| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 06/22/08 | 2005 | Shiraz | Cline | Carneros | 14.5% | $28.00 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Purple Nose - Smoke, cedar, blackberry Taste - Smoked wood and charcoal, moderate amount of blackberry, spice, and chocolate going down. Muscular on the palate. Long finish.
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Evolution - Strong Finish - Long Overall - 9 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 02/26/07 | 2005 | Shiraz | Epsilon | Barossa Valley | 14.5% | $19.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Dense purple Nose - Beautiful ripe strawberry nose Taste - Solid medium bodied wine. Excellent balance between fruit, oak, spice, acidity, and tannin
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Evolution - Strong Finish - Long Overall - 9.3 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 09/19/06 | 2001 | Shiraz | Hardy's | McLaren Vale | 14% | $18.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Brick Nose - Oak flavors and a nice aroma of dark fruit Taste - Mild spice, chocolate, chewy, with tart acidity showing after decanting.
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| RATING |
Attack - Moderate Evolution - Strong Finish - Long Overall - 8 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 08/10/06 | 2003 | Syrah | Santa Ema | Chile | 13.5% | $11.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Crimson Nose - Oak and blackberry Taste - Tangy blackberry, oaky, pronounced acidity, bitter tannins, medium body, firm texture, medium to long finish.
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| RATING |
Attack - Moderate Evolution - Average Finish - Medium Overall - 7 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 08/07/06 | 2004 | Red Rhone Wine - Syrah | Numa - Chateau Guiot | Costieres de Nimes | 13.5% | $21.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Dense crimson Nose - Earthy, smoke, floral, soft red berry fruit Taste - Raspberry, oak, gunpowder-like spice, tight tannins, crisp acidity, medium body, firm texture, medium finish. Delicious
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| RATING |
Attack - Moderate Evolution - Strong Finish - Medium Overall - 8.5 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 08/03/06 | 2005 | Shiraz | Molly Dooker | McLaren Vale, South Australia | 16% | $22.97 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Dense crimson Nose - Ripe fruit, oak, and heat Taste - Lots of rich ripe red berries, dark chocolate, versus alcoholic heat which dominates the finish. Too much testosterone. Needs time to evolve.
8/06/06
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Evolution - Soft Finish - Medium Overall - 7.8 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 05/9/06 | 2004 | Shiraz | Kaesler | Stonehorse Barossa Valley | 15.5% | $21.00 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Dense crimson/purple Nose - Big with some red fruit coming through Taste - Tight fruit and acidity, lively spices, and pleasant tannins after decanting. Full of body and flavor
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Evolution - Strong Finish - Long Overall - 9.6 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 12/13/05 | 2002 | Shiraz | Piping Shrike | Barossa Valley | 15% | $16.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Dense ruby with long tight arches Nose - Ripe strawberry and plum with some acidity on the nose Taste - Balanced. The fruit, acidity, and tannin are simply balanced. The mouthfeel is spirited, with a full body and long finish
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Middle - Strong Finish - Long Overall - 9 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 10/22/05 | 2004 | Syrah/Petite Sirah | The Other | Peirano Estate Vineyards | 13.8% | $10.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Plum Nose - Ripe fruit, plum Taste - Sweet, spicy, juicy fruit, very tasty, good solid body
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Middle - Strong Finish - Medium Overall - 8 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 9/13/05 | 2003 | Syrah | Justin | Paso Robles | 15% | $24.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Deep crimson, Long tight legs Nose - Chaulk, Ripe red berry fruit Taste - Smooth and rich from start to finish. Delectable red fruit up front, smooth white pepper middle; very long and lingering finish. Rich tannins, muscular structure. Balanced throughout.
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Middle - Long Finish - Strong Overall - 9.9 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 9/1/05 | 2002 | Shiraz | Penfolds - Thomas Hyland | South Australia | 14.5% | $12.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Plum with moderately spaced arches Nose - Subtle in the beginning, but opened to blackberry, pepper, and mild oak Taste - Rich ripe red fruit, espresso, spice, and mild tannins
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| RATING |
Attack - Intense Middle - Long Finish - Strong Overall - 9.3 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 7/28/05 | 2001 | Syrah | Columbia Crest Grand Estates | Columbia Valley | 13.5% | $11.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Crimson Nose - Musky in the beginning with berry fruit Taste - Berry fruit up front, acidic in the middle, moderately long finish. This Syrah differed from other Syrah's/Shiraz's I've encountered due to its fruity tongue, and acidic, as opposed to spicy, center.
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| RATING |
Attack - Moderate+ Middle - Long Finish - Strong Overall - 8 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 7/25/05 | 2002 | Shiraz | Vino de Eyzaguirre | D.O. Colchagua Valley | 12.5% | $10.00 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Deep Garnet; Medium arches Nose - Light earth, and spice, with floral hints Taste - Dark red fruit, black pepper and spice. Medium body, with a dry intense middle, and long warm finish. The attack was moderate, but it has a good balance overall.
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| RATING |
Attack - Moderate Middle - Long Finish - Strong Overall - 8.3 | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 6/13/05 | 2000 | Syrah - Grenache | Domain Combebelle | Saint Chinian | 14% | $18.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Blood red/dense, long tight arches Nose - Oak, smoke, very slight hint of cherry. Taste - Espresso, oak, black licorice, smooth to moderate spices, smooth to moderate ripe cherry. Long spicy oak and licorice middle with mild tannins to finish. Lip smacking good. Although the alcohol content is 14%, there is no hint of it. After letting this one breathe, it began to take on a really nice smooth buttery flavor with increased ripe cherry. This one will pair very well with filet minion or prime rib.
Attack - Barely to non existent | ||||||||||||
| RATING |
Sight - 9 Nose - 7.5 Taste - 9 Price - 9 Overall - 8.6 A Bomb. I enjoyed this one very much! It is very good indeed! | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 5/23/05 | 1999 | Syrah - Cabernet | Penley Estate | Coonawarra | 14% | $29.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Black cherry Nose - Toast with vanilla and ripe fruit. The flavors hit my nose as soon as I popped the cork Taste - Firm tannins, soft oak and ripe cherry, with plenty spice to balance it out | ||||||||||||
| RATING |
Sight - 7 Nose - 8.5 Taste - 8 Price - 6 Overall - 7.4 This one is complex and very nicely put together. Everyone I share this one with loves it, and I've had it several times. Goes very well with pasta dishes. | ||||||||||||
| DATE | VINTAGE | VARIETAL | PRODUCER | APPELLATION | Alc. by Vol | PRICE | |||||||
| 5/8/05 | 2000 | Shiraz | Yalumba | Barossa | 13.5 | $9.99 | |||||||
| NOTES |
Sight - Dark plum to cherry on the rim. Tight
legs Nose - Plum with ripe cherry. Very sweet bouquet Taste - Oak, spice, and smooth tannin with lingering finish Attack - | ||||||||||||
| RATING |
Sight - 8 Nose - 8 Taste - 8 Price - 8 Overall - 8 I started on this one then took a break. Afterwards with dinner, the Yalumba Shiraz exhibited more pronounced and sharper tannin, leaving a dry short finish. The alcohol was almost noticeable, definately not overwhelming, which suited me just fine, leaving me with a good buzz. This is a very good wine for a party, or if you simply want a good buzz! | ||||||||||||