The nose opens with medicinal dark cherries -- think sweet cherry Robitussin. That's followed by more dark cherries, tobacco, graphite, and anise, along with a hint of spring flowers and some overripe black fruits. It’s reminiscent of an Amarone. The wine is a bit hollow in the mid-palate and the tannins are hardly noticeable wine. So it's remarkably chuggable.
A bright, beautiful nose of juicy raspberries, black cherries, and blackberries, forest floor, some dried red fruits, and crème de cassis. The fruit is backed by a nice floral lift of lavender and potpourri alongside Christmas spices and spicy oak. On the palate, the wine is dense and concentrated, but beautifully balanced and drinkable thanks to bright acid and great texture. An exceptional wine.
The nose, which opens with ripe red cherries and toasted oak, is surprisingly red and smoky. Beyond the cherries and smoke, one can find more red fruits, blackberry, some purple Powerade, cedar, and a hint of bittersweet chocolate and espresso. The tannins are fairly aggressive but very well structured. The weight is lighter than I'd expect and a hint of alcohol emerges at the finish. I'd love to revisit this in a few years to see if it gains concentration and integrates better in the bottle.
The nose is dark, dense, and brooding -- and smells like a Napa Valley Cabernet you'd want to open at a steakhouse. Ripe blackberries and plums, juicy raspberries, and black currant, along with some fascinating notes of brown sugar, crushed graphite, and sweet baking spices. On the palate, the wine is perfectly balanced -- considering the strength of the tannins, it's surprisingly drinkable thanks to really energetic acidity.
A dark, hedonistic nose that includes every tasting note one wants from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of blackberry, black currant, anise, and brambly raspberry are lifted by lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, and sage. These aromas are backed by dark chocolate and tobacco. The palate is equally impressive and seductive. And even though it's dense and concentrated with huge tannins, the wine is extremely drinkable.
A ripe, dark nose of sweet, green-tinged fruits — black currant, wild blackberries, maraschino cherries, and olives. In the background, one finds some overripe notes and oak, along with some brown sugar, cinnamon, medicinal notes. On the palate, the wine is surprisingly juicy and smooth, but finishes with an unpleasant shot of alcohol.
2008 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
The nose opens with medicinal dark cherries -- think sweet cherry Robitussin. That's followed by more dark cherries, tobacco, graphite, and anise, along with a hint of spring flowers and some overripe black fruits. It’s reminiscent of an Amarone. The wine is a bit hollow in the mid-palate and the tannins are hardly noticeable wine. So it's remarkably chuggable.
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2008 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
A bright, beautiful nose of juicy raspberries, black cherries, and blackberries, forest floor, some dried red fruits, and crème de cassis. The fruit is backed by a nice floral lift of lavender and potpourri alongside Christmas spices and spicy oak. On the palate, the wine is dense and concentrated, but beautifully balanced and drinkable thanks to bright acid and great texture. An exceptional wine.
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2008 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
The nose, which opens with ripe red cherries and toasted oak, is surprisingly red and smoky. Beyond the cherries and smoke, one can find more red fruits, blackberry, some purple Powerade, cedar, and a hint of bittersweet chocolate and espresso. The tannins are fairly aggressive but very well structured. The weight is lighter than I'd expect and a hint of alcohol emerges at the finish. I'd love to revisit this in a few years to see if it gains concentration and integrates better in the bottle.
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2008 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
The nose is dark, dense, and brooding -- and smells like a Napa Valley Cabernet you'd want to open at a steakhouse. Ripe blackberries and plums, juicy raspberries, and black currant, along with some fascinating notes of brown sugar, crushed graphite, and sweet baking spices. On the palate, the wine is perfectly balanced -- considering the strength of the tannins, it's surprisingly drinkable thanks to really energetic acidity.
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2008 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon 96 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
A dark, hedonistic nose that includes every tasting note one wants from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of blackberry, black currant, anise, and brambly raspberry are lifted by lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, and sage. These aromas are backed by dark chocolate and tobacco. The palate is equally impressive and seductive. And even though it's dense and concentrated with huge tannins, the wine is extremely drinkable.
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2008 Two Hands Cabernet Sauvignon Charlie's Patch 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
A ripe, dark nose of sweet, green-tinged fruits — black currant, wild blackberries, maraschino cherries, and olives. In the background, one finds some overripe notes and oak, along with some brown sugar, cinnamon, medicinal notes. On the palate, the wine is surprisingly juicy and smooth, but finishes with an unpleasant shot of alcohol.
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