This is my first Nappa Valley wine, and I am impressed. I can not improve on the last two tasting notes - well written. The only addition is that oak is seamlessly placed and balanced rounding off on the finish. No hurry to drink - quality stuff.
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I can properly say this is the best QPR by far in my 25 plus years of tasting wine. I tried this wine 8 years ago and it blew me away. Unfortunately I did not save any bottle to see the evolution of this wine later on, luckily I found this wine in an auction and jumped on it..I wanted to see the evolution after 8 years...beautiful..no formal notes (see my original notes...did not change much but all integrates beautifully now).
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At ten years of age, this wine is still a youthful opaque ruby in color. It is likewise still youthful in its aromatic and flavor profile, with black currants, dark bramble fruits, licorice and loamy earth. Full-bodied and with nicely integrated alcohol (listed as 14.6%), it is freshly acidic and still has a fair amount of unresolved tannins. The middle palate is dense and the finish has good length, but watch out for the tannic bite at the back end. This still needs time. Sadly, it was my last bottle. Drink 2020-2029.
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This wine has budged very little since my last tasting almost two years ago (7/21/2013). Opaque ruby/red in color, it offers aromas of cassis, blackberry, vanilla and loamy earth. Full-bodied, freshly acidic, seamlessly alcoholic (despite being listed as 14.6%) and with substantial firm tannins, it stays solid in the middle and closes with a medium-to-long, somewhat astringent finish. I am inclined to conclude that this wine needs more time than I had previously assumed. Drink 2017-2025.
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Youthful and tightly wound but an hour in the decanter uncoils lots of cherries, red currants, mocha, and earthy undertones of toast and cedar. This shows focus, a nice spine, luscious flavors, a bitching streak of minerality, and juicy, red fruit on the finish. Delicious and expressive.
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My first taste of Napa Cabernet. Don't see much US wine on the shelves here in Australia. Decanted this for 90 minutes before tasting. Dark ruby red, with a purple hue showing the youth of the wine. Nice viscosity appears on the walls of my glass. A struggle between red and black fruits to take prominence, plus a presence of earth are all evident in the taste. A little spice comes forth on the front palate, however a wave of alcoholic hotness takes over on the middle and to some degree on the back palate. This detracts a little from an otherwise quality fine red wine. The fruit is there in spades, but the noticeable hotness reduces the experience marginally.
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Nearly identical impressions to those of 1/31/13, with the exception that the alcoholic heat is now tame (due to serving the wine at approximately 65° Fahrenheit). Drink now-2022.
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The "Generous Pour" Promotion at the Capital Grille (Capitalle Grille, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. PNP, drank a small pour. This was medium bodied, black and red currants, blackberry, a little floral on the nose, spice, oak, firm tannins, medium finish. This has a nice spine and is a solid wine. probably would have benefited from some additional air.
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Deep purple color turning violet at the rim. It has a dense, lifted nose of red and black candied berries, violets, and caramelized oak. The palate displays a full body with a round, velvety texture featuring flavors of dark cherries, currant, plum, chocolate and leather. This finishes with smooth, sweet tannin that's long and buttery. Great stuff and terrific value! Drink now until 2018.
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Sweet Jesus. This is fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyed and will buy more. In our opinion this is what a great cab sav should be. Some fruit. Some spice. Some finish. Easy and approachable. It's triple Yum!!
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Rich cassis nose with hints of mint and oak vanilla. On the palate, sweet red berry fruit with flowers and spices. Nice wine driven by rich, red currant and a nice texture. Lingers nicely. Tasty wine.
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Deep to opaque ruby in color, this wine shows a moderately intense nose of cassis, blackberry, vanilla and loamy earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, medium sweet tannins, well-integrated alcohol (despite being listed as 14.6%) and flavors in line with the nose. The middle is solid and the finish is medium-long, although the alcohol raises its ugly head at this point. Serve this wine at 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit and it should provide enjoyment over the next decade. Drink now-12/22.
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- Garnet color and aromas of strawberry jam and oak. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of oak with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Slow opening to the nose but elegant and balance. Dry strawberry with a hint go oak nice. comparable with opus one easy but for US 23 per bottle. I am getting more right now and wait few years although is ready now.
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Funny how a few nights between bottles can make a difference. Not as impressive this go round. Still a very good QPR for a napa cab. This particular bottle came from a different vendor than the first, so maybe handling & storage affected it?
Smooth delicious fruit up front. Some support of oak and tannin makes for a medium finish that faded this time. Nicely balanced. Not disjointed at all, but not as impressive as our first bottle that came directly from Napa.
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1/30/2021 - Kayaking Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is my first Nappa Valley wine, and I am impressed. I can not improve on the last two tasting notes - well written. The only addition is that oak is seamlessly placed and balanced rounding off on the finish. No hurry to drink - quality stuff.
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6/9/2020 - noni15 Likes this wine: 95 Points
I can properly say this is the best QPR by far in my 25 plus years of tasting wine. I tried this wine 8 years ago and it blew me away. Unfortunately I did not save any bottle to see the evolution of this wine later on, luckily I found this wine in an auction and jumped on it..I wanted to see the evolution after 8 years...beautiful..no formal notes (see my original notes...did not change much but all integrates beautifully now).
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2/3/2019 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 90 Points
At ten years of age, this wine is still a youthful opaque ruby in color. It is likewise still youthful in its aromatic and flavor profile, with black currants, dark bramble fruits, licorice and loamy earth. Full-bodied and with nicely integrated alcohol (listed as 14.6%), it is freshly acidic and still has a fair amount of unresolved tannins. The middle palate is dense and the finish has good length, but watch out for the tannic bite at the back end. This still needs time. Sadly, it was my last bottle. Drink 2020-2029.
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7/6/2015 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine has budged very little since my last tasting almost two years ago (7/21/2013). Opaque ruby/red in color, it offers aromas of cassis, blackberry, vanilla and loamy earth. Full-bodied, freshly acidic, seamlessly alcoholic (despite being listed as 14.6%) and with substantial firm tannins, it stays solid in the middle and closes with a medium-to-long, somewhat astringent finish. I am inclined to conclude that this wine needs more time than I had previously assumed. Drink 2017-2025.
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1/3/2015 - Gator96 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Capital grill
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6/8/2014 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
Youthful and tightly wound but an hour in the decanter uncoils lots of cherries, red currants, mocha, and earthy undertones of toast and cedar. This shows focus, a nice spine, luscious flavors, a bitching streak of minerality, and juicy, red fruit on the finish. Delicious and expressive.
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1/18/2014 - Robbie K wrote: 91 Points
My first taste of Napa Cabernet. Don't see much US wine on the shelves here in Australia. Decanted this for 90 minutes before tasting. Dark ruby red, with a purple hue showing the youth of the wine. Nice viscosity appears on the walls of my glass. A struggle between red and black fruits to take prominence, plus a presence of earth are all evident in the taste. A little spice comes forth on the front palate, however a wave of alcoholic hotness takes over on the middle and to some degree on the back palate. This detracts a little from an otherwise quality fine red wine. The fruit is there in spades, but the noticeable hotness reduces the experience marginally.
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10/16/2013 - DavidDay Likes this wine: 89 Points
Sweet red berries and spices, medium full-bodied, good for drinking tonight.
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8/11/2013 - flwinos wrote: 90 Points
This vintage has been consistently good for the money.
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7/22/2013 - Tim and Bonnie wrote: 82 Points
A drinkable wine, but not memorable.
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7/21/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nearly identical impressions to those of 1/31/13, with the exception that the alcoholic heat is now tame (due to serving the wine at approximately 65° Fahrenheit). Drink now-2022.
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7/15/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 89 Points
The "Generous Pour" Promotion at the Capital Grille (Capitalle Grille, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. PNP, drank a small pour. This was medium bodied, black and red currants, blackberry, a little floral on the nose, spice, oak, firm tannins, medium finish. This has a nice spine and is a solid wine. probably would have benefited from some additional air.
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6/25/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep purple color turning violet at the rim. It has a dense, lifted nose of red and black candied berries, violets, and caramelized oak. The palate displays a full body with a round, velvety texture featuring flavors of dark cherries, currant, plum, chocolate and leather. This finishes with smooth, sweet tannin that's long and buttery. Great stuff and terrific value! Drink now until 2018.
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5/23/2013 - flwinos Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better than the last bottle - needs about 45 minutes and the tannins subside, leaving a good QPR CA cabernet.
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4/19/2013 - Martnmac wrote: 90 Points
Sweet Jesus. This is fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyed and will buy more. In our opinion this is what a great cab sav should be. Some fruit. Some spice. Some finish. Easy and approachable. It's triple Yum!!
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4/6/2013 - vegasoenophile Likes this wine: 89 Points
Rich cassis nose with hints of mint and oak vanilla. On the palate, sweet red berry fruit with flowers and spices. Nice wine driven by rich, red currant and a nice texture. Lingers nicely. Tasty wine.
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1/31/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep to opaque ruby in color, this wine shows a moderately intense nose of cassis, blackberry, vanilla and loamy earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity, medium sweet tannins, well-integrated alcohol (despite being listed as 14.6%) and flavors in line with the nose. The middle is solid and the finish is medium-long, although the alcohol raises its ugly head at this point. Serve this wine at 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit and it should provide enjoyment over the next decade. Drink now-12/22.
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1/23/2013 - DavidDay Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sweet red berries, flowers, licorice and spices in the nose, medium full-bodied, tannins in check, so it drink well today, excellent value.
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11/4/2012 - Cainer wrote: 91 Points
Great wine for the price. Needs about two more years in the bottle
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10/1/2012 - redrules wrote: 91 Points
A little tannic, but beautiful fruit, nice heft and lingering dark berry finish. Tasted more like a $30+ dollar of Cab. 22.95 at Costco
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8/5/2012 - pdadams66 wrote: 88 Points
Very good. Dense cab, not overblown, cherries, vanilla, a bit of cassis. Will last a couple more years no problem, but drinks well now.
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7/5/2012 - noni15 wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of strawberry jam and oak. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of oak with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Slow opening to the nose but elegant and balance. Dry strawberry with a hint go oak nice. comparable with opus one easy but for US 23 per bottle. I am getting more right now and wait few years although is ready now.
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4/17/2012 - jfaulk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Funny how a few nights between bottles can make a difference. Not as impressive this go round. Still a very good QPR for a napa cab. This particular bottle came from a different vendor than the first, so maybe handling & storage affected it?
Smooth delicious fruit up front. Some support of oak and tannin makes for a medium finish that faded this time. Nicely balanced. Not disjointed at all, but not as impressive as our first bottle that came directly from Napa.
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4/11/2012 - jfaulk wrote: 92 Points
Nicely crafted wine. Smooth fruit up front. Cherry, vanilla, oak, herbs & spice. Supple tannins support for a nice lengthy finish. Great QPR
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