Decanted for 2hrs. Pours a medium purple with some light bricking on the edges. Developing, pronounced aromas of: mint, bell pepper, lilac, leather, cherry cordial, black plum, black cherry, pastille, crushed rock, chalk, dry earth, oak, vanilla, clove, tar, cedar- not as "ripe" as I was suspecting, a little lean and tight in the nose. On the palate, the wine is dry, med + acid, med tannin, med + body, high alcohol, med + palate intensity, medium finsih. Overall, very good wine, if not expensive, finish was a bit short. I remember past years of this wine being a bit more opulent, showing a bit RS even, this was pretty tight, lean and more BDX than it usually is (or how I remember it), I feel like the cab franc really shows, and the wine really begins to strut after hr. 3 in the decanter. Drink with a decent decant or hold 5+ yrs.
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Good color and nose of black and red fruits. Very good flavors of mature fruit and oak. Modest acidity and tannin. Good now, will maybe improve over the next 2-5 years.
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Really solid wine. Showing a bit of age in color. Smells heavily of cherry on the nose with slight herbal finishing notes. Tastes of cherry, cola, cocoa and tobacco. Maybe slightly sweet.
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Still young, but very accessible. I followed NOT647F's advice and grilled up a Revel meats bone in tomahawk ribeye. Had with roasted sweet potatoes and some veg. The wine really liked the sweet potato, which I was surprised by. Aromas of red and black berries, vanilla, oak and mint. The wine is expansive and perfumed, there's almost a floral element to the finish (cab franc?). In the mouth, the wine is full bodied, very youthful- still fresh with red and black fruits, there's a bit of tannic grip on the finish- almost earthy element. The wine seems to have just come together, and has a long road ahead of it. Full body, great progression, acids and tannin in great balance. Well made and worth seeking out- though for the current price tag of ~$200, I think it's better to have gotten in a club level at release, as I don't think the wine's worth that much.
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With a 5Marys porterhouse, potatoes, and a big Caesar salad. So classic steakhouse, except I did it on the grill in the yard. This is a really great Cal version of a Bordeaux, although I don't know which Left Bank wine I'd compare to. Very polished, still a bit of tannin to cut the richness of the steak, velvety texture, nose of violets, baking spices. Not going back to the wine club at SMV--it's a bit on the pricey side for me, but you do get something for your money.
Dense ruby color. Nose showing cassis, pine cone, herbs. Palate of red fruit, raspberries, earth, graphite, baking spice, floral notes. Silky texture. Medium weight and finish.
Elegant and refined, in a great spot now but seems it has another 10+ years from here. Elivette is always an interesting wine (IMO). I would give it longer decant if drinking now, it continued to evolve over the evening, really showing well about 3 hours in
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Drinking so well after a long decant. Had the first glass after about an hour but markedly improved after 3 hours of decanting. 13.8% - seamless and superbly drinkable with no astringency or tannic bite. Super elegant stuff. Love the 36% cab franc - really shines.
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Medium brick color Powerful aroma with alcohol, berry and oak. Dry, full-bodied. Crisp acidity. High, hard tannins. Unbalanced with tannin. Powerful red berry and young wood. Long finish. OK.
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2/3/2024 - HandmadeHomemade wrote:
Decanted for 2hrs. Pours a medium purple with some light bricking on the edges. Developing, pronounced aromas of: mint, bell pepper, lilac, leather, cherry cordial, black plum, black cherry, pastille, crushed rock, chalk, dry earth, oak, vanilla, clove, tar, cedar- not as "ripe" as I was suspecting, a little lean and tight in the nose. On the palate, the wine is dry, med + acid, med tannin, med + body, high alcohol, med + palate intensity, medium finsih. Overall, very good wine, if not expensive, finish was a bit short. I remember past years of this wine being a bit more opulent, showing a bit RS even, this was pretty tight, lean and more BDX than it usually is (or how I remember it), I feel like the cab franc really shows, and the wine really begins to strut after hr. 3 in the decanter. Drink with a decent decant or hold 5+ yrs.
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3/12/2023 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking very well. Good fruit and structure.
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10/30/2022 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good color and nose of black and red fruits. Very good flavors of mature fruit and oak. Modest acidity and tannin. Good now, will maybe improve over the next 2-5 years.
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7/22/2022 - WTF My Email was Here? wrote: 93 Points
Really solid wine. Showing a bit of age in color. Smells heavily of cherry on the nose with slight herbal finishing notes. Tastes of cherry, cola, cocoa and tobacco. Maybe slightly sweet.
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7/2/2022 - Rond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking very nicely after a three-hour decant. Notes of clove, tobacco, and cherry.
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6/18/2022 - Rond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Notes of blackberry, cherry, and tobacco. Drinking nicely after a decant.
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9/18/2021 - HandmadeHomemade Likes this wine:
Still young, but very accessible. I followed NOT647F's advice and grilled up a Revel meats bone in tomahawk ribeye. Had with roasted sweet potatoes and some veg. The wine really liked the sweet potato, which I was surprised by. Aromas of red and black berries, vanilla, oak and mint. The wine is expansive and perfumed, there's almost a floral element to the finish (cab franc?). In the mouth, the wine is full bodied, very youthful- still fresh with red and black fruits, there's a bit of tannic grip on the finish- almost earthy element. The wine seems to have just come together, and has a long road ahead of it. Full body, great progression, acids and tannin in great balance. Well made and worth seeking out- though for the current price tag of ~$200, I think it's better to have gotten in a club level at release, as I don't think the wine's worth that much.
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8/28/2021 - Not647f wrote:
With a 5Marys porterhouse, potatoes, and a big Caesar salad. So classic steakhouse, except I did it on the grill in the yard. This is a really great Cal version of a Bordeaux, although I don't know which Left Bank wine I'd compare to. Very polished, still a bit of tannin to cut the richness of the steak, velvety texture, nose of violets, baking spices. Not going back to the wine club at SMV--it's a bit on the pricey side for me, but you do get something for your money.
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6/10/2020 - eteyemd wrote: 92 Points
Very good now but could easily hold a bit longer.
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5/30/2020 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
Socially Distanced Wine Joe,Wendy,David,Andrea,Bill,Ashley,Harry,Anne (Casa Vasquez - Princeton NJ): Contribution from Joe and Wendy, slow oxed for an hour before drinking.
Dense ruby color. Nose showing cassis, pine cone, herbs. Palate of red fruit, raspberries, earth, graphite, baking spice, floral notes. Silky texture. Medium weight and finish.
Elegant and refined, in a great spot now but seems it has another 10+ years from here. Elivette is always an interesting wine (IMO). I would give it longer decant if drinking now, it continued to evolve over the evening, really showing well about 3 hours in
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11/22/2019 - danielphall26@gmail Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking so well after a long decant. Had the first glass after about an hour but markedly improved after 3 hours of decanting. 13.8% - seamless and superbly drinkable with no astringency or tannic bite. Super elegant stuff. Love the 36% cab franc - really shines.
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6/24/2019 - Pluecht Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fantastic. Hold.
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11/24/2016 - cigardog99 wrote: 93 Points
Very nice full bodied wine. Great Cole and nose.
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1/17/2015 - ColluraJ wrote: 83 Points
Medium brick color Powerful aroma with alcohol, berry and oak. Dry, full-bodied. Crisp acidity. High, hard tannins. Unbalanced with tannin. Powerful red berry and young wood. Long finish. OK.
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