Decanted a few hours. Dark opaque purple color. Almost black at the core. Rich extracted spicy nose of plums, anise, dark chocolate and a little mint. Palate shows more lift and freshness than the nose lets on. Slight reductive signs of age on the palate that are nice. Drink now. Nice drinker for around $50.
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Opened the bottle for an hour plus. Tannins are almost fully resolved and definitely ready to go with exception of some heat on the finish. Earthy truffle and roasted beef on the nose complemented by stewed redfruit. The palate is sweeter with plenty of extracted raspberry and milk chocolate. Almost a chalky unintegrated quality throughout. Nonetheless easy to drink and enjoy especially in the sub $50 range.
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Solid effort and drinking very well right now. The fruit is blackberry and currant, very well rounded. Creamy texture of unsweetened cocoa, toasty oak, blackberry liqueur, and subtle earth and leather. Dusty smooth tannins with a nice long finish.
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Chocolate and raspberries on the nose and pallet, it isn't doing much for me right now. Tannins are way too strong. Doesn't show significant depth of concentration or layered flavor profile. Maybe I am drinking too many 2013's napa cabs, which seem to be incredible, but this is a bit of a letdown at the moment. Perhaps time will make it more approachable.
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Decanted for 4 hours before tasting. Nice advancement over the past year, the structure continues to be a bit too pronounced but is close to full integration. Very assertive on the palate, still dusty but with fruitiness receding to earthier flavors and a slight herbaceous quality. If this wine can soften over the next several years, it could evolve into a real beauty.
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Decanted 8 hours prior to consuming. Sweet currants, slightly dusty, but not quite ready. The oak remains noticeable and the tannin, though smooth, is still too assertive. A very strongly constructed wine which should fully integrate nicely.
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Pnp, completely balanced and integrated tannins. The nose has some rutherford dust, cocoa powder, and dark berries. The palate is silky smooth, nice acid to maintain its structure. The wine started to fade after 3 hours. This is a great mid-term wine, drink by 2016.
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Deep dark fruit that was better than I remembered it when I had bottle #1 a year ago. Not tannic at all and nothing but smooth sailing on the finish. Very impressed and great QPR.
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Opened my first bottle 1 month after receiving. I’m a believer in bottle shock, but 1 month wasn’t long enough. Wasn’t what I thought it would be from the raves. 3.5 months later, tried another just in case I needed to order more. Decanted 3.5 hours. WOW – everything I had heard and more. Great balance and texture. Deep fruit and lush finish. Getting more.
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This is a new wine from the old winemaker of Spotswoode. Decanted for two hours. Very dark red wine. This has a different aromatic profile than I expected from a California Cab. Aromas of Cassis, smoke, leather, sulphur, bacon fat, and cherry cough syrup. A fairly big wine, but the balance is fantastic. The wine glides on the palate with a smooth mouth feel with ripe elegant tannins. The acid and alcohol are in step as well, so every component fits well within the glass. The finish is lush and completely satisfying lasting 45 seconds. This is a must try...Definitely needs time.
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Maybe too young to open. After 4 hours of decanting, tannins were distant. It was was spicy by not overly for a cab. Still, better than most, and far better than a lot of others at this price point. Going to wait a few years until I have my other '09s.
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Wonderfully full bodied cabernet. Popped and poured with another cab (Hobel). Plum red fruits with moderately long finish. Very pleased and feel excellent QPR.
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1/22/2021 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted a few hours.
Dark opaque purple color. Almost black at the core.
Rich extracted spicy nose of plums, anise, dark chocolate and a little mint.
Palate shows more lift and freshness than the nose lets on. Slight reductive signs of age on the palate that are nice.
Drink now. Nice drinker for around $50.
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4/25/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Opened the bottle for an hour plus. Tannins are almost fully resolved and definitely ready to go with exception of some heat on the finish. Earthy truffle and roasted beef on the nose complemented by stewed redfruit. The palate is sweeter with plenty of extracted raspberry and milk chocolate. Almost a chalky unintegrated quality throughout. Nonetheless easy to drink and enjoy especially in the sub $50 range.
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1/20/2018 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid effort and drinking very well right now. The fruit is blackberry and currant, very well rounded. Creamy texture of unsweetened cocoa, toasty oak, blackberry liqueur, and subtle earth and leather. Dusty smooth tannins with a nice long finish.
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9/30/2016 - Alro Likes this wine: 93 Points
this is drinking beautifully right now.......definitely a "wow" wine.
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4/7/2016 - Cristal2000 wrote: 89 Points
Chocolate and raspberries on the nose and pallet, it isn't doing much for me right now. Tannins are way too strong. Doesn't show significant depth of concentration or layered flavor profile. Maybe I am drinking too many 2013's napa cabs, which seem to be incredible, but this is a bit of a letdown at the moment. Perhaps time will make it more approachable.
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7/10/2015 - jeagle wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 4 hours before tasting. Nice advancement over the past year, the structure continues to be a bit too pronounced but is close to full integration. Very assertive on the palate, still dusty but with fruitiness receding to earthier flavors and a slight herbaceous quality. If this wine can soften over the next several years, it could evolve into a real beauty.
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1/16/2015 - brianofthevine wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry and chocolate notes with firm tannins and long finish. Very tight right now, needs time.
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10/27/2014 - nfafoglia Likes this wine:
Creamy, soft tannins, with chocolate and deep red fruit. Great balance. Drinking very well right now.
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8/20/2014 - jeagle wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 8 hours prior to consuming. Sweet currants, slightly dusty, but not quite ready. The oak remains noticeable and the tannin, though smooth, is still too assertive. A very strongly constructed wine which should fully integrate nicely.
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3/15/2014 - Venezia wrote: 91 Points
Velvet like dark fruits with unsweetened cocoa and cassis with smoke.
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2/14/2014 - rsternth Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a very solid, drinkable wine. Popped and poured, I just find it slightly tannic at this point. Puckering the mouth in the final stage.
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3/7/2013 - ccotton8 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp, completely balanced and integrated tannins. The nose has some rutherford dust, cocoa powder, and dark berries. The palate is silky smooth, nice acid to maintain its structure. The wine started to fade after 3 hours. This is a great mid-term wine, drink by 2016.
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2/27/2013 - russdan60 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep dark fruit that was better than I remembered it when I had bottle #1 a year ago. Not tannic at all and nothing but smooth sailing on the finish. Very impressed and great QPR.
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12/14/2012 - P55cw55 wrote:
Young. Nice structure that should develop with age. Give it two years.
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11/16/2012 - Tcas1982 wrote: 91 Points
Young, needs a big decant, try again in a year
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9/3/2012 - philipmac wrote: 95 Points
Opened my first bottle 1 month after receiving. I’m a believer in bottle shock, but 1 month wasn’t long enough. Wasn’t what I thought it would be from the raves. 3.5 months later, tried another just in case I needed to order more. Decanted 3.5 hours. WOW – everything I had heard and more. Great balance and texture. Deep fruit and lush finish. Getting more.
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8/2/2012 - ldluttrell wrote: 93 Points
Nice wine with good balance. Easy to drink alone or with food.
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6/2/2012 - Beachrooster Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is a new wine from the old winemaker of Spotswoode. Decanted for two hours. Very dark red wine. This has a different aromatic profile than I expected from a California Cab. Aromas of Cassis, smoke, leather, sulphur, bacon fat, and cherry cough syrup. A fairly big wine, but the balance is fantastic. The wine glides on the palate with a smooth mouth feel with ripe elegant tannins. The acid and alcohol are in step as well, so every component fits well within the glass. The finish is lush and completely satisfying lasting 45 seconds. This is a must try...Definitely needs time.
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5/19/2012 - prettydeceextrap wrote:
Winery Tastings, Napa, May 2012; 5/17/2012-5/20/2012 (Coombsville, Howell Mountain, Moss Creek, Calistoga, Spring Mountain, Rutherford, Pritchard Hill): (B+) Sharp structure and a nice tannin/acid balance. Needs some years before doing its thing I think. A little too restrained now.
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5/12/2012 - philipmac wrote: 91 Points
Maybe too young to open. After 4 hours of decanting, tannins were distant. It was was spicy by not overly for a cab. Still, better than most, and far better than a lot of others at this price point. Going to wait a few years until I have my other '09s.
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4/16/2012 - russdan60 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderfully full bodied cabernet. Popped and poured with another cab (Hobel). Plum red fruits with moderately long finish. Very pleased and feel excellent QPR.
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