Day 1: Medium to full bodied wine. Bright red on the look, bright red fruit on the nose, bright red fruit on the palate. Very much what you see is what you get with this one. Big alcohol content too, and there is enough heat to let you know it is there, but not enough to be cloying. Round mouthfeel, lingering spicy finish, typical of this region's shiraz. One-dimensional? Yes, but still very enjoyable.
Day 2: The nose suggested the wine had turned bad, but the palate said it was okay. Substantially sweeter than day one, and I would not let this go to a day 3. Certainly not as good as the first day though, and I'd recommend drinking as soon as it is opened. No decanting needed for this wine.
Overall it is far from perfect, but it is a fun, simple, tasty wine, and the QPR is off the charts.
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OK, so this bottle has been open for a couple days (had a glass and recapped), so it may be a bit too oxidized...The nose is very stewed fruit and 'grapey', with a touch of pepper. In the mouth, the wine is also showing a lot of stewed fruit, but quite smooth and drinkable. Finish is medium-long, ending with a touch of bitter chocolate and pepper. My last bottle, and I'm not sorry to see it go...Its a great party wine though, and nice QPR at $13 from Garagiste. Just a little too much fruitbomb/stewed fruit to really be an enjoyable wine for me, although the 'stewed' quality may have come from being open too long. My bad?
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Cherry and pepper on the nose, with a lovely dark fruit palate and long finish of peppery dark chocolate. went very well with corned beef and cabbage stew!
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Nose of blackberry and pepper, following to the palate. A bit of heat on the finish, but not too bad (14.5% abv). A bit of sweetness on the attack also. All in all, a tasty Shiraz.
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This is definitely a Shiraz, but quite good if you like that sort of thing. Big nose of dark cherry fruit along with pepper and sandalwood. Initially on the palate the cherry fruit and earth/incense elements vie for supremacy. After awhile in the glass the fruit predominates. There is just enough acidity keep things lively. Good long finish. This is very good but not to be confused with CdP.
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Suckered again! Garagiste touted this as "The 2005 Engine Room Shiraz will be enjoyed by CdP fans as well and those that lean toward a more silken outlook". Really it should have said "big Aussie Shiraz that will stain your teeth and strip your taste buds off". OK, maybe it is toned down from Marquis Phillips, but that is kind of like finding out that your blind date "isn't THAT ugly". Bah Humbug
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5/9/2011 - alexrad wrote: 92 Points
Delicious and fruity. Not too alcoholic, but not shy at all. Just the right balance and acidity in a typical Aussie Shiraz.
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7/14/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
A little higher up on the hillsides than the white, 25% new american oak, and a blend of 1 and 2 year and stainless steel.
Touches of Mclaren fruit on the nose but not all that strong. A bit faded really, done.
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7/11/2010 - Rednorthstar wrote: 90 Points
Day 1: Medium to full bodied wine. Bright red on the look, bright red fruit on the nose, bright red fruit on the palate. Very much what you see is what you get with this one. Big alcohol content too, and there is enough heat to let you know it is there, but not enough to be cloying. Round mouthfeel, lingering spicy finish, typical of this region's shiraz. One-dimensional? Yes, but still very enjoyable.
Day 2: The nose suggested the wine had turned bad, but the palate said it was okay. Substantially sweeter than day one, and I would not let this go to a day 3. Certainly not as good as the first day though, and I'd recommend drinking as soon as it is opened. No decanting needed for this wine.
Overall it is far from perfect, but it is a fun, simple, tasty wine, and the QPR is off the charts.
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1/21/2010 - JasonNYC1 wrote:
Okay wine. A bit flat and one dimensional. All nose with little follow through in the mouth.
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11/6/2009 - JCGuthrie wrote: 86 Points
Slightly tart; not as smooth of a finish as expected
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10/21/2009 - JasonNYC1 wrote:
At $10 its good. Cool weather Syrah but a bit on the acidic side. nice drinking suspect that it will be better day 2.
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6/29/2009 - RPerro wrote: 86 Points
OK, so this bottle has been open for a couple days (had a glass and recapped), so it may be a bit too oxidized...The nose is very stewed fruit and 'grapey', with a touch of pepper. In the mouth, the wine is also showing a lot of stewed fruit, but quite smooth and drinkable. Finish is medium-long, ending with a touch of bitter chocolate and pepper. My last bottle, and I'm not sorry to see it go...Its a great party wine though, and nice QPR at $13 from Garagiste. Just a little too much fruitbomb/stewed fruit to really be an enjoyable wine for me, although the 'stewed' quality may have come from being open too long. My bad?
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6/13/2009 - ebrumby wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed this bottle substantially more than the first.
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3/17/2009 - RPerro wrote: 90 Points
Cherry and pepper on the nose, with a lovely dark fruit palate and long finish of peppery dark chocolate. went very well with corned beef and cabbage stew!
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2/1/2009 - RPerro wrote: 90 Points
Nose of blackberry and pepper, following to the palate. A bit of heat on the finish, but not too bad (14.5% abv). A bit of sweetness on the attack also. All in all, a tasty Shiraz.
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1/3/2009 - Reyman wrote: 91 Points
This is definitely a Shiraz, but quite good if you like that sort of thing. Big nose of dark cherry fruit along with pepper and sandalwood. Initially on the palate the cherry fruit and earth/incense elements vie for supremacy. After awhile in the glass the fruit predominates. There is just enough acidity keep things lively. Good long finish. This is very good but not to be confused with CdP.
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12/26/2008 - SGates wrote: 86 Points
Suckered again! Garagiste touted this as "The 2005 Engine Room Shiraz will be enjoyed by CdP fans as well and those that lean toward a more silken outlook". Really it should have said "big Aussie Shiraz that will stain your teeth and strip your taste buds off". OK, maybe it is toned down from Marquis Phillips, but that is kind of like finding out that your blind date "isn't THAT ugly". Bah Humbug
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9/6/2008 - hsacks wrote: 89 Points
Pretty black fruit aromas...ripe, nicely-integrated fruit in the mouth with good depth and acidity. Excellent value.
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