This bottle rocked, as to be expected from the OG Leonetti/Figgins family. Popped with the Durand, unfortunately broke during the surgery, cork came out in one piece, no problems. Gave it a decant with cheese cloth, glad I did, heavy sediment. Immediately upon decant could smell the aromas of a very special bottle. Not super over powering on the nose, vanilla and maple syrup, very hearty and fulfilling nose. This wine is at peak, it was beautifully integrated, mouth watering, juicy with big dark red fruits, plum, cherries. Ms. Chugwine wanted another bottle as we slammed it in like an hour. Trying to compare to other Cabernet's, this felt like a Napa Schrader for a quarter of the price. Big, in your face Cabernet Sauvignon, beautifully integrated. I was expecting the quality but always nice to pop and it to fulfill expectations! Grab some if you can.
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Walla Walla AVA. Wow, it's been 10 years since I tasted this. Cassis, boysenberry, plum, red cherry, earth, smoke, flowers, and herbs on the nose. Red cherries, cassis, tart cherries, earth, spices, plums, and herb on the palate. Mouhwatering acidity, tannins still a bit grippy, long delicious finish. Wow, what a wonderful bottle. It's just starting to show some tertiary notes, though it's in a really good spot.
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Really amazing. Deep purple with a bit of brown at the rim. Lots of fruit on the nose. Blackberry and earthy notes. Moderate tannins with plum and dried fruit and black pepper. Loved it.
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This shows classic Cabernet typicity mixed with the blue fruits of Merlot and alluring sweet herbs and violette pastille. There's a punchiness here guided by brilliant acidity and red fruits that keeps the pallet watering for more. This is rich yet energetic with repleting minerality that is just blowing my mind. Such a brilliant expression of #WAwine.
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Popped and let the bottle sit open for 30 min before first sip. Amazingly rich and flavorful, not showing its 12 years of age at all. Cassis and black cherry fruit, tobacco, oak, earth, and vanilla flavors. Really lush in the mouth, just coating everything. I definitely need to be buying more Figgins! Drink now - 2029.
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Decanted showing a high amount of sediment left in bottle.
Suave and rich on the nose that does not betray its age. Scents of cassis, ripe dark cherries, muddled marionberry, Framboise, floral pastilles, fresh pastry, cardamom, suede, velvety herbs, cured tobacco and vanilla crème. The palate shows richness, opulence and freshness; supple, velvety and refined. Berry tinged acidity provides structure along with smooth, plush tannins. Mid-palate density is impressive and balanced. Every component of this wine is in its place and balanced with the others. Flavors wrap the palate in notes of deep plum, marionberry, cassis and Framboise that intermingle with notes of violet pastilles, suede, velour, vanilla crème, exotic spice, herbs, mocha and sweet tobacco. Open and giving through the finish that is in the peak of its youth.
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Better than our last bottle in May '20, and almost as good as our bottle in March '18. Decanted for 20 minutes (with some sediment), but better after an additional 30 minutes in the decanter. The color was a deep purple. On the nose was dark red fruit, cocoa and cassis. The medium plus bodied palate showed the dark red fruits and cassis, along with a good dose of spice, and a bit of minerality. The acidity was juicy but balancing, and there was a touch of tannin on the medium plus finish. At this point I believe this wine can hold for another few years. For maximum enjoyment, air it out for 45 minutes +/-.
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This wine had EXACTLY the same characteristics of a well made Tempranillo from the Texas AVA. The difference is that the Tx Tempranillos get scores in the mid 80s while the Walla Walla gets an avg score of 93. Goes to show you that the label really means a lot more than you think. I now understand why people hate blind tastings ..... As for this wine, it is a darker yet still somewhat youthful expression. Black cherry tart and brambleberry strudel pie. Lots of fig in the middle. Has good structure in its 11th yr for sure. But I do wonder if there was less tart and more fig 3-5 years ago. This is honestly maiden voyage to experiencing wine from this producer, and now I am 10,000% intrigued to see how this fruit profile continues to compare to the Texas AVA that gets a lot of shade thrown its way. IMO, drink now.
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Another bottle of this excellent wine. Could not decant, but gave it 15 minutes slo-ox to the first glass; the second glass was 20+ minutes later. The nose was of red and dark red fruits, after a bit of 'funk' blew off. The medium to plus bodied palate showed a range of red and dark red fruits, some earth tones, and quite a bit of spice. The acidity was juicy, and a tad more than necessary to balance. The tannins were well integrated. This bottle was a bit less exciting than the previous bottle of two years ago - as the fruit v. acid balance had tipped in favor of the acidity, which could be due to the lack of a substantial decant.
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1st night PNP. Cassis, blackberry, and black cherry with dried lavender and violets on the nose. Forest floor and vanilla. Med acidity, med alcohol, med + tannins. Elegant wine with a longish finish and med+ complexity.
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Still drinking very well, with still vibrant fruit against a nice firm backbone. Certainly has another 3 / 4 years in its premo drinking plateau. Plum, red fruit. Although there is no Syrah in here, it has a WA Syrah vibe going for it. Although not as funky and has a stronger backbone. Very easy to drink.
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Zin/Syrah-like nose, although there’s some cedar and graphite poking through also. Dark fruit on the palate, wth some graphite notes. Prominent, but smooth tannins. This is an intriguing wine that’s left me guessing about its future for a couple bottles. My current thinking is this could develop for another decade, but that’s far from certain.
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Time has worked its magic: integrating, smoothing. Gone is the unique aspect of my earlier note, replaced with excellence. Plenty of fruit and life left.
2/11/2015 note: Not as great as expected. Unique flavor, unlike any cab I've had. 91 pts.
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Decanted for 30 minutes with very little sediment. The nose of red fruits and cedar deepened, and darkened, throughout the decant. The palate showed a range of red and dark red fruits, cedar, and some earth tones. The initial acidity was juicy, then became quite balanced as the wine opened. The tannins were well integrated. We kept using the same adjectives to describe this medium plus bodied wine: silky, fruity, juicy, and balanced. This is a wonderful bottle of wine from a wonderful wine making family. Be aware, however, that over the course of the one hour plus meal, the fruit faded ever so slightly, and a very slight alcoholic finish developed. Not certain how other bottles of this wine will present, but definitely give it air.
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Dark fruit, cedar, and cassis on the nose. Nice tannins and acidity on the palate, with good fruit and cedar notes. Drinking well now. May soften and develop more nuanced notes with some more age, but I’m unsure. We’ll see.
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Garnet color remains. Sparkle gone. Still dark fruit bouquet but more leather and graphite, and slight bitterness coming through. Less fruit on palate with more earthy tones. Has matured quite a bit. Still an exceptional wine but showing age.
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Absolute velvet in your mouth. Completely refined and integrated taste with decent finish. Plenty of sediment, so decant carefully. Decant time was quite short, I would drink up.
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Still plenty of life left in this guy. PNP and was truly amazing right from the start. Expanded nicely over the course of dinner. Worth the price of admission for sure. One more bottle from this year in the cellar.
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Phenomenal example of Figgins Estate Red Wine. Extremely aromatic with tastes of succulent red fruit. Medium/full bodied and just the right amount of acidity. Long finish that lingers and leaves you wanting more. Will continue to improve with time in the cellar, but drinking very well now.
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Really good but not as good as the last bottle I tried 2 years ago. May be going through a dumb phase. Cherry, Strawberry, menthol, leather, and tobacco.
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No doubt this is quality juice, but as another taster recently wrote, we were expecting more. The bottle had a fair amount of sediment, which was easily separated while decanting. PROS - Nice attack and mid-palate texture Great nose, particularly the secondary notes. CONS - Overall it lacked the refinement you'd expect. Tannins weren't well polished (weren't rough either, just not harmonious). As great as the nose was, it was occasionally hot & occasionally muted. These are minor quibbles, but I've always found Figgins' Leonetti offerings to be the epitome of precision (big wines with elegance), and this bottle just barely missed the mark.
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Nose of plum and hint of liquorice. Smooth, smooth, smooth in the mouth, velvety with big mouthfeel. Long finish. Brimming with fruit, plum, raspberry. Integrated fine tannins and good acidity. This has many years to go, but is drinking beautifully now. So US, it cannot be mistaken for a Bordeaux. Lovely wine. Very drinkable. Too drinkable!
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I'm almost sorry I drank this instead of letting it age more. Dark and black fruit, rich with reasonably soft tannins. a little hot from the alcohol. Glad I have more
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Veritable fruit bomb, great perfume like aroma and all kinds of berries on pallate. Good length. Would score higher if it had more depth, layers. Some more earthiness or tobacco would have raised this to high 90s. That said, a solid wine from a dependable maker...great value too.
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A knockout. Extremely aromatic, great cabernet fruit, graphite, cocoa, all powerful but beautifully balanced. One of the best cabs I have had in some time.
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I agree with most all the reviews. Sipped over about 24 hours; great nose, lush mouth feel, and lots a flavors moving around. Really interesting to drink and when I got to the last drop I was still looking for more. What more do you want from a bottle of wine?
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Just awesome. Decanted for 3 hours and drinking wonderfully right now. Red raspberries, white chocolate and just the right amount of oak. Body and structure are built for more years but tannins have softened and fruit has come around to make this really enjoyable now. So glad I have another bottle.
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N: Sweet dark fruit, char, soy. P: mouthwatering fresh tart blackberries transition smoothly to a mid-mouth cola flavor, then lingering slightly metallic umami notes on the long finish. :)
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Time flies! Can't believe I last had this over 3 yrs ago!
Disclosure: we had this after a quick decant, immediately following chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. That all followed a 2007 Charles Smith Syrah Old Bones, which was just fantastic.
I really liked this, but admittedly it seemed very subtle, especially in contrast to what we had just consumed prior. In short, I think our order/pairing did not do this any favors. I would not have expected this to be so soft/supple......but it was. Highly enjoyable, not at all the massive, youthful, vanilla/butterscotch concoction I experienced 3 yrs ago. 91-92pt camp today but I'll withhold a formal grade out of fairness!
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So sad this is our only 09. A baby but amazing! Black licorice, dark chocolate. Nose went on forever. Palate packs a punch but not overly doing it. So impressed. And sad I don't have more.
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Decanted for about 30 mins before serving. Fresh and vibrant, this wine is juicy with blackberry, currant and rose petal flavors on a lively, tightly focused frame. This wine has density without extra weight, finishing with refined tannins, lingering enticingly. Highly recommended!
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With 3 bottles, I decided to pop one for a taste. Needs more time to develop to what I anticipate will be a glorious, complex wine. Drinking now as good, with a decant, but under-performing of its cult status.
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One hour decant through venture and decanter. Well integrated, smooth, coats your mouth, medium to long finish, very good wine with plenty of life left to it
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The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like violet, peach blossom, black currant (cassis), raspberry, fig and plum. The body is full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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Nice color, with some purple around the edges. Almost Zin-like. Gorgeous nose. Walla Walla meets Bordeaux. The cedar is a bit more prominent than the fruit and other aromas, but that should resolve with a bit more bottle age.
Nice fruit. The Merlot shines through, while the Cabernet provides some nice structure. Tannins are not as tight as you'd expect from a wine this young.
I opened this now because I had a nice medium-rare flank steak with chimichurri sauce and thought it would hold up. It did. This will mellow beautifully with age if you want to drink it with something more subtle.
A fantastic wine with tons of potential!
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Ended up with 2 hours of incomplete air exposure, should have splashed it a bit. Dark WW fruit on the nose and palate. I didn't find it overly complex, but it certainly has a delicious factor and is well made, slightly understated, and nicely balanced.
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Splash decanted and let sit for 1 hour in the vessel. Nice nose of violets, bramble fruit, and pencil shavings. Rich and boisterous on the attack with good mid palate richness. Strong notes of dark cherry, currant, and blackberry. The low score is due to a fleeting finish and an odd somewhat green astringency on the aftertaste. Although a high quality drink, I have to echo others sentiment that the hype may be better than the actual wine.
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Decanted- initially Brad didn't even like it, opened up over the course of the evening but it was another disappointing Washington Cab (2Quilceda's) for our tasting. I enjoyed the wine but expected a lot more.
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wonderful. In honor of Figgins and in honor of receiving my 2014 allocation we had to go back in time. (just to make sure this was still great. Not disappointed in the least.
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This has all the goods..structure, flavor and energy. Nose of currant and wildflower. Currant, blackberry, cocoa, and graphite mix for a lovely blend of power and grace. Give this a few more years and it should be even better.
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I opened this for our 9/19/14 prime rib dinner. It had a deep, rich and fragrant bouquet of floral, blackberry, black currant, black cherry, cocoa and minerals. The palate was rich, elegant and a little lighter than the nose suggested with flavors of blackberry, black currant, black cherry, black tea, minerals and spice.
As a late additional note, I have to add that this wine lingered on my memory for many days…truly a mark of an exceptional wine.
Tasted at a Washington Cab party along side 2007 Betz Pere de Famille, 2009 Rasa Creative Impulse, 2009 Gramercy Columbia Valley, 2006 Andrew Will Champoux, 2007 Delille Harrison Hill, 2005 Quilceda Creek.
What a wonderful wine that just keeps getting better.
This wine was the favorite of 1 of 8 folks at the party. On subsequent days, it became my favorite as well. For the party the wine was decanted for 2 hours one day earlier, and returned to bottle. So, it was effectively tasted at the party as a day 2 wine. On days 3 and 4 it continued to get better (and thus became my favorite as well)!
The nose has cherry and rose petals, and baking spices, along with some cocoa high notes. The flavors follow suit and the only way I could describe it relative to the other wines is "wonderfully vibrant".
The 40% merlot is perfect, and probably adds the cocoa notes, and the vibrancy.
This wine just got better each day and was gone by day 4. We will save our other 3 bottles for a few years more, but this wine is beautiful now with a nice decant.
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This continues to get better and better. What a great wine! Cassis, blueberry, rose petal, mineral and a long, long finish. Intensely juicy, but without being an over extracted, hot mess. Drinking great now, but plenty of life ahead.
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Took some time to open, jammy at first but blossomed nicely, heavy. Tons of time left, smooth finish with dark fruit and some earth. Rolling mouthfeel.
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Definitely needed time to breathe. Drank out of the bottle without decanting. Nose reveals primarily plum and black cherry with hints of black pepper and fig. Beautiful mid palette and long finish. Definitely wish I had more bottles of this!
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Drank four wines produced by the Fiiggins Family from this vintage. The wines were 2009 Figgins Estate Red, Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon, Leonetti Reserve, and Leonetti Cabernet Sauvignon. The bottles were not decanted but all were given significant time to breathe. The Figgins Estate and Leonetti Reserve are Bordeaux blends, the other two are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. All of the wines were excellent. As might be expected, the tasters had differing impressions and those impressions changed over time. The Figgins had an excellent nose with a lot of Blackberry and Blueberry and a rich, complex taste. The Leonetti Reserve also had a rich complex taste and really was impressive as time went on. I think both of these wines really displayed the benefit of the full Bordeaux style blend. Of the two Cabs, the Doubleback, while enjoyable, seemed a bit simpler and was the least impressive, and the Leonetti showed more oak initially. It was an interesting and fun comparison of four related, but different, world class wines. My take away was that Doubleback may not be worth it's price.
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Had been saving this for a special occasion. Had it at Perennial Virant in Chicago, along with beef tenderloin and pork shoulder. Quite fragrant, with bit of cedar and oak in the nose, with an undercurrent of black currant and maybe even a touch of forest floor. Nicely balanced on the palate, with firm tannins and abundant fruit, but slightly hot on the finish. This wine mellowed out quite a bit during the course of my meal, adding a bit of richness to the mouthfeel, but seemed like it still had some way to go. I think this will continue to improve; it's a very, very good wine now, but will probably be an even better one in in three to five years. Quite elegant, and certainly fine wine, but to me it didn't quite live up to all the hype I've read about Figgins Estate.
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Marvelous second vintage. Blackberry, cassis, wet pebbles, and graphite. Beautiful bouquet on the nose of blueberry, spring flowers, and dark fruit. Nice long finish of about 45 seconds. Tannins were pretty mild on first pour, but showed a little more grip after about 3+ hours. Plenty of time for this to evolve further.
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Big deep and dark. Pretty good use of oak and the ABV was a touch high. Way too young, but I enjoyed this anyway. good long finish. Again sorry for the brevity, long days, many wines.
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This is off the Richter scale in terms of structure and focus. Currant, rose petals, blackberries and cream, gravel, sun-drenched leather and exotic perfume. Evident layers and mounds of fine tannins; the palate really stretches out extending a welcome tension. This is very Platonic: Enlightened and pondering with pure logic. Truly classic. Drink 2015 - 2026.
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Cassis, raspberry, smoke, herbs, new leather, plum jam, unburned incense, caramel, earth, blackberry brambles, and a little cedar on the nose. I like that it has a good combination of high and low tones. Red cherry, tart cherry, spice, blackberry, earth, caramel, and herbs on the palate. Terrific juicy acidity, deceptively smooth tannins, delicious long finish. This a great wine. I'm not sure whether to give it 92 or 96 points, because I'm not sure I would change anything to make it better. It's not the biggest, boldest wine out there but rather a wine of subtle complexity and perfect balance. It's also really tasty. Most importantly, I kept going back to the bottle for more. It's drinkable now but should improve with a few years.
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Had a similar experience to bmartz1 below. Had this in a line up of Walla Walla wines with friends, including Corliss, Reynvaan, and Cayuse. Decanted almost 3 hours. This was definitely the least favorite of the group. "Too much fruit, is it corked?" Had a half bottle left at the end of the night (unheard of for this group!), so put it in the frig for the night. First glass on night two showed better. But finally, the remarkable transformation in this wine came on the last glass of the bottle. Tannins reappeared and the fruit moved into a secondary position. All of this leads me to believe this needs a lot more time. Score based on the promise of the final glass.
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Very fruit forward, though spice notes and mouthfeel reminded me of a Stag's Leap SLV with less tannin. Showing well now, not sure how much this will improve over time.
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Another amazing wine by Chris Figgins. Big, bold and complexity makes this wine a mind blower. Great finish with smooth tannins. Must buy!! Open 2 hours prior. The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Slow.
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Popped two of these and was pretty disappointed with the qpr. The wine is good, but it's nothing exceptional. I'm willing to let the remaining 6 sleep for a decade.
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All that hype? Yeah, I get it. This is the sort of wine that you have once and it haunts you. A new world wine that has the potential to really blow you away down the line. Ripe without being overpowering. Complex nose of flowers and spice and a palate that just sings with blackberry and some stone fruits. Velvety, dense body. Without a doubt some of the best wine in many months.
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Dark garnet color. The palate is wonderful. Not just a little oak, but lightly toasted oak. Cassis, some mild tobacco, hints of cherry, raspberry. I rarely use the phrase "chewy" to define the tannins, but I will here. Indicative of the wine's youth and potential in the cellar. Nice long finish with no bitterness. This is simply a beautiful Napa cab. Thnx GC.
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Deep garnet yet sparkles in glass. Sensually sweet perfume. Structured yet soft and elegant. Blackberries, blueberries and a hint of cherry. Very insignia"ish" but could be better. Glad I bought everything I could get my hands on. This is an exceptional wine.
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This is really incredible stuff... nothing formal this time around. Will wait on remianing bottles for 4-5 years. Still very young, but this will be amazing with time. Decanted for two hours and was starting to open, if you are going to sacrafice one now decant minimum for 4 hours.
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Business Dinner: did not take extensive notes but recall it was a full bodied cab, very good structure, nice depth at the midpalate and strong finish. Should get better with time. -S
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At a buddy's house, he dumped 750ml into decanter many hours before we started to drink this. Remarkably different from any global cabs I have tasted, if only because of the vanilla and butterscotch notes that were very primary to this. Highly enjoyable - I have a few of these and am eager to see how they develop with time. This drank gorgeously, highly impressed thus far
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Just tasted this at the FIGGINS Studio in Walla Walla. Awesome wine, perhaps the best Washington wine I've tasted this year (so far). It's quite different than the 2008. This one is lush, with beautiful ripe dark fruits and red fruits, coffee bean, citrus peel, incense, flowers, minerals, and so on. It's somewhat hedonistic but still balanced. Good acidity and structure. This is drinkable right now, though it will definitely improve over time. I kept saying "yum" after every taste...it's that kind of wine. 93+
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3/17/2024 - chugwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle rocked, as to be expected from the OG Leonetti/Figgins family. Popped with the Durand, unfortunately broke during the surgery, cork came out in one piece, no problems. Gave it a decant with cheese cloth, glad I did, heavy sediment. Immediately upon decant could smell the aromas of a very special bottle. Not super over powering on the nose, vanilla and maple syrup, very hearty and fulfilling nose. This wine is at peak, it was beautifully integrated, mouth watering, juicy with big dark red fruits, plum, cherries. Ms. Chugwine wanted another bottle as we slammed it in like an hour. Trying to compare to other Cabernet's, this felt like a Napa Schrader for a quarter of the price. Big, in your face Cabernet Sauvignon, beautifully integrated. I was expecting the quality but always nice to pop and it to fulfill expectations! Grab some if you can.
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12/24/2023 - enjoyvino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Best wine of the evening! If you can find a Figgins estate red wine 2009, grab it and decant before consuming-you will be happy 🍷😊
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10/5/2023 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Earthy, smoky and leather on the nose. Brooding and dark on approach, restrained black fruit, big tannins and solid acid
Update: opened an hour before dinner and this beauty opened up to reveal big, fat bl nj ack cherry and currant. Full bodied and rambunctious. Stellar!
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6/24/2023 - rmh66 wrote: 95 Points
Walla Walla AVA. Wow, it's been 10 years since I tasted this. Cassis, boysenberry, plum, red cherry, earth, smoke, flowers, and herbs on the nose. Red cherries, cassis, tart cherries, earth, spices, plums, and herb on the palate. Mouhwatering acidity, tannins still a bit grippy, long delicious finish. Wow, what a wonderful bottle. It's just starting to show some tertiary notes, though it's in a really good spot.
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3/25/2022 - Stuart10er Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really amazing. Deep purple with a bit of brown at the rim. Lots of fruit on the nose. Blackberry and earthy notes. Moderate tannins with plum and dried fruit and black pepper. Loved it.
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3/20/2022 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 94 Points
My last bottle and it was singing. I have had a couple that didn't make it, so I am glad this one did. On plateau.
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2/26/2022 - Hamersly wrote: 95 Points
Layered and lush with that taut quality common to great Washington Cabs. In a fine place now after an hour’s decant but no rush.
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11/21/2021 - Eric Guido Likes this wine:
This shows classic Cabernet typicity mixed with the blue fruits of Merlot and alluring sweet herbs and violette pastille. There's a punchiness here guided by brilliant acidity and red fruits that keeps the pallet watering for more. This is rich yet energetic with repleting minerality that is just blowing my mind. Such a brilliant expression of #WAwine.
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7/24/2021 - RPerro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and let the bottle sit open for 30 min before first sip. Amazingly rich and flavorful, not showing its 12 years of age at all. Cassis and black cherry fruit, tobacco, oak, earth, and vanilla flavors. Really lush in the mouth, just coating everything. I definitely need to be buying more Figgins! Drink now - 2029.
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5/9/2021 - bjamesclark wrote: 95 Points
Decanted showing a high amount of sediment left in bottle.
Suave and rich on the nose that does not betray its age. Scents of cassis, ripe dark cherries, muddled marionberry, Framboise, floral pastilles, fresh pastry, cardamom, suede, velvety herbs, cured tobacco and vanilla crème.
The palate shows richness, opulence and freshness; supple, velvety and refined. Berry tinged acidity provides structure along with smooth, plush tannins. Mid-palate density is impressive and balanced. Every component of this wine is in its place and balanced with the others. Flavors wrap the palate in notes of deep plum, marionberry, cassis and Framboise that intermingle with notes of violet pastilles, suede, velour, vanilla crème, exotic spice, herbs, mocha and sweet tobacco. Open and giving through the finish that is in the peak of its youth.
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2/6/2021 - VlgJeff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Better than our last bottle in May '20, and almost as good as our bottle in March '18. Decanted for 20 minutes (with some sediment), but better after an additional 30 minutes in the decanter. The color was a deep purple. On the nose was dark red fruit, cocoa and cassis. The medium plus bodied palate showed the dark red fruits and cassis, along with a good dose of spice, and a bit of minerality. The acidity was juicy but balancing, and there was a touch of tannin on the medium plus finish. At this point I believe this wine can hold for another few years. For maximum enjoyment, air it out for 45 minutes +/-.
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11/29/2020 - mflesh wrote:
This wine had EXACTLY the same characteristics of a well made Tempranillo from the Texas AVA. The difference is that the Tx Tempranillos get scores in the mid 80s while the Walla Walla gets an avg score of 93. Goes to show you that the label really means a lot more than you think. I now understand why people hate blind tastings ..... As for this wine, it is a darker yet still somewhat youthful expression. Black cherry tart and brambleberry strudel pie. Lots of fig in the middle. Has good structure in its 11th yr for sure. But I do wonder if there was less tart and more fig 3-5 years ago. This is honestly maiden voyage to experiencing wine from this producer, and now I am 10,000% intrigued to see how this fruit profile continues to compare to the Texas AVA that gets a lot of shade thrown its way. IMO, drink now.
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5/3/2020 - VlgJeff wrote: 93 Points
Another bottle of this excellent wine. Could not decant, but gave it 15 minutes slo-ox to the first glass; the second glass was 20+ minutes later.
The nose was of red and dark red fruits, after a bit of 'funk' blew off. The medium to plus bodied palate showed a range of red and dark red fruits, some earth tones, and quite a bit of spice. The acidity was juicy, and a tad more than necessary to balance. The tannins were well integrated.
This bottle was a bit less exciting than the previous bottle of two years ago - as the fruit v. acid balance had tipped in favor of the acidity, which could be due to the lack of a substantial decant.
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3/22/2020 - dafmd Likes this wine: 93 Points
DnP: tight nose, plummy, medium bodied, some cedar, smooth finish: seinking very nicely with steak.
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2/16/2020 - knorthrip Likes this wine: 91 Points
1st night PNP.
Cassis, blackberry, and black cherry with dried lavender and violets on the nose. Forest floor and vanilla. Med acidity, med alcohol, med + tannins. Elegant wine with a longish finish and med+ complexity.
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11/10/2019 - Motz wrote: flawed
Ten year CdP and Bordeaux retro tasting (with ringers). Hosted by Grinner.
Bordeaux Flight Two - Wine Five:
Flawed. Acetic.
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11/2/2019 - Grinner wrote: flawed
The Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Chateau Lyon): Jammy black fruit and.....VA weirdness.
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11/2/2019 - jkwoodward wrote: flawed
Cloudy. Came across sweet with a vinegar note on the back end. Disagreement amongst the group about the type of flaw present.
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10/26/2019 - kkleg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely graphite, blackberry, and cherry notes on the nose. Good fruit on the palate, with a nice balance of acidity and tannins.
I was worried this was headed downhill after my previous bottles, but I’m pleased to say I was wrong. This should evolve for 5+ years.
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10/19/2019 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last of 3 bottles. Still amazing.
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7/10/2019 - knorthrip Likes this wine: 92 Points
Elegant, complex wine. Seems younger than its 10 years.
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6/16/2019 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my other TNs on this wine. I used a vacuvin to hold it over to the second night. Not successful. First night was a lot better
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6/2/2019 - curtr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich, full body, should last through 2020.
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4/30/2019 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still drinking very well, with still vibrant fruit against a nice firm backbone. Certainly has another 3 / 4 years in its premo drinking plateau. Plum, red fruit. Although there is no Syrah in here, it has a WA Syrah vibe going for it. Although not as funky and has a stronger backbone. Very easy to drink.
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2/16/2019 - kkleg wrote: 92 Points
Zin/Syrah-like nose, although there’s some cedar and graphite poking through also. Dark fruit on the palate, wth some graphite notes. Prominent, but smooth tannins. This is an intriguing wine that’s left me guessing about its future for a couple bottles. My current thinking is this could develop for another decade, but that’s far from certain.
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11/12/2018 - curtr Likes this wine: 92 Points
At the right stage of development. Lots of depth.
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6/28/2018 - Pedroel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Time has worked its magic: integrating, smoothing. Gone is the unique aspect of my earlier note, replaced with excellence. Plenty of fruit and life left.
2/11/2015 note: Not as great as expected. Unique flavor, unlike any cab I've had. 91 pts.
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4/7/2018 - brettlaurvick wrote: 95 Points
Great bottle. Shared with good friends at a Thai restaurant. $10 corkage. Super smooth and silky. Lots more life but super right now
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3/25/2018 - VlgJeff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes with very little sediment. The nose of red fruits and cedar deepened, and darkened, throughout the decant. The palate showed a range of red and dark red fruits, cedar, and some earth tones. The initial acidity was juicy, then became quite balanced as the wine opened. The tannins were well integrated. We kept using the same adjectives to describe this medium plus bodied wine: silky, fruity, juicy, and balanced. This is a wonderful bottle of wine from a wonderful wine making family. Be aware, however, that over the course of the one hour plus meal, the fruit faded ever so slightly, and a very slight alcoholic finish developed. Not certain how other bottles of this wine will present, but definitely give it air.
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2/24/2018 - kkleg wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit, cedar, and cassis on the nose. Nice tannins and acidity on the palate, with good fruit and cedar notes. Drinking well now. May soften and develop more nuanced notes with some more age, but I’m unsure. We’ll see.
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2/2/2018 - jtaylor3 wrote: 94 Points
Garnet color remains. Sparkle gone. Still dark fruit bouquet but more leather and graphite, and slight bitterness coming through. Less fruit on palate with more earthy tones. Has matured quite a bit. Still an exceptional wine but showing age.
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12/25/2017 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolute velvet in your mouth. Completely refined and integrated taste with decent finish. Plenty of sediment, so decant carefully. Decant time was quite short, I would drink up.
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10/22/2017 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still plenty of life left in this guy. PNP and was truly amazing right from the start. Expanded nicely over the course of dinner. Worth the price of admission for sure. One more bottle from this year in the cellar.
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10/16/2017 - msenske Likes this wine: 95 Points
Phenomenal example of Figgins Estate Red Wine. Extremely aromatic with tastes of succulent red fruit. Medium/full bodied and just the right amount of acidity. Long finish that lingers and leaves you wanting more. Will continue to improve with time in the cellar, but drinking very well now.
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10/14/2017 - knorthrip Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really good but not as good as the last bottle I tried 2 years ago. May be going through a dumb phase. Cherry, Strawberry, menthol, leather, and tobacco.
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9/9/2017 - millerarner wrote: 92 Points
No doubt this is quality juice, but as another taster recently wrote, we were expecting more. The bottle had a fair amount of sediment, which was easily separated while decanting.
PROS - Nice attack and mid-palate texture Great nose, particularly the secondary notes.
CONS - Overall it lacked the refinement you'd expect. Tannins weren't well polished (weren't rough either, just not harmonious). As great as the nose was, it was occasionally hot & occasionally muted.
These are minor quibbles, but I've always found Figgins' Leonetti offerings to be the epitome of precision (big wines with elegance), and this bottle just barely missed the mark.
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9/5/2017 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 94 Points
wonderful nose, great at open with a nice LONG finish
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8/16/2017 - curtr Likes this wine:
Still young, nice balance. Try again in 2019.
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6/3/2017 - kwn70 wrote: 91 Points
Was expecting more from this. Was pretty tannic and rough around the edges. Lacked the sophistication I remembered. It likely still needs more time.
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4/11/2017 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of plum and hint of liquorice. Smooth, smooth, smooth in the mouth, velvety with big mouthfeel. Long finish. Brimming with fruit, plum, raspberry. Integrated fine tannins and good acidity. This has many years to go, but is drinking beautifully now. So US, it cannot be mistaken for a Bordeaux. Lovely wine. Very drinkable. Too drinkable!
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3/31/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
consistent with notes of 10/18/2014
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3/18/2017 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
I shared this wine at my daughters birthday dinner, at our high garlic Italian place. Soft tannins, rich re ripe fruit, well balanced
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3/16/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour with several bottles. Actually pretty awesome and ready to go. Fruit forward, smooth, integrated. Excellent Washington Bordeaux.
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1/11/2017 - Stevethebeav Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Beautiful bordeaux.
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10/16/2016 - Gregb2 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Youthful, yet starting to show some character development. Try again in 2019.
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9/20/2016 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 95 Points
wow, as anticipated this is GREAT. pared with a nice rib-eye.
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7/24/2016 - tacoflyer Likes this wine: 94 Points
A great wine but a little early in its maturity to drink right now. 3 bottles to go that I'll hold onto for awhile.
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5/19/2016 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
I'm almost sorry I drank this instead of letting it age more. Dark and black fruit, rich with reasonably soft tannins. a little hot from the alcohol. Glad I have more
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5/1/2016 - blakehastings Likes this wine: 94 Points
Veritable fruit bomb, great perfume like aroma and all kinds of berries on pallate. Good length. Would score higher if it had more depth, layers. Some more earthiness or tobacco would have raised this to high 90s. That said, a solid wine from a dependable maker...great value too.
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4/19/2016 - topher2411 wrote: 95 Points
A knockout. Extremely aromatic, great cabernet fruit, graphite, cocoa, all powerful but beautifully balanced. One of the best cabs I have had in some time.
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2/21/2016 - Stevo-the-wino Likes this wine: 94 Points
I agree with most all the reviews. Sipped over about 24 hours; great nose, lush mouth feel, and lots a flavors moving around. Really interesting to drink and when I got to the last drop I was still looking for more. What more do you want from a bottle of wine?
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2/15/2016 - Stevethebeav wrote: 95 Points
Just awesome. Decanted for 3 hours and drinking wonderfully right now. Red raspberries, white chocolate and just the right amount of oak. Body and structure are built for more years but tannins have softened and fruit has come around to make this really enjoyable now. So glad I have another bottle.
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2/13/2016 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Velvety smooth, sweet red cherry and hints of plum. Lingered on the palate
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1/8/2016 - Bumbanian wrote: 93 Points
N: Sweet dark fruit, char, soy. P: mouthwatering fresh tart blackberries transition smoothly to a mid-mouth cola flavor, then lingering slightly metallic umami notes on the long finish. :)
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12/30/2015 - nortonnose wrote:
Time flies! Can't believe I last had this over 3 yrs ago!
Disclosure: we had this after a quick decant, immediately following chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. That all followed a 2007 Charles Smith Syrah Old Bones, which was just fantastic.
I really liked this, but admittedly it seemed very subtle, especially in contrast to what we had just consumed prior. In short, I think our order/pairing did not do this any favors. I would not have expected this to be so soft/supple......but it was. Highly enjoyable, not at all the massive, youthful, vanilla/butterscotch concoction I experienced 3 yrs ago. 91-92pt camp today but I'll withhold a formal grade out of fairness!
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12/25/2015 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 94 Points
outstanding way to celebrate baby Jesus b'day
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12/2/2015 - lirvingham wrote: 94 Points
So sad this is our only 09. A baby but amazing! Black licorice, dark chocolate. Nose went on forever. Palate packs a punch but not overly doing it. So impressed. And sad I don't have more.
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11/13/2015 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for about 30 mins before serving. Fresh and vibrant, this wine is juicy with blackberry, currant and rose petal flavors on a lively, tightly focused frame. This wine has density without extra weight, finishing with refined tannins, lingering enticingly. Highly recommended!
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11/5/2015 - NavyVet6874 Likes this wine:
With 3 bottles, I decided to pop one for a taste. Needs more time to develop to what I anticipate will be a glorious, complex wine. Drinking now as good, with a decant, but under-performing of its cult status.
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9/16/2015 - W2WineGuy wrote: 92 Points
One hour decant through venture and decanter. Well integrated, smooth, coats your mouth, medium to long finish, very good wine with plenty of life left to it
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8/15/2015 - Neuronstar Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like violet, peach blossom, black currant (cassis), raspberry, fig and plum. The body is full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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7/31/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 90 Points
took a short while to open but light, soft sweet red cherry, long finish, full flavor on the palate, nice balance
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7/24/2015 - kkleg Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nice color, with some purple around the edges. Almost Zin-like. Gorgeous nose. Walla Walla meets Bordeaux. The cedar is a bit more prominent than the fruit and other aromas, but that should resolve with a bit more bottle age.
Nice fruit. The Merlot shines through, while the Cabernet provides some nice structure. Tannins are not as tight as you'd expect from a wine this young.
I opened this now because I had a nice medium-rare flank steak with chimichurri sauce and thought it would hold up. It did. This will mellow beautifully with age if you want to drink it with something more subtle.
A fantastic wine with tons of potential!
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2/9/2015 - cwiebe Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ended up with 2 hours of incomplete air exposure, should have splashed it a bit. Dark WW fruit on the nose and palate. I didn't find it overly complex, but it certainly has a delicious factor and is well made, slightly understated, and nicely balanced.
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1/24/2015 - drdan8 wrote: 90 Points
Splash decanted and let sit for 1 hour in the vessel. Nice nose of violets, bramble fruit, and pencil shavings. Rich and boisterous on the attack with good mid palate richness. Strong notes of dark cherry, currant, and blackberry. The low score is due to a fleeting finish and an odd somewhat green astringency on the aftertaste. Although a high quality drink, I have to echo others sentiment that the hype may be better than the actual wine.
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1/20/2015 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted- initially Brad didn't even like it, opened up over the course of the evening but it was another disappointing Washington Cab (2Quilceda's) for our tasting. I enjoyed the wine but expected a lot more.
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11/25/2014 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 94 Points
wow, same great wine and continuing to improve
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11/11/2014 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 94 Points
wonderful. In honor of Figgins and in honor of receiving my 2014 allocation we had to go back in time. (just to make sure this was still great. Not disappointed in the least.
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10/18/2014 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has all the goods..structure, flavor and energy. Nose of currant and wildflower. Currant, blackberry, cocoa, and graphite mix for a lovely blend of power and grace. Give this a few more years and it should be even better.
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9/19/2014 - garambler Likes this wine: 93 Points
I opened this for our 9/19/14 prime rib dinner. It had a deep, rich and fragrant bouquet of floral, blackberry, black currant, black cherry, cocoa and minerals. The palate was rich, elegant and a little lighter than the nose suggested with flavors of blackberry, black currant, black cherry, black tea, minerals and spice.
As a late additional note, I have to add that this wine lingered on my memory for many days…truly a mark of an exceptional wine.
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7/30/2014 - Bubbleheads wrote: 96 Points
Tasted at a Washington Cab party along side 2007 Betz Pere de Famille, 2009 Rasa Creative Impulse, 2009 Gramercy Columbia Valley, 2006 Andrew Will Champoux, 2007 Delille Harrison Hill, 2005 Quilceda Creek.
What a wonderful wine that just keeps getting better.
This wine was the favorite of 1 of 8 folks at the party. On subsequent days, it became my favorite as well. For the party the wine was decanted for 2 hours one day earlier, and returned to bottle. So, it was effectively tasted at the party as a day 2 wine. On days 3 and 4 it continued to get better (and thus became my favorite as well)!
The nose has cherry and rose petals, and baking spices, along with some cocoa high notes. The flavors follow suit and the only way I could describe it relative to the other wines is "wonderfully vibrant".
The 40% merlot is perfect, and probably adds the cocoa notes, and the vibrancy.
This wine just got better each day and was gone by day 4. We will save our other 3 bottles for a few years more, but this wine is beautiful now with a nice decant.
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7/9/2014 - brianngibson wrote: 95 Points
This continues to get better and better. What a great wine! Cassis, blueberry, rose petal, mineral and a long, long finish. Intensely juicy, but without being an over extracted, hot mess. Drinking great now, but plenty of life ahead.
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6/28/2014 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took some time to open, jammy at first but blossomed nicely, heavy. Tons of time left, smooth finish with dark fruit and some earth. Rolling mouthfeel.
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5/26/2014 - jhieb Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pure velvet. Just a beautiful wine.
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5/13/2014 - kyedlin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Definitely needed time to breathe. Drank out of the bottle without decanting. Nose reveals primarily plum and black cherry with hints of black pepper and fig. Beautiful mid palette and long finish. Definitely wish I had more bottles of this!
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12/31/2013 - Redteeth wrote:
Drank four wines produced by the Fiiggins Family from this vintage. The wines were 2009 Figgins Estate Red, Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon, Leonetti Reserve, and Leonetti Cabernet Sauvignon. The bottles were not decanted but all were given significant time to breathe. The Figgins Estate and Leonetti Reserve are Bordeaux blends, the other two are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. All of the wines were excellent. As might be expected, the tasters had differing impressions and those impressions changed over time. The Figgins had an excellent nose with a lot of Blackberry and Blueberry and a rich, complex taste. The Leonetti Reserve also had a rich complex taste and really was impressive as time went on. I think both of these wines really displayed the benefit of the full Bordeaux style blend. Of the two Cabs, the Doubleback, while enjoyable, seemed a bit simpler and was the least impressive, and the Leonetti showed more oak initially. It was an interesting and fun comparison of four related, but different, world class wines. My take away was that Doubleback may not be worth it's price.
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11/1/2013 - daver852 wrote: 91 Points
Had been saving this for a special occasion. Had it at Perennial Virant in Chicago, along with beef tenderloin and pork shoulder. Quite fragrant, with bit of cedar and oak in the nose, with an undercurrent of black currant and maybe even a touch of forest floor. Nicely balanced on the palate, with firm tannins and abundant fruit, but slightly hot on the finish. This wine mellowed out quite a bit during the course of my meal, adding a bit of richness to the mouthfeel, but seemed like it still had some way to go. I think this will continue to improve; it's a very, very good wine now, but will probably be an even better one in in three to five years. Quite elegant, and certainly fine wine, but to me it didn't quite live up to all the hype I've read about Figgins Estate.
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9/25/2013 - brianngibson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Marvelous second vintage. Blackberry, cassis, wet pebbles, and graphite. Beautiful bouquet on the nose of blueberry, spring flowers, and dark fruit. Nice long finish of about 45 seconds. Tannins were pretty mild on first pour, but showed a little more grip after about 3+ hours. Plenty of time for this to evolve further.
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9/24/2013 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine:
Big deep and dark. Pretty good use of oak and the ABV was a touch high. Way too young, but I enjoyed this anyway. good long finish. Again sorry for the brevity, long days, many wines.
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9/21/2013 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Charleston II - The Collectibles - Afternoon Edition; 9/20/2013-9/21/2013 (Kings Courtyard Inn in Charleston, SC): You could almost lose some nosehairs with this nose, but it's very smooth on the palate. A bit of fig, a touch of unripe plum. Ends with some nice tannins. Young wine, but this is going to be beautiful one day.
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9/1/2013 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is off the Richter scale in terms of structure and focus. Currant, rose petals, blackberries and cream, gravel, sun-drenched leather and exotic perfume. Evident layers and mounds of fine tannins; the palate really stretches out extending a welcome tension. This is very Platonic: Enlightened and pondering with pure logic. Truly classic. Drink 2015 - 2026.
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8/31/2013 - lirvingham Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took a couple of hours to really show its stuff.
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8/29/2013 - rmh66 wrote: 92 Points
Cassis, raspberry, smoke, herbs, new leather, plum jam, unburned incense, caramel, earth, blackberry brambles, and a little cedar on the nose. I like that it has a good combination of high and low tones. Red cherry, tart cherry, spice, blackberry, earth, caramel, and herbs on the palate. Terrific juicy acidity, deceptively smooth tannins, delicious long finish. This a great wine. I'm not sure whether to give it 92 or 96 points, because I'm not sure I would change anything to make it better. It's not the biggest, boldest wine out there but rather a wine of subtle complexity and perfect balance. It's also really tasty. Most importantly, I kept going back to the bottle for more. It's drinkable now but should improve with a few years.
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7/28/2013 - TheWineDon wrote: 93 Points
Had a similar experience to bmartz1 below. Had this in a line up of Walla Walla wines with friends, including Corliss, Reynvaan, and Cayuse. Decanted almost 3 hours. This was definitely the least favorite of the group. "Too much fruit, is it corked?" Had a half bottle left at the end of the night (unheard of for this group!), so put it in the frig for the night. First glass on night two showed better. But finally, the remarkable transformation in this wine came on the last glass of the bottle. Tannins reappeared and the fruit moved into a secondary position. All of this leads me to believe this needs a lot more time. Score based on the promise of the final glass.
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6/7/2013 - thatrick wrote: 95 Points
WOTN - ordered another 6 pack
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4/27/2013 - bmartz1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very fruit forward, though spice notes and mouthfeel reminded me of a Stag's Leap SLV with less tannin. Showing well now, not sure how much this will improve over time.
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4/27/2013 - Invinoverytas wrote: 92 Points
Its just too soon to tell right now. Powerful, lots of fruit, but sort of monochromatic for me
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4/22/2013 - tferraro wrote: 93 Points
Another amazing wine by Chris Figgins. Big, bold and complexity makes this wine a mind blower. Great finish with smooth tannins. Must buy!! Open 2 hours prior.
The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Slow.
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4/20/2013 - thatrick wrote: 95 Points
really liked this
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4/7/2013 - rdelf wrote: 88 Points
Popped two of these and was pretty disappointed with the qpr. The wine is good, but it's nothing exceptional. I'm willing to let the remaining 6 sleep for a decade.
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4/6/2013 - jhieb Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic, smooth tannins and great fruit. Consistent with the last bottle.
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3/26/2013 - Kelliepeterson Likes this wine: 95 Points
All that hype? Yeah, I get it. This is the sort of wine that you have once and it haunts you. A new world wine that has the potential to really blow you away down the line. Ripe without being overpowering. Complex nose of flowers and spice and a palate that just sings with blackberry and some stone fruits. Velvety, dense body. Without a doubt some of the best wine in many months.
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3/14/2013 - sjdcellar Likes this wine: 96 Points
Best bottle so far this year. Needed a bit of airtime but then opened with huge aromas of flowers and a liqueur-like finish. Totally captivating...
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3/6/2013 - Macky4710 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine has a ton of potential. Drank early to see if I should order more. Elegant.
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2/10/2013 - vinopa wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding juice. Very complex and elegant. Got the structure to last decades. Find some!!
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2/10/2013 - txtigr84 wrote: 96 Points
pretty darn tasty
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1/27/2013 - curtr Likes this wine:
Tannic, nice elements, an amazing wine. Try in again in 2016.
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1/24/2013 - DonWinspear wrote: 94 Points
Dark garnet color. The palate is wonderful. Not just a little oak, but lightly toasted oak. Cassis, some mild tobacco, hints of cherry, raspberry. I rarely use the phrase "chewy" to define the tannins, but I will here. Indicative of the wine's youth and potential in the cellar. Nice long finish with no bitterness. This is simply a beautiful Napa cab. Thnx GC.
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1/12/2013 - billmo27 wrote: 94 Points
Incredible, can only imagine it in 4-5 years
The legs are Medium. The body is Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Long.
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1/4/2013 - jtaylor3 wrote: 98 Points
Deep garnet yet sparkles in glass. Sensually sweet perfume. Structured yet soft and elegant. Blackberries, blueberries and a hint of cherry. Very insignia"ish" but could be better. Glad I bought everything I could get my hands on. This is an exceptional wine.
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12/28/2012 - SGates Likes this wine: 92 Points
Unctious = affecting an oily charm
I liked it a lot but something in the back of my head was saying watch out for this one. Can a wine be too good to be true?
Deliciously lushious, seemless tannins, complex flavors with smoke, cocoa and just enough ripe berries to make your mouth water on the finish.
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12/14/2012 - Madkat wrote: 95 Points
This is really incredible stuff... nothing formal this time around. Will wait on remianing bottles for 4-5 years. Still very young, but this will be amazing with time. Decanted for two hours and was starting to open, if you are going to sacrafice one now decant minimum for 4 hours.
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12/13/2012 - Don and Pam Likes this wine:
gift for Brett at Christmas 2012
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12/6/2012 - sasvino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Business Dinner: did not take extensive notes but recall it was a full bodied cab, very good structure, nice depth at the midpalate and strong finish. Should get better with time. -S
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11/19/2012 - nortonnose Likes this wine: 94 Points
At a buddy's house, he dumped 750ml into decanter many hours before we started to drink this. Remarkably different from any global cabs I have tasted, if only because of the vanilla and butterscotch notes that were very primary to this. Highly enjoyable - I have a few of these and am eager to see how they develop with time. This drank gorgeously, highly impressed thus far
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11/4/2012 - jhieb wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for two hours. An energetic, beautifully balanced Bordeaux blend. This needs more time, but is already showing great character.
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10/26/2012 - sophiesmom wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at Figgins Wine Studio in Walla Walla. Great now and will only improve...
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8/12/2012 - rmh66 wrote:
Just tasted this at the FIGGINS Studio in Walla Walla. Awesome wine, perhaps the best Washington wine I've tasted this year (so far). It's quite different than the 2008. This one is lush, with beautiful ripe dark fruits and red fruits, coffee bean, citrus peel, incense, flowers, minerals, and so on. It's somewhat hedonistic but still balanced. Good acidity and structure. This is drinkable right now, though it will definitely improve over time. I kept saying "yum" after every taste...it's that kind of wine. 93+
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8/7/2012 - Sebacca wrote: 92 Points
92 now will likely be a stellar wine 4-5 years from now.
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