Perfumed, leather and spice box. Pleasant bit of veg and leafy herbs. Some dark fruits but mostly savory notes. Well rounded tannins and finish is still lively. Drink now.
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Wow, really good balance and depth of East Napa valley fruit.
Worth the years of cellaring to enjoy it now. This bottle was starting to turn the corner in a good way but it may be worth a wait to look-see in 5 years.
Anyway, this is our last bottle and no regrets.
BTW, we had a very memorable tasting at CVV during our 20th anniversary trip in 2013. Thanks, Todd.
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Lovely floral aromas. Dark fruit flavors. Integrated round tannins with nice acidity. Dark fruit, blackberry, graphite, and pencil lead. Medium+ finish. Nicely done.
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2nd bottle of 6, purchased over a decade ago, and last consumed a bottle about 3 yrs ago. Developing nicely, this Napa Cab is regal, polished, with nicely integrating oak and showing cassis, black cherries, graphite, a hint of mint, and a long and super-refined finish. Really well made and built to age another decade or so. This is my wife's favorite Napa winery.
Wonderful wine that has aged extremely well. Essence of black peppercorns, toast, toffee, cocoa and ripe figs. Wonderful layers of cassis, black cherries, mint, figs and black peppercorns. Great balance of tannins and acidity. I wish we had more in our cellar, it at least we had a few.
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Decanted for an hour before pouring. Dark ruby red with a light red rim around the top of the pour. Very nice essence of black pepper, ripe figs, blackberries, licorice and mint. Layers of cases, tobacco, mocha, licorice, black peppercorns, mocha and ripe figs. Wonderful aging on this wine.
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Amazing QPR!! This little gem is drinking great here it has a lot going on at all levels, from that complicated purple fruits, tannic structure, loads of minerals especially graphite and schist. Really nice wine with air.
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Coravin taste and then K had with book club. This was drinking really well. More red-fruited than the Lewelling Wight or Lancaster Nicole's tasted alongside, this is mid-weight with nice balance and decent acidity. It's not heavily extracted or hedonistic, but more of a traditionally-styled cab. For our palates, this was quite nice. 3 remaining and there is no hurry on these. But there also does not seem to me much reason to wait longer.
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- Just Opened = 84pts - complex and youthful, lots of mint - 3hr Decant = 87pts - complex, very fruit forward and heavy. Deep garnet, hazy, big and colorful legs - resembles a paso robles CDR style or Australian shiraz - looks like Nyquil. Nice and clean on the nose, med+ intensity. It started off with slate, cherry juice, huge mint leaf, cola bean, vegetal (asparagus) and sulphuric acid / After 3hr decant it was much more subdued but much more fruity - cherry, plum, vanilla, cherry cola, bottle cap candy, slight mint and slight gasoline. Very dry on the palate, med+ tannins, huge body, my lips are still grippy after one minute! Cocoa powder, ripe bing cherry, firecracker, very fruit and alcohol forward. Reminds me of a sweet bourbon, slight wheat and switchgrass. It may be deceiving me by the alcohol and fruit but this probably has 20yrs+ remaining on it. I see this wine going one of two ways: 1. It will become refined and beautiful. 2. It will become a mishmash of fruit, alcohol and tannins with stewed fruit like spoiled red apples. It is good with steak and dark chocolate. This wine is not worth the price I have paid for it over the years. I think a value price for this would be about $15 but that is nowhere near what I and others pay for it. I have one left which I'll keep for when my kid turns 21.
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The wine has a deep burgundy red color with a very slight clear rim around the top along the glass. When poured, notes of bing cherries, blueberries, licorice, cocoa, mint and toast filled the room. Wonderful mouthfeel with layers of cocoa, ripe figs, dark plums, toast and mint. Very soft and well integrated tannins. Based upon the structure of this wine, there is another five years left if properly cellared.
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Decanted for 4 hours (wasn't planning to but tannins are still firm upon opening). Sediments are fine. Deep, nearly opaque ruby/purple color. Nose is restrained, with tertiary notes of crushed limestone, saddle leather and grape stalk underlain with red and black berry compote, macrosugars and cactus flower. And yes, I know that's crazy. Tannins are very fine and coat the teeth. Acidity is ample enough to support the medium body. Finish is medium/medium-long. Unfortunately, our last bottle. I'd like to see where this wine goes. Drinking nicely now and I'm not sure more cellar time will improve it. But I could be way off on that...
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Enjoyed alongside the 2010 and 2011 ACVV Estate Cabernet at a large family gathering with grilled ribeyes. At ten plus years this is exquisite, hitting on all cylinders and well into the development stage showing a great mix of black and red fruits, floral aromatics, evolving complex notes, and a perfect balance of all the elemental components. Drinking at peak, but has potential for additional cellaring. Should drink well for another five plus years.
Really great showing. Red and black fruits, earthy notes, integrated oak and fine grained tannins. The finish is very long with plenty of nuances to think about. The time in bottle has been good for this wine, and I think it has entered a nice drinking window.
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PnP. This was very interesting. The bottle was consumed over 3 hours. At first it was a low level cab but by the end it was current, au jus, some espresso with a lingering finish. Suggest a good decant for this stage.
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Decanted and drank over 2 hours. Complex fruit and well integrated but tannin was a little green and vegetable ish. Not unpleasantly so. Finish very long, many minutes of enjoyment with each sip.
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In March I scored a bottle of the 2009 ACVV Reserve at 95. This weekend I opened a second bottle and found it thick and heavy, with lots of dark red fruit, pine resin and a little spice. I was surprised and disappointed and wonder whether there is a seasonal aspect to my reaction between late winter and a beautiful indian summer evening.
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Almost inky in color. Intense nose of dark purple fruit. Still plenty of fruit on the palate cassis and cocoa. Chewy with a long, sweet finish. In a great place, plenty of life left.
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Bottle #1 of 6. Purchased for $77 USD. Super delicious, this wine is regal and proper for a Napa Cab. Black cherries, cassis, pencil lead, moist earth, and menthol flavors, the wine is big and bold on the palate. Beautifully moderated acidity, with chewy tannins and a long and black-fruited finish. Drink now through 2030 or so. Very nice.
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Popped and let breathe in bottle for about an hour. This was drinking very well. Very well integrated wine with red fruit predominant on the palate. Drinking well now.
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decanted 1 hour and drank over the next 2. got better as the night wore on. Initially a bit disjointed, but really came together and gained plush mouthfeel. More red fruit than I would have expected
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Very good. PnP and had with burgers for dinner. Nice aromas of cherry, herbs, tobacco and leather. Tannins seem smoother than last tasting with filet. Dark and full bodied with a medium to long finish. Black cherries, dark chocolate and licorice.
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Christmas dinner with filet mignon and port sauce along with an '06 Beaucastel CdP. Might have brought out the dry side of the steak at times. Dark licorice, plum, herbs. I think I would leave these for a few years before opening again, seems to be a bit disjointed. Surprised because I've opened up some of the more recent ACVV Estate Reserves and they've seemed more complete. Decanted about an hour but didn't change much over the course of dinner so not sure if additional decanting time would have helped.
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Opened in the bottle for 3-4 hours. Flavors are fully developed but pretty much a cassis bomb. Chalky and harsh with the taste seeming mature but the structure underdeveloped and young. Good but awkward.
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Drank from a split, and it is 7 years since bottling. So that definitely affects my comments. I don't think the wine aged that well in a 375ml bottle. It was uneven after opening, and actually a bit harsh to drink. Let it sit until the next day, and it improved and was quite drinkable. But, still, not what I was expecting compared to prior bottles. I guess the moral of the story is to drink one's splits quicker
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Consumed in July. See prior notes: Dark garnet color; rim still purple. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black currant, black cherry, roasted expresso, minerals and a slight hint of mint. The oak is there, but not overbearing. Rich and intense fruit. Tannins are fairly well resolved and integrated into the wine.
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Great nose showing some old world character with notes of mold, mushroom and sage complemented by blueberry and dried fig. The palate is what was very disappointing although it did improve after some air but still remained simplistic and empty. No finish at all. Maybe it is in that mute stage.
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More of a bordeaux styled Napa cab, by taste I would say the grapes were picked on the earlier side, leaner, a bit more pyrazine, some nice fruit in there, like riding in an old Oldsmobile - nice ride, very comfortable, not terribly exciting, some will like it, not completely my thing but again, good. I have a special place for this producer in my heart, and have definitely had some wines from ACVV I loved, this wasn't quite it today. 2 hour decant, drank over 2 hours.
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Decanted. This could be drank immediately but need a little time to rid the green notes which were not totally off putting. Black fruit and currants in an older style Cab layered with menthol and tobacco. Finish lingers with tongue tingling tannins. Held up for four hours without any concern. Tons of life left.
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Opened for about an hour. This bottle had an odd, soy or worcheshire aroma on the nose - quite pungent and not entirely enjoyable. The wine itself was rough and disjointed, like it had not integrated. Much better with food than alone. Like prior bottles, not really much ripe fruit and lacking freshness. It wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't what I expect. I will not score.
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Decanted for 2 hours and this was drinking very well. Copious amounts of fruit and good structure/acid to back it up. Paired well with a grilled porterhouse.
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Wow big difference from my tasting notes 4 years ago when I gave it only 88 pts. I did a pop n'pour thru a venturi for a bit of aeration and the vegetal notes I complained about before were gone and replaced with crushed red fruit. We drank this with dinner and savored this afterwards watching a movie and it kept improving over the 3-4 hours. I've been drinking a lot of Pinot, Syrah lately and it was really satisfying to come back to a Napa Cab. This was a wine that I would pour 1/2" into the Reidel glass and just swirl and sniff over and over and inhale the aromatic cedar, spices and dense fruit. It also had a very long finish that reached the back palate and persisted nicely with smooth tannins. Patience was rewarded and I noticed that a 4 hour decant of the bottle I had in 2013 did not come close to real cellar time to change this wine into a wonderful Napa Cab.
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Very dark core, with purple fringes. Raspberries, dark cherries, licorice, herbs, and a hint of green pepper. I would call this medium body for a cab, and very restrained/elegant compared to the 2014 version of this wine I just tried at the winery. The 2014 comes in at 16.2% abv compared to this one at 14.6%, and seem like they were made in very different styles. This one (2009) is drinking very nicely right now.
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Forgot to read my prior notes - should have decanted. Very tight for the first hour with dark fruits, tar and spice dominating a wine I would describe as dark and brooding. Very dense and highly extracted, it bordered on being cloying, but with a high acidity level that made it drinkable. Lots of licorice after about an hour but never really had much fruit. Long finish and a slightly chewy texture. Perhaps my least favorite Conn Valley Reserve of the past decade and very different from what other tasters described.
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Color is on the light side for a cab. The nose is comprised of good oak, forest floor, menthol, hot stone, and cassis. The palate is more of the same but the finish is a bit short. Not a bad wine overall. I like how it's not packed with fruit and vanilla. At this age, this is drinking very smooth. This is an earthy wine, which I love. The only caveat to this wine is the thin palate. Had it been more dense, it would've been spectacular.
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An excellent Cabernet Sauvignon made with appropriate restraint so as to reveal rich layers of dark red cherry fruit, a touch of licorice and herbs. It is rare to describe a Napa Cab as having a touch of elegance, but this vintage has that, and I think it will get better even with age. This reaffirms Conn Valley is one of my favorite producers.
If you like Cabs that are extracted, oaky, jammy fruit bombs, look elsewhere (there are plenty of options).
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Similar to my tasting note 2 years ago - this is a lean, defined cab that offers enjoyable drinking right now. There was something green-herby on the nose and prominent dark fruit on the palate. I think the wine will continue to age well.
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this is a solid 91 pt cab, ageable, reasonably well made but with no extraordinary features. it will never wow, but it's solid. drink now or over 10 yrs.
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Still a bit primary, but with tons of ripe, rich dark fruit, spice, earth, oak and a touch of graphite/licorice. Full bodied, concentrated and slightly chewy with fruit that is perhaps less vibrant than other vintages at this point. Needed air time - I should have decanted for an hour or more. No doubt there will be upside with more time.
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Decanted for 1 hour or so. It needed much more. Drank over the next 3 and the best sips were at the end. This needs a 3+ hour decant IMO. Very floral nose. Some green pepper notes with black cherry on the palate. The fruit seems to make more of an appearance after significant air time. However, the fruit is muted (as others have noted) compared to other vintages.
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Dark purple in colour. Clean nose of floral and plums. Dry, med body, med acidity, still strong but nice tannins. Black current, plum, and spice on palate. Nice wine
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Decanted over an hour and wine is drinking beautifully here, full fruit balanced between fresh plums and a jam, crushed stone, some dry tobacco and pepper. Oak is there but well integrated. It's only at the transition from body to finish that one feels a flash of tannins.
All that said I find the nose a bit dumb, almost empty...,certainly versus the body. Hence my rounding down to 93. This is not a wine I sat and wafted.
Go on and Drink but be sure to decant at least an hour.
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Nose of black cherry, black currants, plum, and touch of dusty earth, the same on the palate, mouth filling fruit, almost elegant tasting tonight, medium/big body, at it's peak, very floral in the glass, long, long finish.
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My experience was write in line with CSIMM1161's appraisal of this wine. I'd say my bottle was more than a touch astringent and the tannins were strong. This wine lacks character, finesse and complexity. This wine is also highly oaked, which some are characterizing as cedar notes.
Evaluating wine is highly subjective... one man's VW is another man's Bugatti, but if you've got a discriminating palate or have been exposed to great Napa Cabs, this wine isn't even close to sniffing the 90 point range.
Checking back on this since the last bottle back in June 2014. Enjoyed with a grilled ribeye and a little Willie in the speakers....
Starting to turn from black to red. Dark and full bodied, but the aroma and flavor profile yields lots of deep purple violets, red currant, mixed berries, vanilla extract, slightly worn shoe leather, and cedar mulch. Starting to see the layers evolve. Big and classy mouthfeel setting up a strong finish. This is really good and has lots of potential.
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Decanted for 1 hour and served with grilled flat iron steak.
Dark black color with no meniscus. On nose, cassis, blackberry, black licorice, menthol and touch of coconut (not overbearing). Palate was similar. I really enjoyed this and it has continued to improve over the last several years. This has been stored in a cool cellar since purchase in early 2012.
Very enjoyable and would buy again. 93+
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A four-year vertical tasting of Anderson's Conn Estate Reserve Cabernets: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
The 2009 ranked #3, close to last along with the 2007. Both the 2007 and 2009 were fairly flavorless and thin, with simplistic profiles of red currant, cedar, and some watery purple plum. Almost no finish to speak of, with the cedar note lingering on the back end.
A touch astringent, but the wine completely lacked any power, so any astringency was really only a mild detractor. There was no "oomph" in this wine at all. "Soft and delicate" was really just weak and boring. Had almost Pinot-like characteristics about it (not something I want in my Cabernets).
The 2009 and the 2007 drank like $10 Cabernets. No signs of being flawed; simply forgettable and weak.
Drink now, as what fruit is in the 2009 will likely continue to fade. A generous 87 points from me. I am very surprised by the CT scores on both the 2007 and 2009 vintages of these wines.
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An early Easter dinner on the back patio in Phoenix. Dark garnet color; rim still purple. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black currant, black cherry, roasted expresso, minerals and a slight hint of mint. The oak is there, but not overbearing. Rich and intense fruit. Tannins are fairly well resolved and integrated into the wine. Fairly well balanced, but should get better with more time. Good structure. A soft and decent finish. Pared very well with Colorado rack of lamb. Score 93-94.
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Would have really liked more time to let this breathe out and slowly develop. Distinct notes of cranberry and currant, and solid minerality on the finish.
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A little beef, bitter chocolate and some amazingly mouth watering florals. After about an hour some greet pepper peeks in. The palate is smooth as glass with medium weight and sadly some tight fruit. Time will make this great I think.
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Double decanted and left town with it driving North. It was nice with grilled skirt steak during a late dinner 10 hours later. Enough left for 2 small glasses with lunch today and it was singing. Moderately concentrated without heaviness. Dark fruit, balanced, integrated tannin and medium long finish. Lovely.
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Lean and well-defined Napa cab. Blackberries and minerality were most prominent. We should have given this bottle 90 minutes of air. I think this will continue to improve - lots of promise.
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Consistent with my earlier tasting. Drinking well here; needs decanting. Will wait a year or so to see how it develops for next bottles as I didn't see a lot of maturation over the past six months.
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PNP...inky violet with good clarity...lively nose dominated by ripe blackberries and black cherries with prominent layers of espresso and licorice followed by subtle touches of menthol and fresh herbs...rich and chewy on entry with gripping tannins, bright acidity and a long sumptuous finish...while not yet fully resolved, it is approachable and quite layered, complex, enjoyable...a notch above the 08 and built to last...great QPR
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Improved a little vs a yr ago, alcohol no longer coming thru, seems a bit smoother. Still needed a little air to really open up so I think it still has years ahead of it.
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Decanted for 2+ hours and served with grilled filet mignon. Dark black color in the glass. On nose, oak, cassis, black cherry. On palate, cassis, black cherry, tobacco with medium+ body, nice structure (medium acidity & nice tannic grip) with a long finish. Needs food to shine. A modern wine but this should age nicely. 92+ Would buy again. One of my favorite Napa Cabs. Not at peak and should rate higher with 3+ more years of age.
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A little green on the nose right out of the gate. That faded and fruit emerged after 15 - 20 min. A very good but not great cab. Nice fruit and plenty of structure, perhaps a little too rough at the moment (tasting without food) but I'm sure it would have gone better with a steak. Via Coravin. I liked the 2009 Right Bank much, much more.
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Wow, stuck between a 93 and 94, this is an amazing complex wine, especially for the price. Loads of minerality, crushed graphite and volcanic rock with big fruit especially the skins of plum and blackberry seeds. Tannins are strong but well integrated and subdue after some airtime. This one will be a delight to see how it develops.
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The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. Decanted for 30 minutes before serving with grilled steaks. Initial nose of vanilla (French Oak), a touch of vegetal aromas, and dark berries. Initial flavors of black currants, and a slightly hot finish. After 1 more hour, vegetal aromas and hot finish were gone, leaving aromas of Plum, black fruit, wet clay, cocoa,and some residual vanilla. Flavors became more melded, with black currants, chocolate, and some minerality. Finish was at least 30 seconds. A very nice high end Napa cabernet at a below average price. The wine is still very young, and we will wait an additional 2-4 years on our next bottle.
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Disappointed that i opened this bottle now and didn't wait. Very concentrated fruit flavors (almost jammy like). Definitely going to be a great bottle but needs a few more years.
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Beautiful nose and tasting really good right now. Will benefit from some age but if you like more fruit in your wine - blackberries, plums, black cherry, drink now.
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Deep, opaque purple color out to the edges. This wine is still very tight in both the nose and palate, even after 2 hours decant. I suspect it's going through a building phase now and will develop good complex flavors in 4-5 years. Wait, if you can.
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On the young side for opening this, but this bottle confirms that Conn Valley remains one of my favorite Napa producers. So many Napa cabs are over-extracted fruit bombs, but Conn Valley tends to make Cabernets that are a bit more balanced and Old World in style, though still full bodied with plenty of fruit.
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Part of a 3 bottle tasting against some heavy weights. Buccella's Mica and Bevan's Ontogeny. This wine brought up the rear of 3 fabulous bottles. Excellent wine, but hold for a min of 2 addition years and get more. Will last for 10+
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Served at a dinner party subsequent to the 2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. IMHO this is a far superior wine to the Caymus; both are in a similar price band, but this displays far more depth, balance, boldness, and character. Full bodied with dark berry, cherry, and plum flavors, along with spicy currant, and some evolving leather and tobacco. Wonderful mouthfeel with some still grainy tannins that subside with air. Lengthy finish. Should continue to improve with cellaring. Anderson's CVV seems to be on a roll the last eight or so years with consistent and superior offerings across the board.
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Enjoyed this wine with Charles while delivering wine to him, nose of black cherry, plum, and black currants, more of the same on the palate, supple and slightly fruit forward made it seem lighter in body and taste then it actually was, opened gradually in the glass to a terrific nose, medium/big body, long, flavorful finish
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A little tight and slightly green but this wine has a future. Nice plum and bell pepper on the nose. This cabernet has a very dense and we'll balanced dark fruit profile. A little spicy but nice. I'd lay it down for another three years at least. This wine is a great value IMO.
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Clear dark purple in colour. Clean nose of dark fruit and bell pepper. Dry, med body, med acidity, nice tannins, cassis, black berry, bell pepper and vanilla on palate. Nice finish. Great wine, but still young. Will get better as the secondary flavours evolve. I have 3 more to go. Looking forward to comparing notes over time.
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Tight, showing a little alcohol at first, but that blew off and the wine opened up after about an hour of air. Nice mix of dark and red fruits. Probably needs another year or two to really smooth out, but drinking fine with a little air right now. Good stuff.
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- Violet color with slow forming legs. It's unbalanced with a medium/full body. Coarse texture with a medium finish - Just opened. Fairly tannic at first. Deep color.
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This is a nice full bodied cab with dark fruit and deep color. I would have rated it higher, but found some barnyard in the background. Unusual for this cab. Hopefully, it will not be in the other bottles that I still have.
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My first from this vintage. Outstanding. A rounded start but got much bigger in my mouth, with a huge finish. Lovely fruit with some subtle earthiness. Left the last overnight unsealed and it was just as exciting next day.
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Disappointing showing tonight from a favorite producer. Decanted 4 hours but really just showed a green vegatal streak. Will hold next bottle and cross my fingers.
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green as a gourd, and should improve significantly many years from now: as it is, good nose, but closed... nice complex taste and some lingering finish, but muted because of youth... look forward to trying again down the road
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Dark red color. Very fruity nose with Kirsh, but also cigar box and mint. Tannins are very strong at this time, actually a little overwhelming. However lots of fruit and a long aftertaste. Wonderful wine, but way to young. Try again in 2015.
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A Pleasing Cabernet characterized by a ruby-purple color with a rustic, earthy, tannic edge. Plums, black currants, dark berry fruits. Medium to full bodied – Good Cab but 96 points (Parker)? I think that he may have tasted a few too many wines before he tasted this one.
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Second tasting with inconsistent results. Not the blockbuster I tasted previously, perhaps a flawed bottle? I've had very inconsistent results on tastings of the last 2 vintages of Anderson's CVV. These thin, delicate flavors may be more vulnerable to improper storage.
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Just wanted to see where this was at. Definitely needs time. Two years from now should hit its stride. Not as good as the 08 which is a calssic in my book, but solid.
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Pop/pour. Unsurprisingly, this is too young, but the potential is evident. A powerful wine, but not a "fruit bomb" sort of way. Aromatic on the nose - dark fruits without the overt sweetness that many modern Napa Cabs display. More delicate and restrained in that regard.
On the palate, great raw materials that are years away from integrating. Great fruit depth, moderate acidity, and tannins that while not mouth-drying, are quite evident. The balance seems to be there for longer term aging. Probably 91-92 points for current consumption, but my score reflects a belief that there is a significant upside to this with 5+ years. If this turns out the way I think it might, my 94 pts on potential could be conservative.
Not as immediately gratifying as something like Continuum or Scarecrow from the same vintages. Somewhat more traditionally styled. While this would show poorly today against more forward Cabs from the same vintage, I think that 10 years down the road, this could steal the show.
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This is really good and taste delicious. Very smooth, medium weight. Nice dark fruit and finish. Will definitely look to buy more of this. Not sure how it compares to the 2010, or the Eloge version. Updated rating to 94.
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Decanted for about 4 hours, then tasted over the next 24. Very closed initially, but after 24 hours, it really opened up. Deep, dark, rich fruit flavors, touch of field flowers. Chewy tannins. Quite impressive. I should get more.
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Pop and poured into decanter for 15 minutes. Color was intense with purple tinged edges. Nose was a bit closed at first. This was all black fruited and super pure. Lovely cassis driven cab with dark berries fully in control; wonderful expressive notes of cocoa powder and lead pencil. There is a bit of dryness in the mid palate that dissipated quickly with vigorous swirling and what was left was pure magic. (It blew some impressive wines away that it shared the table with). A lingering finish which oozed black fruits. A complicated elegant and classy wine with so much upside that I may have to break my moratorium on Todd Anderson wines and find me a few. It reminded me a bit of the Black Horse I had a few years back that stole the show at CLONYC XI. Dude certainly can make Cabernet.
Couldn't help trying even though I knew it would be young. Indeed, it needs age. But it is a big cab. Great nose of dark cherry and wet slate. Mid palate roust with nice balance between earth and fruit. Finish thin and tannic at first, but really filled out over the course of an hour of drinking (after an initial hour of decanting).
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Napa & Sonoma favorites in 3 short days...; 9/21/2012-9/24/2012 (Napa & Sonoma Valley wineries): tasting room pour. 14.9% abv, with 75% new French oak. Deep purple in color, only slightly fades to the rim, appears huge. Black currant and licorice stand at the forefront on the nose, in a fruit forward style, followed by light soil and pencil lead notes. The palate shows cassis fruit, minerality, plum, tobacco, and rocks; quite complex and really awesome. There is medium acidity, with heavy, slightly astringent tannins. Quite long on the beautiful, fruit laden finish. Hold 5 years, drink over the following 15-20 years.
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Did not take notes. Decanted for 3 hours and this is drinking very well now. Excellent with a grilled NY Strip - cassis / black cherry primarily today - oak is well integrated and medium to medium+ body with long finish. 92+ and I'm probably under-rating.
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Had this bottle In a blind tasting with Beringer private reserve and Chalk hill estate red 2007. This was the clear winner. The nose was a bit muted compared to the other wines. However, decanted over two hours and the very dark fruit, touch of oak and impressive structure/complexity was just starting to reveal itself. The finish lingered for several minutes with smooth tannins coating the tongue. This wine is just a baby and will age beautifully. I have had the 2006,2007 and 2008, this may be the best of the bunch despite Parker's lower review of this vintage. Thrilled that I have several more bottles to explore in the future. CVV delivers once again.
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12/25/2023 - twoheadedguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfumed, leather and spice box. Pleasant bit of veg and leafy herbs. Some dark fruits but mostly savory notes. Well rounded tannins and finish is still lively. Drink now.
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7/26/2023 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Absolutely wonderful. Not even close to its end. Plenty of fruit.
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10/21/2022 - Empirate wrote: 93 Points
Wow, really good balance and depth of East
Napa valley fruit.
Worth the years of cellaring to enjoy it now. This bottle was starting to turn the corner in a good way but it may be worth a wait to look-see in 5 years.
Anyway, this is our last bottle and no regrets.
BTW, we had a very memorable tasting at CVV during our 20th anniversary trip in 2013. Thanks, Todd.
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6/24/2022 - Tym4wine wrote: 92 Points
Lovely floral aromas. Dark fruit flavors. Integrated round tannins with nice acidity. Dark fruit, blackberry, graphite, and pencil lead. Medium+ finish. Nicely done.
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3/6/2022 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
2nd bottle of 6, purchased over a decade ago, and last consumed a bottle about 3 yrs ago.
Developing nicely, this Napa Cab is regal, polished, with nicely integrating oak and showing cassis, black cherries, graphite, a hint of mint, and a long and super-refined finish.
Really well made and built to age another decade or so. This is my wife's favorite Napa winery.
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1/29/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very pleasantly surprised how this has aged. A real crowd pleaser.
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12/17/2021 - Neras Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mature. Certainly alive and well, but not really interesting.
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12/1/2021 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Very similar to my note in 2018 without the hints of green.
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11/2/2021 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful wine that has aged extremely well. Essence of black peppercorns, toast, toffee, cocoa and ripe figs. Wonderful layers of cassis, black cherries, mint, figs and black peppercorns. Great balance of tannins and acidity. I wish we had more in our cellar, it at least we had a few.
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8/11/2021 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour before pouring. Dark ruby red with a light red rim around the top of the pour. Very nice essence of black pepper, ripe figs, blackberries, licorice and mint. Layers of cases, tobacco, mocha, licorice, black peppercorns, mocha and ripe figs. Wonderful aging on this wine.
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7/6/2021 - Ed B Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP as second Cab of the night after ‘08 Outpost True Vineyard. No detailed notes. Wonderful wine, only slightly diminished in comparison.
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2/12/2021 - chuckos77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking nicely but not sure it has anywhere to go. Beautiful wine.
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10/18/2020 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a good place. Ready with brief decan. Dark cherry, plum, cassis On the palate. Smooth tannins a solid Napa cab.
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10/18/2020 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing QPR!! This little gem is drinking great here it has a lot going on at all levels, from that complicated purple fruits, tannic structure, loads of minerals especially graphite and schist. Really nice wine with air.
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9/23/2020 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin taste and then K had with book club. This was drinking really well. More red-fruited than the Lewelling Wight or Lancaster Nicole's tasted alongside, this is mid-weight with nice balance and decent acidity. It's not heavily extracted or hedonistic, but more of a traditionally-styled cab. For our palates, this was quite nice. 3 remaining and there is no hurry on these. But there also does not seem to me much reason to wait longer.
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8/30/2020 - skip2mylu Likes this wine: 86 Points
- Just Opened = 84pts - complex and youthful, lots of mint
- 3hr Decant = 87pts - complex, very fruit forward and heavy.
Deep garnet, hazy, big and colorful legs - resembles a paso robles CDR style or Australian shiraz - looks like Nyquil.
Nice and clean on the nose, med+ intensity. It started off with slate, cherry juice, huge mint leaf, cola bean, vegetal (asparagus) and sulphuric acid / After 3hr decant it was much more subdued but much more fruity - cherry, plum, vanilla, cherry cola, bottle cap candy, slight mint and slight gasoline.
Very dry on the palate, med+ tannins, huge body, my lips are still grippy after one minute! Cocoa powder, ripe bing cherry, firecracker, very fruit and alcohol forward. Reminds me of a sweet bourbon, slight wheat and switchgrass.
It may be deceiving me by the alcohol and fruit but this probably has 20yrs+ remaining on it.
I see this wine going one of two ways:
1. It will become refined and beautiful.
2. It will become a mishmash of fruit, alcohol and tannins with stewed fruit like spoiled red apples.
It is good with steak and dark chocolate.
This wine is not worth the price I have paid for it over the years. I think a value price for this would be about $15 but that is nowhere near what I and others pay for it.
I have one left which I'll keep for when my kid turns 21.
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8/6/2020 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine has a deep burgundy red color with a very slight clear rim around the top along the glass. When poured, notes of bing cherries, blueberries, licorice, cocoa, mint and toast filled the room. Wonderful mouthfeel with layers of cocoa, ripe figs, dark plums, toast and mint. Very soft and well integrated tannins. Based upon the structure of this wine, there is another five years left if properly cellared.
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7/27/2020 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 92 Points
Opened a bottle of this exact wine two weeks ago and gave in an 89. This one was much better. Amazing the variability in bottles sometimes.
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7/9/2020 - HOS wrote: 89 Points
Past it’s prime.
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6/27/2020 - Kfoley009 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A little disappointing compared to the last two bottles.
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5/24/2020 - cdp1276 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for four hours ahead which initially brought out intense raspberry, ripe melon, blueberry and rich undertones of earthy oak.
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5/3/2020 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine:
Drinking beautifully here. It really shows poise and finesse. Needs a little slow ox.
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4/25/2020 - bbakove Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 4 hours (wasn't planning to but tannins are still firm upon opening). Sediments are fine. Deep, nearly opaque ruby/purple color. Nose is restrained, with tertiary notes of crushed limestone, saddle leather and grape stalk underlain with red and black berry compote, macrosugars and cactus flower. And yes, I know that's crazy.
Tannins are very fine and coat the teeth. Acidity is ample enough to support the medium body. Finish is medium/medium-long.
Unfortunately, our last bottle. I'd like to see where this wine goes. Drinking nicely now and I'm not sure more cellar time will improve it. But I could be way off on that...
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3/16/2020 - HOS wrote: 90 Points
Just doesn’t live up to the hype.
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2/14/2020 - Bloms wrote:
Janelle Mead.
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1/26/2020 - wmccone54 wrote: 94 Points
Enjoyed alongside the 2010 and 2011 ACVV Estate Cabernet at a large family gathering with grilled ribeyes. At ten plus years this is exquisite, hitting on all cylinders and well into the development stage showing a great mix of black and red fruits, floral aromatics, evolving complex notes, and a perfect balance of all the elemental components. Drinking at peak, but has potential for additional cellaring. Should drink well for another five plus years.
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11/9/2019 - td1836 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really great showing. Red and black fruits, earthy notes, integrated oak and fine grained tannins. The finish is very long with plenty of nuances to think about. The time in bottle has been good for this wine, and I think it has entered a nice drinking window.
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11/3/2019 - HOS Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP. This was very interesting. The bottle was consumed over 3 hours. At first it was a low level cab but by the end it was current, au jus, some espresso with a lingering finish. Suggest a good decant for this stage.
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10/10/2019 - Mountster27 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted and drank over 2 hours. Complex fruit and well integrated but tannin was a little green and vegetable ish. Not unpleasantly so. Finish very long, many minutes of enjoyment with each sip.
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9/24/2019 - Red Sox Fan wrote: 91 Points
In March I scored a bottle of the 2009 ACVV Reserve at 95. This weekend I opened a second bottle and found it thick and heavy, with lots of dark red fruit, pine resin and a little spice. I was surprised and disappointed and wonder whether there is a seasonal aspect to my reaction between late winter and a beautiful indian summer evening.
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6/29/2019 - D3S Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine
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6/14/2019 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Almost inky in color. Intense nose of dark purple fruit. Still plenty of fruit on the palate cassis and cocoa. Chewy with a long, sweet finish. In a great place, plenty of life left.
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5/9/2019 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
Bottle #1 of 6. Purchased for $77 USD.
Super delicious, this wine is regal and proper for a Napa Cab.
Black cherries, cassis, pencil lead, moist earth, and menthol flavors, the wine is big and bold on the palate.
Beautifully moderated acidity, with chewy tannins and a long and black-fruited finish.
Drink now through 2030 or so. Very nice.
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4/21/2019 - flwinos wrote: 93 Points
Popped and let breathe in bottle for about an hour. This was drinking very well. Very well integrated wine with red fruit predominant on the palate. Drinking well now.
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4/14/2019 - awitz78 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not as good as the others I've had
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3/2/2019 - Red Sox Fan wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, which was perfect. Agree with the reviews below. An elite wine at entry level price.
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2/24/2019 - HOS Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Full bodied, leathery, earthy, dark cherry, hint of pepper. Some tannins, good finish. This is developing nicely and is just hitting its stride.
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1/31/2019 - wiscgrad wrote: 94 Points
decanted 1 hour and drank over the next 2. got better as the night wore on. Initially a bit disjointed, but really came together and gained plush mouthfeel. More red fruit than I would have expected
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1/15/2019 - DrBad Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good. PnP and had with burgers for dinner. Nice aromas of cherry, herbs, tobacco and leather. Tannins seem smoother than last tasting with filet. Dark and full bodied with a medium to long finish. Black cherries, dark chocolate and licorice.
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12/25/2018 - DrBad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Christmas dinner with filet mignon and port sauce along with an '06 Beaucastel CdP. Might have brought out the dry side of the steak at times. Dark licorice, plum, herbs. I think I would leave these for a few years before opening again, seems to be a bit disjointed. Surprised because I've opened up some of the more recent ACVV Estate Reserves and they've seemed more complete. Decanted about an hour but didn't change much over the course of dinner so not sure if additional decanting time would have helped.
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12/25/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 91 Points
Opened in the bottle for 3-4 hours. Flavors are fully developed but pretty much a cassis bomb. Chalky and harsh with the taste seeming mature but the structure underdeveloped and young. Good but awkward.
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12/12/2018 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
Ditto last note, paired well w baked ziti
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11/29/2018 - jzebrack wrote: 87 Points
Drank from a split, and it is 7 years since bottling.
So that definitely affects my comments.
I don't think the wine aged that well in a 375ml bottle.
It was uneven after opening, and actually a bit harsh to drink.
Let it sit until the next day, and it improved and was quite drinkable.
But, still, not what I was expecting compared to prior bottles.
I guess the moral of the story is to drink one's splits quicker
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10/14/2018 - Neras Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice. Still quite young.
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8/7/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Consumed in July. See prior notes: Dark garnet color; rim still purple. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black currant, black cherry, roasted expresso, minerals and a slight hint of mint. The oak is there, but not overbearing. Rich and intense fruit. Tannins are fairly well resolved and integrated into the wine.
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7/6/2018 - tava6 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very enjoyable and drinking very well at this point.
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6/25/2018 - TGLeroy wrote: 93 Points
Great cab for the price, absolutely enjoyable!
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6/3/2018 - mgjr83 wrote: 87 Points
Great nose showing some old world character with notes of mold, mushroom and sage complemented by blueberry and dried fig. The palate is what was very disappointing although it did improve after some air but still remained simplistic and empty. No finish at all. Maybe it is in that mute stage.
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3/18/2018 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine:
Needs air time - and lots of it. Very tight, chalky tannins as PnP on day one but mpfruit darkened up and tannins balanced by day two.
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2/19/2018 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 92 Points
More of a bordeaux styled Napa cab, by taste I would say the grapes were picked on the earlier side, leaner, a bit more pyrazine, some nice fruit in there, like riding in an old Oldsmobile - nice ride, very comfortable, not terribly exciting, some will like it, not completely my thing but again, good. I have a special place for this producer in my heart, and have definitely had some wines from ACVV I loved, this wasn't quite it today. 2 hour decant, drank over 2 hours.
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2/18/2018 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points
See prior notes of 3-27-16.
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1/31/2018 - PSUSteve Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted. This could be drank immediately but need a little time to rid the green notes which were not totally off putting. Black fruit and currants in an older style Cab layered with menthol and tobacco. Finish lingers with tongue tingling tannins. Held up for four hours without any concern. Tons of life left.
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1/27/2018 - rickspicks wrote:
Opened for about an hour. This bottle had an odd, soy or worcheshire aroma on the nose - quite pungent and not entirely enjoyable. The wine itself was rough and disjointed, like it had not integrated. Much better with food than alone. Like prior bottles, not really much ripe fruit and lacking freshness. It wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't what I expect. I will not score.
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1/20/2018 - Bloms wrote:
Marcus birthday.
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10/1/2017 - flwinos wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and this was drinking very well. Copious amounts of fruit and good structure/acid to back it up. Paired well with a grilled porterhouse.
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9/9/2017 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow big difference from my tasting notes 4 years ago when I gave it only 88 pts. I did a pop n'pour thru a venturi for a bit of aeration and the vegetal notes I complained about before were gone and replaced with crushed red fruit. We drank this with dinner and savored this afterwards watching a movie and it kept improving over the 3-4 hours. I've been drinking a lot of Pinot, Syrah lately and it was really satisfying to come back to a Napa Cab.
This was a wine that I would pour 1/2" into the Reidel glass and just swirl and sniff over and over and inhale the aromatic cedar, spices and dense fruit. It also had a very long finish that reached the back palate and persisted nicely with smooth tannins. Patience was rewarded and I noticed that a 4 hour decant of the bottle I had in 2013 did not come close to real cellar time to change this wine into a wonderful Napa Cab.
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8/5/2017 - td1836 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very dark core, with purple fringes. Raspberries, dark cherries, licorice, herbs, and a hint of green pepper. I would call this medium body for a cab, and very restrained/elegant compared to the 2014 version of this wine I just tried at the winery. The 2014 comes in at 16.2% abv compared to this one at 14.6%, and seem like they were made in very different styles. This one (2009) is drinking very nicely right now.
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8/5/2017 - ppaluszewski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking very well right now with plenty of fruit and structure but will continue to develop for the next few years. No rush. PJP 2017.
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7/13/2017 - Neras Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really approaching its drinking window now. Still fresh and fruity, but the elements are coming together now.
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6/25/2017 - Bloms wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle. This vintage is really shining now.
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6/18/2017 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Took two bottles to family get together. See notes from 3/27/2016.
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5/28/2017 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Forgot to read my prior notes - should have decanted. Very tight for the first hour with dark fruits, tar and spice dominating a wine I would describe as dark and brooding. Very dense and highly extracted, it bordered on being cloying, but with a high acidity level that made it drinkable. Lots of licorice after about an hour but never really had much fruit. Long finish and a slightly chewy texture. Perhaps my least favorite Conn Valley Reserve of the past decade and very different from what other tasters described.
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4/2/2017 - Keeping It Real wrote: 91 Points
Color is on the light side for a cab. The nose is comprised of good oak, forest floor, menthol, hot stone, and cassis. The palate is more of the same but the finish is a bit short. Not a bad wine overall. I like how it's not packed with fruit and vanilla. At this age, this is drinking very smooth. This is an earthy wine, which I love. The only caveat to this wine is the thin palate. Had it been more dense, it would've been spectacular.
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3/29/2017 - StainedGlass Likes this wine: 93 Points
An excellent Cabernet Sauvignon made with appropriate restraint so as to reveal rich layers of dark red cherry fruit, a touch of licorice and herbs. It is rare to describe a Napa Cab as having a touch of elegance, but this vintage has that, and I think it will get better even with age. This reaffirms Conn Valley is one of my favorite producers.
If you like Cabs that are extracted, oaky, jammy fruit bombs, look elsewhere (there are plenty of options).
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3/24/2017 - cab_fran Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to my tasting note 2 years ago - this is a lean, defined cab that offers enjoyable drinking right now. There was something green-herby on the nose and prominent dark fruit on the palate. I think the wine will continue to age well.
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3/6/2017 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
this is a solid 91 pt cab, ageable, reasonably well made but with no extraordinary features. it will never wow, but it's solid. drink now or over 10 yrs.
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2/9/2017 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Still a bit primary, but with tons of ripe, rich dark fruit, spice, earth, oak and a touch of graphite/licorice. Full bodied, concentrated and slightly chewy with fruit that is perhaps less vibrant than other vintages at this point. Needed air time - I should have decanted for an hour or more. No doubt there will be upside with more time.
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1/15/2017 - flwinos wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour or so. It needed much more. Drank over the next 3 and the best sips were at the end. This needs a 3+ hour decant IMO. Very floral nose. Some green pepper notes with black cherry on the palate. The fruit seems to make more of an appearance after significant air time. However, the fruit is muted (as others have noted) compared to other vintages.
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12/5/2016 - pozzo5 Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Agree with previous poster that this wine is more old school. Not much up front fruit.
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11/8/2016 - PSUSteve wrote:
Poured through the Vinturi which helped reduce the tannins. Nice Cab which leans old school.
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9/17/2016 - rexmerlot wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple in colour. Clean nose of floral and plums. Dry, med body, med acidity, still strong but nice tannins. Black current, plum, and spice on palate. Nice wine
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9/13/2016 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted over an hour and wine is drinking beautifully here, full fruit balanced between fresh plums and a jam, crushed stone, some dry tobacco and pepper. Oak is there but well integrated. It's only at the transition from body to finish that one feels a flash of tannins.
All that said I find the nose a bit dumb, almost empty...,certainly versus the body. Hence my rounding down to 93. This is not a wine I sat and wafted.
Go on and Drink but be sure to decant at least an hour.
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8/7/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of black cherry, black currants, plum, and touch of dusty earth, the same on the palate, mouth filling fruit, almost elegant tasting tonight, medium/big body, at it's peak, very floral in the glass, long, long finish.
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7/25/2016 - cupoverflowing1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
outstanding nose, but still very closed/green.. should become exceptional with several more years in the cellar
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6/17/2016 - DawgByte wrote: 86 Points
My experience was write in line with CSIMM1161's appraisal of this wine. I'd say my bottle was more than a touch astringent and the tannins were strong. This wine lacks character, finesse and complexity. This wine is also highly oaked, which some are characterizing as cedar notes.
Evaluating wine is highly subjective... one man's VW is another man's Bugatti, but if you've got a discriminating palate or have been exposed to great Napa Cabs, this wine isn't even close to sniffing the 90 point range.
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6/4/2016 - wmccone54 wrote: 93 Points
Checking back on this since the last bottle back in June 2014. Enjoyed with a grilled ribeye and a little Willie in the speakers....
Starting to turn from black to red. Dark and full bodied, but the aroma and flavor profile yields lots of deep purple violets, red currant, mixed berries, vanilla extract, slightly worn shoe leather, and cedar mulch. Starting to see the layers evolve. Big and classy mouthfeel setting up a strong finish. This is really good and has lots of potential.
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5/22/2016 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Still a dark garnet color and purple rim. The wine is identical to my notes of 3-27-2016. Again, a good paring with lamb chops.
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5/14/2016 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and served with grilled flat iron steak.
Dark black color with no meniscus. On nose, cassis, blackberry, black licorice, menthol and touch of coconut (not overbearing). Palate was similar. I really enjoyed this and it has continued to improve over the last several years. This has been stored in a cool cellar since purchase in early 2012.
Very enjoyable and would buy again. 93+
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4/23/2016 - csimm wrote: 87 Points
A four-year vertical tasting of Anderson's Conn Estate Reserve Cabernets: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
The 2009 ranked #3, close to last along with the 2007. Both the 2007 and 2009 were fairly flavorless and thin, with simplistic profiles of red currant, cedar, and some watery purple plum. Almost no finish to speak of, with the cedar note lingering on the back end.
A touch astringent, but the wine completely lacked any power, so any astringency was really only a mild detractor. There was no "oomph" in this wine at all. "Soft and delicate" was really just weak and boring. Had almost Pinot-like characteristics about it (not something I want in my Cabernets).
The 2009 and the 2007 drank like $10 Cabernets. No signs of being flawed; simply forgettable and weak.
Drink now, as what fruit is in the 2009 will likely continue to fade. A generous 87 points from me. I am very surprised by the CT scores on both the 2007 and 2009 vintages of these wines.
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3/27/2016 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
An early Easter dinner on the back patio in Phoenix. Dark garnet color; rim still purple. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black currant, black cherry, roasted expresso, minerals and a slight hint of mint. The oak is there, but not overbearing. Rich and intense fruit. Tannins are fairly well resolved and integrated into the wine. Fairly well balanced, but should get better with more time. Good structure. A soft and decent finish. Pared very well with Colorado rack of lamb. Score 93-94.
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3/18/2016 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
typical showing for ACV Cab, well-made wine, missing intensity and complexity of fruit to justify a better score, but a good qpr.
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1/25/2016 - JCGuthrie wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Held up well the second night.
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12/11/2015 - Neras Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking nicely, but not really in check. Lots of stuffing, and I hope it will improve over time.
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11/28/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Would have really liked more time to let this breathe out and slowly develop. Distinct notes of cranberry and currant, and solid minerality on the finish.
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11/2/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
A little beef, bitter chocolate and some amazingly mouth watering florals. After about an hour some greet pepper peeks in. The palate is smooth as glass with medium weight and sadly some tight fruit. Time will make this great I think.
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10/26/2015 - JackieTreehorn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious wine. The Todd does a great job of making big CA cabs with some complexity and a more approachable weight. Drinking really well right now
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9/12/2015 - Empirate Likes this wine: 93 Points
Double decanted and left town with it driving North. It was nice with grilled skirt steak during a late dinner 10 hours later. Enough left for 2 small glasses with lunch today and it was singing. Moderately concentrated without heaviness. Dark fruit, balanced, integrated tannin and medium long finish. Lovely.
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8/31/2015 - dstraub wrote: 93 Points
Very good now, but will likely get a lot better over the next 3 years.
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8/29/2015 - cab_fran Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lean and well-defined Napa cab. Blackberries and minerality were most prominent. We should have given this bottle 90 minutes of air. I think this will continue to improve - lots of promise.
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6/26/2015 - dlcass Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice wine
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6/20/2015 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my earlier tasting. Drinking well here; needs decanting. Will wait a year or so to see how it develops for next bottles as I didn't see a lot of maturation over the past six months.
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4/26/2015 - BUBBA DAWG Likes this wine: 95 Points
PNP...inky violet with good clarity...lively nose dominated by ripe blackberries and black cherries with prominent layers of espresso and licorice followed by subtle touches of menthol and fresh herbs...rich and chewy on entry with gripping tannins, bright acidity and a long sumptuous finish...while not yet fully resolved, it is approachable and quite layered, complex, enjoyable...a notch above the 08 and built to last...great QPR
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4/16/2015 - domco wrote:
Improved a little vs a yr ago, alcohol no longer coming thru, seems a bit smoother. Still needed a little air to really open up so I think it still has years ahead of it.
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3/7/2015 - Neuronstar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good value and nice well rounded wine. Tobacco, plum, cherry, fresh dates. Good acidity and very food friendly. Tasted after 5 hour decant.
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2/20/2015 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours and served with grilled filet mignon. Dark black color in the glass. On nose, oak, cassis, black cherry. On palate, cassis, black cherry, tobacco with medium+ body, nice structure (medium acidity & nice tannic grip) with a long finish. Needs food to shine. A modern wine but this should age nicely. 92+ Would buy again. One of my favorite Napa Cabs. Not at peak and should rate higher with 3+ more years of age.
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2/7/2015 - sterin wrote: 90 Points
A little green on the nose right out of the gate. That faded and fruit emerged after 15 - 20 min. A very good but not great cab. Nice fruit and plenty of structure, perhaps a little too rough at the moment (tasting without food) but I'm sure it would have gone better with a steak. Via Coravin. I liked the 2009 Right Bank much, much more.
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1/29/2015 - ledocq Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich and smooth as a (very good) merlot, to my taste. Consumed over two nights.
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12/25/2014 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow, stuck between a 93 and 94, this is an amazing complex wine, especially for the price. Loads of minerality, crushed graphite and volcanic rock with big fruit especially the skins of plum and blackberry seeds. Tannins are strong but well integrated and subdue after some airtime. This one will be a delight to see how it develops.
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12/1/2014 - Bubbleheads Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. Decanted for 30 minutes before serving with grilled steaks. Initial nose of vanilla (French Oak), a touch of vegetal aromas, and dark berries. Initial flavors of black currants, and a slightly hot finish. After 1 more hour, vegetal aromas and hot finish were gone, leaving aromas of Plum, black fruit, wet clay, cocoa,and some residual vanilla. Flavors became more melded, with black currants, chocolate, and some minerality. Finish was at least 30 seconds. A very nice high end Napa cabernet at a below average price. The wine is still very young, and we will wait an additional 2-4 years on our next bottle.
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11/26/2014 - APMX Likes this wine: 90 Points
Disappointed that i opened this bottle now and didn't wait. Very concentrated fruit flavors (almost jammy like). Definitely going to be a great bottle but needs a few more years.
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11/6/2014 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Same as prior note.
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10/13/2014 - kingboo wrote: 95 Points
Continues to impress. Enjoy.
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8/29/2014 - jimyeni wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful nose and tasting really good right now. Will benefit from some age but if you like more fruit in your wine - blackberries, plums, black cherry, drink now.
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7/26/2014 - bbakove wrote: 90 Points
Deep, opaque purple color out to the edges. This wine is still very tight in both the nose and palate, even after 2 hours decant. I suspect it's going through a building phase now and will develop good complex flavors in 4-5 years. Wait, if you can.
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7/21/2014 - StainedGlass wrote: 92 Points
On the young side for opening this, but this bottle confirms that Conn Valley remains one of my favorite Napa producers. So many Napa cabs are over-extracted fruit bombs, but Conn Valley tends to make Cabernets that are a bit more balanced and Old World in style, though still full bodied with plenty of fruit.
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6/21/2014 - Cullens wrote: 93 Points
Part of a 3 bottle tasting against some heavy weights. Buccella's Mica and Bevan's Ontogeny. This wine brought up the rear of 3 fabulous bottles. Excellent wine, but hold for a min of 2 addition years and get more. Will last for 10+
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6/21/2014 - wmccone54 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Served at a dinner party subsequent to the 2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. IMHO this is a far superior wine to the Caymus; both are in a similar price band, but this displays far more depth, balance, boldness, and character. Full bodied with dark berry, cherry, and plum flavors, along with spicy currant, and some evolving leather and tobacco. Wonderful mouthfeel with some still grainy tannins that subside with air. Lengthy finish. Should continue to improve with cellaring. Anderson's CVV seems to be on a roll the last eight or so years with consistent and superior offerings across the board.
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5/10/2014 - bestdamncab wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed this wine with Charles while delivering wine to him, nose of black cherry, plum, and black currants, more of the same on the palate, supple and slightly fruit forward made it seem lighter in body and taste then it actually was, opened gradually in the glass to a terrific nose, medium/big body, long, flavorful finish
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4/13/2014 - CV Griz Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
A little tight and slightly green but this wine has a future. Nice plum and bell pepper on the nose. This cabernet has a very dense and we'll balanced dark fruit profile. A little spicy but nice. I'd lay it down for another three years at least. This wine is a great value IMO.
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3/7/2014 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Clear dark purple in colour. Clean nose of dark fruit and bell pepper. Dry, med body, med acidity, nice tannins, cassis, black berry, bell pepper and vanilla on palate. Nice finish. Great wine, but still young. Will get better as the secondary flavours evolve. I have 3 more to go. Looking forward to comparing notes over time.
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3/6/2014 - RMundell wrote: 87 Points
Just an average wine. Over priced.
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12/24/2013 - domco wrote:
Tight, showing a little alcohol at first, but that blew off and the wine opened up after about an hour of air. Nice mix of dark and red fruits. Probably needs another year or two to really smooth out, but drinking fine with a little air right now. Good stuff.
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12/22/2013 - straw18 wrote: 91 Points
still a bit young; definitely better on the second night.
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12/7/2013 - Anthony Chinn wrote: 92 Points
Served with chocolate course at end of meal. Way too young to drink but very tannic and fruity and shows promise for cellaring.
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11/13/2013 - rsternth wrote: 91 Points
- Violet color with slow forming legs. It's unbalanced with a medium/full body. Coarse texture with a medium finish - Just opened. Fairly tannic at first. Deep color.
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10/25/2013 - Opusone99 wrote: 93 Points
Sans prise de notes.
Superbe bouteille!
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10/20/2013 - drgrape Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a nice full bodied cab with dark fruit and deep color. I would have rated it higher, but found some barnyard in the background. Unusual for this cab. Hopefully, it will not be in the other bottles that I still have.
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9/20/2013 - JGinMO wrote: 94 Points
My first from this vintage. Outstanding. A rounded start but got much bigger in my mouth, with a huge finish. Lovely fruit with some subtle earthiness. Left the last overnight unsealed and it was just as exciting next day.
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9/1/2013 - Arch57 wrote: 88 Points
Disappointing showing tonight from a favorite producer. Decanted 4 hours but really just showed a green vegatal streak. Will hold next bottle and cross my fingers.
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8/16/2013 - cupoverflowing1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
green as a gourd, and should improve significantly many years from now: as it is, good nose, but closed... nice complex taste and some lingering finish, but muted because of youth... look forward to trying again down the road
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8/9/2013 - Neras Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark red color. Very fruity nose with Kirsh, but also cigar box and mint. Tannins are very strong at this time, actually a little overwhelming. However lots of fruit and a long aftertaste. Wonderful wine, but way to young. Try again in 2015.
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8/4/2013 - webbaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Third tasting, inconsistent results. This bottle was nice, bright fruit flavors with good balance.
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6/28/2013 - Yack Man wrote: 89 Points
A Pleasing Cabernet characterized by a ruby-purple color with a rustic, earthy, tannic edge. Plums, black currants, dark berry fruits. Medium to full bodied – Good Cab but 96 points (Parker)? I think that he may have tasted a few too many wines before he tasted this one.
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6/5/2013 - webbaker wrote: 90 Points
Second tasting with inconsistent results. Not the blockbuster I tasted previously, perhaps a flawed bottle? I've had very inconsistent results on tastings of the last 2 vintages of Anderson's CVV. These thin, delicate flavors may be more vulnerable to improper storage.
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5/5/2013 - BK29 wrote: 92 Points
Just wanted to see where this was at. Definitely needs time. Two years from now should hit its stride. Not as good as the 08 which is a calssic in my book, but solid.
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3/29/2013 - vanpe003 wrote: 94 Points
Pop/pour. Unsurprisingly, this is too young, but the potential is evident. A powerful wine, but not a "fruit bomb" sort of way. Aromatic on the nose - dark fruits without the overt sweetness that many modern Napa Cabs display. More delicate and restrained in that regard.
On the palate, great raw materials that are years away from integrating. Great fruit depth, moderate acidity, and tannins that while not mouth-drying, are quite evident. The balance seems to be there for longer term aging. Probably 91-92 points for current consumption, but my score reflects a belief that there is a significant upside to this with 5+ years. If this turns out the way I think it might, my 94 pts on potential could be conservative.
Not as immediately gratifying as something like Continuum or Scarecrow from the same vintages. Somewhat more traditionally styled. While this would show poorly today against more forward Cabs from the same vintage, I think that 10 years down the road, this could steal the show.
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3/9/2013 - Plus Ultra Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is really good and taste delicious. Very smooth, medium weight. Nice dark fruit and finish. Will definitely look to buy more of this. Not sure how it compares to the 2010, or the Eloge version. Updated rating to 94.
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3/9/2013 - RMundell Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted an hour. Nice black fruit. Should get much better.
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3/6/2013 - webbaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for about 4 hours, then tasted over the next 24. Very closed initially, but after 24 hours, it really opened up. Deep, dark, rich fruit flavors, touch of field flowers. Chewy tannins. Quite impressive. I should get more.
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3/3/2013 - King Cab wrote: 94 Points
Pop and poured into decanter for 15 minutes. Color was intense with purple tinged edges. Nose was a bit closed at first. This was all black fruited and super pure. Lovely cassis driven cab with dark berries fully in control; wonderful expressive notes of cocoa powder and lead pencil. There is a bit of dryness in the mid palate that dissipated quickly with vigorous swirling and what was left was pure magic. (It blew some impressive wines away that it shared the table with). A lingering finish which oozed black fruits. A complicated elegant and classy wine with so much upside that I may have to break my moratorium on Todd Anderson wines and find me a few. It reminded me a bit of the Black Horse I had a few years back that stole the show at CLONYC XI. Dude certainly can make Cabernet.
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2/9/2013 - Anthony Chinn wrote: 92 Points
Couldn't help trying even though I knew it would be young. Indeed, it needs age. But it is a big cab. Great nose of dark cherry and wet slate. Mid palate roust with nice balance between earth and fruit. Finish thin and tannic at first, but really filled out over the course of an hour of drinking (after an initial hour of decanting).
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1/28/2013 - botrytisvirtuoso1819 wrote: 94 Points
nose; black currants, floral, and lead pencil.
palate; oak, herbs, and blackberries.
full bodied.
medium plus tannins.
30 plus second finish.
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1/13/2013 - rcc777 wrote: 94 Points
Serious big cab, smooth and balanced...finish is creamy and just goes on and on. Will get even better over the next couple years.
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12/30/2012 - BinVA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Young wine but going to settle and get better. Give it a couple years and then open, will be excellent.
But drinking fine today
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11/20/2012 - Tcas1982 wrote: 92 Points
Hold off for a year
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10/26/2012 - Tcas1982 wrote: 92 Points
Needs a lot of time to open and a few more years of cellaring
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9/29/2012 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another stellar wine from Conn Valley. There Cabs are one of the most unique expressions in Napa Valley.
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9/22/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 92 Points
Napa & Sonoma favorites in 3 short days...; 9/21/2012-9/24/2012 (Napa & Sonoma Valley wineries): tasting room pour. 14.9% abv, with 75% new French oak. Deep purple in color, only slightly fades to the rim, appears huge. Black currant and licorice stand at the forefront on the nose, in a fruit forward style, followed by light soil and pencil lead notes. The palate shows cassis fruit, minerality, plum, tobacco, and rocks; quite complex and really awesome. There is medium acidity, with heavy, slightly astringent tannins. Quite long on the beautiful, fruit laden finish. Hold 5 years, drink over the following 15-20 years.
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7/25/2012 - vinole wrote: 93 Points
Napa & Sonoma Trip (Dunn, O'Shaughnessy, Conn Valley, Seavey, TOR, Jemrose, Hansel); 7/23/2012-7/26/2012: Dark fruit with quite a tannic backbone that needs age. Full body with medium acidity. Did soften over time, but I find that ACV cabs are built to age and this one will likely be shining in the next decade (20's).
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6/17/2012 - CWilliam wrote:
Did not take notes. Decanted for 3 hours and this is drinking very well now. Excellent with a grilled NY Strip - cassis / black cherry primarily today - oak is well integrated and medium to medium+ body with long finish. 92+ and I'm probably under-rating.
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6/4/2012 - CaliCabAddict wrote: 95 Points
Had this bottle In a blind tasting with Beringer private reserve and Chalk hill estate red 2007. This was the clear winner. The nose was a bit muted compared to the other wines. However, decanted over two hours and the very dark fruit, touch of oak and impressive structure/complexity was just starting to reveal itself. The finish lingered for several minutes with smooth tannins coating the tongue. This wine is just a baby and will age beautifully. I have had the 2006,2007 and 2008, this may be the best of the bunch despite Parker's lower review of this vintage. Thrilled that I have several more bottles to explore in the future. CVV delivers once again.
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5/20/2012 - soyhead wrote: 92 Points
limited notes, tasted from bottle in the cave
superbly deep rich fruit. need to resample
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9/4/2011 - kingboo wrote: 96 Points
Barrel tasted at the winery over Labor Day Weekend. Nirvana. The string og great wines continue.
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