before opening. Reminiscent of Bordeaux, but not quite. Interesting wine. Want more.
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Very dark. Inky. Nose is medium plus intense and has lots of black fruit. Some earthy and spicy notes. Palate is long and it is full bodied. Lots of dark fruit. Very well integrated tannins. Slight hint of burned wood. Ready now, but will keep well. Very good and pleasant. 3 = very good
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delicious dark, leather and tobacco nose, cotton candy on the lips, followed by deep cab flavors. Amazingly long, sweet finish. moderate tannics, should improve
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Carmine at the rim - dark fruits and menthol on the nose with a hint of tar. Full bodied, when initially opened it was very fruit forward on the palate with blue and dark fruits, after a couple of hours in the decanter it lost some puppy fat and the structure came more to the fore. A nice wine, but a trifle expensive.
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Dark red fruits a bit on ripe side with oak influences. Tannins integrated and acid present. Unfortunately a bit hallow and etoh our of balance with hot finish
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Decanted and drank over a couple of hours. Initially the flavours were a bit simple but it opened up with the exposure to air developing some more interest especially on the finish. A deep red colour. Not much on the nose. . There is some acidity to give it structure, with some red fruit and vanilla flavours, the tannins are smooth and well integrated making this easy to drink. The finish was initially a bit short but with time perked up a bit with spice and wood notes. Not a bad effort and at EUR14.50 reasonable value. Unlikely to get much better with age so enjoy them if you've got them !
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Cherry red fruits in the bouquet, with a lot of other evolved Syrah aromas - spice, tobacco and that almost meaty one. Flavor profile is nice contrast, with darker fruit and a touch of that southern hemisphere eucalyptus. Plenty of tannins. It also integrates the fairly high 14% alcohol easily
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Very dark, opaque. Initially closed, then slightly reductive and, finally, after 2 hours in the decanter, it really sang. Black coffee, dark chocolate, blackberries, liquorice and spices. Full-bodied, yet balanced with firm tannins, rich fruit, balancing acidity and a long aftertaste. The tell-tale South African animal, rubbery, loamy, whatever you call it, element, appears in the aftertaste, but in such an elegant manner that it rather adds in character than annoys. Excellent and characterful wine but needs serious aeration to express itself. An unusual blend of syrah (50%), cabenet sauvignon (46%) and petit verdot (4%), from a joint venture between 2 Bordeaulais and a South African producer.
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Inky black. No light shining through this wine! Lots of dark fruits and bramble, all framed by wonderful acidity.
It had that noticeable South African Curad bandage flavor, that has to be an influence of the soil. So long I thought it was just the Pinotage grape, but I find this in most all South African reds (including this Syrah/Cab blend). It will either grow on you or turn you off. I find it distinctive and enjoyable.
This drank nicely over several days (using a Vacvin). Glad to have many bottles remaining, as this should drink well through at least 2018.
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Dark, dense and oaky. This has a dense coffee tone on both the nose and the palate that's unshakable. Expressive tones of mocha, charcoal and dark fruit on the palate round out this unforgiving wine.
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Tasting at Chateau Gallo (Chateau Gallo): Deep inky purple in the glass. Concentrated nose of dark blue fruits, cassis, black cherries, bandaid, game, pepper, cedar green tobacco and green peppers. Echoed on the palate with a long, sweet finish. Significant tannic structure here, with a good dose of acidity that balances the sweetness on the palate.
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Dark, dark color. Heavy dark fruit nose. Aroma of blackberry, smoke, burnt wood. Delicious flavor of dark berries, vanilla, and cedar. A little bit of pepper and prunes. Nice tannins, but not bitter at all. Enjoyable, big wine.
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PnP. Inky, dense, almost black. Black fruits with touch of blue/red on nose. Also some reduced burnt tire, pepper and smokey meat. Weighty palate with some balancing structure, mostly quite edgy/firm tannins. Not complex and certainly no finesse or elegance. Fruit feels rich and layered (quite nice). This might develop further with some age, but I'm not a student of this style so don't hold me to this prediction.
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Noticeably pruney after 30 minute decant; much better after 3 hours but still seemed very mature in spite of its young age. I found this much better 12-18 months ago. Drink now.
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Very enjoyable--fruit is present but takes a back seat to the cedar, tea, and leather. a nice style & nicely made--good with food as it doesnt overwhelm. will be interesting to see this develop over the next few years
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Dense and purplish. Nose of leather and tobacco layered on blue and black fruits and tea. Round and full body consistent with the nose and with some meaty character as well. Very enjoyable drinking.
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The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Cedar, Medium Toast, Black currant (cassis), and Walnut. It tastes like Blueberry, Black Pepper, Meaty, Tea, Basil, Cedar, Forest floor, and Plum. The body is Medium/Full. The wine is textured Juicy. The wine finishes Medium.
Just a fabulous wine, with easily another 5 - 7 years (or more) of enjoyable consumption ahead. Quite fruit forward now, but in a balanced sort of way. The fairly smooth tannins leave a wonderful coating of blueberries and blackberries in your mouth and on your teeth. Yummy!!! A great deal @ Empire Wine, with free shipping.
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year ago, when i opened this wine for the first time i was quite sceptical. I have to say that this scepticism is gone now. i has developed into a round, mouthfilling stuff with very long finish. Great nose as well. Syrah prevails. I fully agree with other reviwers that further time in the bottle will definitely improve it. Yet it is already very good stuff
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4hr decant in med-base @60F. COLOR- completely opaque, dark bark. NOSE- perfume of crushed flowers (violet, rose), jasmine tea, black raspberry juice, loganberry jam with an asafetida funkiness to it, and roasting jalapenos. Even though this was decanting 4-hours, I observe it changing with time in the glass, swirling, from sniff-to-sniff; opening-up on the nose. PALATE- total fruit, sweet then sour fruit, on the front palate; young, tending to elegant mid-palate with a nice chocolate milk weight that turns red-fruit juicy with mid-mouth aeration; the finish is dry but with a semi-sweet pucker to it (tannins of a serious structure) while the roasting jalapenos and Indian spices reign through a serious, medium length conclusion.
I've followed this wine from it's '05 inception 'till now three vintages later. I've watched the quality level, which started Grand Cru, creep up year-to-year. Is this young (even with 4-hr decant), oh sure, yes it is. Yet while it's not a better wine today than the '05 or '06, it has the quality and fruit caliber to exceed it's predecessors. This is a stellar effort that will improve to 93+ with 3-5 years and has the backbone to last 10-15 I bet.
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South Africa: aromatic bright red raspberry fruit. classic structure. chocolate, espresso and big fruit across the palate. oak and acid for the long haul, but it's approachable now too.
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Really young...the fruity, viscous nose gives way to a more classic combination of black currant/blackberry/coffee with a bit of tobacco and a bit more oak Not drinking quite as well right out of the bottle as the '06, but I'm glad I have a few more bottles.
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Really enjoyed the 2006 vintage of this wine, so was excited to get my first taste of the 2007. Immediately, I get the sense that I'm tasting this FAR too early. That being said, it's still tasting quite well. Dark, dark, dark color - oneo of the blackest wines I've ever come across. Nose is full of tar, plums and sour cherries. There are some blueberries mixed in as well. Very complex wine from start to finish. Great mouthfeel - silky smooth. The wine starts off strong with cassis, cherry, and a dusty tar taste. The end is a massive tannic explosion. Huge backend to this wine and quite dry at this stage. Could see this wine easily cellaring for 7-10 years. Very nice potential here.
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8/12/2021 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Opened this over lunch with a very close colleague at Chef Teo's.
Dark purple in colour. Was surprised how youthful and ready this wine was. Notes of raspberries, fruit jam, larvendar, blackcurrant, cassis, black coffee makes this a complex and satisfying wine to have with a wagyu steak.
Made with 50% Syrah, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the less than usual blend created a wonderful solution as compared to some of the mixtures out there.
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5/18/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Man I love a Cab-Syrah blend... The nose is richly stewy and spicy like a black molé that’s been simmering for days. On the palate, subtle herbaceous and sour cranberry tones from the Cabernet dance atop bloody, leathery notes from the Syrah, almost as if the two grapes are aging at different rates in the bottle. I don’t mean to say that the wine is disjointed, as it is not only complex but also fairly harmonious for such a big bruiser. Probably a few years past its peak, but still a ton of fun - a really well made wine.
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3/24/2019 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very interesting - my first real cab/syrah blend and tastes like it. Cassis/blackcurrant/bell pepper/coffee grounds from the Cabernet, and peppery smoked meat with something like warm prunes/figs from the syrah. I can see why people are saying the fruit is fading (it hides a bit behind the pyrazines and smoke), but there is plenty of dusty tannin and some acid left, so maybe it can go even longer. Very BBQ-esque with the meaty, bitter notes mixed with subtle dark fruit.
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5/3/2018 - Seb-HK wrote: 87 Points
Still a nice colour and body but not enough fruit left...should have been drunk 2 years ago
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3/26/2016 - denb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very pleasant. Lots of tannins still, but not too much. Fruit and dark berries dominate. Heavy sediment and very much unfiltered. Leave upright for at least a day before opening. Reminiscent of Bordeaux, but not quite. Interesting wine. Want more.
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10/12/2015 - Sjontoft wrote: 92 Points
Very dark. Inky.
Nose is medium plus intense and has lots of black fruit. Some earthy and spicy notes.
Palate is long and it is full bodied. Lots of dark fruit. Very well integrated tannins. Slight hint of burned wood.
Ready now, but will keep well.
Very good and pleasant.
3 = very good
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2/27/2015 - redz wrote: 92 Points
delicious dark, leather and tobacco nose, cotton candy on the lips, followed by deep cab flavors. Amazingly long, sweet finish. moderate tannics, should improve
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12/18/2014 - Jasper May wrote: 89 Points
Carmine at the rim - dark fruits and menthol on the nose with a hint of tar. Full bodied, when initially opened it was very fruit forward on the palate with blue and dark fruits, after a couple of hours in the decanter it lost some puppy fat and the structure came more to the fore. A nice wine, but a trifle expensive.
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5/10/2014 - jhemming wrote: 86 Points
Dark red fruits a bit on ripe side with oak influences. Tannins integrated and acid present. Unfortunately a bit hallow and etoh our of balance with hot finish
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11/15/2013 - Fat cat wrote: 87 Points
Decanted and drank over a couple of hours. Initially the flavours were a bit simple but it opened up with the exposure to air developing some more interest especially on the finish. A deep red colour. Not much on the nose. . There is some acidity to give it structure, with some red fruit and vanilla flavours, the tannins are smooth and well integrated making this easy to drink. The finish was initially a bit short but with time perked up a bit with spice and wood notes. Not a bad effort and at EUR14.50 reasonable value. Unlikely to get much better with age so enjoy them if you've got them !
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11/8/2013 - grizzlymarmot wrote:
Cherry red fruits in the bouquet, with a lot of other evolved Syrah aromas - spice, tobacco and that almost meaty one. Flavor profile is nice contrast, with darker fruit and a touch of that southern hemisphere eucalyptus. Plenty of tannins. It also integrates the fairly high 14% alcohol easily
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11/1/2013 - cartime wrote: 90 Points
Still fairly tannic, but I don't see this improving much as it lacks a bit of acidity. Cab predominates. A good steak wine.
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1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at NoVA offline last night. Heavy cedar nose. Licorice.
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1/26/2013 - ericindc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Another wine that was probably lost in the sea of wines at the offline.
Somewhat closed nose. Mellow black fruits, dusty tannins that were nicely integrated. Nice wine.
Tasted at the DC/NOVA offline
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1/26/2013 - grayfont wrote: 89 Points
January 2013 CT Northern Virginia Off-Line "The Inaugural" (AngryPrez's home, Falls Church VA): chalky and dry, this is a blend but the cabernet influence is very pronounced. Interesting but not a standout for me.
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12/11/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 93 Points
Very dark, opaque. Initially closed, then slightly reductive and, finally, after 2 hours in the decanter, it really sang. Black coffee, dark chocolate, blackberries, liquorice and spices. Full-bodied, yet balanced with firm tannins, rich fruit, balancing acidity and a long aftertaste. The tell-tale South African animal, rubbery, loamy, whatever you call it, element, appears in the aftertaste, but in such an elegant manner that it rather adds in character than annoys. Excellent and characterful wine but needs serious aeration to express itself. An unusual blend of syrah (50%), cabenet sauvignon (46%) and petit verdot (4%), from a joint venture between 2 Bordeaulais and a South African producer.
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11/29/2012 - CDStrombom Likes this wine: 93 Points
Inky black. No light shining through this wine! Lots of dark fruits and bramble, all framed by wonderful acidity.
It had that noticeable South African Curad bandage flavor, that has to be an influence of the soil. So long I thought it was just the Pinotage grape, but I find this in most all South African reds (including this Syrah/Cab blend). It will either grow on you or turn you off. I find it distinctive and enjoyable.
This drank nicely over several days (using a Vacvin). Glad to have many bottles remaining, as this should drink well through at least 2018.
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5/12/2012 - lagache wrote: 94 Points
Promising
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12/14/2011 - slipdc wrote: 92 Points
I'm surprised I like this wine so much since I usually don't enjoy syrah based wine.
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11/24/2011 - tooch wrote:
Dark, dense and oaky. This has a dense coffee tone on both the nose and the palate that's unshakable. Expressive tones of mocha, charcoal and dark fruit on the palate round out this unforgiving wine.
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11/12/2011 - alittle wrote: 92 Points
Tasting at Chateau Gallo (Chateau Gallo): Deep inky purple in the glass. Concentrated nose of dark blue fruits, cassis, black cherries, bandaid, game, pepper, cedar green tobacco and green peppers. Echoed on the palate with a long, sweet finish. Significant tannic structure here, with a good dose of acidity that balances the sweetness on the palate.
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5/2/2011 - benkearney wrote: 91 Points
Dark, dark color. Heavy dark fruit nose. Aroma of blackberry, smoke, burnt wood. Delicious flavor of dark berries, vanilla, and cedar. A little bit of pepper and prunes. Nice tannins, but not bitter at all. Enjoyable, big wine.
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3/18/2011 - thomaskeil wrote: 90 Points
PnP. Inky, dense, almost black. Black fruits with touch of blue/red on nose. Also some reduced burnt tire, pepper and smokey meat. Weighty palate with some balancing structure, mostly quite edgy/firm tannins. Not complex and certainly no finesse or elegance. Fruit feels rich and layered (quite nice). This might develop further with some age, but I'm not a student of this style so don't hold me to this prediction.
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3/6/2011 - pc1981 wrote:
Noticeably pruney after 30 minute decant; much better after 3 hours but still seemed very mature in spite of its young age. I found this much better 12-18 months ago. Drink now.
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2/12/2011 - slipdc wrote: 90 Points
big wine
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1/24/2011 - slmshdyms wrote: 91 Points
Very enjoyable--fruit is present but takes a back seat to the cedar, tea, and leather. a nice style & nicely made--good with food as it doesnt overwhelm. will be interesting to see this develop over the next few years
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5/12/2010 - MindMuse wrote: 91 Points
Dense and purplish. Nose of leather and tobacco layered on blue and black fruits and tea. Round and full body consistent with the nose and with some meaty character as well. Very enjoyable drinking.
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5/7/2010 - CDStrombom Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks Garnet colored.
The legs are Medium.
It smells like Cedar, Medium Toast, Black currant (cassis), and Walnut.
It tastes like Blueberry, Black Pepper, Meaty, Tea, Basil, Cedar, Forest floor, and Plum.
The body is Medium/Full.
The wine is textured Juicy.
The wine finishes Medium.
Just a fabulous wine, with easily another 5 - 7 years (or more) of enjoyable consumption ahead. Quite fruit forward now, but in a balanced sort of way. The fairly smooth tannins leave a wonderful coating of blueberries and blackberries in your mouth and on your teeth. Yummy!!! A great deal @ Empire Wine, with free shipping.
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3/3/2010 - yenda wrote: 92 Points
year ago, when i opened this wine for the first time i was quite sceptical. I have to say that this scepticism is gone now. i has developed into a round, mouthfilling stuff with very long finish. Great nose as well. Syrah prevails. I fully agree with other reviwers that further time in the bottle will definitely improve it. Yet it is already very good stuff
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2/25/2010 - VinoMax Likes this wine: 92 Points
C- Dense, squid-ink N- Violets, tar, animal (Cote Rotie-like) T- Full bodied, dense tannins and extraction, dark fruits, tobacco, pencil lead.
Not a fan of New World syrah but this is a potentially great bottle with a long life ahead. Also only 14% alcohol.
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12/20/2009 - z_willus_d wrote: 91 Points
4hr decant in med-base @60F. COLOR- completely opaque, dark bark. NOSE- perfume of crushed flowers (violet, rose), jasmine tea, black raspberry juice, loganberry jam with an asafetida funkiness to it, and roasting jalapenos. Even though this was decanting 4-hours, I observe it changing with time in the glass, swirling, from sniff-to-sniff; opening-up on the nose. PALATE- total fruit, sweet then sour fruit, on the front palate; young, tending to elegant mid-palate with a nice chocolate milk weight that turns red-fruit juicy with mid-mouth aeration; the finish is dry but with a semi-sweet pucker to it (tannins of a serious structure) while the roasting jalapenos and Indian spices reign through a serious, medium length conclusion.
I've followed this wine from it's '05 inception 'till now three vintages later. I've watched the quality level, which started Grand Cru, creep up year-to-year. Is this young (even with 4-hr decant), oh sure, yes it is. Yet while it's not a better wine today than the '05 or '06, it has the quality and fruit caliber to exceed it's predecessors. This is a stellar effort that will improve to 93+ with 3-5 years and has the backbone to last 10-15 I bet.
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6/18/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
For a "cape blend" this has elegant, medium structure and good definition. A touch hot but that could be me.
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6/17/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
South Africa: aromatic bright red raspberry fruit. classic structure. chocolate, espresso and big fruit across the palate. oak and acid for the long haul, but it's approachable now too.
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6/17/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
This was quite good. Good structure, power and body.
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5/2/2009 - DrewM wrote: 91 Points
Really young...the fruity, viscous nose gives way to a more classic combination of black currant/blackberry/coffee with a bit of tobacco and a bit more oak Not drinking quite as well right out of the bottle as the '06, but I'm glad I have a few more bottles.
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4/27/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful dark color, Aromas of Black currant, Blackberry, tar, espresso. Dense and focused . - JD92
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4/24/2009 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Really enjoyed the 2006 vintage of this wine, so was excited to get my first taste of the 2007. Immediately, I get the sense that I'm tasting this FAR too early. That being said, it's still tasting quite well. Dark, dark, dark color - oneo of the blackest wines I've ever come across. Nose is full of tar, plums and sour cherries. There are some blueberries mixed in as well. Very complex wine from start to finish. Great mouthfeel - silky smooth. The wine starts off strong with cassis, cherry, and a dusty tar taste. The end is a massive tannic explosion. Huge backend to this wine and quite dry at this stage. Could see this wine easily cellaring for 7-10 years. Very nice potential here.
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