The 2006 Shafer Relentless is a blend of 84% Syrah and 16% Petite Syrah. This wine started more austere and spicy than I remember with Relentless , very N. Rhone-esq. With air, there appeared earthy and savory flavors with some black fruit notes, which is a distinct departure from the glut of riper style new world Rhone varietals bursting with fresh blackberry notes I have had recently. This was a great refresher on the other side of syrah that I haven't touched in quite a while. 94+
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About a year and a half ago I opened an 08. Had a lot more than this one did. No doubt a dark and dense fruit profile. Fig, blackberry, plum, baking spice. The wine is what I expected on the front, but the finish lacks more heft than I recalled of the 08. Have a couple of newer Eighty Four PS's that I DEFINITELY plan to hold for 5 years!
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Recommend decanting and let it open for hours, maybe a day? The high alcohol content can hide a lot. So I’m curious if it ages more , 10 years?, and ten decanting several times over a day or two how it will taste???????
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Wow, really liking the way this opens up, great with steak or something with spice. Corn relish with some chilies is perfect pairing with some fish taco's.
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Dark ruby red. Lovely dark and layered nose with cinnamon, mint, perfumy, cocoa, floral and dark berries. A bit jammy on the palate with medium tannins (6/10) and medium plus bodied. Dark berries in the palate with some solid minerality, spices and graphite. A bit bitter in the long finish. Drink till 2020.
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Restrained, dry Napa Syrah, pleasant enough but unremarkable. Drank over two days and it gradually gave up a bit more flavor but I was expecting an explosion of flavor and didn't get it.
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No sign of ageing judging on the the dark purple color without any fading on the edge. Dark raspberry and grape candy at first on the nose, but with some air, fresher blackberries and cassis popping out. Some pepper and licorice. No hint of 14.9% alcohol content. A baby with tannin structure still a bit aggressive, but great layer of fruits and minerals. A bit short on the finish.
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huge wine. took a couple hours for the alcohol and mild bitterness to fade. thought there would be more complexity. better than but like cheaper big aussies. demands a huge marinated steak. bought at closeout. would not buy again at regular retail price.
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Very well made, but lacks the explosiveness of other vintages. It has some smoke, licorice and modest peppery notes. Next to the Turley 2006 Hayne Petite, it didn't have a chance.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+: Black core with bright reddish violet rim; sweet berry, oak, cassis, floral, pencil lead, lots of oak; good grip, full throttle, big, muscular, some burn on the finish; too modern in context with the other wines.
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Beautiful wine and was the group winner at the table. Rich, dark, opaque this wine drank beautifully. Velvet, dark fruit, rich cocoa flavors but not a ton of depth here. Medium finish. Wine is in a good place right now
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I can't believe I held on to this to the age of 9. Lost it in the cellar. Anyway what a beautiful bottle of this; still great fruit but now in nice harmony; still big but in control. Great work by the Shafer folks.
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Ser att jag druckit det tidigare på en blindprovning precis som denna. En riktigt bra Syrah med fina charktoner. Söt mogen frukt som möts upp av en ren fin syra. Bra struktur och långt och fint avslut.
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4th Saturday Brown Bagger (Sue & Mike's): Garnet color. Aromas of chalk, chocolate and black currants. Full-bodied and dense, with chalky tannins and flavors of chocolate and black fruit with a spice-tinged finish. Guessed Napa cab sauv. 89+ pts.
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Dark purple/plumb. Tannins still evident but not overpowering. Not quite as good as some other vintages of this brand, but still very enjoyable. 08' is legendary....#1 WS, but as a result overpriced. Try the 07' and 09'. Nearly as good at less than half the price.
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SAme TS an Tanzer on this dense, saturated beauty. Tannins are really there in day II behind the fruit, perfectly balanced coming on to ten years. This has enough fruit and balanced acids tannins that i think iy has some nice years ahead. oak really in the background now.
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Drank with a steak. Nice wine, the alcohol and tannins have mellowed considerably. Almost light in comparison. Very quaffable. Should drink this wine in the near term.
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Decanted 2 hours and rebottled. Medium plus body with plenty of dark fruits. Smooth and precise like many Shafer wines. Some notes of chocolate and spice. The finish was a little on the short side with soft tannins. I found this to be a little short on complexity compared to other vintages of this wine and although it was very good I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this bottle.
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Dark purple with loads of black fruits, oak notes, and some scorched earth. Palate is very big with tons of flavors, moderate tannins, and big alcohol. I didn't particularly enjoy this wine as it was a little too in your face for me.
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Went great after 2 hours of air with grilled pork, garlic soy broc. Cellar time has helped. Some nice characteristics - plush red fruit, leather, spice, earth.
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Var med på en blindprovning. Ingen tvekan om att det vara en Syrah med dessa mortadella och vitpeppardofterna. Men var faktiskt rätt säker på att det var ett franskt vin. Otippat bra för en som inte dricker speciellt mycket från USA
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Much better than I anticipated. A bit of a charmer, very crowd pleasing. Perhaps not a very complex wine, but a good drinker. Went well booth on its own and with food. Was woted as wotn in tonight’s blind tasting event. 3 out of 8 persons (and 8 wines) had it as that, and since the tasting was broad and with quite heard competition, that was a rather impressive first place by this wine. 2006 is a really good vintage from Shafer.
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Big, rich, and ripe, just about what you'd expect from this Napa Syrah. Has good flavors and balance, certainly a bit heavy and not what I'd like to drink every day, but if you're in the mood for this style of wine it fits the bill nicely.
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The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color. The exotic and enticing nose has blackberries, fresh ground dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, melted licorice, black pepper, smoke, black cherries, tar, and violets. This is full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. On the palate there are layers of fruit and savory elements that thoroughly coat your mouth. The finish is fairly long and again is loaded with flavor. Not a lot of subtlety here, just massive amounts of flavor, that are held in check by the outstanding tannic backbone and acidity.
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Filling in w/the Sunday Brown Bag Group (Rich's & Dana's): Took the remaining third of the bottle opened a couple of nights ago hoping that it might have finally opened up. It did, but not much- violets and floral notes join the black fruit qualities. The palate, still firm and dense, displays pepper, meat, licorice and black fruit.
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Haggis returns to town! (Cafe Orchid, Chicago): Decanted about three hours prior to dinner. Aromas of incense, black cherry and blue fruit. Blue and black fruit and vanilla flavors, with firm, sweet tannins. A bit monolothic at this stage.
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Decanted 6 hours. Disappeared quickly. Generous nose of ripe blue and dark fruit. Complex and concentrated blue, red, and black fruit with touch of cedar and earth/leather on the palate. Elegant in structure for a big wine. Balanced and integrated. Medium tannin, medium-long finish. Excellent. Drinking very well now but can hold for years.
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Dinner-and-movie night, wasn't terribly attentive. In that context, seemed to complement leg of lamb well enough but came across as too young-simple-primary-purple compared to the other red on the table at that time: 1998 Raymond Cab Sauv "Generations". Strongly suspect I'll like my other two bottles aged a couple or three more years.
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Very nice fruit, but a heavy wine. Shafer makes quality wines throughout and this is no exception. However it is overpowering for food and still a hot edge on the palate after a good 90 minutes from opening. Good but not my preference.
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I was disappointed the last time I had this wine over a year ago and rated it an 88. Ordinarily I don't score a wine twice but have to admit the wine was very good this time and its possible that the last time the taster and not the bottle was a little off.
This wine is what I expect from a Relentless, rich dark purple, complex dark red fruits with a hint of cigar box or leather.
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Honestly, I was disappointed with the wine. Front and mid palate are pretty thin, lacking depth and complexity for a syrah. Very tart on the finish, hard to get past the lack of balance. A little bitterness / alcohol breaks through on the finish as well. Had it back to back with the 2005 Ojai Rollranch, which was much more balanced and complex, simply a better wine.
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Massive wine. Blueberry, blackberry, deep earth and sweet tar flavors. Tannins were minimal, but the acidity was just right to give great body. I wish I had a case more.
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Popped & poured at local restaurant. Big fruit from the outset, both on nose & palate. I found it a bit hot initially, but the heat blew off with air...the last of the bottle was really good.
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Note after being decanted for 4 hours. Deep, dark, inky purple color. Blackberries, cherries, fresh ground espresso, dark chocolate, pepper, and a bit of alcohol on the nose. Full bodied with sold tannins and good acidity. Big and bold on the palate with the fruit and savory elements melding into a very tasty and complex bottle of wine. Fairly long finish that does thin out a touch. I think this warrants considerable cellar time. Tasty but you can sense the power still buried behind the tannins.
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Blackberry, plum and dark chocolate with a bit of a musky smell (not distracting at all) on the nose. Peppercorn and minerals in the mouth. Very robust and well balanced wine with good structure. Nice long finish.
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Dark purple to rim. Black fruits, spice, tar, vanilla, bit of alcoholic heat on the nose. Massive body, richness, conentration, ripe fruit, long finish with a reappearance of heat on the finish. Outstanding if you like the style.b
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Decanted for an hour before taken to our friends' home for dinner. Deep color. Perfumed aromas of florals, blackberry, smoke, spice and blueberries. Full-bodied, with firm, slightly sweet tannins and flavors of blackberry and dark fruit, smoke, oaky spice and meat. Long finish.
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Stunning Syrah with a very pure, cool-seeming profile. Blueberry, sweet ink, graphite, charcoal, and mocha predominate. Sleek purple look with a slick mouthfeel. I don't have the same problem with the alcohol that other tasters have noted. It's ripe, to be sure, and it's also generously oaked, but it doesn't seem heavyhanded to me. It's utterly drinkable and was gone before we knew what happened. And yet the clean grapey finish lingered nicely.
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Maybe this isn't ready yet but I thought it was thin in body and fruit. I'll let the other bottles sit for a few years and see what happens. At this point better syrah's at this price point
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Nice components but botom line is this has way too much alcohol, it didnt even blow off fully on day2. If you dont mind the alcohol then add a few points. Otherwise...way overpriced.
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We opened this with a very flavorful dinner hoping that the Petite Sirah would kick up the spices in the food. I was a bit disappointed in it's ability to do that. Tasted more like a 100% syrah. It was good - but in my opinion, there are better syrah/syrah blends out there for less. It was a crowd pleaser, but a Saxum or Owen Roe would have knocked their socks off for $20 less! Won't buy again.....
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Wow, this is something else! Insanely floral, tarry and charcoal nose with a sweet midpalate and even more intense finish of plum, espresso, chocolate and tar. Insanely good! Although this is mostly Syrah, it's remarkable how this resembles the best Signorello Cabs.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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Shafer Vineyards Seminar with Doug Shafer (Lincoln Park Binnys Tasting Room): What can I say about this bottle? Certainly not enough. It truly is a haunting wine. Lots of beautiful smoke and spice, and refined blackberry. The 20% petite sirah brings a nice soft spice and blueberry quality. Plenty of oak. Sauve and full on the palate. The Shafer imprint of intense fruit is certainly present here. This could last for a long time, but is certainly approachable now. It is like a beautiful Northern Rhone with a twist. Gorgeous wine. I might be undercutting the wine by a point or two. I would think that this could go with several fine dishes, from rich stew to a seasoned cut of lamb or beef.
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Man this was good. It was dark purple almost black in color and the nose was full of dark fruit, spice, and char with sub notes of vanilla and raw meat. It was very concentrated and had a massive dark fruit start, with those vanilla hints and some earthy funk. It was really great and got better the next day. The first night I thought the alcohol was a bit powerful and night 2 it was great, with none of that bite and all of the finish.
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This wine paired real nicely with a strip steak and pink peppercorn pan sauce. Tremendous concentration, dark fruits intermingled with vanilla. Medium weight and silky smooth. I could see this wine getting better in the next ten years, but for a hedonistic effort pop now and enjoy over two days.
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Huge wine with the high alcohol showing through. A few years ago this would have been for me but now this is just not my style. A cocktail wine for sure.
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Purple/black from core to rim. Big nose of dark fruits, spice, vanilla oak and tar. Very full bodied on the palate, very ripe deep fruit, tar, spice, with enough acidity to keep it from being flabby. Too big for a food wine but an outstanding cocktail wine. Should hold for a decade or more.
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Coal black color. Powerful Syrah aromas that play between high char oak and opulently ripe fruit. But unlike some the wine seems to manage its largeness nicely. Palate is intense, "unrelenting" with Petit's tannins taking over the finish and powering through the fruit. Gutsy. May resolve in time but drink now for lovers of powerful wine.
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First time to drink an '06. Of course it didn't disappoint. Spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. A color so rich that I think it will stain my glass. These wines supposedly will age 15-20 years. I have a difficult time keeping them nearly so long. Shafer wines are now available in Alabama. They're all excellent.
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Nose was desiccated red and black fruits. Some soft vanilla notes. Has a streak of old world meatiness. Open for about 5 hours when I tasted. Well integrated on the palate. Flavors of mulberry. Big fruit and big structure, but smooth, with a streak of mineral and meat. Long finish. An example of what I like about northern CA Syrah.
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Perfect cork. Deep ruby color, nose of currant and dark berries. Too many earth notes on the palate right now, with some spice and underlying fruit. Needs years in the cellar, or an overnight/ all day decant to brighten the rough edges and tap into it. Tried again the following morning and it's doing much better, though with a little more acidity than desired.
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Love it. Ripe and endless flavor. Developed fruit with hints of saddle leather through the finish. Savor this b-iatch. Consumed with maranos at Ritz Naples. Cost 179.
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West Coast Tasting (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Cote Rotie styling. Lots of climate showing through. Very funky and earth dominated. Complex but very well in tune with its alcohol, acidity and tannin structure. A big wine that's not overwhelming to drink.
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As a huge Shafer fan and collector I am sadly disappointed in this wine. I had the 2002 relentless last night and it was fantastic, so I decided to open the 2006 tonight. I purchased it direct from the winery and it has been properly cellared.
I'm not sure what it was but the wine is off. I know the 2006 One point Five has an issue with Brett, I don't know if this was the issue I had but hope when I finish the bottle on day 2 the wine is better, if it is I will edit this tasting note.
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COLOR: Deep purple w/med purple rim NOTE: Nose is really black fruit driven, swee, hint of licorice. Mouth is tannic: med+ length w/ cocoa and a little heat. Finish is very structured, but black fruit pumps through. Stacy didn't think it was very smooth so we didn't buy any.
NIce funky nose out of the bottle. Like being ont he family farm. Blew off quickly in glass. Meaty and bloody red fruit, plums cherries. Vibrant wine with a nice vanilla underbelly.
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Rich nose of dark chocolate and cola. Very dark and inky in the glass. Hints of lavender. Also, some black and loganberry. Delightful palate of ever changing floral tones, dark red fruit, some pomegranate, some earth and also nice charred/smoky qualities. Well balanced. - Tasted at Khoury's 6/2/10
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This wine had dark fruits, black pepper and smoke on the nose. In between a medium and full body, it had flavors of blackberry, earth and smoke leading to a 30+ second finish. A very nice Syrah that they blend with 20% Petite Sirah using a field blend.
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Two 2006 Syrahs: Lillian and Relentless: Dark, rich, opulent fruit, but not overly ripe, good balance, this is a big wine but remains well controlled. There is some oak, but not overpowering; for its large framed style, has a dark meatiness, perhaps from the 16% Petite Sirah. Really nice in this style category.
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Really enjoyed this one with a NY strip steak. Very balanced, full-bodied, black pepper, dark blackberries. Drinking well now, but will probably gain some complexity and softness with time.
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More purple in color. Nose just leaps out of the lass. Pepper is subdued by the massive fruit. Lots of petite sirah in the blend, which is balanced and lovely.
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Trip to Napa/Sonoma; 11/7/2009-11/14/2009 (Napa/Sonoma): Much better than the '05. Dark blueberry and boysenberry nose. Sweet palate with dark fruits, chewy tannin and good structure. Lengthy finish with mocha, purple fruit and cedar. Big but pure fruit and no hint of heat. Nice complexity.
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Napa Valley Vintners Association (Fleming's Steak House): nose: very big and bold with rich tones of black fruits, dark red fruits, dark red cherries, and a good amount of anisette. Great depth on the nose with a lot of power behind it
taste: a bruiser on the palate with a rich full body and massive chewy tannins. Deep tones of black fruits, dark red cherries, and a lot of anisette work well together when they show underneath the tannins
overall: Certainly needs a good amount of time to round into shape. A heavyweight boxer of a wine right now that is extremely young, but shows a lot of promise
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8/31/2023 - VinDeVie_1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2006 Shafer Relentless is a blend of 84% Syrah and 16% Petite Syrah. This wine started more austere and spicy than I remember with Relentless , very N. Rhone-esq. With air, there appeared earthy and savory flavors with some black fruit notes, which is a distinct departure from the glut of riper style new world Rhone varietals bursting with fresh blackberry notes I have had recently. This was a great refresher on the other side of syrah that I haven't touched in quite a while. 94+
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3/27/2020 - B&PBaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, bold, but not over the top. Nice subdued fruit nose to start. Licorice and pencil lead in the middle. Long smooth finish. 92
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3/17/2019 - LoganMcDougal wrote: 91 Points
Very nice - had with hearty food and worked very well. Still strong, and could have lasted a bit longer if needed
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2/24/2019 - mflesh wrote: 92 Points
About a year and a half ago I opened an 08. Had a lot more than this one did. No doubt a dark and dense fruit profile. Fig, blackberry, plum, baking spice. The wine is what I expected on the front, but the finish lacks more heft than I recalled of the 08. Have a couple of newer Eighty Four PS's that I DEFINITELY plan to hold for 5 years!
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12/22/2018 - Chapel Likes this wine:
Recommend decanting and let it open for hours, maybe a day? The high alcohol content can hide a lot. So I’m curious if it ages more , 10 years?, and ten decanting several times over a day or two how it will taste???????
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10/23/2018 - SCosgrove wrote: 93 Points
Excellent year, really nice wine.
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9/16/2018 - SCosgrove wrote: 92 Points
Wow, really liking the way this opens up, great with steak or something with spice. Corn relish with some chilies is perfect pairing with some fish taco's.
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8/26/2018 - SCosgrove wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well.
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8/25/2018 - SCosgrove wrote: 91 Points
Opens over time, very tight upon opening.
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4/21/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby red. Lovely dark and layered nose with cinnamon, mint, perfumy, cocoa, floral and dark berries. A bit jammy on the palate with medium tannins (6/10) and medium plus bodied. Dark berries in the palate with some solid minerality, spices and graphite. A bit bitter in the long finish. Drink till 2020.
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4/21/2018 - cab blends wrote: 86 Points
Tar and rubber on the nose. This was also a PnP.
Rich ruby red in color. T6.5
Some light bite in the finish. Bitter dryness in the finish F7
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11/26/2017 - Quiet Lion wrote: 91 Points
Restrained, dry Napa Syrah, pleasant enough but unremarkable. Drank over two days and it gradually gave up a bit more flavor but I was expecting an explosion of flavor and didn't get it.
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10/21/2017 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Nice balance of sweetness and fruit. Went great with ribs. Berries and plums over a bit of spice. Nice wine.
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8/29/2017 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Phenomenal.
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5/12/2017 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Plums and currants are rich and thick.
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12/31/2016 - Texasortho wrote: 100 Points
Simply amazing
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12/15/2016 - TastesGoodToMe wrote: 90 Points
Good but not great. Smooth and balanced. Pleasant. But no wow factor. Think is fading. Time to drink up
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11/30/2016 - jeginmt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby color, dense body, rich blackberry flavor with a hint of chocolate, soft tannins, long finish. Terrific.
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5/1/2016 - matt182 Likes this wine: 91 Points
No sign of ageing judging on the the dark purple color without any fading on the edge. Dark raspberry and grape candy at first on the nose, but with some air, fresher blackberries and cassis popping out. Some pepper and licorice. No hint of 14.9% alcohol content. A baby with tannin structure still a bit aggressive, but great layer of fruits and minerals. A bit short on the finish.
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3/27/2016 - mclancy10006 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow this is in a great place right now. I may not wait on the others and drink these ASAP as I am sure it is at peak.
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3/16/2016 - pupaes wrote: 91 Points
huge wine. took a couple hours for the alcohol and mild bitterness to fade. thought there would be more complexity. better than but like cheaper big aussies. demands a huge marinated steak. bought at closeout. would not buy again at regular retail price.
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3/6/2016 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 90 Points
Oddball Blends - Blind tasting (Brasserie 8 1/2 - 9 W. 57th Street): Had this at a blind tasting. I have enjoyed other bottles of Relentless more. Maybe this is too old for this blend?
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2/28/2016 - ipp Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very well made, but lacks the explosiveness of other vintages. It has some smoke, licorice and modest peppery notes. Next to the Turley 2006 Hayne Petite, it didn't have a chance.
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12/22/2015 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+: Black core with bright reddish violet rim; sweet berry, oak, cassis, floral, pencil lead, lots of oak; good grip, full throttle, big, muscular, some burn on the finish; too modern in context with the other wines.
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11/24/2015 - napasoutherner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful wine and was the group winner at the table. Rich, dark, opaque this wine drank beautifully. Velvet, dark fruit, rich cocoa flavors but not a ton of depth here. Medium finish. Wine is in a good place right now
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10/24/2015 - SweetJoeyZ wrote:
Waited too long to drink may be how I stored it
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10/3/2015 - SweetJoeyZ wrote: flawed
Waited too long to drink
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9/1/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 92 Points
Shafer Dinner - 4 bottles for 6 people. This was well received. Popped and poured, it was almost syrup-y. Went well with the skirt steak.
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8/22/2015 - tfharris Likes this wine: 93 Points
wow. Still kicking.
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5/15/2015 - mactheknife Likes this wine: 93 Points
I can't believe I held on to this to the age of 9. Lost it in the cellar. Anyway what a beautiful bottle of this; still great fruit but now in nice harmony; still big but in control. Great work by the Shafer folks.
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3/19/2015 - eschuldt wrote: 93 Points
Excellent
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2/2/2015 - Rixon wrote: 91 Points
Great Syrah, drinking well but will be developing for Another 4-5 yrs.
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1/29/2015 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 91 Points
Ser att jag druckit det tidigare på en blindprovning precis som denna. En riktigt bra Syrah med fina charktoner. Söt mogen frukt som möts upp av en ren fin syra. Bra struktur och långt och fint avslut.
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1/14/2015 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good on PnP but best glass was still the last glass on day 2, with a great balance of fruit. I'll hold my last bottle for a couple more years.
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12/26/2014 - jswine15 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A great Syrah blend, big fruit, but also well balanced. Drinking perfectly
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6/28/2014 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (Sue & Mike's): Garnet color. Aromas of chalk, chocolate and black currants. Full-bodied and dense, with chalky tannins and flavors of chocolate and black fruit with a spice-tinged finish. Guessed Napa cab sauv. 89+ pts.
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6/5/2014 - gpatramanis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark purple/plumb. Tannins still evident but not overpowering. Not quite as good as some other vintages of this brand, but still very enjoyable. 08' is legendary....#1 WS, but as a result overpriced. Try the 07' and 09'. Nearly as good at less than half the price.
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5/19/2014 - tplskylrk wrote:
SAme TS an Tanzer on this dense, saturated beauty. Tannins are really there in day II behind the fruit, perfectly balanced coming on to ten years. This has enough fruit and balanced acids tannins that i think iy has some nice years ahead. oak really in the background now.
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3/23/2014 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Earthy, full bodied, black pepper and tons of black fruit. Smooth on the palate with a long finish. Great with steak
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2/9/2014 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank with a steak. Nice wine, the alcohol and tannins have mellowed considerably. Almost light in comparison. Very quaffable. Should drink this wine in the near term.
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10/13/2013 - johnny1206 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted and it opened up nice. Dark fruit aromas. Nice long finish. Great wine.
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10/5/2013 - Naso wrote: 90 Points
2nd bottle was
Much better
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8/29/2013 - DGR Likes this wine: 91 Points
Paired well with Indian food we enjoyed at a local restaurant.
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7/10/2013 - Yamadori wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 2 hours and rebottled. Medium plus body with plenty of dark fruits. Smooth and precise like many Shafer wines. Some notes of chocolate and spice. The finish was a little on the short side with soft tannins. I found this to be a little short on complexity compared to other vintages of this wine and although it was very good I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this bottle.
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7/6/2013 - johnny1206 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice Syrah. Dark fruit flavors good mouthfeel and long finish
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6/1/2013 - tp096255 wrote: 91 Points
9.1, unexciting
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5/9/2013 - jnewman77 wrote:
Dark purple with loads of black fruits, oak notes, and some scorched earth. Palate is very big with tons of flavors, moderate tannins, and big alcohol. I didn't particularly enjoy this wine as it was a little too in your face for me.
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4/28/2013 - BK29 wrote: 92 Points
Went great after 2 hours of air with grilled pork, garlic soy broc. Cellar time has helped. Some nice characteristics - plush red fruit, leather, spice, earth.
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3/15/2013 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
RICH BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH LICORICE, BLACK CHERRIES, AND SPICE. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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2/21/2013 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 91 Points
Var med på en blindprovning. Ingen tvekan om att det vara en Syrah med dessa mortadella och vitpeppardofterna. Men var faktiskt rätt säker på att det var ett franskt vin. Otippat bra för en som inte dricker speciellt mycket från USA
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2/21/2013 - Ramberg wrote: 90 Points
Much better than I anticipated.
A bit of a charmer, very crowd pleasing.
Perhaps not a very complex wine, but a good drinker.
Went well booth on its own and with food.
Was woted as wotn in tonight’s blind tasting event.
3 out of 8 persons (and 8 wines) had it as that, and since the tasting was broad and with quite heard competition, that was a rather impressive first place by this wine.
2006 is a really good vintage from Shafer.
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2/1/2013 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent nose and smooth, very strong alcohol content. Bold!
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1/5/2013 - kleng wrote: 91 Points
Big, rich, and ripe, just about what you'd expect from this Napa Syrah. Has good flavors and balance, certainly a bit heavy and not what I'd like to drink every day, but if you're in the mood for this style of wine it fits the bill nicely.
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11/25/2012 - rpenn77 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and enjoyed. Deep rich ruby color. Subdued nose. Long finish
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11/23/2012 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Boekenhoutskloof Winemakers dinner. (@ Bottles; Sas van Gent, Netherlands): Full bodied wine. Cherries on chocolate. Mocha. Very juicy. Firm alcohol. Will improve with some more ageing. This bottle for today 94.
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11/17/2012 - cbbrown3 wrote: 93 Points
The wine is a deep, dark, inky purple color. The exotic and enticing nose has blackberries, fresh ground dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, melted licorice, black pepper, smoke, black cherries, tar, and violets. This is full bodied with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. On the palate there are layers of fruit and savory elements that thoroughly coat your mouth. The finish is fairly long and again is loaded with flavor. Not a lot of subtlety here, just massive amounts of flavor, that are held in check by the outstanding tannic backbone and acidity.
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7/8/2012 - tfesmgk wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic syrah blend! Great nose, big fruit, long finish. Better after a couple hours.
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7/6/2012 - limule wrote: 92 Points
Splendide
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4/15/2012 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Filling in w/the Sunday Brown Bag Group (Rich's & Dana's): Took the remaining third of the bottle opened a couple of nights ago hoping that it might have finally opened up. It did, but not much- violets and floral notes join the black fruit qualities. The palate, still firm and dense, displays pepper, meat, licorice and black fruit.
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4/13/2012 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Haggis returns to town! (Cafe Orchid, Chicago): Decanted about three hours prior to dinner. Aromas of incense, black cherry and blue fruit. Blue and black fruit and vanilla flavors, with firm, sweet tannins. A bit monolothic at this stage.
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4/13/2012 - Vino Me wrote: 87 Points
Opened by Allred. Black color. 87 points.
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4/4/2012 - Pointchaser wrote: 93 Points
Blueberries, meat on the palate suave tannins on the builiding finish. Juicy, delicious and explosive fruit. Drinking great right now.
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3/18/2012 - Empirate wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 6 hours. Disappeared quickly. Generous nose of ripe blue and dark fruit. Complex and concentrated blue, red, and black fruit with touch of cedar and earth/leather on the palate. Elegant in structure for a big wine. Balanced and integrated. Medium tannin, medium-long finish. Excellent. Drinking very well now but can hold for years.
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3/16/2012 - Jgrubb wrote: 94 Points
Very good bottle of wine. Enjoyed with a juicy steak.
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1/15/2012 - Charlie Pendejo wrote: 89 Points
Dinner-and-movie night, wasn't terribly attentive. In that context, seemed to complement leg of lamb well enough but came across as too young-simple-primary-purple compared to the other red on the table at that time: 1998 Raymond Cab Sauv "Generations". Strongly suspect I'll like my other two bottles aged a couple or three more years.
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1/15/2012 - jcasey555 wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color with fast forming legs.
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1/14/2012 - JCaress wrote: 89 Points
Very nice fruit, but a heavy wine. Shafer makes quality wines throughout and this is no exception. However it is overpowering for food and still a hot edge on the palate after a good 90 minutes from opening. Good but not my preference.
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12/21/2011 - Pinot Evil wrote: 93 Points
I was disappointed the last time I had this wine over a year ago and rated it an 88. Ordinarily I don't score a wine twice but have to admit the wine was very good this time and its possible that the last time the taster and not the bottle was a little off.
This wine is what I expect from a Relentless, rich dark purple, complex dark red fruits with a hint of cigar box or leather.
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11/8/2011 - atwkite wrote: 90 Points
Honestly, I was disappointed with the wine. Front and mid palate are pretty thin, lacking depth and complexity for a syrah. Very tart on the finish, hard to get past the lack of balance. A little bitterness / alcohol breaks through on the finish as well. Had it back to back with the 2005 Ojai Rollranch, which was much more balanced and complex, simply a better wine.
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10/7/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 94 Points
Massive wine. Blueberry, blackberry, deep earth and sweet tar flavors. Tannins were minimal, but the acidity was just right to give great body. I wish I had a case more.
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10/7/2011 - vinoballo wrote: 93 Points
Drinking really well right now.
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7/23/2011 - Bobc7had Likes this wine: 92 Points
Name says it all.
I just love this wine!
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7/9/2011 - The Wine Write wrote: 92 Points
Popped & poured at local restaurant. Big fruit from the outset, both on nose & palate. I found it a bit hot initially, but the heat blew off with air...the last of the bottle was really good.
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6/19/2011 - cbbrown3 wrote: 92 Points
Note after being decanted for 4 hours. Deep, dark, inky purple color. Blackberries, cherries, fresh ground espresso, dark chocolate, pepper, and a bit of alcohol on the nose. Full bodied with sold tannins and good acidity. Big and bold on the palate with the fruit and savory elements melding into a very tasty and complex bottle of wine. Fairly long finish that does thin out a touch. I think this warrants considerable cellar time. Tasty but you can sense the power still buried behind the tannins.
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6/11/2011 - Mike Bates Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackberry, plum and dark chocolate with a bit of a musky smell (not distracting at all) on the nose. Peppercorn and minerals in the mouth. Very robust and well balanced wine with good structure. Nice long finish.
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5/20/2011 - dbg wrote:
Dark purple to rim. Black fruits, spice, tar, vanilla, bit of alcoholic heat on the nose. Massive body, richness, conentration, ripe fruit, long finish with a reappearance of heat on the finish. Outstanding if you like the style.b
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5/12/2011 - Bobc7had Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking beautifully.
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5/7/2011 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour before taken to our friends' home for dinner. Deep color. Perfumed aromas of florals, blackberry, smoke, spice and blueberries. Full-bodied, with firm, slightly sweet tannins and flavors of blackberry and dark fruit, smoke, oaky spice and meat. Long finish.
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4/29/2011 - Stephan O wrote: 93 Points
Stunning Syrah with a very pure, cool-seeming profile. Blueberry, sweet ink, graphite, charcoal, and mocha predominate. Sleek purple look with a slick mouthfeel. I don't have the same problem with the alcohol that other tasters have noted. It's ripe, to be sure, and it's also generously oaked, but it doesn't seem heavyhanded to me. It's utterly drinkable and was gone before we knew what happened. And yet the clean grapey finish lingered nicely.
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4/25/2011 - Matteo's wrote: 93 Points
Perfect on Easter with lamb. Better then I hoped for.
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4/16/2011 - Naso wrote: 88 Points
Maybe this isn't ready yet but I thought it was thin in body and fruit. I'll let the other bottles sit for a few years and see what happens. At this point better syrah's at this price point
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4/16/2011 - BK29 wrote: 90 Points
Nice components but botom line is this has way too much alcohol, it didnt even blow off fully on day2. If you dont mind the alcohol then add a few points. Otherwise...way overpriced.
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3/19/2011 - PASimon wrote: 90 Points
We opened this with a very flavorful dinner hoping that the Petite Sirah would kick up the spices in the food. I was a bit disappointed in it's ability to do that. Tasted more like a 100% syrah. It was good - but in my opinion, there are better syrah/syrah blends out there for less. It was a crowd pleaser, but a Saxum or Owen Roe would have knocked their socks off for $20 less! Won't buy again.....
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3/9/2011 - Gestalted wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this is something else! Insanely floral, tarry and charcoal nose with a sweet midpalate and even more intense finish of plum, espresso, chocolate and tar. Insanely good! Although this is mostly Syrah, it's remarkable how this resembles the best Signorello Cabs.
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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3/3/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 88 Points
California Night (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Big boy. Chewy, ripe, little meat, smoke. Some serious grip. Quite backward in this stage. Needs some time to settle and come into itself.
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3/1/2011 - DSaeedi wrote: 93 Points
Shafer Vineyards Seminar with Doug Shafer (Lincoln Park Binnys Tasting Room): What can I say about this bottle? Certainly not enough. It truly is a haunting wine. Lots of beautiful smoke and spice, and refined blackberry. The 20% petite sirah brings a nice soft spice and blueberry quality. Plenty of oak. Sauve and full on the palate. The Shafer imprint of intense fruit is certainly present here. This could last for a long time, but is certainly approachable now. It is like a beautiful Northern Rhone with a twist. Gorgeous wine. I might be undercutting the wine by a point or two. I would think that this could go with several fine dishes, from rich stew to a seasoned cut of lamb or beef.
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2/21/2011 - awilliamson4 wrote: 93 Points
Man this was good. It was dark purple almost black in color and the nose was full of dark fruit, spice, and char with sub notes of vanilla and raw meat. It was very concentrated and had a massive dark fruit start, with those vanilla hints and some earthy funk. It was really great and got better the next day. The first night I thought the alcohol was a bit powerful and night 2 it was great, with none of that bite and all of the finish.
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2/19/2011 - jcasey555 wrote: 92 Points
Very smooth, even with a Paella less spicy than anticipated. Very solid structure.
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2/13/2011 - bowempe wrote: 93 Points
This wine paired real nicely with a strip steak and pink peppercorn pan sauce. Tremendous concentration, dark fruits intermingled with vanilla. Medium weight and silky smooth. I could see this wine getting better in the next ten years, but for a hedonistic effort pop now and enjoy over two days.
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2/12/2011 - Schu wrote:
Huge wine with the high alcohol showing through. A few years ago this would have been for me but now this is just not my style. A cocktail wine for sure.
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1/30/2011 - mclancy10006 Likes this wine:
Great with prime rib. not formal notes recorded, but enjoyed it
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1/10/2011 - dbg wrote:
Purple/black from core to rim. Big nose of dark fruits, spice, vanilla oak and tar. Very full bodied on the palate, very ripe deep fruit, tar, spice, with enough acidity to keep it from being flabby. Too big for a food wine but an outstanding cocktail wine. Should hold for a decade or more.
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12/24/2010 - awise45 wrote: 91 Points
Very rich and lots of dark berry, full finish.
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12/23/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Coal black color. Powerful Syrah aromas that play between high char oak and opulently ripe fruit. But unlike some the wine seems to manage its largeness nicely. Palate is intense, "unrelenting" with Petit's tannins taking over the finish and powering through the fruit. Gutsy. May resolve in time but drink now for lovers of powerful wine.
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12/16/2010 - PJ Ward wrote: 93 Points
First time to drink an '06. Of course it didn't disappoint. Spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. A color so rich that I think it will stain my glass. These wines supposedly will age 15-20 years. I have a difficult time keeping them nearly so long. Shafer wines are now available in Alabama. They're all excellent.
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12/11/2010 - Beavis77 wrote:
Nose was desiccated red and black fruits. Some soft vanilla notes. Has a streak of old world meatiness.
Open for about 5 hours when I tasted. Well integrated on the palate. Flavors of mulberry. Big fruit and big structure, but smooth, with a streak of mineral and meat. Long finish.
An example of what I like about northern CA Syrah.
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12/5/2010 - vinodonpedro wrote: 91 Points
Great wine... Decanted for about an hour. Deep color, black berries. rich on the palate.
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11/27/2010 - jcasey555 wrote: 91 Points
decanted through Vinturi, nice long finish
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11/26/2010 - Robert Pavlovich wrote: 89 Points
Perfect cork. Deep ruby color, nose of currant and dark berries. Too many earth notes on the palate right now, with some spice and underlying fruit. Needs years in the cellar, or an overnight/ all day decant to brighten the rough edges and tap into it. Tried again the following morning and it's doing much better, though with a little more acidity than desired.
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11/25/2010 - ELSandIF wrote: 94 Points
outstanding
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10/20/2010 - Berno wrote:
I really want to try an older vintage of this. This was subdued. The richness on the palate was there, but it is unfortunately in a dumb phase. NR
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10/15/2010 - boreddoughboy wrote: 94 Points
Love it. Ripe and endless flavor. Developed fruit with hints of saddle leather through the finish. Savor this b-iatch. Consumed with maranos at Ritz Naples. Cost 179.
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10/14/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
West Coast Tasting (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Cote Rotie styling. Lots of climate showing through. Very funky and earth dominated.
Complex but very well in tune with its alcohol, acidity and tannin structure. A big wine that's not overwhelming to drink.
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10/3/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 90 Points
Wine Club: Accidental Syrah Tasting (Bowling Green, OH): Good, but comparatively basic syrah. Hits all the right notes, it just doesn't ever reach beyond the simple stuff.
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10/1/2010 - Pinot Evil wrote: 88 Points
As a huge Shafer fan and collector I am sadly disappointed in this wine. I had the 2002 relentless last night and it was fantastic, so I decided to open the 2006 tonight. I purchased it direct from the winery and it has been properly cellared.
I'm not sure what it was but the wine is off. I know the 2006 One point Five has an issue with Brett, I don't know if this was the issue I had but hope when I finish the bottle on day 2 the wine is better, if it is I will edit this tasting note.
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9/14/2010 - tp096255 wrote: 93 Points
COLOR: Deep purple w/med purple rim
NOTE: Nose is really black fruit driven, swee, hint of licorice. Mouth is tannic: med+ length w/ cocoa and a little heat. Finish is very structured, but black fruit pumps through. Stacy didn't think it was very smooth so we didn't buy any.
DECANT: 1 hr
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.3
COST: 70
VALUE: 6.5
TRY AGAIN:
PAIRING:
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9/12/2010 - gregwood wrote: 89 Points
Nice syrah
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7/31/2010 - Miceri wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple red; pepper, hint of vanilla, fruit somewhat hidden; soft, powerful, pronounced tannins almost bitter; nice long aftertaste
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6/28/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 93 Points
NIce funky nose out of the bottle. Like being ont he family farm. Blew off quickly in glass. Meaty and bloody red fruit, plums cherries. Vibrant wine with a nice vanilla underbelly.
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6/2/2010 - vegasoenophile wrote: 86 Points
Rich nose of dark chocolate and cola. Very dark and inky in the glass. Hints of lavender. Also, some black and loganberry. Delightful palate of ever changing floral tones, dark red fruit, some pomegranate, some earth and also nice charred/smoky qualities. Well balanced.
- Tasted at Khoury's 6/2/10
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5/17/2010 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine had dark fruits, black pepper and smoke on the nose. In between a medium and full body, it had flavors of blackberry, earth and smoke leading to a 30+ second finish. A very nice Syrah that they blend with 20% Petite Sirah using a field blend.
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4/6/2010 - alanr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two 2006 Syrahs: Lillian and Relentless: Dark, rich, opulent fruit, but not overly ripe, good balance, this is a big wine but remains well controlled. There is some oak, but not overpowering; for its large framed style, has a dark meatiness, perhaps from the 16% Petite Sirah. Really nice in this style category.
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3/9/2010 - Wildfan104 Likes this wine: 92 Points
too early, this needs another year or two in bottle.
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12/24/2009 - Justin B wrote: 91 Points
Really enjoyed this one with a NY strip steak. Very balanced, full-bodied, black pepper, dark blackberries. Drinking well now, but will probably gain some complexity and softness with time.
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12/16/2009 - Colia wrote: 92 Points
More purple in color. Nose just leaps out of the lass. Pepper is subdued by the massive fruit. Lots of petite sirah in the blend, which is balanced and lovely.
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11/11/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Trip to Napa/Sonoma; 11/7/2009-11/14/2009 (Napa/Sonoma): Much better than the '05. Dark blueberry and boysenberry nose. Sweet palate with dark fruits, chewy tannin and good structure. Lengthy finish with mocha, purple fruit and cedar. Big but pure fruit and no hint of heat. Nice complexity.
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9/16/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Napa Valley Vintners Association (Fleming's Steak House): nose: very big and bold with rich tones of black fruits, dark red fruits, dark red cherries, and a good amount of anisette. Great depth on the nose with a lot of power behind it
taste: a bruiser on the palate with a rich full body and massive chewy tannins. Deep tones of black fruits, dark red cherries, and a lot of anisette work well together when they show underneath the tannins
overall: Certainly needs a good amount of time to round into shape. A heavyweight boxer of a wine right now that is extremely young, but shows a lot of promise
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8/12/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Cream, oak, black pepper and hints of game. So big and god damn enjoyable to drink. Heft, huge and giving it up. It gives it to Bill hard he says.
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12/30/2008 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
ripe blueberry and blackberry with a bit of pepper; smooth, round and full; medium acidity and soft tannins; hedonistic but not cloying;
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