2009 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate

Community Tasting Notes (22) Avg Score: 90.6 points

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  5/1/2024 - GuanYu Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Similar notes as my last bottle drank on March 11, 2024. Confirmed that wine was progressively better leaving 2 nights in the fridge. Wine was more open, precise and integrated. Tannin was tamed and silkier. Sadly, it was my last bottle.
  
  ADDENDUM: The wine had finally gone sour by Day 3. So optimal time to drink is after long decant on Day 1 or drink it Day 2.

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  3/11/2024 - GuanYu Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Dark ruby red with pink rim and a hint of orange. Blackcurrant, dark cherry, floral, oak, spices, dried lavender, white pepper, and mild animal. Full bodied, medium-high acidity, medium-high tannin, medium-high structure, medium-high alcohol and medium tannic finish. Complex, bold, energetic and tannic but well-balanced. Viscous texture almost like blood.
  
  This bottle was enjoyable to drink now. I would cellar this for a more years to mellow out the tannin. Tertiary notes were barely emerging.
  I would recommend to breathe for at least 3 hours if drinking within next few years.
  
  ADDENDUM #1: I left half a bottle in the fridge. The next day, most of the tannins were tamed and wine texture was much smoother. On a separate note, I found this more expensive "Hillside Estate" version a little leaner and sharper than the regular Bien Nacido Vineyard, which was rounder and more balanced after 15-20 years of cellar time. So far, I preferred the regular Bien Nacido Vineyard over the Hillside Estate version.
  
  ADDENDUM #2: I left 15% of bottle in the fridge. Drank it on 2nd evening (~50 hours) after open. Wine actually tasted even better. More integrated, well-balanced, smoother and silky than first two days. I think this wine needed to be treated like port in terms of preparation.

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  12/13/2020 - Jmb4263 Likes this wine: 91 Points

  drinking well now but still has significant time ahead of it. decanted for 1-2 hrs. was better on day 2.

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  5/25/2020 - davergny Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Juicy red and blue fruit, with some meaty and white pepper notes. Good balance. Another excellent Cali syrah!

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  3/21/2019 - oropeza Likes this wine:

  Second bottle, no brett to mar the beautiful red fruit, earth and pencil lead core and sharp, bright finish. Celebration bottle... 10 years since moving to France!

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