Booker, Ripper Grenache, Paso Robles

How fortuitous that I didn’t like the first bottle of this wine and simply continued to skip over this bottle whenever I came across it in the cellar. But with “only sausages” on the menu, I opted to let the real Rhones sleep and pull something Rhone-ish but not one of my favored California Rhone Rangers. Ripper got the call. The 2011 vintage brought challenges with fruit set and frost induced losses. Rain challenged harvest. And while Grenache can produce …

2011 vintage

Medium body grenache, lots of fruit still showing at 11 yrs old

2011 vintage

Another great Booker wine. Big fruit on palate. Easy drinking, went well with dinner.

2011 vintage

Still going strong.

2011 vintage

Method: tasted blind; decanted for a few hours; about 63 degrees; Cab glass; this bottle was purchased recently, so no one knows how it was stored Nose: potpourri, clean linen, dried cranberry, light grape Jolly Rancher, black cherry, milk chocolate Palate: dried cranberry, dried cherry, dried tart cherry; medium+ finish of leather, black pepper, slight dried herbs; dry; medium- body; high tannin; medium+ acidity Slightly declined on day two where it was somewhat similar but tasted more of dirt. Overall: …

2011 vintage

Great mouthfeel with warm red fruit. Like red fruit loop flavor. Cedar and flint. Really tasty will buy more booker at auction

2011 vintage

Ripe cherry, licorice, violet. Fresh with high alcohol coming through upfront. Ripe red fruit, lavender candy, hints of ashes, slightly herbal with a sweet red fruit finish. Lot of finesse in this wine.

2011 vintage

I feared that I'd waited too long to open this, but it's in a good place right now. A great example of what California Central Coast Grenache can be. Dark for Grenache, the finish is long and pleasurable with lots of fruit.

2011 vintage

PnP and drank over several hours. Drinking perfectly now. Typical Grenache CdP-ish funky barn aromas. Purple hue with medium opacity but still holding together well. Raspberry and cherry, minerality and acidity makes this a very lively wine. Long 30 second finish with cracked black pepper lingering on the tongue.

2011 vintage

Two hour decant. Fragrant nose of flowers and plum. Red and black fruits with white pepper. Medium-full body. Silky texture. Nicely balanced wine with dusty tannins and a long finish.

2011 vintage

4th Saturday Group (Sue's) : Double blind. Dusty ruby color. Currant, pepper and spice notes. Red fruit and cherry; rather noticeable acidity. Chateauneuf crossed my mind but I guessed pinot.

2011 vintage

One Fun-Filled Afternoon Spent Poolside with Friends (Los Olivos, CA) : A fascinating, and divisive, wine, but one I really enjoyed despite the evident heat. There’s a place in my wine world for fruit-forward powerhouses when held in check by the wine’s energy and mineral backbone. Loads of bright red fruit, pepper and mild. Decadent doesn’t mean flawed, to me anyway.

2011 vintage

Used a coravin to check it out. Unfortunately a little bit of a disappointment especially from this winery. Seemed to lack depth, but was very drinkable.

2011 vintage

deep and powerful, black fruit and sweet spice - ends with strong mineral and herb flavors

2011 vintage

Well, that was everything I hoped for. Spectacular expression of Grenache by EJ. In a perfect place right now.

2011 vintage

Licorice and herbs on the nose. Ripe raspberry and blackberry fruit, medium texture and surprisingly lean on the palate. Blind I may not have guessed Grenache. Tasty but a bit one dimensional. I expected more. Unfortunately, for this bottle we have recently opened several bottles of Grenache from Chateau Saint Cosme in Gigondas and there is simply no comparison. There is greater elegance and complexity in the French bottles. It's Burt Bacharach versus Debussey. Not that there is anything wrong …

2011 vintage

Mike G. does Cleveland (Landerwood Pool & Tennis) : The label indicates 100% Grenache. Ruby/purple in color. The nose is great with dark cherries, some spice and also pepper. On the palate, this is not a monster wine. Perhaps the vintage but everything seems to be in its proper proportion. Much less on the throttle than the bigger wines on the table. Still young but showing a tight layering of cherries with spice and minerals. Good acidity. Nice fresh finish. …

2011 vintage

Ripe complex Grenache. Not overtly sweet. Rose petals, allspice, medium tannins but nice easy crisp finish

2011 vintage

Drank at Shabbat dinner following a nice burg. I have to say, I love Booker and have had great bottles time and again but this particular bottle was, well . . . boring. Fruit was fine, not complex. Raspberry mostly. Again, it was fine if not a bit nondescript.

2011 vintage

Easy 95...Outstanding.

2011 vintage

Perfect pairing for our Beef Bourguignon, which had a strong bacon flavor. The wine was a little harsh and metallic upon opening, but 3/4 hour air time mellowed it nicely. Complements all around on this wine.

2011 vintage

Runaway delicious. Rich and powerful without a heavy hand. One to look for if it was your last

2011 vintage

Fabulous as always.

2011 vintage

Consistent with last night

2011 vintage

Stupendous without being overwhelming. Rich Grenache fruit. fragrant, light and substantial at the same time. Needed about 20 minutes in glass to hit its stride. 14.8% alcohol but unabtrusively so.

2011 vintage

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Booker, Ripper Grenache, Paso Robles

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