Winery - Shadow Canyon
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This sweetie is totally decadent. It’s not only the residual sugar, which is a mind-blowing 28 percent, it’s the wealth of apricot jam, vanilla, wild honey and cinnamon spice flavors that blast the palate to ecstasy. Has a syrupy, liqueur-like texture that would be cloying were it not for the excellent acidity. This is one of the best dessert wines of the year.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From this old appellation west of Paso Robles, a big, rich wine with extremely ripe blackberry, cherry and blueberry flavors and a long, spicy finish. It’s pretty tannic now, but that astringency will cut right through a juicy steak or even Chinese-style duck.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is one of the more sophisticated rosés I’ve tasted lately. It has an elegant mouthfeel, dry and silky, and the flavors are complex, although it tamps the fruit down in favor of subtlety. Suggests cherry pulp, sweet vanilla, cinnamon spice and Kir Royale, which is creme de cassis mixed with Champagne or Chardonnay.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Rhone specialist Gary Gibson has crafted an intense Grenache filled with essence-of-cherry flavors. It’s bone dry, with a firm backbone of tannins, and soft in acids. This is a winery and a wine to watch.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Soft and a little hot, although the official alcohol is a relatively modest 14.8%. The blackberry, currant, grilled meat and peppery spice flavors are good, but the wine could use extra layers. This is a wine that was a victim of a hard vintage. Drink now.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From a coolish appellation west of Paso Robles, a very good interpretation of a cool- climate Syrah. It is fruity, with cherry and blackberry flavors that have an edge of leather and white pepper, and the tannins are firm, but they are smooth, ripe and thoroughly enjoyable. A winery to watch.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Not quite in the same league as the winery’s estate Syrah off York Mountain, reviewed earlier, but the ripe berry flavors, sturdy tannins and elegant balance come close. Dry and complex, this wine shows the enormous potential of Syrah in Santa Barbara.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A dark, ripe wine with blackberry, olive, chocolate and herb flavors that are enriched by smoky oak. Fully dry, with ripe tannins that turn a bit astringent on the finish. Pretty good for this west-of-Paso Robles appellation, but needs to work on depth and nuance.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is a lean Viognier without the exuberant floral and tropical notes that can put it over the top, but it’s an elegant wine. The flavors veer toward melon and citrus, and crisp acidity provides a zesty mouthfeel. A minor flaw is the exceptionally high alcohol, nearly 16%. It definitely creates a burn.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Too sweet for me, with overtly sugary flavors. The sweetness may also be a function of high alcohol. The result is almost a dessert wine, with flavors of peach pie filling and pineapple honey.
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