2000 Domaine de la Terre Rouge Syrah Ascent
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Tasting notes
The finest Rhone Ranger effort I have ever tasted from the Sierra Foothills is Domaine de la Terre Rouge’s 2000 Syrah Ascent (the price reflects the quality in the bottle). It spent 23 months in 100% French oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered. The result is an opaque saturated blue/purple-colored Syrah boasting a huge bouquet of smoke, creosote, barbecue spices, and black fruits with underlying mineral and meat scents. Massive and rich, but not over the top, it is a full-throttle Syrah with impressive concentration as well as overall harmony. This large-scaled 2000 should hit its prime in 2-3 years, and last 12-15, possibly longer. Bravo! Tel. (209) 245-3117
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Medium-deep ruby. Deep, superripe aromas of blackberry, smoked meat, cinders, tar and maple syrup. Sweet, lush and deep, with layered, superripe flavors of black fruits and exotic oak. Strong torrefaction notes of coffee grounds and tar. Finishes with big but fine tannins and a strong flavor of bitter chocolate. This reminded me of some very rich Australian shirazes: impressive to taste but ultimately a bit tiring to drink. Also tasted: 1998 Noir Sierra Foothills, 2000 Mourvedre Shenandoah Valley.