Still drank very well after all of these years. (Note: it's been well cellared. Thank you Justin Vineyards for using quality corks.) Decanted and let sit for approximately an hour. It lost some of the fruit forwardness, which I thought it made it more appealing.
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Day One: Dark purple red. popped & Vinturied into glass. Dark berries, medium-full body, fruit forward, fine-grained tannins, not fully integrated. A bit of a raw, unfinished feel to it that I find often characteristic of Justin wines, but a pleasure to drink. Very good with food.
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This wine is drinking much better now than when released. There is a bit of fruit (mostly berries) a decent mouthfeel, and a dry finish. Better with food. 4+11+17+7+50=89
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Very solid with big red cherry and some strawberry flavors. A little off balance towards the end after being open an hour or so, but still an oustanding wine.
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Day One: Popped and Vinturi'd a single glass. Opaque, the deep color of boysenberry jam. Tight and tannic; buried black fruit. Okay (i.e., very good), but nothing special and, at 21, not a great QPR. Maybe needs more cellar time; we'll see. 86 for now, Day Three: Very much improved. The fruit has become much more luscious, and the tumbling tannins make for an interesting mouthfeel. A very likable wine at this stage. The three-day arc makes me wonder if the drinking window shouldn't be pushed back a bit. 91
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A pleasant little strawberry jam and a hint of leather.We liked it but would recommend another year of aging to open it up. The last gals at room temperature was more enjoyable than the first.
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Medium-dark purple; hard for me to nail this one down. Sweet but tart cherries right up front with a medium long but slightly acidic finish. 14.5 % alchohol. Good, but I will wait at least another year before the next bottle.
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Dark ruby red/blackish color. Not a strong nose, mainly black berry and black cherry. Not very tannic and they're firm, but pleasant. Perhaps a little overly acidic in balance, but notmu ch. Chalky black berry and black cherry on the palate, a hint of dark chocolate. Good lengthy finish. Really love the fruit flavors, but slightly off balance. Acidity melts away nicely with food though.
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A strange wine. There is some nice black fruits on the palate but there is some strong acids and tang on the back end. Not well balanced but still a decent and pleasurable wine.
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12/9/2023 - BrandyandDerek wrote: 90 Points
Still drank very well after all of these years. (Note: it's been well cellared. Thank you Justin Vineyards for using quality corks.) Decanted and let sit for approximately an hour. It lost some of the fruit forwardness, which I thought it made it more appealing.
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10/12/2013 - prism wrote: 89 Points
Day One: Dark purple red. popped & Vinturied into glass. Dark berries, medium-full body, fruit forward, fine-grained tannins, not fully integrated. A bit of a raw, unfinished feel to it that I find often characteristic of Justin wines, but a pleasure to drink. Very good with food.
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6/25/2012 - Bottledrainer wrote: 89 Points
This wine is drinking much better now than when released. There is a bit of fruit (mostly berries) a decent mouthfeel, and a dry finish. Better with food.
4+11+17+7+50=89
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11/11/2011 - squiddo wrote: 91 Points
Actually, quite a delicious syrah
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8/26/2011 - Grillgod wrote: 90 Points
Very solid with big red cherry and some strawberry flavors. A little off balance towards the end after being open an hour or so, but still an oustanding wine.
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2/3/2011 - prism wrote: 91 Points
Day One: Popped and Vinturi'd a single glass. Opaque, the deep color of boysenberry jam. Tight and tannic; buried black fruit. Okay (i.e., very good), but nothing special and, at 21, not a great QPR. Maybe needs more cellar time; we'll see. 86 for now,
Day Three: Very much improved. The fruit has become much more luscious, and the tumbling tannins make for an interesting mouthfeel. A very likable wine at this stage. The three-day arc makes me wonder if the drinking window shouldn't be pushed back a bit. 91
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1/21/2011 - xuaeinw wrote: 82 Points
Tannic and didn't improve
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1/9/2011 - cowtownguy wrote: 81 Points
While a big Justin fan this wine has been a dissappointment. There is just a lot of better wine on the market.
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11/15/2010 - Ann&Wayne wrote: 85 Points
A pleasant little strawberry jam and a hint of leather.We liked it but would recommend another year of aging to open it up. The last gals at room temperature was more enjoyable than the first.
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10/28/2010 - Ann&Wayne wrote: 87 Points
Second bottle of the evening with the lasagna dinner. It was a good follow up. The spicy finish was the right pairing.
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10/24/2010 - cowtownguy wrote: 80 Points
tart, tannic, rough
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7/7/2010 - StainedGlass wrote: 85 Points
Medium-dark purple; hard for me to nail this one down. Sweet but tart cherries right up front with a medium long but slightly acidic finish. 14.5 % alchohol. Good, but I will wait at least another year before the next bottle.
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4/18/2010 - Polliard wrote: 91 Points
L&E very smooth nice flavor good finish
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2/21/2010 - Grillgod wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby red/blackish color. Not a strong nose, mainly black berry and black cherry. Not very tannic and they're firm, but pleasant. Perhaps a little overly acidic in balance, but notmu ch. Chalky black berry and black cherry on the palate, a hint of dark chocolate. Good lengthy finish. Really love the fruit flavors, but slightly off balance. Acidity melts away nicely with food though.
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2/20/2010 - brigcampbell wrote:
Paso for Sam's 75th Birthday; 2/19/2010-2/21/2010 (Paso Robles, California): N: smoked meat and red berry. P: tart berry and tannis. finish had some heat
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1/5/2010 - winelovr2001 wrote: 86 Points
A strange wine. There is some nice black fruits on the palate but there is some strong acids and tang on the back end. Not well balanced but still a decent and pleasurable wine.
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1/3/2010 - tomrusse wrote: 84 Points
Bright cherry with a hint of raspberry. Acidic with little depth.
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12/20/2009 - vinotoad wrote: 83 Points
Nose was a bit undefined - red fruit with some acidity on strong tannins on the palate - maybe a couple of years in the cellar will help?
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12/11/2009 - puppetclause wrote: 82 Points
Tart Fruit, tight tannins. Works better blended in their other wines I think, don't know if time would help at all.
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11/11/2009 - hello555 wrote: 85 Points
Dark color with taste of cherry and very good
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10/23/2009 - scottnw wrote: 82 Points
rusty aroma, astringent and dry, diffuse, lacks any sort of excitement....but having said all that not bad with pumpkin ravioli.
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10/4/2009 - Kelticmb wrote: 84 Points
A good Syrah, but not like any of the other Justin wines.
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9/26/2009 - harrisxlt@gmail.com wrote: 84 Points
not very goog
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7/25/2009 - kstoddard wrote: 84 Points
Blackberry and charred oak. Teeth gripping tannins. Tart finish.
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