Very fruit-forward with mixed black and red fruit, mulberry and sweet cherry, with leathery tannins and a little black pepper. It is smooth, slightly sweet, a little young, and one-dimensional. There are no changes from attack to mid-palate and the-read more-
This is just absurdly good for the price. Blackberry, mulberry, and black cherry all float above a cloud of cigar smoke and tar. There is also a tremendous mineral streak of molten rock. Tannins are taught but smooth. Drink with-read more-
When I went to a dinner featuring D.O. Madrid wines about two years ago, the wines were a mix: from overly fruity to international style to more sophisticated; some were old-fashioned and some seemed young and carelessly made. But I-read more-
Just recently had the '06 Doyenne Syrah and thought it was great. In comparison to the AIX, this one is just a touch more drinkable, mostly because of the increased acidity. Again, a big Syrah from Doyenne, with broad mouthfeel-read more-
Great flavor profile on this wine with lots of black fruit, earth, and spice notes. This is a big wine, but not in an aggressive sense. It still has enough elegance to win most people over—at least everyone at our-read more-
The Palate Press Wine of the Week, May 30-June 6, is:
This under $30 Syrah was probably not intended to sleep in the cellar until 2010, but it awakened with surprising maturity and complexity. A wine described as "lavishly oaked" two or three years ago is now balanced, aromatic, and flat-out-read more-
Washington State—not to be confused with the U.S. capital—ranks second nationally in wine production, has over 650 wineries, and is home to the Wine Spectator’s 2009 Wine of the Year. Having visited wine regions around the world, I believe Washington-read more-