WTN: 01 Tobin James Silver Reserve Paso Robles Syrah

It came in the spring '04 shipment of the James Gang, and weighed in at $38 (list) and 15.1% alcohol! Having said that; this is the best wine we've had in several weeks. IMHO it is perfect right now.

It gave great gobs of black and red fruit upfront and on the nose. It was rich and thick with pepper and spice, along with a very big dose of Paso dirt in the complexity across the palate. I can still taste the finish. No heat whatsoever. It was simply wonderful in every sense of the word.

I had dropped out of the James Gang by then, so we didn't get this wine, but we did drink the 00 Silver Reserve back in July 2005 from a shipment before we left the club. It was very good; I gave it an 89 and my wife, who is more critical than I, a 4.0-/5.