Eucalyptus on the nose; a bit of red fruit and white pepper on the palate. Not as rich and complex as it might be, but better than might be expected given the off year, and good enough for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyable for an aged wine from a poor vintage. Slightly tart, still a hint of fruit left, some secondary flavors. But a bit thin unfortunately. (Update on 2nd night: this has put on some weight, so it has actually improved in 24 hours.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of eucalyptus, with a barnyard note. Roses and cherry on the palate, with a bit of spice and tannin. This is passing from primary flavors into secondary, and I don't think it has the staying power to hold its interest for much longer. A decent wine from a weak vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dense bosenberry and cassis right out of the gate. Raspberry scents in lesser intensity but still easily observed. Some peat right after opening, but dissipated in minutes. Really good nose, with some flinty notes. Smooth mouth feel with a hint of chalk on the tail end. Long finish, well balanced with no overwhelming flavors. Licorice and berries with a slightly astringent ending. Delicious and still drinking well. Not a heavy hitter, but a solid Napa cab, tasty and better with an hour but delicious on the PAP. Drink up as this wine might have peaked recently.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Vertical Blind Tasting (5th Street Dinner Club): Tasted single blind in a Merryvale vertical. Nose showing dusty currant, graphite, and candied cherry. On the palate, good weight with a nice focused beam of spicy red currant. Long finish with a little heat and slight bitterness. I guessed this was the 2002 and was surprised that a 2000 was showing this well. My #3 and the group's #2 of the flight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cloudy garnet and without much nose. Nice flavors of boysenberry but with a thin, acidic mouthfeel. Overall a decent tasting wine, but lacking in depth and concentration. Probably a typical example of the maligned 2000 vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Way, way better than my last bottle of this about 10 months ago, and I'd say it's at peak, aged but still fruit-o-licious - Cali-style, but well rounded. Cedar and tar on the nose, and on the palate, joined by nice plum, black cherry and spice, tobacco. The finish is well balanced, fades into nothingness with no sharp edges; essentially all tannins melted away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking very well now, a little bottle stink on opening, but was smooth with lots of body and good fruit...nicely balanced, a pleasant surprise for me and the hit of the tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decent 2000 cab. Still has good red/black fruit with tannins that are a bit drying. Opened up nicely after 35-40 minutes, really softening the tannins. It was at this point that the wine came into balance and achieved its 88 point rating.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
light ruby red color with very slight bricking; muted nose on opening. After 45 minutes of air, notes of cedar and pencil lead. A bit thin in the mouth with taste of bitter cherry. Smooth, easy to drink wine, but left us wanting a bit more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice deep, dark ruby color. A bit sour upon opening. After being decanted 45 minutes, it opened up. Muted nose. Flavors of tart cherry, pepper and vanilla. Some softness from the 13% merlot component. Fairly long finish with pronounced vanilla notes. Overall, a well-made but unspectacular wine from a difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine definitely needs to breathe before drinking. It was okay to begin with but got much better as it sat out. Didn’t hold up well after the 2nd day open.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/19/2020 - danstrings Likes this wine: 88 Points
Definitely mature, but some fruit still there... Mellow loamy oyster-mushroomy forest funk, but some nice fruit and balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2013 - JRagsdale Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking well now. Needs about 30 mins in the glass to breath before it starts opening up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2013 - RichardP wrote: 89 Points
Eucalyptus on the nose; a bit of red fruit and white pepper on the palate. Not as rich and complex as it might be, but better than might be expected given the off year, and good enough for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2013 - Quarked wrote: 87 Points
Enjoyable for an aged wine from a poor vintage. Slightly tart, still a hint of fruit left, some secondary flavors. But a bit thin unfortunately. (Update on 2nd night: this has put on some weight, so it has actually improved in 24 hours.)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2013 - RichardP wrote: 88 Points
Nose of eucalyptus, with a barnyard note. Roses and cherry on the palate, with a bit of spice and tannin. This is passing from primary flavors into secondary, and I don't think it has the staying power to hold its interest for much longer. A decent wine from a weak vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2012 - Tarpon222 wrote: 88 Points
Drank alongside 2001. This was on its way out but not bad. 2001 much better
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2012 - John O' wrote: 89 Points
nice, not great. plenty of time left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2011 - RainCityMike wrote: 89 Points
Dense bosenberry and cassis right out of the gate. Raspberry scents in lesser intensity but still easily observed. Some peat right after opening, but dissipated in minutes. Really good nose, with some flinty notes. Smooth mouth feel with a hint of chalk on the tail end. Long finish, well balanced with no overwhelming flavors. Licorice and berries with a slightly astringent ending. Delicious and still drinking well. Not a heavy hitter, but a solid Napa cab, tasty and better with an hour but delicious on the PAP. Drink up as this wine might have peaked recently.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2010 - PIntag wrote: 90 Points
Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Vertical Blind Tasting (5th Street Dinner Club): Tasted single blind in a Merryvale vertical. Nose showing dusty currant, graphite, and candied cherry. On the palate, good weight with a nice focused beam of spicy red currant. Long finish with a little heat and slight bitterness. I guessed this was the 2002 and was surprised that a 2000 was showing this well. My #3 and the group's #2 of the flight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2009 - LynneChef wrote: 89 Points
Very smooth, nice dark color, and taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2009 - rickspicks wrote: 87 Points
Cloudy garnet and without much nose. Nice flavors of boysenberry but with a thin, acidic mouthfeel. Overall a decent tasting wine, but lacking in depth and concentration. Probably a typical example of the maligned 2000 vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2009 - MeMyself&I wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for three hours prior to sampling. Good stuff with lots of time for more aging. Still plenty of tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2008 - PIER wrote: 70 Points
not a very ggood tasting wine, a lot of sediment, seemed very rough, but it had to be drunk!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2007 - Squirreljam wrote: 91 Points
Way, way better than my last bottle of this about 10 months ago, and I'd say it's at peak, aged but still fruit-o-licious - Cali-style, but well rounded. Cedar and tar on the nose, and on the palate, joined by nice plum, black cherry and spice, tobacco. The finish is well balanced, fades into nothingness with no sharp edges; essentially all tannins melted away.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2007 - Kellious wrote: 89 Points
Definitely needed about 2 hours of decanting. First tastes were dominated by olives and cranberry. Later opened to show currant, cherry, some vanilla.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2007 - longhorncab wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well now, a little bottle stink on opening, but was smooth with lots of body and good fruit...nicely balanced, a pleasant surprise for me and the hit of the tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 88 Points
Decent 2000 cab. Still has good red/black fruit with tannins that are a bit drying. Opened up nicely after 35-40 minutes, really softening the tannins. It was at this point that the wine came into balance and achieved its 88 point rating.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2006 - Squirreljam wrote:
light ruby red color with very slight bricking; muted nose on opening. After 45 minutes of air, notes of cedar and pencil lead. A bit thin in the mouth with taste of bitter cherry. Smooth, easy to drink wine, but left us wanting a bit more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 88 Points
Magnum. Red/black fruits with soft, supple tannins. Drinking very well now. None of the herbal character that we tasted in this wine 2 to 3 years ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2006 - jmull wrote: 86 Points
Nice deep, dark ruby color. A bit sour upon opening. After being decanted 45 minutes, it opened up. Muted nose. Flavors of tart cherry, pepper and vanilla. Some softness from the 13% merlot component. Fairly long finish with pronounced vanilla notes. Overall, a well-made but unspectacular wine from a difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2006 - hiltondg wrote: 81 Points
Really dry and tannic at first. After a couple of hours, it opened up a little. Nice color, but the depth just isn't there. Will not be buying more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2004 - LynneChef wrote:
This wine definitely needs to breathe before drinking. It was okay to begin with but got much better as it sat out. Didn’t hold up well after the 2nd day open.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2004 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Quick visit to Napa and Sonoma; 7/9/2004-7/10/2004 (Sonoma and Napa): Tasting at winery. Rich, concentrated dark fruit aromas with good fresh spice. Plum and currant on palate, well structured and deep for a 2000. Better in a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment