A very nice showing for this wine that is just starting to come out of its shell. Pop and let breathe for 30 minutes (not decanted), it took about another hour to open up.
Opened at a holiday party to join in the fun with a "Chanukah" wine as it is made in Israel. Israel is making some excellent wines these days and this is an outstanding Syrah. Deep purple in color with ruby swirls. The nose is very meaty with black raspberries, bacon fat, and black pepper. Medium bodied. On the palate, this is somewhere between a Rhone style Syrah and one from California. It is delicious but slightly restrained fruit. Black raspberries over roasted meat and earth. Good acidity. Long finish. This will work well with stews and roasts. It should drink well for the
This is one in a series of Tawny "Ports" made by Penfold's. It has very attractive packaging although no longer in the wood box. Made in a Solera style, the minimum blended age is 20 years old. The Solera currently contains vintages from 1960 to 2004. Mostly Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache and Mourvedre but others as well. Iced tea in color. The nose is a bit oxidized (in a good way) with brown sugar, toffee and crème brulee. On the palate, this is viscous. Lots of caramel notes. Some heat. There is a nice depth to it. Long finish. This will work well on its own or with toffee/carame
What a treat. The iconic wine of Australia. This is Syrah or Shiraz as they call it down under. This wine is 37 years old and drinks like it is just getting to maturity. No hint of age. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black pepper, black raspberries, some chocolate and baking spice. On the palate, this is starting to show some layering. Lots of black raspberry fruit with underlying char and spice. Great texture. Long finish. It probably won't improve from here but should be at this level for at least another decade. This will work well with stews or roasts and is
Truly one of the great Syrah vineyards in the world, James Berry Vineyard is the home of Saxum, but Justin does sell off some fruit and Mike Office gets some for his Carlisle winery. Purple in color, dense and bright. The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, slight roasted herbs and hints of roasted meat. On the palate, this has a great texture. Still young with firm tannins, it opens in the glass showing black raspberries over char with a slight peppery note. Good balance. Bright acidity. Long finish. This should still develop further but no harm opening now although a few hou
This is a blend from Paso Robles. It is 75% Grenache, 21% Mourvedre and 4% Syrah. At age ten, it is still youthful but drinking great. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, graphite, black pepper and spice. On the palate, this is big and full bodied. Slight tannins. Lots of black raspberry and black cherry fruit. Great mouth feel. Long finish. This drinks great on its own and will work with roasts or grilled foods. It will drink well for the next ten to twelve years.
Tynan makes a top cab for which he is probably better known for. This was my first time trying this wine and it is impressive. Inky purple in color. Opaque and bright. The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, slight bacon fat and roasted herbs. With air, a slight lavender/violet comes out. Wonderful lush but energetic texture. Delicious. Firm tannins. This is still young but drinking wonderfully on its own. Black raspberries layered with pepper and charred earth. Great acidity. Long finish. This will continue to improve for the next five to seven years and be at peak for a
This is always one of the better values in Rhone wines. They make two cuvees, this being the better of the two. This is a blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is great with black raspberries, black cherries, plums, spice and smoked herbs. On the palate, this is medium bodied. Complex. The fruits carry thru. Light tannins. Good acidity. Long finish. This drinks well on its own but also works well with a wide variety of foods. Works with casseroles, pizza or grilled foods. It will continue to mature for a couple more year
This is a multi-vintage, multi grape cuvee. It is released on a regular basis, this being the 13th iteration. It is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 12% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Mourvedre. This is really quite good and an excellent value. Deep ruby in color. The nose is dusty and warm with nice black cherry fruit. On the palate, the black cherries come thru along with some sour cherries. Medium tannins. Moderate finish. This rinks quite easily and would be a nice choice for parties. It will go with all but the lightest of foods. Drink over the next couple of y
This is somewhat of a rarity in CdR as it is 100% Syrah. This is also consistently one of the better values in Syrah. Purple in color. The nose is nice with black raspberries, garrigue (an herbal/spice combination found in the Rhone), and black pepper. Medium bodied. Nice acidity. A bit more austere than prior vintages but that's fine. More than enough stuffing. On the palate, black raspberries, black pepper and slight roasted herbs. Good finish. This might even get a bit better with just a hint of age. This should drink well for the next five to seven years. It will work well w
