I hadn’t checked on this in five plus years. Decanted and enjoyed with grilled, thick cut pork chops. Hitting on all cylinders and not showing any signs of letting up. Fruits are tending toward red, with lots of dustiness. Still displays a solid structure with acidity still being notable and the tannins being smooth. 93-94 points.
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Drank out of the bottle with deep dish pizza about 30-min after opening. Did not need decant. Consistent with previous notes only the nose brings more floral notes (roses, cherry blossoms) and the palate brings more savory tobacco, leather, and wild herb notes. Drinking nicely now. Consume 2020-2024. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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Enjoyed a double magnum I’d been saving for a party. Well worth the wait. Decanted two hours. Opened up snarky, but then mellowed out nicely over the evening. Great nose. Distinctive Saddleback taste with dark berries and a dry chalky-earthy finish. But the cork dried out and disintegrated during opening - a big hassle. Drink now. Very good QPR.
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Drank out of a magnum while camping with friends. Wine had seeped through the cork to the outer foil, but it still popped upon pulling. Seemed a little soft but still highly drinkable and we loved it. As usual, lots of earth and sediment. Drink through 2025. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 91.
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Opened and decanted but consumed quickly on our son's birthday with fillet and roasted potatoes. Sappy purple-crimson color. The nose brings cherry oak, fresh cut violets, candied blackberries, and rich milk chocolate. The palate is medium, round, supple, and textured, bringing chocolate cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrant, pipe tobacco, dried leather, and wild herbs. The finish is refined and lasting. Drinking very well right now, likely good through 2025+. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 92.
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Had to drink something that would dilute the nasty, sweet tongue coating, port like, sugary taste of the Caymus 2012 40th Anniversary Cabernet that I just dumped! More to my liking and belief of what old school Napa cab should be. Great stuff!!
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Consistent with prior notes. FTR, thus was consumed subsequent to the 2007 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon and provided a great contrast of vintages. Whereas the 2007 seemed to exhibit more spicy red fruits, this seemed to lean more toward blackberries, black currant, and seemed to be a bit deeper, fruitier, and more concentrated. Stylistically, thus showed the characteristic dusty tannins associated with Nils Venge wines. Just can't go wrong here!
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Decanted. Drank alongside the Oakville Terraces Cab, and the Groth Cabernet Reserve each of the 2008 vintage. All three vineyards are on the Eastside of Highway 29, and within a mile radius of one another. Of the three, this is stylistically the most different and unique: more austere, more earthy, and more tannic. Nils Venge wines tend to be leaner and dryer in style, but they ALWAYS deliver, and display consistency, vintage after vintage.
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Great stuff, always a personal favorite and a brand that's well stocked in my cellar. Tasting notes consistent with my winery tasting back in early November 2013. Deep, concentrated, and starting to show plenty of complex flavors and aromas. Still firm tannins, but decanting, air, and hearty food will help mitigate these. This has a long life ahead of it.
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Winery tasting. All estate grown fruit. Big, in your face cabernet with loads of crushed black fruit and a firm, dry tannic backbone. Long, long finish. Has cellaring potential. Wonderful.
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Dark red violet color; appealing, black currant, baked black fruit nose; tasty, black currant, tart berry palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (2 1/2 y;ears in oak, 1 year in bottle) 91+ points
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9/14/2020 - wmccone54 wrote:
I hadn’t checked on this in five plus years. Decanted and enjoyed with grilled, thick cut pork chops. Hitting on all cylinders and not showing any signs of letting up. Fruits are tending toward red, with lots of dustiness. Still displays a solid structure with acidity still being notable and the tannins being smooth. 93-94 points.
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4/3/2020 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank out of the bottle with deep dish pizza about 30-min after opening. Did not need decant. Consistent with previous notes only the nose brings more floral notes (roses, cherry blossoms) and the palate brings more savory tobacco, leather, and wild herb notes. Drinking nicely now. Consume 2020-2024. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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12/7/2019 - VinoViking Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed a double magnum I’d been saving for a party. Well worth the wait. Decanted two hours. Opened up snarky, but then mellowed out nicely over the evening. Great nose. Distinctive Saddleback taste with dark berries and a dry chalky-earthy finish. But the cork dried out and disintegrated during opening - a big hassle. Drink now. Very good QPR.
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7/21/2018 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank out of a magnum while camping with friends. Wine had seeped through the cork to the outer foil, but it still popped upon pulling. Seemed a little soft but still highly drinkable and we loved it. As usual, lots of earth and sediment. Drink through 2025. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 91.
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5/31/2017 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and decanted but consumed quickly on our son's birthday with fillet and roasted potatoes. Sappy purple-crimson color. The nose brings cherry oak, fresh cut violets, candied blackberries, and rich milk chocolate. The palate is medium, round, supple, and textured, bringing chocolate cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrant, pipe tobacco, dried leather, and wild herbs. The finish is refined and lasting. Drinking very well right now, likely good through 2025+. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 92.
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2/9/2017 - TallMikeWine wrote: 88 Points
This is a little woody, with nice red fruit, but a little thin. Missing a few elements somehow. Maybe an off bottle?
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5/3/2015 - wmccone54 Likes this wine:
Hitting on all cylinders right now, excellent!
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2/21/2015 - KendraPM wrote: 91 Points
Good example of Napa cab, medium body, medium + finish. Purchased from a local wine dinner.
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10/3/2014 - wmccone54 wrote:
Had to drink something that would dilute the nasty, sweet tongue coating, port like, sugary taste of the Caymus 2012 40th Anniversary Cabernet that I just dumped! More to my liking and belief of what old school Napa cab should be. Great stuff!!
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8/16/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with prior notes. FTR, thus was consumed subsequent to the 2007 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon and provided a great contrast of vintages. Whereas the 2007 seemed to exhibit more spicy red fruits, this seemed to lean more toward blackberries, black currant, and seemed to be a bit deeper, fruitier, and more concentrated. Stylistically, thus showed the characteristic dusty tannins associated with Nils Venge wines. Just can't go wrong here!
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5/31/2014 - wmccone54 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted. Drank alongside the Oakville Terraces Cab, and the Groth Cabernet Reserve each of the 2008 vintage. All three vineyards are on the Eastside of Highway 29, and within a mile radius of one another. Of the three, this is stylistically the most different and unique: more austere, more earthy, and more tannic. Nils Venge wines tend to be leaner and dryer in style, but they ALWAYS deliver, and display consistency, vintage after vintage.
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1/17/2014 - wmccone54 wrote: 93 Points
Great stuff, always a personal favorite and a brand that's well stocked in my cellar. Tasting notes consistent with my winery tasting back in early November 2013. Deep, concentrated, and starting to show plenty of complex flavors and aromas. Still firm tannins, but decanting, air, and hearty food will help mitigate these. This has a long life ahead of it.
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11/1/2013 - wmccone54 wrote: 93 Points
Winery tasting. All estate grown fruit. Big, in your face cabernet with loads of crushed black fruit and a firm, dry tannic backbone. Long, long finish. Has cellaring potential. Wonderful.
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8/18/2013 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Dark red violet color; appealing, black currant, baked black fruit nose; tasty, black currant, tart berry palate; needs 1-2 years; medium-plus finish (2 1/2 y;ears in oak, 1 year in bottle) 91+ points
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