Opened over the afternoon for evening dinner. We all drank it down. Lost a little on the nose upon opening but the mouth feel and berry, mint, graphite, tobacco and old raisin flavors. Long lingering and flavorful and great with NYS steaks. Also of such good quality we drank it down almost immediately upon opening.
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Method: pop and pour; out of fridge and warming up; Cab glass
Nose:muted with slight cardboard, maybe a faintest hint of cherry
Palate: very muted; cherry, cedar, herbs, cardboard; unpleasant finish cherry cough syrup; dry; med- body; fairly lovely structure, but the wine is too bad to keep sipping to take more notes
Corked. Shame.
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This is still in great shape. I think 3/5 yrs before maybe dropping. Mature stage. All nicely integrated. Nose was not superb, a bit light. Mouth was great, fruit was there still so not just tertiary. Really nice Merlot. Superb QPR for Napa. 92 for the nose
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Shows a strong whiff of primary maturity immediately upon opening. That fades fairly quickly leaving a win fading from the secondary to the tertiary. Musty and dusty around the edges. Plum, cedar and oak on the nose. Strong tannin still. Still showing some richness on the palate. Notes of tea bely the maturity. Lots of acidity. Less complexity on the palate than you would expect. A nicely mature wine from a property that was criminally overlooked in its day. This was likely at it best five to ten years ago. The structure is clearly stronger than the fruit here. I wish I could parse most of the Napa wines from the last two decades the same way.
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Absolutely beautiful wine - one of the best QPRs in Napa. Classic Napa merlot, and this was served alongside 1987 Dunn Howell Mountain (which was the best Dunn Howell I've had). This wine is ready to drink now, but will hold up should you choose to cellar longer.
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Aromas of cherries and dried dark fruit. Tastes of black cherry and coffee which lingers on the finish. Hints of raisin and dried fig. Medium finish. Well structured and very enjoyable in early 2020.
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After reading the other recent reviews I was surprised to find a wine with a nice nose, some remaining red fruit, solid acid, nice minerals, and a lingering finish. This is a wine over its peak but still good. It does deteriorate with time. Don't open early or decant.
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Second Sunday Group: 2000 Bordeaux (R&D's): Brief note- popped and poured. Dark fruit and herb qualities with an underlying ripe rasiny/pruney thing that also carries through to the palate. I think a few other liked this a little more than I did, but if this is representative, I will not be seeking out any more.
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Slight funk on opening, disappeared after 3 hrs in decanter. Plenty sediment. Very dense, blackish red, not much sign of ageing, enormous robe. Bq very fruity, cherries in kirsch, currants, plums, a little cedar. Powerful fruit w cherries, dried fruits, some chocolate, lots of fresh acidity, finely integrated tannins. Very nice balance, long aftertaste. Probably just past its peak now, will definitely last much longer than the usual critics have indicated.
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Very, very good. Not as much mushroom and "funk" as I had expected. Good medium-to-heavy body with excellent texture, balance of dark fruits and earth/spice. Fair amount of sediment in the bottle.
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Very enjoyable. At first pop this had blueberry pie, cassis liqueur, and cedar. That turned into a sweet fruit note that persisted for the rest of the time we consumed the bottle. On the palete the wine was wonderfully aged. Tannins were completely integrated and the dark berry fruit was balanced with a bit of bitter cocoa on the finish. I agree with the previous note, this will be all oak and tannin before you know it, not a fruity quaff, one for those that like the taste profile of mature wines.
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Sweet California fruit at the core. Elegantly textured. Also showing some secondary notes of cedar and earthiness. Tannins have melted away and this is ready to drink. Quite tasty in that aged wine kind of way where everything comes together. Drink now.
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Stupendous. Could've passed for modern Bordeaux. Aged perfectly. Went great with Argentine parrilla. No reason to wait any longer, however. This will be in decline sooner than later.
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Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs (TWO CHEFS, MIAMI, FL): The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Oak, Licorice, and Chocolate. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Bright texture. The wine finishes Long. I IDed it as St Emillon, right Grape wrong terroir! Bob R's wine.
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We popped this wine open for a group of us while we were decorating our Christmas tree, and WOW was it a hit. Absolutely luscious. Needs a good hour in a decanter before drinking as it changed by the minute. Fantastic.
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A 17 year old California merlot would typically be well past its prime and fairly dead. This wine may not be as bright as it once was, but it's still fantastic. The age is aparent, with very smooth leathery berry flavors, followed by subtle pepper and tannins. The fact that this is a Howell Mountain merlot (cab franc blend) has probably helped this wine considerably in its aging. I'd happily drink this again!
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Un nez envoutant sur des notes de menthol et de chocolat. La bouche est plutôt sucrée mais montre un bel équilibre, c'est rond, plutôt élégant, sans excès d'alcool, bien savoureux. Il affiche une belle finale harmonieuse. C'est un vin fort bien construit, quoique sans la complexité du Cabernet Private Reserve de la maison.
Je ne suis pas grand fan de merlots américains mais celui-ci est peut-être le meilleur que j'ai bu. Trop cher (l'étiquette SAQ montre 102$!), mais excellent. 91-92 pts
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Initially was concerned that the wine has gone past, musty smell on opening, fruit was gone very quick after opening, though left with leather and firm tannins and long finish that made this bottle most pleasant. Seemed to stand up very well for its age. Mouth feel was silky smooth. Opened a 2006 bottle from same vineyard/ranch and had similar characteristics, very nice wine. Drink quick though.
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Christmas Day dinner wine. I opened it up 9 hours ahead of time to decant. This wine was past it's prime time to drink so we decided to try it. Cork broke off about 2/3 down but no sign of transfer. When I pulled the rest out there was a distinct pressure pop and the aroma was very powerful. At dinner all were very impressed with the bouquet and color and it went very well with the fillets I had prepared. It was a little chalky near the end of the glass but the texture held up very well. I now wish I had bought another bottle.
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Color is still dark purple without bricking or rust. Modest berry and licorice notes are featured. Mellowed but not dull. I like the mouthfeel and subtlety. Probably peaked at 10-12 years old but still hanging on to outstanding.
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still surprisingly good. Not a great deal of flavor but clearly lot of remnants of better days in the past. Obviously very mature wine that was good to drink had some complexity and tannins but not much else
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Deep garnet color, Round, fruity nose, lightly fading on palate full and nicely balanced, a tad short at the end. A nice close to a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner Was better than the bottle drunk in summer 2009.
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Took an hour to settle down then became a gorgeous complex soft rich wine. Lots of matured fruit flavors with balanced wood and tanninis with a long after taste
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Nearing the end, I think. Still--great nose of conserved berries and licorice. Body is silky but the structure is fading, sadly. Cherry, blueberry, cocoa and just a bit of pine. Finish is medium length. Drink now.
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Plenty of fruit left. Nice plummy fruit, not really a lot of secondary aromas for its age. Coffee, a little smoke, tannins are low key but not too soft. A nice drop, probably not seeing decline for at least another couple of years.
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Musty and barnyard-y upon opening, but after hour and a half decanting, really opened up nicely. Solid ruby color. Nose of raspberries and leather. Red fruits, gravel, leather on the palate. Solid finish. Silky texture. Held up strongly during course of evening. I think this has the legs for another few years.
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Cherry, licorice, currant, mineral and Worcestershire sauce nose. Good flavours; dry with a ripe centre; finishes with lots of licorice and mineral. 3.5/5
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Tasting at Alvaro's. Big rich nose -- we coud smell it across the room. Descanted 90 minutes but couod have used more. Very happy with the way this held up. We all agreed this still lots of live and development ahead.
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Big Howell Mountain Merlot that has amazing aging potential. Recently popped a bottle and was amazed at how much life this still has left in its tannin structure. Aromas of briar, leather, and dark fruits. Solidly ripe fruit and complex structure combine to create an excellent wine. Long, lingering finish. Quite awesome.
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Dark purple and garnet with noticible thickness in the glass. Intense black cherry, ripe plum and chocolate for the nose. There is a heady aromatic liqueur present throughout; very different from the usual reds. Blackberry, anise, licorice and white pepper on the palate - lacking only some depth. The tannins are smooth as velvet now, allowing a variety of subtle spices to come through in the finish. This wine has finally come into its own, with a remarkable complexity and sweetness for such a non-fruity merlot. A decent pairing with home cooked ham steak, baked potatoes and corn on the cob.
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Stil vibrant and youthful, but with no signs of any tannic structure showing through. Very little on the nose. The palate is silky smooth and well balanced, but doesn't really offer much beyond the somewhat nondescript primary fruit flavors. This is a wine that has "kept", but not "aged."
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Tasted May 17, 2006 at an offline at The Catalina Room in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of fresh cut flowers, saddle soap, green pepper and some spice notes. Flavors of allspice, red berries and a little earth on the finish. Acidity and tannins are fully integrated in my opinion. I think this wine probably should be drank sooner than later so I’d be looking to open any remaining bottles over the short term myself. 87 points. Considering current pricing in the mid-$60s right now I’d say the value based on current pricing is unacceptable.
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Long Island Wine's VS. The World... Who was the winner? You will be surpriced (Paumanok Vineyards, North Fork, Long Island, New York): Opaque purple in color this was easily pinned as a California wine. With all its gorgeous featured it stood out amongst the rest. Showing concentration, richness, extract, and succulent dark fruit this viscous wine holds it all together in a balanced and proportionate way. Easily the best finish of the flight. There are still copious amounts of tannin and this is a wine I would like to revisit in 5 years.
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I'm giving this 95 pts on sheer potential. I've cellared this since release. Light sediment in bottle. Nice long tight cork. Deep red color going red-pink at the rim. A little bit of pencil on the nose, but overall the nose is quite restrained. Upon opening, this exploded in the mouth with flavor of cherries. Not Black Cherry soda, which is a flavor I find quite common in many wines, nor cooked cherries like cherry pie. This is more like the crushed meat of a fresh Rainier cherry just off the stone. I let it breathe for 5+ hours in decanter. Later, the dominant cherry had subsided somewhat and I get softer fruit coming through. The tannins are still very tight and dominate the finish. Overall, it's well-balanced. I suspect it needs more time. Lots of intense fruit that should last, but the nose is dumbed down and the tannins tight at the moment. Surprising. I kept thinking 8 yr old Merlot. It's gotta be ready!
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Wine Country September 2000: Delicious- complex, earthy chocolate sweet fruit with a touch of roughness in the finish that someone suggested was nutmeg, Pricey but a fine wine.
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3/10/2024 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent notes. But this time it's even better. Contrary to what I thought then, time may have done good to this. It's so Bordeaux-like. 91+1.
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1/10/2024 - RTP Likes this wine: 88 Points
Opened over the afternoon for evening dinner. We all drank it down. Lost a little on the nose upon opening but the mouth feel and berry, mint, graphite, tobacco and old raisin flavors. Long lingering and flavorful and great with NYS steaks. Also of such good quality we drank it down almost immediately upon opening.
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10/2/2022 - JRockEsq wrote: flawed
Method: pop and pour; out of fridge and warming up; Cab glass
Nose:muted with slight cardboard, maybe a faintest hint of cherry
Palate: very muted; cherry, cedar, herbs, cardboard; unpleasant finish cherry cough syrup; dry; med- body; fairly lovely structure, but the wine is too bad to keep sipping to take more notes
Corked. Shame.
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4/13/2022 - RED AND BLACK wrote: 92 Points
This is still in great shape. I think 3/5 yrs before maybe dropping. Mature stage. All nicely integrated. Nose was not superb, a bit light. Mouth was great, fruit was there still so not just tertiary. Really nice Merlot. Superb QPR for Napa. 92 for the nose
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3/7/2022 - WetRock wrote:
Shows a strong whiff of primary maturity immediately upon opening. That fades fairly quickly leaving a win fading from the secondary to the tertiary. Musty and dusty around the edges. Plum, cedar and oak on the nose. Strong tannin still. Still showing some richness on the palate. Notes of tea bely the maturity. Lots of acidity. Less complexity on the palate than you would expect. A nicely mature wine from a property that was criminally overlooked in its day. This was likely at it best five to ten years ago. The structure is clearly stronger than the fruit here. I wish I could parse most of the Napa wines from the last two decades the same way.
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12/12/2020 - Margaux Bro Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely beautiful wine - one of the best QPRs in Napa. Classic Napa merlot, and this was served alongside 1987 Dunn Howell Mountain (which was the best Dunn Howell I've had). This wine is ready to drink now, but will hold up should you choose to cellar longer.
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1/25/2020 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aromas of cherries and dried dark fruit. Tastes of black cherry and coffee which lingers on the finish. Hints of raisin and dried fig. Medium finish. Well structured and very enjoyable in early 2020.
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8/14/2019 - DMET wrote: 91 Points
sweet nose, flat in mouth and smooth after taste. just a little old. was ok.
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1/29/2018 - Dionysusx Likes this wine: 94 Points
Smooth and creamy with raisin, almond, rich coffee and licorice notes. Showing its age gracefully. Still as elegant as ever.
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2/26/2017 - stesla wrote:
After reading the other recent reviews I was surprised to find a wine with a nice nose, some remaining red fruit, solid acid, nice minerals, and a lingering finish. This is a wine over its peak but still good. It does deteriorate with time. Don't open early or decant.
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5/10/2016 - VinoladyVA wrote:
Wine was no longer good
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4/10/2016 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2000 Bordeaux (R&D's): Brief note- popped and poured. Dark fruit and herb qualities with an underlying ripe rasiny/pruney thing that also carries through to the palate. I think a few other liked this a little more than I did, but if this is representative, I will not be seeking out any more.
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9/24/2015 - BigBoy_Sonoma wrote: 88 Points
Blackberries, mushroom, barnyard, pepper. Might be past it's time. B+
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5/16/2015 - Leto South Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slight funk on opening, disappeared after 3 hrs in decanter. Plenty sediment. Very dense, blackish red, not much sign of ageing, enormous robe. Bq very fruity, cherries in kirsch, currants, plums, a little cedar. Powerful fruit w cherries, dried fruits, some chocolate, lots of fresh acidity, finely integrated tannins. Very nice balance, long aftertaste. Probably just past its peak now, will definitely last much longer than the usual critics have indicated.
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5/1/2015 - creativ1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very, very good. Not as much mushroom and "funk" as I had expected. Good medium-to-heavy body with excellent texture, balance of dark fruits and earth/spice. Fair amount of sediment in the bottle.
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2/10/2015 - ChateauMarcze wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable. At first pop this had blueberry pie, cassis liqueur, and cedar. That turned into a sweet fruit note that persisted for the rest of the time we consumed the bottle. On the palete the wine was wonderfully aged. Tannins were completely integrated and the dark berry fruit was balanced with a bit of bitter cocoa on the finish. I agree with the previous note, this will be all oak and tannin before you know it, not a fruity quaff, one for those that like the taste profile of mature wines.
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10/31/2014 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet California fruit at the core. Elegantly textured. Also showing some secondary notes of cedar and earthiness. Tannins have melted away and this is ready to drink. Quite tasty in that aged wine kind of way where everything comes together. Drink now.
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9/12/2014 - europat55 wrote: 88 Points
Platinum Tasting - International Merlots (Andre and Sabine's House, Mountain View, CA): Great nose (B+/B++). Rich palate. Still a little bit tannic (B/B+).
Tasted blind.
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2/20/2014 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stupendous. Could've passed for modern Bordeaux. Aged perfectly. Went great with Argentine parrilla. No reason to wait any longer, however. This will be in decline sooner than later.
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2/14/2014 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice dark fruit tastes with a long finish. Smooth on the tongue. Wonder what it tasted like in its prime (assuming it's past prime).
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12/30/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brown Bag Wine Dinner at Two Chefs (TWO CHEFS, MIAMI, FL): The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Black currant (cassis), Oak, Licorice, and Chocolate. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Bright texture. The wine finishes Long.
I IDed it as St Emillon, right Grape wrong terroir! Bob R's wine.
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12/6/2013 - Lilmendel Likes this wine: 92 Points
We popped this wine open for a group of us while we were decorating our Christmas tree, and WOW was it a hit. Absolutely luscious. Needs a good hour in a decanter before drinking as it changed by the minute. Fantastic.
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10/27/2013 - BRY Likes this wine: 91 Points
A 17 year old California merlot would typically be well past its prime and fairly dead. This wine may not be as bright as it once was, but it's still fantastic. The age is aparent, with very smooth leathery berry flavors, followed by subtle pepper and tannins. The fact that this is a Howell Mountain merlot (cab franc blend) has probably helped this wine considerably in its aging. I'd happily drink this again!
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10/4/2013 - d'Artagnan wrote: 92 Points
Un nez envoutant sur des notes de menthol et de chocolat. La bouche est plutôt sucrée mais montre un bel équilibre, c'est rond, plutôt élégant, sans excès d'alcool, bien savoureux. Il affiche une belle finale harmonieuse. C'est un vin fort bien construit, quoique sans la complexité du Cabernet Private Reserve de la maison.
Je ne suis pas grand fan de merlots américains mais celui-ci est peut-être le meilleur que j'ai bu. Trop cher (l'étiquette SAQ montre 102$!), mais excellent. 91-92 pts
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8/21/2013 - UMhemePA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Initially was concerned that the wine has gone past, musty smell on opening, fruit was gone very quick after opening, though left with leather and firm tannins and long finish that made this bottle most pleasant. Seemed to stand up very well for its age. Mouth feel was silky smooth. Opened a 2006 bottle from same vineyard/ranch and had similar characteristics, very nice wine. Drink quick though.
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12/26/2011 - Keckes wrote: 92 Points
Christmas Day dinner wine. I opened it up 9 hours ahead of time to decant. This wine was past it's prime time to drink so we decided to try it. Cork broke off about 2/3 down but no sign of transfer. When I pulled the rest out there was a distinct pressure pop and the aroma was very powerful. At dinner all were very impressed with the bouquet and color and it went very well with the fillets I had prepared. It was a little chalky near the end of the glass but the texture held up very well. I now wish I had bought another bottle.
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11/13/2011 - gmbdds wrote: 90 Points
Color is still dark purple without bricking or rust. Modest berry and licorice notes are featured. Mellowed but not dull. I like the mouthfeel and subtlety. Probably peaked at 10-12 years old but still hanging on to outstanding.
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9/21/2011 - chris_3 wrote: 84 Points
still surprisingly good. Not a great deal of flavor but clearly lot of remnants of better days in the past. Obviously very mature wine that was good to drink had some complexity and tannins but not much else
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11/26/2010 - Bandreas wrote: 90 Points
Deep garnet color, Round, fruity nose, lightly fading
on palate full and nicely balanced, a tad short at the end. A nice close to a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner
Was better than the bottle drunk in summer 2009.
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7/17/2010 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
DEEP FRUIT, LICORICE, AND COFFEE IN THE NOSE WITH RICH BERRY FRUIT IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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12/22/2009 - chris_3 wrote: 90 Points
Took an hour to settle down then became a gorgeous complex soft rich wine. Lots of matured fruit flavors with balanced wood and tanninis with a long after taste
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8/15/2009 - Bradford wrote:
Nearing the end, I think. Still--great nose of conserved berries and licorice. Body is silky but the structure is fading, sadly. Cherry, blueberry, cocoa and just a bit of pine. Finish is medium length. Drink now.
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1/20/2009 - littlefoot wrote: 94 Points
Plenty of fruit left. Nice plummy fruit, not really a lot of secondary aromas for its age. Coffee, a little smoke, tannins are low key but not too soft. A nice drop, probably not seeing decline for at least another couple of years.
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1/10/2009 - JuniorSamples wrote: 91 Points
Musty and barnyard-y upon opening, but after hour and a half decanting, really opened up nicely. Solid ruby color. Nose of raspberries and leather. Red fruits, gravel, leather on the palate. Solid finish. Silky texture. Held up strongly during course of evening. I think this has the legs for another few years.
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11/24/2008 - mblaine wrote: 94 Points
A delicate wine with a wonderful medium finish. Perfect wine to start an evening.
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10/28/2008 - Double-A Likes this wine: 88 Points
Cherry, licorice, currant, mineral and Worcestershire sauce nose. Good flavours; dry with a ripe centre; finishes with lots of licorice and mineral.
3.5/5
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5/29/2008 - mouton45 wrote: 93 Points
Tasting at Alvaro's. Big rich nose -- we coud smell it across the room. Descanted 90 minutes but couod have used more. Very happy with the way this held up. We all agreed this still lots of live and development ahead.
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5/22/2008 - la turque wrote: 92 Points
A little green out of the bottle, but this evolved nicely after an hour in the decanter. Lovely, lush and rich.
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4/7/2008 - vjdinaz wrote:
Still a great bottle of wine.
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3/16/2008 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Tasted double blind. Dark fruit and mint aromas, with subte red fruit nuances. Lush, round red fruit on the palate. Nice finish.
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2/9/2008 - chris_3 wrote: 85 Points
Nicely aged merlot, leather, medium tannin, earthy slight oak aftertaste. Not much flavor at this point but still pleasant to drink.
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2/2/2008 - GolferChris wrote: 93 Points
Big Howell Mountain Merlot that has amazing aging potential. Recently popped a bottle and was amazed at how much life this still has left in its tannin structure. Aromas of briar, leather, and dark fruits. Solidly ripe fruit and complex structure combine to create an excellent wine. Long, lingering finish. Quite awesome.
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10/18/2007 - cellarbrator wrote:
Gone
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6/26/2007 - 750ml wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple and garnet with noticible thickness in the glass. Intense black cherry, ripe plum and chocolate for the nose. There is a heady aromatic liqueur present throughout; very different from the usual reds. Blackberry, anise, licorice and white pepper on the palate - lacking only some depth. The tannins are smooth as velvet now, allowing a variety of subtle spices to come through in the finish. This wine has finally come into its own, with a remarkable complexity and sweetness for such a non-fruity merlot. A decent pairing with home cooked ham steak, baked potatoes and corn on the cob.
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11/11/2006 - Grinner wrote: 85 Points
a slightly off bottle we think, with a medicinal odor but nice lush fruit and texture.
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7/29/2006 - jerhardt wrote: 88 Points
Stil vibrant and youthful, but with no signs of any tannic structure showing through. Very little on the nose. The palate is silky smooth and well balanced, but doesn't really offer much beyond the somewhat nondescript primary fruit flavors. This is a wine that has "kept", but not "aged."
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5/17/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 87 Points
WIML87,WA93,WS88
Tasted May 17, 2006 at an offline at The Catalina Room in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of fresh cut flowers, saddle soap, green pepper and some spice notes. Flavors of allspice, red berries and a little earth on the finish. Acidity and tannins are fully integrated in my opinion. I think this wine probably should be drank sooner than later so I’d be looking to open any remaining bottles over the short term myself. 87 points. Considering current pricing in the mid-$60s right now I’d say the value based on current pricing is unacceptable.
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2/13/2005 - jamiekutch wrote:
Long Island Wine's VS. The World... Who was the winner? You will be surpriced (Paumanok Vineyards, North Fork, Long Island, New York): Opaque purple in color this was easily pinned as a California wine. With all its gorgeous featured it stood out amongst the rest. Showing concentration, richness, extract, and succulent dark fruit this viscous wine holds it all together in a balanced and proportionate way. Easily the best finish of the flight. There are still copious amounts of tannin and this is a wine I would like to revisit in 5 years.
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2/15/2004 - JeffO wrote: 95 Points
I'm giving this 95 pts on sheer potential. I've cellared this since release. Light sediment in bottle. Nice long tight cork. Deep red color going red-pink at the rim. A little bit of pencil on the nose, but overall the nose is quite restrained. Upon opening, this exploded in the mouth with flavor of cherries. Not Black Cherry soda, which is a flavor I find quite common in many wines, nor cooked cherries like cherry pie. This is more like the crushed meat of a fresh Rainier cherry just off the stone. I let it breathe for 5+ hours in decanter. Later, the dominant cherry had subsided somewhat and I get softer fruit coming through. The tannins are still very tight and dominate the finish. Overall, it's well-balanced. I suspect it needs more time. Lots of intense fruit that should last, but the nose is dumbed down and the tannins tight at the moment. Surprising. I kept thinking 8 yr old Merlot. It's gotta be ready!
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9/1/2000 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Wine Country September 2000: Delicious- complex, earthy chocolate sweet fruit with a touch of roughness in the finish that someone suggested was nutmeg, Pricey but a fine wine.
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