Has softened notably. Was a touched worried upon opening as all the succulence and vigor was missing. BUT... after 15 min, this gal popped to life. Opened to elegance and nuance. Fruit n structure came to be in Neal glory. Not the fruit heavy wine it once was but the structure and palate ended up much like many of the greats that auction for 3x,4x,5x its cost.
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4th Saturday group uptown tasting (M&R's): Blind. Red fruit and subtle bouillon notes. Resolved tannin. Dark fruit, spice and a hint of bouillon on the palate as well. The bouillon notes get stronger as this sits in the glass. This had been quickly double decanted about 90 minutes before the flight was poured (no off notes or bouillon at that time). Passive storage may have had a hand in this.
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Popped and poured with dinner. A bit past prime, the fruit has started to dry out and there's a subtle worcestshire quality to it. Plum and currants. Perhaps not representative, but we will open our last bottle within the next few months.
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Dark and inky. Lots of sediment. Still very young and fresh out of the bottle. Big fruit nice and soft mouthfeel. Soft tannins. Went well with burgers n dogs.
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This is really good. Mellow, mature Cab. Blackberry, plum, currant, milk chocolate. Fine tannins. I bought this to drink it so that's what I'm doing...
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Seriously, a single vineyard that still in 2017 sells for under $100. I've had these since winery release. Its awesome, don't really care to go into crazy critique. I've enjoyed all the big Napa boys, Neal holds its own for typically less than 1/3rd the cost. If it helps, Lewis is my other go to wine (and they got WOY this year)
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No rating on night 1. Can't tell if my sickness is affecting the wine or if it just needed more time in the glass before drinking. Cork disintegrated on opening. Nose is somewhat muted. Tannins present, but not that bad after 90 minutes in the glass.
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Popped and poured at restaurant. A little restrained at first, but emerged nicely after 30 minutes. Tannins started to express themselves as well. Drinking very nice now, but less nose and complexity than expected.
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Dark color. Perfumed; black fruit, cassis and currant notes. Lovely mix of red and black fruit on the palate, with spice notes coming in on the finish. Nicely balanced and in a really nice spot but will hold for quite a while. 92-93 pts.
This had been given a short double decant off its sediment, and ended up being poured in the last flight about three & a half hours after the cork was initially pulled.
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Tasted non blind with dinner. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about 90 minutes.
Dark garnet color in the glass, fairly clear throughout. Nose of currants, black berries, plums and soapstone. Flavors of currants, berries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink now. Blowing a little sediment at this point.
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Had 2 separate bottles on back to back nights while in Vegas with SD group. Night one with a decant and let sit for an hour. Night 2 opened and NO decant, but let sit for an hour. No bricking noted, dark in color. Nose and palate restrained more so on night one than two. Nice cab profile, dark fruits on nose and palate good structure. Enjoyable, but not a wow wine. Group was mixed on preference on night one vs two. I preferred night 2.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of lavender, currants, berries and cherries. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
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Classic California Cab, but restrained with the time it has spent in the bottle. Dar fruits, heavy aromas of asphalt, cherries, and smoke. Drank over two days and bottle maintained consistent dark cherry, black fruit flavors very elegantly wrapped in medium tannins. A very nice bottle drinking very well now.
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Kobe Burgers and New World Wines (Reno, NV): Dark color, ruby red rim. Somewhat muted aromatics though had a distinctly herbal, red fruit cabernet profile which surprised me... plenty of barrique spice. On the palate the wine held itself together well with good acidity, a very classic cabernet midpalate, a n ice transition into a firmish tannic finish... I guessed this at 14.5 to 15 which is .5+ less than actual ETOH. Quality wise this wine didn't have many highs or lows and had reasonable balance between moderate + ripe fruit and good firmness of texture... decent finesse, intensity, and complexity... good length, texture, and expression of place. Not a wow wine and of hugely suspect qpr... but for its size and style it held it together quite nicely. Will hold a few more years though I don't lnow how much better it can get.
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More cedary and herbal than the last one, the Howell Mt was much more rich and fruited than this. Still enjoyable but tight. I think these are better consumed in the near term given the amount of fruit showing, maybe it's there..
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Opened and glass decanted about an hour before serving. Followed over the next 2 hours. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of varnish, currants, berries and plums. Flavors of currants, berries and plums. Medium acidity and tannins, medium to full body. Drink or hold.
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Find the expensive one! A tasting to determine if a more expensive wine can be picked out blindly. (Monterrey, Mexico): Wine 1 Very dark ruby. The nose is classic, expressive Cabernet fruit. Seamless, even a bit elegant, with a full mid palate, great length and a juicy, delicious finish. Tannins are very soft and ripe, which lead me to guess this cannot be the Neal Cab, given that Neal tannins across most bottlings tend to be slightly dry and very noticeable. I was, of course...wrong!
Vino 1 Color rubí profundo. La nariz es una expresión clásica de Cabernet Californiano. En boca es redondo, hasta pudiera decir...elegante, con cobertura conleta en el paladar medio, largo y con un retrogusto jugoso y delcioso. La calidad del tanino debería ser la pista para distinguir los 2 vinos de esta ronda. Dado lo maduro de los taninos y su presencia secundaria en el paladar, concluyo que este vino no puede ser el Neal, pues los vinos de Mark Neal tienden a tener taninos más secos y predominantes de lo que hay en este vino. Por supuesto que...NO acerté!
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Some definite progress made since last tasted in 2005. Now focused rather than tight. Exhibits a lengthy tasting progression, with baking chocolate, blackberry and menthol notes. Substantial tannins slice through a ribeye steak beautifully. Probably still at least 2-3 years away from peaking.
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I was a little afraid to open this after reading the reviews from Scott's house, but this was an entirely different wine. it oozed dark chocolate with anise and basil. big full rich mouth with a nice feel. layers of fruit and a long finish. very nice wine
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Bottle No. 2833. On vacation, no formal notes. Nice but not worth the tariff. Not much complexity here. There are a number of California Cabs at half the price that are better.
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Neal Family SVD (My House): Day 1 - Decanted for 4 hrs. Served with buffalo meatloaf, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and organic green beans. Dry, tannic and earthy......lacked fruit and the finish was bitter. Day 3 - no change (based on previous tasting notes of this wine i'm at a loss for words. Not even close to previous bottlles tried) 50+5+12+14+5=86
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Neal Tasting (Scott): Caramel dominates the dark berry fruit nose. Blackberry, black cherry, earth and charred oak. Chewy tannins. Full bodied. Lots of licorice notes on the fruit forward powerful finish. Not much depth or complexity. 15.2% alcohol.
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Traci and I opened this wine about 2 hours prior to drinking to accompany a NY Strip with roasted potatoes and broccoli. This wine was terrific in the sense that it reminds you of a classically styled CA/Napa Cabernet. Nice blend of blackberry, currant, tar, cigar box and just a hint of mint. There's nice density to the wine without being overblown. Tannins are ripe and a little chewy. Only knock was at warmer temperatures the wine showed some heat and there was a little bitterness in the finish. If you've got any of these don't be afraid to open one now and decant a couple of hours. Enjoy!
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Decanted 1 hour. Full body. Drank this over three days (gassed and closed between each day). Day one: A bit sharp and acidic on the finish, but you know the dense tannins, chocolate and coffee lurk beneath the surface. Day two: Acid almost totally faded out. Day three: Best performance, acid totally gone but flavors still strong. The fruit is very subtle in this wine in general, it is much more about the black flavors and density.
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Tasted April 16, 2008. Opened a decanted about 2 hours before serving. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of briar patch, saddle leather, anise and dark fruits. Flavors of plums, black cherries, black berries and just a little bitters on the medium to long finish. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink with a long decant or continue to hold.
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Christmas Eve Dinner and Wine: I'm not a big fan of California Cab in general, but this was very, very tasty. Lots of dark soft blackcurrant and blackberry fruit with some nice tobacco and tar mixed in. Light on its feet but lots of structure. No heat on the finish and no angularity to this...shows signs of high elevation restrained fruit (in a good way). Drinks incredibly well right now. Was decanted for about an hour before consumption.
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Tasted November 21, 2007. Opened and splash decanted about 30 minutes before serving. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of Kirsch, black berries, black currants, a little herbs du Provence and a hint of white pepper. Flavors of black cherries, black berries, plums and black licorice. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full body. Drink now with a long decant or continue to hold.
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A massive but civilized Cabernet - deep, pitched aromas of dark berries, cassis, licorice and spice. The midpalate packed a punch with the flavors in the aromas, accompanied by a tannic wall on the finish. A dark brooding wine that was accessible and delicious with about 1 hour of decanting. Hold for several years or enjoy now with 1-2 hours of air.
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In too small glasses at Izzy's. Lovely dark color. Tannic and young with beautiful dark fruit and smoke. Way better than the 97 Merryvale Profile, and great with the steak. Will only get better.
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I would have given this a higher rating had it not been for the unrelenting tight characteristics that will ultimately make this a great wine if cellared properly. Heavily concentrated grapes with a remarkable mid palate. Dense wet forrest floor, dark cherry and blueberry, and subtle cola notes. As this wine ages, the tight tannins will evolve and create a masterpiece. Do not drink this now!
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(Decanted for 4 hours) Inky purple in color, on the nose cedar, blackberry & licorice. Full bodied wine with a wonderful core of pure black fruit and clove. Sensational mouthfeel and the tannins were fine & grainy. This wine is hugely concentrated but has finesse & excellent balance. This has a long life ahead of it, a lovely wine! 50+5+14+17+8=94 pts
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TWC Offline w/ pyang: Inky purple/black colour. Aromas of black licorice, black plums, cocoa, blackberry. Full-bodied, lush, huge wine, with vanilla, blackberry, and blackcurrant. Moderate-long finish, 40-45s, with coffee, cream, and blackberry.
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Juicy, dark Cabernet notes with a nose-searing acidity. Palate pretty obscured by a wall of large-scaled tannins. What's showing seems to be pure and with a good core. Noticeable heat. Hold off for a bit.
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This wine has a lot of potential but is still very young. It was very tannic but was drinkable with food. The flavors included chocolate, coffee and blackberries. A hint of the potential is on the very long, aromatic finish. I should have saved some to try today but oh well. Lots of sediment in the bottle so decant carefully. [~$65 on release; a one hour decant did not affect it so I would decant longer next time; good with homemade hamburgers]
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This is my second bottle of this, this year. Taken to Paris for an extended stay; I let this sit for 2-3 weeks then decanted for 6+ hours and again this bottle seduced my wife & I with amazing full bodied nose and flavor.. (I need more)
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Decanted 2 hours before taking it to dinner with some friends. I should have opened it earlier but wasn't thinking ahead. Dark purple color and nose of chocolate and coffee. Velvety smooth tannins and dark fruit/blackberry flavors. Nicely balanced and still has a long way to go. This vineyard is showing the best out of the single vintages I have tried, 01/02 Howell Mtn Est, 02 Chafen and 02 Wykoff.
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This was served blind along with 18 other wines at the Chicago Steak Out last weekend. It finished tied for LAST PLACE among all voters. I liked it considerably better. The consensus was that this was a very tannic wine. Dark blackish red color. Notes of carmel, black pepper and blackberry. The tannins hid much of the fruit; but, I felt confident that with time this will come around. 88-91+ points. Closer to the lower end now.
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Decanted for 12 hours and it was still tight as a drum. Probably needed at least another 12 hours. Searing tannins are dominating the powerful and intense fruit. An impenetrable young mountain cab right now. Tasted pretty good with a ribeye, though. Will hold my other bottles at least 2-3 years before opening.
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Night 1: (Poured off half bottle into .375) Fairly tight on opening, but by hour number 2 this wine was really singing. Terrific nose of chocolate and dark fruit. Full-bodied with a tremendously silky mouthfeel. No hint of the 15%+ alcohol. Flavors of cherry, plumb, chocolate and leather flow from the glass. Still extremely tannic, especially on the finish. This wine definitely has the stuffing for long term cellaring... [Night 1 Score = 94]
Night 2: TBD
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Miss AllRed and I had a couple of friends over for dinner, and with the pending mailer, thought it would be a good idea to pop one of these open.
Opened at 8:45 AM. At 10:30 AM poured a small glass and the rest of the bottle straight into the decanter. The nose is explosive with notes of coffee, bright cherry, clove and cassis, and it's also a bit hot. The palate is rich and full, with velvety tannins and tight dark fruit. Wow. Now at 5:30 PM, starting to open, with all of the above notes, but the coffee is more pronounced, and there's also notes of Asian spices. Full-bodied, like liquid silk with a long finish and strong fruit. By this time, my allergies were acting up, and I couldn't get as much out of it as the rest of the group.
I'll have no problem clearing the 2002 order with the Missus.
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WOW! My wife has an amazing palate and we both agreed (after 8hr decant) this was an incredible wine; Full nose soft mid-palate with dark fruit and chocolate and long long finish! Possibly my best '01 cal/cab we have had.
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Didn't decant this (probably should've, as it started to open up more as the evening wore on). Had with friends at Town Hall in SF. Opaque purple, refined aromas of black fruits and smoke, the oak not obtrusive at all. Like silk on the palate, with gobs of plummy berry fruit framed by sweet tannin. Not at all hot on the palate. Glad I've got 2 bottles left! Bring on the '02s!!
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Decanted 4 hours. Matched with N.Y. Strip w/ Shittake Mushroom Cream Sauce. Nose of Black berries, mocha and coffee. Excellent balance and mouthfeel. Nice lingering finish with no indication of heat (alc. 15.2%)
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12/25/2019 - spectrumphoto Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has softened notably. Was a touched worried upon opening as all the succulence and vigor was missing.
BUT... after 15 min, this gal popped to life. Opened to elegance and nuance. Fruit n structure came to be in Neal glory. Not the fruit heavy wine it once was but the structure and palate ended up much like many of the greats that auction for 3x,4x,5x its cost.
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6/22/2019 - AllRed wrote:
4th Saturday group uptown tasting (M&R's): Blind. Red fruit and subtle bouillon notes. Resolved tannin. Dark fruit, spice and a hint of bouillon on the palate as well. The bouillon notes get stronger as this sits in the glass. This had been quickly double decanted about 90 minutes before the flight was poured (no off notes or bouillon at that time). Passive storage may have had a hand in this.
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1/20/2018 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured with dinner. A bit past prime, the fruit has started to dry out and there's a subtle worcestshire quality to it. Plum and currants. Perhaps not representative, but we will open our last bottle within the next few months.
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11/17/2017 - weinmatt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mature cab, elegant nose, paired with filets in a blueberry bourbon reduction sauce.
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10/14/2017 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 94 Points
2 hour decant. Mature fruit long finish
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7/21/2017 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark and inky. Lots of sediment. Still very young and fresh out of the bottle. Big fruit nice and soft mouthfeel. Soft tannins. Went well with burgers n dogs.
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4/15/2017 - weinmatt Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is really good. Mellow, mature Cab. Blackberry, plum, currant, milk chocolate. Fine tannins. I bought this to drink it so that's what I'm doing...
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2/2/2017 - spectrumphoto wrote: 97 Points
Seriously, a single vineyard that still in 2017 sells for under $100. I've had these since winery release. Its awesome, don't really care to go into crazy critique. I've enjoyed all the big Napa boys, Neal holds its own for typically less than 1/3rd the cost. If it helps, Lewis is my other go to wine (and they got WOY this year)
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10/4/2015 - schimmy23 Likes this wine:
No rating on night 1. Can't tell if my sickness is affecting the wine or if it just needed more time in the glass before drinking. Cork disintegrated on opening. Nose is somewhat muted. Tannins present, but not that bad after 90 minutes in the glass.
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11/24/2014 - schimmy23 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured at restaurant. A little restrained at first, but emerged nicely after 30 minutes. Tannins started to express themselves as well. Drinking very nice now, but less nose and complexity than expected.
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5/2/2014 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Dark color. Perfumed; black fruit, cassis and currant notes. Lovely mix of red and black fruit on the palate, with spice notes coming in on the finish. Nicely balanced and in a really nice spot but will hold for quite a while. 92-93 pts.
This had been given a short double decant off its sediment, and ended up being poured in the last flight about three & a half hours after the cork was initially pulled.
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7/17/2013 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted non blind with dinner. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about 90 minutes.
Dark garnet color in the glass, fairly clear throughout. Nose of currants, black berries, plums and soapstone. Flavors of currants, berries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink now. Blowing a little sediment at this point.
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10/22/2012 - Whine-oh wrote: 90 Points
Had 2 separate bottles on back to back nights while in Vegas with SD group. Night one with a decant and let sit for an hour. Night 2 opened and NO decant, but let sit for an hour. No bricking noted, dark in color. Nose and palate restrained more so on night one than two. Nice cab profile, dark fruits on nose and palate good structure. Enjoyable, but not a wow wine. Group was mixed on preference on night one vs two. I preferred night 2.
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4/22/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 88 Points
Domestics 10 Years Old and Older (Pittsburgh Blue, Edina, MN): Small pour. No details, blackberry liqueur nose and palate, impression 88pts.
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2/18/2012 - hcampana wrote: 91 Points
Very refined tannins after 10 years. Smoky, deep and medium to full bodied. Very fine indeed.
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12/13/2011 - AllRed wrote: flawed
Dinner with xhoser (Wildfire, Oakbrook): Corked.
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6/30/2011 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of lavender, currants, berries and cherries. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
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2/15/2011 - Holagatitos wrote: 94 Points
Classic California Cab, but restrained with the time it has spent in the bottle. Dar fruits, heavy aromas of asphalt, cherries, and smoke. Drank over two days and bottle maintained consistent dark cherry, black fruit flavors very elegantly wrapped in medium tannins. A very nice bottle drinking very well now.
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10/10/2010 - soyhead wrote: 91 Points
nose-cocoa
mouth - illegible scribble. thats about what time in the night it was.
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4/16/2010 - alamoave wrote: 92 Points
Wasn't expecting too much but liked this better than the Napa basic Neal. More tannic grip and complexity. Very good, with a few years left for sure.
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2/22/2010 - markjanes wrote: 85 Points
Kobe Burgers and New World Wines (Reno, NV): Dark color, ruby red rim. Somewhat muted aromatics though had a distinctly herbal, red fruit cabernet profile which surprised me... plenty of barrique spice. On the palate the wine held itself together well with good acidity, a very classic cabernet midpalate, a n ice transition into a firmish tannic finish... I guessed this at 14.5 to 15 which is .5+ less than actual ETOH. Quality wise this wine didn't have many highs or lows and had reasonable balance between moderate + ripe fruit and good firmness of texture... decent finesse, intensity, and complexity... good length, texture, and expression of place. Not a wow wine and of hugely suspect qpr... but for its size and style it held it together quite nicely. Will hold a few more years though I don't lnow how much better it can get.
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1/3/2010 - goofy Yno wrote: 87 Points
not nearly as good as last time, decent fruit but no complexity, and a touch flat.
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12/21/2009 - fisk15 wrote: 91 Points
More cedary and herbal than the last one, the Howell Mt was much more rich and fruited than this. Still enjoyable but tight. I think these are better consumed in the near term given the amount of fruit showing, maybe it's there..
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10/1/2009 - fisk15 wrote: 93 Points
Tannins are there yet, but can be consumed w/o regret. Great Neal wine, with lovely nose and big black fruits.
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8/27/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90
Tasted August 27, 2009.
Opened and glass decanted about an hour before serving. Followed over the next 2 hours. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of varnish, currants, berries and plums. Flavors of currants, berries and plums. Medium acidity and tannins, medium to full body. Drink or hold.
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8/10/2009 - Dr. Pato wrote: 89 Points
Earthy tannic but eventually turns smooth.
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6/10/2009 - hcampana wrote: 94 Points
Find the expensive one! A tasting to determine if a more expensive wine can be picked out blindly. (Monterrey, Mexico): Wine 1
Very dark ruby. The nose is classic, expressive Cabernet fruit. Seamless, even a bit elegant, with a full mid palate, great length and a juicy, delicious finish. Tannins are very soft and ripe, which lead me to guess this cannot be the Neal Cab, given that Neal tannins across most bottlings tend to be slightly dry and very noticeable. I was, of course...wrong!
Vino 1
Color rubí profundo. La nariz es una expresión clásica de Cabernet Californiano. En boca es redondo, hasta pudiera decir...elegante, con cobertura conleta en el paladar medio, largo y con un retrogusto jugoso y delcioso. La calidad del tanino debería ser la pista para distinguir los 2 vinos de esta ronda. Dado lo maduro de los taninos y su presencia secundaria en el paladar, concluyo que este vino no puede ser el Neal, pues los vinos de Mark Neal tienden a tener taninos más secos y predominantes de lo que hay en este vino. Por supuesto que...NO acerté!
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5/15/2009 - otisabdul wrote: 90 Points
Some definite progress made since last tasted in 2005. Now focused rather than tight. Exhibits a lengthy tasting progression, with baking chocolate, blackberry and menthol notes. Substantial tannins slice through a ribeye steak beautifully. Probably still at least 2-3 years away from peaking.
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4/24/2009 - goofy Yno wrote: 93 Points
I was a little afraid to open this after reading the reviews from Scott's house, but this was an entirely different wine. it oozed dark chocolate with anise and basil. big full rich mouth with a nice feel. layers of fruit and a long finish. very nice wine
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4/1/2009 - Brsed wrote: 89 Points
Bottle No. 2833. On vacation, no formal notes. Nice but not worth the tariff. Not much complexity here. There are a number of California Cabs at half the price that are better.
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3/6/2009 - hcampana wrote: 87 Points
This was under whelming. Austere and disjointed.
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9/23/2008 - jivey wrote: 85 Points
One dimensional, red fruits maybe some coffee notes. Huge tannins on the finish. 15.8%
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9/23/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 88 Points
decanted. clunky cherry candy fruit, and rough tannins; so different from the howell mtn.
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9/23/2008 - ScottS wrote: 86 Points
Neal Family SVD (My House): Day 1 - Decanted for 4 hrs. Served with buffalo meatloaf, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and organic green beans.
Dry, tannic and earthy......lacked fruit and the finish was bitter.
Day 3 - no change (based on previous tasting notes of this wine i'm at a loss for words. Not even close to previous bottlles tried)
50+5+12+14+5=86
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9/23/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
Neal Tasting (Scott): Caramel dominates the dark berry fruit nose. Blackberry, black cherry, earth and charred oak. Chewy tannins. Full bodied. Lots of licorice notes on the fruit forward powerful finish. Not much depth or complexity. 15.2% alcohol.
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8/23/2008 - tonyvelebil wrote: 92 Points
Traci and I opened this wine about 2 hours prior to drinking to accompany a NY Strip with roasted potatoes and broccoli. This wine was terrific in the sense that it reminds you of a classically styled CA/Napa Cabernet. Nice blend of blackberry, currant, tar, cigar box and just a hint of mint. There's nice density to the wine without being overblown. Tannins are ripe and a little chewy. Only knock was at warmer temperatures the wine showed some heat and there was a little bitterness in the finish. If you've got any of these don't be afraid to open one now and decant a couple of hours. Enjoy!
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4/21/2008 - Phin wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Full body. Drank this over three days (gassed and closed between each day). Day one: A bit sharp and acidic on the finish, but you know the dense tannins, chocolate and coffee lurk beneath the surface. Day two: Acid almost totally faded out. Day three: Best performance, acid totally gone but flavors still strong. The fruit is very subtle in this wine in general, it is much more about the black flavors and density.
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4/16/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
DAWGS April 2008 - Napa AVA (Hector's on Henderson, Dallas, Texas): WIML92
Tasted April 16, 2008. Opened a decanted about 2 hours before serving. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of briar patch, saddle leather, anise and dark fruits. Flavors of plums, black cherries, black berries and just a little bitters on the medium to long finish. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink with a long decant or continue to hold.
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3/9/2008 - CMCLR wrote: 91 Points
Very tannic. We need to decant these.
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2/23/2008 - irish87 wrote: 87 Points
Not a lot of fruit. Nice mouthfeel, to much oak. Not a lot of complexity or other things going on. Have to let the rest sit for a while.
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12/24/2007 - steffenpelz wrote:
Christmas Eve Dinner and Wine: I'm not a big fan of California Cab in general, but this was very, very tasty. Lots of dark soft blackcurrant and blackberry fruit with some nice tobacco and tar mixed in. Light on its feet but lots of structure. No heat on the finish and no angularity to this...shows signs of high elevation restrained fruit (in a good way). Drinks incredibly well right now. Was decanted for about an hour before consumption.
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11/21/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90+
Tasted November 21, 2007. Opened and splash decanted about 30 minutes before serving. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of Kirsch, black berries, black currants, a little herbs du Provence and a hint of white pepper. Flavors of black cherries, black berries, plums and black licorice. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full body. Drink now with a long decant or continue to hold.
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9/25/2007 - jaimetown wrote: 93 Points
A massive but civilized Cabernet - deep, pitched aromas of dark berries, cassis, licorice and spice. The midpalate packed a punch with the flavors in the aromas, accompanied by a tannic wall on the finish. A dark brooding wine that was accessible and delicious with about 1 hour of decanting. Hold for several years or enjoy now with 1-2 hours of air.
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3/7/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 87 Points
tight and paled in comparison to others
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3/7/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 86 Points
Phoenix eRP Offline - California Cabernet Sauvignon (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Charred oak nose. Blackberry kirsch.
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3/7/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 86 Points
Backstreet - California Cabernets (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix, AZ): Bland.
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1/20/2007 - Mike V wrote: 93 Points
In too small glasses at Izzy's. Lovely dark color. Tannic and young with beautiful dark fruit and smoke. Way better than the 97 Merryvale Profile, and great with the steak. Will only get better.
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1/17/2007 - napaJ6 wrote: 93 Points
I would have given this a higher rating had it not been for the unrelenting tight characteristics that will ultimately make this a great wine if cellared properly. Heavily concentrated grapes with a remarkable mid palate. Dense wet forrest floor, dark cherry and blueberry, and subtle cola notes. As this wine ages, the tight tannins will evolve and create a masterpiece. Do not drink this now!
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1/7/2007 - ScottS wrote: 94 Points
50+5+14+17+8= 94pts
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11/2/2006 - CMCLR wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 9 hours, still too tannic. Not enough fruit showing at this time.
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9/17/2006 - ScottS wrote: 94 Points
(Decanted for 4 hours) Inky purple in color, on the nose cedar, blackberry & licorice. Full bodied wine with a wonderful core of pure black fruit and clove. Sensational mouthfeel and the tannins were fine & grainy. This wine is hugely concentrated but has finesse & excellent balance. This has a long life ahead of it, a lovely wine!
50+5+14+17+8=94 pts
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7/20/2006 - futronic wrote: 91 Points
TWC Offline w/ pyang: Inky purple/black colour. Aromas of black licorice, black plums, cocoa, blackberry. Full-bodied, lush, huge wine, with vanilla, blackberry, and blackcurrant. Moderate-long finish, 40-45s, with coffee, cream, and blackberry.
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2/25/2006 - olm2000 wrote:
drank too young...very closed up
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1/1/2006 - psmith wrote: 89 Points
Juicy, dark Cabernet notes with a nose-searing acidity. Palate pretty obscured by a wall of large-scaled tannins. What's showing seems to be pure and with a good core. Noticeable heat. Hold off for a bit.
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11/30/2005 - Winetex wrote: 93 Points
This wine has a lot of potential but is still very young. It was very tannic but was drinkable with food. The flavors included chocolate, coffee and blackberries. A hint of the potential is on the very long, aromatic finish. I should have saved some to try today but oh well. Lots of sediment in the bottle so decant carefully. [~$65 on release; a one hour decant did not affect it so I would decant longer next time; good with homemade hamburgers]
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8/31/2005 - Bryan wrote: 95 Points
This is my second bottle of this, this year. Taken to Paris for an extended stay; I let this sit for 2-3 weeks then decanted for 6+ hours and again this bottle seduced my wife & I with amazing full bodied nose and flavor.. (I need more)
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7/22/2005 - brianofthevine wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry and plum fruit. Firm tannins.
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7/3/2005 - RandyD wrote:
Decanted 2 hours before taking it to dinner with some friends. I should have opened it earlier but wasn't thinking ahead. Dark purple color and nose of chocolate and coffee. Velvety smooth tannins and dark fruit/blackberry flavors. Nicely balanced and still has a long way to go. This vineyard is showing the best out of the single vintages I have tried, 01/02 Howell Mtn Est, 02 Chafen and 02 Wykoff.
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6/7/2005 - Vino Me wrote: 89 Points
This was served blind along with 18 other wines at the Chicago Steak Out last weekend. It finished tied for LAST PLACE among all voters. I liked it considerably better. The consensus was that this was a very tannic wine. Dark blackish red color. Notes of carmel, black pepper and blackberry. The tannins hid much of the fruit; but, I felt confident that with time this will come around. 88-91+ points. Closer to the lower end now.
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6/5/2005 - otisabdul wrote:
Decanted for 12 hours and it was still tight as a drum. Probably needed at least another 12 hours. Searing tannins are dominating the powerful and intense fruit. An impenetrable young mountain cab right now. Tasted pretty good with a ribeye, though. Will hold my other bottles at least 2-3 years before opening.
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5/6/2005 - Quinn_cab wrote: 94 Points
Night 1: (Poured off half bottle into .375) Fairly tight on opening, but by hour number 2 this wine was really singing. Terrific nose of chocolate and dark fruit. Full-bodied with a tremendously silky mouthfeel. No hint of the 15%+ alcohol. Flavors of cherry, plumb, chocolate and leather flow from the glass. Still extremely tannic, especially on the finish. This wine definitely has the stuffing for long term cellaring... [Night 1 Score = 94]
Night 2: TBD
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2/20/2005 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Miss AllRed and I had a couple of friends over for dinner, and with the pending mailer, thought it would be a good idea to pop one of these open.
Opened at 8:45 AM. At 10:30 AM poured a small glass and the rest of the bottle straight into the decanter. The nose is explosive with notes of coffee, bright cherry, clove and cassis, and it's also a bit hot. The palate is rich and full, with velvety tannins and tight dark fruit. Wow. Now at 5:30 PM, starting to open, with all of the above notes, but the coffee is more pronounced, and there's also notes of Asian spices. Full-bodied, like liquid silk with a long finish and strong fruit. By this time, my allergies were acting up, and I couldn't get as much out of it as the rest of the group.
I'll have no problem clearing the 2002 order with the Missus.
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2/4/2005 - Bryan wrote: 95 Points
WOW! My wife has an amazing palate and we both agreed (after 8hr decant) this was an incredible wine; Full nose soft mid-palate with dark fruit and chocolate and long long finish! Possibly my best '01 cal/cab we have had.
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10/20/2004 - secession wrote: 94 Points
Didn't decant this (probably should've, as it started to open up more as the evening wore on). Had with friends at Town Hall in SF. Opaque purple, refined aromas of black fruits and smoke, the oak not obtrusive at all. Like silk on the palate, with gobs of plummy berry fruit framed by sweet tannin. Not at all hot on the palate. Glad I've got 2 bottles left! Bring on the '02s!!
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6/12/2004 - Blue Oval wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Matched with N.Y. Strip w/ Shittake Mushroom Cream Sauce. Nose of Black berries, mocha and coffee. Excellent balance and mouthfeel. Nice lingering finish with no indication of heat (alc. 15.2%)
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5/14/2004 - brianofthevine wrote: 93 Points
Very nice. Black cherry and mocha notes. Very tight right now with firm tannins but quite good.
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