Took these two wines (among some excellent whites) to Christmas dinner w/ friends:
1. AlbanVnyds Syrah Reva Alban Estate EdnaVlly (13.6%) ArroyoGrande 1996: Dark color w/ some browning; strong Rhonish/roasted/smokey rather dusty/earthy strong charred/burnt/toasty/oak slight peppery/c-c/boysenberry/Syrah fairly complex/Rhonish nose; quite tart/tangy rather burnt/charred/Fr.oak slight c-c/black pepper very slight boysenberry/ripe Syrah quite dried-out/astringent/tired flavor w/ ample fierce/drying tannins; med.long very dried-out/astringent finish that mimics flavor; a very interesting complex Rhonish nose but quite dried-out/tannic/astringent/bitter on the palate; pretty much dead & gone.
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2. Ch.Filhot AC: Sauternes (TW; Shaw-Ross Imprtrs/Miami/FL) Comtesse Durieu de LaCarelle nee Lur Saluces/Sauternes 1970: Deep gold color w/ loads of tartrates; strong ripe/Semillon/fig newton rather caramel/butterscotch light peachy/botrytis bit tobacco/oak quite complex nose; very rich/lush slightly off-dry strong ripe/figgy/Semillon some caramel/butterscotch/oak light botrytis/apricotty quite complex flavor; very long/lingering finish that matches flavor; lost most of its sweetness but a beautiful/complex old Sauternes most as an apertif wine rather than a dessert wine; still in beautiful condition w/ no signs of oxidation. $12.00 (LM)
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More givvelblark from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. If memory serves, this was the last "normal" Syrah that JohnAlban made. His first was the '93. Up until the '96, they were all modest alcohol & extraction levels. With the '97, and subsequent vintages, John stepped up to what has become the Alban style os Syrah: alcohol in the 15%-17% level, huge fruit extraction. They seem to "last" in suspended animation, but never really evolve & develop the complexity you get from a typical Qupe/Lindquist or EdStJohn Syrah.
Tom