Drinking better than I expected. Very nice fruit. Dark berry, chocolate, a long finish. Saved some for day 2, even smoother. Time to drink now or within 1 year.
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This was a massive beast. Still had tons of youth in it, could go another 5, 6 years or longer. Was very much at the top of its game. The nose was sweet, smoky, oak, vanilla, dark berries, plummy, tar and baked, gooey chocolate. It followed right on through on the pallet. Color was deep, dark purple, thick in the glass, full bodied and excellent texture and mouth feel. Tannins were well integrated, firm, but not aggressive. well balanced with the fruit of the wine.
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Tasting note is from second day after opening. Ripe briary blackberries on the palate with a long almost smoke finish ending with a hint of dark chocolate.
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Last of my bottles. Perhaps the slightest bricking: my wife claimed it was visible, but I thought it was a mature but pure purple color. Still packed with powerful berry fruit but the flavors no longer have the spectacular delineation the wine showed young. It's integrated, but you still have lots of berry and cassis, baking spices and cigar box notes, and just a few whiff of leafy maturity. I'd say it's time to drink up.
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Dark non-transparent color, looks like unfiltered, pepper and gamy from the Syrah, currants and black cherries from Cab. Good structure and still lots of tannin.
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Decanted 1 hour and rebottled. Ripe dark fruit and smoked meat aromas on the nose. Full bodied but not heavy or cloying on the palate. Blackberry & blueberry fruit profile with notes of game, spice and iron. Nice acidity and balance. Great depth and intensity on the mid palate leading to a long finish with smooth tannins and notes of black pepper. This is a big, bold wine that still offers a degree of refinement and complexity. Should drink at this level for a few more years.
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Very rich, very powerful. Blackberry liqueur, cassis, baking spices, heady aromas that repeat in the mouth. Somewhat port-like, but has ample acidity and some green, savory herbal character that lends it complexity and balance. Has time left, but no need to wait.
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The oak is still a bit more than I personally prefer, but hey, this is a Lewis, and you know what you're going to get -- dense, powerful dark fruit, and a lot of new oak. What it lacks in finesse and elegance, it mostly makes up for in power and crowd-pleasing big fruit. The wine is probably in a good spot now, though not in imminent danger of decline.
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Dense dark berry, lengthy finish, tannins not quite as forward as five months ago, but puckeringly dry, fair bit of heat. Two more bottles and might wait six months for the next one.
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It is dark inky purple color, full bodied, rich, opulent, forward fruit of black berry and black raspberry with a layer of blueberry, cherry cola and vanilla, smooth sweet oak and a hint of chocolate truffle flavors with highlighting silky chewy tannins on a long lingering finish. This is delicious - the most tasteful, fully flavored, smoothest and most polished Alec's Blend of all the vintages we have tasted.
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Deep purple color, great nose of blackberry and earth, lots of fruit in the mouth but not overwhelming with some oakiness and a long finish. Drinking nicely.
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Reaaly seemed like a heavy syrah in a dumb phase. No real sophistication. Heavy, dense, muddy with a slight herby edge (unpleasant) to it. Drank over 3 days and never really came together for me. Food helps "smooth" it out but it overwhelmes the food. Lots of oak. Hoping for more but worth the drinking experience.
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This was decanted for an hour and consumed with grilled lamb lollipop chops. This bottle had a sharper flavor to it than the others. Not anywhere as big and dark and the blood and minerality were almost nonexistant. Not a bad bottle and almost sweet on the nose without the spice I was expecting. Almost seemed like a different wine entirely! I hope its just an evolutionary stage!
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No doubt this wine is big (with a little heat that blows away), but there was little complexity. Not a huge fan, probably suffered as the food pairing didn't stand up. A bit of underlying funk that never quite relented either.
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Very nicely integrated tannins. Big wine that needs a juicy piece of meet to stand up to it. Wonderful nose and very respectable concentration. The only thing lacking in the wine is a bit of complexity in the palette. It benefits from a 1 hr decant.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours before dinner (prime rib). Blackberry jam, raspberry, cassis on the nose. Excellent mouthfeel - full bodied & yet light - very silky. Rich acidity, better with food than on it's own - Tannins not noticeable but what brings the score down is the heat on the finish (very noticeable on it's own). I'd rate this 93-94 but the heat on the finish brings down the score - Vry good wine though.
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WOW -- SOO GOOD! Great wine!!! LOVED IT! This wine can go with food or stand on its own. It is really balanced and jsut killer. Lack of words are really hitting me because it was sooooo good.
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Dark fruits and spices on the nose after a 2 hour decant. On the palate, the same dark fruits with some smoke, spice and minerals and a little blood that go on and on. Great with the grilled lollipop lamb chops and corn on the cobb.
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If you like big, bold, ripe wines, then this wine is for you. Milk chocolate and vanilla nose. Gobs of syrupy black fruit and strong oak. This is becoming less of my style. I could see how this wine would show very well at a tasting because it reaches out and smacks you in the face. I would decant for 1-2 hours before drinking as I just popped and poured and the wine settled down as time went by.
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Very large amount of sediment for such a young wine. What I would expect in another decade. Yet still tight and typical tannic profile after 1 hour decant. The vanilla laced oak is there along with blackberries and hints of chocolate but seemed a little out of balance this time. Will see how it develops in another 6 months.
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Deep tanzanite color leads to a nose of cola, blueberry and vanilla. Full body carries flavors of nose forward while adding beautiful dark chocolate, anise, and blackberry. Finish lasts nearly 30 seconds. Great bottle of wine but I think the 2006 will ultimately be better.
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For me, some of the typicity has been lost in the ripeness and wood, which was why I quit buying these a year or so ago (and sold off all of what I had). Granted, it's opulent, big boned and all of that but the new oak and cologne-like nose is a bit much. Palate is thick and full, with vanilla, milk chocolate and dark berry. I do still like this style at times but not as much as before.
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Maturing quickly, this is more open than I remember, with vibrant fruit across a broad spectrum, hints of vanilla oak, and a smooth finish. Very approachable, and long.
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Another wonderfully made Lewis wine. Drank this over a two day span, and it got better and better with more air. The last glass was the best after being opened 24 hours (did not decant and kept in the bottle the entire time). At first the tannins over powered, but overall, very complex, smooth, and full of flavor. There is something about this winemaker that agrees with my palette. This is primed to get even better with age.
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Closed when popped, and really didn't open much after a couple of hours in the decanter. Balance and structure seem to be there, but this needs more time. Will give another six months before trying again.
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Starting to open up, this wine is opulent, but more restrained than the 04, with complex cassis, tar, and coffee which wrap around the berry fruit like chocolate syrup. The midpalate was strong, and the finish moderate. The tannins are more austere than the 04, and that is likely a product of the season as much as the age.
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Not quite as good as the syrah, but it may still need time to fully integrate. This had gritty, austere tannin structure, and was initially closed, which surprised me, as Lewis is usually so approachable. opened up to reveal a complex bouquet of fruit, and tannins which came down like an anvil at the end. Will wait at least 6 months before trying this again.
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Wow, was this enjoyable! Gigantic, ripe, and fresh fruit profile of blackberry, black raspberry, and creme de cassis, with chocolate and mocha notes, a little brown spice, and lifting sweet floral note. Beautifully made, with nice tannic structure and remarkable balance of richness and freshness. At this stage, the syrah and cabernet components can be fairly easily distinguished, like point and counterpoint.
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9/28/2023 - JCaress wrote: 93 Points
Drinking better than I expected. Very nice fruit. Dark berry, chocolate, a long finish. Saved some for day 2, even smoother. Time to drink now or within 1 year.
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9/5/2023 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep inky in color with a very short rim. Not showing age at all.
Showing a great nose of black fruits with chocolate notes.
Dry and fruit forward on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing blackberries, blueberries, cooked black plums, raisins, eucalyptus, earth, tobacco, cedar, leather, alcohol, dark chocolates, coffee and mint.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
This 18 year old Syrah blend from Napa Valley is drinking so nicely now. Well balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Rich and elegant.
Probably at its peak, but will continue to drink nicely in the next five to seven years.
Extracted and fruit forward. In your face kind of wine. Tangy and interesting.
Needed 3 hours of airtime to open up properly.
Wine Spectator 92 points.
A great sipping wine. Just gorgeous.
A blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.
14.7% alcohol by volume.
94 points.
$60 (current vintage).
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11/6/2021 - FosterZap Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had it tonight, tasted great 1 hour after decanting and better 2 hours past
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3/27/2021 - GlenviewGSW wrote:
Past it’s drinking window I am afraid. Ripe as always but now unbalanced with sharp notes. Maybe bottle variation ?
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3/18/2017 - Rikster67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was a massive beast. Still had tons of youth in it, could go another 5, 6 years or longer. Was very much at the top of its game. The nose was sweet, smoky, oak, vanilla, dark berries, plummy, tar and baked, gooey chocolate. It followed right on through on the pallet. Color was deep, dark purple, thick in the glass, full bodied and excellent texture and mouth feel. Tannins were well integrated, firm, but not aggressive. well balanced with the fruit of the wine.
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10/24/2016 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
Mid life, and good.
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8/14/2016 - Mscruggs Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasting note is from second day after opening. Ripe briary blackberries on the palate with a long almost smoke finish ending with a hint of dark chocolate.
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2/26/2016 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
Last of my bottles. Perhaps the slightest bricking: my wife claimed it was visible, but I thought it was a mature but pure purple color. Still packed with powerful berry fruit but the flavors no longer have the spectacular delineation the wine showed young. It's integrated, but you still have lots of berry and cassis, baking spices and cigar box notes, and just a few whiff of leafy maturity. I'd say it's time to drink up.
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2/6/2016 - greidy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark non-transparent color, looks like unfiltered, pepper and gamy from the Syrah, currants and black cherries from Cab. Good structure and still lots of tannin.
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4/10/2015 - swp3 wrote: flawed
Flawed. Ethyl Acetate / nail polish. Undrinkable.
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1/31/2015 - Yamadori Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hour and rebottled. Ripe dark fruit and smoked meat aromas on the nose. Full bodied but not heavy or cloying on the palate. Blackberry & blueberry fruit profile with notes of game, spice and iron. Nice acidity and balance. Great depth and intensity on the mid palate leading to a long finish with smooth tannins and notes of black pepper. This is a big, bold wine that still offers a degree of refinement and complexity. Should drink at this level for a few more years.
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9/6/2014 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
Very rich, very powerful. Blackberry liqueur, cassis, baking spices, heady aromas that repeat in the mouth. Somewhat port-like, but has ample acidity and some green, savory herbal character that lends it complexity and balance. Has time left, but no need to wait.
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5/19/2014 - Italiana wrote:
Drank without any air time. Full-bodied and flavorful, a touch of bitterness/astringency. Not in a style I would seek out, but well made and tasty.
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12/13/2013 - Corrie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very enjoyable but I think it's at the end of the life cycle, and will drink the one I have left pretty soon.
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10/16/2013 - Counselor Chris wrote: 91 Points
The oak is still a bit more than I personally prefer, but hey, this is a Lewis, and you know what you're going to get -- dense, powerful dark fruit, and a lot of new oak. What it lacks in finesse and elegance, it mostly makes up for in power and crowd-pleasing big fruit. The wine is probably in a good spot now, though not in imminent danger of decline.
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9/3/2013 - MGBJR wrote: 91 Points
Dense dark berry, lengthy finish, tannins not quite as forward as five months ago, but puckeringly dry, fair bit of heat. Two more bottles and might wait six months for the next one.
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6/23/2013 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wine drinking unbelievably well for 8 years old with no sign of slowing down. Big, brawny syrah with full throttled start and finish
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4/27/2013 - MGBJR Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice full bodied wine, but seems tight to me, tannins still quite forward, maybe this needs more time?
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9/11/2012 - sumshark wrote: 89 Points
Not much going on with this bottle tonight. no where near the same as the last bottle.
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8/30/2012 - Dr. Pato wrote: 93 Points
It's amazing what a couple of years can do. Rich, concentrated fruit b with nose of black and red fruits. Nicely blended. Finish has lengthened.
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8/30/2012 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
It is dark inky purple color, full bodied, rich, opulent, forward fruit of black berry and black raspberry with a layer of blueberry, cherry cola and vanilla, smooth sweet oak and a hint of chocolate truffle flavors with highlighting silky chewy tannins on a long lingering finish. This is delicious - the most tasteful, fully flavored, smoothest and most polished Alec's Blend of all the vintages we have tasted.
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8/10/2012 - drycab wrote:
Again with grilled lollipop lamb chops but this one was as big and round as I expected. Last bottle here, gotta wait till Pickens to try another!
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8/8/2012 - NY Wino wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple color, great nose of blackberry and earth, lots of fruit in the mouth but not overwhelming with some oakiness and a long finish. Drinking nicely.
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7/15/2012 - benny wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Dark berry and some cassis. Touch of oak. Lots of sediment.
A sipping wine. Concentrated.
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5/17/2012 - pjhr wrote: 91 Points
Similar to last bottle, but the finish turned a bit hot after 3-4 hours.
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4/15/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 86 Points
Reaaly seemed like a heavy syrah in a dumb phase. No real sophistication. Heavy, dense, muddy with a slight herby edge (unpleasant) to it. Drank over 3 days and never really came together for me. Food helps "smooth" it out but it overwhelmes the food. Lots of oak. Hoping for more but worth the drinking experience.
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12/17/2011 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Delicious blackberry and cassis on the nose and palate with oak notes and a long finish.
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10/5/2011 - drycab wrote:
This was decanted for an hour and consumed with grilled lamb lollipop chops. This bottle had a sharper flavor to it than the others. Not anywhere as big and dark and the blood and minerality were almost nonexistant. Not a bad bottle and almost sweet on the nose without the spice I was expecting. Almost seemed like a different wine entirely! I hope its just an evolutionary stage!
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3/19/2011 - TwoDogs wrote: 92 Points
great paired with grilled lamb chops
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3/11/2011 - jgrapski wrote: 85 Points
No doubt this wine is big (with a little heat that blows away), but there was little complexity. Not a huge fan, probably suffered as the food pairing didn't stand up. A bit of underlying funk that never quite relented either.
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1/7/2011 - djdaqm wrote: 92 Points
Very nicely integrated tannins. Big wine that needs a juicy piece of meet to stand up to it. Wonderful nose and very respectable concentration. The only thing lacking in the wine is a bit of complexity in the palette. It benefits from a 1 hr decant.
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11/26/2010 - CWilliam wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours before dinner (prime rib). Blackberry jam, raspberry, cassis on the nose. Excellent mouthfeel - full bodied & yet light - very silky. Rich acidity, better with food than on it's own - Tannins not noticeable but what brings the score down is the heat on the finish (very noticeable on it's own). I'd rate this 93-94 but the heat on the finish brings down the score - Vry good wine though.
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8/7/2010 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 94 Points
WOW -- SOO GOOD! Great wine!!! LOVED IT! This wine can go with food or stand on its own. It is really balanced and jsut killer. Lack of words are really hitting me because it was sooooo good.
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6/13/2010 - drycab wrote:
Dark fruits and spices on the nose after a 2 hour decant. On the palate, the same dark fruits with some smoke, spice and minerals and a little blood that go on and on. Great with the grilled lollipop lamb chops and corn on the cobb.
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1/6/2010 - Dr. Pato wrote: 90 Points
Cabernet nose gives way to syrah after one hour. Decent fruit density, nose, palate, but lacks significant finish.
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1/1/2010 - Acohen wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit and oak with lots of powerful tannin. Needed to open a little more but still lots there
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12/6/2009 - shadow wrote: 94 Points
Was WOTN in some tough company, seamless profile of berry, spice and hints of bacon, smooth finish, got better as time passed
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6/13/2009 - Brsed wrote: 90 Points
If you like big, bold, ripe wines, then this wine is for you. Milk chocolate and vanilla nose. Gobs of syrupy black fruit and strong oak. This is becoming less of my style. I could see how this wine would show very well at a tasting because it reaches out and smacks you in the face. I would decant for 1-2 hours before drinking as I just popped and poured and the wine settled down as time went by.
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5/14/2009 - bundydavis wrote: 91 Points
Good wine. Lots of oak flavor. Almost tasted like a big Cab.
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4/8/2009 - smphelps wrote: 90 Points
Big and bold with dark flavors of coffee, blueberry, and chocolate. Plenty of backbone-needs time to open. Rich decadent mouthfeel.
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1/31/2009 - mrwhy2k wrote: 95 Points
Strong nose & bold taste. Opened up over the course of an hour.
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1/27/2009 - PerfectVintage wrote: 92 Points
Very large amount of sediment for such a young wine. What I would expect in another decade. Yet still tight and typical tannic profile after 1 hour decant. The vanilla laced oak is there along with blackberries and hints of chocolate but seemed a little out of balance this time. Will see how it develops in another 6 months.
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12/26/2008 - flashvictor wrote: 94 Points
Deep tanzanite color leads to a nose of cola, blueberry and vanilla. Full body carries flavors of nose forward while adding beautiful dark chocolate, anise, and blackberry. Finish lasts nearly 30 seconds. Great bottle of wine but I think the 2006 will ultimately be better.
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8/4/2008 - mreinitz wrote: 93 Points
Massive dark fruit with a fair bit of oak. Also raspberry and mocha flavors. All four of us thought it was utterly delicious.
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7/27/2008 - mmyette wrote: 92 Points
See previous notes.
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5/10/2008 - Frank Murray III wrote:
For me, some of the typicity has been lost in the ripeness and wood, which was why I quit buying these a year or so ago (and sold off all of what I had). Granted, it's opulent, big boned and all of that but the new oak and cologne-like nose is a bit much. Palate is thick and full, with vanilla, milk chocolate and dark berry. I do still like this style at times but not as much as before.
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4/26/2008 - cvbella wrote:
Drank well, big fruit but balanced and structure
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2/24/2008 - mmyette wrote: 93 Points
Maturing quickly, this is more open than I remember, with vibrant fruit across a broad spectrum, hints of vanilla oak, and a smooth finish. Very approachable, and long.
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1/12/2008 - lizjagla@yahoo.com wrote: 94 Points
Another wonderfully made Lewis wine. Drank this over a two day span, and it got better and better with more air. The last glass was the best after being opened 24 hours (did not decant and kept in the bottle the entire time). At first the tannins over powered, but overall, very complex, smooth, and full of flavor. There is something about this winemaker that agrees with my palette. This is primed to get even better with age.
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12/30/2007 - gregsp wrote: 90 Points
Closed when popped, and really didn't open much after a couple of hours in the decanter. Balance and structure seem to be there, but this needs more time. Will give another six months before trying again.
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12/23/2007 - sumshark wrote: 93 Points
Very nice wine, everything in balance. Edged out the 2004 Lewis hudson tonight.
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11/18/2007 - mmyette wrote: 93 Points
Starting to open up, this wine is opulent, but more restrained than the 04, with complex cassis, tar, and coffee which wrap around the berry fruit like chocolate syrup. The midpalate was strong, and the finish moderate. The tannins are more austere than the 04, and that is likely a product of the season as much as the age.
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10/21/2007 - mmyette wrote: 92 Points
Not quite as good as the syrah, but it may still need time to fully integrate. This had gritty, austere tannin structure, and was initially closed, which surprised me, as Lewis is usually so approachable. opened up to reveal a complex bouquet of fruit, and tannins which came down like an anvil at the end. Will wait at least 6 months before trying this again.
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10/19/2007 - pgm wrote: 94 Points
Wow, was this enjoyable! Gigantic, ripe, and fresh fruit profile of blackberry, black raspberry, and creme de cassis, with chocolate and mocha notes, a little brown spice, and lifting sweet floral note. Beautifully made, with nice tannic structure and remarkable balance of richness and freshness. At this stage, the syrah and cabernet components can be fairly easily distinguished, like point and counterpoint.
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