(Wineapalooza with Friends.) Spectacular, and red wine of the night for the group. Clear ruby color, no bricking, vibrant nose and in perfect shape, although she probably won’t stay in her prime much longer. Graphite, cedar, bay leaf and quiet plum throughout. Done in a Bordeaux style. Delicious. Drink by 2026. Outstanding.
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Excellent bottle. From Magnum. Youthful color, ruby with barely any bricking. Sage, herbs, dark fruit on the nose. On the palate the tannins are fully integrated, with a sultry texture and a fantastic balance. The finish lasts forever.
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I agree with other recent tastings that this is a lovely wine that has held up beautifully over its 38 years. Still had nice deep red color, clean nose and great balance.
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Perhaps a little past prime, but this remains an awesome wine. A dead ringer for Bordeaux. This well balanced , optimally extracted wine shows what can be done with California fruit.
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Tasted with erter99 and friends in Nashville TN, this was consensus WOTN. Tasted along with '85 Leoville Las Cases , 2005 Cos de Estournel, and a '97 St Emillion. Great Cabernet nose and a surprisingly fresh palate still brimming with California fruit. Tannin totally resolved. Good acidity and finish. This well balanced wine has the stuffing to go on several more years, but I expect no improvement. Drink now if you have some.
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From magnum - A savory mix of bell pepper, dark cherry and black currant fruit, and a compelling meatiness on the finish, supported by tongue-prickling acidity and tannin, it has definitely hit its peak but isn't at all in decline. Magnificent.
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The last of 3 from auction and the best of this lot. Fill just into the neck and a nice firm cork. Surprisingly dark color. This is a perfect ringer for Bordeaux, with nice cedar and a hint of Cabernet green. Fairly long, with smooth tannins. At peak, this bottle would hold for a bit.
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Lovely, integrated, old-school cabernet. Smokey, earthy, Bordeaux style profile with a smooth, silky palate and the tannins all melted away. There is abundant acidity on the attack, with the fruit in second, this shows better with food. Hanging in there and very enjoyable, but not especially deep or nuanced. Drink 'em if ya got 'em.
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JB at Fernando's House: Bdx but more right bank on the nose. touch of funk. light and resolved mid with sweet ripe red fruit. refreshing and satisfying. excellent showing.
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From an excellent looking bottle, with a fill into the neck and a cork soaked about halfway up. Beautiful nose, with dark cabernet fruit, lots of freshly tilled earth, a strong ashy cigar influence, and an unobtrusive hint of pyraziney herbal/green pepper. But on the palate the fruit has faded, and while the wine isn't drying out texturally, the fruit runs out in the midpalate and the acidity has started to stick out. It's best right away, and gets more tart as it sits in the glass. I'll bet this was lovely 5-10 years ago. Drink up.
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This continues to amaze and is just a dazzeling example of Cali cab. Beautifull nose of black cherry and creosote that fllows to mature palate of dusty earth, tobacco mild tanins. This has been the most consistant performing vintage of the 80's for LG for me and only have 2 bottles left that I'm in no hurry consume. This easily has at least another 5 years of great drinking ahead of it. Need to re-load this at auction
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Brick red solid color with some browning throughout. Nose of mature, sweet dark red fruit and some barnyard. Low neck fill; brittle, dry cork needed to be filtered -- removed substantial amount of sediment. Served in open decanter over 90 minutes. Muted fruit is past its prime, but is elegantly integrated with a modest tannin to present a silky, robust wine. Somewhat dry like an aged bordeaux. Showing black cherries, cassis, cedar, anise and barnyard. Medium length.
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taste: Medium/full bodied with nice depth and medium acidity. Balanced with tones of mint, cedar, dark red cherries and cassis. Not as complex on the palate as on the nose.
overall: This was a straight pop n pour. Very well balanced and showing very well.
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Some debate and differing opinions on this, but I really enjoyed it - lovely mature Cabernet with developed cedary, tobacco and earthy elements around a core of red and dark fruits that still seem quite fresh and lively.
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A Winebid purchase. The bottle condition was good, fill was bottom neck. The cork was dryish but stained about 1/4 inch. Little sediment. The color was a nice deep red with light edges. The nose was escellent, some barnyard and tar, forest floor. Medium weight and lovely with mulchy, organic, Med spices flavors with a medium length finish. The fruit is restrained and there's little remainingtannin. I'm betting this would be tagged as Bordeaux fairly often blind. It's probably a bit past it best but still quite good. It's listed only as a table wine with no alcohol level which as I remember is defined as less than 14%. A fun experience. I'll be in interested to see if the remaining 1/3 is surviving tonight.
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This wine takes a while to open up and unwind, slowly gaining in aromatic class and flavor intensity over the course of the evening. The nose features notes of charcoal ash, cool stones, green pepper skins, tobacco leaf and fine melted chocolate that combine to form a very classy, almost regal-smelling bouquet with a good deal of cool, reserved Bordelais character. It is solid and structured in the mouth, with just the slightest whisper of tannins through the mid-palate before turning a bit stickier with tannin toward the finish, which is otherwise long and classy. The black fruit is sweeter and more engaging through the taut, wiry mid-palate, with an interesting airiness to it. This feels like it could go a good while longer without question and overall it shows best now after extended aeration. An impressive showing and my wine of the night.
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Bob Gaynor - Night of Excess!: Full aromatic nose has sweet red fruits, herbs, anise and pepper. Youthful, yet complex on the palate. More sweet, rich, herb-filled fruit. Chewy tannins. In a great place.
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Excellent wine. Nice complex nose, plenty of fruit. This wine would do very well as a ringer in a Bordeaux tasting. Well-stored bottles of this are a delight.
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poured from bottle at cellar temperature. dark brick red. solid color for an '85, but starting to show it's age. good cab nose right out of the gate. very good fruit at first impact, with plenty of tannin for its age. this is a really nice wine, but a sour note on the finish and the strong tannin make me worry it has passed it's peak. it will hold for a bit, but i guess it will not get better, and may be in decline. B+
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Decanted and drank immediately. Extremely concentrated, vibrant garnet color. A big nose of currants and cloves, with subtler aromas of stone and cinnamon. Mouth is medium-to-full bodied and slightly tangy, but with plently of fruit and a smooth, lush feel. Finish is pleasant but seems undeveloped. This bottle was stored welled and had a great fill and seemed to have many years of life and change in its future. Now to find more... 50+5+13+18+8=94
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1985 California Cab Tasting: Healthy ruby color. Still big and surprisingly tannic. Off-putting flavors of bell-pepper, dill, and cucumber though that are too prevalent for the remaining fruit.
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DEEP BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKCURRENTS, SPICE AND MINT. BLACK CHERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH. THIS TASTING SHOWED A WINE IN DECLINE (87).
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Tasting of 11 1985 Cabernet Sauvignons. Lovely rich cabernet nose, tasty, fruity wine on the palate, almost elegant, medium/long finish. My #6, Group #6.
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With K and Miranda at home at dinner (spaghetti). Extremely dark, concentrated black-ruby color. Very impressive--much more so than a few days ago. Nose has thick, superripe fruit. Deep blackberry aromas. Flavors are thick and very tannic. I bet this needs years. Great concentration. Wonderful future. Great potential. 5-11-16-8: 90/100.
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At Singer & Foy survey of '85 Cabs. Excellent deep ruby color. Looks rich, powerful. Good nose, but with some alcohol poking through; somewhat sharp. Decent flavor, curranty. Interesting development in the mouth. Raspberry. Lush finish. Not bad, but probably not a star in this group. 5-8-16-7: 86/100.
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At home at dinner (pasta). Dark ruby-purple. Very deep, grapey nose; not overripe. Very attractive. In the mouth, loads of tannin, but very rich ripe fruit underneath. Great body and balance. A big, gutsy, full-throttle Cabernet. Concentrated and packed with fruit. A touch of mint at the finish for good measure. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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3/9/2024 - jonahfactor Likes this wine:
(Wineapalooza with Friends.) Spectacular, and red wine of the night for the group. Clear ruby color, no bricking, vibrant nose and in perfect shape, although she probably won’t stay in her prime much longer. Graphite, cedar, bay leaf and quiet plum throughout. Done in a Bordeaux style. Delicious. Drink by 2026. Outstanding.
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12/1/2023 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent bottle. From Magnum. Youthful color, ruby with barely any bricking. Sage, herbs, dark fruit on the nose. On the palate the tannins are fully integrated, with a sultry texture and a fantastic balance. The finish lasts forever.
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11/26/2023 - MJM4032 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I agree with other recent tastings that this is a lovely wine that has held up beautifully over its 38 years. Still had nice deep red color, clean nose and great balance.
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6/27/2021 - melzar wrote: 93 Points
Perhaps a little past prime, but this remains an awesome wine. A dead ringer for Bordeaux. This well balanced , optimally extracted wine shows what can be done with California fruit.
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11/27/2019 - melzar wrote: 93 Points
Tasted with erter99 and friends in Nashville TN, this was consensus WOTN. Tasted along with '85 Leoville Las Cases , 2005 Cos de Estournel, and a '97 St Emillion. Great Cabernet nose and a surprisingly fresh palate still brimming with California fruit. Tannin totally resolved. Good acidity and finish. This well balanced wine has the stuffing to go on several more years, but I expect no improvement. Drink now if you have some.
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6/24/2017 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum - A savory mix of bell pepper, dark cherry and black currant fruit, and a compelling meatiness on the finish, supported by tongue-prickling acidity and tannin, it has definitely hit its peak but isn't at all in decline. Magnificent.
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11/23/2015 - tazerowe Likes this wine: 93 Points
The last of 3 from auction and the best of this lot. Fill just into the neck and a nice firm cork. Surprisingly dark color. This is a perfect ringer for Bordeaux, with nice cedar and a hint of Cabernet green. Fairly long, with smooth tannins. At peak, this bottle would hold for a bit.
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5/27/2015 - blanquito wrote: 92 Points
Lovely, integrated, old-school cabernet. Smokey, earthy, Bordeaux style profile with a smooth, silky palate and the tannins all melted away. There is abundant acidity on the attack, with the fruit in second, this shows better with food. Hanging in there and very enjoyable, but not especially deep or nuanced. Drink 'em if ya got 'em.
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1/26/2015 - Mlermontov wrote: 93 Points
JB at Fernando's House: Bdx but more right bank on the nose. touch of funk. light and resolved mid with sweet ripe red fruit. refreshing and satisfying. excellent showing.
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8/18/2014 - coremill wrote: 87 Points
From an excellent looking bottle, with a fill into the neck and a cork soaked about halfway up. Beautiful nose, with dark cabernet fruit, lots of freshly tilled earth, a strong ashy cigar influence, and an unobtrusive hint of pyraziney herbal/green pepper. But on the palate the fruit has faded, and while the wine isn't drying out texturally, the fruit runs out in the midpalate and the acidity has started to stick out. It's best right away, and gets more tart as it sits in the glass. I'll bet this was lovely 5-10 years ago. Drink up.
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9/9/2013 - g-man wrote: 94 Points
This continues to amaze and is just a dazzeling example of Cali cab. Beautifull nose of black cherry and creosote that fllows to mature palate of dusty earth, tobacco mild tanins. This has been the most consistant performing vintage of the 80's for LG for me and only have 2 bottles left that I'm in no hurry consume. This easily has at least another 5 years of great drinking ahead of it. Need to re-load this at auction
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9/2/2013 - petitblanc wrote: 91 Points
Another excellent bottle. Fresh fruit, earth, just a little poopy funk, juicy structure, and considerable heat through the short finish.
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6/14/2013 - petitblanc wrote: 93 Points
A Wine Dinner (In The Silo at Ruth's Chris, Madison, Wisconsin): A wonderful surprise ringer in a flight of 1986 Bordeaux. Subtle, clean, fresh, perfectly balanced, great structure for pairing with food.
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3/22/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brick red solid color with some browning throughout. Nose of mature, sweet dark red fruit and some barnyard. Low neck fill; brittle, dry cork needed to be filtered -- removed substantial amount of sediment. Served in open decanter over 90 minutes. Muted fruit is past its prime, but is elegantly integrated with a modest tannin to present a silky, robust wine. Somewhat dry like an aged bordeaux. Showing black cherries, cassis, cedar, anise and barnyard. Medium length.
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3/3/2013 - Hermes Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well balanced wine. Light on the first taste, but gets heavy on the tongue. Nice finish.
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12/2/2012 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Second Annual Butcher&Larder dinner (Butcher&Larder, Chicago IL): nose: There is a real elegance to this with excellent balance and tones of mint, cedar, berries, dark red cherries and cassis tones. Nice depth to it as well.
taste: Medium/full bodied with nice depth and medium acidity. Balanced with tones of mint, cedar, dark red cherries and cassis. Not as complex on the palate as on the nose.
overall: This was a straight pop n pour. Very well balanced and showing very well.
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7/31/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 75 Points
All flab and blubber. If 25 years of age did anything at all to refine this I can't imagine the mess it must have been on release.
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7/30/2011 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Some debate and differing opinions on this, but I really enjoyed it - lovely mature Cabernet with developed cedary, tobacco and earthy elements around a core of red and dark fruits that still seem quite fresh and lively.
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1/31/2010 - ChrisBeacham wrote: 90 Points
A Winebid purchase. The bottle condition was good, fill was bottom neck. The cork was dryish but stained about 1/4 inch. Little sediment. The color was a nice deep red with light edges. The nose was escellent, some barnyard and tar, forest floor. Medium weight and lovely with mulchy, organic, Med spices flavors with a medium length finish. The fruit is restrained and there's little remainingtannin. I'm betting this would be tagged as Bordeaux fairly often blind. It's probably a bit past it best but still quite good. It's listed only as a table wine with no alcohol level which as I remember is defined as less than 14%. A fun experience. I'll be in interested to see if the remaining 1/3 is surviving tonight.
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3/13/2009 - mjmal wrote:
This wine takes a while to open up and unwind, slowly gaining in aromatic class and flavor intensity over the course of the evening. The nose features notes of charcoal ash, cool stones, green pepper skins, tobacco leaf and fine melted chocolate that combine to form a very classy, almost regal-smelling bouquet with a good deal of cool, reserved Bordelais character. It is solid and structured in the mouth, with just the slightest whisper of tannins through the mid-palate before turning a bit stickier with tannin toward the finish, which is otherwise long and classy. The black fruit is sweeter and more engaging through the taut, wiry mid-palate, with an interesting airiness to it. This feels like it could go a good while longer without question and overall it shows best now after extended aeration. An impressive showing and my wine of the night.
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8/1/2008 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Bob Gaynor - Night of Excess!: Full aromatic nose has sweet red fruits, herbs, anise and pepper. Youthful, yet complex on the palate. More sweet, rich, herb-filled fruit. Chewy tannins. In a great place.
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6/4/2006 - zazim wrote: 94 Points
Excellent wine. Nice complex nose, plenty of fruit. This wine would do very well as a ringer in a Bordeaux tasting. Well-stored bottles of this are a delight.
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5/16/2006 - MC wrote:
poured from bottle at cellar temperature. dark brick red. solid color for an '85, but starting to show it's age. good cab nose right out of the gate. very good fruit at first impact, with plenty of tannin for its age. this is a really nice wine, but a sour note on the finish and the strong tannin make me worry it has passed it's peak. it will hold for a bit, but i guess it will not get better, and may be in decline. B+
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9/1/2005 - burningstarIV wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and drank immediately. Extremely concentrated, vibrant garnet color. A big nose of currants and cloves, with subtler aromas of stone and cinnamon. Mouth is medium-to-full bodied and slightly tangy, but with plently of fruit and a smooth, lush feel. Finish is pleasant but seems undeveloped. This bottle was stored welled and had a great fill and seemed to have many years of life and change in its future. Now to find more... 50+5+13+18+8=94
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3/4/2005 - steffenpelz wrote: 85 Points
1985 California Cab Tasting: Healthy ruby color. Still big and surprisingly tannic. Off-putting flavors of bell-pepper, dill, and cucumber though that are too prevalent for the remaining fruit.
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8/22/2003 - buckeye76 wrote: 91 Points
DEEP BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKCURRENTS, SPICE AND MINT. BLACK CHERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH. THIS TASTING SHOWED A WINE IN DECLINE (87).
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5/10/1997 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
1985 Tasting of 15 Cabernet Sauvignons (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Dull red color in the glass, very rich, berry taste, almost mountain fruit, tasty. My #3.
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5/24/1995 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 86 Points
Tasting of 11 1985 Cabernet Sauvignons. Lovely rich cabernet nose, tasty, fruity wine on the palate, almost elegant, medium/long finish. My #6, Group #6.
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4/30/1991 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 90 Points
With K and Miranda at home at dinner (spaghetti). Extremely dark, concentrated black-ruby color. Very impressive--much more so than a few days ago. Nose has thick, superripe fruit. Deep blackberry aromas. Flavors are thick and very tannic. I bet this needs years. Great concentration. Wonderful future. Great potential. 5-11-16-8: 90/100.
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4/13/1991 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 86 Points
At Singer & Foy survey of '85 Cabs. Excellent deep ruby color. Looks rich, powerful. Good nose, but with some alcohol poking through; somewhat sharp. Decent flavor, curranty. Interesting development in the mouth. Raspberry. Lush finish. Not bad, but probably not a star in this group. 5-8-16-7: 86/100.
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12/6/1989 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
At home at dinner (pasta). Dark ruby-purple. Very deep, grapey nose; not overripe. Very attractive. In the mouth, loads of tannin, but very rich ripe fruit underneath. Great body and balance. A big, gutsy, full-throttle Cabernet. Concentrated and packed with fruit. A touch of mint at the finish for good measure. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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4/1/1988 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine:
Amis du Vin tasting of 1985 Cabernets, sponsored by the Wine House. 2nd of nine wines tasted, including Forman.
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