bottle drunk a couple of hours after opening, side by side with a Trotanoy 1998. What a treat! Intoxicating nose, dark berries, tobacco, leather, very appealing and complex. the palate offers a beautiful structure with nice tanins coiled with velvet. it's long and fresh and should remain in the zone for a while. WOTN
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I didn’t like this so much for the first glass. I thought the greens were overbearing and the wine rather rustic and restrained (The more recent vintages of Dominus also has the greens but definitely less rusticity).
It didn’t take long to evolve and unfurl, andby the third glass, the trademark greens are still there but no longer in the driving seat, the fruit and nuances started to take over. Dark cherries, graphite, blueberries and cocoa powder. Everything was much more integrated and expressive. I thought this was really good left bank.
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Boxing day at Caroline's: My contribution. As usual everyone thought Dominus was a Bordeaux, truly a dead ringer for a top-class Pomerol. Rich and decadent but with a classic old-school restraint. Beautiful core of dark cherry fruit, impeccable balance. Love these old Napas. My WOTN.
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No notes taken. Very classic, old school Cab. Everybody else had it blind and all but one guesses were Bordeaux from the 80s. This was all about minerality, tobacco & truffles but with a nice sweetness underneath. Fine structural frame, but still a bit masculine and not with the sensuality the better 91/92/94 vintages have, but very balanced and harmonious. Not super complex but one you could and would drink a whole bottle off.
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Tasted blind – and as always mistaken for an outstandingly aged Bordeaux. The fruit was ripe and sweet with plenty of cassis, a thick mineral layer of iodine, black tea, earth and truffles. The palate impressed with a beautifully soft texture. Right up there with the best of the 90ies from the estates.
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Interesting bottle. Declared a Bdx in the third stage of life by almost the entire tasting group--not a typical error--and one of some pedigree at that. One perspicacious taster found it disapointing and low in fruit and called it a too-old Cali.
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En magnum. Deep fruit, a bit thin on the palate but did grow in the glass. Decanted for an hour. Good finish. Happy bday Ted (32). He said it was his style.
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Medium garnet, no real bricking on the rim. Drinking well, but this was a very well stored sample. A tinge of fruit but mostly secondary and tertiary characteristics. Still beautiful with leather, tobacco, and rubber on the nose. Fully integrated tannin and tame acidity, this is probably at or slightly past it’s peak
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Överraskande bra med bordeauxtoner av cederträ och kanske fortfarande något enstaka svart vinbär. Viss ålder med skogsgolv och lite svamp. Bra syra och sammetstanniner.
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fairly typical California cab character from this era, but a little more interesting as a Bordeaux style blend and there was less new oak used than other estates. Seems tight even after 2 hours in the decanter and remained a deep, dull red/maroon color. Hard to know if some of these wines will ever emerge from their torpor. Good overall and seems like it could last decades.
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Bought 36b for about 22/b (after all the Chi taxes) from Sam's about 25 years ago; this is about #12. Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Dark purple with bit of amber edge; fragrant mature blackcurrant, some graphite, some oak that follow in the palate, very good mouthfeel; good persistence. More Bdx than any other Cali meritage I've tasted. Held well over 90 minutes. Delicious and the best bottle we've had thus far! This has emerged from a weak Napa vintage to be outstanding. Did any of the experts at the time get this right? Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is outstanding when considering quality, age, and price.
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Dominus Estate 1983-1995 Vertical (RPM Steak): The nose delivers with lots of floral action, most notably violets. Plush and full palate with very good acidity, this was more than hanging on. Very good but under-delivered compared to other monumental wines tonight.
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Dominus: 1983-1994 (RPM Steak): 89/90/91: Nose has sweet fruit and subtle notes of tobacco. Plump, round plum fruit. Still lush, but not as interesting as most of the other vintages tonight.
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2019 New Years Day Tasting (Milton, GA): Garnet maroon color, fairly youthful; ash, cedar, green pepper, clearly Left Bank Bordeaux, some compost, currants, spice, fruitcake, strong cigar box, tobacco, loamy earth with gravel; still so mouth filling and intense, liqueured cherry, some development but still young and showing potential for growth, sheer class, a touch of cedary tannin, awesome nobility; good but not great year- called '01 Lafite...wow; 96+.
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Red/brown in color. Rich nose with blue fruit, black currant, wood, great depth, a little Nebbiolo like on the nose. Velvety and silky palate, some heat, rich flavors. 92p
BV=1, WV=0
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Bordeaux 1989 (@ Monarh): At first the bouquet was a bit locked, but after a short while it showed stable and farmyard impressions, sweet licorice, tobacco and leather. On the palate dark berries, good acidity and length and slightly drying tannin. Beautiful wine though!
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Tasted at a dinner with a 13 year vertical of Dominus between 1985 and 2007. This was the pleasant surprise of the night. Soft tannins with good structure, still with excellent fruit, cassis, dark fruit leather, pencil lead, solid mid palate and excellent finish.
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Well preserved specimen, younger than stated age. Reticent on the nose. Silky, finely resolved tannins. Cedar and tobacco notes, and an overall impression of finesse and restraint. This could have doubled for old Margaux. Thanks Lars for sharing this nice bottle.
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Really an outstanding and very mature old world style Dominus - wines like this one confirm my decision,made about a decade ago to start collecting Dominus. At this price point though, despite how really good this is it represents an average QPR when compared to other high end CA producers. This was enjoyed at the inaugural tasting of our new wine club earlier this week. Opened up for about two hours in the wine glass w/out an otherwise formal decant. Very very good, well structured, very well balanced, soft, no off tones and almost completely resolving tannins giving this wine probably no more then 2-3 good years left of cellaring under appropriate conditions prior to starting to slide - definitely plan on drinking up our last bottle over the summer of 2017 if not before. Soft pleasant mouth feel, still a big but now very soft wine, a dark and aromatic nose of dark fruit, earth and still a lengthy finish. Flavor profile now soft and very well integrated, classic dark fruit still present with cassis, burnt sugar, earth, moss and mushrooms. Highly recommend this wine despite the price point but should plan on drinking up the remaining holdings within the next 1-2 years - I think this wine is approaching a point of no return.
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Holding up. A quite enjoyable cab. Smooth, resolved tannins. I let it breath for 20 minutes then served. It was excellent at first, but began to fade. I would not recommend decanting or waiting too long to drink once opened.
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HDH Auction (Tru - Chicago, IL): Smooth as silk. Nose is a bit muted with soft tones of floral notes, cherries, tobacco, and some mint. Palate is soft, with some juicy red fruit. Maybe not as powerful as some of the others, but the palate composition was really nice. Good for those of you look for a restrained and elegant Napa cabernet.
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HDH Bordeaux Auction; 10/31/2014-11/1/2014 (Chicago, IL): Slight seepage. The nose on this guy was much better than the palate. Lovely ripe and juicy red fruit and an incredible amount of the cedar and leather. The palate comes off a bit leathery and dried out though, especially in the context of its siblings.
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From memory. Just classic, ripe Cabernet. Cigar box, cedar, currant and smokey plums. Medium acidity, expansive mid-palate with replay of black fruits and a long, balanced finish. Just a lovely wine, really enjoyed it.
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Nice nose of cherry, soy, and jerky...some leather. Nice acidity up front with aged soy, opium, and unsweetened cocoa. Oh yeah, definitely some leathery belt whip on this wine. Hwuuupaa! I can't believe how well this wine held up.
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Asian spice-soy notes with dark berry flavors, hints of licorice; good fading soft but present tannins; long tangy finish. Very nice. This has peaked and should be consumed, but is still delivering.
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Blind tasted, still fruit in this wine, lovely nose, smell and tast like an old chateauneuf de pape or Bordeaux ?, i have 3 bottels left in my case, and will wait a year or so to drink the next bottle. A great wine, nobody suspect it to be a Napa Valley wine, wine can't be mutch better than this, a perfect match to meat, great stuff !!
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Fern & forest notes, a little subdued but elegant with hidden power; minerals and blackberry core with ample tannins, good acidity, nice balance with earth and truffle notes in the back end. Outstanding and holding well.
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An earthy bordeaux laced nose. This wine was my introduction to fine wine back in the early nineties and started me on collecting and cellaring wine. The entry is thin but there is a richness in the back. Where is the fruit and cedary woodsy-ness? The only thing that save this wine was the perfectly cooked tenderloin that refresshed the palate for the tenderloin. This is a well made wine that is past its prime. To give it a numbers rating would be to cheapen a fond memory for me but it is still a very good wine, solid with steak but likely a bit too sedate after the $ to acquire or the time to cellar.
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TK Farewell Dinner (Jade Palace, Forum): Almost like a classic Bordeaux except the flavor profile and tannins were just a tad new worldly. Very mellow now and delicious. I like this quite a lot and would enjoy it very much with a good steak.
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2011 Simple Series 8: Farewell dinner for TK (Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant, The Forum Shopping Mall, Orchard Road): Alcohol :: 13% Ok, does this wine really aged? As the color is still pretty dark and the wine doesn't show much of its aged. Sweet blackcurrant, cedar and tobacco on both nose and palate. The ripe tannin is well integrated but still pretty firm. Velvety mouth feel, still rather powerful, mouth coating intensity with medium length finished that's gained some more weight here. This does show the pedigree of a Dominus. 88
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Julefrokost 2010 (Casa Smidt): Nose: Black currant, dirt, a lot of sewer, a little orange? Palate: A lot of black currant and a solid structure. However, it seems quite unbalanced and lacks interest.
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Surprisingly dark, loaded with blueberry and cigar box to start, then more bell pepper and cassis, really complex. Lush palate, slight amount of tannins, light-medium body, long finish. Not as dense as I would have thought, total textbook Paulliac profile.
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Dominus Vertical plus some white Burgs and a couple of Ports: I know this is not supposed to be good, and there is a Reserve bottling from that lone year with the "good stuff". that said, I really liked this wine. A bit more than the group but they liked it too. Purple in color with some crimson. Just an outstanding nose right out of the bottle. It did fade at the end of the evening though. Earthy with tobacco and bell pepper and some cassis. Complex but this is about tertiary qualities, not fruit at this point. On the palate, juicy texture. Complex bell pepper, spice, leather and cassis. Long finish with just a touch of heat. This is not getting better, so drink up. If you like old wines, this is really nice.
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Others had this really high compared to all of the bordeauxs we had, but I wasn't completely blown away by it. Very enjoyable, but a little muted on the fruit for me.
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decanted prior to restaurant. lots of sediments, good thing i decanted first. Dark red, with brown edges. certainly showing it sage. Noticeable brett on opening, and never went away over 3 hours of dinner. nose of leather, tar, earthines. Brett might be masking some fruit. On the there were cherry notes, but clearly a wine on the decline. This was a gift for our 1 year anniversary, and we greatly appreciate it. if you have any, drink up. Well balanced, and medium finish. Not bad, but i wish we had it in its glory days.
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20 Years of Dominus - Part 4 - The Early 1990s: Black fruit, grilled herbs (rosemary), pure and focused fruit. Reserved and shy with sweet fruit and a hint of a green streak that I rather liked.
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Drunk with T-giving dinner, celebrating 20 years in US! The occasion was grand, and the wine lived up to it. Our turkey was old-country style, stuffed with dried fruits, mushrooms and sausage, with our ethnic trimmings and sides, and even some competing old-country wine. This was clearly above everything. It was soft and subtle, but assuredly balanced and long. We really enjoyed our dinner, and our 20 years here. Thanks USA!
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Surprisingly deep color... rim is pretty extracted and bricking. On the nose the wine is largely tertiary in nature showing coffee, smoke, licorice... a touch of Brett in the smoky, leathery 4-EG sort of way... still has fruit that is somewhat muddled and dark in nature (didn't show classic Bordeaux cassis/cigar box to me)... no underripe green pepper notes. On the palate the wine is still very fresh with good acidity, a somewhat lean midpalate which transitions seamlessly into a moderate amount of not terribly ripe tannins that are completely integrated. Finish is of moderate length and very subtle... very low ETOH. Balanced wine with moderate length, lowish to moderate intensity, average complexity. Texturally the wine has more going for it IMO with great finesse and a very fine texture... expresses the Napa of the 80's quite well. This bottle was easily at its peak if not on the downslope... a texturally pretty wine that lacks some midpalate depth and is a little muddled though can still hold one's interest... great 89 Napa cab, average to good Dominus, very good wine for its age and style.
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Starting to go garnet round the edges. A nose of slight vegetal and dark berry fruit. An obvious bordeaux taste, with tannins and acidity integrated. Fairly singular with its complexity. This wine is going past its best. If you've got some drink it up.
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Really drinking very well right now, an utterly stunning CA bdx style blend from the early Dominus years enjoyed earlier tonight at the monthly "meeting" of the Hickory Wine Club as part of a non-sequential Dominus '86 - '99 four wine vertical flight - my wotf. Dark tawny in color, significant barnyard on nose which did blow off relatively quickly, very well integrated, not a bit over prime in my opinion, very bordeaux like but with a CA backbone, still medium to full bodied with a great lingering aftertaste. Nose of barnyard followed by an unexpected floral component with dark fruit and some tar with primary flavor profile of typical Napa cassis, balanced oak, leather, tar, black pepper and blackberry with smoke developing on palate. Too expensive to be any kind of a QPR but really recommend these early Dominus wines for lovers of bdx style CA cabs, this is just a stellar wine if cellared correctly.
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Mature Cabs in Philly; 5/11/2009-5/12/2009 (Conshohocken, PA - Blackfish): Dark red. Nose of barnyard, sweat and black cherries that didn't dissipate over the course of a few hours. A bit more substantial mouthfeel than the older wines of the evening - Black cherries, cough syrup and sweat - with waves of leather, black pepper and cigar box. Serious acidity and mouth cleaning tannins are still present. Great stuff! A mere baby compared to its peers. This can go for many more years, provided you like some funk with your fruit.
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This is a beautiful wine. Deep deep purply garnet hue. Dried herbs, wooded fruit with cedar undertones to the tongue. Soft soft tannins in the mouth with round full mouth feel. The tongue was also treated to an enticing and balanced harmonious mix of cherry, plum, and other wooded fruits. To boot, there is a long lingering finish. Decanted for sediment only (no offense, but it is nearly criminal to decant this as long as four hours). The tannins are now too mellow to believe that this will improve any further (my guess actually is that this is probably just past its peak).
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Very good high end Napa Bordeaux style cab blend. Enjoyed with Kim last night at Sullivan's steakhouse in Charlotte NC. Very dark red color, closed at first sniff but opened up very nicely and quickly in decanter and was very enjoyable. Good mouth feel, still surprisingly strong tannins but well balanced with fruit and very pleasant lingering aftertaste. Nose of brambles, earth and dark cherry. Primary flavors initially of dark cherry, terroir, cassis and some lead with development of tar, licorice, mild vanilla and smoke on the finish. Highly recommend this although probably too pricey to be a good QPR. Definitely drinkable right now. Look forward to working our way through the remaining 11 bottles over the next couple of years.
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Closed at first opening, revealing a dark brooding nose of fruit, tar, earth, and a hint of lead pencil shavings on the nose. Would have guessed this as a medium aged Paulliac in a blind tasting. No real signs of age on the color though. Still very big wine for its age with the tannin slightly overshadowing the fruit right now which carries through to a long, if a bit tannic finish. Will actually probably be at its apex over the next few years.
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Bottle looked very well stored, with a very high level and cork only wet a third of the way through. Full, deep colour still. By far the hardest and least evolved of the bottles when decanted 90mins before drinking. Slightly fuller and more alcohol than the other reds (13 cf 12.5%), but nicely balanced. Still a little chewy, good acidity and fruit in a more European style. Very good and an excellent ringer for the red Bordeaux drunk with it. Drinking now but no hurry at all, I think well cellared bottles will develop further. ****
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Dumbfounded by Dominus (Kirkland, WA): Compost, underbrush and cinnamon on the nose. The palate is rather tired, actually less interesting than the 1984 on the nose. Perhaps with a little more life but overall a less interesting wine with 1 foot in the grave.
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Dominus Vertical Dinner (onesixtyblue): Clear ruby red color. Medium aroma of mushroom and stems. Canned black fruit on the palate. A weak, somewhat green example, consistent with my past experience with this wine.
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DOMINUS VERTICAL DINNER (160 Blue - Chicago, IL): Provocative nose of dark fruits, tar, cedar and herbs. Sexy, smooth fruit on the palate with vibrancy that belies its age. Fills the palate with breadth and depth. Secondary notes of cedar and underbrush offer complexity in the long finish. (4+13+18+9=94).
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BROWN ON THE EDGE, EARTHINESS AND LICORICE IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKBERRIES AND BLACK CHERRIES. BLACKBERRIES, CURRANTS, AND LICORICE IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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This was more backward and not giving up as much. I doubt that it will ever be a great wine. Opaque black/red color. Forward aroma of mildly spicy red fruit with a green note. Slight drying back fruit on the palate.
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Some browning. Deep, dark fruit aromas with background spice hints. More subtle fruit on palate with fairly assertive tannins, giving it a slightly off balance middle, but finish is powerful, long and robust.
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California Cabernets (Hi-Time Wine Cellars, Costa Mesa, Ca.): Big, rich, intense, fruity nose, same on the palate, very rich fruit, elegant, complex, needs time-about 5 years to peak, long, long finish of brooding fruit with lots of tobacco hints.
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At HiTime Cellars today. Big, rich, licorice, tobacco, almost cedar and leather on the nose, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, elegant, Bordeaux like, needs time-about 5 years to peak, good acid, and a lovely, long finish of brooding fruit with lots of tobacco hints.
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3/7/2024 - NickNYC Likes this wine: 95 Points
bottle drunk a couple of hours after opening, side by side with a Trotanoy 1998. What a treat! Intoxicating nose, dark berries, tobacco, leather, very appealing and complex. the palate offers a beautiful structure with nice tanins coiled with velvet. it's long and fresh and should remain in the zone for a while. WOTN
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12/28/2023 - wineton.mee wrote: 94 Points
I didn’t like this so much for the first glass. I thought the greens were overbearing and the wine rather rustic and restrained (The more recent vintages of Dominus also has the greens but definitely less rusticity).
It didn’t take long to evolve and unfurl, andby the third glass, the trademark greens are still there but no longer in the driving seat, the fruit and nuances started to take over. Dark cherries, graphite, blueberries and cocoa powder. Everything was much more integrated and expressive. I thought this was really good left bank.
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12/28/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine: 95 Points
Same bottle as Melvin. Fantastic wine. Dominus always delivers
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12/26/2023 - melvinyeowq wrote: 95 Points
Boxing day at Caroline's: My contribution. As usual everyone thought Dominus was a Bordeaux, truly a dead ringer for a top-class Pomerol. Rich and decadent but with a classic old-school restraint. Beautiful core of dark cherry fruit, impeccable balance. Love these old Napas. My WOTN.
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8/27/2023 - chetlee wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely stunning after 1 hour of air.
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4/22/2023 - Cailles wrote: 95 Points
No notes taken. Very classic, old school Cab. Everybody else had it blind and all but one guesses were Bordeaux from the 80s. This was all about minerality, tobacco & truffles but with a nice sweetness underneath. Fine structural frame, but still a bit masculine and not with the sensuality the better 91/92/94 vintages have, but very balanced and harmonious. Not super complex but one you could and would drink a whole bottle off.
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4/19/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 96 Points
Tasted blind – and as always mistaken for an outstandingly aged Bordeaux. The fruit was ripe and sweet with plenty of cassis, a thick mineral layer of iodine, black tea, earth and truffles. The palate impressed with a beautifully soft texture. Right up there with the best of the 90ies from the estates.
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4/14/2022 - oncocyte wrote: 92 Points
Interesting bottle. Declared a Bdx in the third stage of life by almost the entire tasting group--not a typical error--and one of some pedigree at that. One perspicacious taster found it disapointing and low in fruit and called it a too-old Cali.
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7/29/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
En magnum. Deep fruit, a bit thin on the palate but did grow in the glass. Decanted for an hour. Good finish. Happy bday Ted (32). He said it was his style.
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5/8/2021 - anthozep Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium garnet, no real bricking on the rim. Drinking well, but this was a very well stored sample. A tinge of fruit but mostly secondary and tertiary characteristics. Still beautiful with leather, tobacco, and rubber on the nose. Fully integrated tannin and tame acidity, this is probably at or slightly past it’s peak
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4/3/2021 - Jonne Likes this wine: 93 Points
Överraskande bra med bordeauxtoner av cederträ och kanske fortfarande något enstaka svart vinbär. Viss ålder med skogsgolv och lite svamp. Bra syra och sammetstanniner.
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8/30/2020 - vindictive wrote:
fairly typical California cab character from this era, but a little more interesting as a Bordeaux style blend and there was less new oak used than other estates. Seems tight even after 2 hours in the decanter and remained a deep, dull red/maroon color. Hard to know if some of these wines will ever emerge from their torpor. Good overall and seems like it could last decades.
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6/9/2020 - Oenecnist wrote:
Bought 36b for about 22/b (after all the Chi taxes) from Sam's about 25 years ago; this is about #12. Decanted with normal sediment for its age. Dark purple with bit of amber edge; fragrant mature blackcurrant, some graphite, some oak that follow in the palate, very good mouthfeel; good persistence. More Bdx than any other Cali meritage I've tasted. Held well over 90 minutes. Delicious and the best bottle we've had thus far! This has emerged from a weak Napa vintage to be outstanding. Did any of the experts at the time get this right? Stored horizontally in a cool, dark basement since purchase. My evaluation: For me, scores on a "100-point scale" are misleading. I use a 4-category scale (perhaps with +/-)--not including flawed--which runs outstanding/notable/drinkable/poor. This is outstanding when considering quality, age, and price.
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12/3/2019 - SoundinBetween wrote:
Dominus Estate 1983-1995 Vertical (RPM Steak): The nose delivers with lots of floral action, most notably violets. Plush and full palate with very good acidity, this was more than hanging on. Very good but under-delivered compared to other monumental wines tonight.
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12/3/2019 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Dominus: 1983-1994 (RPM Steak): 89/90/91: Nose has sweet fruit and subtle notes of tobacco. Plump, round plum fruit. Still lush, but not as interesting as most of the other vintages tonight.
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9/21/2019 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
Round, lush - attractive
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1/1/2019 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 96 Points
2019 New Years Day Tasting (Milton, GA): Garnet maroon color, fairly youthful; ash, cedar, green pepper, clearly Left Bank Bordeaux, some compost, currants, spice, fruitcake, strong cigar box, tobacco, loamy earth with gravel; still so mouth filling and intense, liqueured cherry, some development but still young and showing potential for growth, sheer class, a touch of cedary tannin, awesome nobility; good but not great year- called '01 Lafite...wow; 96+.
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8/17/2018 - Markus IWC wrote: 92 Points
Red/brown in color. Rich nose with blue fruit, black currant, wood, great depth, a little Nebbiolo like on the nose. Velvety and silky palate, some heat, rich flavors. 92p
BV=1, WV=0
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6/16/2018 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux 1989 (@ Monarh): At first the bouquet was a bit locked, but after a short while it showed stable and farmyard impressions, sweet licorice, tobacco and leather. On the palate dark berries, good acidity and length and slightly drying tannin. Beautiful wine though!
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6/3/2018 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at a dinner with a 13 year vertical of Dominus between 1985 and 2007. This was the pleasant surprise of the night. Soft tannins with good structure, still with excellent fruit, cassis, dark fruit leather, pencil lead, solid mid palate and excellent finish.
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3/28/2018 - Vinomnivore wrote: flawed
bummer - good color, but totally disjointed, little to no fruit
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5/23/2017 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Ben's USA @ Brunswick House (Brunswick House): Very classical lines. Dark red fruit, mineral line. This is suave and restrained with a depth of fruit in an elegant frame. ****
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5/7/2016 - Chaz Bham wrote:
Well preserved specimen, younger than stated age. Reticent on the nose. Silky, finely resolved tannins. Cedar and tobacco notes, and an overall impression of finesse and restraint. This could have doubled for old Margaux. Thanks Lars for sharing this nice bottle.
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4/18/2016 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 96 Points
Really an outstanding and very mature old world style Dominus - wines like this one confirm my decision,made about a decade ago to start collecting Dominus. At this price point though, despite how really good this is it represents an average QPR when compared to other high end CA producers. This was enjoyed at the inaugural tasting of our new wine club earlier this week. Opened up for about two hours in the wine glass w/out an otherwise formal decant. Very very good, well structured, very well balanced, soft, no off tones and almost completely resolving tannins giving this wine probably no more then 2-3 good years left of cellaring under appropriate conditions prior to starting to slide - definitely plan on drinking up our last bottle over the summer of 2017 if not before. Soft pleasant mouth feel, still a big but now very soft wine, a dark and aromatic nose of dark fruit, earth and still a lengthy finish. Flavor profile now soft and very well integrated, classic dark fruit still present with cassis, burnt sugar, earth, moss and mushrooms. Highly recommend this wine despite the price point but should plan on drinking up the remaining holdings within the next 1-2 years - I think this wine is approaching a point of no return.
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12/27/2014 - Lord Rayas wrote: 89 Points
rather subdued. fruits drying out. possibly past its prime.
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11/22/2014 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Holding up. A quite enjoyable cab. Smooth, resolved tannins. I let it breath for 20 minutes then served. It was excellent at first, but began to fade. I would not recommend decanting or waiting too long to drink once opened.
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11/1/2014 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
HDH Auction (Tru - Chicago, IL): Smooth as silk. Nose is a bit muted with soft tones of floral notes, cherries, tobacco, and some mint. Palate is soft, with some juicy red fruit. Maybe not as powerful as some of the others, but the palate composition was really nice. Good for those of you look for a restrained and elegant Napa cabernet.
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11/1/2014 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
HDH Bordeaux Auction; 10/31/2014-11/1/2014 (Chicago, IL): Slight seepage. The nose on this guy was much better than the palate. Lovely ripe and juicy red fruit and an incredible amount of the cedar and leather. The palate comes off a bit leathery and dried out though, especially in the context of its siblings.
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7/23/2012 - Machiavelli wrote:
From memory. Just classic, ripe Cabernet. Cigar box, cedar, currant and smokey plums. Medium acidity, expansive mid-palate with replay of black fruits and a long, balanced finish. Just a lovely wine, really enjoyed it.
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6/16/2012 - jonradus wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose of cherry, soy, and jerky...some leather. Nice acidity up front with aged soy, opium, and unsweetened cocoa. Oh yeah, definitely some leathery belt whip on this wine. Hwuuupaa! I can't believe how well this wine held up.
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2/21/2012 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Asian spice-soy notes with dark berry flavors, hints of licorice; good fading soft but present tannins; long tangy finish. Very nice. This has peaked and should be consumed, but is still delivering.
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2/16/2012 - Per-Harald wrote: 93 Points
Blind tasted, still fruit in this wine, lovely nose, smell and tast like an old chateauneuf de pape or Bordeaux ?, i have 3 bottels left in my case, and will wait a year or so to drink the next bottle. A great wine, nobody suspect it to be a Napa Valley wine, wine can't be mutch better than this, a perfect match to meat, great stuff !!
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10/20/2011 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Fern & forest notes, a little subdued but elegant with hidden power; minerals and blackberry core with ample tannins, good acidity, nice balance with earth and truffle notes in the back end. Outstanding and holding well.
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9/1/2011 - VoteferPedro wrote:
An earthy bordeaux laced nose. This wine was my introduction to fine wine back in the early nineties and started me on collecting and cellaring wine. The entry is thin but there is a richness in the back. Where is the fruit and cedary woodsy-ness? The only thing that save this wine was the perfectly cooked tenderloin that refresshed the palate for the tenderloin. This is a well made wine that is past its prime. To give it a numbers rating would be to cheapen a fond memory for me but it is still a very good wine, solid with steak but likely a bit too sedate after the $ to acquire or the time to cellar.
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8/3/2011 - Dbrane wrote: 89 Points
TK Farewell Dinner (Jade Palace, Forum): Almost like a classic Bordeaux except the flavor profile and tannins were just a tad new worldly. Very mellow now and delicious. I like this quite a lot and would enjoy it very much with a good steak.
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8/3/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 88 Points
2011 Simple Series 8: Farewell dinner for TK (Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant, The Forum Shopping Mall, Orchard Road): Alcohol :: 13%
Ok, does this wine really aged? As the color is still pretty dark and the wine doesn't show much of its aged. Sweet blackcurrant, cedar and tobacco on both nose and palate. The ripe tannin is well integrated but still pretty firm. Velvety mouth feel, still rather powerful, mouth coating intensity with medium length finished that's gained some more weight here. This does show the pedigree of a Dominus. 88
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1/16/2011 - TedH wrote: 88 Points
Opened too late... Still hints of its quality left.... Kicking my A** for keeping it so long.
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11/21/2010 - premiercru1973 wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle now and will keep well for a long while!
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11/20/2010 - canan wrote: 92 Points
Julefrokost 2010 (Casa Smidt): Nose: Black currant, dirt, a lot of sewer, a little orange?
Palate: A lot of black currant and a solid structure. However, it seems quite unbalanced and lacks interest.
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11/6/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Getting together with friends (Our House, Avondale, PA): Earthy, mint, licorice, fine tannins. Holding up pretty well. Nice bordeaux styled wine. Good finish. Lots of fun to drink.
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8/9/2010 - gondrik wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Bordeaux like wine but not anything special.
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6/24/2010 - Machiavelli wrote:
Surprisingly dark, loaded with blueberry and cigar box to start, then more bell pepper and cassis, really complex. Lush palate, slight amount of tannins, light-medium body, long finish. Not as dense as I would have thought, total textbook Paulliac profile.
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4/2/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Dominus Vertical plus some white Burgs and a couple of Ports: I know this is not supposed to be good, and there is a Reserve bottling from that lone year with the "good stuff". that said, I really liked this wine. A bit more than the group but they liked it too. Purple in color with some crimson. Just an outstanding nose right out of the bottle. It did fade at the end of the evening though. Earthy with tobacco and bell pepper and some cassis. Complex but this is about tertiary qualities, not fruit at this point. On the palate, juicy texture. Complex bell pepper, spice, leather and cassis. Long finish with just a touch of heat. This is not getting better, so drink up. If you like old wines, this is really nice.
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3/26/2010 - kova3 wrote: flawed
past its prime or stored improperly. Early smell of pooo peee that smoothed as it opened up. Off taste and nose.
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3/14/2010 - rralls wrote: 91 Points
Others had this really high compared to all of the bordeauxs we had, but I wasn't completely blown away by it. Very enjoyable, but a little muted on the fruit for me.
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3/7/2010 - spotaha wrote: 89 Points
Hot. Nose of paprika. Exposed to too much heat...?
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1/29/2010 - mye wrote: 88 Points
decanted prior to restaurant. lots of sediments, good thing i decanted first.
Dark red, with brown edges. certainly showing it sage. Noticeable brett on opening, and never went away over 3 hours of dinner.
nose of leather, tar, earthines. Brett might be masking some fruit. On the there were cherry notes, but clearly a wine on the decline. This was a gift for our 1 year anniversary, and we greatly appreciate it. if you have any, drink up. Well balanced, and medium finish. Not bad, but i wish we had it in its glory days.
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12/6/2009 - steffenpelz wrote:
20 Years of Dominus - Part 4 - The Early 1990s: Black fruit, grilled herbs (rosemary), pure and focused fruit. Reserved and shy with sweet fruit and a hint of a green streak that I rather liked.
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11/29/2009 - viscalbarsa wrote: 92 Points
Drunk with T-giving dinner, celebrating 20 years in US! The occasion was grand, and the wine lived up to it. Our turkey was old-country style, stuffed with dried fruits, mushrooms and sausage, with our ethnic trimmings and sides, and even some competing old-country wine. This was clearly above everything. It was soft and subtle, but assuredly balanced and long. We really enjoyed our dinner, and our 20 years here. Thanks USA!
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10/23/2009 - markjanes wrote: 86 Points
Surprisingly deep color... rim is pretty extracted and bricking. On the nose the wine is largely tertiary in nature showing coffee, smoke, licorice... a touch of Brett in the smoky, leathery 4-EG sort of way... still has fruit that is somewhat muddled and dark in nature (didn't show classic Bordeaux cassis/cigar box to me)... no underripe green pepper notes. On the palate the wine is still very fresh with good acidity, a somewhat lean midpalate which transitions seamlessly into a moderate amount of not terribly ripe tannins that are completely integrated. Finish is of moderate length and very subtle... very low ETOH. Balanced wine with moderate length, lowish to moderate intensity, average complexity. Texturally the wine has more going for it IMO with great finesse and a very fine texture... expresses the Napa of the 80's quite well. This bottle was easily at its peak if not on the downslope... a texturally pretty wine that lacks some midpalate depth and is a little muddled though can still hold one's interest... great 89 Napa cab, average to good Dominus, very good wine for its age and style.
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9/13/2009 - Winevestor wrote: 90 Points
Starting to go garnet round the edges. A nose of slight vegetal and dark berry fruit. An obvious bordeaux taste, with tannins and acidity integrated. Fairly singular with its complexity. This wine is going past its best. If you've got some drink it up.
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7/13/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 95 Points
Really drinking very well right now, an utterly stunning CA bdx style blend from the early Dominus years enjoyed earlier tonight at the monthly "meeting" of the Hickory Wine Club as part of a non-sequential Dominus '86 - '99 four wine vertical flight - my wotf. Dark tawny in color, significant barnyard on nose which did blow off relatively quickly, very well integrated, not a bit over prime in my opinion, very bordeaux like but with a CA backbone, still medium to full bodied with a great lingering aftertaste. Nose of barnyard followed by an unexpected floral component with dark fruit and some tar with primary flavor profile of typical Napa cassis, balanced oak, leather, tar, black pepper and blackberry with smoke developing on palate. Too expensive to be any kind of a QPR but really recommend these early Dominus wines for lovers of bdx style CA cabs, this is just a stellar wine if cellared correctly.
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5/12/2009 - dwmcubed wrote:
Mature Cabs in Philly; 5/11/2009-5/12/2009 (Conshohocken, PA - Blackfish): Dark red. Nose of barnyard, sweat and black cherries that didn't dissipate over the course of a few hours. A bit more substantial mouthfeel than the older wines of the evening - Black cherries, cough syrup and sweat - with waves of leather, black pepper and cigar box. Serious acidity and mouth cleaning tannins are still present. Great stuff! A mere baby compared to its peers. This can go for many more years, provided you like some funk with your fruit.
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11/9/2008 - Gringo wrote: 94 Points
This is a beautiful wine. Deep deep purply garnet hue. Dried herbs, wooded fruit with cedar undertones to the tongue. Soft soft tannins in the mouth with round full mouth feel. The tongue was also treated to an enticing and balanced harmonious mix of cherry, plum, and other wooded fruits. To boot, there is a long lingering finish. Decanted for sediment only (no offense, but it is nearly criminal to decant this as long as four hours). The tannins are now too mellow to believe that this will improve any further (my guess actually is that this is probably just past its peak).
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9/14/2008 - ikkaariainen wrote: flawed
Oxidized bottle - absolutely flat, acidic, no fruit, 8 bottles remaining
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8/22/2008 - ikkaariainen wrote: flawed
Corked
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8/2/2008 - ikkaariainen wrote: 92 Points
Very good high end Napa Bordeaux style cab blend. Enjoyed with Kim last night at Sullivan's steakhouse in Charlotte NC. Very dark red color, closed at first sniff but opened up very nicely and quickly in decanter and was very enjoyable. Good mouth feel, still surprisingly strong tannins but well balanced with fruit and very pleasant lingering aftertaste. Nose of brambles, earth and dark cherry. Primary flavors initially of dark cherry, terroir, cassis and some lead with development of tar, licorice, mild vanilla and smoke on the finish. Highly recommend this although probably too pricey to be a good QPR. Definitely drinkable right now. Look forward to working our way through the remaining 11 bottles over the next couple of years.
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5/31/2008 - donrad wrote: 91 Points
Closed at first opening, revealing a dark brooding nose of fruit, tar, earth, and a hint of lead pencil shavings on the nose. Would have guessed this as a medium aged Paulliac in a blind tasting. No real signs of age on the color though. Still very big wine for its age with the tannin slightly overshadowing the fruit right now which carries through to a long, if a bit tannic finish. Will actually probably be at its apex over the next few years.
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1/25/2008 - noppakit s. wrote: 90 Points
2nd Testing, now getting old fine wine. Medoc style, very nice and more easy than last testing in 2005.
Drink it now. 90+/100
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11/16/2007 - SimonG wrote:
Bottle looked very well stored, with a very high level and cork only wet a third of the way through. Full, deep colour still. By far the hardest and least evolved of the bottles when decanted 90mins before drinking. Slightly fuller and more alcohol than the other reds (13 cf 12.5%), but nicely balanced. Still a little chewy, good acidity and fruit in a more European style. Very good and an excellent ringer for the red Bordeaux drunk with it. Drinking now but no hurry at all, I think well cellared bottles will develop further. ****
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9/3/2007 - jjs62 wrote: 86 Points
Ok ... waited a little too long...
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4/7/2007 - Eric wrote: 81 Points
Dumbfounded by Dominus (Kirkland, WA): Compost, underbrush and cinnamon on the nose. The palate is rather tired, actually less interesting than the 1984 on the nose. Perhaps with a little more life but overall a less interesting wine with 1 foot in the grave.
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3/22/2007 - winefool wrote: 86 Points
Dominus Vertical Dinner (onesixtyblue): Clear ruby red color. Medium aroma of mushroom and stems. Canned black fruit on the palate. A weak, somewhat green example, consistent with my past experience with this wine.
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3/22/2007 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
DOMINUS VERTICAL DINNER (160 Blue - Chicago, IL): Provocative nose of dark fruits, tar, cedar and herbs. Sexy, smooth fruit on the palate with vibrancy that belies its age. Fills the palate with breadth and depth. Secondary notes of cedar and underbrush offer complexity in the long finish. (4+13+18+9=94).
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3/18/2007 - buckeye76 wrote: 89 Points
BROWN ON THE EDGE, EARTHINESS AND LICORICE IN THE NOSE WITH BLACKBERRIES AND BLACK CHERRIES. BLACKBERRIES, CURRANTS, AND LICORICE IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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10/20/2006 - nob8dnkr wrote: 95 Points
dense, concentrated brooding wine!
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10/10/2006 - winefool wrote:
This was more backward and not giving up as much. I doubt that it will ever be a great wine. Opaque black/red color. Forward aroma of mildly spicy red fruit with a green note. Slight drying back fruit on the palate.
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5/17/2006 - jmd60611 wrote: 91 Points
Great wine, big nose and still a bit youngish for an 89...I liked the fruit and overall harmony, but I think this will drink better in a few years
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4/14/2006 - sbwino wrote: 91 Points
Sweet tannins, glycerin and plenty of mature fruit. I thought this was drinking quite well right now,...but could also hold up a few more years.
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2/21/2006 - ErikK wrote: 93 Points
Still very young but showing signs of both maturity and youth. Wait 5 more years.
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7/1/2002 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Some browning. Deep, dark fruit aromas with background spice hints. More subtle fruit on palate with fairly assertive tannins, giving it a slightly off balance middle, but finish is powerful, long and robust.
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1/15/1994 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
California Cabernets (Hi-Time Wine Cellars, Costa Mesa, Ca.): Big, rich, intense, fruity nose, same on the palate, very rich fruit, elegant, complex, needs time-about 5 years to peak, long, long finish of brooding fruit with lots of tobacco hints.
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11/20/1993 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 95 Points
At HiTime Cellars today. Big, rich, licorice, tobacco, almost cedar and leather on the nose, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, elegant, Bordeaux like, needs time-about 5 years to peak, good acid, and a lovely, long finish of brooding fruit with lots of tobacco hints.
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