Chewy and light fruit with dark berry body. No negative signs of aging other than the nose is no longer youthfully bright. This is slightly broody.
Tannins integrated without any level of acidity in the finish with is nice. This may be at a beautiful peak for those (like me) that like a powerful yet not acidic cab.
I am going to up my score (I assume as I am not looking back at the history as I write this but am relying on memory)
Hi 2 fd 3 t 7/10
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Amazing I am just getting round to another as I had one last Dec. Audouzed for an hour, was way too tight, put in Decanter ( my own advice last Dec) still drinking beautifully with a big ol NY steak. But I would insist you drink these sooner than later
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Decanted and then poured in glass right away. Great right away. Plenty of great fruit. Nice acid. Long finish. Very enjoyable. Just as good on second night.
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Audouzed for two hours, probably should have just thrown in a decanter becasue it was delicous at hour three and very tight before. Drink over the holidays with a good decant or hold
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Consumed over two nights - night one was pop and pour, night two we dumped into the decanter. Clearly new world, ripe and extracted in style. For me just too much in your face ripe dark fruit on night one. On day two this settled in more and some other aromatics came through with an orange zest note peeking through and some more earthiness. No longer my style of wine, but I am sure many will find pleasure here.
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Dark fruit on the nose, plum and currant. Still juicy but balanced with a little earthy, mocha and graphite notes. Medium tannins, medium body, medium light acidity. Drink up.
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Dark purple in color, with berry and cedar aromas. The palate shows supple plum, cherry, and licorice flavors, which are still drinking young. Plush on entry, but quickly firms up, with mineral-laced tannins showing on the finish.
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H. O. T. This was very big and extracted. Was out of place vs. some better knitted Cabs earlier in the evening. Huge fruit and a bit disjointed. Had been decanted for two hours, but an untamed beast of a wine. Have one more bottle, will seek to open with crowd and occasion where over the top fits the bill.
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Purple in color. 14.5% ABV. Stunning nose of red and black fruits, saddle leather, cigar box and herbs. Rich and full bodied with perceptible tannins. Lush and refined. Cassis liqueur, black currants, plums and licorice on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. I have not opened any of the single vineyard wines from '09 but this only bodes good things. Just an outstanding Napa Valley Cabernet from TRB that was a bargain at the $70 or so on release. Best over the next 2-3 years.
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Pleasant but brief herbal and cedar aromas. Tobacco, licorice and plum on the palate with velvety, medium tannins. Not a life changing wine, "classy" seems to be the the common reviewer term and it applies. A well made, medium level Napa cab. Aired in the bottle for about an hour and drank over several hours while playing pool and having apps with no big changes in the wine over that period.
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drank at Anthony David's offline. Still pretty youthful, but drinking much better than the bottle I had in 2015. Gaining some complexity and depth. Will still wait at least 2-3 years on my last bottle
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Medium ruby red. A bit herbal on the nose with some lavender, mint, spiced, oaky and black plums. Medium tannins (5.5/10) and medium bodied. Well rounded palate with some cedar, dark cinnamon, plums and a little herbal. Just in balance with the acidity right now. A bit of gravel in the medium plus finish. Great straight out of the bottle. Drink now.
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Rotating Dinner Series: Rivers Marie (The Bristol - Chicago, IL): Tasted in a flight of '09 R-M Cabernet. Nose of plum, herbs, chewy mountain aromas and pencil lead. Luscious and easy drinking with good volume. Tannins resolved. Ageless fruit, and this should hold, but I don't think ti's getting different or better from here.
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The Rotating Dinners, II.3: Rivers Marie 2008-2014 (Chicago, IL): The nose here is nice, showing a bit of dust, a hint of oak, and lots of black fruit. Missing, though, are the green elements that I love in Bordeaux. The palate is very similar, with a generous amount of supple fruit that doesn't have much give. Surprisingly un-tannic. In fact, this was something I noticed across the cabernet flight -- all the wines are very soft and don't have any chewy tannin at all. Despite the lower appellation and the age, this also didn't show any secondary characterists.
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Every time I have a Rivers-Marie Cab, I’m impressed...like I somehow forget how much I like them. This one is just a step behind the ‘08 for current drinking. Great fruit but also very well balanced, with good underlying acidity that should help it age well.
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Pnp, consumed over 2+ hours. Cassis, blackberry, dried leaves, sandal wood, finishes with a nice tea component. Like that it isn't extract or over the top. Lots to like.
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Great nose but has been a little uneven in the tasting. Periodically drinking well over the last four hours separated with spikes of unbalanced fruit and alcohol. Suspect the bottle took a hit in the handling over the years
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Opening up... Needs some time with hour- an hour or two and to come up in temperature..... Dark purple in color. Nice nose of blueberry, formaldehyde, tobacco and dried flowers. Slightly tannic with good density and texture. Nice mouth feel, slightly chewy tannins. Slight restraint on the palate. Good stuff.
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Wow, this was really hitting on all cylinders. I think it is at a perfect spot between youth and maturity right now. A bit tannic but in a supporting role. Dark fruited, with no alcohol detected and oak receding.
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T-Day wines (Becklyn, Carlisle, Lillian, RM, Bedrock): Wow. This was way above my expectations. This bottle just killed it. Purple in color. The nose is gorgeous. Cassis, tobacco, cedar and sandalwood. Deep. On the palate, just a great juicy texture. Very full bodied. Cassis with spices and slight cedar notes. Firm tannins still. deep and very complex. Layers explode in the glass as it unwinds. Long finish. Very food friendly. This is young and will still improve. I had to recheck to make sure this wasn't a single vineyard, but no, the regular bottling. Really well done.
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Poured through the VinTuri. This is a whole different wine than 3+ years ago. While the tobacco and mint make appearances, they take a back seat to a new world, black fruit forward bold and full wine with a very long and structured finish.
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PnP. Rich, ripe, lush and fruity on the initial pour - a virtual fruit-bomb, but in a very good way. Very fresh, vibrant flavors and not candied or syrupy at all. One hour later, tobacco on the nose and the wine has taken on depth, body and structure - and the fruits have migrated toward darker berry flavors. Notes of graphite and cocoa also emerge over time. Medium-to-full body and highly concentrated with some rough edges and a long finish. Neither elegant nor complex, it is very new world in style which I usually do not enjoy, but this is very flavorful and delicious.
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From memory, this was a lovely example of California cabernet with great blackberry and dark cherry coupled with vanilla, graphite, and herbs. While full-bodied, it has balanced acidity and fully resolved tannins to provide a plush mouthfeel. Overall, this was an excellent pairing with spinach soup containing garm marcella, and it went well with grilled chicken and fresh herbs. It did not pair well with the chicory bitterness in the salad because the fruit was overwhelmed by the chicory.
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My least favorite RM cab to date. Not sure if there was something off with the bottle, but it was overly extracted and raisiny, and not all that pleasant. I'll try again in a year.
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My first bottle was mediocre - at best. Thankfully, this bottle was nothing like that first one. Nothing shy or feminine about this, it was big, rich and powerful - and very much in the style of a classic Napa cab. Dark cherry, cassis, licorice and smoke/dust with a firm, slightly rugged structure, drying tannins and a long, fruity finish. Still very primary, this has the potential to become a spectacular wine with more time. 92+
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Still quite big and relatively primary, noticeable oak and not much in the way of complexity or nuance. Very pure, quality fruit though. Will wait on remaining bottles.
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Rather unimpressive - with mostly candied red and dark fruits, syrupy almost cloying texture, not enough structure and unfocused. This bottle did not seemed to be flawed so I am going to give it a score.
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Full bodied but not ponderous Napa Cab. Smells like blackcurrant pie with vanilla, the palate buttressed by mocha and lifted by violets and pencil shavings on the medium-long, velvety finish. Double decanted and drinking great, and in no rush to hit the remainder.
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Dark ruby red. Expressive black and blue fruit aromas. Delicious, rich and deep cab flavors highlighted by black current with overtones of black tea. Very penetrating with a long aftertaste. Should continue to improve for another 5-10 years.
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Really coming into its own on the second night. Rich balanced dark fruits, settled down after being open for 24 hrs. First night, very bright intense fruit, almost too piercing. Will hold the next couple bottles for a couple more years.
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Order day, figured I'd check in on one of the cabs to help confirm my order. Threw into a decanter, consumed over the next 3~4 hours. Inky purple in color. Nose shows mostly fruit with a hint of oak. On the palate this is a fruit driven wine with cassis, and dark raspberry leading the way followed by the toasty oak components. Good acids up front, nice mouth feel, sweet tannins bring up the rear. Enjoyable but not terribly complex.
Paid $55 back in the day and they want $65 for the 12's where the SVDs have now crept into the $90 range. In for a few but no more.
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I saw others had felt this was maybe early or shut down so I approached this wine with lowered expectations. I had clearly set the bar to low. This wine although a bit young tannin and nose wise, as it was restrained, is a solid winner. Lots of dark fruit and graphite. Not a single vineyard but is comprised of some of my favorite smaller site such as Match's Baconbrook site on Spring Mountain. The blending of 3 sites resulted in a great wine with loads of complexity and structure. If you like this I'd encourage you to try Randy Sloan's, Match Baconbrook Cab. It takes the center of this palette and drives it home big-time.
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Out sailing: dark purple; difficult to smell, a bit shut down aromatically; still, a slight whiff of tobacco, but mostly raspberry, blackberry; low tannins, quite juicy; lacks structure for aging, a bit too fruit-heavy, not enough complexity. Blind thought this was a Merlot with cab or Syrah in it.
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Notes from night 2. Dark fruit, blackberry and plum, leather, cedar and a hint of sage on the nose. Medium plus bodied, black pepper, mocha, plush creamy fruit. Supple tannins on the back side. Very approachable now. Great drink.
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Brooding nose. Medium weight, very well integrated, tannins quite light. Would have expected more depth and body from an 09. Still very good. Reasonable to slight over priced QPR perhaps. Lots of life though son will try again in a couple years. See how it's showing
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Obviously still very young, tight, but well structured. Blackberries, currants, black cherries, mint/eucalyptus, and graphite. still had half a bottle from last night and I didn't pour into a half bottle. Opened up nicely and improved with ~ 20 hours of air. No need to sacrifice yet, lose them for a few more years. I no longer buy any Napa cabs other than RM's and occasionally some Monte Bello's.
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Day 1: Napa fruit purity and freshness prevail here! A dark red core with vibrant red edges. Aromas of cherry, black raspberry, chocolate, and graphite . The palate is young but generous with fine medium toned tannins and plenty of acidity for freshness. Great length as the finish carries the fruit and dusty mocha to the end.
Day 3: Day 3: Rock solid day 3, the remaining half bottle was re-bottled and sealed in a half bottle. Same wine but with more complexity and breadth.
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I like the WA take on this bottle which rates among the best I've had this year ... black fruits on the nose and entry palate, with notes of blackberry, black currant, black plum and elements of masala chai, juniper and earth. And the mid-palate and finish show a balanced, somewhat sweeter character with fresh and lively red fruits. Terrific cab that has me excited to try some of the R-M SVD cabs I cellared.
A Stain the glass dark purple cab - nice dark fruit with touches of spice. Still young, the tannins dominate on the finish. We wanted a cab, knew this was young, delicious but still needs to mellow.
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First experience with RM cabernet. Opened up and poured a little in the glass to see if this needed a decant. Answer? No. Ready to go (almost too ready?). I was a bit surprised thinking this would need some taming with air but not the case. Enjoyed over four hours. Have three more but honestly dont think these need anymore time in the cellar. Tannins were smooth. A very easy drinking enjoyable glass of wine.
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3 hour decant. Very consistent notes from the last bottle I had back in Jan. Our guests loved this wine so much I almost opened my other bottle. Even though young I felt like the wine is in a very nice spot to try if you have not opened one yet. Drink these & save the single vineyard ones to age.
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Well made. Big with loads of dark fruits and a heavy dose of oak. Ultra smooth on the palate, the tannins don't even come out to play until after a couple of hours. But then it is all too late... I could have wished for more complexity and less vanilla, but then that wouldn't be this.
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It's been about a year since my last bottle and currently drinking much better. Gobs of fruit have receded a bit to reveal serious complexity. Wonderful mix of dark fruit, cedar, pencil, fairly soft and well integrated tannins. Great mouth feel and medium to long finish. Not overly ripe and enough acidity to pair with food. Very nice!
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Decanted three hours. Huge nose of plum, ripe black cherries, medium body with palate of fruits, with graphite and pencil shavings on finish. Delicious Napa Cab.
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On Pop N Pour: Intense nose of sweet creme de cassis, black cherries and black plum pumice. the palate shows the same intensity, and it may be too much. It is very rich. After about 6 hours this starts fleshing out nicely. Redder fruits start emerging and balance starts falling into place. There is some nice pureness, framboise, red raspberries and more. Tannins are big boned and super complicated. Finish is long keeping all of the fruits in play. It has become an altogether different wine: fragrant and big boned, this one needs a bunch of years to show its potential. Love the transition.
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Decanted for three hours and could have used more. Young and a little tight but palate was full of mint and tobacco. Looking forward to seeing this in a few years.
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So here is something (without excuse) I have not considered, a winemaker may look further than the step ahead I think I might be. Shame on me because TRB has some tricks up his sleeve and he's not telling. My first note on this wine was not so flattering and to be blunt I am floored by the evolution this particular bottle has undertaken in the 9 months since my last. The glossy fruit has receded, although the core remains. Some warm vanilla that is accompanied by some very tasty minty, herbal, black cherry, currant fruit that is generous. A bit sweetish, but more like cabernet candy it's savory too. Since I no longer feel like embarrassing myself by saying how good or not good his wine can be, I'll just say this bottle is ever changing and will more than likely surprise you at some point. Rich now, but from hereon who knows beside being eminently drinkable. 92+.
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This was a very nice wine. We decanted it, but it was still very tight after about 15 minutes. After another hour it started opening up and getting much smoother. But it wasn't until the two hour point that this really began to show its colors. This had flavors of vanilla, allspice, oak, cherry, small red berries, and bit of coco essence. Make sure to decant this and give it some time if drinking today.
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True Napa cab nose. Balanced wine with no overt oak. Day 1 a bit closed down, completely different day two. Fruit and tannins meshed, but a bit fruit forward for me. Its young, so hopefully evolves a bit more over time.
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Amazingly open for such a young Cab. Muted nose of floral black fruits, but the palate is wide open with blue and black fruits that on this night didn't show a trace of oak which has been my only knock on the RM Cabs in the past. Tannins are very fine and provide a nice texture to go with the beautifully bright fruit.
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My notes are consistent with the last bottle, but I did taste this one at various points over about 28 hours.
This really needs a decant right now if you're going to drink it. At least 6 hours, and you could even just double decant it the night before, recork it, and drink it the next evening. This was quite closed down to me for the first few hours, and I really don't think it shows it's stuff until the next day.
When this opens up, it's quite beautiful, and a very nice expression of Cabernet.
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Drank this in anticipation of the upcoming 2010 release. Echoing most of the sentiments below, I found this very accessible on opening for such a young Cab. Rich red fruit, some well-integrated oak, and smooth tannins. The overall impression is of a very slick, albeit slightly uninteresting and one-note, wine. On Day 2, this develops a bit more complexity in the way of some earthy herbs and the acidity is more noticeable as the forward fruitiness dissipates. Tannins still very fine and smooth. While I didn't love this - I like my reds a bit more rustic - this was very tasty and will very likely improve with a few more years in the bottle. A potential re-buy for me.
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Pleasant. Very easy to drink. Followed it over two nights. Modern-style cab that's approachable now. Purple rim, fruity nose, some chocolate and spice. To taste, sweet black fruit, cassis, chocolate, some softer (wood?) tannins. Sufficient acidity to balance and keep it from being cloying. No idea what it will become, but it's enjoyable now.
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10+ hour decant. Drank side by side with 09 Rivers Marie Corona vineyard.
Quite different than the Corona. This wasn't as big and ripe, but I thought it was very well built and balanced. I liked this a bit better than the Corona, and they are definitely different fruit and styles. I think the Corona could potentially be a bit over-ripe for some folks, while this Cab will probably appeal a bit more to folks that like a more balanced style.
Blackberry, cassis, hint of lavender in there. Again, tannins and the alcohol were well balanced.
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90 minutes of decant, this is ready for business. Lots of black currant, blueberry, chocolate and spices on the nose. More of he same on the palate with added hints of tobacco. The acidity is firmly present and the tannins smooth, this is light on the palate, and does have a touch of sweetness. Neither the oak or alcohol distract me. Amazingly approachable in its youth!
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Very good. Although young, these can be enjoyed now. I did a PNP and they really needed an hour or two before they were in the right spot for me. Beautiful nose with a slight tannic bite upon opening. I'll finish these up before I even start to open the rest of my 2007's. Enjoy!!
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While as others have noted the tannins are modest and in that sense this is ready to drink, for me the oak was just too prominent, crowding out the fruit. I'll wait at least a year before opening another in hopes the oak will become better integrated.
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Lots of sweet black fruit and oak flavors (chocolate, spice, vanilla), with maybe a hint of tobacco leaf. Something akin to blackberry pie with coca powder sprinkled over the top. So yeah, this is a modern, ripe napa cab. But it's a well-done version: it's not cloyingly syrupy or sweet, there's enough acid (natural or not I have no idea) to keep things in check, and there's no noticeable alcohol sticking out. My only qualm here is that there's not much structure, as the tannin is pretty powdery and mostly seems to come from the oak, which gives this a slightly decreased stature. But it's still pretty tasty if you like this sort of wine, and it scratched my itch for a ripe chocolately napa cab. Can't see this being much of an ager, I see no reason to wait on these.
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Dark purple in Colour. Nose of cassis, plums and vanilla. On the palate plenty of cassis, plums and sweet dark fruit while the slight taste of root beer and chocolate shake towards the finish was a little surprising to me. No noticeable tannins though you could taste some oak. Little bit of heat before it had much air. Decent finish and acidity.
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As others have noted, this is amazingly open for business. I recently read that many of the '09 Napa Cabs were quite tannic, but not the case with this wine. Pretty dark fruit and mint. Drink now and over next 5-7 years.
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Just got back from Burger Bach. Our second time there this week, and this is hands down the most phenomenal burger we've ever had. Grass fed new zealand beef nice and pink with the perfect ratio of bun and other goodies. This place alone makes Richmond an awesome place to live! Even better now that VA allows corkage.
2009 Rivers Marie Cabernet Sauvignon - Dark purple. Nose of cassis, violets, a smidgen of tobacco, and delicious clearly high quality oak - like standing in the barrel room. Dances lighter on the palate than previous vintages, but no less saturating - a phenomenon I love. Drinks great for such a young wine. Youthful, full of fruit, and just really hit the spot with the burgers. I can not wait to see what's in store with the '09 svds. Well done!
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14.5% ABV. Briefly, this reminds me of the 2007 vintage when it was young, full of ripe, slightly sweet and primary red currant fruit with a fairly hefty dose of sweet oak still in the foreground. Tasty.
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Decanted about an hour before drinking with pasta with pancetta & sausage. Very inky dark fruit. Not a lot of notes, but this was enjoyable. Look forward to my other bottle in a few years.
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Decanted about 2 hours. Dark fruit and leather on the nose, with hints of tobacco and spice, and a little stone at the end. Soft and rich on the palate, with gentle tannins, and great acidity. Flavors of dark fruit mixed with leather, some spice on the mid-palate, and a good mineral finish.
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While certainly fruit forward, there is an elegance to this wine. Medium weight with bright red fruits. Nice kick of acidity and a long finish to boot. Very nice and drinking well after a short decant.
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Dark dark ruby in color. Cloves, spice and oak in the bouquet which reminds me a little bit of the 2009 TOR Napa cabernet though not as rich. Poured off first glass and waited a half hour before first sip. Blue and black fruits with no real hard edges. Medium finish. Mid-palate a little tight. Will see how it unfolds over the next 4 hours.
Update: 3 hours later it has opened up a little more..but not a ton. Not a heavy wine at all. A year or two will imrove this a couple of points.
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I pretty much agree with the prior few notes. No tannins that I picked up. Muted nose, medium length. There was a distinct vegetal taste which at first dominated the experience, but became less so with a two hour decant. It came more into balance, but I had with steak and wished there were some tannins to help clear the mouth. A really nice wine, but not a steak wine.
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Totally surprised by this. After having the prior two vintages, I wasn't expecting this to be so accessaale. The tannins are light. Reading the last few reviews, I agree, these are new world, caymus like and gobs of fruit. I don't recall the 07 being this way. Actually the oposite. In that case the tannins were building and over powering within a few hours of opening the 07 and I knew I had to put the rest away for a few years. In the case of the 09's, Drink up. Nothing holding these back and nothing to say they'll be around in 20 years either. I have half left for tonight and will enjoy, I'm sure.
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Open and ready to go. Very polished and glossy but there is a depth to the fruit that redeems. A mint note sneaks in on the midpalate after being open for a while. Seems a touch soft, and the tannins are pretty elusive, but it is by no means short, just a little easier for the age than you expect. It reminds me of a Caymus, but perhaps with a bit more sleight of hand.
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Very enjoyable, and great at the price, but this is really an 09 Cabernet? With no decant whatsoever, there was absolutely no tannic structure present from the very start. Incredibly smooth and soft red and black fruits with some cedar and chocolate. The nose a little restrained, but still very pleasant.
I once read TRB = DIT (Drink It Now), this bottle instantly made me think of that quote. As said, it's a very enjoyable and great wine at the price, but I really don't see where this is going. The group of 5 of us all agreed with that assessment.
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1-1/2 hr decant. Big nose of fresh blackberry, cassis, cedar and cocoa. Medium plus palate of sweet blackberry, mocha, sandalwood and spice. Long smooth finish.
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Popped and poured through an aerator. The nose is a touch restrained/tight but appealing nonetheless. But the palate is where the action is. Pure dark fruit framed by a deft touch of creamy, chocolatey oak notes, and some secondary forrest floor aspects to boot. The balance between the fruit and oak character is impeccable, as they truly enhance each other. Decent length here, too, although not a particularly forceful structure. Tannin is evident but very smooth and not at all a detriment to sipping this wine by its lonesome, although it would be wondrous with a New York Strip to be sure. A night later, this opens up a bit more, with the intensity of fruit increasing significantly. Remarkably, the oak balance seems to scale with it. Not sure which night I liked better, but both showing were superb. Definitely excited to try the Corona Vineyard version. 93+.
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Big, ripe wines aren't usually my thing. That said, I really liked this wine.
Pop and pour yields a massive nose of spices and cigar box with a hint of dark fruit underneath. Fruit comes forward on the palate with a nice amount of oakiness persisting through. I'm surprised at how nicely the oak worked with the fruit.
Second night was primarily big, dark, fruit, and much less interesting to me.
Still, for when I'm in the mood for a Napa cab, hard to imagine doing better than this for the money.
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The first day this had overpowering gobs of dark fruit and a little grapiness. After a day in the decanter the fruit receeded a bit and notes of tobacco and cocoa emerged. Medium finish. Will be interesting to see how this develops over the coming years.
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Slow ox for about 9 hours then a 2 hour decant. Just a well made solid cab. Dark fruit, chocolate and hint of oak. All very nicely intergrated. A must buy and great QPR.
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I could see some of the traits from his other wines. Reminded me of GTS but lacked the depth and power. I was shocked by the wine at first taste (95pt+) but when paired with food the wine faded. This is a wonderful wine to start the night. Dark, large and full in the mouth but the finish doesn't compete. This is like a really good movie that it cut off at the end due to budget. At $55 a very good QPR.
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(A) Tight for a few hours. With air, this evolves amazingly. Dense, yet smooth. Bright cherries up front and an underlying forrest-y element. Spices touch the side palate. Still needs time, but has the structure for greatness.
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decanted 3 hours prior to pairing with Rib Eye Roast the wine drank splendidly. Amazing structure but oh so smooth. The aroma's of cocoa, spearmint with a full mouthfeel on the pallet of deep dark fruit and just a hint of oak. This wine was fantastic and will be hard to leave them alone with any steak.
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i usually wait till day three to write tns but this is one of the best noses on a wine ive smelled all year. pop and pour. i had this wine with will at outpost not two months ago and it was very good but outshined by the panek. this nose is now insanely good. perfectly ripe blackberries a little kirsch a hint of vanilla and some cocoa powder. the palate is still tight but throws hints of the same clipping off at the end. this will be an awesome wine.
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Wow - stunning for it's age - this cab is way smoother then it's older brother at this age but not sure if it will develop the complexity of flavors that the 08 has - but this is easy drinking already (will benefit from a few years in the bottle to mellow out the tannins that do show up on the finish). Clean fruit flavors with a touch of oak.
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Drank it over three days and tasted the best on the third day. Beautiful nose of ripe berries,cherries,some violets and Indian spices. The palate is full with notes of red and black fruit which were still a little compact on day three. Lots of tannins on the finish with oak spice notes that are not overpowering.
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Pop/pour. Aromatic on the nose with dark fruits and vanilla oak. Flavors on the palate mirror the nose. As another reviewer mentioned, there is a spiciness to this. Overall, the flavor profile tends towards the sweet side of Cabernet. Relatively full in body though it somehow manages to maintain a sense of balance. Long and soft finish, with some fine tannins. Sheds weight and gains tannins the longer it's in the glass. Will revisit later. I would have rated the first sip of this 94+.
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Popped and poured...almost immediately after removing each bottle from the shipper :) Medium-plus purple/ruby. Aromatically forward with a nice expression of dark and red fruits, herbs, and spicy vanilla from oak. With air, a subtle earthy floral note develops. Medium-plus body. The flavors on the palate are, unsurprisingly, a bit muted at this early stage and largely show the influence of spice from oak over any overt fruit. Additional aeration seems to lessen any flavor accessibility that may have initially existed upon opening. That said, the mouthfeel is that of elegance and refinement...silky smooth, without any heat and tannins which are hardly discernable on the moderate close. No matter, clearly it's simply too early to open at this stage and as a whole, the 2009 is not "showy" when compared to the 2007 and 2008 vintages on release. However, it would be hardly surprising to see this blossom into an excellent example of Napa Cabernet as the seamless purity it exhibits can only be a portend for good things to come. This is easily the most "classically" styled R-M Cab of the last 3 releases, and one that should start to awaken with a year in bottle, shine after 3-4 years, and age nicely for much longer.
Quick note: Saved half of the bottle to check on and provide an update with. And 2 days later, the update is...hold this wine., the tannins have finally come out to play. Seriously, this needs at least a year before opening, and 2 would be better.
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Soft and smooth cool fruits on the nose. A little dust. The palate is tight and stingy, releasing nothing. We would have given it some air but for being attacked by an uninvated geriatric posse so we rant to the barrel room.
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Oh what the hell, I'll knock one off for the team. Pop and decant for 3+ hours. Initially lots of mocha, vanilla, cassis and black currant on the nose. GF took a sip and said "Wow, that's a thick one". Big texture, red and black fruit along with some black olive and a bit of a grip on the finish. After the decant we poured with a Flannery Porterhouse. What a difference some air time makes. The palate softened up, the tannins backed down though the big fruit kind of went into hiding a bit. Still fruit forward but not as big as the first sip as the profile went from dark fruits to lighter fruits and also showed some saddle leather. Finished smooth and soft. Complimented the beef wonderfully.
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10/20/2023 - cab blends wrote: 96 Points
NOT blind. No decanting.
Chewy and light fruit with dark berry body. No negative signs of aging other than the nose is no longer youthfully bright. This is slightly broody.
Tannins integrated without any level of acidity in the finish with is nice. This may be at a beautiful peak for those (like me) that like a powerful yet not acidic cab.
I am going to up my score (I assume as I am not looking back at the history as I write this but am relying on memory)
Hi 2 fd 3 t 7/10
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10/21/2022 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Amazing I am just getting round to another as I had one last Dec. Audouzed for an hour, was way too tight, put in Decanter ( my own advice last Dec) still drinking beautifully with a big ol NY steak. But I would insist you drink these sooner than later
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1/14/2022 - cab blends wrote: 90 Points
TRB and MS Blind Tasting; 1/14/2022-1/23/2022: Dark red in color with a nondescript nose and light fruit.
Overall a little less fruity than the Myriad Round Pond but that is probably to be expected of most in the line up.
NS HL3 FD 3 AS3.5
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1/6/2022 - davudvl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and then poured in glass right away. Great right away. Plenty of great fruit. Nice acid. Long finish. Very enjoyable. Just as good on second night.
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12/17/2021 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Audouzed for two hours, probably should have just thrown in a decanter becasue it was delicous at hour three and very tight before. Drink over the holidays with a good decant or hold
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8/12/2021 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
As delicious as the last bottle 4 years ago!
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8/1/2021 - bdeblank wrote: 91 Points
Nice. Popped and poured over three hours. Would have benefitted from decanting and a little time. But, tasty and at a good place
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4/29/2021 - retired_and_roving wrote:
Consumed over two nights - night one was pop and pour, night two we dumped into the decanter. Clearly new world, ripe and extracted in style. For me just too much in your face ripe dark fruit on night one. On day two this settled in more and some other aromatics came through with an orange zest note peeking through and some more earthiness. No longer my style of wine, but I am sure many will find pleasure here.
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10/30/2019 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Dark fruit on the nose, plum and currant. Still juicy but balanced with a little earthy, mocha and graphite notes. Medium tannins, medium body, medium light acidity. Drink up.
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8/11/2019 - budman Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistently excellent!
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6/16/2019 - scott davis wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple in color, with berry and cedar aromas. The palate shows supple plum, cherry, and licorice flavors, which are still drinking young. Plush on entry, but quickly firms up, with mineral-laced tannins showing on the finish.
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5/19/2019 - btock wrote: 87 Points
H. O. T. This was very big and extracted. Was out of place vs. some better knitted Cabs earlier in the evening. Huge fruit and a bit disjointed. Had been decanted for two hours, but an untamed beast of a wine. Have one more bottle, will seek to open with crowd and occasion where over the top fits the bill.
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5/19/2019 - galewskj wrote:
California Cabernet 2010 or older (Capital Grille): Wow, I'm so glad I've only bought 1 of these in my life. Modern is an understatement, at least after drinking aged Dunn, Heitz and Mondavi.
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5/19/2019 - rocknroller wrote:
Monthly Tasting Group: Cali Cabs 2005 and Older (Capitalle Grille, Mpls, MN): Small taste. Holy crap, this was seriously high octane, very green, red cherry, ripe and extracted. Very meh.
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5/18/2019 - budman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow! In a great place right now!!!
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4/1/2019 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Purple in color. 14.5% ABV. Stunning nose of red and black fruits, saddle leather, cigar box and herbs. Rich and full bodied with perceptible tannins. Lush and refined. Cassis liqueur, black currants, plums and licorice on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. I have not opened any of the single vineyard wines from '09 but this only bodes good things. Just an outstanding Napa Valley Cabernet from TRB that was a bargain at the $70 or so on release. Best over the next 2-3 years.
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3/1/2019 - DrBad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pleasant but brief herbal and cedar aromas. Tobacco, licorice and plum on the palate with velvety, medium tannins. Not a life changing wine, "classy" seems to be the the common reviewer term and it applies. A well made, medium level Napa cab. Aired in the bottle for about an hour and drank over several hours while playing pool and having apps with no big changes in the wine over that period.
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12/31/2018 - Grape_ape Likes this wine:
drank at Anthony David's offline. Still pretty youthful, but drinking much better than the bottle I had in 2015. Gaining some complexity and depth. Will still wait at least 2-3 years on my last bottle
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12/25/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote:
Very good
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11/25/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
Medium ruby red. A bit herbal on the nose with some lavender, mint, spiced, oaky and black plums. Medium tannins (5.5/10) and medium bodied. Well rounded palate with some cedar, dark cinnamon, plums and a little herbal. Just in balance with the acidity right now. A bit of gravel in the medium plus finish. Great straight out of the bottle. Drink now.
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11/25/2018 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
This deteriorated quickly in the glass and that was surprising. Nose was classic light Napa with vanilla and a hint of cinnamon.
I almost thought it was a 2011 as some steel and wet slate on the palate.
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5/12/2018 - EMTAME wrote: 93 Points
Ready to go with just a little air.. Full-bodied but well balanced. Tannins are well integrated at this point.
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5/4/2018 - budman Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red and black fruit. Soft tannins. Long finish.
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3/13/2018 - Nanda wrote: 88 Points
Rotating Dinner Series: Rivers Marie (The Bristol - Chicago, IL): Tasted in a flight of '09 R-M Cabernet. Nose of plum, herbs, chewy mountain aromas and pencil lead. Luscious and easy drinking with good volume. Tannins resolved. Ageless fruit, and this should hold, but I don't think ti's getting different or better from here.
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3/13/2018 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
The Rotating Dinners, II.3: Rivers Marie 2008-2014 (Chicago, IL): The nose here is nice, showing a bit of dust, a hint of oak, and lots of black fruit. Missing, though, are the green elements that I love in Bordeaux. The palate is very similar, with a generous amount of supple fruit that doesn't have much give. Surprisingly un-tannic. In fact, this was something I noticed across the cabernet flight -- all the wines are very soft and don't have any chewy tannin at all. Despite the lower appellation and the age, this also didn't show any secondary characterists.
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1/9/2018 - EMTAME wrote: 93 Points
Every time I have a Rivers-Marie Cab, I’m impressed...like I somehow forget how much I like them. This one is just a step behind the ‘08 for current drinking. Great fruit but also very well balanced, with good underlying acidity that should help it age well.
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10/8/2017 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Pnp, consumed over 2+ hours. Cassis, blackberry, dried leaves, sandal wood, finishes with a nice tea component. Like that it isn't extract or over the top. Lots to like.
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7/14/2017 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious ripe blackberry, cassis, oak, and spice on the nose and silky palate with soft tannins on the long finish.
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6/27/2017 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine:
Great nose but has been a little uneven in the tasting. Periodically drinking well over the last four hours separated with spikes of unbalanced fruit and alcohol. Suspect the bottle took a hit in the handling over the years
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5/14/2017 - MindMuse wrote: 92 Points
Big fruited, polished and stylish. Made my Outback steak better than it was.
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4/2/2017 - Levinsb wrote:
Beautiful new world cab drinking well now. Tannins to age further if you like.
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2/3/2017 - dlcass Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opening up... Needs some time with hour- an hour or two and to come up in temperature..... Dark purple in color. Nice nose of blueberry, formaldehyde, tobacco and dried flowers. Slightly tannic with good density and texture. Nice mouth feel, slightly chewy tannins. Slight restraint on the palate. Good stuff.
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1/5/2017 - Chrisinroch wrote: 88 Points
Delicious new world style Cabernet. Big fruit, but not jammy. Very easy to like.
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1/3/2017 - fisk15 wrote: 95 Points
Wow, this was really hitting on all cylinders. I think it is at a perfect spot between youth and maturity right now. A bit tannic but in a supporting role. Dark fruited, with no alcohol detected and oak receding.
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11/25/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
T-Day wines (Becklyn, Carlisle, Lillian, RM, Bedrock): Wow. This was way above my expectations. This bottle just killed it. Purple in color. The nose is gorgeous. Cassis, tobacco, cedar and sandalwood. Deep. On the palate, just a great juicy texture. Very full bodied. Cassis with spices and slight cedar notes. Firm tannins still. deep and very complex. Layers explode in the glass as it unwinds. Long finish. Very food friendly. This is young and will still improve. I had to recheck to make sure this wasn't a single vineyard, but no, the regular bottling. Really well done.
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11/19/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Quick decant, than drank within 2 hours. Smooth fruit with weight & easy tannins. Enjoy now or over next 2 years.
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11/6/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp, drank within 2 hours. Smooth fruit with weight & easy tannins. Enjoy now or over next 2 years.
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8/17/2016 - Backdoctor wrote: 93 Points
Decanted an hour and simply spectacular Napa Cab from TRB. Balanced, silky tannins.
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8/9/2016 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
Poured through the VinTuri. This is a whole different wine than 3+ years ago. While the tobacco and mint make appearances, they take a back seat to a new world, black fruit forward bold and full wine with a very long and structured finish.
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7/13/2016 - rickspicks wrote: 93 Points
PnP. Rich, ripe, lush and fruity on the initial pour - a virtual fruit-bomb, but in a very good way. Very fresh, vibrant flavors and not candied or syrupy at all. One hour later, tobacco on the nose and the wine has taken on depth, body and structure - and the fruits have migrated toward darker berry flavors. Notes of graphite and cocoa also emerge over time. Medium-to-full body and highly concentrated with some rough edges and a long finish. Neither elegant nor complex, it is very new world in style which I usually do not enjoy, but this is very flavorful and delicious.
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7/1/2016 - lolo66 wrote:
this is excellent. vibrant. somewhat modern. has a nice acidity on finish that keeps this very much alive and in balance for a full bodied cab.
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5/22/2016 - Stumpy wrote: 90 Points
Very good and drinks easily. Not terribly complex.
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4/24/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1+ hours. Smooth, fruity & delicious. Liked by all.
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4/23/2016 - Meerlust wrote: 91 Points
From memory, this was a lovely example of California cabernet with great blackberry and dark cherry coupled with vanilla, graphite, and herbs. While full-bodied, it has balanced acidity and fully resolved tannins to provide a plush mouthfeel. Overall, this was an excellent pairing with spinach soup containing garm marcella, and it went well with grilled chicken and fresh herbs. It did not pair well with the chicory bitterness in the salad because the fruit was overwhelmed by the chicory.
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4/22/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1+ hours. So smooth and delicious. Everyone loved it!
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4/16/2016 - apounds Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is a great wine that is drinking very well at this time. Great balance
and silky smooth
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3/24/2016 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Yum see my previous note. Not much changed.
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2/17/2016 - tewino wrote: 85 Points
Sweet, hot and extracted. Smooth. Typical Napa cab. Would be a crowd pleaser.
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12/31/2015 - silton Likes this wine:
The last wine opened on New Year's Eve and worthy of the occasion but also a bit wasteful. Must really try harder to save the last bottle until 2019+
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12/5/2015 - Cow Town wrote:
My least favorite RM cab to date. Not sure if there was something off with the bottle, but it was overly extracted and raisiny, and not all that pleasant. I'll try again in a year.
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11/8/2015 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
My first bottle was mediocre - at best. Thankfully, this bottle was nothing like that first one. Nothing shy or feminine about this, it was big, rich and powerful - and very much in the style of a classic Napa cab. Dark cherry, cassis, licorice and smoke/dust with a firm, slightly rugged structure, drying tannins and a long, fruity finish. Still very primary, this has the potential to become a spectacular wine with more time. 92+
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9/16/2015 - Levinsb wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous juicy cherry
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9/6/2015 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good fruit upfront but disappeared on the back end. Will see what the last bottle brings in another year or so
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8/28/2015 - blaine wrote: 90 Points
Solid effort, well made, but not overly complex. Moderate oak profile
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8/10/2015 - Grape_ape wrote:
Still quite big and relatively primary, noticeable oak and not much in the way of complexity or nuance. Very pure, quality fruit though. Will wait on remaining bottles.
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7/6/2015 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark rich fruit with blackberry, plum, cocoa and slight chocolate on the medium finish
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4/19/2015 - mkmast wrote: 89 Points
Dinner Party Blind Tasting - Good but not great. It seemed to be lacking something - it needed more oomph. The tannins are a little soft.
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3/12/2015 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark rich fruit with currant, blackberry, integrated tannins and long deep finish
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12/6/2014 - rickspicks wrote: 88 Points
Rather unimpressive - with mostly candied red and dark fruits, syrupy almost cloying texture, not enough structure and unfocused. This bottle did not seemed to be flawed so I am going to give it a score.
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11/23/2014 - silton Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full bodied but not ponderous Napa Cab. Smells like blackcurrant pie with vanilla, the palate buttressed by mocha and lifted by violets and pencil shavings on the medium-long, velvety finish. Double decanted and drinking great, and in no rush to hit the remainder.
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9/11/2014 - AccaDacca Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice dark fruit, balanced tannins, just a hint of oak, medium acidity. In a good place and quite nice.
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8/17/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark ruby red. Expressive black and blue fruit aromas. Delicious, rich and deep cab flavors highlighted by black current with overtones of black tea. Very penetrating with a long aftertaste. Should continue to improve for another 5-10 years.
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8/6/2014 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really coming into its own on the second night. Rich balanced dark fruits, settled down after being open for 24 hrs. First night, very bright intense fruit, almost too piercing. Will hold the next couple bottles for a couple more years.
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7/30/2014 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich dark fruit with blueberry, cassis and finely integrated tannins
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7/15/2014 - Bellissimo wrote:
Order day, figured I'd check in on one of the cabs to help confirm my order. Threw into a decanter, consumed over the next 3~4 hours. Inky purple in color. Nose shows mostly fruit with a hint of oak. On the palate this is a fruit driven wine with cassis, and dark raspberry leading the way followed by the toasty oak components. Good acids up front, nice mouth feel, sweet tannins bring up the rear. Enjoyable but not terribly complex.
Paid $55 back in the day and they want $65 for the 12's where the SVDs have now crept into the $90 range. In for a few but no more.
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7/10/2014 - fisk15 wrote: 94 Points
Really great, much better than the 08 version IMO.
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6/26/2014 - Vitis Maximus Likes this wine: 93 Points
I saw others had felt this was maybe early or shut down so I approached this wine with lowered expectations. I had clearly set the bar to low. This wine although a bit young tannin and nose wise, as it was restrained, is a solid winner. Lots of dark fruit and graphite. Not a single vineyard but is comprised of some of my favorite smaller site such as Match's Baconbrook site on Spring Mountain. The blending of 3 sites resulted in a great wine with loads of complexity and structure. If you like this I'd encourage you to try Randy Sloan's, Match Baconbrook Cab. It takes the center of this palette and drives it home big-time.
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6/21/2014 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Out sailing: dark purple; difficult to smell, a bit shut down aromatically; still, a slight whiff of tobacco, but mostly raspberry, blackberry; low tannins, quite juicy; lacks structure for aging, a bit too fruit-heavy, not enough complexity. Blind thought this was a Merlot with cab or Syrah in it.
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3/20/2014 - River Rat Likes this wine:
Notes from night 2. Dark fruit, blackberry and plum, leather, cedar and a hint of sage on the nose. Medium plus bodied, black pepper, mocha, plush creamy fruit. Supple tannins on the back side. Very approachable now. Great drink.
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2/9/2014 - Lessthanzero wrote: 92 Points
Solid performer. Dark fruits on the nose, corduroy tannins (after an hour decant), and on the whole just a pleasant experience. Well done.
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1/25/2014 - pakabear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good Cali Cab, loads of oak as usual for RM Cabs, good currant and cherry fruit, not terribly complex but very enjoyable.
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1/12/2014 - mye wrote:
Dark purple, decanted for 2 hours.
Black fruit with some pine. Strong tannins and oak. needs time still.
Note: bottle was nearly frozen with corks pushing out.. consumed early b/c of that.
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1/2/2014 - andolini Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank over Thanksgiving -- dark color. Some pine, leather notes. A bit astringent and thin with residual sweetness. Enjoyable but not my favorite.
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12/10/2013 - cjsavino wrote: 92 Points
Deep rich wine, cassis, roast sweet vegetable on the nose. Palate shows medium tannins, bit of oak, blue fruits, and a bit of orange water.
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12/4/2013 - NTR wrote: 92 Points
Brooding nose. Medium weight, very well integrated, tannins quite light. Would have expected more depth and body from an 09. Still very good. Reasonable to slight over priced QPR perhaps. Lots of life though son will try again in a couple years. See how it's showing
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11/17/2013 - Al Ehrhardt wrote:
Obviously still very young, tight, but well structured. Blackberries, currants, black cherries, mint/eucalyptus, and graphite. still had half a bottle from last night and I didn't pour into a half bottle. Opened up nicely and improved with ~ 20 hours of air. No need to sacrifice yet, lose them for a few more years. I no longer buy any Napa cabs other than RM's and occasionally some Monte Bello's.
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10/22/2013 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
Opulent, smooth. A little acid and a little tannins to make it a little interesting. that's it.
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10/19/2013 - tkoby11 wrote: 94 Points
Day 1: Napa fruit purity and freshness prevail here! A dark red core with vibrant red edges. Aromas of cherry, black raspberry, chocolate, and graphite . The palate is young but generous with fine medium toned tannins and plenty of acidity for freshness. Great length as the finish carries the fruit and dusty mocha to the end.
Day 3: Day 3: Rock solid day 3, the remaining half bottle was re-bottled and sealed in a half bottle. Same wine but with more complexity and breadth.
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10/18/2013 - pgb67 wrote: 94 Points
I like the WA take on this bottle which rates among the best I've had this year ... black fruits on the nose and entry palate, with notes of blackberry, black currant, black plum and elements of masala chai, juniper and earth. And the mid-palate and finish show a balanced, somewhat sweeter character with fresh and lively red fruits. Terrific cab that has me excited to try some of the R-M SVD cabs I cellared.
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10/13/2013 - haldolugr wrote: 89 Points
A Stain the glass dark purple cab - nice dark fruit with touches of spice. Still young, the tannins dominate on the finish. We wanted a cab, knew this was young, delicious but still needs to mellow.
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10/3/2013 - leadpencil wrote: 94 Points
Medium-full bodied. Boysenberry, lead pencil, potting soil, cream.
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8/26/2013 - buzzeroo Likes this wine: 90 Points
First experience with RM cabernet. Opened up and poured a little in the glass to see if this needed a decant. Answer? No. Ready to go (almost too ready?). I was a bit surprised thinking this would need some taming with air but not the case. Enjoyed over four hours. Have three more but honestly dont think these need anymore time in the cellar. Tannins were smooth. A very easy drinking enjoyable glass of wine.
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5/25/2013 - lsnider wrote: 93 Points
3 hour decant. Very consistent notes from the last bottle I had back in Jan. Our guests loved this wine so much I almost opened my other bottle. Even though young I felt like the wine is in a very nice spot to try if you have not opened one yet. Drink these & save the single vineyard ones to age.
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5/11/2013 - Lessthanzero wrote: 92 Points
Well made. Big with loads of dark fruits and a heavy dose of oak. Ultra smooth on the palate, the tannins don't even come out to play until after a couple of hours. But then it is all too late... I could have wished for more complexity and less vanilla, but then that wouldn't be this.
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4/26/2013 - deltacop wrote: 92 Points
Maturing nicely. The wine too. :)
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3/14/2013 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
Plush
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2/2/2013 - winopops3 wrote: 93 Points
It's been about a year since my last bottle and currently drinking much better. Gobs of fruit have receded a bit to reveal serious complexity. Wonderful mix of dark fruit, cedar, pencil, fairly soft and well integrated tannins. Great mouth feel and medium to long finish. Not overly ripe and enough acidity to pair with food. Very nice!
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1/22/2013 - Floyd77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another great showing for Rivers-Marie. Bright fruits, perfect balance, seductive
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12/9/2012 - Acohen wrote: 92 Points
Lush ripe dark fruit with cassis, blackberry and dark cherry. Fully integrated tanins and classic Napa with a long finish
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12/9/2012 - dgriffin3480 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted three hours. Huge nose of plum, ripe black cherries, medium body with palate of fruits, with graphite and pencil shavings on finish. Delicious Napa Cab.
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11/25/2012 - King Cab wrote: 92 Points
On Pop N Pour: Intense nose of sweet creme de cassis, black cherries and black plum pumice. the palate shows the same intensity, and it may be too much. It is very rich. After about 6 hours this starts fleshing out nicely. Redder fruits start emerging and balance starts falling into place. There is some nice pureness, framboise, red raspberries and more. Tannins are big boned and super complicated. Finish is long keeping all of the fruits in play. It has become an altogether different wine: fragrant and big boned, this one needs a bunch of years to show its potential. Love the transition.
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11/24/2012 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for three hours and could have used more. Young and a little tight but palate was full of mint and tobacco. Looking forward to seeing this in a few years.
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11/18/2012 - kenhoeve wrote: 92 Points
So here is something (without excuse) I have not considered, a winemaker may look further than the step ahead I think I might be. Shame on me because TRB has some tricks up his sleeve and he's not telling. My first note on this wine was not so flattering and to be blunt I am floored by the evolution this particular bottle has undertaken in the 9 months since my last. The glossy fruit has receded, although the core remains. Some warm vanilla that is accompanied by some very tasty minty, herbal, black cherry, currant fruit that is generous. A bit sweetish, but more like cabernet candy it's savory too. Since I no longer feel like embarrassing myself by saying how good or not good his wine can be, I'll just say this bottle is ever changing and will more than likely surprise you at some point. Rich now, but from hereon who knows beside being eminently drinkable. 92+.
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10/29/2012 - CTuttle wrote:
Powerful in all respects. Fruit is prominent and then the tannins lock this down. Very good and very RM. Revisit in 5 years or so.
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10/28/2012 - dhammer53 wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied. Rich. Dark and delicious. I drank this young, but it was so rewarding. Dinner at Leo's @wineberserkers
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10/1/2012 - yui wrote: 93 Points
should have bought more
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9/15/2012 - elamasters wrote: 92 Points
This is great stuff. Expressive nose of currants, spice, and vanilla. Velvety texture. Drinking well now.
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8/16/2012 - Krugman wrote: 91 Points
This was a very nice wine. We decanted it, but it was still very tight after about 15 minutes. After another hour it started opening up and getting much smoother. But it wasn't until the two hour point that this really began to show its colors. This had flavors of vanilla, allspice, oak, cherry, small red berries, and bit of coco essence. Make sure to decant this and give it some time if drinking today.
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8/1/2012 - AccaDacca wrote: 90 Points
True Napa cab nose. Balanced wine with no overt oak. Day 1 a bit closed down, completely different day two. Fruit and tannins meshed, but a bit fruit forward for me. Its young, so hopefully evolves a bit more over time.
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7/29/2012 - glaze3 wrote:
Amazingly open for such a young Cab. Muted nose of floral black fruits, but the palate is wide open with blue and black fruits that on this night didn't show a trace of oak which has been my only knock on the RM Cabs in the past. Tannins are very fine and provide a nice texture to go with the beautifully bright fruit.
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7/28/2012 - haldolugr wrote: flawed
Bad night for wine, 2nd bad bottle of the night, this was cork taint all the way, like wet cardboard!
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7/28/2012 - MCUBEB wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful nose with notes of bright red and black fruit. Finishes with notes of chocolate and spices.
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7/23/2012 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
Notes identical to last bottle. No reason not to drink one of these right now.
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7/19/2012 - wineberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
My notes are consistent with the last bottle, but I did taste this one at various points over about 28 hours.
This really needs a decant right now if you're going to drink it. At least 6 hours, and you could even just double decant it the night before, recork it, and drink it the next evening. This was quite closed down to me for the first few hours, and I really don't think it shows it's stuff until the next day.
When this opens up, it's quite beautiful, and a very nice expression of Cabernet.
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7/17/2012 - cartime wrote: 90 Points
Drank this in anticipation of the upcoming 2010 release. Echoing most of the sentiments below, I found this very accessible on opening for such a young Cab. Rich red fruit, some well-integrated oak, and smooth tannins. The overall impression is of a very slick, albeit slightly uninteresting and one-note, wine. On Day 2, this develops a bit more complexity in the way of some earthy herbs and the acidity is more noticeable as the forward fruitiness dissipates. Tannins still very fine and smooth. While I didn't love this - I like my reds a bit more rustic - this was very tasty and will very likely improve with a few more years in the bottle. A potential re-buy for me.
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7/6/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 91 Points
Nice cabernet that's soft and easy to drink now.
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7/5/2012 - Rayburn wrote: 92 Points
Quick note: rockin' now, will only improve over the next 5-10. Carry on!
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6/30/2012 - Hex triplet #43302E wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant. Very easy to drink. Followed it over two nights. Modern-style cab that's approachable now. Purple rim, fruity nose, some chocolate and spice. To taste, sweet black fruit, cassis, chocolate, some softer (wood?) tannins. Sufficient acidity to balance and keep it from being cloying. No idea what it will become, but it's enjoyable now.
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6/24/2012 - wineberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
10+ hour decant. Drank side by side with 09 Rivers Marie Corona vineyard.
Quite different than the Corona. This wasn't as big and ripe, but I thought it was very well built and balanced. I liked this a bit better than the Corona, and they are definitely different fruit and styles. I think the Corona could potentially be a bit over-ripe for some folks, while this Cab will probably appeal a bit more to folks that like a more balanced style.
Blackberry, cassis, hint of lavender in there. Again, tannins and the alcohol were well balanced.
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6/2/2012 - jdabrowski1027 wrote: 91 Points
90 minutes of decant, this is ready for business. Lots of black currant, blueberry, chocolate and spices on the nose. More of he same on the palate with added hints of tobacco. The acidity is firmly present and the tannins smooth, this is light on the palate, and does have a touch of sweetness. Neither the oak or alcohol distract me. Amazingly approachable in its youth!
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4/9/2012 - deltacop wrote: 91 Points
Very good. Although young, these can be enjoyed now. I did a PNP and they really needed an hour or two before they were in the right spot for me. Beautiful nose with a slight tannic bite upon opening. I'll finish these up before I even start to open the rest of my 2007's. Enjoy!!
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4/7/2012 - 97edwardc wrote: 87 Points
While as others have noted the tannins are modest and in that sense this is ready to drink, for me the oak was just too prominent, crowding out the fruit. I'll wait at least a year before opening another in hopes the oak will become better integrated.
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4/5/2012 - coremill wrote: 89 Points
Lots of sweet black fruit and oak flavors (chocolate, spice, vanilla), with maybe a hint of tobacco leaf. Something akin to blackberry pie with coca powder sprinkled over the top. So yeah, this is a modern, ripe napa cab. But it's a well-done version: it's not cloyingly syrupy or sweet, there's enough acid (natural or not I have no idea) to keep things in check, and there's no noticeable alcohol sticking out. My only qualm here is that there's not much structure, as the tannin is pretty powdery and mostly seems to come from the oak, which gives this a slightly decreased stature. But it's still pretty tasty if you like this sort of wine, and it scratched my itch for a ripe chocolately napa cab. Can't see this being much of an ager, I see no reason to wait on these.
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3/25/2012 - kultcha wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple in Colour. Nose of cassis, plums and vanilla.
On the palate plenty of cassis, plums and sweet dark fruit while the slight taste of root beer and chocolate shake towards the finish was a little surprising to me. No noticeable tannins though you could taste some oak. Little bit of heat before it had much air. Decent finish and acidity.
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3/16/2012 - S. Lorin wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic as always - RM is the best QPR cab in napa by far
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3/15/2012 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
As others have noted, this is amazingly open for business. I recently read that many of the '09 Napa Cabs were quite tannic, but not the case with this wine. Pretty dark fruit and mint. Drink now and over next 5-7 years.
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3/10/2012 - SanFranSoxFan04 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consumed over 24 hrs, Floral, fruit, cigar box, red pepper, green olive . Good. Look forward to trying again in a year+.
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3/10/2012 - etherscreen wrote:
Just got back from Burger Bach. Our second time there this week, and this is hands down the most phenomenal burger we've ever had. Grass fed new zealand beef nice and pink with the perfect ratio of bun and other goodies. This place alone makes Richmond an awesome place to live! Even better now that VA allows corkage.
2009 Rivers Marie Cabernet Sauvignon - Dark purple. Nose of cassis, violets, a smidgen of tobacco, and delicious clearly high quality oak - like standing in the barrel room. Dances lighter on the palate than previous vintages, but no less saturating - a phenomenon I love. Drinks great for such a young wine. Youthful, full of fruit, and just really hit the spot with the burgers. I can not wait to see what's in store with the '09 svds. Well done!
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2/25/2012 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 93 Points
14.5% ABV. Briefly, this reminds me of the 2007 vintage when it was young, full of ripe, slightly sweet and primary red currant fruit with a fairly hefty dose of sweet oak still in the foreground. Tasty.
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2/25/2012 - Wine Sparty wrote: 91 Points
Decanted about an hour before drinking with pasta with pancetta & sausage. Very inky dark fruit. Not a lot of notes, but this was enjoyable. Look forward to my other bottle in a few years.
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2/20/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 90 Points
Not as good as the last bottle. In a tight/dumb phase.
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2/20/2012 - mmurry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 2 hours. Dark fruit and leather on the nose, with hints of tobacco and spice, and a little stone at the end. Soft and rich on the palate, with gentle tannins, and great acidity. Flavors of dark fruit mixed with leather, some spice on the mid-palate, and a good mineral finish.
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2/19/2012 - miller3324 wrote:
While certainly fruit forward, there is an elegance to this wine. Medium weight with bright red fruits. Nice kick of acidity and a long finish to boot. Very nice and drinking well after a short decant.
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2/18/2012 - B-Love wrote: 90 Points
Dark dark ruby in color. Cloves, spice and oak in the bouquet which reminds me a little bit of the 2009 TOR Napa cabernet though not as rich. Poured off first glass and waited a half hour before first sip. Blue and black fruits with no real hard edges. Medium finish. Mid-palate a little tight. Will see how it unfolds over the next 4 hours.
Update: 3 hours later it has opened up a little more..but not a ton. Not a heavy wine at all. A year or two will imrove this a couple of points.
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2/18/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 93 Points
Similar to previous bottle. Really drinking well for a young wine.
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2/15/2012 - geneswine wrote: 92 Points
I pretty much agree with the prior few notes. No tannins that I picked up. Muted nose, medium length. There was a distinct vegetal taste which at first dominated the experience, but became less so with a two hour decant. It came more into balance, but I had with steak and wished there were some tannins to help clear the mouth. A really nice wine, but not a steak wine.
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2/11/2012 - deltacop wrote: 91 Points
Totally surprised by this. After having the prior two vintages, I wasn't expecting this to be so accessaale. The tannins are light. Reading the last few reviews, I agree, these are new world, caymus like and gobs of fruit. I don't recall the 07 being this way. Actually the oposite. In that case the tannins were building and over powering within a few hours of opening the 07 and I knew I had to put the rest away for a few years. In the case of the 09's, Drink up. Nothing holding these back and nothing to say they'll be around in 20 years either. I have half left for tonight and will enjoy, I'm sure.
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2/7/2012 - kenhoeve wrote: 91 Points
Open and ready to go. Very polished and glossy but there is a depth to the fruit that redeems. A mint note sneaks in on the midpalate after being open for a while. Seems a touch soft, and the tannins are pretty elusive, but it is by no means short, just a little easier for the age than you expect. It reminds me of a Caymus, but perhaps with a bit more sleight of hand.
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2/7/2012 - wineguy21 wrote: 91 Points
Very enjoyable, and great at the price, but this is really an 09 Cabernet? With no decant whatsoever, there was absolutely no tannic structure present from the very start. Incredibly smooth and soft red and black fruits with some cedar and chocolate. The nose a little restrained, but still very pleasant.
I once read TRB = DIT (Drink It Now), this bottle instantly made me think of that quote. As said, it's a very enjoyable and great wine at the price, but I really don't see where this is going. The group of 5 of us all agreed with that assessment.
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1/29/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 93 Points
1-1/2 hr decant. Big nose of fresh blackberry, cassis, cedar and cocoa. Medium plus palate of sweet blackberry, mocha, sandalwood and spice. Long smooth finish.
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1/26/2012 - jmull wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured through an aerator. The nose is a touch restrained/tight but appealing nonetheless. But the palate is where the action is. Pure dark fruit framed by a deft touch of creamy, chocolatey oak notes, and some secondary forrest floor aspects to boot. The balance between the fruit and oak character is impeccable, as they truly enhance each other. Decent length here, too, although not a particularly forceful structure. Tannin is evident but very smooth and not at all a detriment to sipping this wine by its lonesome, although it would be wondrous with a New York Strip to be sure. A night later, this opens up a bit more, with the intensity of fruit increasing significantly. Remarkably, the oak balance seems to scale with it. Not sure which night I liked better, but both showing were superb. Definitely excited to try the Corona Vineyard version. 93+.
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1/24/2012 - Michael Davidson wrote:
Big, ripe wines aren't usually my thing. That said, I really liked this wine.
Pop and pour yields a massive nose of spices and cigar box with a hint of dark fruit underneath. Fruit comes forward on the palate with a nice amount of oakiness persisting through. I'm surprised at how nicely the oak worked with the fruit.
Second night was primarily big, dark, fruit, and much less interesting to me.
Still, for when I'm in the mood for a Napa cab, hard to imagine doing better than this for the money.
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1/15/2012 - pkbackman wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding. Big fruit and vanilla oak, but not over the top. Laced with smooth dark chocolate, with a solid tannic backbone.
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1/15/2012 - winopops3 wrote: 90 Points
The first day this had overpowering gobs of dark fruit and a little grapiness. After a day in the decanter the fruit receeded a bit and notes of tobacco and cocoa emerged. Medium finish. Will be interesting to see how this develops over the coming years.
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1/13/2012 - lsnider wrote: 93 Points
Slow ox for about 9 hours then a 2 hour decant. Just a well made solid cab. Dark fruit, chocolate and hint of oak. All very nicely intergrated. A must buy and great QPR.
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1/9/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 93 Points
I could see some of the traits from his other wines. Reminded me of GTS but lacked the depth and power. I was shocked by the wine at first taste (95pt+) but when paired with food the wine faded. This is a wonderful wine to start the night. Dark, large and full in the mouth but the finish doesn't compete. This is like a really good movie that it cut off at the end due to budget. At $55 a very good QPR.
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12/26/2011 - prettydeceextrap wrote: 93 Points
(A) Tight for a few hours. With air, this evolves amazingly. Dense, yet smooth. Bright cherries up front and an underlying forrest-y element. Spices touch the side palate. Still needs time, but has the structure for greatness.
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12/25/2011 - TLR wrote: 95 Points
decanted 3 hours prior to pairing with Rib Eye Roast the wine drank splendidly. Amazing structure but oh so smooth. The aroma's of cocoa, spearmint with a full mouthfeel on the pallet of deep dark fruit and just a hint of oak. This wine was fantastic and will be hard to leave them alone with any steak.
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12/21/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
i usually wait till day three to write tns but this is one of the best noses on a wine ive smelled all year. pop and pour. i had this wine with will at outpost not two months ago and it was very good but outshined by the panek. this nose is now insanely good. perfectly ripe blackberries a little kirsch a hint of vanilla and some cocoa powder. the palate is still tight but throws hints of the same clipping off at the end. this will be an awesome wine.
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12/17/2011 - haldolugr wrote: 90 Points
Wow - stunning for it's age - this cab is way smoother then it's older brother at this age but not sure if it will develop the complexity of flavors that the 08 has - but this is easy drinking already (will benefit from a few years in the bottle to mellow out the tannins that do show up on the finish). Clean fruit flavors with a touch of oak.
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12/7/2011 - MCUBEB wrote: 92 Points
Drank it over three days and tasted the best on the third day. Beautiful nose of ripe berries,cherries,some violets and Indian spices. The palate is full with notes of red and black fruit which were still a little compact on day three. Lots of tannins on the finish with oak spice notes that are not overpowering.
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11/28/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
Pop/pour. Aromatic on the nose with dark fruits and vanilla oak. Flavors on the palate mirror the nose. As another reviewer mentioned, there is a spiciness to this. Overall, the flavor profile tends towards the sweet side of Cabernet. Relatively full in body though it somehow manages to maintain a sense of balance. Long and soft finish, with some fine tannins. Sheds weight and gains tannins the longer it's in the glass. Will revisit later. I would have rated the first sip of this 94+.
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11/22/2011 - RMundell Likes this wine:
way too young. I couldn't help myself.
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11/20/2011 - Dasher wrote: 94 Points
This wine is big, sexy,inky, and slutty. Can't wait until it lays down for a few years.
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11/18/2011 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured...almost immediately after removing each bottle from the shipper :) Medium-plus purple/ruby. Aromatically forward with a nice expression of dark and red fruits, herbs, and spicy vanilla from oak. With air, a subtle earthy floral note develops. Medium-plus body. The flavors on the palate are, unsurprisingly, a bit muted at this early stage and largely show the influence of spice from oak over any overt fruit. Additional aeration seems to lessen any flavor accessibility that may have initially existed upon opening. That said, the mouthfeel is that of elegance and refinement...silky smooth, without any heat and tannins which are hardly discernable on the moderate close. No matter, clearly it's simply too early to open at this stage and as a whole, the 2009 is not "showy" when compared to the 2007 and 2008 vintages on release. However, it would be hardly surprising to see this blossom into an excellent example of Napa Cabernet as the seamless purity it exhibits can only be a portend for good things to come.
This is easily the most "classically" styled R-M Cab of the last 3 releases, and one that should start to awaken with a year in bottle, shine after 3-4 years, and age nicely for much longer.
Quick note: Saved half of the bottle to check on and provide an update with. And 2 days later, the update is...hold this wine., the tannins have finally come out to play. Seriously, this needs at least a year before opening, and 2 would be better.
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11/15/2011 - Lessthanzero wrote: 93 Points
Big, bold and smooth. Just couldn't stop my hands as the case came in. Will try to save the rest....
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11/4/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
Soft and smooth cool fruits on the nose. A little dust. The palate is tight and stingy, releasing nothing. We would have given it some air but for being attacked by an uninvated geriatric posse so we rant to the barrel room.
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8/14/2011 - River Rat wrote:
Oh what the hell, I'll knock one off for the team. Pop and decant for 3+ hours. Initially lots of mocha, vanilla, cassis and black currant on the nose. GF took a sip and said "Wow, that's a thick one". Big texture, red and black fruit along with some black olive and a bit of a grip on the finish.
After the decant we poured with a Flannery Porterhouse. What a difference some air time makes. The palate softened up, the tannins backed down though the big fruit kind of went into hiding a bit. Still fruit forward but not as big as the first sip as the profile went from dark fruits to lighter fruits and also showed some saddle leather. Finished smooth and soft. Complimented the beef wonderfully.
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