tasted 2007-04-20

This bottle is nicely matured. Colour is brick/burnt orange at the edges and well into the glass.
Not a strong aroma, you have to take a sip to see what this wine is about.
Mouthfeel is a little on the thin side, but the taste is very inviting - smooth as slipping into a fur coat. First there's spice, lots of it - like cinnamon -- and moving seamlessly to cedar in the mid-palate with a gentle lift to include a slight licorice flavour into the fairly long finish.
Suggests a Grenache/Syrah blend.
There is a slight prickle of tannin, finely structured.
There's little drama to this wine -- it bequiles with its effortless charm. I was drawn to sip this more rapidly than usual, just to search for interesting flavours in the mid-palate where the woody notes start to give way to the licorice.

tasted 2007-04-04

Special bottle for a birthday dinner. Colour is deep beet. Almost opaque right to the edge of the glass. Fresh berry fruit, I'd say Cassis, but in my neighbourhood, they are a called currants. Not fresh as in young fruity wine, the fruit comes across very clearly but there is poise to it. The flavour is rich for all that, like a multi-fruit sorbet.

Speaking of food, this wine has incredible mouthfeel. Very thick and almost chewy for all its freshness, or perhaps the mouthfeel makes the fruit stand out.

The description in the store mentioned tar, but to me the middle taste was barely that, more like licorice, perhaps a bit of resin. Long finish, very well-mannered -- the fruit just keeps hanging around after the licorice is gone. No rough edges, no undergrowth.

Lots of character to this wine, and enjoyable. For my money, I'd prefer something a little less delicious in order to be challenged more.

tasted 2007-03-17

Bought a half case in December without trying it. Expected to put it down for a while first, but couldn't resist giving it a try. Let it sit in the decanter for a couple hours first.

Not as green as expected, but maybe that's just the magic of airing. Colour -- burgundy/maroon. Moderately thick mouthfeel.

Is this a pure Syrah? Very urbane and balanced. Moves from berry fruit to include licorice and out through a moderately long finish without showing edges or quirks.

For my tastes, this is a bit of a disapointment. I prefer a bit more dramatic character. However, could be my taste isn't sufficiently refined to extract some fine strands of flavour.

Will try another bottle next year maybe.

tasted 2007-03-24

Colour showing maturity -- quite orange on the edge of the glass. Call it maroon/mahogany.
Moderately thin colour and mouthfeel.

Whiff of blackberry, taste goes through earthy-woody (cedar?) to a bit of undergrowth. I'm not keen on that undergrowth taste, but here its not overpowering and softened as the bottle emptied.

Tasted 2007-03-16

Bought several types of 2004 Syrah, late Spring during a trip through the Okanagan. This is a first plunge into trying this cache.
The Blasted Church: Moderately thin plum/violet colour, moderately thin mouthfeel. Tannic, but not offensively so -- its young yet!

First taste: very clean cherry leading quickly to a nice hint of tar capped with menthol, and little finish.

Within an hour, the fruit at the front had blended into a longer but less distinctive finish. The tar was not as identifiable, and the menthol taste began to resemble undergrowth. Some spicy flavour emerged in the middle.

By the end of the bottle, the flavours had blended into a balanced but not particularly memorable bottle.

Tasted 2007-03-09

Deep beet colour, moderate mouthfeel. Prickle of tannins.

Starting out, our bottle was a bit too cold. In an hour when in warmed up, the tannins were smoother, but still abundant.

The edgy initial Cabernet taste is smoothed by the Merlot, giving way to a bit of the minty Cab in the finish.

Wasn't able to detect much in the way of standout non-grapey flavours. Solid, but not memorable.

tasted again 2007-04-21

Redemption! After the last bottle tasted, I've been keen to learn whether all my lot would be past prime. This bottle was a reassuring burgundy, and the flavour is still vital

tasted again 2007-03-31

Bought some more of this, thinking it would be hard to find good value 2000 bottles. Upon opening, it didn't look at all like the one described below. Very orange, mahogany throughout and even beyond at the edges. The taste was flatter as well, could pick up the tar or apricot taste, but there was still as sweetness into the finish.

I supppose buying older wine is a bit like buying an older car. The history becomes a factor: how was it stored and cared for since it was bottled? Perhaps this bottle was not kept at contstant optimal temperature. Will leave rating as good, as I'm always the optimist.

tasted 2007-03-03

Showing a tendency to brick colour at the edge of the glass. Moderately thin mouthfeel. Very peppery at first, then a refined tar into the middle of the taste. At first I felt it sweetened slightly toward the end of its moderately long finish, with a hint of something between apricots and stewed tomatoes, but by the end of the bottle I couldn't be sure anymore.

I'd drink this again!

Tasted 2007-02-25. Unfiltered, and still ruby-cardinal red. Did I shake before pouring? Surprisingly opaque, even after sitting awhile. Small pile of chunks remained in the bottom of the bottle. Bracing tannins, which settled down after a couple hours decanting. Mouthfeel has a lot to do with fine suspended solids. Not a fruit forward wine, but the peppery notes are complemented with an astringent fruit (crab apple?) that lingers in the finish.

Lacks complexity, but very intriquing. Will look for more to put down.

Tasted 2007-01-13

Found this too young yet, despite reviews elsewhere to the contrary.

Rather more syrah than shiraz: little fruit on the nose, and rather restrained. Perhaps that's its youth? Spicy, with chocolate mid-palate, and something akin to cranberry or pomegranate trying to peek through the tannins at the end of the finish.