Got back last night from RhoneRangers and just couldn't bear to start in again from my compromised stash, so cracked:
1. Cabot Syrah EXT KlamathRvr/HumboltCnty (14.8%; 300 cs; www.CabotVineyards.com) 2006: Very dark/black color; bit reduced/stinky that cleared strong pungent/licorice/mushroomy/earthy/sauvage/herbal some blackberry/blueberry/boysenberry/Syrah slight peppery some pencilly/smokey/oak/cedary light roasted/Rhonish/Cornas/rustic rather complex/exotic very interesting nose; fairly tart strong pungent/licorice/truffly/bit reduced bit smokey/cedary/pencilly/oak strong blackberry/black cherry/boysenberry/Syrah bit Rhonish/earthy/Cornas flavor w/ rather strong/hard/rough tannins; long strong pungent/bit reduced/herbal/mushroomy/truffly strong licorice/blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah some cedary/toasty/pencilly/oak extracted/rough/rustic finish w/ strong hard/fierce/coarse tannins; rather rough/extracted/structured/hard/rustic very unusual/exotic Syrah that may never evolve into something really drinkable; this is how they'd make Cornas in Calif if they could; reminds me some of the AlderSprings Syrahs of Pax (of old), some like a Swiss Syrah w/o the peppery/cold-climate character, a lot like a rough/rustic Argentine Syrah.
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And a wee BP:
1. This was a Syrah made by JohnCabot and given extended barrel aging. A pretty big/hard rendition of Syrah that went great w/ my pancetta/tomatoe torta.
Tom