I'm afraid this has peeked and is in decline. There were cork issues that might have contributed to it's demise. Still had some spice and hints of fruit, but even after an hour of sitting it never really finds it's way. Paired it with a dry-rub, baked pork loin and squash veggie medley, in all likelihood saving it from being drain fodder. Still have one more, so we'll see if it rebounds.
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Very nice wine at this stage. Very solid black fruits, full body yet smooth and crisp to the palate. Almost black in color with a great nose. Ends with spice and a long finish. Very well made, solid structure, great balance in texture and mouth feel. A very nice surprise. Glad I waited to open and have a couple more.
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Well made, great hints of spice, both in the mid-palate and finish. I get more red fruit in the nose and palate, dark cherries, raspberries, almost a cranberry style finish. Pronounced oak, but not overdone in my opinion. Color was deep ruby and clear as a bell, which I really liked. Reading the other reviews, I was hyped into expecting something really exceptional. It's very good, worth buying again if the price was a little better, but I wouldn't say exceptional.
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Much better than I remember last time, this wine seems to be hitting a great phase. Very complex on the nose and in the mouth, this does not present like a typical California syrah. The fruit is strongly there, but not so much dark fruit as in typical syrah, but very lively and rich, with bright acidity. Really impressive.
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A little muddy & brownish in color. Tight aromas of smoke & faint black plum with a stange pumpkin tinge. Medium entry of very soft & concentrated plum & red berry fruit. Alcoholic heat creeps into the finish with some metallic tannins. This is strange?
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This is a huge wine. First, it is extremely dark purple, almost black in color. There is a lot of alcohol coming off as you swirl it in your glass and then sniff. In fact, it was almost the alcohol laden aroma of brandy. There is some very good dark blueberry fruit underneath with some leather and tar. Tannin seems a little light to support so much else that is going on. Very full body with a long, long finish. The dark fruit hangs in there for a long time. This is a serious wine, probably way too serious for a Thursday night with some great grilled trout and roasted acorn squash at my neighbor's. This wine is made for a night out with the guys at a historic, wood paneled basement steak house, served with a 24 oz porterhouse, finished up with a chocolate cheesecake dessert.
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Purple. Bit of funk initialy on the nose. Brambely, oaky. Fruit palte of blue fruit, dry wood. Tannins there but light. Decent finish. Not a great example of the grape, and a Cali version that is just decent. But some QPR!
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This was one of the best wines I have had in a while. It opened with a nice plum and cherry flavor. Very well balance and one of the most wonderful long finishes I have had in a wine...
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3/19/2019 - MCrawford wrote: 83 Points
I'm afraid this has peeked and is in decline. There were cork issues that might have contributed to it's demise. Still had some spice and hints of fruit, but even after an hour of sitting it never really finds it's way.
Paired it with a dry-rub, baked pork loin and squash veggie medley, in all likelihood saving it from being drain fodder. Still have one more, so we'll see if it rebounds.
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9/20/2014 - Kentw Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice wine at this stage. Very solid black fruits, full body yet smooth and crisp to the palate. Almost black in color with a great nose. Ends with spice and a long finish. Very well made, solid structure, great balance in texture and mouth feel. A very nice surprise. Glad I waited to open and have a couple more.
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11/13/2013 - Janstan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really liked this wine. Well knitted dark fruit, with briary blackberry/ellderberry near finish, anise. Had on its own - no food. Yummy
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11/13/2013 - MCrawford wrote: 89 Points
Well made, great hints of spice, both in the mid-palate and finish. I get more red fruit in the nose and palate, dark cherries, raspberries, almost a cranberry style finish. Pronounced oak, but not overdone in my opinion. Color was deep ruby and clear as a bell, which I really liked. Reading the other reviews, I was hyped into expecting something really exceptional. It's very good, worth buying again if the price was a little better, but I wouldn't say exceptional.
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1/17/2012 - patsox wrote: 93 Points
Just fantastic!
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7/19/2011 - Zo65 wrote: 85 Points
Over the top. Way too oakey. Could be $12 Barossa-du-jour. Dissappointing
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3/25/2011 - monkeylug wrote: 92 Points
Great value, with rustic syrah character. Blueberry, bramble, iron and meat.
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1/23/2011 - monkeylug wrote: 95 Points
Much better than I remember last time, this wine seems to be hitting a great phase. Very complex on the nose and in the mouth, this does not present like a typical California syrah. The fruit is strongly there, but not so much dark fruit as in typical syrah, but very lively and rich, with bright acidity. Really impressive.
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12/27/2010 - WinePT wrote: 89 Points
Grape, black fruit, spice, lots of umph. I'm not a Syrah fan, but I liked this.
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12/15/2010 - ed-d wrote: 82 Points
A little muddy & brownish in color. Tight aromas of smoke & faint black plum with a stange pumpkin tinge. Medium entry of very soft & concentrated plum & red berry fruit. Alcoholic heat creeps into the finish with some metallic tannins. This is strange?
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11/14/2010 - corkscrews wrote: 89 Points
A nose of dark fruit and spice, dark purple in color. Plum, black cherry, a bit hot but not distracting, full bodied, with spice and earth on finish.
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11/5/2010 - hende14 wrote: 89 Points
This is a huge wine. First, it is extremely dark purple, almost black in color. There is a lot of alcohol coming off as you swirl it in your glass and then sniff. In fact, it was almost the alcohol laden aroma of brandy.
There is some very good dark blueberry fruit underneath with some leather and tar. Tannin seems a little light to support so much else that is going on. Very full body with a long, long finish. The dark fruit hangs in there for a long time. This is a serious wine, probably way too serious for a Thursday night with some great grilled trout and roasted acorn squash at my neighbor's. This wine is made for a night out with the guys at a historic, wood paneled basement steak house, served with a 24 oz porterhouse, finished up with a chocolate cheesecake dessert.
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10/20/2010 - GuruofAV wrote: 92 Points
Good stuff ....
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10/14/2010 - mclgreenville wrote: 89 Points
Delicious once the alcohol blew off. Dark chocolate, raison and plum.
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8/25/2010 - GuruofAV wrote: 93 Points
Fruity, big and bouncy .... Yummy
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8/6/2010 - mclgreenville wrote: 89 Points
Tight at first. Decent overall. Smooth finish.
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12/24/2009 - tplskylrk wrote: 87 Points
Purple. Bit of funk initialy on the nose. Brambely, oaky. Fruit palte of blue fruit, dry wood. Tannins there but light. Decent finish. Not a great example of the grape, and a Cali version that is just decent. But some QPR!
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6/18/2009 - dwcoleman82 wrote: 96 Points
This was one of the best wines I have had in a while. It opened with a nice plum and cherry flavor. Very well balance and one of the most wonderful long finishes I have had in a wine...
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