Tasted blind with 8 other fine reds, all 2000 or younger (included '01 and '03 Shafer hillside select, '01 insignia, '01 DA1147, '02 Monte Bello...) This wine stole the show. My blind notes: Youthful opaque purple appearance. Nose initially closed and very metallic, but with time offered up cassis, briar, dark berry fruit and tobacco leaf. The palate is so full and graceful, hits every part of the mouth just right. Alcohol showed thru slightly at times, but otherwise this was just fabulous. ++tannins, and the finish lingers on and on. My 1st/9, group 1/9
My blind notes: (tasted double blind among 8 other red wines) Looks young in the glass. Aromas of dark fruit, strawberries, spinach, moist soil, hazelnuts and menthol. Palate: full and rich, hitting on all cylinders. ++ tannins, long finish. My 2/9 group 3/9
Tasted double blind among 8 other fine/younger reds. My blind notes: youthful dark opaque color. Aromas of dark chocolate, rich coffee, and tomato paste. Very smooth on the palate, if a bit shallow, but great dark fruit. velvety. ++ tannins, long finish. Ranked 3/9, group's 5/9
My blind notes: Aromas of cream, oak, and an unusual but not unpleasant citrus element. Full palate with dark berries, tobacco. Abundant tannins, medium finish. My 5/9, group's 9/9
My blind notes: best nose of the group - briar, cassis. classic cab nose, very clean and focused. Unfortunately, this was somewhat shallow on the mid-palate and had a slightly acidic turn on the back end. Lots of tannins, decent finish. Ranked 6/9, group's 6/9. I personally would wait a few more years before drinking another bottle.
Tasted double blind among other similarly priced wines of similar age. My blind notes: Appears young in the glass. Closed nose. dark berry fruit and some leather. Palate was bland and relatively uninteresting compared to others on the table. +++ tannins. Again I honestly think this would show better in a few more years. My 7th/9, group 4/9
very disappointing. decanted for an hour. Tasted double blind amongst eight other great reds. My blind notes: Closed up in just about every way... practically nothing on the nose. alcohol and acidity in the mouth. +++tannins. This is not in a good place right now, I'll give the other bottles some more time.
Double blind tasting of younger reds. I ranked this wine 9/9, group's 8/9 Strange tasting, because there were some elements here that I really enjoyed but mainly this was just off. possibly a flawed bottle but it was not corked. Aromas of wet wood, oak, mildew, and later on cured meat. Thought this was a bordeau. Palate very little fruit, shallow midpalate and abrupt finish.
2002 Staglin Family Cabernet Sauvignon 20th Anniversary Selection 96 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
Tasted blind with 8 other fine reds, all 2000 or younger (included '01 and '03 Shafer hillside select, '01 insignia, '01 DA1147, '02 Monte Bello...)
This wine stole the show. My blind notes:
Youthful opaque purple appearance. Nose initially closed and very metallic, but with time offered up cassis, briar, dark berry fruit and tobacco leaf.
The palate is so full and graceful, hits every part of the mouth just right. Alcohol showed thru slightly at times, but otherwise this was just fabulous.
++tannins, and the finish lingers on and on.
My 1st/9, group 1/9
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2001 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
My blind notes: (tasted double blind among 8 other red wines)
Looks young in the glass. Aromas of dark fruit, strawberries, spinach, moist soil, hazelnuts and menthol.
Palate: full and rich, hitting on all cylinders. ++ tannins, long finish.
My 2/9 group 3/9
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2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Tasted double blind among 8 other fine/younger reds.
My blind notes:
youthful dark opaque color. Aromas of dark chocolate, rich coffee, and tomato paste.
Very smooth on the palate, if a bit shallow, but great dark fruit. velvety. ++ tannins, long finish.
Ranked 3/9, group's 5/9
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2004 Dominus Estate 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
My blind notes:
Aromas of cream, oak, and an unusual but not unpleasant citrus element.
Full palate with dark berries, tobacco. Abundant tannins, medium finish.
My 5/9, group's 9/9
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2002 Ridge Monte Bello 91 Points
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
My blind notes:
best nose of the group - briar, cassis. classic cab nose, very clean and focused.
Unfortunately, this was somewhat shallow on the mid-palate and had a slightly acidic turn on the back end. Lots of tannins, decent finish.
Ranked 6/9, group's 6/9. I personally would wait a few more years before drinking another bottle.
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2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted double blind among other similarly priced wines of similar age.
My blind notes:
Appears young in the glass. Closed nose. dark berry fruit and some leather.
Palate was bland and relatively uninteresting compared to others on the table. +++ tannins.
Again I honestly think this would show better in a few more years.
My 7th/9, group 4/9
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2003 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
very disappointing. decanted for an hour.
Tasted double blind amongst eight other great reds.
My blind notes:
Closed up in just about every way... practically nothing on the nose. alcohol and acidity in the mouth. +++tannins.
This is not in a good place right now, I'll give the other bottles some more time.
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2001 David Arthur Cabernet Sauvignon Elevation 1147 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Double blind tasting of younger reds. I ranked this wine 9/9, group's 8/9
Strange tasting, because there were some elements here that I really enjoyed but mainly this was just off. possibly a flawed bottle but it was not corked.
Aromas of wet wood, oak, mildew, and later on cured meat. Thought this was a bordeau. Palate very little fruit, shallow midpalate and abrupt finish.
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