A full-bodied and powerful Cab. Very potent alcohol and tannins level. After a reasonable amount of time decanting, the aroma of dark berries and fresh pine come out. Definitely a good wine with long lasting flavors; but it needs ample decanting.
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Decanted 60 minutes - outstanding wine and aging really well. Cherry is the core flavor, but definitely not a fruit bomb - this is well integrated. Subtle toasted spices. Texture is very nice - not as chewy as the QC12 and some of the other vintages. The finish was the most impressive part - wonderful 30 second long finish.
One of the first bottles we bought for our cellar and our first QC purchased back in 2016. This wine drinks like a 5yo bottle. If you open it now, give it 60 minutes of air. Tannins are smooth and well integrated. Nose of black cherry, graphite and you can still smell the oak, a bit of dusty dry barn wood. Full bodied, long finish. This is built to hold and could easily go another 10-15 years.
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Exquisite. Perfect on nose and palate upon opening; hypnotic aromas and balanced flavors immediately justify this brand's fame and reputation. Decanting not required. This emperor DOES have clothes!
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Decanted for an hour. Dark red fruit and eucalyptus on the nose. Red fruit and spice on the palate. A long finish with plenty of tannins. I bought this for my son’s birth year, and I think it should make it to 21 years without an issue. I’ll try again in 3 years.
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This grandaddy limped to the dinner, but man, when he woke up from his first course he was the grandaddy of them all. Plummy scents with just a rabbit punch of cantaloupe, some wafting light toast crumbs and a beast of a finish. Might have been a dollop of caramel in there, too. Really happy grandad didn't go face first into the creamed onions but woke up refreshed and blasted the feast like no other.
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Very dark in the glass with a tiny clear meniscus at the rim. Alluring nose, all beautifully ripe dark fruit, olive, and a hint of menthol. It is complex on the palate, but the fruit recedes quickly and the salinity and minerality and woody tannins take over. They stay through the long finish. The flavors are a melange, which makes the wine interesting and enjoyable. Some sips I got a hint of anise, sometimes I didn't.
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Coravin'd twice over 3 weeks, notes are after pulling the cork. From Somm stems. There are a surprising # of TN's indicating bottles of this vintage were bad or off, and while I won't say mine was off, it strikes me as more old world Bordeaux blend than cab; while not a bad at all, this isn't as nuanced as other vintages.
Charcoal and leather on the nose, flavor profile is muted and a bit flat. If I hadn't read others' notes I'd definitely say it's impacted by coravin.
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PNP Not as impressive as other QCs I have had, but then again it is clearly very young. Vitamin flavors, good mineral characters, mixed with black fruit. Weight was medium plus. Definitely would do well with another 5 years of age.
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4 hour decant, and drank over 2 days. Full bodied, massive, mouth-coating bouquet of blackberry, dark soil tones, blackberry, blueberry, plum, black olives. Still moderately tannic on day 2. For the next bottle I would wait another 2-3 years or decant this starting around 9am for my evening dinner.
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Tasted alongside the CVR 2010, bigger, more structured, tannic, needs more time, dark blackberry, cassis, long finish, CVR is ready now, this wine needs more time and/or splash decanting
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No official notes but this cab was incredible. In a perfect drinking window and can hold for a handful of years. Much better than the one I had two years ago.
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Dark sweet ripe plummy black fruits, with good structure. Chunky rich with an underlying firm finish. Hopefully develops more nuance abd layers with even more time.
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Took to the OK. This bottle wasn't flawed, but it's in a bad phase and sadly lacking compared to the joyful bottle we opened exactly one year ago. It was heavy, plodding and sappy, even after several hours decanting. We recorked and visited again 24 and 48 hours later, and finally dumped it rather than finish it. Would not touch another for at least a year.
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Pop and pour into a decanter - not what I would have done if I was flying solo, but sometimes bottles get opened. In the glass, dark magenta/maroon at the rim, shading quickly to dark, opaque purple/black at the core. On the nose, currants and mocha. On the palate, more of the same, with additional elements of forest floor, plum, and blueberry, with assertive tannins on a long finish. Approachable, but 3-5 hours in a decanter would have been preferable.
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Perhaps an off bottle. Opened four to five hours prior to consumption. It was still good but not up to the previous Quilcedas I have consumed over the past years. The nose was beautiful. The palate, while good was somewhat muted and I did not get the beautiful finish that I normally do from this vineyard.
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Grabbed to fill some glasses, so I was only able to decant for 15 minutes. Compared to the 2012 Leonetti Reserve which preceded it, the Quilceda was a little bit like a soft punch in the mouth. Bigger, bold forward fruit and some tannins on a long slightly alcoholic finish. Preferred the Leonetti tonight, but a longer decant for the Quilceda could turn the tables.
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P&P. Really disappointed with this one. Kinda flat and just not that interesting, compared to other vintages I've had (2009 was amazing!) Expected a score in the high 90s, got 89-90. Cork looked fine, with no seepage, bought from winery direct and stored in a wine fridge since purchase...not sure what was up. Typical cabernet fruit, but it dropped off pretty steeply on the midpalate and the finish was overly sweet. We even tried running it through an aerator, but that didn't help. Sad!
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Decanted for 90 minutes before service and consumed over another hour. Dark red at the core with translucence at the edges. Blackberries on the nose which took a while to open up. Intense red fruit on the palate, black cherry, dark chocolate, tobacco, plums. Sweet tannins, brilliant acidity and balance. Finishes long, long with cherries and anise. Velvety but just a little heavy in the mouth. Although it is eminently drinkable right now, I would really wait on it if you can. I think it needs another 3 years or so to develop additional complexity and to allow it to soften and the oak to integrate a bit more. Drink over the next 8 to 10 years.
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This was ready to drink. Tannins resolved. Easy to drink Great nose. Had with Beef Bouguinon. Some cedar. It also went well with Cheddar and Gouda cheese
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Decanted at Delmonico's steakhouse in Las Vegas December 2021. Had about 1/2 hour in the decanter, and lots of swirling before drinking. I thought it might be tight, but it actually is drinking near perfectly right now. Tannins were obvious but balanced, it is beginning an extended ideal drinking window, perhaps 5-10 years. Deep ruby color, almost mirror like clarity that graduates uniformly from mostly opaque to an almost fully transparent rim. Very leggy at over 15% alcohol. Black current, dark cherries, slight sweet pepper on the nose. Pencil shavings, wet granite
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Here’s a secret: I like this wine so much that when my wife took the dogs out for their late night walk, I poured some from her glass into mine! Please, don’t let her find out! Red fruits evolving toward blue, then an explosion of flavors that are like walking through a fresh conifer forest, then mint and bitter orange melting into a long finish. If you have a bottle, enjoy it. Opened an hour before pouring, the last glass two hours later is the best.
Decanted about three hours before serving: cassis and graphite, with some brambly spice and super-fine tone from acidity and tannins. Gripe as you may about the price you'd never mistake this for a $50 wine, it's really special and this is a great vintage. Not even close to mature, should cellar well to 2030 and beyond.
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I was torn between opening an '11 and the '10. Tight upon opening. Thirty minutes in the decanter proved very helpful. A medium-full bodied Cabernet loaded with cassis and graphite notes. Snappy acidity that reminded me of Ridge's estate cab when it's at its best. With more time, the fruit got richer and the finish lengthened. A wonderful, not-over-the-top domestic cab. However, I think I opened it a few years too soon. My remaining bottles will rest for another few years, and I will try an '11--a supposedly earlier-drinking vintage--soon.
My 4th bottle in several years. This vintage continues to stand out and impress, with 10 plus years of age it still shows structure and youth which is an encouraging sign. The nose is where this wine shows it complexity. Mountain berry, black and blue fruit and evergreen forest dominate, followed by more nuanced dusty soil, cedar, purple flowers, and lush berry jam. Very well integrated. Palate is lush and full bodied, still showing some tightness. Heavy on the oak and toast notes, with concentrated berry compote, some leather and cedar, pipe tobacco and vanilla. Powerful and complex, with good length. Will wait another couple years before revisiting.
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Christmas day 2020, tenderloin roast in the oven, time to splurge! Cassis and graphite nose. Concentrated, tannic. Spice and more graphite, with asian tea mixed in. Muted dark fruit. Ho, ho, ho!
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Consumed THREE bottles back to back. All notes the same.
At Vancouver Club with Rob and Liam. Dark fruit, stewed plums. Hibiscus. Oak and vanilla. Full bodied. Dry. Well balanced. Long finish. This is a bloody delicious wine. Case worthy!
After a 90 minute decant, the first pour before dinner was big and shy, not offering much beyond bold and primary fruit. Not long after, a glass with dinner (pasta with tuna, capers, arugula and red pepper spice) began to show more, including hints of lilac. A second glass after dinner (maybe it was my third) was more open still, with blackberry, creosote, and a really clear shot of nectarine. Throughout, this was a medium weight wine with silky texture, smooth tannins and a long finish. Really nice how it evolved through the evening. Note to self: let’s try to wait a couple of years before opening the next bottle.
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This is definitely drinking better than my last bottle. This is showing well, cherry and cassis fruit with a warm finish. Hints of chocolate in a balanced finish. Lots of time left here.
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Decanted for 4 hours. Blackberry, cassis, and cedar on the nose and palate. Wonderful long finish. No reason to be in a hurry to drink this wine. It has a long time to go.
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Like Gweneth Paltrow, looks and feels elegant and structured, but seemingly a little bit vague and hollow. Dry, muted dark fruit, cigar, musty earth. Might have won an academy award, but skinny and shallow.
Decanted 2/3 of the bottle for 2 hours, followed the balance straight out of the bottle. From Sommolier stems, as these broadened the nose and added depth to the wine. Tea, cigar and old wine cask on the nose. Comes across the palate slightly thin, possibly impacted by multiple moves.
Coffee, asphalt and ripe black fruit on a canvas of aged barrel....maybe some fig in there too. Based on tonite I’d drink my remaining bottles by 2023.
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Friday Night, Big Blind Wines for Steak! (Bobby Van's on Park, NYC): While I liked this wine, it was still disappointing. Part of a blind tasting, this was opened, but not decanted, at a NYC Steakhouse. As it was served last, it was open for at least 90 minutes before we drank it. My previous bottle of this vintage was in 2015 and I loved it, but now I think it is on the downside. Out of the 8 of us, it only garnered one 2nd place vote. It seemed to be lacking in stucture and the 15.2% alcohol content made it seem hot and heavy. In fairness to the wine, as the last wine of the night, most of us had already finished out entrees when we poured this wine.
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Decanted for 1 hour. Still a bit cool from taking it out of the cellar. Aromas of mint, blackberry, eucalyptus, black cherry and black licorice. Flavors of blackberry, iron, mineral, mint and black cherry. Ends with a 35-40 second finish with mint and blackberry notes.
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Generally this is a disappointment considering the pedigree. No polish on a truncated finish. The fruit is restrained with a pretty wimpy nose. I gave it a couple extra points because I paid $100 plus for it on release.
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From magnum. 2 hour decant. Definitely a more laid back kind of Cabernet. Wife thought it was bitter. I enjoyed it. Can't compare this to a Cali cab as would not be fair. But this is not an old world in nature either. Somewhere in the middle. Plenty of time to go on this wine, no hurry to drink up.
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A restrained style compared to big Napa cabs, but graceful with dark berry fruits, orange and camphor, low acidity, and integrated tannins. In contrast to notes from other tasters, I would describe this wine as both fruity and moderately rich. It is a middle-weight, not a heavyweight however.
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Earthy dark berry fruit with some evergreen and Autumn leaves notes. Lacks richness, but perhaps that's the point of this wine. Went great with grilled streak. Decanted for an hour and a half and it could have used more - kept getting better in the glass.
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My third bottle and first in 4 years. Definitely more expressive and integrated. Initial nose of pure black fruits, quite acute and singular, with air more lead, pine, forest and fresh spring elements start to shine. Showing depth and purity. Palate is rich, with a cross between fruit and forest/earth. Think wild blackberry crossed with cassis and green wild berry. Still youthful but clearly coming along. 3/4 hour in bottle. Zalto glass.
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So pure, fresh blackberry on the nose, with violets and a little cedar. Deep purple color. Juicy fruit in the mouth, with soft tannins and decent acidity, remarkable balance. Long finish with a tad too much heat (could be my fault for not cellaring it impeccably or not decanting).
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This is not a PnP. Needs at least 3 hours out of the bottle. Just as good, if not better, on day 2. Supple. Dense and pure, but not ripe fruit. I agree w/other users that this is not a fruit forward cab. Have been drinking mostly Cali cab and this was a pleasant way to diversify.
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Still a baby needing 3-5 hours to mellow out to a drinkable stage. Blackberry, lead, resin, and artificial sugar. Not alcoholic but sharp on the edges and finish. Needs 5 plus years to mellow.
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Agree with other recent reviewer. This bottle just wasn't that good coming from QC. Missing fruit, out of balance. Not sure how this could get better with age. My first not great QC. A real bummer. PnP, drank over 2 hours.
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Dark deep purple hue. Deep earthy, dark berry, oak, spice, pencil lead on the nose. Deep plum, blackberry, little red fruit, long finish, beautiful structure, nicely balanced. Drinking terrific. Yummy wine!
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Actually a bit of a disappointment, the QC website says this got a 98 from Wine Advocate. Our guests and we divined flavors of licorice, lead pencil, a long finish, structure, and balance, but the fruit was missing. Even after a 1.5 hour decant we were underwhelmed and opened something else. Expected epic, and enjoyed a slightly above average wine. Expected nuclear bomb awesomeness that I remember in the 2012 and 2013 vintages, but just not in the upper stratosphere with those wines.
Perhaps it was palate fatigue, but this did not do as well as the 2009 Les Pavots open the same evening. Still primary, with red and blue fruits, I will sit on my other bottle for 3-4 years.
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These QC wines are so good with a little time. The heat subsides and all the pieces come together with wonderful focus. This vintage is more earthy and less bold than others. But, great balance, length and structure.
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Powerful stuff that needed air. I had the 2009 in April and found that far more open and inviting at this stage. This is still tightly wound, with evident tannic structure. Flavor profile is classic QC. ‘D forget about this for 5 years and reap the benefits then, but it’s really good now with a steak.
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This bottle presented one of the biggest dichotomies I've ever experienced between a nose and a palate. Did a 4 hour decant. Post-decant, the nose is super reserved, just totally shut down. I wonder if the decant ruined then nose? It was served at cellar temp so maybe it was too cold, but even after warming couldn't get much. It gives off some slight woody note but that's all that can be teased out, whether swirling or not. The palate makes up for that shyness with power and concentration, but manages to never feel heavy or overly-alcoholic. It's deep plum and red fruit, blackberry, and also plummy and sweet cigar box. Finish is nice in length. Good acid. If the nose had any typicity (or personality!) at all this would rate 94-96 on my scale. Still very pleasurable.
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Fantastic! Aerated and decanted for two hours. Great nose and balance, not too fruity with the right amount of earth and cedar. Long finish soaked into the tongue. This one went down quickly. Great way to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
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Decanted for 6 hours and re-bottled for pouring. A really good and full bodied Cabernet. Graphite notes both in the aromatics and on the palette with a background of sweet blackberry and some sweet plum. A savory and well made wine.
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3 hr decant. Ready to roll! A bit of heat in the back end. Definitely a WA cab, red and black fruit, nice herbal package, licorice and nicely complementary oak notes. Needs to sleep for 1-2 yrs.
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VERY dark fruited profile on the nose and palate. A hint of graphite that didn't overpower the fruit. It took a couple hours to really open up, but worth the wait. I wouldn't call it a QPR winner, but certainly worth drinking.
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Big nose of cassis, blueberries, eucalyptus, sandalwood, and alcohol. Huge weight. A strong "pencil shavings" character provides balance to the thick ripe fruit and intrusive alcohol. Medium-high tannins, low acidity/minerality. Too ripe and alcoholic for my tastes.
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Medium bodied. Still a little closed and tight I believe. Nice blueberry notes with vanilla and wet oak. I decanted this for 8 hours. Still has some of that 15.2% abv on the finish. Its good but needs to rest for a few more years.
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Dark red. Just tons of dark fruit, minerals and spice on the nose. Black currents, chocolate cherry, mocha, and even some black raspberry flavors. Tremendous balance, young but drinking marvelously tonight. My wine of the day but it did face a lot of tough competition.
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I get it. Cherry, bright red currant. More bright red fruit (rather than dark blue fruit) compared to the Leonetti. Vibrant, baking spices, subtle prune/fig amarone notes going on. Blueberry. Good to go now, but could use a couple of years to hit its peak. Give it a decant.
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Slow o'ed for 12 hours. Nose of black fruits, leather, cherry, hints of spice and tobacco. On the palate, currants, cassis, sour cherry, spice. Long finish with lots of grip. Still too young. Hold.
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Had this at a "Hi-Lo" tasting comparing the 2010 Quilceda Creek Cabernet and the 2010 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red wine, with the 2009 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain and Mt. Veeder wines.
I think this wine was the star of the tasting. Yes, it will benefit from another year or two of aging, but after decanting and a 45 minute wait period it was ready to drink. Its dark, dusky and brooding, but its also complex, loaded with flavor and fun to drink.
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Dark garnet with bright rim; oak is less intrusive than I expected, nice floral quality to the sweet black currant and black raspberry nose; palate is firm but has a certain freshness to it that I wasn't expecting either, a nice pop of tart fruit, densely textured, rounded by the oak but surprisingly noble tannin and a certain drinkability and balance that was very nice.
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I drank this wine way too young, again! Black fruit nose, rich cedar and forest greenery. Palate was rich with opulent mocha, oak and super concentrated with blue color fruit. Strong tannin on the finish. Definitely hold off.
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What a window into where this wine is going! Drank over two days. Day one, decanted and drank 4/5ths of the bottle. It's definitely in a "dumb" phase. Had size and weight, but flavor and finish weren't decipherable. Felt ashamed for opening the bottle. All that changed day two - the last glass was like a dream. Clear, focused flavored of black cherry, plum skins, changing to a peach-like flavor at the end. Finish lasted for minutes. Breathtaking. Looking forward to the next 2010 in a few years time.
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A very generous customer at a wine bar offered a taste so I of course accepted. I will note that there was no decant and they finished the bottle quite quickly...I left my glass on the counter to open up for quite awhile. It never really came together and what struck me the most was the high acidity and alcohol. It never opened up for me and quite honestly was a would not buy again wine based on this sample.
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This wine was good but not great. Might need some more time. A bit disjointed - much sweeter than I expected. Almost like an over extracted napa cab. I own a lot of those which is the reason I love this winery. Will try again in a couple of years.
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2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): Sourced from five different vineyards (Champoux, Galitzine, Klipsun, Palengat and Tapteil) this opaque crimson wine is a blend of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot. It was aged 22 months in new French oak. The nose flaunts intense aromas of dark cherry, cassis, vanilla, potpourri and loamy earth. On the palate, it is full-bodied, has medium acidity, nicely integrated oak and equally well-integrated alcohol. The tannins are massive and ripe. Solid in the middle, the wine finishes very long. This is quintessential, iconic Washington State Cabernet. Allow it some time in the cellar. Drink 2020-2045.
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Big nice nose with red fruit. Flavors are initially strong tannins covering some fruit and more oak and dark cocoa. Shows its youth. Very long finish. Tasted at Esquin Quilceda tasting.
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Still a tiny bit of heat poking thru but starting to enter its sweet spot and more mellow than 7 months ago. Give this a 30 minute to an hour decant and enjoy.
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At Ai Fiori in NYC, second flight of reds, drank this side/side with a 98 Togni.
Very young, this was opened and decanted for only about 30 minutes prior to drinking. Dark purple color. Huge nose - typical for Quilceda - dark berries and forest. A little hot, blew off after about 20 minutes, chalking this up to the youth of the wine. Plate of blackberry, and red fruits, mint, forest floor and floral notes.
Big tannins which indicate aging potential. My guess is this hits its stride in about 5 years. Very good now, will definitely get better in time, probably has 20+ years of drinking from now.
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So as to not fully kill the baby, gave it 30 hrs of slow O2, which definitely helped it out. Great nose & mouth feel, decent mid, but then an unbalanced acidity at finish. My best assumption is that in 5-10 years, it will integrate and go from great (my score today) to amazing (some of the numbers I've seen thrown around already). Definitely a different QC than some of the giants of prior years.
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Massive nose upon pour of berry, mocha, tar and evergreen. Body is tight with tannins, demonstrating the length potential. Palate radiates with fern, evergreen, menthol, and concentrated fruit. The length is incredibly long and shows. Alcohol is huge which I am not accustomed too lately, but time will mellow I'm sure.
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Massive. Grand. Elegant. Minerals and the typical Quilceda nose with a lot of menthol combined into a great whole. The fruit is perfectly ripe and adjoined by violets, blackberry and subtle raspberry. A full-bodied palate is of course a must for this effort and the 2010 Quilceda does not let us down. Of course this effort has some hard edges, but those will mellow in due course. It is utterly wonderful and the word profound is probably accurately used here too. A flat out great wine!
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A ridiculous baby killing: pop and pour. In the glass, deep, saturated purple. On the nose, muted notes of oak and cassis. On the palate, a beguiling but muted mixture of currants, coffee, and forest floor, overtaken in short order by a massive wall of mouth-puckering tannins. The potential is clearly there, but hide this away for 5-10 years and just forget about it.
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Decanted only about a half hour because we wanted to dive into this Cab and see what we got for the first time. It is surely very young but already showing great Cab signs of pepper, dark red berries, smoke et al. I won't open the next for a good long while but this was a real treat that was enhanced by a large grilled rib-eye. Really nice wine.
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Just a baby, but still showing better than most of the wines in the world. Incredibly lush and dense. Nose is dark chocolate with dash of mint. The palate starts off with utterly clear flavors of 90% cocao stone-ground chocolate. Completely awesome mouthfeel and lots LOTS of acidity. Will only get better.
$220.99 OH retail www.austinbeeman.com
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Friends and I tasted this at the 3/17/13 release. It had a deep, layered and fragrant bouquet of cassis, black cherry, cedar, cumin and spice aromas. The palate was dense, rich and a little sour with flavors of cassis, black cherry, leather, and spice…nicely balanced.
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Strong showing though far to young. Not a lot of tannins, and those are smooth. An easy wine to drink already, with powerful acids that should help this balance out more with time. Typical quality, but not as big as previous vintages. PDQ94+
Tasted twice at release party. Less intense than previous vintages, lighter color also. More earth, tobacco, and fine-grained tannins, some dark fruits. Crowd seemed to enjoy it, but then they were serving wonderful hors d'ouerves with it, and I noticed that it changed with the pairings. 92-94?
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Tasted at the annual release event. Much more tannic and less fruit forward than the 2009 upon release. Plenty of acidity throughout as well. I'm not even going to revisit this for at least 5 years, maybe even 10. Hopefully this comes around and integrates better with age. I have had much more intriguing wine over the last year that was far less than the $135 price point currently being offered.
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Popped poured. I have a bunch of these so I thought it was time for an experiment. Beautiful nose full of rich florals and dark fruit, along with hints of red fruits. On the palate, mostly walled off by tannins, but there is some rich fruit lurking underneath. Finishes long, tons of tannic grip balanced by decent acidity. This is a long term hold.
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4/23/2024 - d.f.c Likes this wine: 94 Points
A full-bodied and powerful Cab. Very potent alcohol and tannins level. After a reasonable amount of time decanting, the aroma of dark berries and fresh pine come out. Definitely a good wine with long lasting flavors; but it needs ample decanting.
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4/22/2024 - d.f.c Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full bodied, dense aroma on the nose and equally dense taste on the palate. Should be drank with red meat heavy and cheese heavy food.
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2/24/2024 - npettit wrote: 89 Points
Wasn’t drinking well nor did it taste like the other bottle in the same vintage. Off time or something was wrong
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1/13/2024 - Esmags7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 60 minutes - outstanding wine and aging really well. Cherry is the core flavor, but definitely not a fruit bomb - this is well integrated. Subtle toasted spices. Texture is very nice - not as chewy as the QC12 and some of the other vintages. The finish was the most impressive part - wonderful 30 second long finish.
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12/27/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the first bottles we bought for our cellar and our first QC purchased back in 2016. This wine drinks like a 5yo bottle. If you open it now, give it 60 minutes of air. Tannins are smooth and well integrated. Nose of black cherry, graphite and you can still smell the oak, a bit of dusty dry barn wood. Full bodied, long finish. This is built to hold and could easily go another 10-15 years.
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12/26/2023 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Exquisite. Perfect on nose and palate upon opening; hypnotic aromas and balanced flavors immediately justify this brand's fame and reputation. Decanting not required. This emperor DOES have clothes!
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12/3/2023 - Troon wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Dark red fruit and eucalyptus on the nose. Red fruit and spice on the palate. A long finish with plenty of tannins. I bought this for my son’s birth year, and I think it should make it to 21 years without an issue. I’ll try again in 3 years.
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11/23/2023 - Dave Mac Likes this wine: 97 Points
This grandaddy limped to the dinner, but man, when he woke up from his first course he was the grandaddy of them all. Plummy scents with just a rabbit punch of cantaloupe, some wafting light toast crumbs and a beast of a finish. Might have been a dollop of caramel in there, too. Really happy grandad didn't go face first into the creamed onions but woke up refreshed and blasted the feast like no other.
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9/23/2023 - deadwax Likes this wine:
Very good wine. Still has a way to go imo. If you have one or two I would wait as long as you can. Tasts like it will be a 20+ year wine.
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8/23/2023 - skifree wrote: 93 Points
Very dark in the glass with a tiny clear meniscus at the rim. Alluring nose, all beautifully ripe dark fruit, olive, and a hint of menthol. It is complex on the palate, but the fruit recedes quickly and the salinity and minerality and woody tannins take over. They stay through the long finish. The flavors are a melange, which makes the wine interesting and enjoyable. Some sips I got a hint of anise, sometimes I didn't.
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8/11/2023 - RJ&JJ wrote:
Something was REALLY off with this bottle: not "corked" per se, but not right at all.
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5/20/2023 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin'd twice over 3 weeks, notes are after pulling the cork. From Somm stems. There are a surprising # of TN's indicating bottles of this vintage were bad or off, and while I won't say mine was off, it strikes me as more old world Bordeaux blend than cab; while not a bad at all, this isn't as nuanced as other vintages.
Charcoal and leather on the nose, flavor profile is muted and a bit flat. If I hadn't read others' notes I'd definitely say it's impacted by coravin.
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5/15/2023 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP
Not as impressive as other QCs I have had, but then again it is clearly very young.
Vitamin flavors, good mineral characters, mixed with black fruit. Weight was medium plus. Definitely would do well with another 5 years of age.
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3/30/2023 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
4 hour decant, and drank over 2 days.
Full bodied, massive, mouth-coating bouquet of blackberry, dark soil tones, blackberry, blueberry, plum, black olives. Still moderately tannic on day 2. For the next bottle I would wait another 2-3 years or decant this starting around 9am for my evening dinner.
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3/12/2023 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted alongside the CVR 2010, bigger, more structured, tannic, needs more time, dark blackberry, cassis, long finish, CVR is ready now, this wine needs more time and/or splash decanting
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12/16/2022 - PDXWineO Likes this wine: 96 Points
No official notes but this cab was incredible. In a perfect drinking window and can hold for a handful of years. Much better than the one I had two years ago.
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12/11/2022 - harrisxlt@gmail.com Likes this wine:
Excellent!
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11/10/2022 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark sweet ripe plummy black fruits, with good structure. Chunky rich with an underlying firm finish. Hopefully develops more nuance abd layers with even more time.
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10/5/2022 - Neecies wrote:
Took to the OK. This bottle wasn't flawed, but it's in a bad phase and sadly lacking compared to the joyful bottle we opened exactly one year ago. It was heavy, plodding and sappy, even after several hours decanting. We recorked and visited again 24 and 48 hours later, and finally dumped it rather than finish it. Would not touch another for at least a year.
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9/9/2022 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour into a decanter - not what I would have done if I was flying solo, but sometimes bottles get opened. In the glass, dark magenta/maroon at the rim, shading quickly to dark, opaque purple/black at the core. On the nose, currants and mocha. On the palate, more of the same, with additional elements of forest floor, plum, and blueberry, with assertive tannins on a long finish. Approachable, but 3-5 hours in a decanter would have been preferable.
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8/27/2022 - markcic wrote: 91 Points
Perhaps an off bottle. Opened four to five hours prior to consumption. It was still good but not up to the previous Quilcedas I have consumed over the past years. The nose was beautiful. The palate, while good was somewhat muted and I did not get the beautiful finish that I normally do from this vineyard.
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8/20/2022 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Grabbed to fill some glasses, so I was only able to decant for 15 minutes. Compared to the 2012 Leonetti Reserve which preceded it, the Quilceda was a little bit like a soft punch in the mouth. Bigger, bold forward fruit and some tannins on a long slightly alcoholic finish. Preferred the Leonetti tonight, but a longer decant for the Quilceda could turn the tables.
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5/28/2022 - cabsrgreat Likes this wine: 99 Points
Sat in glass 90 minutes before drinking, paired well with steak. Smooth tannins, a wonderful Cabernet. Seems to be in a great drinking window for me.
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5/28/2022 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 93 Points
This QC Cabernet is in its perfect drinking window. Soft and silkie tannins, a basket full of dark berries, a hint of mint and dusty earth. Enjoy!
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5/22/2022 - RPerro wrote: 90 Points
P&P. Really disappointed with this one. Kinda flat and just not that interesting, compared to other vintages I've had (2009 was amazing!) Expected a score in the high 90s, got 89-90. Cork looked fine, with no seepage, bought from winery direct and stored in a wine fridge since purchase...not sure what was up. Typical cabernet fruit, but it dropped off pretty steeply on the midpalate and the finish was overly sweet. We even tried running it through an aerator, but that didn't help. Sad!
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5/10/2022 - MK9786 Likes this wine: 94 Points
5/10: Tried the 2nd bottle, and it is fantastic after about an hour of decanting.
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5/7/2022 - MK9786 wrote: 90 Points
Curiously flat or lifeless. Cork was fine.
Never really got going even after 2 days in the decanter. Could be a bad bottle.
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5/3/2022 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 2+ hours. Beautiful cab in a nice drinking window. Everything you want from a classic cab. Delicious
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4/29/2022 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes before service and consumed over another hour. Dark red at the core with translucence at the edges. Blackberries on the nose which took a while to open up. Intense red fruit on the palate, black cherry, dark chocolate, tobacco, plums. Sweet tannins, brilliant acidity and balance. Finishes long, long with cherries and anise. Velvety but just a little heavy in the mouth. Although it is eminently drinkable right now, I would really wait on it if you can. I think it needs another 3 years or so to develop additional complexity and to allow it to soften and the oak to integrate a bit more. Drink over the next 8 to 10 years.
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1/23/2022 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was ready to drink. Tannins resolved. Easy to drink Great nose. Had with Beef Bouguinon. Some cedar. It also went well with Cheddar and Gouda cheese
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1/22/2022 - jay_hawk@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still drinking young and has a long life ahead.
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12/7/2021 - VashonWine wrote: 98 Points
Decanted at Delmonico's steakhouse in Las Vegas December 2021.
Had about 1/2 hour in the decanter, and lots of swirling before drinking. I thought it might be tight, but it actually is drinking near perfectly right now. Tannins were obvious but balanced, it is beginning an extended ideal drinking window, perhaps 5-10 years. Deep ruby color, almost mirror like clarity that graduates uniformly from mostly opaque to an almost fully transparent rim. Very leggy at over 15% alcohol. Black current, dark cherries, slight sweet pepper on the nose. Pencil shavings, wet granite
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12/4/2021 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine:
Here’s a secret: I like this wine so much that when my wife took the dogs out for their late night walk, I poured some from her glass into mine! Please, don’t let her find out! Red fruits evolving toward blue, then an explosion of flavors that are like walking through a fresh conifer forest, then mint and bitter orange melting into a long finish. If you have a bottle, enjoy it. Opened an hour before pouring, the last glass two hours later is the best.
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9/15/2021 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Decanted about three hours before serving: cassis and graphite, with some brambly spice and super-fine tone from acidity and tannins. Gripe as you may about the price you'd never mistake this for a $50 wine, it's really special and this is a great vintage. Not even close to mature, should cellar well to 2030 and beyond.
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9/7/2021 - Michael T. Zoppo Likes this wine:
I was torn between opening an '11 and the '10. Tight upon opening. Thirty minutes in the decanter proved very helpful. A medium-full bodied Cabernet loaded with cassis and graphite notes. Snappy acidity that reminded me of Ridge's estate cab when it's at its best. With more time, the fruit got richer and the finish lengthened. A wonderful, not-over-the-top domestic cab. However, I think I opened it a few years too soon. My remaining bottles will rest for another few years, and I will try an '11--a supposedly earlier-drinking vintage--soon.
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8/1/2021 - yaCellar wrote:
Fine
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6/28/2021 - Stevethebeav Likes this wine: 93 Points
QC my favorite never disappoints.
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6/13/2021 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big, blueberries & graphite, round & full, tannic & smooth. And these were my pop & pour comments. Let's see what it's like in a hour or two.
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6/8/2021 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sweetie's birthday! I get violets and blueberries on the nose, more soft, velvety dark fruit, a bit of coffee, and a fluid finish.
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5/2/2021 - Richard123 wrote: 91 Points
Very good!
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4/22/2021 - T.E.D. wrote: 94 Points
My 4th bottle in several years. This vintage continues to stand out and impress, with 10 plus years of age it still shows structure and youth which is an encouraging sign. The nose is where this wine shows it complexity. Mountain berry, black and blue fruit and evergreen forest dominate, followed by more nuanced dusty soil, cedar, purple flowers, and lush berry jam. Very well integrated. Palate is lush and full bodied, still showing some tightness. Heavy on the oak and toast notes, with concentrated berry compote, some leather and cedar, pipe tobacco and vanilla. Powerful and complex, with good length. Will wait another couple years before revisiting.
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2/19/2021 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Matt's birthday dinner
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12/25/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Christmas day 2020, tenderloin roast in the oven, time to splurge! Cassis and graphite nose. Concentrated, tannic. Spice and more graphite, with asian tea mixed in. Muted dark fruit. Ho, ho, ho!
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12/13/2020 - warrenpeace wrote: 98 Points
Just fabulous. Great purity of fruit but tremendous balance. Drinking beautifully now but will hold at peak for 5+ years.
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12/11/2020 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed THREE bottles back to back. All notes the same.
At Vancouver Club with Rob and Liam.
Dark fruit, stewed plums. Hibiscus. Oak and vanilla.
Full bodied. Dry. Well balanced. Long finish.
This is a bloody delicious wine. Case worthy!
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12/8/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Loved this bottle. Vanilla. Chocolate. Cassis. Sandlewood. Big, structured, and awesome.
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11/21/2020 - yaCellar wrote: 95 Points
If you like younger, primary QC, give this a 4-5 hour decant and this is ready to go.
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8/1/2020 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
More impressive than the last bottle, with a plum and cherry profile. Firm backbone and solid acidity denote a long lifespan still to go.
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7/28/2020 - mklasing Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drinking almost flawlessly.
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7/24/2020 - jjagtap wrote: 97 Points
Great nose hits you with blackberries, liquorice, cinnamon pepper. Tannins are silky smooth. Medium acidity. .
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7/6/2020 - Tag4wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Near the peak
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6/27/2020 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
After a 90 minute decant, the first pour before dinner was big and shy, not offering much beyond bold and primary fruit. Not long after, a glass with dinner (pasta with tuna, capers, arugula and red pepper spice) began to show more, including hints of lilac. A second glass after dinner (maybe it was my third) was more open still, with blackberry, creosote, and a really clear shot of nectarine. Throughout, this was a medium weight wine with silky texture, smooth tannins and a long finish. Really nice how it evolved through the evening. Note to self: let’s try to wait a couple of years before opening the next bottle.
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6/26/2020 - bgdau Likes this wine:
Wonderful.
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5/30/2020 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious. Wonderful nose of black fruit and cedar. Well integrated with a long finish. Enjoyed with braised beef short rib.
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5/10/2020 - dneville wrote: 94 Points
really nice wine, traditional big cab - but give it 5 more years. still heavy on tannins after opening in advance and decanting.
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4/24/2020 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
This is definitely drinking better than my last bottle. This is showing well, cherry and cassis fruit with a warm finish. Hints of chocolate in a balanced finish. Lots of time left here.
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4/17/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. Big blackberry & graphite, perfectly balanced tannins, plums, just so much that you want to go back for more and more.
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4/13/2020 - SeaSmoke wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 4 hours. Blackberry, cassis, and cedar on the nose and palate. Wonderful long finish. No reason to be in a hurry to drink this wine. It has a long time to go.
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3/6/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Like Gweneth Paltrow, looks and feels elegant and structured, but seemingly a little bit vague and hollow. Dry, muted dark fruit, cigar, musty earth. Might have won an academy award, but skinny and shallow.
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1/18/2020 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2/3 of the bottle for 2 hours, followed the balance straight out of the bottle. From Sommolier stems, as these broadened the nose and added depth to the wine. Tea, cigar and old wine cask on the nose. Comes across the palate slightly thin, possibly impacted by multiple moves.
Coffee, asphalt and ripe black fruit on a canvas of aged barrel....maybe some fig in there too. Based on tonite I’d drink my remaining bottles by 2023.
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12/28/2019 - PDXWineO Likes this wine: 95 Points
I wouldn't hold these much longer. Tasted great but I don't feel further cellaring will do these 2010s much help.
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12/1/2019 - Hooman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Needs to take a nap!
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11/20/2019 - Rbtrage wrote: 91 Points
Very good. Very similar to other vintages of this wine.
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11/8/2019 - DustyB wrote:
Wine Meetup Dinner; sharp
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11/8/2019 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 91 Points
Friday Night, Big Blind Wines for Steak! (Bobby Van's on Park, NYC): While I liked this wine, it was still disappointing. Part of a blind tasting, this was opened, but not decanted, at a NYC Steakhouse. As it was served last, it was open for at least 90 minutes before we drank it. My previous bottle of this vintage was in 2015 and I loved it, but now I think it is on the downside. Out of the 8 of us, it only garnered one 2nd place vote. It seemed to be lacking in stucture and the 15.2% alcohol content made it seem hot and heavy. In fairness to the wine, as the last wine of the night, most of us had already finished out entrees when we poured this wine.
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10/28/2019 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Plum, licorice and black fruit. Opened slowly but offered soft tannins, a bit of acid and a long mouthwatering finish
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10/12/2019 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Still a bit cool from taking it out of the cellar. Aromas of mint, blackberry, eucalyptus, black cherry and black licorice. Flavors of blackberry, iron, mineral, mint and black cherry. Ends with a 35-40 second finish with mint and blackberry notes.
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9/6/2019 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
Generally this is a disappointment considering the pedigree. No polish on a truncated finish. The fruit is restrained with a pretty wimpy nose. I gave it a couple extra points because I paid $100 plus for it on release.
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7/16/2019 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
From magnum. 2 hour decant. Definitely a more laid back kind of Cabernet. Wife thought it was bitter. I enjoyed it. Can't compare this to a Cali cab as would not be fair. But this is not an old world in nature either. Somewhere in the middle. Plenty of time to go on this wine, no hurry to drink up.
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6/22/2019 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 94 Points
A restrained style compared to big Napa cabs, but graceful with dark berry fruits, orange and camphor, low acidity, and integrated tannins. In contrast to notes from other tasters, I would describe this wine as both fruity and moderately rich. It is a middle-weight, not a heavyweight however.
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6/16/2019 - mreinitz wrote: 93 Points
Earthy dark berry fruit with some evergreen and Autumn leaves notes. Lacks richness, but perhaps that's the point of this wine. Went great with grilled streak. Decanted for an hour and a half and it could have used more - kept getting better in the glass.
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5/4/2019 - T.E.D. wrote: 93 Points
My third bottle and first in 4 years. Definitely more expressive and integrated. Initial nose of pure black fruits, quite acute and singular, with air more lead, pine, forest and fresh spring elements start to shine. Showing depth and purity. Palate is rich, with a cross between fruit and forest/earth. Think wild blackberry crossed with cassis and green wild berry. Still youthful but clearly coming along. 3/4 hour in bottle. Zalto glass.
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3/26/2019 - hfindlay Likes this wine:
So pure, fresh blackberry on the nose, with violets and a little cedar. Deep purple color. Juicy fruit in the mouth, with soft tannins and decent acidity, remarkable balance. Long finish with a tad too much heat (could be my fault for not cellaring it impeccably or not decanting).
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3/9/2019 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is not a PnP. Needs at least 3 hours out of the bottle. Just as good, if not better, on day 2. Supple. Dense and pure, but not ripe fruit. I agree w/other users that this is not a fruit forward cab. Have been drinking mostly Cali cab and this was a pleasant way to diversify.
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2/15/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Still a baby needing 3-5 hours to mellow out to a drinkable stage. Blackberry, lead, resin, and artificial sugar. Not alcoholic but sharp on the edges and finish. Needs 5 plus years to mellow.
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1/28/2019 - uncorkwashington wrote: 88 Points
Agree with other recent reviewer. This bottle just wasn't that good coming from QC. Missing fruit, out of balance. Not sure how this could get better with age. My first not great QC. A real bummer. PnP, drank over 2 hours.
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12/25/2018 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark deep purple hue. Deep earthy, dark berry, oak, spice, pencil lead on the nose. Deep plum, blackberry, little red fruit, long finish, beautiful structure, nicely balanced. Drinking terrific. Yummy wine!
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12/9/2018 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 89 Points
Actually a bit of a disappointment, the QC website says this got a 98 from Wine Advocate. Our guests and we divined flavors of licorice, lead pencil, a long finish, structure, and balance, but the fruit was missing. Even after a 1.5 hour decant we were underwhelmed and opened something else. Expected epic, and enjoyed a slightly above average wine. Expected nuclear bomb awesomeness that I remember in the 2012 and 2013 vintages, but just not in the upper stratosphere with those wines.
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12/2/2018 - D3S Likes this wine: 96 Points
Outstanding bottle of wine.
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11/30/2018 - miker02 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted and aired for about an hour. Primal. Strong blue fruits. Very good now but could use another 5 years in the bottle.
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11/23/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perhaps it was palate fatigue, but this did not do as well as the 2009 Les Pavots open the same evening. Still primary, with red and blue fruits, I will sit on my other bottle for 3-4 years.
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11/10/2018 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP but ... No specific notes but this was awesome!
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10/5/2018 - Amerique wrote: 95 Points
Rich, delicious dark red fruit with cassis, plum, black raspberry, and cranberry flavors, excellent structure, long finish
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8/19/2018 - Stevethebeav Likes this wine: 94 Points
These QC wines are so good with a little time. The heat subsides and all the pieces come together with wonderful focus. This vintage is more earthy and less bold than others. But, great balance, length and structure.
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7/16/2018 - jmull Likes this wine: 95 Points
Powerful stuff that needed air. I had the 2009 in April and found that far more open and inviting at this stage. This is still tightly wound, with evident tannic structure. Flavor profile is classic QC. ‘D forget about this for 5 years and reap the benefits then, but it’s really good now with a steak.
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5/4/2018 - Pquaker wrote: 94 Points
Decant necessary. Went well with steak, medium rare.
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4/22/2018 - brianngibson wrote: 97 Points
Immediately on opening, loads of blackberry cobbler. Later cassis, tobacco and graphite. Beautiful wine still getting better.
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4/8/2018 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dry
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle.
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3/11/2018 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle presented one of the biggest dichotomies I've ever experienced between a nose and a palate. Did a 4 hour decant. Post-decant, the nose is super reserved, just totally shut down. I wonder if the decant ruined then nose? It was served at cellar temp so maybe it was too cold, but even after warming couldn't get much. It gives off some slight woody note but that's all that can be teased out, whether swirling or not. The palate makes up for that shyness with power and concentration, but manages to never feel heavy or overly-alcoholic. It's deep plum and red fruit, blackberry, and also plummy and sweet cigar box. Finish is nice in length. Good acid. If the nose had any typicity (or personality!) at all this would rate 94-96 on my scale. Still very pleasurable.
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2/10/2018 - npettit wrote: 93 Points
Still needs time
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1/30/2018 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dry, tannic, graphite, condensed fruit, plum.
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12/25/2017 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had with Christmas tenderloin. Just wonderful. Nice body. Balanced. Smooth. A little plum fruit
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12/8/2017 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 96 Points
Birthday splurge. Fantastic.
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12/2/2017 - rgaeto wrote:
Distinctive with coffee and jasmine tea accents around a supple core of cherry and red plumb. Long finish
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10/8/2017 - MelroseCellars Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic! Aerated and decanted for two hours. Great nose and balance, not too fruity with the right amount of earth and cedar. Long finish soaked into the tongue. This one went down quickly. Great way to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
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7/23/2017 - mklasing Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasting very well now!! July 2017
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7/9/2017 - jmcmchi wrote: 91 Points
Blackberry, ripe cedar, touches of spice on nose
Lots of dusty tannins; intense dark fruit, light black acidity
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7/8/2017 - tomoem Likes this wine: 94 Points
4th wine in the line-up tonight.
Decanted for 6 hours and re-bottled for pouring. A really good and full bodied Cabernet. Graphite notes both in the aromatics and on the palette with a background of sweet blackberry and some sweet plum. A savory and well made wine.
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5/8/2017 - brianngibson wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful deep crimson, cassis and red fruit. Tannins softening, but still a bit chewy. This goes on and on and on ...
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4/22/2017 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 93 Points
3 hr decant. Ready to roll! A bit of heat in the back end. Definitely a WA cab, red and black fruit, nice herbal package, licorice and nicely complementary oak notes. Needs to sleep for 1-2 yrs.
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1/23/2017 - CranBurgundy Likes this wine: 92 Points
VERY dark fruited profile on the nose and palate. A hint of graphite that didn't overpower the fruit. It took a couple hours to really open up, but worth the wait. I wouldn't call it a QPR winner, but certainly worth drinking.
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10/26/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big nose of cassis, blueberries, eucalyptus, sandalwood, and alcohol. Huge weight. A strong "pencil shavings" character provides balance to the thick ripe fruit and intrusive alcohol. Medium-high tannins, low acidity/minerality. Too ripe and alcoholic for my tastes.
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8/12/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Medium bodied. Still a little closed and tight I believe. Nice blueberry notes with vanilla and wet oak. I decanted this for 8 hours. Still has some of that 15.2% abv on the finish. Its good but needs to rest for a few more years.
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4/30/2016 - J-Sho Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank a few days ago so no notes but amazing complex and well integrated wine.
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3/19/2016 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Consistent notes. Dark blue fruit. Leather, tobacco, earth. Jaw dropping. Get the fuss, good juice. Worth it.
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2/17/2016 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Coravin #2 - Consistent notes, dark blue/red currant, blackberry, spice, coffee.
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2/16/2016 - ehodin Likes this wine: 98 Points
Great wine - I guess I like my cabs young, seeing as how many are saying it needs more time - I'll take it any day with steak.
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2/5/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 99 Points
Dark red. Just tons of dark fruit, minerals and spice on the nose. Black currents, chocolate cherry, mocha, and even some black raspberry flavors. Tremendous balance, young but drinking marvelously tonight. My wine of the day but it did face a lot of tough competition.
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2/5/2016 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
I get it. Cherry, bright red currant. More bright red fruit (rather than dark blue fruit) compared to the Leonetti. Vibrant, baking spices, subtle prune/fig amarone notes going on. Blueberry. Good to go now, but could use a couple of years to hit its peak. Give it a decant.
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1/25/2016 - TK Mastres wrote: 89 Points
Did not show well against similar aged Napa cabs at a blind tasting party.
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1/1/2016 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slow o'ed for 12 hours. Nose of black fruits, leather, cherry, hints of spice and tobacco. On the palate, currants, cassis, sour cherry, spice. Long finish with lots of grip. Still too young. Hold.
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10/27/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this at a "Hi-Lo" tasting comparing the 2010 Quilceda Creek Cabernet and the 2010 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red wine, with the 2009 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain and Mt. Veeder wines.
I think this wine was the star of the tasting. Yes, it will benefit from another year or two of aging, but after decanting and a 45 minute wait period it was ready to drink. Its dark, dusky and brooding, but its also complex, loaded with flavor and fun to drink.
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10/25/2015 - Rezy13 wrote: 93 Points
Dark garnet with bright rim; oak is less intrusive than I expected, nice floral quality to the sweet black currant and black raspberry nose; palate is firm but has a certain freshness to it that I wasn't expecting either, a nice pop of tart fruit, densely textured, rounded by the oak but surprisingly noble tannin and a certain drinkability and balance that was very nice.
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8/31/2015 - T.E.D. wrote: 92 Points
I drank this wine way too young, again! Black fruit nose, rich cedar and forest greenery. Palate was rich with opulent mocha, oak and super concentrated with blue color fruit. Strong tannin on the finish. Definitely hold off.
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8/6/2015 - magic2coop wrote: 93 Points
Super dense and concentrated. Decanted for 2 hours. Oak, cinnamon, and chocolate on nose. Blackberry and fig dominate. Take your time to cellar.
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6/3/2015 - lsupp Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a window into where this wine is going! Drank over two days. Day one, decanted and drank 4/5ths of the bottle. It's definitely in a "dumb" phase. Had size and weight, but flavor and finish weren't decipherable. Felt ashamed for opening the bottle. All that changed day two - the last glass was like a dream. Clear, focused flavored of black cherry, plum skins, changing to a peach-like flavor at the end. Finish lasted for minutes. Breathtaking. Looking forward to the next 2010 in a few years time.
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4/24/2015 - hiker_guy wrote:
A very generous customer at a wine bar offered a taste so I of course accepted.
I will note that there was no decant and they finished the bottle quite quickly...I left my glass on the counter to open up for quite awhile. It never really came together and what struck me the most was the high acidity and alcohol. It never opened up for me and quite honestly was a would not buy again wine based on this sample.
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3/9/2015 - ptelgenh wrote: 90 Points
This wine was good but not great. Might need some more time. A bit disjointed - much sweeter than I expected. Almost like an over extracted napa cab. I own a lot of those which is the reason I love this winery. Will try again in a couple of years.
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12/27/2014 - shadow wrote: 96 Points
Nose is all cab, first sip, big but refreshing in its clan delivery of spice and dark unsweetened fruit, tannins say hi than pass by.
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10/17/2014 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 96 Points
2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): Sourced from five different vineyards (Champoux, Galitzine, Klipsun, Palengat and Tapteil) this opaque crimson wine is a blend of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot. It was aged 22 months in new French oak. The nose flaunts intense aromas of dark cherry, cassis, vanilla, potpourri and loamy earth. On the palate, it is full-bodied, has medium acidity, nicely integrated oak and equally well-integrated alcohol. The tannins are massive and ripe. Solid in the middle, the wine finishes very long. This is quintessential, iconic Washington State Cabernet. Allow it some time in the cellar. Drink 2020-2045.
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10/2/2014 - AlexHop wrote: 94 Points
Big nice nose with red fruit. Flavors are initially strong tannins covering some fruit and more oak and dark cocoa. Shows its youth. Very long finish. Tasted at Esquin Quilceda tasting.
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9/18/2014 - jaxpaj wrote: 89 Points
Clearly the worst bottle of the night. Scorched earth, tobacco, and leather, dominated the wine. Not what I look for in a wine.
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7/20/2014 - conga523 wrote: 95 Points
Still a tiny bit of heat poking thru but starting to enter its sweet spot and more mellow than 7 months ago. Give this a 30 minute to an hour decant and enjoy.
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5/20/2014 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
At Ai Fiori in NYC, second flight of reds, drank this side/side with a 98 Togni.
Very young, this was opened and decanted for only about 30 minutes prior to drinking. Dark purple color. Huge nose - typical for Quilceda - dark berries and forest. A little hot, blew off after about 20 minutes, chalking this up to the youth of the wine. Plate of blackberry, and red fruits, mint, forest floor and floral notes.
Big tannins which indicate aging potential. My guess is this hits its stride in about 5 years. Very good now, will definitely get better in time, probably has 20+ years of drinking from now.
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3/16/2014 - Rogie Likes this wine: 97 Points
Fabulous now!
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2/2/2014 - mrmedoes Likes this wine: 93 Points
So as to not fully kill the baby, gave it 30 hrs of slow O2, which definitely helped it out. Great nose & mouth feel, decent mid, but then an unbalanced acidity at finish. My best assumption is that in 5-10 years, it will integrate and go from great (my score today) to amazing (some of the numbers I've seen thrown around already). Definitely a different QC than some of the giants of prior years.
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10/26/2013 - T.E.D. wrote: 93 Points
Massive nose upon pour of berry, mocha, tar and evergreen. Body is tight with tannins, demonstrating the length potential. Palate radiates with fern, evergreen, menthol, and concentrated fruit. The length is incredibly long and shows. Alcohol is huge which I am not accustomed too lately, but time will mellow I'm sure.
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9/4/2013 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Massive. Grand. Elegant. Minerals and the typical Quilceda nose with a lot of menthol combined into a great whole. The fruit is perfectly ripe and adjoined by violets, blackberry and subtle raspberry. A full-bodied palate is of course a must for this effort and the 2010 Quilceda does not let us down. Of course this effort has some hard edges, but those will mellow in due course. It is utterly wonderful and the word profound is probably accurately used here too. A flat out great wine!
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6/30/2013 - jshufelt wrote: 90 Points
A ridiculous baby killing: pop and pour. In the glass, deep, saturated purple. On the nose, muted notes of oak and cassis. On the palate, a beguiling but muted mixture of currants, coffee, and forest floor, overtaken in short order by a massive wall of mouth-puckering tannins. The potential is clearly there, but hide this away for 5-10 years and just forget about it.
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6/20/2013 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted only about a half hour because we wanted to dive into this Cab and see what we got for the first time. It is surely very young but already showing great Cab signs of pepper, dark red berries, smoke et al. I won't open the next for a good long while but this was a real treat that was enhanced by a large grilled rib-eye. Really nice wine.
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5/5/2013 - austinbeeman- austinbeeman.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
CELLAR SELECTION.
Just a baby, but still showing better than most of the wines in the world. Incredibly lush and dense. Nose is dark chocolate with dash of mint. The palate starts off with utterly clear flavors of 90% cocao stone-ground chocolate. Completely awesome mouthfeel and lots LOTS of acidity.
Will only get better.
$220.99 OH retail
www.austinbeeman.com
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3/17/2013 - garambler wrote: 94 Points
Friends and I tasted this at the 3/17/13 release. It had a deep, layered and fragrant bouquet of cassis, black cherry, cedar, cumin and spice aromas. The palate was dense, rich and a little sour with flavors of cassis, black cherry, leather, and spice…nicely balanced.
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3/16/2013 - pdemaio Likes this wine: 94 Points
Strong showing though far to young. Not a lot of tannins, and those are smooth. An easy wine to drink already, with powerful acids that should help this balance out more with time. Typical quality, but not as big as previous vintages.
PDQ94+
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3/16/2013 - skifree wrote:
Tasted twice at release party. Less intense than previous vintages, lighter color also. More earth, tobacco, and fine-grained tannins, some dark fruits. Crowd seemed to enjoy it, but then they were serving wonderful hors d'ouerves with it, and I noticed that it changed with the pairings. 92-94?
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3/16/2013 - kwn70 wrote:
Tasted at the annual release event. Much more tannic and less fruit forward than the 2009 upon release. Plenty of acidity throughout as well. I'm not even going to revisit this for at least 5 years, maybe even 10. Hopefully this comes around and integrates better with age. I have had much more intriguing wine over the last year that was far less than the $135 price point currently being offered.
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3/8/2013 - GalvezGuy wrote:
Popped poured. I have a bunch of these so I thought it was time for an experiment. Beautiful nose full of rich florals and dark fruit, along with hints of red fruits. On the palate, mostly walled off by tannins, but there is some rich fruit lurking underneath. Finishes long, tons of tannic grip balanced by decent acidity. This is a long term hold.
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