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All tasting notes
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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.1 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 96 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Acohen on 8/16/2022 & rated 92 points: Rich dark plum and minerality (303 views) | | | Tasted by Acohen on 10/1/2021 & rated 93 points: Dark and aged with plum and spice (450 views) | | | Tasted by M Macht on 2/17/2019 & rated 92 points: Inky dark purple. Plum and roses on the nose and palate with soft well integrated tannins. Medium length finish. Very nice. Wish that I had more... (1143 views) | | | Tasted by jtwortham on 2/6/2019 & rated 93 points: Still plenty of life left (1010 views) | | | Tasted by rinnocenzi on 5/28/2018 & rated 92 points: Beautiful wine. Still has like (1385 views) | | | Tasted by jtwortham on 7/24/2017 & rated 93 points: More sage/leather/tobacco notes than fruit at this stage, but still well balanced and lush (1589 views) | | | Tasted by SpoochMan on 5/23/2016 & rated 86 points: Brought to Dave and Inger's for BBQ. For me, this was way over the top, too port-like, and with too much heat (even at 55-60 deg). I had hoped that it would come into better balance after the previous bottle a few years ago, but it was not to be. A couple of people at the BBQ liked it but it is not a style for me -- even with hearty BBQ food. Oh well, good that I didn't buy too many. I bought this back at a time when my purchasing decisions were too driven by reviews and scores and not enough by the styles of wine that I like. (2399 views) | | | Tasted by golfhawk on 3/20/2016 & rated 92 points: Big rich Napa Syrah blend that coats your mouth. Drinking wonderfully right now and could last a year or two but no need to wait as it is well balanced now. (1902 views) | | | Tasted by Brad T on 6/28/2015 & rated 94 points: Deep garnet colour, clear and showing not a hint of brown on the edge of the glass, this syrah opens with an expressive and powerful nose of violet candy and a suggestion of dark berries. Fruit forward but not a sweet fruit bomb, it is concentrated and decidedly "big" without being too showy, Layers of blackberry and pomegranate, with hints of boysenberry (yes we're talking Dannon from the 70's) on the medium long finish. No black pepper here, but milder pink peppercorns abound. With apologies to those who feel this wine is at its peak, I am holding my last bottle a few years to see whether this has hit the top of the curve. This has aged beautifully for a new works syrah, and I think it has legs, so to speak. (2675 views) | | | Tasted by stconner on 4/8/2015 & rated 93 points: Opened and let it breathe in the bottle for about 2 hours before began drinking it. Very dark in color. STill a decent amount of fruit for the age. It is smooth with a decent finish. I think this wine has peaked and would drink it now. (2367 views) | | | Tasted by djdaqm on 4/20/2014 & rated 90 points: Too over-the-top for me at this point. Huge concentration of dark berries, lots of oak that add vanilla and some char/coffee flavors, and alcohol that seems higher than its 14.7%. Very rich and may be good with the occasional fatty rib-eye. But I prefer something a little more subtle these days. (2964 views) | | | Tasted by SpoochMan on 7/27/2013 & rated 89 points: Hmm, a bit torn on this one. It's a polarizing style. Huge, dense black fruit, thick mouthfeel, and great concentration. Some hints of spice but not much in the way of secondaries. On the negative side, this really lacks acidity and so it borders on flabby and gloppy, just not enough structure. The alcohol heat is reasonably well in check when served at cellar temp, but as this warms up toward room temperature, look out if you are sensitive to heat. We decanted this for a couple of hours (in the cellar), and it did open a bit but there was not a huge change.
There was a time when we would have liked this more, but it's not a style that appeals to us very much these days. Well made, though, and good if this is what you look for in wine... (3256 views) | | | Tasted by Acohen on 6/2/2013 & rated 92 points: Big, dark fruit with integrated oak, smooth texture and lingering finish (2960 views) | | | Tasted by tall2002 on 7/21/2012 & rated 94 points: - Garnet color and aromas of violet. It's balanced and has flavours of vanilla and black currant with a full body. Narrow texture with a long finish - Dark condensed honey,black fruit, (3700 views) | | | Tasted by tp096255 on 4/1/2012 & rated 92 points: ---
COLOR: Deep garnet with medium-garnet rim
NOTE: Rich, deep, sweet and fully expressed nose of raspberry/mulberry jam, burning embers, cocoa nibs and white pepper (subtle). Very lovely, elegant and perfumed. Mouth is more masculine and fat with blackberry liqueur, cinnamon, beef jerky and cracked black pepper. A bit of heat shows up in the finish, but the wonderful black/red fruit jams just keep tantalizing the taste buds. Nice acidity also lingers, and this makes it a wonderful wine for a fatty piece of beef. It's ready to go now but seems to have years to go, so my window may be conservative.
DECANT: 2 hrs
GLASS USED: Riedel Syrah
TASTE: 9.2+
OTHER:
COST: 54
VALUE: 8.0
PREVIOUSLY TASTED: 12/08
TRY AGAIN: now - 2015
PAIRING: T-Bone steak. Wow!
Inquiries can be addressed to troypeterson@usa.net
--- (3841 views) | | | Tasted by vsc7969 on 2/25/2012 & rated 92 points: Make sure it is decanted for 30 minutes, and the wine will turn very different. Deep and rich in flavor. Should last for another 5+ years and still good. (3039 views) | | | Tasted by smphelps on 11/16/2011 & rated 93 points: Tasted blind during an American Wine tasting given for the Oxford University Wine Society. Served third in a flight of three syrahs, which also included a JC Cellars Rockpile 2006 and a McPrice Myers 2008 Beautiful Earth. Alec's Blend was the most distinctive of three, as was expected. Concentrated blueberry pie, root beer and coca cola, with sweet vanilla and spice from the fairly well-integrated American oak. Good acidity and lingering heat that was not overbearing. The Brits were mostly confused with, but taken by, this wine, having tasted nothing quite like it before. (3358 views) | | | Tasted by mjf@ulkner on 10/18/2011 & rated 91 points: Big Cali syrah. More fruit forward than savory notes. More silky than burley in texture. Overall nice and very drinkable at this time. Even better on day two. (3101 views) | | | Tasted by Kingvino on 8/8/2011 & rated 95 points: A very sexy wine, with loads of flavor and layer upon layer of richness. Deep and dark, yet bound by structure and tannins. This is definitely a WOW factor wine. This wine was great from pop and pour, but got better at 1-2 hours. Highly Recoomend (3076 views) | | | Tasted by shadow on 6/12/2011 & rated 93 points: Pleasant medium rich, not overly rich but a good blend of dark fruit and smooth finish, last one, by by Alec, pleasure to know you (3576 views) | | | Tasted by adk.dmn on 5/13/2011 & rated 91 points: Decanted before drinking. Deep ruby, violet color. Nice bouquet. Very enjoyable. (3527 views) | | | Tasted by Brsed on 1/28/2011 & rated 92 points: Big and rich and thick. OMG. Nothing at all subtle here but sometimes you are just looking for some gob-smacking fruit-filled goodness. Tons of black and red fruits with little acidity. I think some might call this wine flabby but I think that that term is too pejorative. Overall, nice but I'm kind over this wine based on the price of admission. (3631 views) | | | Tasted by jonysan on 1/16/2011 & rated 95 points: Wonderful wine. I had our first bottle of 06 Alec Blend about a year ago and it was very good then. It was even better this go around. Decanted for a few hours before drinking. Wonderful rich aromas of plum, cassis, red licorice. Poured to drink with our beef stew meal. Big berry, plum, currant flavors with a touch of herbiness, but nothing over the top. Medium tannins carried the flavors just right and assisted with a long finish. Just the right amount of acidity to cut through the richness of the stew. Perfectly balanced. Had an 05 Hartwell Reserve Cab before this bottle and the Alec Blend blew it away. I will definitely seek out more 06 and try the 07. (3880 views) | | | Tasted by Harneloot on 1/2/2011 & rated 88 points: Decanted for 2 hours. Not much here....past its prime? (3967 views) | | | Tasted by smphelps on 10/2/2010 & rated 94 points: Deep royal ruby red. Intense, rich, highly perfumed, and bold concoction of ripe blueberry, blackberry, mocha and spice. Very complex, long finish. Still improving, needs less time in the decanter than a year ago to show off, and still just plain good. (4606 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Lewis Cellars Producer website
"Lewis Cellars is a small family winery established in 1992 by Debbie and Randy Lewis, and recently joined by their son Dennis. Total production is approximately 8,500 cases annually of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah."
Lewis Cellars Napa Chateau Tasting
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/08/lewis-cellars-napa-chateau-tasting.html2006 Lewis Cellars Alec's BlendWinemaker: Brian MoxSyrah BlendThe 2018 is 40% Merlot and 60% Syrah.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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