Similar to last tasting note by CHRISINROCH from 2020, but did not decant.
Perfect cork. Dark brooding, purple color. Tart at opening but retaining a freshness in the liminal space between wine and vinegar. Opened to a perfect blend of velvet, black cherry fruits and leather over 3 hours. Soft tannins “floated”. Really solid, fully mature wine that loved the grilled ribeye.
Having lost many KLs to bad corks or less than perfect years, it’s great when it all hangs together.
Cheers to Rick and the team at KL.
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750 from temp controlled since retail purchase in 2011. Decanted for sediment, served w ribeye Opened up pretty quickly and evolved nicely over 4 hours. Cassis and tobacco with a nice natural acid on the finish. Really delicious.
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Strong tannins did not dissipate after hours of decanting and the fruit wasn't there to make an otherwise full bodied wine enjoyable. Certainly drinkable but not one that I will look to drink again.
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My last bottle of 2001. I have enjoyed every vintage and was sad to see it end. A touch of bricking at the edge, but doesn't look its age. A little tight when it was opened. Really improved after an hour. Started with a mute nose, then showed black cherry, tobacco, earth, leather and spice. Initially on the palate, was a little flat. After an hour, it blossomed. black cherry, tobacco, earth, spice, and coffee. Beautifully balanced. Long smooth, silky finish. Don't know that this will get any better with age, but also not headed downhill any time soon. In a really good place. For the price paid, what a bargain!
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PNP Purple with slight bricking and a thick clear rim. A little tired at first, after 30 mins started to come into its own. Green veggie, prune, some raisins, black cherry, cedar, star anise all nose. Mouth feel seems good still. Good 15 second finish. Violet, raisin, bruised apple, tannins still strong, but the wine seems to have a bit of difficult holding it together. Drink now.
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Delicious. Drinking really well right now. Black cherry and earth on the nose. Ripe fruit. Tannins are fully integrated. A great wine. Has a few years left for sure.
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Either I've been 'blessed' with above average bottle variation or this wine is particularly mercurial, but 12+ bottles of this in recent years, some of which suggested the end might be near, didn't prepare me for a wine so backward. Dark youthful color. Initial nose of underripe green stuff not seen on any prior bottles took almost two hours to blow off before revealing the typical KL black cherry and tobacco notes expected. Minor sediment. Other good bottles should cellar well for another five years or beyond.
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Pnp. After 15 min, such a beautiful nose of mature fruit (still there & great smell after 15 years). Tannins are minimal & integrated. Tastes nice but not long, less fruit than nose, with earth, finishes a bit clipped given its age. Drink now! My last bottle of any KL. Thanks for a nice run guys. UPDATE: 4 hours after opening: Even smoother & fruitier, delicious!
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This is the longest aged bottle I've tried of KL and it is outstanding! Such a shame that they've gone by the wayside. Nose of black fruit and tar. Not at all alcoholic on the nose. Beautifully in balance with a black fruit on the palate but the tannins have mellowed out. Nice medium finish with just a hint of menthol which lingers on. Just a joy to drink at this point. A tremendous value given the current pricing for quality wines like this. I have to find more of this!
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An outstanding bottle, big improvement over last February's. Everything I want in a cabernet and none of the things I don't. Should hold here for several years.
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drank along side Pride Reseve Claret...fun to see contrast in styles. KL was integrated, balanced and married great w prime rib. Fruit and secondary flavors were present but in the background of the overall wine...wine could have had a touch more texture, expanded mid palate and length. nonetheless a successful and enjoyable wine. (Pride showed significantly more fruit but showed its alcohol and lacked the balance of the KL; but like the KL was also enjoyable although my preference leans to toward the overall balance of the KL)
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Decanted 3+ hours prior to this note. Nice is very expressive filled with dark berries, cool blue fruit, exotics baking spice, oak toast, bit of framboise with a creamy texture. Decently round in the mouth with some gritty tannins on the back end. A bit drying but still has some nice fruit and concentration. At 12 years old it seems nicely integrated and starting to show some complexity. Still needs time though to develop a bit more and integrate fully with the tannins. Long life ahead, plenty of stuffing for the long haul.
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P&p'd. Nice nose but tasting it was so tight with unenjoyable tannins, even after 2-3 hours. Corked the 2nd half for the next night. 24 hours later, what a difference! Smooth beautiful fruit and tannins were well integrated and minimal. This wine still has years to chill. I changed my drink window, not sure why group has it by '13. Wait and be rewarded!
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Nose: Balanced and dark fruited nose with dark red cherries, cassis, chocolate, sour raspberries, and cranberry tones with some currants as well. Very good depth with the tones being rounded as well.
Taste: Full bodied with nice supporting tannins that are still showing themselves. The feel has polish with good depth and real good tones of chocolate, cassis, currants, dark red cherries, and a touch of spices and incense on the back end.
Overall: This is still in a really good place and should age gracefully for years to come. This has real good balance on both the nose and palate with good depth as well.
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This has evolved nicely since my last bottle (a 375ml) almost 3 years ago. Opens with a nose of sweet fruit and looks younger than it's 12+ years. The black olive and bittersweet chocolate of it's youth has been replaced by a mature melange of black and red fruit onthe palate. There's a bit of a liqueur note on the back end, without a sense of heat. The finish is relatively short; otherwise, this would score a point or two higher. To me, this is in it's prime.
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Fully evolved and holding back nada. Dark with an almost imperceptible brown/red hue on the edges. Nose of pure cassis and cola driven goodness. Black fruits are in control with this; I get currant, black cherry and black plum skins. Mid weight mouth-feel with hints of cedarbox, graphite, asian tea, cardamom and rubber leather. Balance is fantastic with a deftness and poise that grabs your attention. Tannins are complicated and fully resolved. Finish just goes on and on. Awesome. This may be one of the best regular KLs I have experienced in a long while. A long while
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I love this wine. I left one good glass in the bottle and corked it on the counter overnight. Just fantastic tonight. Full bodied, expansive palate and nose, rich and spicy. Wow. How can you not love this wine!
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Dark red, nose of blackberries, light expresso. Needs an hour to show off. Good balance, soft tannis, and medium length finish. This is drinking very well now, but has at least a few years left.
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I am a huge fan of michael's wines and have owned every vintage since 1993. Is 2001 the best vintage he has ever made? Time will tell, but there is no doubt that this wine is showing great right now. Rich and very full bodied, it borders on the texture of port. A broad palate of black fruits with not a hint of anything out of balance. Wow! I left 2 inches of the bottle corked on the counter for 48 hours and it only got better. Pretty special. For the record, my top 5 vintages of KL are on no particular order 2001, 2005, 1999, 1991, & 1994.
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Very dark almost black appearance. Very ripe dark fruit, mint and coffee with some sweet vanilla oak. Lots of sweet rich blue fruit flavours and a dry slightly hot finish.
When I reflect back on this wine I don't remember it being really complex but my notes appear to mention quite a few different descriptors. Certainly a ripe in your face wine that was giving signs of being Syrah, Shiraz or Cabernet.
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Anwar brought this to South Haven for dinner. Dark purple color. This 10 year old wine was holding up very well. probably the 2nd best red of the night in the 7 bottle lineup behind the 2002 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir. Ripe black fruit notes with some tar and earthy notes. Medium to full bodied. 91-92 points.
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Starting to come around, but this is not ever going to be a lush 01 cab. Nose is nice now, but I think the structure will outlast the fruit on this one.
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Decanted 90 minutes. Much better than our last bottle - interesting this was a waxed bottle vs. capsule. Nice dark fruit and tannins were mellowed out. Lost a point due to a very muted nose. Drink up.
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From 750ml bottle. Tasted non blind. Very perfumed nose of black currant and steel. Full to medium bodied, dense and very tannic. Although time has erased all vestige of oak, it has yet to tame the rather drying tanin in this wine. The nose is better than the palate at this stage. It is hard to predict whther this will improve as tannins are still too prominent andfruit is been lost every day.
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This is a wine in a good place. Poured from a mag, it's intense, not weighty, medium to full bodied, with black cherry, cedar, cocoa, tobacco, and a solid finish. It's ready to drink but I'm not in a rush to finish my other mags.
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Intense nose, powerful black currant. Decanted 30-45 mins before, opened beautifully with some rosemary balsamic marinated lamb chops. Finish was shorter than I remembered but beautiful.
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Double decanted and poured, and then consumed over 4 hours. Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark garnet in color. On the nose, cassis, plums, and light menthol. On the palate, cassis, tobacco, and dark chocolate on the extremely long 40+ second finish. Lovely, well-balanced wine that has creamy, sweet, fine-grained tannins. The structure is fantastic, too, and the fruit still tastes fresh and young. Absolutely fantastic…bravo! If the aromatics open up further, this one will get even better.
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Working my way through a few vintages of Karl Lawrence this spring/summer. Decided to open this from 375ml tonight. Poured and let open about 30 minutes before tasting. This is very dark purple-garnet in the glass. The nose initially gives a pretty floral bouquet, which turns more musky as the wine opens up a bit. Some dried herbal notes in there, as well. The palate is complex - deep black fruit accented by a touch of black olive, bittersweet chocolate, and a suggestion of roasted meat drippings. Full-bodied with a good deal of dusty tannins, this is still an infant. A 2002 KL opened a few weeks ago was more mature. I'll hold my 750ml for 3-4 more years, based on how this 375ml is showing tonight. 90 pts. today, with potential for 2 more in time.
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Pop & pour a 375ml. Tight at 1st, not revealing much. Opened slightly after 2 hours. A glass 24 hours later was the winner. Even then still slightly tannic but much more fruit was showing. I don't see why some are saying this is a drink now wine. Lots of life and cellaring left.
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Decanted 1 hour. This wine has retained a very nice dark garnet color with no bricking yet. Solid cab but no WOW factor. Oak is becoming more pronounced as the fruit starts to fade. Very similar notes to prior tasting. Nose was more pronounced with a bit of tobacco and dark fruit. Drink.
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Dark purple color; nose of tobacco, smoke and oak; full body with firm tannins; nice balance and structure; flavors of cherries, herbs and minerals; some secondary flavors showing; finishes long; retasted afte 24 hours and still drank very well with no signs of oxidation.
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Karl Lawrence comes through again. Brilliant, well-integrated wine. Decanted and consumed slowly through 3 hour window.
Brilliant dark red; huge cherry, pomegranate, leather, smokey nose; and a long, full, smooth finish with good acid, balanced tannins, and lots of fruit.
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Palate: mostly fruit on the palate, supported by oak and vegetal flavors: black currant, dried fruits, pain grille, and a nice nutty backbone. New American and French Oak are evident with supporting but not overwhelming presence. Overall, a very well integrated wine and well worth the $.
Had a nice 32oz US Prime NY Strip with roasted potatoes, asparagus, and aged goat cheese croutons. Followed up with Chocolate cake, lemon sorbet and a Macanudo with some Di Saronno on the rocks. A good evening was had by all.
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This wine perfromed beautifully today. The nose is serious and not overly flamboyant. It lacks the lactic aromas typically associated with sur maturite grapes. The palate is deep and flavorful, while retaining the seriousness of the nose. Excellent cab in the not OTT style.
Este vino se comportó bellamente hoy. La nariz es seria y no demasiado extrovertida. No presenta los aromas lácticos (caramelo, cajeta, etc.) que normalmente se asocian con vinos hechos con uvas sobre maduras. La impresión en el paladar es profunda y muy sabrosa, pero manteniendo la seriedad mostrada en la nariz. Excelente Cabernet Sauvignon en un estilo que difiere de las bombas frutales golosas tan en voga hoy en día. Una interpretación muy fiel de la uva.
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Decanted 1 hour. Very pretty dark garnet color. Light to medium weight in the mouth. Muted nose that opened up with time. Same rating 16 months ago - this wine has about peaked. Drink.
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Deep, dark, almost inky color. The nose is initially quite closed, but opens after about 30 minutes to reveal a splendid Cali-Cab black cherry aromatic profile. Medium bodied tending toward the lighter side. In addition to the black cherry, some mint and mocha notes appear on the palate. There is some oak, but it is held in check by the fruit and does not intrude at all. The tannins are surprisingly smooth/integrated and I found this bottle to be much more approachable than the 2000 KL we had a few months ago. NJ described it as balanced.
Nits: There was a bit of a hole in the mid-palate and the finish was clipped.
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This is starting to show some nuances with a little age. med to full bodied wine that is nicely balanced. personally i think this wine needs a few more years for the tannins to resolve. overall a winner and quite enjoyable. 50+5+14+16+7=92
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taste: dark and spicy with black raspberry, sour cranberry, dark chocolate, black cherry, and some oak tones behind it
overall: a really beautiful wine with good grip. Still on the young side, this is definitely in the begining stages of its drinking window. There is a lot to like about this with its dark attack to a black licorice+black cherry based finish
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Decanted and consumed over 3 hours. Deep purple/red; intense dark fruit, leather nose; and awesome mouth feel. Starts as fruit bomb and ends after extremely long finish......
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Taken to Izzy's in San Ramon. Decanted approximately 10 minutes as this was the 2nd bottle of the dinner. Clean nose of fruit with some raisin notes; very dark tastes with touches of mocha and black berries; seemed lighter in body weight than the Bressler, although could probably fill out more with additional time in the decanter; ends with a dry finish. Very Good.
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Overwhelming oak on open. Oak was so dominant I had to put the glass down. After 45 minutes or so in glass the fruit began to come out. Last few sips were terrific.
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A little tight when first opened but after two hours opened up nicely; pleasant aromas of dark fruit, spice and chocolate; full body; firm tannins but nicely balanced with the fruit; long finish; retasted after 24 hours - showed no signs of fading
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This could have been so much better...bottle was not as good as past ones. Maybe I was particularly sensitive tonight, but the oak treatment was a little too overwhelming for me. The fruit, acidity, structure and texture of this wine are great, but the oak (showing via classic vanilla flavors) is just killing the rest. The bad news is that I think the oak is showing increasingly as the fruit keeps fading. My hopes of the oak integrating are very, very low a this stage.
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Every time I drink a bottle of Karl I'm reminded why it's my favorite wine. Decanted (medium sediment left behind) and poured a glass immediately. Smooth, integrated, balanced, great dark fruit nose and flavor. Long finish. Ahhh.
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Dark purple color. Nose opens up more as hours wear on. Restrained, and medium bodied. Chocolate and currant flavors. Tanins still relatively powerful and IMHO overpower the fruit just a bit, even when I tried at a few different temperatures. Perhaps a bit more age would be good.
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Felt like something fruitier and dark and this fit the bill nicely. Popped and Poured. Nose is soaring out of the glass with chocolate, cassis liqueur, ripe plum, sandalwood and a hint of vanilla bean and pain grille. Color is a dark garnet red. The flavors are that of black currants, tobacco, leather, and dried herbs. Texture is smooth and velvety and finish long. Tannins seemed a touch bitter, but not to the extent that it gets distracting. Very solid wine and a real pleasure to drink. Certainly one of the best QPR Cabs from California considering the consistently high quality.
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Seemed restrained. Simple aromatics with sweet chocolate notes. Very integrated flavors, dark fruit and a long finish. I am hoping that this wine shows more with some additional years. This is one of my least favorite KL vintages. Even so, a very nice wine.
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Wow...I was impressed with the over presentation of this wine...Black purple color with nose of black fruits, spice, cigar box. On the palate, the wine has trendous depth and concentration, with nice complexity and a very nice structured finish...best cab for the money hands down...I need to place my order for the 2003...
It's hard to believe that these are still hidden gems to the mainstream public...I am glad that these wines are not reviewed on a consistent basis...
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Sunday is for leftovers: I brought this bottle to dinner with a few folks on Wednesday. Notes from a remaining 1/3 bottle that has been open five days and sitting on my countertop with cork in it. Dark ruby red color. Nose of leather and cocoa. Palate of red fruit (plum or currant), spice, and light vanilla. Finish has good acidity and tannin. Very nice mouthfeel.
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Decanted for 5+ hours and it could have used more.
The best this wine has shown in the past few years. Incredibly well balanced for a wine as powerfully endowed as this beauty. The nose jumps from the glass and the mouthfeel is smooth and silky. Another reason why KL is my perinial Napa Cab favorite!
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Nice purple robe. Lots of fruit leather and smoke on the nose. Mocha, tar and slightly sweet-feeling fruit. Good body of soft tannins. Very good balance and a tight svelteness made this too pleasurable as I drank the bottle.
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Decanted for about 30 minutes before tasting and drank over the next 2 hours. Good right away, but at it's best at the end of the night. Light sediment, deep purple in color. Excellent nose of cinnamon, dark fruits, cherry, and smoke. This all follows through on the palate. A very balanced and lush wine that just got better and better with each sip. Either hold or decant for a couple hours.
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Opened in honor of my son's 5th birthday......hey any excuse to raid my cellar. Wine was just as wonderful as I previously reviewed. No change, it even complimented sickening sweet birthday cake.
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Dark fruit, leather/barrel oak nose that was not super expressive. On the palate it was simple, but good. I think this wine is going through a funk right now and may be singing in a few years. The finish did continue for 20+ seconds.
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A little simple, maybe closed, but nice balance and concentration, just lacking any complexity. Lots of blueberry...I think I'd wait 3-4 years before trying this again.
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Still a baby this wine is drinking very nice but should improve with age althought it's very nice right now. KL cabs have to be one of the best QPRs in Calif. cabs.
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(taken Turnberry Isle's Grill) Dark, murky colour. Big nose with loads of roasted fruit, smoke and fruit leathers. Big body, definite alcohol. Good elements of dark fruits, coffee and caramel. Shorter finish. Oaky spice kicks in as well. Started off very nice with steaks and whathaveyou, but we found this very quickly became cloying, over-extracted and downright hard to drink. Disappointing for a wine that normally delivers elegance and subtlety.
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2001 Karl Lawrence is a hedonistic, gluttonous party for your nose and mouth. Dark and inky, the nose smells like you stuck your head in a gourmet candy shop. Beautiful tones of chocolate, cassis, vanilla and dark fruit extravaganza. On the palate it is just as wonderful, great tannin structure with layer upon layer of chocolately fruit complexity. At $45-$50 a bottle, this wine is a steal. Buy a case or 2 and wow your Cab loving friends. Easily the best 100% cabernet I've ever tasted at this price range. Spectacular Napa Cab.
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Still quite tight, but overall a solid cabernet with good balance, acidity and length. Certainly not a powerhouse, but an enjoyable wine. Needs another couple of years to open up. Reminded me a bit of the Cadence Tapteil 2002 tonight with it's slightly chalky character.
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this was the 1st bottle for me out of my cellar. i had this last year from magnum. opened and decanted for 1 hr into a very wide bottom decanter. the color was almost black all the way to the rim. the nose was gorgeous and intense. on the palate it was very smooth and had a velvet like texture. full of typical napa cab flavors like vanilla, chocolate, cassis, dark fruits and some warm toasty oak. a solid wine for a very reasonable price. i have 5 more left and some mags. i will hold for another year before popping my next one.
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($45) A really lovely Cabernet Sauvignon with classy aromas of black currant, cedar, toasted oak, and a lace of mint and menthol. Concentrated and slightly chewey but in a round, ripe way, not a tannic or detractive way. Nice.
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Popped and poured. This showed the best of the bottles I've tried so far. The oak seemed better integrated, and nicely balanced by rich, powerful fruit. A little sweet on the attack. Lots of vanilla and creme de cassis. Held up well over 3+ hours.
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Powerful and extracted, showing loads of black licorice, plums, cherries, and vanilla. Heavy oak, which became more pronounced as the wine sat in the glass. Fine-grained tannins; smooth, long finish. On day 2 (after a Vacu-Vin night in the fridge), the fruit and oak intensified, and the wine came off as denser. I think this would definitely benefit from a few more years of bottle age.
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Opened my last split to celebrate the arrival of the 2002 Karl Lawrence mailer. My decanter was in use, so this was splash decanted for 30 minutes before touching tasting the wine. Serious saddle leather and dark cocoa. Strong, but coating tannins. Long finish. This still needs time, but it quite good today. I will try to wait another year before opening another bottle.
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Deep purple to the rim. Notes of roasted coffee, juniper, and blackberries, framed by vanilla and gobs of toasty oak. Plenty of ripe fruit, with a smooth tannic kick on the finish. A bit too oaky for my palate, but perhaps the wine needs another few years of bottle age to integrate further. Good value.
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This was nice enough for a restaurant purchase in half bottle. Initial notes of cassis move aside to show loads of rich chocolate and brown sugar. This was almost Pride-like in intensity, sweet, powerful, and surprisingly supple. That said, I found it to be a little sweet... (which is becoming a somewhat general Napa condition for me of late)
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Very tight on opening. 60 minutes in things started to loosen up, but even after three hours it hadn't really come around completely. Nice cassis, dark fruit and mild chocolate flavors. Decent finish for being as closed as it was.
I can definitely tell there is something powerful lurking under the surface, it's just not ready to show itself yet. Needs at least another year or two...makes me think the reserves are going to need a decade plus!
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Opened a split tonight to conclude dinner. Open for 90 minutes before first sip and still somewhat closed. Palette of cola, spice, and dark chocolate. Good amounts of tannins, but integrated so that is was not overpowering the fruit to be undrinkable. Long, coating finish that was also strong. Looks to have the makings of a great wine with more time.
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A blessing, so damn pure, cassis, mint, cedar and laser focus, great ripe tannins, almost undetectable, marathon finish, this has to be a wine I really hate telling people about. Schools Pride's basic cab year in and year out, and for alot less. Own it. tonite 93++
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Great Cal Cab. Nose is dominated with black fruits and a slight sweet vanilla scent. On the palete it is well balance with a good amount of structure. Although consumed on its own, it would serve well with food. Highly impressed early on and will seek out more.
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Black core with a deep purple rim. Primary nose of cassis, nothing else. Palate was heavenly. Staining flavors of black currants, rasberry, mint, licorice and dark chocolate. Powerful and long - revealing great structure and tons of stuffing and hidden treasures. Finishes with excellent spine and firm tannins. Stupid young, but will probably drink a few more, I can't resist. This is incredible juice in the making.
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A friend opened a bottle tonight. It was very timid when first opened. After being in the glass for an hour, the nose took on more interesting aromas of spice and coffee. The fruit was not overwhelmed by the quite noticable tannins. It kept getting better over the two hours the bottle lasted and I was sad when I finished my last sip. A wonderful, complex wine that should age well.
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Hard to get a feel for this wine, this was tight from open to finish (two hour period). Seemed to have all the components for an quality cab, but needs to sit for at least a year or two before trying again.
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3/15/2022 - Chrisinroch wrote:
Drinking well
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9/2/2021 - braised wrote:
Similar to last tasting note by CHRISINROCH from 2020, but did not decant.
Perfect cork. Dark brooding, purple color. Tart at opening but retaining a freshness in the liminal space between wine and vinegar. Opened to a perfect blend of velvet, black cherry fruits and leather over 3 hours. Soft tannins “floated”. Really solid, fully mature wine that loved the grilled ribeye.
Having lost many KLs to bad corks or less than perfect years, it’s great when it all hangs together.
Cheers to Rick and the team at KL.
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12/24/2020 - Chrisinroch wrote:
750 from temp controlled since retail purchase in 2011.
Decanted for sediment, served w ribeye
Opened up pretty quickly and evolved nicely over 4 hours. Cassis and tobacco with a nice natural acid on the finish. Really delicious.
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1/2/2019 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Bad cork--no seepage, but dry and impossible to remove in less than five pieces. But sound wine, drank well over two hours.
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9/12/2018 - Surfer714 wrote:
Drinking great right now
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8/5/2018 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Classically styled and in a prime drinking window. Good complexity and balance. Should hold for a decade.
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7/23/2018 - simkodam wrote: 88 Points
Strong tannins did not dissipate after hours of decanting and the fruit wasn't there to make an otherwise full bodied wine enjoyable. Certainly drinkable but not one that I will look to drink again.
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6/21/2018 - gharter Likes this wine: 90 Points
My last bottle of 2001. I have enjoyed every vintage and was sad to see it end. A touch of bricking at the edge, but doesn't look its age. A little tight when it was opened. Really improved after an hour. Started with a mute nose, then showed black cherry, tobacco, earth, leather and spice. Initially on the palate, was a little flat. After an hour, it blossomed. black cherry, tobacco, earth, spice, and coffee. Beautifully balanced. Long smooth, silky finish. Don't know that this will get any better with age, but also not headed downhill any time soon. In a really good place. For the price paid, what a bargain!
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4/24/2018 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP
Purple with slight bricking and a thick clear rim. A little tired at first, after 30 mins started to come into its own. Green veggie, prune, some raisins, black cherry, cedar, star anise all nose. Mouth feel seems good still. Good 15 second finish. Violet, raisin, bruised apple, tannins still strong, but the wine seems to have a bit of difficult holding it together. Drink now.
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4/1/2018 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Black cherry and tobacco with attractive mature notes. First glass drinks better than the first, though, so time to drink up.
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8/10/2017 - jaymof wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. Drinking really well right now. Black cherry and earth on the nose. Ripe fruit. Tannins are fully integrated. A great wine. Has a few years left for sure.
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5/27/2017 - Neecies Likes this wine: 93 Points
This vintage of KL is making the long haul very well indeed. Black fruit, earthy, spice, coffee--it's more interesting now than ever. What a gem.
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2/6/2017 - Neecies Likes this wine: 92 Points
Either I've been 'blessed' with above average bottle variation or this wine is particularly mercurial, but 12+ bottles of this in recent years, some of which suggested the end might be near, didn't prepare me for a wine so backward. Dark youthful color. Initial nose of underripe green stuff not seen on any prior bottles took almost two hours to blow off before revealing the typical KL black cherry and tobacco notes expected. Minor sediment. Other good bottles should cellar well for another five years or beyond.
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11/6/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp. After 15 min, such a beautiful nose of mature fruit (still there & great smell after 15 years). Tannins are minimal & integrated. Tastes nice but not long, less fruit than nose, with earth, finishes a bit clipped given its age. Drink now! My last bottle of any KL. Thanks for a nice run guys. UPDATE: 4 hours after opening: Even smoother & fruitier, delicious!
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9/21/2016 - g-man Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is the longest aged bottle I've tried of KL and it is outstanding! Such a shame that they've gone by the wayside. Nose of black fruit and tar. Not at all alcoholic on the nose. Beautifully in balance with a black fruit on the palate but the tannins have mellowed out. Nice medium finish with just a hint of menthol which lingers on. Just a joy to drink at this point. A tremendous value given the current pricing for quality wines like this. I have to find more of this!
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10/7/2015 - Neecies Likes this wine: 92 Points
An outstanding bottle, big improvement over last February's. Everything I want in a cabernet and none of the things I don't. Should hold here for several years.
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5/19/2015 - budman wrote:
Lots of tannin... lots of sediment... flavors were excellent, though.
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3/14/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind (Chicago, IL): Tasted double blind. Dense black fruit, meaty, fun and forward with a good enough concentrated start, but short and slightly simple finish.
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2/7/2015 - Neecies Likes this wine: 90 Points
Took to Bill's lunch. Showed very sweet in a line-up of mostly European wines; unquestionably Cal Cab with some herbaceous complexity.
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12/28/2014 - JBVino wrote:
drank along side Pride Reseve Claret...fun to see contrast in styles. KL was integrated, balanced and married great w prime rib. Fruit and secondary flavors were present but in the background of the overall wine...wine could have had a touch more texture, expanded mid palate and length. nonetheless a successful and enjoyable wine. (Pride showed significantly more fruit but showed its alcohol and lacked the balance of the KL; but like the KL was also enjoyable although my preference leans to toward the overall balance of the KL)
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11/15/2014 - Neecies Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fully mature and very satisfying; should hold nicely here for some time to come.
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3/23/2014 - cubswinws wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine but seems to fading a bit.
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12/7/2013 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
Mature and drinking very well, no reason to hold any longer.
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10/11/2013 - Neecies Likes this wine: 92 Points
Damn that Lambert, he keeps making me open bottles I plan to hold on to. :)
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9/7/2013 - stufis wrote: 92 Points
In a sweet spot; very similar to the '00 that was paired with it.
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3/20/2013 - tyvoodoo wrote:
Decanted 3+ hours prior to this note. Nice is very expressive filled with dark berries, cool blue fruit, exotics baking spice, oak toast, bit of framboise with a creamy texture. Decently round in the mouth with some gritty tannins on the back end. A bit drying but still has some nice fruit and concentration. At 12 years old it seems nicely integrated and starting to show some complexity. Still needs time though to develop a bit more and integrate fully with the tannins. Long life ahead, plenty of stuffing for the long haul.
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3/8/2013 - patwjr wrote: 92 Points
P&p'd. Nice nose but tasting it was so tight with unenjoyable tannins, even after 2-3 hours. Corked the 2nd half for the next night. 24 hours later, what a difference! Smooth beautiful fruit and tannins were well integrated and minimal. This wine still has years to chill. I changed my drink window, not sure why group has it by '13. Wait and be rewarded!
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3/4/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Balanced and dark fruited nose with dark red cherries, cassis, chocolate, sour raspberries, and cranberry tones with some currants as well. Very good depth with the tones being rounded as well.
Taste: Full bodied with nice supporting tannins that are still showing themselves. The feel has polish with good depth and real good tones of chocolate, cassis, currants, dark red cherries, and a touch of spices and incense on the back end.
Overall: This is still in a really good place and should age gracefully for years to come. This has real good balance on both the nose and palate with good depth as well.
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2/19/2013 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
This has evolved nicely since my last bottle (a 375ml) almost 3 years ago. Opens with a nose of sweet fruit and looks younger than it's 12+ years. The black olive and bittersweet chocolate of it's youth has been replaced by a mature melange of black and red fruit onthe palate. There's a bit of a liqueur note on the back end, without a sense of heat. The finish is relatively short; otherwise, this would score a point or two higher. To me, this is in it's prime.
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1/12/2013 - patwjr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice subtle nose of a 12-year old cab. Smooth, as tannins have tamed. Nice, but not a rich as I thought it'd be. Medium weight. Drink now.
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1/7/2013 - griffin'sdad wrote: 93 Points
delicious and beautifully balanced. best bottles of this i've had - in a perfect place right now.
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10/25/2012 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Drinking nicely, tannin mostly resolved. Currant and cedar with great balance, a but clunky perhaps.
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9/12/2012 - RR47 wrote: 91 Points
Still a pleasure to drink. Same notes as March 2012. Last bottle
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9/2/2012 - King Cab wrote: 93 Points
Fully evolved and holding back nada. Dark with an almost imperceptible brown/red hue on the edges. Nose of pure cassis and cola driven goodness. Black fruits are in control with this; I get currant, black cherry and black plum skins. Mid weight mouth-feel with hints of cedarbox, graphite, asian tea, cardamom and rubber leather. Balance is fantastic with a deftness and poise that grabs your attention. Tannins are complicated and fully resolved. Finish just goes on and on. Awesome. This may be one of the best regular KLs I have experienced in a long while. A long while
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8/24/2012 - Dr.Scott wrote: 94 Points
I love this wine. I left one good glass in the bottle and corked it on the counter overnight. Just fantastic tonight. Full bodied, expansive palate and nose, rich and spicy. Wow. How can you not love this wine!
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7/23/2012 - markjanes wrote: flawed
horibbly corked
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6/26/2012 - patwjr wrote: 92 Points
Drank a 375 over a few hours. Nice nose of mature dark fruit. Somewhat muted by the tannins, and acidic. Nice but no wow factor.
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6/10/2012 - Margauxguy wrote: 91 Points
Nice, sweet, pleasant. Well made and drinking well
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3/19/2012 - RR47 wrote: 91 Points
Dark red, nose of blackberries, light expresso. Needs an hour to show off. Good balance, soft tannis, and medium length finish. This is drinking very well now, but has at least a few years left.
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1/19/2012 - Dr.Scott wrote: 96 Points
I am a huge fan of michael's wines and have owned every vintage since 1993. Is 2001 the best vintage he has ever made? Time will tell, but there is no doubt that this wine is showing great right now. Rich and very full bodied, it borders on the texture of port. A broad palate of black fruits with not a hint of anything out of balance. Wow! I left 2 inches of the bottle corked on the counter for 48 hours and it only got better. Pretty special. For the record, my top 5 vintages of KL are on no particular order 2001, 2005, 1999, 1991, & 1994.
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1/5/2012 - Deryl wrote: 93 Points
Decanted an hour. Drinking very well now. Aged well, balance, nice fruit. Excellent and everything expected.
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12/27/2011 - fisk15 wrote: 90 Points
On the herbal side of things, did not last into day 2 but would be interested in seeing how it developed with more air.
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9/12/2011 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Very dark almost black appearance. Very ripe dark fruit, mint and coffee with some sweet vanilla oak. Lots of sweet rich blue fruit flavours and a dry slightly hot finish.
When I reflect back on this wine I don't remember it being really complex but my notes appear to mention quite a few different descriptors. Certainly a ripe in your face wine that was giving signs of being Syrah, Shiraz or Cabernet.
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8/21/2011 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Anwar brought this to South Haven for dinner. Dark purple color. This 10 year old wine was holding up very well. probably the 2nd best red of the night in the 7 bottle lineup behind the 2002 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir. Ripe black fruit notes with some tar and earthy notes. Medium to full bodied. 91-92 points.
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8/16/2011 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
Starting to come around, but this is not ever going to be a lush 01 cab. Nose is nice now, but I think the structure will outlast the fruit on this one.
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5/28/2011 - Taylor56 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 90 minutes. Much better than our last bottle - interesting this was a waxed bottle vs. capsule. Nice dark fruit and tannins were mellowed out. Lost a point due to a very muted nose. Drink up.
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3/13/2011 - hcampana wrote:
From 750ml bottle. Tasted non blind. Very perfumed nose of black currant and steel. Full to medium bodied, dense and very tannic. Although time has erased all vestige of oak, it has yet to tame the rather drying tanin in this wine. The nose is better than the palate at this stage. It is hard to predict whther this will improve as tannins are still too prominent andfruit is been lost every day.
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2/21/2011 - Brett wrote: 91 Points
Very nice!
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2/14/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
Amazing how slowly this wine has aged. It's 10 years old but still drinking very young. To bad I drank my last bottle.
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1/3/2011 - fisk15 wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Drinking very well while still exerting some tannic backbone. Currant and cedar with great balance.
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12/24/2010 - Anonymous Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a wine in a good place. Poured from a mag, it's intense, not weighty, medium to full bodied, with black cherry, cedar, cocoa, tobacco, and a solid finish. It's ready to drink but I'm not in a rush to finish my other mags.
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12/15/2010 - Andy Steinman wrote: flawed
corked
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11/25/2010 - matherjo wrote: 93 Points
Intense nose, powerful black currant. Decanted 30-45 mins before, opened beautifully with some rosemary balsamic marinated lamb chops.
Finish was shorter than I remembered but beautiful.
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11/12/2010 - jts_brown wrote: 95 Points
Wow did we love this wine. Scrumptous black cherry, dark chocolate and vanilla. This was just so tasty. what is not to like... damn!
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9/25/2010 - DFC wrote: 93 Points
Double decanted and poured, and then consumed over 4 hours. Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark garnet in color. On the nose, cassis, plums, and light menthol. On the palate, cassis, tobacco, and dark chocolate on the extremely long 40+ second finish. Lovely, well-balanced wine that has creamy, sweet, fine-grained tannins. The structure is fantastic, too, and the fruit still tastes fresh and young. Absolutely fantastic…bravo! If the aromatics open up further, this one will get even better.
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7/23/2010 - EMichels wrote: 93 Points
Great balance; Nice depth; Good fruit; Cool; A bit of earth
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6/7/2010 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
Working my way through a few vintages of Karl Lawrence this spring/summer. Decided to open this from 375ml tonight. Poured and let open about 30 minutes before tasting. This is very dark purple-garnet in the glass. The nose initially gives a pretty floral bouquet, which turns more musky as the wine opens up a bit. Some dried herbal notes in there, as well. The palate is complex - deep black fruit accented by a touch of black olive, bittersweet chocolate, and a suggestion of roasted meat drippings. Full-bodied with a good deal of dusty tannins, this is still an infant. A 2002 KL opened a few weeks ago was more mature. I'll hold my 750ml for 3-4 more years, based on how this 375ml is showing tonight. 90 pts. today, with potential for 2 more in time.
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2/8/2010 - patwjr wrote: 92 Points
Pop & pour a 375ml. Tight at 1st, not revealing much. Opened slightly after 2 hours. A glass 24 hours later was the winner. Even then still slightly tannic but much more fruit was showing. I don't see why some are saying this is a drink now wine. Lots of life and cellaring left.
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11/27/2009 - Taylor56 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 1 hour. This wine has retained a very nice dark garnet color with no bricking yet. Solid cab but no WOW factor. Oak is becoming more pronounced as the fruit starts to fade. Very similar notes to prior tasting. Nose was more pronounced with a bit of tobacco and dark fruit. Drink.
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11/11/2009 - knelsfk wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple color; nose of tobacco, smoke and oak; full body with firm tannins; nice balance and structure; flavors of cherries, herbs and minerals; some secondary flavors showing; finishes long; retasted afte 24 hours and still drank very well with no signs of oxidation.
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11/3/2009 - craigi wrote: 95 Points
Karl Lawrence comes through again. Brilliant, well-integrated wine. Decanted and consumed slowly through 3 hour window.
Brilliant dark red; huge cherry, pomegranate, leather, smokey nose; and a long, full, smooth finish with good acid, balanced tannins, and lots of fruit.
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10/25/2009 - matherjo wrote: 96 Points
Appearance: dark inky purple with garnet rim, very little signs of age; medium + viscosity, very slow stained tears
Nose: black currant, plum, cooked fruit, pain grille, coconut, vanilla, pepper, capsicum, leather
Palate: mostly fruit on the palate, supported by oak and vegetal flavors: black currant, dried fruits, pain grille, and a nice nutty backbone. New American and French Oak are evident with supporting but not overwhelming presence. Overall, a very well integrated wine and well worth the $.
Had a nice 32oz US Prime NY Strip with roasted potatoes, asparagus, and aged goat cheese croutons. Followed up with Chocolate cake, lemon sorbet and a Macanudo with some Di Saronno on the rocks. A good evening was had by all.
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10/3/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 92 Points
Lovely. Bottles just needed to settle after their trip. This wine is very good and will last multiple years.
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5/4/2009 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
This wine perfromed beautifully today. The nose is serious and not overly flamboyant. It lacks the lactic aromas typically associated with sur maturite grapes. The palate is deep and flavorful, while retaining the seriousness of the nose. Excellent cab in the not OTT style.
Este vino se comportó bellamente hoy. La nariz es seria y no demasiado extrovertida. No presenta los aromas lácticos (caramelo, cajeta, etc.) que normalmente se asocian con vinos hechos con uvas sobre maduras. La impresión en el paladar es profunda y muy sabrosa, pero manteniendo la seriedad mostrada en la nariz. Excelente Cabernet Sauvignon en un estilo que difiere de las bombas frutales golosas tan en voga hoy en día. Una interpretación muy fiel de la uva.
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5/1/2009 - TRS-Wine wrote: 95 Points
more tannic than most KL vintages - but awesome with beef
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4/17/2009 - Taylor56 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Very pretty dark garnet color. Light to medium weight in the mouth. Muted nose that opened up with time. Same rating 16 months ago - this wine has about peaked. Drink.
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1/1/2009 - Winger wrote:
Decanted for 2 hours.
Deep, dark, almost inky color. The nose is initially quite closed, but opens after about 30 minutes to reveal a splendid Cali-Cab black cherry aromatic profile. Medium bodied tending toward the lighter side. In addition to the black cherry, some mint and mocha notes appear on the palate. There is some oak, but it is held in check by the fruit and does not intrude at all. The tannins are surprisingly smooth/integrated and I found this bottle to be much more approachable than the 2000 KL we had a few months ago. NJ described it as balanced.
Nits: There was a bit of a hole in the mid-palate and the finish was clipped.
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12/27/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 91 Points
Solid, well balanced cabernet. This bottle sourced from auction, had a hollow mid palate, which improved a bit with air.
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9/20/2008 - ScottS wrote: 92 Points
This is starting to show some nuances with a little age. med to full bodied wine that is nicely balanced. personally i think this wine needs a few more years for the tannins to resolve. overall a winner and quite enjoyable.
50+5+14+16+7=92
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8/26/2008 - hcampana wrote: 88 Points
Decent cab, but hard to get excited over. Subdued nose and flavors. Tannins are dusty.
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6/8/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Karl Lawrence Vertical (wally's house, barrington IL): nose: big dark and brooding nose with dark mixed berries, black raspberry, sour cranberry, dark chocolate, and some chalk tones
taste: dark and spicy with black raspberry, sour cranberry, dark chocolate, black cherry, and some oak tones behind it
overall: a really beautiful wine with good grip. Still on the young side, this is definitely in the begining stages of its drinking window. There is a lot to like about this with its dark attack to a black licorice+black cherry based finish
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6/8/2008 - ScottG wrote: 91 Points
Drinking nicely. May continue to change some, but I think this is at peak.
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6/2/2008 - jhpwine wrote: 91 Points
tannins softening, very good now and predict several more years
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5/26/2008 - craigi wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and consumed over 3 hours. Deep purple/red; intense dark fruit, leather nose; and awesome mouth feel. Starts as fruit bomb and ends after extremely long finish......
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3/31/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Taken to Izzy's in San Ramon. Decanted approximately 10 minutes as this was the 2nd bottle of the dinner. Clean nose of fruit with some raisin notes; very dark tastes with touches of mocha and black berries; seemed lighter in body weight than the Bressler, although could probably fill out more with additional time in the decanter; ends with a dry finish. Very Good.
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3/16/2008 - JRDillon wrote: 91 Points
Overwhelming oak on open. Oak was so dominant I had to put the glass down. After 45 minutes or so in glass the fruit began to come out. Last few sips were terrific.
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3/5/2008 - knelsfk wrote: 92 Points
A little tight when first opened but after two hours opened up nicely; pleasant aromas of dark fruit, spice and chocolate; full body; firm tannins but nicely balanced with the fruit; long finish; retasted after 24 hours - showed no signs of fading
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3/2/2008 - WineForRob wrote: 93 Points
Drinking nicely right now. Huge core of raspberry fruit with a soft seemless finsh. Drank it down like juice.
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2/7/2008 - steffenpelz wrote:
This could have been so much better...bottle was not as good as past ones. Maybe I was particularly sensitive tonight, but the oak treatment was a little too overwhelming for me. The fruit, acidity, structure and texture of this wine are great, but the oak (showing via classic vanilla flavors) is just killing the rest. The bad news is that I think the oak is showing increasingly as the fruit keeps fading. My hopes of the oak integrating are very, very low a this stage.
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1/18/2008 - Taylor56 wrote: 90 Points
Very solid and approaching prime drinking window.
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12/22/2007 - CMCLR wrote: 94 Points
The guys went nuts for this. From Magnum: plush, smooth, integrated tannins, depth- amazing cabernet.
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12/6/2007 - craigi wrote: 94 Points
Every time I drink a bottle of Karl I'm reminded why it's my favorite wine. Decanted (medium sediment left behind) and poured a glass immediately. Smooth, integrated, balanced, great dark fruit nose and flavor. Long finish. Ahhh.
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9/17/2007 - gotapex wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple color. Nose opens up more as hours wear on. Restrained, and medium bodied. Chocolate and currant flavors. Tanins still relatively powerful and IMHO overpower the fruit just a bit, even when I tried at a few different temperatures. Perhaps a bit more age would be good.
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9/4/2007 - hcampana wrote: 91 Points
Had at home.
This is a prototypical Cali cab. The nose is pure black currant. Medium to full bodied, with a dash of attractive acidity. I like this quite a bit!
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8/4/2007 - jhngo wrote: 92 Points
Excellent bottle of wine that opens up very nicely. Silky tannins, velvety finish that is lengthy. Sweet nose. Very good wine for the price.
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7/26/2007 - hcampana wrote: 90 Points
Had with the Dynamica managment group @ El Gaucho
Juicy, medium bodied and great aromatics. Very good cab.
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7/13/2007 - hcampana wrote: 90 Points
Had at La Matera in Guadalajara with Luis, Ale & Vane.
This wine is not a showy, flamboyant Cali cab. It is refined, elegant and showing surprising freshness. Juicy and fruity, it goes well with food.
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7/7/2007 - Brett wrote: 91 Points
Very nice, holding up well!
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5/18/2007 - steffenpelz wrote:
Felt like something fruitier and dark and this fit the bill nicely. Popped and Poured. Nose is soaring out of the glass with chocolate, cassis liqueur, ripe plum, sandalwood and a hint of vanilla bean and pain grille. Color is a dark garnet red. The flavors are that of black currants, tobacco, leather, and dried herbs. Texture is smooth and velvety and finish long. Tannins seemed a touch bitter, but not to the extent that it gets distracting. Very solid wine and a real pleasure to drink. Certainly one of the best QPR Cabs from California considering the consistently high quality.
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4/29/2007 - shaferguy91 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours
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3/19/2007 - EPounds wrote:
Seemed restrained. Simple aromatics with sweet chocolate notes. Very integrated flavors, dark fruit and a long finish. I am hoping that this wine shows more with some additional years. This is one of my least favorite KL vintages. Even so, a very nice wine.
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3/16/2007 - drinkwinedaily wrote: 93 Points
Wow...I was impressed with the over presentation of this wine...Black purple color with nose of black fruits, spice, cigar box. On the palate, the wine has trendous depth and concentration, with nice complexity and a very nice structured finish...best cab for the money hands down...I need to place my order for the 2003...
It's hard to believe that these are still hidden gems to the mainstream public...I am glad that these wines are not reviewed on a consistent basis...
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3/3/2007 - Taylor56 wrote: 91 Points
great wine for the price. buy again.
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2/11/2007 - PatLee wrote:
Sunday is for leftovers: I brought this bottle to dinner with a few folks on Wednesday. Notes from a remaining 1/3 bottle that has been open five days and sitting on my countertop with cork in it. Dark ruby red color. Nose of leather and cocoa. Palate of red fruit (plum or currant), spice, and light vanilla. Finish has good acidity and tannin. Very nice mouthfeel.
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2/4/2007 - Quinn_cab wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 5+ hours and it could have used more.
The best this wine has shown in the past few years. Incredibly well balanced for a wine as powerfully endowed as this beauty. The nose jumps from the glass and the mouthfeel is smooth and silky. Another reason why KL is my perinial Napa Cab favorite!
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1/13/2007 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Nice purple robe. Lots of fruit leather and smoke on the nose. Mocha, tar and slightly sweet-feeling fruit. Good body of soft tannins. Very good balance and a tight svelteness made this too pleasurable as I drank the bottle.
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12/29/2006 - win wrote: 91 Points
Sampled at large tasting - minimal notes.
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12/29/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at Bacchanalia VII on December 29, 2006. No tasting note; rating only.
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12/19/2006 - ChillyWino wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for about 30 minutes before tasting and drank over the next 2 hours. Good right away, but at it's best at the end of the night. Light sediment, deep purple in color. Excellent nose of cinnamon, dark fruits, cherry, and smoke. This all follows through on the palate. A very balanced and lush wine that just got better and better with each sip. Either hold or decant for a couple hours.
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11/20/2006 - Brett wrote: 91 Points
Very nice bottle of wine. Great color, great balance with lots of life left.
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8/3/2006 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
NW Chicago Pits 2000 Bordeaux versus 2001 Cali Cabernet (La Tasca - Arlington Heights): Purple color with a luscious nose of red fruit, cassis, minerality and vanillin. The palate is huge. Big red and black fruits, tobacco and cedar. Nice tannic structure provides balance. Solid finish. A winner!
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7/31/2006 - boxwine_in_hell wrote: 94 Points
Opened in honor of my son's 5th birthday......hey any excuse to raid my cellar. Wine was just as wonderful as I previously reviewed. No change, it even complimented sickening sweet birthday cake.
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7/4/2006 - EPounds wrote:
Dark fruit, leather/barrel oak nose that was not super expressive. On the palate it was simple, but good. I think this wine is going through a funk right now and may be singing in a few years. The finish did continue for 20+ seconds.
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6/11/2006 - Employee500 wrote: 89 Points
A little simple, maybe closed, but nice balance and concentration, just lacking any complexity. Lots of blueberry...I think I'd wait 3-4 years before trying this again.
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6/2/2006 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
Still a baby this wine is drinking very nice but should improve with age althought it's very nice right now. KL cabs have to be one of the best QPRs in Calif. cabs.
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5/23/2006 - craigi wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Incredible nose, fruit bomb. Drank next to Pahlmeyer 2001, a worthy opponent.
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2/6/2006 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
(taken Turnberry Isle's Grill) Dark, murky colour. Big nose with loads of roasted fruit, smoke and fruit leathers. Big body, definite alcohol. Good elements of dark fruits, coffee and caramel. Shorter finish. Oaky spice kicks in as well. Started off very nice with steaks and whathaveyou, but we found this very quickly became cloying, over-extracted and downright hard to drink. Disappointing for a wine that normally delivers elegance and subtlety.
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1/13/2006 - hcampana wrote: 91 Points
Tasting for Newbies in Gusbo's honor ('97 Pride Reserve Cab, '02 Pride Cab Franc, '01 Karl Lawrence Cab, '01 Numanthia, '01 Henry's Drive Reserve, '93 Disznoco Eszencia, '99 Delesvaux SGN, etc.) (Monterrey, Mexico): Very dark ruby. Nose dominated by vanilla at first, and then followed by spicy black currant and flowers. This wine is loaded with fruit. Full to medium body, with noticeable but very ripe tannin and a nice long finish. This wine was drinking beautifully tonight, but will improve with 2-3 more years of cellar time as the wood integrates better. This was my 2nd favorite wine, as well as most other tasters'.
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1/6/2006 - boxwine_in_hell wrote: 94 Points
2001 Karl Lawrence is a hedonistic, gluttonous party for your nose and mouth. Dark and inky, the nose smells like you stuck your head in a gourmet candy shop. Beautiful tones of chocolate, cassis, vanilla and dark fruit extravaganza. On the palate it is just as wonderful, great tannin structure with layer upon layer of chocolately fruit complexity. At $45-$50 a bottle, this wine is a steal. Buy a case or 2 and wow your Cab loving friends. Easily the best 100% cabernet I've ever tasted at this price range. Spectacular Napa Cab.
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11/20/2005 - ScottG wrote: 91 Points
Still quite tight, but overall a solid cabernet with good balance, acidity and length. Certainly not a powerhouse, but an enjoyable wine. Needs another couple of years to open up. Reminded me a bit of the Cadence Tapteil 2002 tonight with it's slightly chalky character.
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11/13/2005 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Terrific nose. Drinking well now but will still improve.
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10/17/2005 - anthonyiez wrote: 93 Points
this was the 1st bottle for me out of my cellar. i had this last year from magnum. opened and decanted for 1 hr into a very wide bottom decanter. the color was almost black all the way to the rim. the nose was gorgeous and intense. on the palate it was very smooth and had a velvet like texture. full of typical napa cab flavors like vanilla, chocolate, cassis, dark fruits and some warm toasty oak. a solid wine for a very reasonable price. i have 5 more left and some mags. i will hold for another year before popping my next one.
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9/5/2005 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($45) A really lovely Cabernet Sauvignon with classy aromas of black currant, cedar, toasted oak, and a lace of mint and menthol. Concentrated and slightly chewey but in a round, ripe way, not a tannic or detractive way. Nice.
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5/10/2005 - davidn wrote: 93 Points
Drinking absolutely fabulous. No formal notes except for wow! A 375ml so may be maturing different from 750ml.
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4/8/2005 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. This showed the best of the bottles I've tried so far. The oak seemed better integrated, and nicely balanced by rich, powerful fruit. A little sweet on the attack. Lots of vanilla and creme de cassis. Held up well over 3+ hours.
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3/25/2005 - Siggy wrote: 91 Points
Powerful and extracted, showing loads of black licorice, plums, cherries, and vanilla. Heavy oak, which became more pronounced as the wine sat in the glass. Fine-grained tannins; smooth, long finish. On day 2 (after a Vacu-Vin night in the fridge), the fruit and oak intensified, and the wine came off as denser. I think this would definitely benefit from a few more years of bottle age.
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3/23/2005 - PatLee wrote:
Opened my last split to celebrate the arrival of the 2002 Karl Lawrence mailer. My decanter was in use, so this was splash decanted for 30 minutes before touching tasting the wine. Serious saddle leather and dark cocoa. Strong, but coating tannins. Long finish. This still needs time, but it quite good today. I will try to wait another year before opening another bottle.
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2/18/2005 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple to the rim. Notes of roasted coffee, juniper, and blackberries, framed by vanilla and gobs of toasty oak. Plenty of ripe fruit, with a smooth tannic kick on the finish. A bit too oaky for my palate, but perhaps the wine needs another few years of bottle age to integrate further. Good value.
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12/29/2004 - 97mjr wrote:
[Metro C&WB, kobe burger] pencil lead, moderate fruit, sweet tannins
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12/21/2004 - Eric wrote: 90 Points
This was nice enough for a restaurant purchase in half bottle. Initial notes of cassis move aside to show loads of rich chocolate and brown sugar. This was almost Pride-like in intensity, sweet, powerful, and surprisingly supple. That said, I found it to be a little sweet... (which is becoming a somewhat general Napa condition for me of late)
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12/16/2004 - Quinn_cab wrote: 91 Points
Very tight on opening. 60 minutes in things started to loosen up, but even after three hours it hadn't really come around completely. Nice cassis, dark fruit and mild chocolate flavors. Decent finish for being as closed as it was.
I can definitely tell there is something powerful lurking under the surface, it's just not ready to show itself yet. Needs at least another year or two...makes me think the reserves are going to need a decade plus!
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9/25/2004 - PatLee wrote:
Opened a split tonight to conclude dinner. Open for 90 minutes before first sip and still somewhat closed. Palette of cola, spice, and dark chocolate. Good amounts of tannins, but integrated so that is was not overpowering the fruit to be undrinkable. Long, coating finish that was also strong. Looks to have the makings of a great wine with more time.
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9/24/2004 - Koods wrote: 93 Points
A blessing, so damn pure, cassis, mint, cedar and laser focus, great ripe tannins, almost undetectable, marathon finish, this has to be a wine I really hate telling people about. Schools Pride's basic cab year in and year out, and for alot less. Own it. tonite 93++
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8/24/2004 - ErikK wrote: 94 Points
Great Cal Cab. Nose is dominated with black fruits and a slight sweet vanilla scent. On the palete it is well balance with a good amount of structure. Although consumed on its own, it would serve well with food. Highly impressed early on and will seek out more.
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8/1/2004 - Koods wrote: 93 Points
Black core with a deep purple rim. Primary nose of cassis, nothing else. Palate was heavenly. Staining flavors of black currants, rasberry, mint, licorice and dark chocolate. Powerful and long - revealing great structure and tons of stuffing and hidden treasures. Finishes with excellent spine and firm tannins. Stupid young, but will probably drink a few more, I can't resist. This is incredible juice in the making.
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7/24/2004 - fctsui wrote: 94 Points
A classic Calif. Cabernet that will only get better with aging.
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6/1/2004 - PatLee wrote:
A friend opened a bottle tonight. It was very timid when first opened. After being in the glass for an hour, the nose took on more interesting aromas of spice and coffee. The fruit was not overwhelmed by the quite noticable tannins. It kept getting better over the two hours the bottle lasted and I was sad when I finished my last sip. A wonderful, complex wine that should age well.
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4/9/2004 - ScottG wrote:
Hard to get a feel for this wine, this was tight from open to finish (two hour period). Seemed to have all the components for an quality cab, but needs to sit for at least a year or two before trying again.
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