Dark ruby, clear, woodsy forest fruit, hints of graphite, medium bodied yet lithe, completely smooth and balanced (despite its 14+% ABV). It has been a good long while since we last tasted this wine, and it was off the charts. Harmonious, tannins well integrated, each sip left me wanting the next. And we have only one bottle left:(!
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Robust aromas of vitamins, blueberry, and black cherry. Smokey cherry flavor that is excessively alcoholic, and left my tongue stinging. My impression is the alcohol will prevail as the ultimate victor in the maturation race.
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This was really good, even though the cork was slightly elevated and there were signs of seepage on this bottle. I was still impressed; classic Quilceda flavor but a little bit more restrained than their flagship cab.
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Had this at Gallaghers Steakhouse in NYC with a beautiful bone-in prime rib. Drank half of the bottle over 2 hours, no decant but it wouldn't have hurt.
This a a very nice wine, despite the high alcohol, which hits your nose fresh out of the bottle. After the alcohol blows off, aromas of dark fruit, spice box, and leather. Very smooth on the palate, with the alcohol not prominent or overpowering. Long, intense finish, 30+ seconds. Tannins are integrated but there is a touch of dustiness towards the back.
Paired perfectly with the steak.
Edit: I feel like I need to add. On night 2, the wine was still lovely. No trace of alcohol now and everything was smooth.
No signs of deterioration and very little indication that this wine was 12 years old. Hold if you have any in your cellar.
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Drank alongside a 2009 Galitzine, 2009 Estate, and 2012 Estate. This might have been the best bottle of the night. It’s in a great place, but it still easily has 5 years left. Lots of fruit, funk, and spice. A great wine!
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At the initial sip, the wine is excessively hot at 15.2% ABV. After 2 hours decanting the wine was in its sweet spot. To my disappointed surprise, faded after 4 hours. Not sure why it was so flat at the 4 hour mark. Truth be told, I have never really like the Palengat, this will like be my last Palengat purchased. Much bigger fan of the Galitzine and the estate vines.
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Impressive!! First taste is a little hot with some tannins but even 30min later it is a charmer & 120min it is your best friend. Silky, strong, graphite and bright res fruit, subtle wood & a superb finish. Sure it has another 5yrs....
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- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of black currant, cherry and chocolate. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant with a medium/full body - Popped and let air for two hours. This really needs the time to come around. A luscious well-made wine and in a perfect drinking window with air. Day two was even better! Really like this one a lot. Drink now or hold for another three or four years
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Decanted for 2 hours. Drank over the next 4 hours. Wine got better all night. We didn’t drink with food, but I think it would be excellent paired with grilled beef. I will wait a couple of years before drinking my other bottle.
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Decanted for 60 minutes before drinking. The wine improved throughout the evening. Red cherry, dark berry flavors, chocolate and spicy oak flavors on the nose and palate with a nice long finish. This wine still has a long way to go.
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Very nice. After a one hour decant, smoky, with deep, dark blue fruits and unfortunately some drying tannins that mar the finish. After two hours, the tannins have diminished, the finish has lengthened, and the fruit is shading more toward the red-blue spectrum with complexity and an underlying minerality. Not as smooth as the flagship Cabernet, but a really nice wine in its own right. Recommend at least a 2 hour decant or maybe holding for a few more years.
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Deep and earthy on the nose, mouthwatering oak and wet leaves; opened up with layers of chocolate, black fruit. Almost chewy with smooth tannins and a very long finis.
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Truly exceptional, the '09 Quilceda Creek Palengat (a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot) presents an aroma and flavor profile of black cherries, dark bramble fruits, melted licorice, roasted herbs and baking spices. Full-bodied, fresh, and layered, it somehow hides its 15.2% alcohol behind a curtain of massive silky tannins. Impressively dense in the middle, it proceeds to a finish that seems to last forever. This was sampled at a walk-around wine and food party on a balmy Southern California evening. It was much better when I plopped the bottle into a brief ice bath to bring it down from 70+°F to an appropriate serving temperature of 60-65°F. My tasting reflects impressions of the wine at the appropriate temperature. There is no question that Quilceda Creek is a first growth producer from the Evergreen State. Drink now-2030.
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Decanted 4+ hours, and it needed it. Rich and full bodied, this wine is absolutely rockin'! Nose of violets, black currant and earth, following to the palate. So mouthcoating and creamy...great wine! Drink 2018-2029.
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Was very closed down at first, but opened up nicely over dinner at Il Posto Trattoria in Napa. Still needs time in my opinion, but that was my last bottle :-(
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Wonderful Cabernet at Mom's place. Paired with great steaks and 2006 Leonetti Reserve and 2006 Cayuse Armada. Armada won the night but they were all awesome!
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Still very young, took a long while to open up but you could tell this is going to be a great wine after you give it some time. Blackberry bramble, smoke, refined tannings. All starting to come together but wait 2 years before opening up another.
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Very beautiful, soft, balanced yet powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Typical new world with lots of red and dark fruit. Perfect to drink but didn't went well with the food (too sweet). Expensive but what you get is worth it. No decant needed. Ready to drink these days but will evolve well over the next five to ten years.
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Ready after a short decant. Creme de cassis, plum jam, smoke, black raspberries, cedar, new leather, chocolate, earth, and violets on the nose. Tart cherries, black cherries, cassis, plums, licorice, spice, raspberries, earth, vanilla, and saline on the palate. Surprisingly nice acidity, fine integrated tannins, long finish. This was an impressive wine. It's big and modern, but also juicy and fresh. There's a mouthwatering aspect that coaxes you to take another sip. It mostly manages to hide the ample alcohol, and the oak doesn't seem out of control for the fruit. It was quite lovely with a rich braised beef dish.
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Initially light young complex red fruits with toasty oak vanilla, intensifies after one hour decant and much better as the night went . The rich red fruits came alive. The cool terroir of Washington state really comes through in this wine.
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Dark , rich complex wine with blackberries, dark chocolate, rose petals, smooth , tannins are integrating well. Continuing to evolve. Try again in 6 months to one year
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Big, rich, and tasty, with currant, dark chocolate, and black cherry flavors. Big but fairly smooth tannins and moderate acidity. Enjoyable now but will probably be a bit smoother a year from now.
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Excellent deep, rich Cab blend. Has a nose of spice, chocolate and cassis. Dark fruits add to the cassis on the palate. Excellent structure, good acidity and refined tannins with a very nice medium length finish. Very enjoyable.
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Has a very nice future to it --- dark purple, nice bouquet of spice, dark fruits and tar/cocoa, long finish, good acidity and structure. Lots of depth and purity. Should/may get much better, for now, outstanding, if just a bit young.
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Big, concentrated cab, well-structured, with layers of currant, blueberry, chocolate. Tannins not too prominent and very approachable at this stage, but should continue to improve in the cellar.
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Fabulous wine for $35! Amazing fruit taste--rich dark fruit, cocoa, a little smoke, simply great with red meat! Was also good with fried shrimp actually.
2/23/2024 - Twowinechicks Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby, clear, woodsy forest fruit, hints of graphite, medium bodied yet lithe, completely smooth and balanced (despite its 14+% ABV). It has been a good long while since we last tasted this wine, and it was off the charts. Harmonious, tannins well integrated, each sip left me wanting the next. And we have only one bottle left:(!
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9/21/2023 - Musinus wrote: 84 Points
Robust aromas of vitamins, blueberry, and black cherry. Smokey cherry flavor that is excessively alcoholic, and left my tongue stinging. My impression is the alcohol will prevail as the ultimate victor in the maturation race.
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4/6/2023 - Mothetgoo wrote: 94 Points
This was really good, even though the cork was slightly elevated and there were signs of seepage on this bottle. I was still impressed; classic Quilceda flavor but a little bit more restrained than their flagship cab.
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3/5/2023 - PrinceKyrris Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this at Gallaghers Steakhouse in NYC with a beautiful bone-in prime rib. Drank half of the bottle over 2 hours, no decant but it wouldn't have hurt.
This a a very nice wine, despite the high alcohol, which hits your nose fresh out of the bottle. After the alcohol blows off, aromas of dark fruit, spice box, and leather. Very smooth on the palate, with the alcohol not prominent or overpowering. Long, intense finish, 30+ seconds. Tannins are integrated but there is a touch of dustiness towards the back.
Paired perfectly with the steak.
Edit: I feel like I need to add. On night 2, the wine was still lovely. No trace of alcohol now and everything was smooth.
No signs of deterioration and very little indication that this wine was 12 years old. Hold if you have any in your cellar.
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2/25/2022 - Troon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank alongside a 2009 Galitzine, 2009 Estate, and 2012 Estate. This might have been the best bottle of the night. It’s in a great place, but it still easily has 5 years left. Lots of fruit, funk, and spice. A great wine!
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9/22/2021 - dankgummy Likes this wine: 90 Points
At the initial sip, the wine is excessively hot at 15.2% ABV. After 2 hours decanting the wine was in its sweet spot. To my disappointed surprise, faded after 4 hours. Not sure why it was so flat at the 4 hour mark. Truth be told, I have never really like the Palengat, this will like be my last Palengat purchased. Much bigger fan of the Galitzine and the estate vines.
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4/23/2021 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful WA cab. Fruit forward, forest floor, pencil shavings and silky long finish. Gorgeous!
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1/25/2021 - RCS73 wrote: 93 Points
Solid Washington Cab - more restrained style than similarly aged Napa cabernets.
Oak, spice, and vanilla notes more prominent than fruit flavors
Could use a bit more time
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12/19/2020 - Rhone Rick Likes this wine: 95 Points
Impressive!! First taste is a little hot with some tannins but even 30min later it is a charmer & 120min it is your best friend. Silky, strong, graphite and bright res fruit, subtle wood & a superb finish. Sure it has another 5yrs....
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12/8/2020 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of black currant, cherry and chocolate. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant with a medium/full body - Popped and let air for two hours. This really needs the time to come around. A luscious well-made wine and in a perfect drinking window with air. Day two was even better! Really like this one a lot. Drink now or hold for another three or four years
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12/6/2020 - Larewski Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP, good structure, integrated oak, raisins, reminiscent of Amarone.
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8/16/2020 - Troon wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Drank over the next 4 hours. Wine got better all night. We didn’t drink with food, but I think it would be excellent paired with grilled beef. I will wait a couple of years before drinking my other bottle.
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3/30/2020 - larryschecter wrote:
Day 22 or COVID quarantine
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12/7/2019 - gesusser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Seasmoke is spot on. Excellent with a 2+ hour decant.
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11/28/2019 - SeaSmoke wrote: 94 Points
Red cherry, dark berry flavors, chocolate and spicy oak flavors on the nose and palate with a nice long finish.
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11/2/2019 - SeaSmoke wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 60 minutes before drinking. The wine improved throughout the evening. Red cherry, dark berry flavors, chocolate and spicy oak flavors on the nose and palate with a nice long finish. This wine still has a long way to go.
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8/31/2019 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice. After a one hour decant, smoky, with deep, dark blue fruits and unfortunately some drying tannins that mar the finish. After two hours, the tannins have diminished, the finish has lengthened, and the fruit is shading more toward the red-blue spectrum with complexity and an underlying minerality. Not as smooth as the flagship Cabernet, but a really nice wine in its own right. Recommend at least a 2 hour decant or maybe holding for a few more years.
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6/14/2019 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has aged well and will continue to do so. Rich and layered, hints of dark fruit and lots of sweet red cherry. Still some tannins but a delicious
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6/14/2019 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 94 Points
A beautiful wine. Full bodied, great depth and complexity. Licorice, black fruit oak and cassis. Tamed tannins.
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5/25/2019 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 93 Points
I get cherry, cocoa, medium tannins.
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12/7/2018 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep and earthy on the nose, mouthwatering oak and wet leaves; opened up with layers of chocolate, black fruit. Almost chewy with smooth tannins and a very long finis.
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4/1/2018 - BobbaWA Likes this wine:
Drank with leg of lamb - might not have been the perfect pairing.
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12/29/2017 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 95 Points
Simply excellent. Too cold to allow the nose to show itself, silky smooth tannins, full body, good dark fruit, long finish
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11/28/2017 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking really well right now. Nicely balanced between dark red fruit and tannic structure.
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11/5/2017 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bright red cherry, tins of fruit. Incredibly smooth. Great round finish.
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9/30/2017 - GalvezGuy wrote:
Seems to be shut down. Inky dark color with faint nose of plums and cherries. Not much on the palate, tons of structure. Hold.
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9/11/2017 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious blackberry, cassis, and chocolate on the nose and palate with refined tannins on the long finish.
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8/26/2017 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 97 Points
Truly exceptional, the '09 Quilceda Creek Palengat (a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot) presents an aroma and flavor profile of black cherries, dark bramble fruits, melted licorice, roasted herbs and baking spices. Full-bodied, fresh, and layered, it somehow hides its 15.2% alcohol behind a curtain of massive silky tannins. Impressively dense in the middle, it proceeds to a finish that seems to last forever. This was sampled at a walk-around wine and food party on a balmy Southern California evening. It was much better when I plopped the bottle into a brief ice bath to bring it down from 70+°F to an appropriate serving temperature of 60-65°F. My tasting reflects impressions of the wine at the appropriate temperature. There is no question that Quilceda Creek is a first growth producer from the Evergreen State. Drink now-2030.
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3/25/2017 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
A little hot and oaky, but good.
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3/12/2017 - Cadby Likes this wine: 98 Points
2009 Quilceda Creek Palengat +++++ $100
Cedar & sweet eucalyptus. Beautiful fruit. Delicate, lovely tannin
http://8wordsonwine.blogspot.com/2017/03/2009-quilceda-creek-palengat-100.html
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12/31/2016 - RPerro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 4+ hours, and it needed it. Rich and full bodied, this wine is absolutely rockin'! Nose of violets, black currant and earth, following to the palate. So mouthcoating and creamy...great wine! Drink 2018-2029.
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12/4/2016 - FChandler wrote: 93 Points
Was very closed down at first, but opened up nicely over dinner at Il Posto Trattoria in Napa. Still needs time in my opinion, but that was my last bottle :-(
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6/26/2016 - Gene_Mo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tons and tons of black fruit. Impossible to put this anywhere than a WA wine. Tannins virtually non existent.
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4/3/2016 - rhalbert wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful Cabernet at Mom's place. Paired with great steaks and 2006 Leonetti Reserve and 2006 Cayuse Armada. Armada won the night but they were all awesome!
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4/3/2016 - Nbkat8 wrote: 94 Points
Still very young, took a long while to open up but you could tell this is going to be a great wine after you give it some time. Blackberry bramble, smoke, refined tannings. All starting to come together but wait 2 years before opening up another.
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1/23/2016 - brettlaurvick Likes this wine: 97 Points
Best wine I've had in the last 12 months
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9/21/2015 - Cailles wrote: 96 Points
Very beautiful, soft, balanced yet powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Typical new world with lots of red and dark fruit. Perfect to drink but didn't went well with the food (too sweet). Expensive but what you get is worth it. No decant needed. Ready to drink these days but will evolve well over the next five to ten years.
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9/18/2015 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 93 Points
perfect, very smooth with a nice long finish
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8/3/2015 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great blue purple color. Cloves and cinnamon on the nose. Deep blackberry flavor. Long finish with dry tannins signaling a few more years of cellar.
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8/2/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious, incredibly smooth, soft tannins, dense with dark fruit. Great with beef braciole on the deck with friends.
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6/17/2015 - Justinwine wrote: 91 Points
A bit austere.
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12/29/2014 - rmh66 wrote: 94 Points
Ready after a short decant. Creme de cassis, plum jam, smoke, black raspberries, cedar, new leather, chocolate, earth, and violets on the nose. Tart cherries, black cherries, cassis, plums, licorice, spice, raspberries, earth, vanilla, and saline on the palate. Surprisingly nice acidity, fine integrated tannins, long finish. This was an impressive wine. It's big and modern, but also juicy and fresh. There's a mouthwatering aspect that coaxes you to take another sip. It mostly manages to hide the ample alcohol, and the oak doesn't seem out of control for the fruit. It was quite lovely with a rich braised beef dish.
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12/23/2014 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
Perfect.
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7/29/2014 - ravbik wrote: 95 Points
Initially light young complex red fruits with toasty oak vanilla, intensifies after one hour decant and much better as the night went . The rich red fruits came alive. The cool terroir of Washington state really comes through in this wine.
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7/18/2014 - Mark in Seattle wrote: 91 Points
I agree that this wine is still to young to drink. Big mistake opening it now.
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6/20/2014 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
Still quite youg. Hold for a couple years.
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5/15/2014 - phantphant wrote: 90 Points
Yummy!
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4/21/2014 - ravbik wrote: 94 Points
Dark , rich complex wine with blackberries, dark chocolate, rose petals, smooth , tannins are integrating well. Continuing to evolve. Try again in 6 months to one year
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2/15/2014 - mreinitz wrote: 93 Points
Big, rich, and tasty, with currant, dark chocolate, and black cherry flavors. Big but fairly smooth tannins and moderate acidity. Enjoyable now but will probably be a bit smoother a year from now.
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2/2/2014 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent deep, rich Cab blend. Has a nose of spice, chocolate and cassis. Dark fruits add to the cassis on the palate. Excellent structure, good acidity and refined tannins with a very nice medium length finish. Very enjoyable.
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12/6/2013 - cadamson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has a very nice future to it --- dark purple, nice bouquet of spice, dark fruits and tar/cocoa, long finish, good acidity and structure. Lots of depth and purity. Should/may get much better, for now, outstanding, if just a bit young.
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7/16/2013 - G_H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Way too young, not yet as expressive as expected. Patience...
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7/11/2013 - kgh wrote: 93 Points
Big, concentrated cab, well-structured, with layers of currant, blueberry, chocolate. Tannins not too prominent and very approachable at this stage, but should continue to improve in the cellar.
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6/15/2013 - mklasing Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous wine for $35! Amazing fruit taste--rich dark fruit, cocoa, a little smoke, simply great with red meat! Was also good with fried shrimp actually.
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3/7/2013 - ravbik Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needs about one hour aeration. nice balance of the tannins, oak and fruits. Plum, black cherry, mild glycerin and stone.
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