2003 Glen Carlou Syrah Paarl -- opened about 4:30 on Thursday; immediately releases lots of nice aromatics despite being quite cool, grapey/primary stuff, some melting-sugar sweetness, hints of meat; into the decanter, showing the purple bloom of youth; tiny bit in the glass to taste, sweet ripe nose, indecipherable fruit, more meat/iodine stuff; tastes young (well, duh!) but already smooth, fills midpalate, about medium weight, bit of fine tannins and lots of fruit on finish; not much different over the next couple of hours.

Left a glass in the decanter with a loose stopper overnight, so 24 hours of air before tasting again and it hasn't budged much; still quite aromatic, like walking into a kitchen while sugar is melting to make caramel; in the mouth, fruit seems a little more focused tonight, boysenberry pie and plum, vanilla, little hint of pepper, fruit outlasts tannins on finish. Back label suggests up to 10 years of cellaring, but I'm not getting much of a sense of longevity from this wine; it's very open right now. Very nice wine, but at its price point (C$30) won't move me to buy again.

My wife called it a real crowd-pleaser, liking it more than I did.