Cracked last night w/ my BarBQue tofu:
1. BonnyDoonVnyd SantaCruzMtn Syrah (EB; 14.1%) 1994: Very dark color w/ very slight bricking; rather pungent/smokey/earthy some blackberry/Syrah/spicy/licorice/RCCola/black cherry cola slight Rhonish/Hermitage lovely/complex nose pretty tart bit lean/metallic/tannic/dried out some blackberry/Syrah/RCCola/black cherry cola slight Rhonish/pungent/smokey flavor; med.long tannic/hard/dried out/astringent some blackberry/Syrah/RCCola slight earthy/SCM dusty bit pungent/smokey/pencilly finish; a beautiful/complex/perfumed/exotic/slightly Rhonish nose but rather tannic & dried out on the palate. $26.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. When I noted the color and first whiff of this wine, I was expecting great things to come and regretted opening it with just mere tofu. But once it hit the palate, I knew it was a goner. The nose was one of the best old Calif Syrah I've had; but, alas, the tannins have never subsided. As it warmed up in the decanter, it was not nearly so harsh & tanic on the palate (that temperature vs. palate sensitivity thing), but it was still not a great pleasure in the mouth. But...ohhh...that nose.
This was, to my recollect, the last crop off Randall's vnyd up in the SantaCruzMtns near BonnyDoon. It was then ripped out or abandoned because of a heavy hit by Pierce'sDisease. I believe he also had some Pinot in there as well...back when he had this wild hair about making great Burgundy in Calif. Man...that thought as led many a winemaker down the primrose path.
Tom