On the downside of the drinking window, but still quite enjoyable. Has taken on a bit of rust colt in the glass and nott as fruit forward, but still maintains some pleasant structure.
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Beautiful nose of creme de cassis, super ripe black cherries and boysenberries, vanilla, milk chocolate and oak. Med-full bodied, this is rich and chocolately and a bit too soft and sweet for my taste. That said, it is quite delicious in a desert-y kind of way and reasonably complex. While delicious, it lacks focus, delineation, minerality and tannin. Best now. Drink now-2026+ 92
Tatiana says 92
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Opened as part of a vertical with other CL SL. Stored in wine cooler at 55°. Sadly I think this should have been consumed a year ago. The wine def changed the longer it sat open thru our tasting and not for the good.
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Fantastic sauvignon that aged well and was still inky purple in color. Breathed a little and was ready to drink after 30 minutes. A little sentiment formed. Full of California fruit berries, slight smoke and tannins but paired beautifully with steak dinner.
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Deep ruby. Thick legs. Med (+) to pronounced blackberry, blueberry, caramel, mocha, cinnamon, cedar. Dry but quite fruit forward with med acidity, med plus tannins and high alcohol (14.8%). Big-bodied, smooth, rich, supple, without being overdone. Intensely flavored, with a long finish. Drinking very well now, with a few years upside.
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Very expressive, fruit forward and complex Stags Leap offering. Dark but clear indigo color with a hint of pink at the rim. White flowers on the nose. Opens with blackberry, blueberry and cassis on the front palate. Midpalate exposes layers of chocolate, coffee, clove and a hint of pepper. Graphite and mineral notes on the back palate. Very robust with a long lingering finish and nicely integrated tannins. Will this last another 5 years? Yes but why wait. This is not likely to improve with age but will certainly sustain a bit longer. Drank during an ad hoc, remote, socially distanced version of OTBN with good friends in Illinois and Indiana.
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Had a 2009 and it tasted great. The 2010 I drank and dumped out. Off flavors that couldn’t be enjoyed. Maybe a bad bottle considering others have recently rated this well.
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Typical, Lede, quality Cabernet. Dark fruit, blackberry, blueberry and plum, some creosote and cinnamon on the palate. Full bodied with a lingering finish. This still has a tannic backbone, suggesting additional life left in this but I suspect this was related to the large format bottle which reduces the ratio of air to wine. I noted on my last 750 ml bottle of this that tannins had been diminished. This vintage was particularly outstanding for Lede.
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Always delicious. Medium, garnet color in the glass. Blackberry, blueberry, baking spice and a bit of tar on the palate. A bit surprised at the reduction in tannins in the last year. There are still tannins evident and the wine definitely still has a backbone...just surprised at the speed of the change. Big, full bodied wine with a lingering finish.
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9 years have been kind to this wine. Deep garnet ruby Ripe leathery currant flavors Still moderately tannic, but quite delicious. Obviously Napa, but restrained enough to make this quite interesting
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Medium garnet color with a hint of brown. I think this is simply a characteristic of the wine as there is no evidence of diminished quality and the same color characteristic exists in a 2006 Lede consumed side by side. Perfumey nose. Deep, rich and full bodied. Flavors on the palate include milk chocolate, pepper, baking spices and tar. Drinking very well now but plenty of staying power.
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Brought to a restaurant for corkage and decanted. Focused more on the evening than the tasting note, but generally a generous but balanced Napa cab in prime drinking spot.
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Classic Napa Valley Cabernet with notes of cassis, blueberries and forest floor. The fine tannins add good structure making this wine a joy to drink with aged Gouda cheese.
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This has been approachable since release and this bottle is getting better. Dark indigo color. A bit of a floral nose. Deep and brooding in the glass with plenty of dark, blue and black fruit on the palate. Heavy bodied, "coat your mouth" feel with hints of cedar and tar. Long, lingering finish. Tannins are still a bit rough in early drinking but smooths out nicely after an hour or so.
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Decanted at restaurant. Good floral nose but a little tannic upon opening. 90 minutes later this was just entering a drinkable phase, but dinner was finished and so was most of the bottle. 92 points but didn't have enough in the glass left to make mental notes. Note to self, allow more time for a fine wine to breathe at a restaurant perhaps with a different sacrificial lesser bottle first.
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Moderate sediment. Decanted 4 hours before consuming. Red current, cherry, vanilla, and pencil lead. Medium-plus acidity. Tannins soft and integrated. Fruit-driven and quite delicious. Went great with grilled ribeye and on its own.
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I echo Crystal2000's notes. Last bottle had a little more oomph. This one was still good but I think its heading downhill. Think this vintage was better young.
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This was spectacular and not what I expected. Deep purple color. Aroma of cherry and vanilla. Decanted and drank over two days. Flavors include Cherry, plum, chocolate, green pepper, and a little bit of horse. Smooth, rich, full, and well balanced with the tannins. A spontaneous purchase a while back, may I have another please?
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No formal notes, just writing a few comments from having at dinner. I'd pop the cork now on this one. The wine seems on an accelerated evolutionary track (at least this bottle), with a distinctive crimson color and a really great nose of blackberries and cherries. It's not as good as I remember from my last bottle a couple years ago. The depth is lacking now, and the wine is starting to get that tannic/bitter taste that isn't showing a need for aging, but instead a path towards falling apart. Right now it is pretty good, but the richness is going away without leading to secondary flavors that would come with a more expensive wine. This was really fantastic a few years ago, so clearly a wine that is better experienced young.
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This might haven taken a slightly higher rating if it had not followed on the heels of a 2006 Lede Moonlight Sympathy. Interestingly, this held its own in part because 2010 was spectacular. This is similar to the MS in its full body and black and blue fruits. The primary difference for me was that the 2010 was not quite as big as the rock block and was not quite as polished. Still a delicious wine.
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Continue to be impressed, wish I had more of these. Dark garnet, rich dark fruit, smoke, full body with medium acid. Medium tannin gives this short term drink ability and structure for 3+ years.
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Nice. Great floral nose. Smooth with a touch of pepper, oak, and vanilla. This is a delicious wine, drinking well now. Excellent and lingering finish. Can't wait to see how much better it becomes in a few years.
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Deep indigo color. Complex layered, bright red fruit, sour cherry and raspberry on the palate. Lingering finish with a hint of oak. This is delicious and drinking beautifully right now. Interesting comparison to a 2002 Del Dotto "David". Stylistically very similar profiles. The Lede was almost a lighter "little brother" to the Del Dotto.
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Absolutely wonderful wine. Bought 3 bottles at a great release price and now wish I bought a case as I've had 2 of the 3 and it got better in just the 6 months between bottles. Deep, opaque, indigo, bright, fruit forward with lots of body. Complex layers of bright cherry and red raspberry with a hint of oak. Drinks great right now, but I'd like to see how it evolves and the tannins soften in a few years.
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Spectacular. Second bottle this week. Couldn't believe it the first time. I am used to letting this age for 6 plus years but this is spectacular right now. Deep, opaque, indigo, bright, fruit forward with lots of body. Complex layers of bright cherry and red raspberry. Crisp, clean with a hint of oak. Tannins could be a bit more resolved in a year or two but really great right now.
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Medium bodied, with black and blue fruits, smoke and oak, the wine is soft, open and ready to go, leaving you with a black cherry and vanilla tinged finish.
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Dense, extracted wine, with almost cab-franc-ish notes on the nose. Supple, but not very fresh, and with an oak-heavy texture (though not too much in the flavor).
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Bright ruby/garnet color with a dense nose of dark berry, tobacco and some floral/herbal notes. The body is full and a bit monolithic, expressing little dimensionality at this point with a tannin that suggests further cellaring is required. Flavors of black currant, blueberry, plum, mocha, cigar box, vanilla and hints of cedar form the core. The moment I tasted this, I knew that this wine would form a substantial component of the Poetry Cuvée, which should have the makings of a blockbuster - similar to Caymus' tandem of the 2010 and the 2004. However, the pure Cabernet ingredient in the selection, while it gives power and structure, falls short on complexity and expressiveness. Finishes on a high note with gobs of alcohol to contend with. Drink from 2015 to 2025.
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Rounding, black pepper, leather, damp earth and roasted veg nose. Ripe evolving flavours; complex finish. Interesting, but not likely to last much longer as the fruit is already fading. 3/5
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dense, a bit out of sync, but delicious flavors, bright acidity, rich berry flavors. Oak a bit too forward and vanilla right now, but I think this will be fantastic in a year or two when it settles down.
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Dark and rich on the nose, like blackberries and currants cooked down with brown sugar and ground coffee. Notes of tobacco, dusty earth and anise come out on the nose as well. The tannins are firm and dusty, the acid is focused and the blackberry and currant fruit is pure and velvety. Notes of potting soil, soy sauce, mocha and pipe tobacco add complexity. Long finish with notes of creamy oak. A beautiful example of 2010 Napa Cabernet, and a wine that will do wonders over the next 10-15 years. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, aged 20 months in 54% new French oak.
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10/30/2023 - KeithSurg wrote: 93 Points
Recently received from the winery. Still drinking great.
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10/21/2023 - fjv3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
On the downside of the drinking window, but still quite enjoyable. Has taken on a bit of rust colt in the glass and nott as fruit forward, but still maintains some pleasant structure.
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7/26/2023 - brady.lambert Likes this wine: 92 Points
93.60 club + tax and shipping $101.00. Incredible all the way through, with a beautiful aftertaste. Magic!
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7/6/2023 - SGAnderson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Chocolate and licorice. Strong nose and good length. Dark fruit.
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6/11/2023 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful nose of creme de cassis, super ripe black cherries and boysenberries, vanilla, milk chocolate and oak. Med-full bodied, this is rich and chocolately and a bit too soft and sweet for my taste. That said, it is quite delicious in a desert-y kind of way and reasonably complex. While delicious, it lacks focus, delineation, minerality and tannin. Best now. Drink now-2026+ 92
Tatiana says 92
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4/9/2022 - Machong wrote:
Opened as part of a vertical with other CL SL. Stored in wine cooler at 55°. Sadly I think this should have been consumed a year ago. The wine def changed the longer it sat open thru our tasting and not for the good.
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2/1/2022 - cabinbor Likes this wine: 92 Points
still showing good fruit and long finish. Very good.
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10/22/2021 - neets807 wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic sauvignon that aged well and was still inky purple in color.
Breathed a little and was ready to drink after 30 minutes.
A little sentiment formed. Full of California fruit berries, slight smoke and tannins but paired beautifully with steak dinner.
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3/18/2021 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby. Thick legs. Med (+) to pronounced blackberry, blueberry, caramel, mocha, cinnamon, cedar. Dry but quite fruit forward with med acidity, med plus tannins and high alcohol (14.8%). Big-bodied, smooth, rich, supple, without being overdone. Intensely flavored, with a long finish. Drinking very well now, with a few years upside.
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2/27/2021 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very expressive, fruit forward and complex Stags Leap offering. Dark but clear indigo color with a hint of pink at the rim. White flowers on the nose. Opens with blackberry, blueberry and cassis on the front palate. Midpalate exposes layers of chocolate, coffee, clove and a hint of pepper. Graphite and mineral notes on the back palate. Very robust with a long lingering finish and nicely integrated tannins. Will this last another 5 years? Yes but why wait. This is not likely to improve with age but will certainly sustain a bit longer. Drank during an ad hoc, remote, socially distanced version of OTBN with good friends in Illinois and Indiana.
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2/19/2021 - nedblanders wrote: flawed
Had a 2009 and it tasted great. The 2010 I drank and dumped out. Off flavors that couldn’t be enjoyed. Maybe a bad bottle considering others have recently rated this well.
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12/23/2020 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Typical, Lede, quality Cabernet. Dark fruit, blackberry, blueberry and plum, some creosote and cinnamon on the palate. Full bodied with a lingering finish. This still has a tannic backbone, suggesting additional life left in this but I suspect this was related to the large format bottle which reduces the ratio of air to wine. I noted on my last 750 ml bottle of this that tannins had been diminished. This vintage was particularly outstanding for Lede.
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8/9/2020 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always delicious. Medium, garnet color in the glass. Blackberry, blueberry, baking spice and a bit of tar on the palate. A bit surprised at the reduction in tannins in the last year. There are still tannins evident and the wine definitely still has a backbone...just surprised at the speed of the change. Big, full bodied wine with a lingering finish.
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2/23/2020 - VinoViking Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rock solid - quintessential Stags Leap cab. Silky deep dark fruits. Dry earthy mouthfeel. Excellent. Seems to be peaking at ten years old.
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11/5/2019 - cos65 Likes this wine:
9 years have been kind to this wine.
Deep garnet ruby
Ripe leathery currant flavors
Still moderately tannic, but quite delicious.
Obviously Napa, but restrained enough to make this quite interesting
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4/14/2019 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium garnet color with a hint of brown. I think this is simply a characteristic of the wine as there is no evidence of diminished quality and the same color characteristic exists in a 2006 Lede consumed side by side. Perfumey nose. Deep, rich and full bodied. Flavors on the palate include milk chocolate, pepper, baking spices and tar. Drinking very well now but plenty of staying power.
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8/20/2018 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same notes as last time
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12/2/2017 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
Brought to a restaurant for corkage and decanted. Focused more on the evening than the tasting note, but generally a generous but balanced Napa cab in prime drinking spot.
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10/9/2017 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic Napa Valley Cabernet with notes of cassis, blueberries and forest floor. The fine tannins add good structure making this wine a joy to drink with aged Gouda cheese.
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8/26/2017 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
This has been approachable since release and this bottle is getting better. Dark indigo color. A bit of a floral nose. Deep and brooding in the glass with plenty of dark, blue and black fruit on the palate. Heavy bodied, "coat your mouth" feel with hints of cedar and tar. Long, lingering finish. Tannins are still a bit rough in early drinking but smooths out nicely after an hour or so.
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8/6/2017 - csklsc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted at restaurant. Good floral nose but a little tannic upon opening. 90 minutes later this was just entering a drinkable phase, but dinner was finished and so was most of the bottle. 92 points but didn't have enough in the glass left to make mental notes. Note to self, allow more time for a fine wine to breathe at a restaurant perhaps with a different sacrificial lesser bottle first.
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4/30/2017 - Trolson wrote: 93 Points
Wow. This was a ripe treat. Lush nose and body.
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11/19/2016 - tomoem wrote: 90 Points
Cheng's Drink Down our Cellar Party
An intense and deeply aromatic Cabernet. Smooth blackberry, cassis and vanilla flavors. Medium length finish
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6/12/2016 - EFrohmader Likes this wine: 93 Points
Moderate sediment. Decanted 4 hours before consuming. Red current, cherry, vanilla, and pencil lead. Medium-plus acidity. Tannins soft and integrated. Fruit-driven and quite delicious. Went great with grilled ribeye and on its own.
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3/17/2016 - Thatsgreatjuice Likes this wine: 91 Points
I echo Crystal2000's notes. Last bottle had a little more oomph. This one was still good but I think its heading downhill. Think this vintage was better young.
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3/16/2016 - tigerjake wrote: 90 Points
Good as always.
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3/5/2016 - Mapleglo330 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was spectacular and not what I expected. Deep purple color. Aroma of cherry and vanilla. Decanted and drank over two days. Flavors include Cherry, plum, chocolate, green pepper, and a little bit of horse. Smooth, rich, full, and well balanced with the tannins. A spontaneous purchase a while back, may I have another please?
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1/24/2016 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 91 Points
No formal notes, just writing a few comments from having at dinner. I'd pop the cork now on this one. The wine seems on an accelerated evolutionary track (at least this bottle), with a distinctive crimson color and a really great nose of blackberries and cherries. It's not as good as I remember from my last bottle a couple years ago. The depth is lacking now, and the wine is starting to get that tannic/bitter taste that isn't showing a need for aging, but instead a path towards falling apart. Right now it is pretty good, but the richness is going away without leading to secondary flavors that would come with a more expensive wine. This was really fantastic a few years ago, so clearly a wine that is better experienced young.
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9/5/2015 - awise45 wrote: 94 Points
Warm and rich, with a nice mix of flowery fragrance and dark fruits.
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7/10/2015 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
This might haven taken a slightly higher rating if it had not followed on the heels of a 2006 Lede Moonlight Sympathy. Interestingly, this held its own in part because 2010 was spectacular. This is similar to the MS in its full body and black and blue fruits. The primary difference for me was that the 2010 was not quite as big as the rock block and was not quite as polished. Still a delicious wine.
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5/1/2015 - Thatsgreatjuice Likes this wine: 92 Points
For the price, this wine is hard to beat. Great bottle of wine. Was great on second night as well.
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2/21/2015 - awise45 wrote: 94 Points
Rich and velvety, with a vanilla streak from start through long finish. Dark in the glass, with a light purple rim, and beautiful aromas.
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1/30/2015 - tb76 wrote: 91 Points
Continue to be impressed, wish I had more of these. Dark garnet, rich dark fruit, smoke, full body with medium acid. Medium tannin gives this short term drink ability and structure for 3+ years.
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12/12/2014 - Thatsgreatjuice Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was the third bottle at a dinner party. Everyone enjoyed. I am really impressed with Cliff Lede.
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11/22/2014 - dogwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice. Great floral nose. Smooth with a touch of pepper, oak, and vanilla.
This is a delicious wine, drinking well now. Excellent and lingering finish. Can't wait to see how much better it becomes in a few years.
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10/28/2014 - KeithSurg wrote: 92 Points
Rich blue and red fruit flavors with touches of oak, tobacco, espresso. Soft, smooth tannins, medium body. Drinking great now.
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10/3/2014 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
Interesting comparison of three select Cal Cabs reveals distinctive contrasting styles.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/10/select-california-cab-comparison-tasting.html
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10/3/2014 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep indigo color. Complex layered, bright red fruit, sour cherry and raspberry on the palate. Lingering finish with a hint of oak. This is delicious and drinking beautifully right now. Interesting comparison to a 2002 Del Dotto "David". Stylistically very similar profiles. The Lede was almost a lighter "little brother" to the Del Dotto.
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10/3/2014 - awise45 wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with last -- very nice.
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8/16/2014 - Thatsgreatjuice Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid wine for the price.
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7/3/2014 - awise45 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderfully full and rich, with a full nose and a stripe of vanilla running throughout.
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4/25/2014 - macliii Likes this wine: 92 Points
Absolutely wonderful wine. Bought 3 bottles at a great release price and now wish I bought a case as I've had 2 of the 3 and it got better in just the 6 months between bottles. Deep, opaque, indigo, bright, fruit forward with lots of body. Complex layers of bright cherry and red raspberry with a hint of oak. Drinks great right now, but I'd like to see how it evolves and the tannins soften in a few years.
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4/12/2014 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 93 Points
See previous notes. Still spectacular.
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3/29/2014 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 93 Points
Spectacular. Second bottle this week. Couldn't believe it the first time. I am used to letting this age for 6 plus years but this is spectacular right now. Deep, opaque, indigo, bright, fruit forward with lots of body. Complex layers of bright cherry and red raspberry. Crisp, clean with a hint of oak. Tannins could be a bit more resolved in a year or two but really great right now.
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2/3/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied, with black and blue fruits, smoke and oak, the wine is soft, open and ready to go, leaving you with a black cherry and vanilla tinged finish.
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1/2/2014 - djinc01 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Silky smooth, oak softened with vanilla tones
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12/18/2013 - macliii Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful aromas on the nose but needed to be decanted. Will age for many years in bottle. Dark Red fruit on the palate with a medium finish.
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11/8/2013 - yofog wrote: 91 Points
Dense, extracted wine, with almost cab-franc-ish notes on the nose. Supple, but not very fresh, and with an oak-heavy texture (though not too much in the flavor).
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11/1/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 91 Points
Bright ruby/garnet color with a dense nose of dark berry, tobacco and some floral/herbal notes. The body is full and a bit monolithic, expressing little dimensionality at this point with a tannin that suggests further cellaring is required. Flavors of black currant, blueberry, plum, mocha, cigar box, vanilla and hints of cedar form the core. The moment I tasted this, I knew that this wine would form a substantial component of the Poetry Cuvée, which should have the makings of a blockbuster - similar to Caymus' tandem of the 2010 and the 2004. However, the pure Cabernet ingredient in the selection, while it gives power and structure, falls short on complexity and expressiveness. Finishes on a high note with gobs of alcohol to contend with. Drink from 2015 to 2025.
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10/29/2013 - Double-A wrote: 85 Points
Rounding, black pepper, leather, damp earth and roasted veg nose. Ripe evolving flavours; complex finish. Interesting, but not likely to last much longer as the fruit is already fading.
3/5
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7/1/2013 - cos65 Likes this wine:
dense, a bit out of sync, but delicious flavors, bright acidity, rich berry flavors. Oak a bit too forward and vanilla right now, but I think this will be fantastic in a year or two when it settles down.
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3/28/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 93 Points
Dark and rich on the nose, like blackberries and currants cooked down with brown sugar and ground coffee. Notes of tobacco, dusty earth and anise come out on the nose as well. The tannins are firm and dusty, the acid is focused and the blackberry and currant fruit is pure and velvety. Notes of potting soil, soy sauce, mocha and pipe tobacco add complexity. Long finish with notes of creamy oak. A beautiful example of 2010 Napa Cabernet, and a wine that will do wonders over the next 10-15 years. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, aged 20 months in 54% new French oak.
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3/23/2013 - cabinbor wrote:
Aged in French Oak for 21 months. twin Peaks vineyard Estate. Cherry, anise and vanilla bean Refined tannins and earthy. Lengthy finish
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