My bottles have been in perfect cellar conditions from early on. This one was phenomenal, dropped weight and picked up tertiary aroma but still lush and pleasingly structured. It's a testament to the winemaker that one can pick up this bottle in most any decent supermarket on the West Coast for a mid-range price, and cellar it for more than 10 years, and it gets better and better.
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This coming along really nicely - well-integrated now but still plenty of tannin and fruit. Different obviously, but has some of the character of mid-tier BDX with some age on it, some power but smooth too, some similarity in the arc of how the phenols are decomposing. Good now and this wine could go a while longer, resolve a little more and gain some earthier aspects.
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Color: Beautiful dark purple with thick viscous legs Nose: Intense... lots of dark, ripe fruit. Spicy with black pepper; some tobacco and leather
Body/flavor: Full bodied; complex flavors of ripe dark fruit and blackberries; tannins present but not overwhelming. Despite 14.3% ABV, alcohol not apparent. Petite Sirah characteristics show through. Has time.
Finish: lingering aftertaste.
Paired with slow cooked, spicy brisket! Definitely matched the food!
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The fruit is going already... not a wine for lying down for more than a couple of years IMO. Actually for $50Cdn there are better alternatives out there.
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Dark burgundy in the glass with a red rim and long legs. Rich and full bodied. Thick nose of tobacco and leather. Layers of deep tannic complexity and a dry finish.
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Day 1: A tannic beast. Lot's of flavor, but the tannins are just too much for me as they block out any subtlety or complexity. Day 2: a third of the bottle corked and left on kitchen countertop. Tannins have been tamed and the wine is much more balanced and enjoyable. My one and only bottle, but if I had more I'd leave them alone for 2-3 years
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Lovely, seductive wine. Very dark color, strong blackberry element in the nose. Quite fragrant. Brambles and spice on the palate; dark fruit on the attack, with some earthy notes on the finish. Just a textboook Petite Sirah, only lacking a bit of depth and lushness on the finish to merit a higher score. But make no mistake - this is good stuff. A bit pricey, but worth it. Highly recommended, and would buy again. Will hold and possibly improve for another five years.
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- Medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish - I think this wine is fantastic and always consistent. Have tried other petit syrahs and always come back to this one. Blackberry on the nose with silky tannins and medium to long finish. Always keep this wine in the cellar.
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Tried over three hours. I have had better vintages of Stags Leap Petite Sirah. The tannins are more prominent, probably due to slightly less acidity than is typical? Also a bit thinner since the blackberry characteristic is not as prominent. Not as big as is typical of a Petite Sirah. Probably not age worthy.
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This wine is always a sure bet and once again it did not disappoint. Fruit forward (think cranberry and strawberry) and bone dry. My experience was not a heavy of a wine as others mentioned. Drank right out of the bottle and could have opened up a bit before consuming.
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Sweet and fruity. Never lost its nose through the entire bottle. We had it with salmon and it made the meal pop. THis bottle had a bunch off sediment. A truely great Petite Syrah
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This was the blackest wine I've had this year. Very big wine, tons of black fruit, very intense. Nice long finish, balanced, a real crowd pleaser. Definitely needs red meat.
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(14.3%) Brought over by friends for dinner. Big and powerful but balanced. Nice fruit. Definitely a food friendly Petite Sirah (spelled Syrah on this label) which is always nice to find…
Disappointed by bottle #2. I have become a huge fan of petite sirah as of late and this was "meh". Not much on the nose. Fruit was subtle. Easy to drink and easily forgettable.
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Bottle variation rears its ugly head here. This time around, the nose was expressive upon opening. I said "wow", this is gonna be good. First sip was very good - full bodied, dark fruits, and chocolate. Hint of pepper. However, the finish was very short with a little bit of heat. The wine did not develop at all over the evening. We enjoyed it, but again, I feel this was a bit of a letdown given how much I have enjoyed this wine in other vintages. Will not buy again. Update Day 2: Undrinkable. It was sealed with vacuvin, but it still turned out to be an alcoholic mess. I usually see this happen to $7 grocery store wine.
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Rich purple color with a nose full of blackberry and blueberry fruit and hints of black pepper. On the palete, the wine is full of life and expressive, displaying black fruits, black pepper with additional notes of dark chocolate and coffee with a long finish. It's structured, well balanced, this is an intense wine that could be drunk young, but, would will really start to show its stuff with a little bottle age.
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Very Dark purple in the glass; opaque. Has some intersting nose, with some florals, herbals, and menthol. The alcohol is not in your face at all. The frontal attack has much less fruit than the nose would indicate. Essence of cassis, more of the earth and dried meat character of a hefty Syrah, with some wood and graphite. Not really much of a finish given the strong tannins. Not bad, just not very memorable.
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One-dimensional is indeed a correct description of this wine. First, this needs the full 1-hour decant. It was boring on open and boring at 30-minute mark. After 1 hour, nose is still quite muted but some fruit appears on the palate. Full-bodied with a short, but pleasant finish. One of my guests described this as easy-going. Translation: simple, but not exciting at all. Avoid at this price point. What a disappointment for what was once my go-to, mid-price petite syrah.
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Serious Bottle of wine. Not Outstanding though. Drank with Dean at Indika. Very smooth and well oaked. Dark fruit, licq. and pepper. Pleasure to smell and taste. Great finish.
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Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and some smokey cedar. Very tight and tannic on the palate. Loads of dark fruit and a little spice come out. A big wine that I think has some potential with a little time in the bottle.
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Creamy dark fruit nose, full body, palate is dark fruit, some pepper spice and a little vanilla oak. Good acidty griity tannic finish. I enjoy PS and have a had better. Overall a decent wine just not complex and one dimensional.
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On pour, a viscous distinctive inky deep purple color of the Petite Sirah. "Great legs". Full bodied, highly structured and juicy with tannins on the longish finish; hints of mocha. A bit more of a winegeek's wine than a crowd pleaser, but a solid demonstration of a varietal that sadly has been relegated to more of a coloring agent in many Cali cuvées.
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Decanted about 4 hours. Dark fruit on the nose, with some gaminess and pepper underneath. The palate was rich and meaty, with same dark fruit and pepper.
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Disappointing, especially after I was quite excited to try this after having the Carver Sutro PS the night before. This PS lacked a broad and interesting flavor profile and was sadly quite one dimensional. While nice and full bodied, this did not develop into anything, which is in total contrast to the Carver Sutro that became richer in flavor with every sip. This tasted like a sub $20 bottle, but is priced closer to $26. Would try it again if offered, but this is the second time I have been let down by this same 2007 PS.
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Rather than posting tasting notes consistent with previous users I'll arbitrate a place of disagreement: is 07 SLVPS high or low acid? My short answer is acceptably high to work well with food but not over the top.
Previous tasters who ventured that this is a low acid wine probably did so because of the wine's mature tannins/ripeness. I can understand this, but notice when drinking how the wine makes you salivate? That means the wine is acidic. How then is the wine acid and ripe? The winemaker most certainly acidified, which is great -- allows the fruit to be both ripe and clear (note that it's not over-ripe, just fully-ripe).
This effect -- ripe wine that has acid -- does make the bottle seem a little "manufactured," but who cares? It's balanced perfectly and hides its (not-overly alcoholic) 14.3% very well too; the bit of alcohol you do sense masquerades nicely in the wine's minor menthol/anise note.
Aromas/flavors have been well-described below, and I'll add that there is a pleasant bit of lavender that floats up with the smoke/tar. Generally speaking the palate is pretty simple and primary, and will be well-served by the earthy/mushroomy layer age will add. After an hour or so open the bottle shows a little more blue fruit and gaminess, making me suspect there's a little Syrah in the mix here too.
So will '07 SVWPS age? I wouldn't hold it for the long haul, but given this bottle's typical '07 solid structure (it still needs to unwind and integrate a little), bit of acid, and the label's track record of drinking best 7-10 (maybe 12) years out of vintage, you can be confident that with proper storage 2015-2018 will be good drinking.
SO overall a good wine and a great value. Drank very well w/ spinach tortellini and pork loin ragu, even good with the green salad w/ smoked blue cheese dressing.
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Nose: strong white pepper. Big with lots of fruit in your face. A bit unbalanced acid though. Long finish but not complex. Inky color. Tasted at Equin.
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Just love PS, it tends to get thrown in with the 'fruit bomb' and over the top categories but this one, although quite huge actually had some elegance to it, really tasty! - Black, full bodied with a nose of extreme plum, black fruit, pepper and vanilla, decent balance, although fruit forward, strong but manageable tannins, dry, smooth on the palate with excellent length, nice! (91 Points).
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A consistantly good drink. Very fruit forward with dark cherry flavors and a medium finish. This was on sale every where for $26 making it an easy decision. I usually wont spend the standard $40 asked for this wine but I will always be satisfied with this in my glass.
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Very deeply colored with purple at the rim... very aromatic and very primary with loads of dark fruits and vanilla/baking spice from new barriques, just a hint of savoriness... on the palate the wine has moderate acidity, plenty of flesh on the midpalate, quite firm, but very ripe tannins, and moderate sense of etoh. Balanced wine with good length, great intensity, reasonable complexity at this stage. Not a wine of finesse, texturally quite pleasant with plenty of flesh in a firm package, says new world though would be difficult to place this blind (reminds me of McLaren Vale shiraz with that crunchy dark fruit and gloss, minus the eukalyptol... maybe an Argentinia malbec). For what this is this wine is, and for the $20 I paid, it was quite impressive and a crowd pleaser too I would suspect. Has all the necessary components to improve with age but think it has so many positives now there is no reason to wait.
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Soft round and fruity, low acidity. While this has a hint of spice it tasted like crowd-pleasing easy-drinking napa wine. I didn't find this wine particularly interesting. quite dense and well made but didn't quite hit the spot for me.
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A big nose of dark fruit and some heat, dark black in color. A full bodied big P.S., with blackberries, cassis, licorice with dark chocolate and spice, has some heat, good not great.
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Giant Wine Sale & Tasting 5/7/2011 (Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC): The first time I ever tasted this wine was at Gallaghers Steak House in Las Vegas at New York, New York. They insisted that it was the perfect pairing for their 37 day aged ribeye. I was sceptical because I was thinking Cabernet, and I was wrong. There is what I call a Rhone like mustiness to this wine that matches perfectly with the flavors and aromas of that dry aged steak. Tasting the 2007, was reminiscent of that day. There was still an earthy mustiness. I was also sceptical of Petite Sirah's ability to be acidic enough to cut through the fat of the steak, and keep the mouth cleansed. This wine seems smooth and easy drinking, but considerable acidity sneaks up on you to handle the job. This is a big wine. So dark it will give you purple teeth. The considerable blueberry and other dark fruits are seamless all the way through the palate to the finish. Plenty of non fruit flavors like vanilla, cocoa, and road tar compliment the fruit flavors. Hearty, earthy, tasty, and affordable.
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nice, medium body red and a nice complement to the short ribs at dinner. Inky in color, and Jammy with a nice fruit/spice on the palate. Very nice for the price.
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Wine Festival Tasting Room, quick notes. Fantastic nose of blackberry, blueberry, plum, and leather. Tons of cherry showing on the palate, along with blueberry, tar, and some more leather. Long, dry finish. Very nice.
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Solid wine. Dark, but not inky because of the acidity which makes it seem light on its feet. Not overly complex or interesting, but nice. 88-89. Night 2: Upgrade to 89. Slightly better than Night 1.
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Mary picked up a bottle in Ocean City. Had it with pizza for dinner. Great deep welches grape juice color and an equally rich aroma and flavor. Really enjoyed it.
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Dark. Big nose of blackberry/deep plum cassis blended with spices and light chocolate. The fruit is very pure and primary and doesn't seem modified by much oak. Initially, it's obviously too young for drinking and very restrained in the mouth due to the high acid and tannin. After about an hour and a half, with food, it rounds showing good density and length despite never shedding the tannin completely. Very good wine that needs time, 3-5 years minimum, or a long decant. Difficult to rate as it's so backward but this has the structure and fruit to develop into something stellar.
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10/12/2022 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is classic Petite Syrah! It is one of our old favorites! And, this is a great bottle from a great vintage!
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3/17/2021 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Impressive Napa PS from that special Stags Leap fruit
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1/31/2019 - hankj wrote: 93 Points
My bottles have been in perfect cellar conditions from early on. This one was phenomenal, dropped weight and picked up tertiary aroma but still lush and pleasingly structured. It's a testament to the winemaker that one can pick up this bottle in most any decent supermarket on the West Coast for a mid-range price, and cellar it for more than 10 years, and it gets better and better.
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12/19/2018 - jerrysvino wrote: 87 Points
Deep color, gritty, a bit rough, with still some black cherry, high tannins and believe it or not can still use some time.
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5/14/2016 - roasted hill wrote:
deep purple. nose of dark fruit and leather. black raspberry and a hint of blueberry with underlying spice box. tannins fully resolved. overpriced.
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4/27/2016 - hankj wrote: 91 Points
This coming along really nicely - well-integrated now but still plenty of tannin and fruit. Different obviously, but has some of the character of mid-tier BDX with some age on it, some power but smooth too, some similarity in the arc of how the phenols are decomposing. Good now and this wine could go a while longer, resolve a little more and gain some earthier aspects.
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1/31/2016 - OldwineinVT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Color: Beautiful dark purple with thick viscous legs
Nose: Intense... lots of dark, ripe fruit. Spicy with black pepper; some tobacco and leather
Body/flavor: Full bodied; complex flavors of ripe dark fruit and blackberries; tannins present but not overwhelming. Despite 14.3% ABV, alcohol not apparent. Petite Sirah characteristics show through. Has time.
Finish: lingering aftertaste.
Paired with slow cooked, spicy brisket! Definitely matched the food!
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12/12/2015 - Martin Ferland wrote: 91 Points
En carafe 4 heures
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8/23/2015 - Canoehead Does not like this wine: 85 Points
The fruit is going already... not a wine for lying down for more than a couple of years IMO. Actually for $50Cdn there are better alternatives out there.
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12/24/2014 - Combo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark, rich, ink colored. Still pretty tight tannin structure. Strong blackberry, some anise, smokey finish. Drinking well. Probably should have decanted.
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9/26/2014 - bu11itt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark burgundy in the glass with a red rim and long legs. Rich and full bodied. Thick nose of tobacco and leather. Layers of deep tannic complexity and a dry finish.
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1/12/2014 - skp88 wrote: 87 Points
Day 1: A tannic beast. Lot's of flavor, but the tannins are just too much for me as they block out any subtlety or complexity. Day 2: a third of the bottle corked and left on kitchen countertop. Tannins have been tamed and the wine is much more balanced and enjoyable. My one and only bottle, but if I had more I'd leave them alone for 2-3 years
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11/28/2013 - daver852 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely, seductive wine. Very dark color, strong blackberry element in the nose. Quite fragrant. Brambles and spice on the palate; dark fruit on the attack, with some earthy notes on the finish. Just a textboook Petite Sirah, only lacking a bit of depth and lushness on the finish to merit a higher score. But make no mistake - this is good stuff. A bit pricey, but worth it. Highly recommended, and would buy again. Will hold and possibly improve for another five years.
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7/8/2013 - hankj wrote: 91 Points
coming around very nicely from 2 years ago, when I doubted it could be as good as the 2005. Now it's right on par!
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6/27/2013 - winedr wrote: 92 Points
- Medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish - I think this wine is fantastic and always consistent. Have tried other petit syrahs and always come back to this one. Blackberry on the nose with silky tannins and medium to long finish. Always keep this wine in the cellar.
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6/20/2013 - fournet wrote: 87 Points
Tried over three hours. I have had better vintages of Stags Leap Petite Sirah. The tannins are more prominent, probably due to slightly less acidity than is typical? Also a bit thinner since the blackberry characteristic is not as prominent. Not as big as is typical of a Petite Sirah. Probably not age worthy.
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6/9/2013 - Jsmithbim wrote: 90 Points
This wine is always a sure bet and once again it did not disappoint. Fruit forward (think cranberry and strawberry) and bone dry. My experience was not a heavy of a wine as others mentioned. Drank right out of the bottle and could have opened up a bit before consuming.
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1/5/2013 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big dark fruit and starting to show a little earth. Full body without being too over the top.
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12/24/2012 - RBOND Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sweet and fruity. Never lost its nose through the entire bottle. We had it with salmon and it made the meal pop. THis bottle had a bunch off sediment. A truely great Petite Syrah
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12/22/2012 - rpontual wrote: 90 Points
Well balanced now, but still young. Perhaps a couple of years in the cellar will make a big difference
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12/1/2012 - stickmanparty wrote: 90 Points
Decant first
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11/29/2012 - danershi@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
Sumptuous blackberry and blueberry. Dark and inky. A blockbuster!
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11/12/2012 - rgrosz6 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was the blackest wine I've had this year. Very big wine, tons of black fruit, very intense. Nice long finish, balanced, a real crowd pleaser. Definitely needs red meat.
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11/7/2012 - dontime wrote:
I've been on a PS rolls the last few nights. Another tooth stainer. Almost black, thick and rich. Flavorful fruits. Food friendly. If scoring 90-92.
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11/7/2012 - Litigater2 wrote: 92 Points
I love this wine. I have never, not even once, been dissatisfied with a bottle of this wine. Big, full, dark, and very flavorful.
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9/30/2012 - Jason Rzutkiewicz wrote:
(14.3%) Brought over by friends for dinner. Big and powerful but balanced. Nice fruit. Definitely a food friendly Petite Sirah (spelled Syrah on this label) which is always nice to find…
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6/10/2012 - Janstan wrote: 85 Points
thin some cherry, plum, short finish, acidity stood out. Having with food raised the score from an 82/83 to an 85
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5/24/2012 - thecasses wrote: 85 Points
Disappointed by bottle #2. I have become a huge fan of petite sirah as of late and this was "meh". Not much on the nose. Fruit was subtle. Easy to drink and easily forgettable.
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5/23/2012 - lkazanov wrote: 92 Points
Very nice aroma, fruity, tannin finish.
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5/22/2012 - Decanthor wrote: 85 Points
Bottle variation rears its ugly head here. This time around, the nose was expressive upon opening. I said "wow", this is gonna be good. First sip was very good - full bodied, dark fruits, and chocolate. Hint of pepper. However, the finish was very short with a little bit of heat. The wine did not develop at all over the evening. We enjoyed it, but again, I feel this was a bit of a letdown given how much I have enjoyed this wine in other vintages. Will not buy again. Update Day 2: Undrinkable. It was sealed with vacuvin, but it still turned out to be an alcoholic mess. I usually see this happen to $7 grocery store wine.
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5/4/2012 - tckoonce wrote: 94 Points
Full of flavor with bold blackberry and curant flavors coming though, with just the right amount of spice.
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4/10/2012 - gilberto57 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rich purple color with a nose full of blackberry and blueberry fruit and hints of black pepper. On the palete, the wine is full of life and expressive, displaying black fruits, black pepper with additional notes of dark chocolate and coffee with a long finish. It's structured, well balanced, this is an intense wine that could be drunk young, but, would will really start to show its stuff with a little bottle age.
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3/2/2012 - doshi99 wrote: 90 Points
Fruit forward and explosive on drink. Not much on aftertaste but very good match with Italian food
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2/26/2012 - mpricher wrote: 88 Points
Very Dark purple in the glass; opaque. Has some intersting nose, with some florals, herbals, and menthol. The alcohol is not in your face at all. The frontal attack has much less fruit than the nose would indicate. Essence of cassis, more of the earth and dried meat character of a hefty Syrah, with some wood and graphite. Not really much of a finish given the strong tannins. Not bad, just not very memorable.
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2/11/2012 - BlackStar wrote: 88 Points
OK, but not what one expected from a Stags Leap Syrah
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1/29/2012 - Decanthor wrote: 84 Points
One-dimensional is indeed a correct description of this wine. First, this needs the full 1-hour decant. It was boring on open and boring at 30-minute mark. After 1 hour, nose is still quite muted but some fruit appears on the palate. Full-bodied with a short, but pleasant finish. One of my guests described this as easy-going. Translation: simple, but not exciting at all. Avoid at this price point. What a disappointment for what was once my go-to, mid-price petite syrah.
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11/27/2011 - Joshdana wrote: 93 Points
Bold, dark fruits. Great with red meat and chocolate.
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10/22/2011 - tb_baltimore Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of boysenberry and blackberry, with a modest tannin taste. Very smooth and elegant. Consistent flavor of plum, tar and leather.
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10/14/2011 - NYCAstragali wrote: 89 Points
Serious Bottle of wine. Not Outstanding though. Drank with Dean at Indika. Very smooth and well oaked. Dark fruit, licq. and pepper. Pleasure to smell and taste. Great finish.
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9/23/2011 - Ajtrader wrote: 90 Points
Took some time to open, but very nice once it did.
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8/16/2011 - ecola Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and some smokey cedar. Very tight and tannic on the palate. Loads of dark fruit and a little spice come out. A big wine that I think has some potential with a little time in the bottle.
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7/31/2011 - J2K wrote:
Creamy dark fruit nose, full body, palate is dark fruit, some pepper spice and a little vanilla oak. Good acidty griity tannic finish. I enjoy PS and have a had better. Overall a decent wine just not complex and one dimensional.
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7/25/2011 - princeton wrote:
On pour, a viscous distinctive inky deep purple color of the Petite Sirah. "Great legs". Full bodied, highly structured and juicy with tannins on the longish finish; hints of mocha. A bit more of a winegeek's wine than a crowd pleaser, but a solid demonstration of a varietal that sadly has been relegated to more of a coloring agent in many Cali cuvées.
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7/9/2011 - mmurry Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decanted about 4 hours. Dark fruit on the nose, with some gaminess and pepper underneath. The palate was rich and meaty, with same dark fruit and pepper.
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6/21/2011 - laxman wrote: 88 Points
Disappointing, especially after I was quite excited to try this after having the Carver Sutro PS the night before. This PS lacked a broad and interesting flavor profile and was sadly quite one dimensional. While nice and full bodied, this did not develop into anything, which is in total contrast to the Carver Sutro that became richer in flavor with every sip. This tasted like a sub $20 bottle, but is priced closer to $26. Would try it again if offered, but this is the second time I have been let down by this same 2007 PS.
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6/19/2011 - hankj wrote: 90 Points
Rather than posting tasting notes consistent with previous users I'll arbitrate a place of disagreement: is 07 SLVPS high or low acid? My short answer is acceptably high to work well with food but not over the top.
Previous tasters who ventured that this is a low acid wine probably did so because of the wine's mature tannins/ripeness. I can understand this, but notice when drinking how the wine makes you salivate? That means the wine is acidic. How then is the wine acid and ripe? The winemaker most certainly acidified, which is great -- allows the fruit to be both ripe and clear (note that it's not over-ripe, just fully-ripe).
This effect -- ripe wine that has acid -- does make the bottle seem a little "manufactured," but who cares? It's balanced perfectly and hides its (not-overly alcoholic) 14.3% very well too; the bit of alcohol you do sense masquerades nicely in the wine's minor menthol/anise note.
Aromas/flavors have been well-described below, and I'll add that there is a pleasant bit of lavender that floats up with the smoke/tar. Generally speaking the palate is pretty simple and primary, and will be well-served by the earthy/mushroomy layer age will add. After an hour or so open the bottle shows a little more blue fruit and gaminess, making me suspect there's a little Syrah in the mix here too.
So will '07 SVWPS age? I wouldn't hold it for the long haul, but given this bottle's typical '07 solid structure (it still needs to unwind and integrate a little), bit of acid, and the label's track record of drinking best 7-10 (maybe 12) years out of vintage, you can be confident that with proper storage 2015-2018 will be good drinking.
SO overall a good wine and a great value. Drank very well w/ spinach tortellini and pork loin ragu, even good with the green salad w/ smoked blue cheese dressing.
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6/13/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 88 Points
Nose: strong white pepper. Big with lots of fruit in your face. A bit unbalanced acid though. Long finish but not complex. Inky color. Tasted at Equin.
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6/12/2011 - Tarrant wrote: 91 Points
Just love PS, it tends to get thrown in with the 'fruit bomb' and over the top categories but this one, although quite huge actually had some elegance to it, really tasty! - Black, full bodied with a nose of extreme plum, black fruit, pepper and vanilla, decent balance, although fruit forward, strong but manageable tannins, dry, smooth on the palate with excellent length, nice! (91 Points).
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6/10/2011 - welchcellars wrote: 90 Points
A consistantly good drink. Very fruit forward with dark cherry flavors and a medium finish. This was on sale every where for $26 making it an easy decision. I usually wont spend the standard $40 asked for this wine but I will always be satisfied with this in my glass.
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5/20/2011 - markjanes wrote: 89 Points
Very deeply colored with purple at the rim... very aromatic and very primary with loads of dark fruits and vanilla/baking spice from new barriques, just a hint of savoriness... on the palate the wine has moderate acidity, plenty of flesh on the midpalate, quite firm, but very ripe tannins, and moderate sense of etoh. Balanced wine with good length, great intensity, reasonable complexity at this stage. Not a wine of finesse, texturally quite pleasant with plenty of flesh in a firm package, says new world though would be difficult to place this blind (reminds me of McLaren Vale shiraz with that crunchy dark fruit and gloss, minus the eukalyptol... maybe an Argentinia malbec). For what this is this wine is, and for the $20 I paid, it was quite impressive and a crowd pleaser too I would suspect. Has all the necessary components to improve with age but think it has so many positives now there is no reason to wait.
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5/18/2011 - Hazeo wrote: 87 Points
Soft round and fruity, low acidity. While this has a hint of spice it tasted like crowd-pleasing easy-drinking napa wine. I didn't find this wine particularly interesting. quite dense and well made but didn't quite hit the spot for me.
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5/16/2011 - corkscrews wrote: 88 Points
A big nose of dark fruit and some heat, dark black in color. A full bodied big P.S., with blackberries, cassis, licorice with dark chocolate and spice, has some heat, good not great.
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5/15/2011 - hubas wrote: 84 Points
Mörk frukt kryddig lite ekig bra frukt med lite lakris i eftersmaken
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5/7/2011 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 90 Points
Giant Wine Sale & Tasting 5/7/2011 (Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC): The first time I ever tasted this wine was at Gallaghers Steak House in Las Vegas at New York, New York. They insisted that it was the perfect pairing for their 37 day aged ribeye. I was sceptical because I was thinking Cabernet, and I was wrong. There is what I call a Rhone like mustiness to this wine that matches perfectly with the flavors and aromas of that dry aged steak. Tasting the 2007, was reminiscent of that day. There was still an earthy mustiness. I was also sceptical of Petite Sirah's ability to be acidic enough to cut through the fat of the steak, and keep the mouth cleansed. This wine seems smooth and easy drinking, but considerable acidity sneaks up on you to handle the job. This is a big wine. So dark it will give you purple teeth. The considerable blueberry and other dark fruits are seamless all the way through the palate to the finish. Plenty of non fruit flavors like vanilla, cocoa, and road tar compliment the fruit flavors. Hearty, earthy, tasty, and affordable.
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5/1/2011 - mklasing wrote: 91 Points
Excellent dark fruity wine that is not overpowering. Stag's Leap consistently makes amazing Petite Syrah.
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4/15/2011 - AndersonWoodinvilleWines Likes this wine: 90 Points
well balanced wine. Very Deep red color. Slightly fruit forward. Very nice finish.
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4/10/2011 - Vinyljunkee wrote: 88 Points
nice, medium body red and a nice complement to the short ribs at dinner. Inky in color, and Jammy with a nice fruit/spice on the palate. Very nice for the price.
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3/31/2011 - MattTM wrote:
Wine Festival Tasting Room, quick notes. Fantastic nose of blackberry, blueberry, plum, and leather. Tons of cherry showing on the palate, along with blueberry, tar, and some more leather. Long, dry finish. Very nice.
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3/27/2011 - winegr wrote: 89 Points
Solid wine. Dark, but not inky because of the acidity which makes it seem light on its feet. Not overly complex or interesting, but nice. 88-89. Night 2: Upgrade to 89. Slightly better than Night 1.
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3/19/2011 - MrD wrote: 91 Points
Mary picked up a bottle in Ocean City. Had it with pizza for dinner. Great deep welches grape juice color and an equally rich aroma and flavor. Really enjoyed it.
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11/13/2010 - Duhman7 wrote: 85 Points
Deep purple
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10/11/2010 - esb wrote:
Dark. Big nose of blackberry/deep plum cassis blended with spices and light chocolate. The fruit is very pure and primary and doesn't seem modified by much oak. Initially, it's obviously too young for drinking and very restrained in the mouth due to the high acid and tannin. After about an hour and a half, with food, it rounds showing good density and length despite never shedding the tannin completely. Very good wine that needs time, 3-5 years minimum, or a long decant. Difficult to rate as it's so backward but this has the structure and fruit to develop into something stellar.
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10/9/2010 - Combee1 wrote: 86 Points
Had this blind with friends. Am I the only one who thinks this tastes more like Grenache than Petite Sirah?
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9/19/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 86 Points
Candied fruit nose with a plush rounded palate. Lots of structure, but drinkable.
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2/10/2009 - dtirsell wrote: 90 Points
One of my favorite weekend wines, rich, deep inky purple color, long finish, a real teeth stainer...
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