2012 Corliss Syrah
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Tasting notes
I also loved the 2012 Syrah, and this is clearly a top vintage for this estate. Blended with 3% Viognier and aged 26 months in 40% new puncheons and barrels, it offers an inky color as well as lots of blackberry, smoked, barbecued meats, licorice and pepper. Full-bodied, decadent and layered, yet with awesome purity, it’s certainly not for those craving mid-weight aromas and flavors, but I love it. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming decade.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
(3% Viognier was added to give the wine a floral topnote; aged in 50% new oak for 26 months; all Phelps clone): Deep ruby. Crystallized black raspberry, licorice, bitter chocolate, flowers and subtle earth tones on the nose, complicated by hints of oak char and charcoal. Conveys a lovely creamy texture to its sweet, powerful raspberry and darker fruit flavors. Can't quite match the two wines from Bordeaux varieties for aromatic perfume but boasts a silky, seamless texture and more Syrah personality than past vintages of this bottling. Finishes long and sweet, with fully ripe tannins and a suggestion of cocoa power. Perhaps the best vintage yet for this wine.