2005 Alta Maria Grenache Nielson Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 91.1 points

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  11/18/2013 - sayward wrote: 91 Points

  Was a little better the second time around. Bottle variation? More fruit going on in this one and was generally more enjoyable than the first bottle that we drank a few weeks ago.

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  9/3/2013 - sayward wrote: 90 Points

  This wine was a good purchase at auction, but if I had paid $50+ for it, I would be disappointed. A lot more out there in this price range that is a lot better. Quite a bit of spice on the nose with some dirt and wood. A little hot. Acidity is there.

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  2/8/2011 - thomaskeil wrote: 91 Points

  PnP. Same as last bottle, 12 months ago. Terrifically constructed/balanced cali rhone. Fruit seemed to have a light/fresh sense, maybe a bit less rich than last year (hard to really say). Drink or hold.

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  1/23/2010 - thomaskeil wrote: 91 Points

  Another solid performance for this wine. Decanted 2 hours. Less funky than 2 years ago. Still with great fruit depth and interest on palate. Has a pleasing gritty, dirty mineral texture on midpalate which continues through the finish. Bright acidity. A glimpse of finesse and complexity. Awesome with Wagyu braised short ribs.

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  4/22/2009 - grafstrb wrote: 91 Points

  -- popped and poured --
  -- tasted non-blind over 3 days --
  -- 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah --
  
  NOSE: earthy; lots of scotchy peat; chocolate; garrigue; dark fruits ... i love this.
  
  BODY: lots of fine particulate matter; rustic garnet color of great depth; medium -- medium-full bodied;
  
  TASTE: Wow!!!! ... very nice! this strikes me as a fantastic cross between a CARhone and a CdP --- flavors of roasted earth, garrigue, concentrated plum (but not pruney), iodine, and a hint of barnyard; this might be the best Grenache-based CA wine I've had ... the score may not bear that out, but, if given the choice, I might very well choose this wine over any other CA Grenache I've scored higher; I do mark it down a bit for its 15.2% alc. being moderately noticeable (that's more noticeable than "slightly"); the oak treatment is restrained, and is really only noticeable, alongside a black cherry note, on the beautifully long finish (50-55 sec.); wonderful acid/tannin balance, but this does not have the structure to live a long life. Drink now or over next 2 years.
  
  B: 50, 5, 13, 16, 7 = 91

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