Brambly dark berries, stewed plum and tobacco leaf on the nose. Earthier on the palate, very mellow and while enjoyable - over two nights - it does seem like it's winding down. It was a step back on the last bottle we enjoyed in 2020. Drink up.
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2 hour decant. Fruit notes are darker on the nose, on the palate though it’s red fruited - currants, jammy raspberry and red plums. Notes of mocha, cigar and a subtle white pepper spice. I wouldn’t say the wine is rich but it has nice depth. A vein of acidity too which gives the wine nice structure. Solid at 11 years, should hold for another year plus.
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A blend of Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc, & Petit Verdot. This is relatively red fruited, with raspberries and lingonberries prominent on the front end. There's more acidity here than in many Napa reds. The Cab Franc shows up on the back end and there's a good dose of black pepper in the finish, although that fades a bit with extended air time. Of note, there's no sediment in the bottle (fined/filtered?).
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Decanted 2 hours. A very Harmonious wine with an enchanting nose of brambly black fruit, black pepper and cedar. Incredibly smooth on the palate with dark wild berry fruit, cedar, moss and fresh black pepper. The finish is smooth with medium light tannins. Drink now for it's youthful exuberance or hold for up to 8 more years.
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Long decant given. Refined and sophisticated on the nose with suave scents of creme de cassis, dark cherry and plum that weave in aromas of pencil shavings, mocha, herbs, vanilla, toast, pepper and lit cigar with floral accents. The palate translates showing refinement and balance. Flavors enter with dark cherry, currant, cassis and plum that evolve revealing vanilla, no. 2 pencil, graphite, chocolate, herb garni, ground coffee, toast, cedar, lit cigar tobacco and dried florals that linger with great acidity and fine tannins that are gentle yet assertive at the same time.
Air time here will benefit.
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Decanted for fine sediment. Dark purple color. Great nose of cassis, cocoa dusted raspberries, black currants, a hint of smoke and dark chocolate. Similar flavors on the palate with lush, ripe dark red berry fruits, cassis and dark chocolate and espresso notes. Medium+ acid and tannins with a silky smooth mouthfeel and long finish. Paired great with a cocoa spiced dry aged rib eye steak. Drinking great right now if you don't mind slightly grippy tannins.
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Medium Ruby in the glass with aromas of red currants, cocoa powder and saddle leather. More of the same on the palate that finishes with dusty dry tannins. Lacks a bit of texture and acidity. Drink now with a decant through 2025.
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The color is ruby-garnet, opaque, with some purple hints at the rim, slight haze and dark, dense, opaque robe. The smells are crushed berries, stone, earth, coffee, floral notes, and currants. The tastes are cherry, espresso, raspberry, dark chocolate, jammy fruit, and some notes of wood. The tannins are formidable but do not detract from this delicious wine.
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Allowed to decant. Aromas present with medium-plus intensity. Scents creme de cassis, vanilla, cherry, cocoa powder, raspberry, fresh herbs including thyme and bay leaf, coffee and earth with aromas of cigar box, cedar, currant and a hint of pepper. The palate is complex and giving with favors cherry, sweet pipe tobacco, vanilla, cassis, herbs, chocolate, spice and leather with earth, coffee and toast. The palate is voluptuously textured, like suede across the mid-palate with dusty, grippy medium+ tannins on the front, balanced acidity and alcohol providing structure. The finish is long and lingers with intensity letting the tobacco, cassis, and cocoa play out.
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Was the last of 7 CA Bordeaux blends we had and was the only sub $100 bottle and the youngest of the group. It certainly held its own to the other wines. From what I can recollect, it was drinking young with luscious dark fruit and a nice tannic structure that will let this wine evolve for many more years.
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More red fruited than the CS. This had more chocolate and earthy flavors than the last bottle I had. A bit sweet. Not the best bottle I've ever had, but still enjoyable.
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Wines over the 4th weekend- Bedrock, AO, Bevan; 7/3/2013-7/7/2013: I really liked this wine. Looking back at AG's reviews, I found this far more to my taste. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has cherries and a dark chocolate powder quality that is very nice. A bit of cassis as well. Open and strong. My favorite part of the wine was its texture. It is very soft and smooth with no bite at all. We drank this on the patio without food, and it was delicious. Cherries, dark chocolate, depth with layers. Obviously young, but ready to drink now for pure enjoyment. Not sure where it goes over time (this was my only bottle). A bit pricey, but I would certainly consider buying again. Not a bruiser and not a "Bordeaux-silted" wine either. Unique.
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Decanted 2 hours, consumed over 1.5 hours. A bit reticent on the nose. Nice dark fruit which gained weight and complexity over the time we drank it. Integrated and balanced. Medium finish. Drink now with decant or preferably hold.
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Fairly big wine with excellent dark fruit, balanced acidity and noticeable but not bitter tannins. Nose is somewhat subdued and the oak is still a bit strong but hopefully both of these areas will improve with some time in the bottle.
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Two Burgundy lovers and their weekend in Napa Valley (SF/NAPA): I think of this as a slightly more "obvious" ERA. It has all that nice 2ndary characters of cedar, tobacco that the ERA has as well as the big bold fruit, but it shows a bit more oak, alcohol and harshness. Not as close knit on the palate. Needs more time than the ERA
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5/27/2023 - dkwins Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth and pleasing, but mature and perhaps past drinking window now. I would not wait.
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10/8/2022 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine:
Brambly dark berries, stewed plum and tobacco leaf on the nose. Earthier on the palate, very mellow and while enjoyable - over two nights - it does seem like it's winding down. It was a step back on the last bottle we enjoyed in 2020. Drink up.
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12/31/2020 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine:
2 hour decant. Fruit notes are darker on the nose, on the palate though it’s red fruited - currants, jammy raspberry and red plums. Notes of mocha, cigar and a subtle white pepper spice. I wouldn’t say the wine is rich but it has nice depth. A vein of acidity too which gives the wine nice structure. Solid at 11 years, should hold for another year plus.
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4/18/2020 - Lanceamoore wrote: 87 Points
Well balanced.
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8/4/2019 - Eric Van wrote: 80 Points
Okay... a tad flat.
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5/24/2017 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
A blend of Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc, & Petit Verdot. This is relatively red fruited, with raspberries and lingonberries prominent on the front end. There's more acidity here than in many Napa reds. The Cab Franc shows up on the back end and there's a good dose of black pepper in the finish, although that fades a bit with extended air time. Of note, there's no sediment in the bottle (fined/filtered?).
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4/16/2017 - Mike's wine cellar Likes this wine: 98 Points
It's very hard to reach near perfect, smooth, balanced fruit, better than fruit jam. 98+
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3/18/2017 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. A very Harmonious wine with an enchanting nose of brambly black fruit, black pepper and cedar. Incredibly smooth on the palate with dark wild berry fruit, cedar, moss and fresh black pepper. The finish is smooth with medium light tannins. Drink now for it's youthful exuberance or hold for up to 8 more years.
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3/6/2017 - Jkuryak Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good. Smooth and tasty. Wish it was a bigger bottle.
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3/5/2017 - bjamesclark wrote: 93 Points
Long decant given.
Refined and sophisticated on the nose with suave scents of creme de cassis, dark cherry and plum that weave in aromas of pencil shavings, mocha, herbs, vanilla, toast, pepper and lit cigar with floral accents.
The palate translates showing refinement and balance. Flavors enter with dark cherry, currant, cassis and plum that evolve revealing vanilla, no. 2 pencil, graphite, chocolate, herb garni, ground coffee, toast, cedar, lit cigar tobacco and dried florals that linger with great acidity and fine tannins that are gentle yet assertive at the same time.
Air time here will benefit.
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11/30/2016 - jaxpaj wrote: 94 Points
By far the best bottle yet. The others may of been stored poorly.
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4/21/2016 - jaxpaj wrote: 90 Points
Tobacco and earth are primary with secondary notes of aged fruit and chard oak.
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3/26/2016 - Rich S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for fine sediment. Dark purple color. Great nose of cassis, cocoa dusted raspberries, black currants, a hint of smoke and dark chocolate. Similar flavors on the palate with lush, ripe dark red berry fruits, cassis and dark chocolate and espresso notes. Medium+ acid and tannins with a silky smooth mouthfeel and long finish. Paired great with a cocoa spiced dry aged rib eye steak. Drinking great right now if you don't mind slightly grippy tannins.
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8/26/2015 - dontime wrote:
Very nice, strong fruit, smooth on the back end. Still question the value of these Alpha Omega club wines. If scoring 90-92.
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7/11/2015 - juicejammer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium Ruby in the glass with aromas of red currants, cocoa powder and saddle leather. More of the same on the palate that finishes with dusty dry tannins. Lacks a bit of texture and acidity. Drink now with a decant through 2025.
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6/28/2015 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 93 Points
The color is ruby-garnet, opaque, with some purple hints at the rim, slight haze and dark, dense, opaque robe. The smells are crushed berries, stone, earth, coffee, floral notes, and currants. The tastes are cherry, espresso, raspberry, dark chocolate, jammy fruit, and some notes of wood. The tannins are formidable but do not detract from this delicious wine.
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3/29/2015 - bjamesclark wrote: 94 Points
Allowed to decant.
Aromas present with medium-plus intensity.
Scents creme de cassis, vanilla, cherry, cocoa powder, raspberry, fresh herbs including thyme and bay leaf, coffee and earth with aromas of cigar box, cedar, currant and a hint of pepper.
The palate is complex and giving with favors cherry, sweet pipe tobacco, vanilla, cassis, herbs, chocolate, spice and leather with earth, coffee and toast. The palate is voluptuously textured, like suede across the mid-palate with dusty, grippy medium+ tannins on the front, balanced acidity and alcohol providing structure. The finish is long and lingers with intensity letting the tobacco, cassis, and cocoa play out.
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3/14/2015 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 91 Points
Was the last of 7 CA Bordeaux blends we had and was the only sub $100 bottle and the youngest of the group. It certainly held its own to the other wines. From what I can recollect, it was drinking young with luscious dark fruit and a nice tannic structure that will let this wine evolve for many more years.
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9/14/2014 - TC16 wrote: 90 Points
More red fruited than the CS. This had more chocolate and earthy flavors than the last bottle I had. A bit sweet. Not the best bottle I've ever had, but still enjoyable.
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3/2/2014 - raoanil Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fruity wine. Definitely gives a classic bordeaux taste and nose. Slightly on the sweeter side.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle.
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7/7/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Wines over the 4th weekend- Bedrock, AO, Bevan; 7/3/2013-7/7/2013: I really liked this wine. Looking back at AG's reviews, I found this far more to my taste. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has cherries and a dark chocolate powder quality that is very nice. A bit of cassis as well. Open and strong. My favorite part of the wine was its texture. It is very soft and smooth with no bite at all. We drank this on the patio without food, and it was delicious. Cherries, dark chocolate, depth with layers. Obviously young, but ready to drink now for pure enjoyment. Not sure where it goes over time (this was my only bottle). A bit pricey, but I would certainly consider buying again. Not a bruiser and not a "Bordeaux-silted" wine either. Unique.
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3/3/2013 - Empirate wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours, consumed over 1.5 hours. A bit reticent on the nose. Nice dark fruit which gained weight and complexity over the time we drank it. Integrated and balanced. Medium finish. Drink now with decant or preferably hold.
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2/15/2013 - The Wine Sherpa Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very strong effort. Silky and smooth. Great fruit.
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12/27/2012 - Suss wrote: 94 Points
Just delicious. Shocked it didn't score higher here.
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10/27/2012 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fairly big wine with excellent dark fruit, balanced acidity and noticeable but not bitter tannins. Nose is somewhat subdued and the oak is still a bit strong but hopefully both of these areas will improve with some time in the bottle.
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8/22/2012 - clayfu wrote:
Two Burgundy lovers and their weekend in Napa Valley (SF/NAPA): I think of this as a slightly more "obvious" ERA. It has all that nice 2ndary characters of cedar, tobacco that the ERA has as well as the big bold fruit, but it shows a bit more oak, alcohol and harshness. Not as close knit on the palate. Needs more time than the ERA
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7/14/2012 - kstoddard wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby color. Blackberry and currant. Chewy tannins. Powerful finish with some length.
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