 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
| 2006 2 Up Shiraz | ** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| South Australia |
$13 |
BevMo |
3/9/09 |
| A deep ruby/purple colored wine with ripe black fruit aromas along with hints of oak, sweet spice and plum. The palate is round and integrated with dusty blackberry, mocha, plum, black cherry and hints of earth and mint on the moderate finish. It was a bit hot the first night, but not the second which brought the earthy/herb aspects more to the forefront. It has a little more going on than most wines in this price point and was a great everyday sipper. (Wine Enthusiast: 88) |
| 2006 Vie Winery Las Madres Syrah | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Sonoma County, CA |
$40 |
Red Carpet |
4/26/08 |
| This deep, ruby/purple wine has a nose filled with black fruits and spice that follow through on the full-bodied palate. The tannins and acidity are well-balanced and the moderate alcohol (14%) keeps the wine from being flabby. The mouthfeel is smooth, allowing the flavors of blackberry, blueberry, black olive, sweet spice and black pepper to merge on a lingering finish that hints of meat and oak. More restrained than many Syrahs, which allows the complexity to shine through. |
| 2005 Anglim Winery Syrah | ** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Paso Robles, CA |
$24 |
@ the Winery |
2/2/10 |
| A deep, ruby-colored wine with a bright nose of blackberry, plum, earth, herbs and spice. The palate is medium-bodied and round with the same flavors found on the nose along with notes of mocha, tobacco and a hint of caramel on the medium-length finish. The wine has 2% Viognier and was barrel-aged for 27 months in French oak, 20% new, which helps to soften the wine. Ready to go now, this is a well-crafted wine though not as complex as others from the region. Just lovely, spicy and fruit-forward, this is a wine that delivers great QPR for the price and is really good with food. (14.6% abv) |
| 2005 Barrel 27 "Head Honcho" Syrah | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Tasted |
Drank |
| Santa Barbara, CA |
$35 |
Tastes of the Valley |
5/4/08 |
| A deep, purple-colored wine with a complex nose filled with ripe black fruit, sweet raspberry, meat, flowers and pepper. The palate is full-bodied, yet well-balanced and filled with flavors of plum, blackberry, blackcurrent, bacon, sweet spice and earth. The finish is lush and long. A complex wine that brings out a new flavor with every sip. Could easily sit for another year or two but is more than enjoyable now. A lot of flavor for the price and one of the best Syrahs I've tasted in a while. |
| 2005 Beckmen Vineyards Estate Syrah | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Santa Barbara, CA |
$24 |
@ the Winery |
2/9/08 |
| Deep and rich, it offers bright boysenberry-
blackberry fruitiness and a hint of leather, mint, black olive, cocoa and mineral. Round and well balanced, with non-stop flavors of vanilla, spice, and blackfruits with a pleasant, tangy finish. An intense version of this varietal, that's showing well right out of bottle, but could still use another year or two to fully integrate. (Robert Parker: 90) |
| 2005 Beckmen Vineyards Syrah Barrel Select | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Santa Barbara, CA |
$35 |
@ the Winery |
5/24/08 |
| Made from their Block 6 syrah and aged in neutral oak barrels, this is a medium-deep, ruby colored wine with ripe aromas of blackberry and blueberry, with hints of tar, smoke and minerals. On the palate, the flavors are well balanced showing mixed berry, sweet spice, earth and vanilla on the medium finish. This wine is well-integrated and ready to go with only moderate acidity and soft tannins. It is more elegant than some of Beckmen's other syrahs and went really well with our spicy lamb kabobs. I wished for a deeper finish, but was drinking it too quickly to really complain.
|
| 2005 Beckmen Vineyards PMV Block Six Syrah | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Santa Barbara, CA |
$50 |
@ the Winery |
7/2/08 |
A dark ruby-purple colored wine with big aromas of dark berries, smoke, earth and a surprising burst of graham cracker which integrated after about 15 minutes. The palate was full-bodied with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, herbs, spice and a lingering finish with hints of minerals and bacon. The tannins and acid are still quite high and failed to settle down after an hour. This wine is already well-integrated it just need another year or two to allow the tannins to smooth out. Not as bold as other Beckmen's, but still a big wine.
Re-tasted 8/6/10: This wine was popped and poured. Delivered a round, integrated experience with not as much upfront fruit, no detectible tannins and additional notes of mint and leather. Am going to hold my third bottle until next year to see if it continues to develop as it showed no signs of being tired, though it's in a wonderful space right now. Was surprised there was no sign of heat despite its age and 15.5% abv.
|
| 2005 Booker Vineyards Fracture Syrah | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Paso Robles, CA |
$45 |
@ the Winery |
7/16/09 |
| An opaque, ruby-purple colored wine with a big nose filled with aromas of black fruit, sweet spice, smoke and hints of mocha. The palate is full-bodied with blackberry, black cherry, mocha, minerals and notes of of oak and sweet spice on the lengthy, slightly hot finish. An intense wine that I believe still needs a few years in the bottle to fully integrate. Would have waited if it was my choice. The 16.5% alcohol became more apparent as the wine warmed and detracted from my pleasure just a bit. A dense and delicious version of Syrah that's worth the money, it you like them big. Can't imagine drinking this with food. It's one to savor on a cool night. |
| 2005 Calcareous Vineyards Syrah | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Paso Robles, CA |
$34 |
@ the Winery |
5/13/08 |
| This wine is a richly hued dark purple with a nose of plums, ripe cherries, spice and oak. Fruit driven flavors of blackberry, cherry and plum are well-integrated with hints of smoky oak and sweet spice on the medium-bodied palate and smooth finish. Firm tannins and notes of minerality add to the complexity. Good the first night, better the second. Quite restrained and elegant for the region. Re-Tasted 4/23/09: This wine is drinking amazing right now. Popped and poured, ripe and round. No waiting. Still has life but why wait. Glad I bought this again. May have to get more. |
| 2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 38 100-Year-Old Vines Shiraz | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Barossa Valley, Australia |
$20 |
C. Hughes Online |
5/11/08 |
| A deep, ruby/purple colored wine with big aromas of black fruit, earth, smoke and spice. The palate is equally intense with ripe flavors of blackberry, black cherry, sweet spice, oak and notes of leather, herbs and vanilla on the lengthy finish. The first night the wine was a bit all over the place with the flavors and tannins fighting each other for most obvious. The second night brought everything together in a powerful, gulpable way. This baby needs at least another 2-3 years in the bottle and was a steal for $20. I'm glad I have another bottle, as it's no longer available. If you don't know about Cameron Hughes you are really missing out. |
| 2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 41 Shiraz | ** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| McLaren Vale, Australia |
$12 |
C. Hughes Online |
12/31/07 |
| Rich warm fruit on the nose with hints of spice. Medium-bodied with a big mouth feel full of blackberry and warm chocolate, finishing with a big, lingering kiss of black pepper. Deep and flavorful. Hard to believe it's a $12 wine. Ready to drink right out of the bottle, which is rare for a 2-year-old Shiraz. Might acquire some additional depth over the next few years, but why wait? |
| 2005 Cass Winery Syrah | *** |
 |
Region |
Price |
Purchased |
Drank |
| Paso Robles, CA |
$34 |
@ the Winery |
9/28/08 |
| A splash of Petite Sirah added to this full-bodied wine helps give it a deep ruby color. The nose is aromatic with blackberry fruit, toasty oak, sweet spice and hints of bacon. On the palate the wine is already lush with ripe, peppery black fruit, cedar, vanilla and meat on the lingering, chewy finish. The tannins are present, but well-integrated making this powerful, but well-structured wine ready to go. The fruit is still so ripe it has at least 2-3 years to go in the bottle. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
**** Outstanding | *** Delicious | ** Enjoyable | * Drinkable
|
|
^ 
