Stillman Brown Colossus Syrah (2)

Stillman Brown Colossus Syrah 2-Pack
$59.99 $120.00 50% off List Price
2012 Stillman Brown Colossus Syrah, Paso Robles
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Previous offers:
9/17/12 (2011)
12/13/11 (2010)

Yep, I’m here. I might even stay awake for half an hour this time!
Got questions?

Sure, drinking window on this? and OMG holy high alcohol content!

Hard to say. I had a 2003 from this vineyard, though I didn’t make it, that hadn’t held up so amazingly. If I only had two bottles, I’d open one next year (which could be Elvis’ birthday, Jan. 8, or a year from now) and another in two or four?
The 2010 Colossus isn’t slipping at all, and the 2005 Black Zep and 2005 La Mort Du Roi, also low yield/high extract high alcohol clone 877s, are great. But the latter two were from a vineyard a few miles away.

Yes, and I won’t tell you it has the structure of a 13% alcohol wine, but I will say this: the grapes simply didn’t taste ripe under 30 brix, and adding a lot of water wouldn’t have worked - the acid was fine, and in proportion - and there wasn’t really enough wine to do an RO (reverse osmosis). Besides, there are limits to my enotechnophilia: just as some biodynamic types draw the line at actually slaying sacrificial animals in the vineyard during the full moon, I stop short of RO.

I’m so intrigued. Pretty label, blackberry extract, one-glass-and-out alcohol content and bar-b-qued wolverines. So dark. It beckons.

I make 12% alcohol wines too, and since Robert Parker is dead nobody can accuse me of making wines like this to get big scores (and I barely have enough for WW and my email list). So please, no ‘I don’t drink anything over 14%’ remarks. Either take pills first or s the fup!
Whoops, did I say that?

Oh - there’s a new book about Paso Robles wine and culture out, it’s very funny. It’s also cheap. I’m not going to put in a link to it, because the formatting is a PITA and besides, it would be inappropriate. But it’s called ‘A Rite Of Paso’ and it’s by Chris Kassel, and it’s on Amazon.
Soooo tempted to say something here, but instead, go buy the book. It’s twelve bucks.

Colossus again! That’s enough for most people, right? This is another vintage of Colossus, and a good vintage at that.

I had this wine aerated for about 30 minutes before trying. I do think it tastes better below 70F, for what it’s worth.

The wine had a beautiful nose of blackberry, blueberry, coffee, and lush dark fruits. This definitely smells of Syrah fruit, but is not at all over-extracted like most Paso Robles Syrahs. There was a great floral bouquet as well, which reminded me of much colder climate Syrahs.

The palate was very similar to the nose- very dark fruit with a floral finish, but also some white pepper. The similarities between this and Walla Walla Valley fruit is pretty close. As fruity and high alcohol as this wine is, it’s still surprisingly full of a more terroir driven flavor than a lot of new world wines.

I enjoyed this a lot. I saw the alcohol on the label before I tried it and wished I hadn’t because I just kept waiting to notice it. If you’ve had colossus before, you know what to expect and this will not disappoint. If you’re looking to dip your toes in some great Paso Robles Syrah, this is a very great wine to start with.

Thanks. I don’t know what you mean by overextracted, does that refer to tannin balance or ?
You probably have to work tomorrow, so you don’t need to answer me, and if you don’t, you’ve probably moved on to firewater or worse.
Under 70 points?!?!? Oh, degrees. Well, that’s always good advice.

While at my UPS Store going through all the shipments that came in yesterday and today and trying to figure out why there was an extra 2 labels (duplicate scans), it appears a box of Stillman’s 2012 Colossus fell off the truck into my PO Box.

On Pop 'n Pour, I could smell the blackberry, sadly, my nose isn’t the best tonight, as I have some congestion, so that’s the limit tonight. But I couldn’t smell or taste the high alcohol that was listed, unlike other wines I’ve had with high levels.

Enjoyable, the first glass was. Food had with second and third glasses, I did. Why sound like Yoda, do you? :wink:

Anyway, had some French Onion soup and a very nice Porterhouse steak, and both went very well with SB’s Syrah.

This is not an in your face tannin Syrah, but a very, very nice Syrah. 4.5 hours later, and it is still drinking the same (nom, nom, nom).

In for 2 sets, since this is very nice for sharing. 90 on the Sparky scale.

As noted, this is not for long term aging, but more of “why didn’t I open this sooner!” wine.

There’s one or two sips left in the bottle for reporting tomorrow night on. Assuming this doesn’t sell out first. Or I decide to finish it tonight. :wink:

When I refer to something as “extracted” I am referring to the fruit. A lot of Paso Robles wine can be very, very fruit forward to (in my opinion) a fault. There’s a market for that and I’m fine with it, but it’s not my cup of tea.

Argh… its just NOT fair… Another great SB wine shows up and NH is on the blocked list… why why why??? Been waiting all year for this (so to speak!). No merry Xmas for me…

Another would-be insta-buy, another day of muttering at the stupid state of NJ…

If you are not in one of the ever-changing, ever shifting Amawoot-allowed-alcohol states, contact me directly. Ahem! stillmanb@aol.com

If you are not in one of the ever-changing, ever shifting Amazoot-suit-attorney approved states, contact me directly. Ahem! stillmanb@aol.com

Oh my, a wooter from GA on my FB asking about Colossus . . . you people who are in the WW approved states better act fast before you have to refill your cellars from the aisles of the local Quik-E-Mart, or the wizened wino at the Grumpy Grape down the street, who will try to sell you some of the heat-damaged 1989 Opus he has a stack of in the back of the store.

I drank my 2011 last month and it was excellent. Big and brutish perhaps, but a sensory pleasure that works really well post meal. I too was surprised to see the alcohol level, but didn’t really feel it either.

I’m in for two of the two packs!

Big question is when will WW see more of the Black Zeppelin? I need more of the PS please!

Speed to first woot: 1m 53.113s
First sucker:tauwillow
Last wooter to woot:srwatters
Last purchase:a few seconds ago

Coming up next year: Vermentino, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Alicante Bouschet, Counoise, and Death To The Infidel Zinfandel. Some, in quantities such that they will be on a woot-off for three minutes.