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rcscgrhpx's Review:

I bought this along with the "Pali Bluffs 2007" cuvee from the Russian River Valley. For my palate, the "Huntington 2007" from Santa Barbara is superior, with more concentrated fruit, darker fruits and a longer finish. In a blind tasting, it could easily be mistaken for a Cabernet. My notes match the description from the web site to the letter ... so I've included the wine maker's comments.Notes from www.paliwineco.com ...250 Cases Produced14.4% AlcoholThe first of the Pali AVA blends, the Huntington is ripe, lush and concentrated. Lifted aromatics of ripe plums, earth, wild blackberries and white pepper. A medium weight wine with round and lush mouth feel. Fruit-driven with layers of juicy red cherries, cranberries, toasty oak and sweet tannin.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

A good Garnacha ... no question. The color is a shimmering garnet/ruby right to the edge. It's a fruity, spicy, medium-bodied wine with supple tannins and classic Garnacha DNA. Loads of black cherry juice with bits of blackberry and plum. Even though the alcohol content is high, it's very light on its feet and not at all hot. Old vines aren't always better ... just different ... and in this case the altitude and age of the plantings provides a very polished and balanced profile with loads of flavor.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

I liked this so much that I sent an e-mail to the winery. This is high on my list of QPR wines.Robert Parker 90 pts February 2008. The unoaked 2006 Sao composed of 50% Garnatxa Negra, 40% Syrah, and 10% Samso (Carinena).Purple-colored, it exhibits a fragrant nose of blueberry and black cherry. Fat, forward, and richly fruited, this tasty wine will continue to open over the next 1-3 years and drink well through 2015.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

Another great value from Spain. Not complex, but not hollow. Very consistent on the attack, mid palate and finish. The red fruits tended to build a bit for me, which I liked ... and the acidity was perfect to drink alone or with food. I can see this being a very food-friendly wine that would go great with BBQ.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

I had this with a traditional holiday turkey dinner and it complimented the meal nicely.Very old world. So, if you like your Pinot with a bit more zing, this is probably not the best value. This is a serious wine with loads of dusty strawberries, earthiness, smokiness, sour cherries, astringency and elegance. Moderately complex with many easily detected flavors. Beautiful clear ruby color with a slightly purple edge.Be sure to decant for an hour or two and serve at a slightly cool temperature to bring out the fruit. Otherwise, the earth and smoke move to the front of the line.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

If you like your wine with a lot of black and white pepper, this is for you! Loads of spice throughout that's balanced nicely with the cherry, and darker fruit elements. Give it time in the glass to really show itself, or decant for a couple of hours to integrate the spice and fruit. You'll smell the spices, but might not taste them initially. However, hold on because they build quickly and hang on for a great finish.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

The 2006 vintage is a solid effort. Fresh ripe fruit with mild tannins and 1-dimensional profile. What you taste initially gains intensity on the mid-palate and has medium length finish. I enjoyed the black berry and plum notes, with a touch of chocolate. The oak wasn't obvious to me, although the wine did exhibit a hint of vanilla.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

I picked this up because it was hyped to be a new world Chateauneuf-du-Pape for a fraction of the price. What a find! It really did resemble a CdP ... and I wish I could find more. It had an herbal quality and typical qualities of a Southern Rhone blend. Great red fruits with a hint of chocolate covered raisins and herbs. I really liked the three distinct flavors on the attack, mid-palate and finish that put me in mind of a much more expensive wine.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

The winemaker's notes are right on target. It contains everything but the kitchen sink. 43% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, and 2% Petite Verdot. There's something in this wine for everybody to like. What's interesting is that the DNA of each of the varietals can be easily detected. There are blue and purple fruit notes from the Merlot along with a certain fullness. The Cabernet adds a nice backbone of red fruit and fine grained tannins, while the Syrah adds some spice notes and darker fruits. It is surprisingly fresh and you can detect many layers of flavors the longer you let it roll around. Don't be surprised if it tastes even better the second or third day, if it lasts that long.

rcscgrhpx's Review:

Keep your eyes peeled for this wine. It may be hard to find, but well worth a try if you stumble upon it.In a blind tasting, you could easily mistake this for a Southern Rhone blend. It had great fruit and spice with mild tannins and good balance. Lots of red and dark fruits, herbs and a hint of pepper as it coats the palate. Another fine offering from Spain at a great price.