Wow, this was a really beautiful nose. Dark cherry liquor with floral, licorice, casis and coffee notes. Very good body, but painfully young and tannic. Right now 92-93pts but this can go much higher with rich food or 10-15 years of aging. Rating based on future potential. Great.
Less expressive than 2004, more coffee and caramel notes on the nose, in addition to oak. good body with better acidity than '04, but perhaps not as rich. 90+
This was a richer, full body more tannic version of the same wine from '04 vintage. A bit of brute force approach, but very good.91++ (this was called Rutherford Bench Cabernet)
Blackberries, casis and some dark chocolate. Medium + bodied and quite elegant, good texture. More chocolate on the palate with tannic finish, some smokiness shows up after it was sitting in the glass for a while. At this stage this actually tasted slightly better than the Special Selection 91-92
Closed nose, it needed some time to show some mild blackberries, grape juice and coffee. More coffee on the palate and strong creamy tannins. This might improve wit time but regular bottling is drinking slightly better right now.
This started with ink, cherries, tobacco, licorice and vanilla. Good finish with tobacco and some dark fruits. At this point this was around 90pts but after it opened even more it showed some oregano&thyme component which was a bit weird.
This was very good and even though it was quite well integrated it would use several more years in the bottle. Some roasted meat component on top of regular cabernet flavors in a medium body package. 90-91
This was an interesting experience. Almost orange color, with mostly cherries, funk and rose on the nose. Very well integrated with mild and pleasant mouth feel but almost no finish. 87-88 (tasted at the winery 02/09)
This was a very good chocolaty merlot, smooth with strong tannic finish. 89-90, I'll go with higher bracket based on good structure, which might add a point or two in the future (this was tasted at the winery but a bit on the colder side)
his was the last wine tasted at the winery and after having many wines that day I'll just say that this was a great meadium+ bodied silky wine with good finish, it was somewhere in the 91-92 range.
Very good and anusual nose with cat pee, green peach and some honey that shows on the mid-palate to finish transition. Very good and very interesting sauv. blanc 89-90.
Some leather, coffee and cassis on the nose. Good dark chocolate + casis taste with grainy strong tannins on the extremely dry finsh. 90-91, this should drink much better in 5 years or so.
This was a silky but very powerful wine dominated by casis and dark chocolate taste and similar aromas, with a good dose of tannins on the finish. 91-92. (tasted perhaps too cold).
2004 Turnbull Syrah Oakville 87 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(2/16/2009)
plums on the nose. a bit alcoholic with a bit of spice on the finish
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2007 Turnbull White Wine Oakville 80 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(2/16/2009)
Crisp but too much oak and nonexistent finish.
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2006 Turnbull Old Bull Red 85 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(2/16/2009)
too hot
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2005 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(2/16/2009)
This was the best in less than mediocre Turnbull tasting. Still some alcohol but has some decent structure, extended decanting might help.88-89
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2004 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(2/17/2009)
Very nice nose, coffee blackberries. Smooth taste some cassis. Very nice wine. Some tannins but already very pleasant, 90++ (might improve over time)
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2004 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/17/2009)
Good nose, floral with coffee and some casis. Nice structure but still a bit harsh. 87-88
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2004 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(2/17/2009)
Wow, this was a really beautiful nose. Dark cherry liquor with floral, licorice, casis and coffee notes. Very good body, but painfully young and tannic. Right now 92-93pts but this can go much higher with rich food or 10-15 years of aging. Rating based on future potential. Great.
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NV Heitz Cellar Port Ink Grade Vineyard 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/17/2009)
Soft and pleasant, alcohol well integrated.88-89
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2006 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 88 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
(2/17/2009)
Quite tasty with bright structure. Seems like a good value.87-88
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2004 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
(2/17/2009)
Very pretty, californian nose: oak-vanilla with violets and dark berries. Smooth and rich with nice tannins and cocoa on the finish. 90-91
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2005 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
(2/17/2009)
Less expressive than 2004, more coffee and caramel notes on the nose, in addition to oak. good body with better acidity than '04, but perhaps not as rich. 90+
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2003 Louis M. Martini Los Ninos 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/17/2009)
Good, nice acidity.
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2005 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/19/2009)
nice and smooth 88-89
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2004 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Bench Reserve 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(2/19/2009)
Casis, coffee and leather on the nose. coffee dark chocolate with good tannins. (this was called Rutherford Bench Cabernet)
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2005 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Bench Reserve 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(2/19/2009)
This was a richer, full body more tannic version of the same wine from '04 vintage. A bit of brute force approach, but very good.91++ (this was called Rutherford Bench Cabernet)
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2006 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/19/2009)
Blackberries, casis and some dark chocolate. Medium + bodied and quite elegant, good texture. More chocolate on the palate with tannic finish, some smokiness shows up after it was sitting in the glass for a while. At this stage this actually tasted slightly better than the Special Selection 91-92
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2006 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/19/2009)
Closed nose, it needed some time to show some mild blackberries, grape juice and coffee. More coffee on the palate and strong creamy tannins. This might improve wit time but regular bottling is drinking slightly better right now.
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2005 Caymus Zinfandel 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/19/2009)
This started with ink, cherries, tobacco, licorice and vanilla. Good finish with tobacco and some dark fruits. At this point this was around 90pts but after it opened even more it showed some oregano&thyme component which was a bit weird.
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2003 Caymus Sauvignon Blanc 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/19/2009)
Honney, grapefruit and apples on the nose turning into more nutty and oaky component with time. Nice finish, much better while cold. 88-89
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1998 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(2/19/2009)
This was very good and even though it was quite well integrated it would use several more years in the bottle. Some roasted meat component on top of regular cabernet flavors in a medium body package. 90-91
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2000 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
(2/19/2009)
Nicely integrated, smooth with a hint of green component on both the nose and the palate. 89++
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1996 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
(2/20/2009)
This has nice cherry aromas and taste, with relatively flat mid-palate and good finish. (tasted at winery 02/09)
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1991 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Valhalla Vineyard 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
This was an interesting experience. Almost orange color, with mostly cherries, funk and rose on the nose. Very well integrated with mild and pleasant mouth feel but almost no finish. 87-88 (tasted at the winery 02/09)
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1997 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Valhalla Vineyard 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
This was much better than '96 Dutton, Fresh clean, juicy, with great finish, 89-90 (tasted at the winery 02/09)
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2006 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Right Bank 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
This was a very good chocolaty merlot, smooth with strong tannic finish. 89-90, I'll go with higher bracket based on good structure, which might add a point or two in the future (this was tasted at the winery but a bit on the colder side)
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2005 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Éloge 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
his was the last wine tasted at the winery and after having many wines that day I'll just say that this was a great meadium+ bodied silky wine with good finish, it was somewhere in the 91-92 range.
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2006 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
Melted cherries, caramel and a bit of funk on the nose. Very good medium body with spice on the finish. 89-91.
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2006 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Chardonnay Fournier Vineyard
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
(2/20/2009)
Good chardonnay, clean and pleasant. 88-89pts
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2006 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Lake County 90 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
(2/20/2009)
Very good and anusual nose with cat pee, green peach and some honey that shows on the mid-palate to finish transition.
Very good and very interesting sauv. blanc 89-90.
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2007 Cade Sauvignon Blanc 86 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
Pleasant but far from memorable. 86+
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2006 Plumpjack Merlot Napa Valley 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
Starts with some vanilla oak, good chocolaty body and tannic finish. 88+ (could gain a point or two more with time). A real rip off for $50.
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2006 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
(2/20/2009)
Some leather, coffee and cassis on the nose. Good dark chocolate + casis taste with grainy strong tannins on the extremely dry finsh. 90-91, this should drink much better in 5 years or so.
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2006 Plumpjack Syrah 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
Dark plums with oak, earth and spice. Ready to drink now. 90+
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2006 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
(2/20/2009)
This was a silky but very powerful wine dominated by casis and dark chocolate taste and similar aromas, with a good dose of tannins on the finish. 91-92. (tasted perhaps too cold).
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