Pear Valley Vineyards Syrah Vertical - 3 Pack
$39.99 + $5 shipping
CONDITION: Red
PRODUCTS:
1 2005 Paso Robles Syrah
1 2006 Paso Robles Syrah
1 2007 Paso Robles Syrah
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Key Details
Rat Date: 02/11/2011
Wine: 2006 Syrah
Winery: Pear Valley Vineyard
Location: Paso Robles, California, USA

This is my first time labratting. Got the bottle roughly midday Thursday via overnight. Checked the label and then the winery site to see if I hit the jackpot and was ratting a black tie bottle.... no luck, bottle price from winery $25 ($17 from wine club) per bottle but still was excited to try a Syrah that was new to me.

I'd like to note this point that although I enjoy savoring a fine wine am not trained or practiced in picking out specific flavor notes and am inexperienced to say the least at putting my experiences with wine onto paper or a digital form thereof.

(all times are EST)

6:30pm – Opened bottle

6:30pm – begin 10 minute in bottle breathe

6:40pm – Begin 5 minute in-glass aeration
- Foregoing full decanting for now
- Wine color is an opaque dark burgundy to maroon, no visible sediment
- Smell is fruity and rich, smell is slightly reminiscent of spring flowers

6:42pm – Lost patience, took first sip
- Very balanced to start fading to quite a dry aftertaste (finish)

6:50pm – Allowed further breathing, about 3 fingers (to use an archaic measurement) left in glass
- More gradual transition from start to finish with the finish much more mellow than during first taste

7:03pm – Last smell and taste
- Smell is much more subtle, has almost a smoky element that seemed undetectable before
- the tail end has lost most of it's edge although there is still a slight bite

After notes:
- I waited after finishing my tasting notes to pour myself a second glass, this is a wine that definitely seems to benefit from a long time aerating. I did not use a decanter but that may speed up the process of aerating the wine versus allowing to breathe in the bottle followed by the wine glass.

- I did not pair with any food for my notes however I will note that this pairs very well with the Dark and Milk Fleur de Sel Chocolate Covered Caramels, admittedly so do most other things

SWMBO is in for one. She went here on her Bachelorette Party and really enjoyed the winery. Glad to support such a great place. Plus, these look like BOMBS which is good for me!

Make sure you check out the vintner voicemeail for this - Jared packs a lot of words into a short time.

Kao1138 wrote:I did not pair with any food for my notes however I will note that this pairs very well with the Dark and Milk Fleur de Sel Chocolate Covered Caramels, admittedly so do most other things

Yes, it's pretty hard to screw up those delicious salted chocolate caramels - I bought some for my girlfriend as a Valentine's Day gift and have since claimed half for myself (rightfully, I should think ).

Thank you for a systematic and descripting Ratting! But a question - would you describe (and hopefully this will indicate a stylistic decision applicable to all three vintages) the wine as more restrained, or more "fruit bomb"-like? In other words, do you get a good sense of the acidity, dryness, tannins, oak, and fruit all on the attack, or does the fruit dominate at the beginning (and perhaps fade away a bit to reveal the other factors near the end)?

Woo-Hoo First one in (insert Tosh.0 joke here)

Can't wait to get this order. We have been very satisfied with all of our wine.woot purchases.....so far.

k1avg wrote:

Thank you for a systematic and descripting Ratting! But a question - would you describe (and hopefully this will indicate a stylistic decision applicable to all three vintages) the wine as more restrained, or more "fruit bomb"-like? In other words, do you get a good sense of the acidity, dryness, tannins, oak, and fruit all on the attack, or does the fruit dominate at the beginning (and perhaps fade away a bit to reveal the other factors near the end)?

I can only speak for the 2006 since that's all I received. The fruit is very upfront in the beginning however the taste stays until the end while changing into what I can only classify as a dry oaky flavor on the finish but with still a hint of the fruit. The finish teases into the next sip wherein the bold fruity beginning is replenished.


Edit: I am not fully versed in the etiquette of these things so unless someone advises me to do otherwise I won't add the rat header to any followups on this.

k1avg wrote:Yes, it's pretty hard to screw up those delicious salted chocolate caramels - I bought some for my girlfriend as a Valentine's Day gift and have since claimed half for myself (rightfully, I should think ).

Thank you for a systematic and descripting Ratting! But a question - would you describe (and hopefully this will indicate a stylistic decision applicable to all three vintages) the wine as more restrained, or more "fruit bomb"-like? In other words, do you get a good sense of the acidity, dryness, tannins, oak, and fruit all on the attack, or does the fruit dominate at the beginning (and perhaps fade away a bit to reveal the other factors near the end)?

I noticed in the description of the '07 that its alcohol is somewhat lower, and there's mention of earthiness and aging for 5-6 more years. It sounds as if it is a bomb, it's at least an age-worthy bomb - sort of like a well-endowed girl who has brains too.

[quote="Kao1138"]
- the tail end has lost most of it's edge although there is still a slight bite [/quote]

This kind of scares me

edit: what am i doing wrong with the formatting?

zener wrote:This kind of scares me

I probably should have clarified that more, it is noticeable but not overwhelming so it adds a slight edge to the tail. Think of it as a quick nip followed by a a gentle caress.


edit: you probably forgot [/quote]

Hmm, I wonder how this stacks up to the Calcareous Syrah, which is also from Paso Robles. I just finished my bottle tonight and it was fantastic. I'm not usually a fan of Syrah or Paso but if the rats make it sound like the Calc I don't think ill be able to resist.

zener wrote:This kind of scares me

edit: what am i doing wrong with the formatting?

Easiest is to hit "reply" and edit out what you don't want, but leave everything between the square brackets (including the brackets) alone. Format is

[ quote postid="4343550" user="zener" ] stuff [ /quote ]

taking out the spaces immediately inside the square brackets.

zener wrote:This kind of scares me

edit: what am i doing wrong with the formatting?

Why does it scare you?

I'm not sure what Kao is saying. He mentioned "quite a dry aftertaste" - I think (and i do mean "think") he might be referring to a dry, tannic note, like "dusty windowpane" than mostly fades as the wine has had a chance to breathe.


Regarding the formatting, the quote should begin with [quote postid="4343442" user="Kao1138"], which you should get when you hit "reply" (i.e. don't edit it).

I can see the ending bracket in your post, so that's fine.

TooOldForThis wrote:Easiest is to hit "reply" and edit out what you don't want, but leave everything between the square brackets (including the brackets) alone.

ok ill give it 1 more try thanks

Kao1138 wrote:I can only speak for the 2006 since that's all I received. The fruit is very upfront in the beginning however the taste stays until the end while changing into what I can only classify as a dry oaky flavor on the finish but with still a hint of the fruit. The finish teases into the next sip wherein the bold fruity beginning is replenished.

That's actually quite helpful - it sounds as if a lot of the tannic element has been derived from the oak used. That "dry oaky" sensation you describe sounds like the puckery, teeth-drying, tongue-clicking sensation of raw oak tannins, meaning there's a rather substantial oak element involved here. The fruit-forward character makes this sound like a fairly standard Paso Syrah. (Although the 2006 vintage had, I believe, more of a predilection to such a style than the 2005 and 2007 vintages, although most of the information on which I base those conclusions is for Northern California - I honestly have no idea what the vintages were like in Paso. We'll simply have to wait and hear from the winery.)

Edit: I am not fully versed in the etiquette of these things so unless someone advises me to do otherwise I won't add the rat header to any followups on this, although I'll try to link to them from my main rattage post on the I need a lift!.

No need for the Rattage insignia on subsequent posts or any additional work on your part. The moderators will take care of all that. Thanks again for the effort and concentration you've put into your Rattage!

stugettis wrote:Woo-Hoo First one in (insert Tosh.0 joke here)

Can't wait to get this order. We have been very satisfied with all of our wine.woot purchases.....so far.

Now that you've posted here, you're officially a member of Woot Wino World. Don't be a stranger - it's fun here!

My (relatively) standard questions for a Paso winemaker:

Where in Paso Robles are your vineyards located? Do you think there is a significant difference between 'westside' wines and those from other parts of the region?

How does this compare to other wines made in the Paso area? Are any aspects of the wine particularly similar (or not!) to other wines from the area?

What other varietals do you grow? Some of the best American GSMs I've had have come from the Paso Robles region; do you use any of this syrah in blends, or is it all made for the single-varietal bottles?

And anything else you'd like to add of course!!!

jawlz wrote:My (relatively) standard questions for a Paso winemaker:

Where in Paso Robles are your vineyards located? Do you think there is a significant difference between 'westside' wines and those from other parts of the region?

How does this compare to other wines made in the Paso area? Are any aspects of the wine particularly similar (or not!) to other wines from the area?

What other varietals do you grow? Some of the best American GSMs I've had have come from the Paso Robles region; do you use any of this syrah in blends, or is it all made for the single-varietal bottles?

And anything else you'd like to add of course!!!

While we're waiting for the winery, I can help answer the "what varietals" question. From their website:

2009 Tom's Oak Chard. 2009 Chardonnay 2009 Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Muscat Canelli 2009 Rosé 2009 Orange Muscat 2005 Cabernet Franc 2006 Cabernet Franc 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Syrah 2008 Zinfandel 2006 Distraction 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

There's also a Merlot listed on Snooth.

NightGhost wrote:Why does it scare you?

I'm not sure what Kao is saying. He mentioned "quite a dry aftertaste" - I think (and i do mean "think") he might be referring to a dry, tannic note, like "dusty windowpane" than mostly fades as the wine has had a chance to breathe.

In my original tasting that was the case however after allowing the wine to breathe there was no more cloying dryness, however, there was still what was left after the sweet fruity notes receded which I can only call dryness.

NightGhost wrote:I noticed in the description of the '07 that its alcohol is somewhat lower, and there's mention of earthiness and aging for 5-6 more years. It sounds as if it is a bomb, it's at least an age-worthy bomb - sort of like a well-endowed girl who has brains too.

Well (and this is a discussion that I imagine has been had in many other threads, but I've been scarce for the past couple months), I think most bombs are probably more age-worthy than nerds and Wooters give them credit for. To take as an example the acidity many consider a determinative factor, the difference between a 3.4 and 3.8 pH is significant but not life-changing - wines at the upper end of acidity will still age for several years, but simply won't develop as well as higher-acidity wines. Or perhaps it's the other way around - lower-acidity wines will still develop over several years, but won't continue developing for as long as higher-acidity wines will. I really don't have the experience to know for sure (and I imagine that's really a situational thing anyway).

In short, the "drink bombs now" crowd are probably overstating things, while the "I only buy wines I can age for ten years" crowd are kind of missing the point. [/rant]

Kao1138 wrote:In my original tasting that was the case however after allowing the wine to breathe there was no more cloying dryness, however, there was still what was left after the sweet fruity notes receded which I can only call dryness.

This sounds a lot like the difference between tannins from the grape skins and tannins from the oak. Grape tannins will tend to be much more integrated, adding mostly heft (and potentially bitterness) to the wine, while oak tannins are tend to contribute primarily that dry, dusty sensation on the finish. Grape tannins readily dissipate with breathing, while oak tannins are much more irascible (frankly, the whole point of this post was to use the word "irascible"). It sounds to me like this is a very well-oaked Syrah - not necessarily a bad thing, though it might benefit from a few more years in the cellar to work itself out. (And note that thus far all we've discussed is the 2006 - the other two vintages may be completely different.)

k1avg wrote:(And note that thus far all we've discussed is the 2006 - the other two vintages may be completely different.)

Very true however the other lab ratters either haven't gotten their bottles yet or didn't taste and do their writeup 7 hours before the offer came online, not bragging or anything. Hopefully sometime later today we'll get a better picture of the other years.

k1avg wrote:Well (and this is a discussion that I imagine has been had in many other threads, but I've been scarce for the past couple months), I think most bombs are probably more age-worthy than nerds and Wooters give them credit for. To take as an example the acidity many consider a determinative factor, the difference between a 3.4 and 3.8 pH is significant but not life-changing - wines at the upper end of acidity will still age for several years, but simply won't develop as well as higher-acidity wines. Or perhaps it's the other way around - lower-acidity wines will still develop over several years, but won't continue developing for as long as higher-acidity wines will. I really don't have the experience to know for sure (and I imagine that's really a situational thing anyway).

In short, the "drink bombs now" crowd are probably overstating things, while the "I only buy wines I can age for ten years" crowd are kind of missing the point. [/rant]

That sounds right (although I had to reread one of your sentences about 4 times to get it ). Also, a wine might not go 30-40 years, but 10-15 is nothing to sneeze at.

I think a lot of that overstatement you're talking about arises from an emotional backlash to the whole Parkerisation phenomenon. I do vehemently disagree with Parker's occasional "predictions" that seem to be saying that big fruit alone means long life.

Kao1138 wrote:Very true however the other lab ratters either haven't gotten their bottles yet or didn't taste and do their writeup 7 hours before the offer came online, not bragging or anything. Hopefully sometime later today we'll get a better picture of the other years.

You may not be bragging, but now that you mention it, major props for that.

NightGhost wrote:That sounds right (although I had to reread one of your sentences about 4 times to get it ). Also, a wine might not go 30-40 years, but 10-15 is nothing to sneeze at.

Admittedly, whatever I said made sense in my head, but might not on the page. I have a tendency to over-over-simplify, but in the process often cut out necessary logical steps...also, I'm a little drunk.

Anyway - you're absolutely right - ten years of drinkability is impressive for any wine, and even further, many modern wines develop substantially in five. Or three. At least for someone like me (and, I suspect, most regular Woot buyers) who doesn't have a dedicated cellar and several hundred bottles available at any one time, keeping wine around for more than a year is a feat in itself.

I think a lot of that overstatement you're talking about arises from an emotional backlash to the whole Parkerisation phenomenon. I do vehemently disagree with Parker's occasional "predictions" that seem to be saying that big fruit alone means long life.

I entirely agree, and I think the difference (note: over-over-simplification) can be summed up in a simple word: Parker is a wine drinker, much more than he is a wine collector (and I suspect he is not at all the latter, though of course I don't know for sure).

I received the 2007 vintage for the lab rat review. It was a little strong upon opening but mellowed after letting it sit awhile. It went well with olives and a swiss chard pasta dish. There's a slight hint of fruit but it's more on the earthy side. It was a nice wine.

huxley99 wrote:I received the 2007 vintage for the lab rat review. It was a little strong upon opening but mellowed after letting it sit awhile. It went well with olives and a swiss chard pasta dish. There's a slight hint of fruit but it's more on the earthy side. It was a nice wine.

Wow - sounds like a cap gun, rather than a bomb (fruit-wise, of course).

Perhaps this needs some age for the fruit to express itself.

OK, I'm in for one, just pushed the stupidly large button.

I'm a sucker for Syrah and Paso Robles, I guess.

Key Details
Rat Date: 02/11/2011-02/12/11
Wine: 2005 Syrah
Winery: Pear Valley Vineyard
Location: Paso Robles, California, USA

After Fedex showed up at my complex just as I was taking my trash out (shakes fist at sky), I had to call them to see if I could retrieve the bottle later that day. They said they could send the truck driver back. Yippie! A driver comes back, I buzz him in, only to find that he's delivering a case from the last wootoff, but no rattage warez. Blast it. About an hour later, another Fedex guy shows up with the singular bottle. "Bïtchin' Camero", as the Dead Milkmen once said.

About my tastes for reference; I like Cab Franc. When done right, all by itself, not blended. I'm deep like that. My standard is Cabernet Sauvignon, then Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, and then down the line. It's not that I dislike any wines, and on the right summer day, a white wine is just perfect, I just thought I'd mention it so you know my personal bias's. I also place the toilet paper on the roll with paper hanging out so it presents itself and is easier to tear off.


(all times are Pacific)
Thursday

11:00pm • Put bottle in fridge

11:45pm • Took bottle out of fridge

Friday
12:00ish • Opened bottle. Alert the media.




12:15am • Finally got 3 stars on that friggin' level of angry birds. Fist arm pump like a hockey player.

12:30am • Pour into decanter and poured a glass straight, both with a soiree device...

Wine color is a rich ruby burgundy and velvet violet on the sides.
Aromas get complex if you start sniffing through your nose and open your mouth halfway through. Enriched with plum, raspberry, a slight wiff of walking by starbucks. The alcohol does tip it's hat.

1/8th of a pepper flake of sediment in my 1st glass- perhaps from the cork. I couldn't get it to show up with my iPhone cam.

The glass swirling begins.

12:45am • 3 sips.
- The tannins seem to give it structure but not in a chalky way (more like cedar). The alcohol sits in the back of your throat for a while. I wish I had my bigger wine glass. I suspect the decanting will do it's job. I know this is the 05, but still a bit young?

12:50am • Glass 1 finished. I take back the young statement. Maybe, a teenager. I'm getting more of the jam flavor you'd expect from a Syrah. It has texture, but not like a fruit bowl.

Glass 2 poured from decanter.

1:00am • Predictable. The alcohol has taken a backseat. I'm getting a bit more cherry flavor this time around. More spicy, currant and maybe sandalwood. Finishes with a blueberry hint with air. Still easy to drink, but smoother.

Zero sediment.

1:15am • Glass 3. More of the same. Either it's settled in, or my taste buds have. I like my red's coolish (not cold) like they were taken out of the cellar at night. Based on what I'm tasting, decant this for an hour. I know everyone says that about every wine ever made but really, do yourself the favor and wait (or at least pour into a decanter when you pour your 1st glass).



Epilogue :
• Decent value, even if the winewoot discount isn't huge, this should be a good one for people that don't have any Syrah's in stock. Bonus points to woot for vertical. If you moan about the black tie days, consider this one.

• This should pear well (see what I did there?) with practically any stinky cheese you can pick up at trader joe's, whole food's, or even costco.

ecue wrote:



Key Details
Rat Date: 02/11/2011-02/12/11
Wine: 2005 Syrah
Winery: Pear Valley Vineyard
Location: Paso Robles, California, USA

After Fedex showed up at my complex just as I was taking my trash out (shakes fist at sky), I had to call them to see if I could retrieve the bottle later that day. They said they could send the truck driver back. Yippie! A driver comes back, I buzz him in, only to find that he's delivering a case from the last wootoff, but no rattage warez. Blast it. About an hour later, another Fedex guy shows up with the singular bottle. "Bïtchin' Camero", as the Dead Milkmen once said.

About my tastes for reference; I like Cab Franc. When done right, all by itself, not blended. I'm deep like that. My standard is Cabernet Sauvignon, then Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, and then down the line. It's not that I dislike any wines, and on the right summer day, a white wine is just perfect, I just thought I'd mention it so you know my personal bias's. I also place the toilet paper on the roll with paper hanging out so it presents itself and is easier to tear off.


(all times are Pacific)
Thursday

11:00pm • Put bottle in fridge

11:45pm • Took bottle out of fridge

Friday
12:00ish • Opened bottle. Alert the media.




12:15am • Finally got 3 stars on that friggin' level of angry birds. Fist arm pump like a hockey player.

12:30am • Pour into decanter and poured a glass straight, both with a soiree device...

Wine color is a rich ruby burgundy and velvet violet on the sides.
Aromas get complex if you start sniffing through your nose and open your mouth halfway through. Enriched with plum, raspberry, a slight wiff of walking by starbucks. The alcohol does tip it's hat.

1/8th of a pepper flake of sediment in my 1st glass- perhaps from the cork. I couldn't get it to show up with my iPhone cam.

The glass swirling begins.

12:45am • 3 sips.
- The tannins seem to give it structure but not in a chalky way (more like cedar). The alcohol sits in the back of your throat for a while. I wish I had my bigger wine glass. I suspect the decanting will do it's job. I know this is the 05, but still a bit young?

12:50am • Glass 1 finished. I take back the young statement. Maybe, a teenager. I'm getting more of the jam flavor you'd expect from a Syrah. It has texture, but not like a fruit bowl.

Glass 2 poured from decanter.

1:00am • Predictable. The alcohol has taken a backseat. I'm getting a bit more cherry flavor this time around. More spicy, currant and maybe sandalwood. Finishes with a blueberry hint with air. Still easy to drink, but smoother.

Zero sediment.

1:15am • Glass 3. More of the same. Either it's settled in, or my taste buds have. I like my red's coolish (not cold) like they were taken out of the cellar at night. Based on what I'm tasting, decant this for an hour. I know everyone says that about every wine ever made but really, do yourself the favor and wait (or at least pour into a decanter when you pour your 1st glass).



Epilogue :
• Decent value, even if the winewoot discount isn't huge, this should be a good one for people that don't have any Syrah's in stock. Bonus points to woot for vertical. If you moan about the black tie days, consider this one.

• This should pear well (see what I did there?) with practically any stinky cheese you can pick up at trader joe's, whole food's, or even costco.

This rattage should be sampled for future reference or to be used as 'how to rat 101 course' material. Great job.

NightGhost wrote:Wow - sounds like a cap gun, rather than a bomb (fruit-wise, of course).

Perhaps this needs some age for the fruit to express itself.

You sir, are mind reader....

mandoo500 wrote:This rattage should be sampled for future reference or to be used as 'how to rat 101 course' material. Great job.

Well, sort of. Lovely in its honesty, and colorful.

[begin curmudgeonly rant]
However, given that he is drinking the wine almost straight-off, rather than tasting (i.e. swish & spit), and given the relatively high alcohol, it is highly probable that comments past the first few sips are not accurate as an evaluation of the wine. Rather they reflect the effect of alcohol on the palate.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of tasting wines to evaluate them. At least from the first sip through some decent time to breathe (in the case of a young red, at least an hour). After you've tasted the wine over that sort of time frame, then pair it with food, which does involve real sips, not just swish and spit. But, judicious moderation is called for here to, if one is to avoid the palate fatigue that comes quickly when you actually drink a wine.

Only when you've finished evaluating a wine, should you go ahead and really drink it.

[/ end curmudgeonly rant]

Perhaps it does require some patience, but the reward is a truly useful review.

That said, my sense from the two rattings is that these are wines that people who like this sort of thing will like. Me, not so much.

rpm wrote:Well, sort of. Lovely in its honesty, and colorful.

[begin curmudgeonly rant]
However, given that he is drinking the wine almost straight-off, rather than tasting (i.e. swish & spit), and given the relatively high alcohol, it is highly probable that comments past the first few sips are not accurate as an evaluation of the wine. Rather they reflect the effect of alcohol on the palate.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of tasting wines to evaluate them. At least from the first sip through some decent time to breathe (in the case of a young red, at least an hour). After you've tasted the wine over that sort of time frame, then pair it with food, which does involve real sips, not just swish and spit. But, judicious moderation is called for here to, if one is to avoid the palate fatigue that comes quickly when you actually drink a wine.

Only when you've finished evaluating a wine, should you go ahead and really drink it.

[/ end curmudgeonly rant]

Perhaps it does require some patience, but the reward is a truly useful review.

That said, my sense from the two rattings is that these are wines that people who like this sort of thing will like. Me, not so much.

This is a very helpful explanation; I tend to try to draw out the flavors and tastes while drinking the wine. What you have outlined is exactly how it works with coffee cupping (tasting) as the flavors become prominent as you let the coffee roll and swish around the mouth. Many more nuances are detected versus drinking the coffee, as you are involving more parts of the tongue.

I believe these are roughly equivalent, thanks.

Very much appreciate the rapid ratage.

I'm just a sucker for any vertical - makes for a fun night of tasting. Looks like I'll have to wait 5 years to try this one, but it should be fun.

rpm wrote:Well, sort of. Lovely in its honesty, and colorful.

[begin curmudgeonly rant]
However, given that he is drinking the wine almost straight-off, rather than tasting (i.e. swish & spit), and given the relatively high alcohol, it is highly probable that comments past the first few sips are not accurate as an evaluation of the wine. Rather they reflect the effect of alcohol on the palate.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of tasting wines to evaluate them. At least from the first sip through some decent time to breathe (in the case of a young red, at least an hour). After you've tasted the wine over that sort of time frame, then pair it with food, which does involve real sips, not just swish and spit. But, judicious moderation is called for here to, if one is to avoid the palate fatigue that comes quickly when you actually drink a wine.

Only when you've finished evaluating a wine, should you go ahead and really drink it.

[/ end curmudgeonly rant]

Perhaps it does require some patience, but the reward is a truly useful review.

That said, my sense from the two rattings is that these are wines that people who like this sort of thing will like. Me, not so much.

I'm not expert, and welcome the criticism to learn more.

Personally, I discount the 1st sip of every wine I try entirely. It never gives me a clear indication of what I'm actually drinking and often tricks me based on whatever I had for lunch that day.

Call me a caveman, I don't spit wine. Ever.

I labratted the wine the same way I typically drink it. If I stretched the timeline out and drank a glass an hour, it would have been a variable that might have influenced my outcome in an unpredictable way. Good or bad. Likewise, I did not go any faster than a typical wine tour. It's just my drinking pace, which is time logged.

Anyway, I welcome anyone that ordered the wine to come back and evaluate my rattage if they want to compare notes. My cards are on the table.

The write up is brilliant. You should do a musical like this every day!

EDIT: Reading is fundamental, but more difficult when one has just woken up...

So I now see that the grapes were harvested in Oct 2005 but the wine bottled in Aug 2007.

Is it unusual to age in the barrel for 20 months?

rpm wrote:Well, sort of. Lovely in its honesty, and colorful.

[begin curmudgeonly rant]
However, given that he is drinking the wine almost straight-off, rather than tasting (i.e. swish & spit), and given the relatively high alcohol, it is highly probable that comments past the first few sips are not accurate as an evaluation of the wine. Rather they reflect the effect of alcohol on the palate.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of tasting wines to evaluate them. At least from the first sip through some decent time to breathe (in the case of a young red, at least an hour). After you've tasted the wine over that sort of time frame, then pair it with food, which does involve real sips, not just swish and spit. But, judicious moderation is called for here to, if one is to avoid the palate fatigue that comes quickly when you actually drink a wine.

Only when you've finished evaluating a wine, should you go ahead and really drink it.

[/ end curmudgeonly rant]

Pardon me, but ultimately, that's exactly what we ARE going to do. Drink it. A review as such is very helpful.
I don't sit and "taste" every single bottle that I open for dinner. The most I usually do is pour a glass immediately after opening, swirl, smell, sip, gulp, decant.
Because of that review, I'm in for 1.