($150) Medium ruby. Knockout pure aromas of blackberry, blueberry, licorice and white pepper. Densely packed, highly concentrated and intense, with saline and meaty nuances adding complexity to the wild dark berry and violet flavors. This wonderfully sweet and thoroughly ripe wine should develop more nuance with a few years of bottle aging. These syrah vines planted around the winery overlooking Lake Hennessy include three clones from Cote-Rotie and one from Hermitage.

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Aubert demonstrates a superb know-how with Syrah. These wines are macerated for 35-45 days, and given frequent pump-overs as well as punch-downs. They are aged completely in French oak. The floral-filled 2004 IX Syrah Estate (486 cases) offers super-pure blue and blackberries intermixed with hints of new saddle leather and meat. High but sweet tannins, powerful flavors, and an overall sense of poise characterize this stunning effort.

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Intense and beefy, with pepper, sage and wild berry flavors that are hearty and rustic, yet enormously compelling and complex, with waves of flavor gushing across the palate. To be released April 2007. 469 cases made.

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Decanted for 2 hours before began drinking. Very smooth. Paired against Agharta 2004 Syrah. Colgin was softer, more elegant, but Agharta had a better finish.