Decanted off the moderate-plus sediment and left to breathe. Aromas hit the nose with moderate-plus intensity and notes of star anise, cardamom spice, graham, dried herbs, bay leaf and mocha combine with notes of cassis, muddled plum, blackberry that come laced with nuances of vanilla, violet pastilles, worn leather, earth and mushroom. The palate shows a medium-plus frame with juicy acidity and firm smoothed out tannins. The flavor profile follows the nose leading with the fruit notes of cassis, plum, blackberry that bring in the spice, mocha, earth and herb notes. Moderate through the finish. Still drinking well.
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Double decanted and poured starting about half an hour later. It continued to open up over a couple more hours.....very nice, expressive nose, tannins are smooth and largely resolved, but still adequate to provide some cut and structure. Very merlot without being too "plummy"...This seems in its drinking window, but should hold for the mid term
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Decanted 2 hrs., the secret is a longer decant, at 3 hrs. the wine is big, yet came together and paired well with grilled chicken. My last bottle was consumed with too little air.
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Really delicious stuff, probably at its peak. Pnp’d lots of red fruits with some secondary flavors and it had a touch of acid that made me worry for a bit. Would the acid harmonize or dominate, fortunately it harmonized and the wine just got bigger and velvet smooth with air.
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This wine was a freaking revelation. I popped it on a whim and wasn’t expecting too much. I had read some reviews of the 2009 Collab Series IV and it didn’t seem like it had that much potential. Oh wow! Was I wrong. This wine is beautiful - lush, vibrant bursting from the glass, it is all you could ask for in a wine. It is predominantly merlot (61%) with 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petite Verdot and Cab Franc. It’s an inky purple, still very lively. On the nose, its a gorgeous bouquet of blue fruit, leather, mocha, spice and distinctive minerality. In the mouth, it is expansive with delicious notes of candied cherrys, blueberry, lead pencil and vanilla. With the tell-tale cocoa flavor filling out the finish. Tannins are lush, soft, sweet and well-integrated. The finish goes on for nearly a minute. This is one delicious wine and it was one of the most pleasurable wines in recent memory. A real delight!
A fairly brooding showing. Oak influenced with dark fruit - cassis and the like. Shows quality of fruit. Good with a steak, but on the side of clunky and monolithic.
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I had this with a cheese plate on 1/3/19. It had a rich, fragrant and very expressive bouquet of black cherry, plum, mocha, cocoa, eucalyptus, herb and spice aromas. The palate was rich, jammy and hot with flavors of black cherry, plum, mocha, cocoa, herb and spice. 91+
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We had this while playing cards on 10/19/18. It had a rich, expressive bouquet of black cherry, coffee, eucalyptus, herb, spice and cocoa aromas. The palate was rich, hot and dry with flavors of black cherry, kirsch, coffee, herbs and spice.
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Pnp. Nose came off as very medicinal and did not blow off. Very odd. Palate was decent with a nice mouthfeel with a touch of tannin on the finish. Decent fruit. Could use a bit of a decant to smooth out a bit.
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Decanted about an hour as the nose was just starting to come through. Nice concentration of some blue fruit/floral. Palate was well integrated with some rustic tar/coffee notes. Had a nice finish. Would give it a longer decant.
This wine continues to evolve in bottle. All of the odd top notes that were so polarizing on release are long gone. Left behind is a polished, long lasting, smooth beauty that has a subtle Italian flair. Decanted overnight through happenstance, with no negative outcomes. PDQ93
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Tasted single blind. I'm not an expert on flaws, but it seemed to me to be volatile acidity. High toned nose tilting to nail polish. Just too much on the palate with whiskey notes. I've had this before when it was just fine and more closed than anything.
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Ripe dark fruit along side a bit of spice and a touch of forest. Was still very fresh after 2-3 days. T not a big fan of this wine but I love it. 91-93
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Decanted for three hours. Should have been longer. The bottle was still closed, however the potential was obvious. I still have two bottles, so next time I'll be more patient and hopefully enjoy its full beauty.
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Coravin #2: Not sure what happened this time round. Maybe something happened to the cork since I coravined the first time or it needs more time in the glass. (Gave a longer decant in glass last tasting time, only about 1 hour this time) The nose was nice to begin with, complex, but then changed to straight rye whiskey and did not change. Hopefully does better next time. If you can get past the nose the palate was pleasant and balanced.
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Accessed one glass from 750ml via Coravin. Nose was outstanding, could smell it from across the room. Big floral sents, dark fruit, spice and a bit of chocolate. After air in the glass lots of fruit on the palate along with cinnamon and other spices with some vanilla and chocolate at the end.
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Q1 Tasting - Spanish wines (The Apartment): Decanted prob an hour or two before we began pouring. Didn't take detailed notes on this one, but it was well enjoyed by everyone. Good mix of earth and fruit. Nice and delicious.
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PnP w/8 hr decant, 1 hour glass. WOW. The nose is maybe the best and most intoxicating that I've ever experienced. This wine is huge in all aspects - nose, taste, finish. Rich, not overly ripe, unreal in power, proper fruit and super long finish, I doubt you will find a better WA blend. Not for the meek. Thanks Tim, you've done it again.
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Full-on delicious, with structure and purity to boot. This is the real deal, and the 8 1/2 hours of aeration in decanter proved the right call. Highly perfumed, penetrating nose of red and black fruits, exotic brown spices, soil. Full-bodied, multi-layered, with plenty of fresh acids and ripe, fine tannins. Avg+ finish, this continued to unfold through the last glass despite the significant aeration prior to service. Built like a tank - in a good way. 13,7% abv., thru 2023 highly recommended
First time with a Force Majeure and I really enjoyed it. Opened and drank over the course of a few hours. In retrospect should have decanted. It opened up quite well over time. Lots of dark red fruit. Nice silkiness. Strong tannins. Would wait to drink the next one.
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Yum. Drank over about 3 hours. Beautiful nose. Initially tasted a little closed and tannic, but opened up with decant and air to a beauty. Well integrated fruit. Maybe a little vanilla. My first FM and really loved it.
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750ml; PnP; I really like this merlot based right bank style blend. The merlot flavors really shine but the other components keep it bright and provide structure. Highly Recommended, good QPR IMHO.
I enjoyed this more than K. Merlot majority was present initially, but the color and heft of the petit verdot was also evident. Lush without being over the top, this was nice. Would be interesting to see again in a few years.
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Delicious, rich black cherry fruit with plum and chocolate flavors, excellent structure, very round and smooth, ample tannins, nice finish, wine is drinking beautifully, this wine showcases the greatness of the Ciel du Cheval vineyard
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My first FM wine and I loved it! I sort of have a Right Bank slant to my tastes so I was excited to open this bottle. Decanted and allowed to breathe for about 1.5 hrs. This wine is very dark in the glass with a lovely rich color. The nose is dominated by dark stone fruit and bramble. It is still a bit tight.......but I wanted to try before I ordered more! Very drinkable right now but will definately be better with a few more years. Tannins are ever present but there is good acidity along and it is not hot with alcohol. Very fruit foward in the taste but not a fruit bomb. Paired with 14 day old dry aged ribeye steaks. Perfect. Am looking foward to Day 2 with the other half bottle tonight.
When you consider this is a Bordeaux blend that is over 60% merlot based blend it is amazing how big and massive this wine is. Dark berries and plum, followed by hint of cherry and tobacco with firm tannins. I decanted this baby for 10+ hours. It needs some serious air as it is a baby and at the moment pairs better with a nice steak.
Deep dark red core that is opaque. Bright reflections and medium-high concentration to this wine that also displays moderate viscosity. Aromas, after 1 hour+ decant, are clean and moderately-plus intense. Youthful bouquet of plum, cassis, blackberry liquor, and dark berries are layered with aromas of ash, flowers, chocolate ganache, vanilla, spice and toasty oak notes that wraps everything up nicely. The palate is full and luscious with good weight and silky texture. Flavors of blackberry, ripe black plum, and currant with a spice note and hints of graham cracker are well integrated with flavors of wood, vanilla and dark chocolate. The finish is moderate-plus in intensity and length lingering on toasted oak, vanilla and concentrated berry flavors. Tannins are moderate plus and very well integrated with the acidity and alcohol.
Friends and I tasted this at the winery on 4/13/13. It had a strong, ripe bouquet of black cherry, plum, mocha, cocoa and spice aromas. The palate was rich, ripe, tangy and a little hot with flavors that followed the nose.
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In the typical overripe free style of Carolyn's IVs, but definitely more restrained. I think the wine benefits from the addition of other Bordeaux varieties this year in terms of complexity. Will be interesting to see how this changes over time. PDQ92
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Friends and I tasted this at the 3/16/13 Spring Release. It had a ripe, expressive bouquet of plum, black cherry, black currant, cocoa, herb and spice aromas. The palate was smooth and soft with ripe flavors of plum, black cherry, cocoa, herb and spice. 91+
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3/23/2024 - bjamesclark wrote: 92 Points
Decanted off the moderate-plus sediment and left to breathe.
Aromas hit the nose with moderate-plus intensity and notes of star anise, cardamom spice, graham, dried herbs, bay leaf and mocha combine with notes of cassis, muddled plum, blackberry that come laced with nuances of vanilla, violet pastilles, worn leather, earth and mushroom.
The palate shows a medium-plus frame with juicy acidity and firm smoothed out tannins. The flavor profile follows the nose leading with the fruit notes of cassis, plum, blackberry that bring in the spice, mocha, earth and herb notes. Moderate through the finish. Still drinking well.
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1/8/2023 - thalver wrote:
Double decanted and poured starting about half an hour later. It continued to open up over a couple more hours.....very nice, expressive nose, tannins are smooth and largely resolved, but still adequate to provide some cut and structure. Very merlot without being too "plummy"...This seems in its drinking window, but should hold for the mid term
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10/5/2021 - curtr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hrs., the secret is a longer decant, at 3 hrs. the wine is big, yet came together and paired well with grilled chicken. My last bottle was consumed with too little air.
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7/11/2021 - curtr wrote:
14% Petite Verdot was too big an impact on the wine. Not to my taste.
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2/13/2021 - ccotton8 Likes this wine:
Really delicious stuff, probably at its peak. Pnp’d lots of red fruits with some secondary flavors and it had a touch of acid that made me worry for a bit. Would the acid harmonize or dominate, fortunately it harmonized and the wine just got bigger and velvet smooth with air.
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5/3/2020 - mojotojo Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine was a freaking revelation. I popped it on a whim and wasn’t expecting too much. I had read some reviews of the 2009 Collab Series IV and it didn’t seem like it had that much potential. Oh wow! Was I wrong. This wine is beautiful - lush, vibrant bursting from the glass, it is all you could ask for in a wine. It is predominantly merlot (61%) with 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petite Verdot and Cab Franc. It’s an inky purple, still very lively. On the nose, its a gorgeous bouquet of blue fruit, leather, mocha, spice and distinctive minerality. In the mouth, it is expansive with delicious notes of candied cherrys, blueberry, lead pencil and vanilla. With the tell-tale cocoa flavor filling out the finish. Tannins are lush, soft, sweet and well-integrated. The finish goes on for nearly a minute. This is one delicious wine and it was one of the most pleasurable wines in recent memory. A real delight!
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6/22/2019 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
A fairly brooding showing. Oak influenced with dark fruit - cassis and the like. Shows quality of fruit. Good with a steak, but on the side of clunky and monolithic.
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1/3/2019 - garambler Likes this wine: 92 Points
I had this with a cheese plate on 1/3/19. It had a rich, fragrant and very expressive bouquet of black cherry, plum, mocha, cocoa, eucalyptus, herb and spice aromas. The palate was rich, jammy and hot with flavors of black cherry, plum, mocha, cocoa, herb and spice. 91+
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10/19/2018 - garambler Likes this wine: 92 Points
We had this while playing cards on 10/19/18. It had a rich, expressive bouquet of black cherry, coffee, eucalyptus, herb, spice and cocoa aromas. The palate was rich, hot and dry with flavors of black cherry, kirsch, coffee, herbs and spice.
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6/10/2018 - enjoyvino wrote: 91 Points
Pnp. Nose came off as very medicinal and did not blow off. Very odd. Palate was decent with a nice mouthfeel with a touch of tannin on the finish. Decent fruit. Could use a bit of a decant to smooth out a bit.
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12/31/2017 - enjoyvino wrote: 92 Points
Decanted about an hour as the nose was just starting to come through. Nice concentration of some blue fruit/floral. Palate was well integrated with some rustic tar/coffee notes. Had a nice finish. Would give it a longer decant.
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4/20/2016 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
This wine continues to evolve in bottle. All of the odd top notes that were so polarizing on release are long gone. Left behind is a polished, long lasting, smooth beauty that has a subtle Italian flair. Decanted overnight through happenstance, with no negative outcomes.
PDQ93
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2/20/2016 - gmbdds wrote: flawed
Tasted single blind. I'm not an expert on flaws, but it seemed to me to be volatile acidity. High toned nose tilting to nail polish. Just too much on the palate with whiskey notes. I've had this before when it was just fine and more closed than anything.
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1/8/2016 - shapsplace Likes this wine:
Ripe dark fruit along side a bit of spice and a touch of forest. Was still very fresh after 2-3 days. T not a big fan of this wine but I love it. 91-93
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9/13/2015 - corkcork wrote: 92 Points
good day 1 even better day 2'
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5/9/2015 - Magnum Bill Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted for three hours. Should have been longer. The bottle was still closed, however the potential was obvious. I still have two bottles, so next time I'll be more patient and hopefully enjoy its full beauty.
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4/8/2015 - Pedroel Likes this wine: 93 Points
ready to go!
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3/14/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 93 Points
5 hours decanting, really great.
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3/7/2015 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 90 Points
Coravin #2:
Not sure what happened this time round. Maybe something happened to the cork since I coravined the first time or it needs more time in the glass. (Gave a longer decant in glass last tasting time, only about 1 hour this time) The nose was nice to begin with, complex, but then changed to straight rye whiskey and did not change. Hopefully does better next time. If you can get past the nose the palate was pleasant and balanced.
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3/1/2015 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
Very dark red and a lot going on in the nose. Cinnamon and berries with prunes and ether. I think this needs 8 or more hours of decanting.
The strong merlot base comes through. On the palate more like a french bordeaux.
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3/1/2015 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Relaxation Sunday 1 (Kitchen): Nose: flowers, violet, prunes and cinnamon
Short finish
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2/16/2015 - tuccipa Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not much to add from previous notes other than this bottle was a little cloudy.
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2/12/2015 - captjimo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Accessed one glass from 750ml via Coravin. Nose was outstanding, could smell it from across the room. Big floral sents, dark fruit, spice and a bit of chocolate. After air in the glass lots of fruit on the palate along with cinnamon and other spices with some vanilla and chocolate at the end.
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2/7/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Q1 Tasting - Spanish wines (The Apartment): Decanted prob an hour or two before we began pouring. Didn't take detailed notes on this one, but it was well enjoyed by everyone. Good mix of earth and fruit. Nice and delicious.
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1/28/2015 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP w/8 hr decant, 1 hour glass. WOW. The nose is maybe the best and most intoxicating that I've ever experienced. This wine is huge in all aspects - nose, taste, finish. Rich, not overly ripe, unreal in power, proper fruit and super long finish, I doubt you will find a better WA blend. Not for the meek. Thanks Tim, you've done it again.
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1/26/2015 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Full-on delicious, with structure and purity to boot. This is the real deal, and the 8 1/2 hours of aeration in decanter proved the right call. Highly perfumed, penetrating nose of red and black fruits, exotic brown spices, soil. Full-bodied, multi-layered, with plenty of fresh acids and ripe, fine tannins. Avg+ finish, this continued to unfold through the last glass despite the significant aeration prior to service. Built like a tank - in a good way. 13,7% abv., thru 2023 highly recommended
Served non-blind.
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1/24/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
First time with a Force Majeure and I really enjoyed it. Opened and drank over the course of a few hours. In retrospect should have decanted. It opened up quite well over time. Lots of dark red fruit. Nice silkiness. Strong tannins. Would wait to drink the next one.
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1/7/2015 - rwilk_2000 wrote: 93 Points
Yum. Drank over about 3 hours. Beautiful nose. Initially tasted a little closed and tannic, but opened up with decant and air to a beauty. Well integrated fruit. Maybe a little vanilla. My first FM and really loved it.
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12/30/2014 - BornToRhone Likes this wine: 93 Points
750ml; PnP; I really like this merlot based right bank style blend. The merlot flavors really shine but the other components keep it bright and provide structure. Highly Recommended, good QPR IMHO.
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12/14/2014 - kenthargis wrote: 90 Points
I enjoyed this more than K. Merlot majority was present initially, but the color and heft of the petit verdot was also evident. Lush without being over the top, this was nice. Would be interesting to see again in a few years.
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10/4/2014 - Amerique wrote: 95 Points
Delicious, rich black cherry fruit with plum and chocolate flavors, excellent structure, very round and smooth, ample tannins, nice finish, wine is drinking beautifully, this wine showcases the greatness of the Ciel du Cheval vineyard
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10/1/2013 - jtinto Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big wine, but in a good way. Rich, but not heavy. Give this a good decant or preferably a couple of years to rest. 92+ 13.7% ABV
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9/23/2013 - KCBrian Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first FM wine and I loved it! I sort of have a Right Bank slant to my tastes so I was excited to open this bottle. Decanted and allowed to breathe for about 1.5 hrs. This wine is very dark in the glass with a lovely rich color. The nose is dominated by dark stone fruit and bramble. It is still a bit tight.......but I wanted to try before I ordered more! Very drinkable right now but will definately be better with a few more years. Tannins are ever present but there is good acidity along and it is not hot with alcohol. Very fruit foward in the taste but not a fruit bomb. Paired with 14 day old dry aged ribeye steaks. Perfect. Am looking foward to Day 2 with the other half bottle tonight.
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6/25/2013 - ClubTerry Likes this wine: 94 Points
When you consider this is a Bordeaux blend that is over 60% merlot based blend it is amazing how big and massive this wine is. Dark berries and plum, followed by hint of cherry and tobacco with firm tannins. I decanted this baby for 10+ hours. It needs some serious air as it is a baby and at the moment pairs better with a nice steak.
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4/21/2013 - bjamesclark wrote: 92 Points
Deep dark red core that is opaque. Bright reflections and medium-high concentration to this wine that also displays moderate viscosity.
Aromas, after 1 hour+ decant, are clean and moderately-plus intense. Youthful bouquet of plum, cassis, blackberry liquor, and dark berries are layered with aromas of ash, flowers, chocolate ganache, vanilla, spice and toasty oak notes that wraps everything up nicely.
The palate is full and luscious with good weight and silky texture. Flavors of blackberry, ripe black plum, and currant with a spice note and hints of graham cracker are well integrated with flavors of wood, vanilla and dark chocolate. The finish is moderate-plus in intensity and length lingering on toasted oak, vanilla and concentrated berry flavors. Tannins are moderate plus and very well integrated with the acidity and alcohol.
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4/13/2013 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
Friends and I tasted this at the winery on 4/13/13. It had a strong, ripe bouquet of black cherry, plum, mocha, cocoa and spice aromas. The palate was rich, ripe, tangy and a little hot with flavors that followed the nose.
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3/18/2013 - pdemaio Likes this wine: 92 Points
In the typical overripe free style of Carolyn's IVs, but definitely more restrained. I think the wine benefits from the addition of other Bordeaux varieties this year in terms of complexity. Will be interesting to see how this changes over time.
PDQ92
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3/16/2013 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
Friends and I tasted this at the 3/16/13 Spring Release. It had a ripe, expressive bouquet of plum, black cherry, black currant, cocoa, herb and spice aromas. The palate was smooth and soft with ripe flavors of plum, black cherry, cocoa, herb and spice. 91+
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7/6/2012 - dlcass Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious, young, wait 7-10 years.
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