Twenty three point five percent corked wines. All those ready for screw caps on everything, raise your hands, please. W1 ? terrific fresh fruit and herbs nose, sauv blanc? Round and sweet, with good acid snap, no longer sure of the sauv blanc identification, flavor and finishing aromatics quite floral for that grape. Interesting, delicious wine. 2005 Kaesler Old Vine Semillon, Barossa Valley. W2 ? very shy nose of licorice, mineral spirits and herbs; weighty and attractive in the mouth, very licorishy flavor, enough acid structure, good length, honey hints, seems well past its primary fruit stage although I don't taste oxidation. 2002 Beckmen Marsanne, Purisima Mountain Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley. W3 ? corked. W4 - amylic nose evolving to stinky, musty, moldy. Not tasted. Hopefully not a representative bottle. 2003 Hawley Viognier, Placer County (California). (Label says "Barrel Fermented" and "24% Sonoma.") 1.1 ? dark young purple; nose attractively meaty, smoke and herbs; light body, high alcohol, lacks fruit in the mouth compared to the nose, light finish, midpalate and finish flavor profile similar to nose, just OK. 2005 Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz, Barossa Valley. 1.2 ? medium color; smells thin and alcoholic; midpalate flabby, chocolate, coconut, some fruit; decent length. 2001 Hogue Syrah, Columbia Valley. 1.3 ? corked. 1.4 - medium color; nose of pepper, oak and berries; general flavor profile similar to the nose but is there some faint weird sour tone? OK length. 2003 Elemental Cellars Syrah, Deux Vert Vineyard, Willamette Valley. 1.5 ? medium to dark; nice depth of fruit on nose, subtle hints of smoked meat; midweight in the mouth, red fruits prominently featured, pepper, plenty of acid structure; just a trace of an unclean flavor at transition, then decent length. Could wish for more fruit overall. Are these quick whiffs of inappropriate flavors coming from the wines, or is there something in the Minneapolis water tonight? 1999 Eaglepoint Ranch Syrah, Mendocino. 2.1 ? medium to dark purple; nose of blackberry primary fruit, touch of pepper; midpalate explosive fruit, very Australian, noticeably but not offensively oaky; nice transition, warm fruity finish, carries its alcohol gracefully, a fruit bomb but very hard to dislike. 2005 Archetype Vineyard Shiraz, Barossa. 2.2 ? medium to dark purple; nose of cotton candy oak and alcohol, not my style, not tasted. 2004 Coteaux de Languedoc, Les Hauts de la Brune. 2.3 ? quite dark purple; nose of smoke, pepper, alcohol, lacks fruit on nose; smooth mouthfeel, tastes off, pretty sure this is corked. 2003 Benegas Syrah, Mendoza. 2.4 ? corked. 3.1 ? medium purple; aristocratic nose of some depth, smoked meat, pepper, dark fruits, herbs; medium body, medium intensity, still a bit youthfully closed? True, full finish reinforces the impression that the wine still needs time. Grew noticeably oakier with air. 2001 Paradise Ridge Syrah, Honselaars Vineyard Upper Block, Sonoma. 3.2 ? ketone nose, bretty? Not tasted. 2002 Delheim Shiraz, Simonsberg ? Stellenbosch (South Africa). 3.3 ? shoe polish and leather on nose; rough rustic wine of medium size, medium plus intensity, good length but mineral spirits on finish, licorice flavor, probably would have been better younger. 1999 Ferrari-Carano Tre Monte Syrah, Sonoma. 3.4 ? medium color; attractive Aussie nose, dark fruit with spirits and shoe polish tones; attractive red fruits flavors in the mouth, midweight, finesse transition, excellent length, herbal tones, fine wine! Black pepper aromas and flavors more pronounced with air, although well balanced with other elements. 1996 Riddoch Estate Shiraz, Coonawarra.