Very deeply colored, and appears to be healthy after 13 years. Maybe 13 is not its lucky number. The nose is powerful but not especially pleasant, reminding me just a bit of magic marker rather than pencil shavings. The palate is similarly powerful and expansive, but perhaps a bit iron-like. Acidity is nicely balanced: no problem there. This is a wine I might pair with cooked spinach ... were I ever to eat cooked spinach. It is strong like Popeye ... but I can't always understand what it's saying.
Give it another 10 years and try it then! Might be a lot better.
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Dark, plump opulent appearance but not much on the nose. On the palate, smooth, passive dark berry and dark cherry fruit, currents, elegant and feminine, some tobacco and black olives. Not a preferred preference is style for me, but not really bad at all. I would probably have a wine of this style with a meal as it would be a better experience. Wine Enthusiast gives this wine a 92 and Tanzer 90 points, I am somewhere in between.
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Last bottle. Still quite good. Tannins extremely soft at this point but bing cherry and blackberry fruit flavors linger on the long finist. Barnett is worth seeking out.
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Love this wine. Holding up really well for an 03 and I won't be in a rush to drink my other 2. Elegant wine with beautiful fruit and smooth balanced tannins.
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Best bottle of this yet, by far. XXL but balance and tannins easily overcome the alcohol level and continuing surge of fruit that would otherwise not suit my fancy.
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nice fruit forward spring mountain cab, good depth, fairly elegant, but does not have the depth of other spring mountain cabs that i have had, has good fruit on the front blueberry and blackberry dominant, midpalate has hints of milk chocolate and cedar, finish is good, i think it basically peaked. high 80s to 90. -S
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Nicely balanced, very Bordeaux in style. Restrained and refined throughout with mint, tabacco and crushed stones on the nose. Silky fruits and tannins at first but opened up to reveal a much broader palate with denser cassis tones, layers of milder red frutis and a long, coating finish. Drinking very well right now.
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I could only taste the strong tannins, wine was smooth, but lacking any real fruit flavors, I'm sure it will evolve over time, but not worth the price imo
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Restaurant purchase; just pop and pour for several bottles. This was very nice right out of the bottle; reflecting the relative softness of the vintage it was immediately approachable, with various muted fruits. Not a long-term ager, I found it well-balanced and enjoyable.
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The last time I tasted this wine I was disappointed, but attributed that to tasting it next to a dead 93 Barnett Cab. This time I am confident in saying that it was just plain disappointing. The nose and palate were simple and didn't have much intensity. Couple that with a short finish, and this is just not exciting at all. It is also way overpriced. I suspect that I tasted a Rattlesnake Hills Cab at the winery, but didn't want to pay the price for that, so I bought this clunker instead. I sure wouldn't have loved this wine right after a visit to Pride Mountain - that I know for sure!
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I give this wine an 89 right now, but if cellared for 10 years, it could be much higher. Very tight on the nose with some cassis, cherry and coffee. Some wood and sour cherry's dominate the finish with a massive wall of bitter tannins on the finish. When the tannins calm down this wine could be very good, but as it is it's hard to get through a glass.
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Just a decent Cab here but way overpriced. I would be moderately disappointed at $20 but for $60 you have to be kidding me? No green (like the Merlot) but just not alot of fruit here. Light color and a smooth slighty tannic finish on an unmemorable Cab.
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Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Well done Spring Mountain Cab. Dark purple color. Aromas of cedar, black/red fruit dominate the nose. Big fruit in the mouth followed by long, lingering finish that delivers coffee and chocolate. For the price this is a very good Mountain Cab value that outperformed some wines more than twice its price. Hal Barnett is doing some very good things with his property.
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A weekend in Seaside, OR; 9/30/2006-10/1/2006: Tasted next to a dead 93 Barnett cab. It's not fun to taste a wine next to another that is dead at all. The 03 was a nice wine, but we could see similarities to the dead 93. We won't be holding these long at all. Light plum flavors with equally light color. Also light on the finish.
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Worth every penny - bought to celebrate a family birthday this wine was incredible. Very rich but well balanced - you know the tannins are there but they don't overpower the killer fruit and oak with a finish of coffee/nuts/chocolate. Great wine.
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10/15/2017 - Nekodab wrote: 97 Points
Let decant for 1hr + WOW
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2/28/2017 - terry j Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Very deeply colored, and appears to be healthy after 13 years. Maybe 13 is not its lucky number. The nose is powerful but not especially pleasant, reminding me just a bit of magic marker rather than pencil shavings. The palate is similarly powerful and expansive, but perhaps a bit iron-like. Acidity is nicely balanced: no problem there. This is a wine I might pair with cooked spinach ... were I ever to eat cooked spinach. It is strong like Popeye ... but I can't always understand what it's saying.
Give it another 10 years and try it then! Might be a lot better.
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2/15/2017 - Yack Man wrote: 91 Points
Dark, plump opulent appearance but not much on the nose. On the palate, smooth, passive dark berry and dark cherry fruit, currents, elegant and feminine, some tobacco and black olives. Not a preferred preference is style for me, but not really bad at all. I would probably have a wine of this style with a meal as it would be a better experience. Wine Enthusiast gives this wine a 92 and Tanzer 90 points, I am somewhere in between.
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8/2/2015 - alamoave Likes this wine: 91 Points
Last bottle. Still quite good. Tannins extremely soft at this point but bing cherry and blackberry fruit flavors linger on the long finist. Barnett is worth seeking out.
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5/23/2015 - soneill104 wrote: 93 Points
Love this wine. Holding up really well for an 03 and I won't be in a rush to drink my other 2. Elegant wine with beautiful fruit and smooth balanced tannins.
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9/21/2013 - lkatz Likes this wine: 87 Points
it was ok
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7/8/2013 - BernieMSY wrote: 91 Points
Solid effort. Decent value.
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12/24/2012 - alamoave Likes this wine: 94 Points
Christmas Eve. Excellent. Soft but noticeable tannins. Beautiful, balanced fruit. Finish makes you smile!
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9/3/2012 - BernieMSY wrote: 89 Points
Good, deep color; no signs of brick. Decent nose. Good attack, but a bit of astringency mars the overall profile.
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4/6/2012 - Imperial wrote:
Definitely on the decline, but still enjoyable
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1/16/2011 - ddingley wrote: 88 Points
Smooth, but a little disappointed there wasn't more going on. Either it's slightly past its prime or my palate had an off night (it happens)
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1/11/2011 - alamoave wrote: 93 Points
Best bottle of this yet, by far. XXL but balance and tannins easily overcome the alcohol level and continuing surge of fruit that would otherwise not suit my fancy.
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11/20/2010 - alamoave wrote: 91 Points
Solid, easy drinking due to balance; fruit forward but with good backbone. At peak. Pop and pour.
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2/14/2010 - BernieMSY wrote: 89 Points
Good depth of flavor, concentrated and intense. A bit tight, best to wait a couple of years before trying again
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9/23/2009 - alamoave wrote: 90 Points
Juicy, fruit-forward bigberry style, but with some backbone. Quite enjoyable. Should last several more years.
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9/10/2009 - sasvino wrote: 89 Points
nice fruit forward spring mountain cab, good depth, fairly elegant, but does not have the depth of other spring mountain cabs that i have had, has good fruit on the front blueberry and blackberry dominant, midpalate has hints of milk chocolate and cedar, finish is good, i think it basically peaked. high 80s to 90. -S
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3/20/2009 - bigdomer wrote: 87 Points
Very disappointing. For some reason I do not care for Spring Mountain wines like I do for Howell and Diamond mountain grapes.
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2/18/2009 - Cosmo3 wrote:
Nicely balanced, very Bordeaux in style. Restrained and refined throughout with mint, tabacco and crushed stones on the nose. Silky fruits and tannins at first but opened up to reveal a much broader palate with denser cassis tones, layers of milder red frutis and a long, coating finish. Drinking very well right now.
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2/21/2008 - michigan dogs wrote: 84 Points
I could only taste the strong tannins, wine was smooth, but lacking any real fruit flavors, I'm sure it will evolve over time, but not worth the price imo
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2/14/2008 - good old ludwig van wrote: 91 Points
Elegant and unusual: mint & chocolate notes, like mint chocolate chip ice cream. Well made and quality offering.
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9/18/2007 - davidandrose wrote: 90 Points
Restaurant purchase; just pop and pour for several bottles. This was very nice right out of the bottle; reflecting the relative softness of the vintage it was immediately approachable, with various muted fruits. Not a long-term ager, I found it well-balanced and enjoyable.
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7/21/2007 - last chance wrote: 82 Points
The last time I tasted this wine I was disappointed, but attributed that to tasting it next to a dead 93 Barnett Cab. This time I am confident in saying that it was just plain disappointing. The nose and palate were simple and didn't have much intensity. Couple that with a short finish, and this is just not exciting at all. It is also way overpriced. I suspect that I tasted a Rattlesnake Hills Cab at the winery, but didn't want to pay the price for that, so I bought this clunker instead. I sure wouldn't have loved this wine right after a visit to Pride Mountain - that I know for sure!
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3/14/2007 - pakabear wrote: 89 Points
I give this wine an 89 right now, but if cellared for 10 years, it could be much higher. Very tight on the nose with some cassis, cherry and coffee. Some wood and sour cherry's dominate the finish with a massive wall of bitter tannins on the finish. When the tannins calm down this wine could be very good, but as it is it's hard to get through a glass.
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3/9/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 87 Points
Just a decent Cab here but way overpriced. I would be moderately disappointed at $20 but for $60 you have to be kidding me? No green (like the Merlot) but just not alot of fruit here. Light color and a smooth slighty tannic finish on an unmemorable Cab.
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10/19/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 92 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Well done Spring Mountain Cab. Dark purple color. Aromas of cedar, black/red fruit dominate the nose. Big fruit in the mouth followed by long, lingering finish that delivers coffee and chocolate. For the price this is a very good Mountain Cab value that outperformed some wines more than twice its price. Hal Barnett is doing some very good things with his property.
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10/1/2006 - last chance wrote: 86 Points
A weekend in Seaside, OR; 9/30/2006-10/1/2006: Tasted next to a dead 93 Barnett cab. It's not fun to taste a wine next to another that is dead at all. The 03 was a nice wine, but we could see similarities to the dead 93. We won't be holding these long at all. Light plum flavors with equally light color. Also light on the finish.
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6/12/2006 - MBrown wrote: 92 Points
Worth every penny - bought to celebrate a family birthday this wine was incredible. Very rich but well balanced - you know the tannins are there but they don't overpower the killer fruit and oak with a finish of coffee/nuts/chocolate. Great wine.
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5/21/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 93 Points
Barnett Winery Visit & Tasting (Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, California): Very good Spring Mountain Cab. Deeply extracted red fruit and big tannins create a well balanced wine that will improve with bottle age. Long, lingering finish.
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