Decanted for over an hour. Medium-dark garnet/brick red in colour. Nose of ripe blackberries with hints of fresh leather and some cassis. Good amount of tobacco infused black and red berries on the palate with some espresso at the end. Medium+ bodied with a medium+ finish. Still excellent since I first popped a bottle in 2012 and I think this has at least 5 more years of life to it. This is my last bottle, unfortunately.
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It’s been a long time since I last checked in on this (almost 9 years ago!) and I am very happy to report that this wine is not only very much alive, it’s absolutely strutting! Popped and poured. Fully open for business at this point with currants, black berry preserves, tobacco, and earth on the nose. On the palate, black currants, black cherry, a hint of baking spice, and black olive. Beautiful texture. The tannins are almost completely integrated. I say almost because time coaxes the tannins out! Good acid too which leads me to believe this will very likely drink well for many years to come though, I suspect this is more or less at peak.
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This wine is that beautifully complex, special one that is hand selected from primarily from the prestigious Stagecoach Vineyard and other famed single vineyard sites in Diamond Mountain, Mount Vedeer and the Oakville Bench. A fantastic bottle of wine.
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30 minute decant. Medium diffused plum-garnet in colour. On the nose there are bright, sweet ripe berries along with some cigar box and a hint of dark tobacco and mint. On the palate, there are plenty of red fruits/berries with tobacco and some tar-like black fruits with some notes of minerality and cedar box at the end. Medium+ bodied with a with medium-long finish; tannins not as prevalent as the last time I tasted this(2012).
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Slightly cloudy dark ruby. Cedar, blackberry and leather nose. Medium to full bodied, lots of dark fruit - plums, blackberries, dark chocolate cherries - white pepper, well integrated tannins, good acid, tobacco, and a really nice long dry and fruity finish. Very enjoyable.
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Tasting note from day 3. Really blossomed over three days. Didn't decant on day 1 or 2 and was not impressed. On day 3 this morphed into exactly what I was hoping for. Incredible deep notes of blue fruit, current, tobacco, and vanilla. Rich, but balanced with acidity. Super long finish. A steal for $40.
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Very dark purple red color. Decanted for an hour, drank 2 glasses over 2 hours. The nose shows brooding black fruits, blackberry, blueberry, exotic spices. The palate is dry, full bodied, medium tannins, wood, some heat now, spice, glycerine, pepper, blackberry, black cherry, gravel and tar. Good place to end on.
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Wonderful. Drank over 2+ hours and it evolved very nicely. Agree on previous cigar box notes and bright fruit. Tannins nicely integrated, medium plus body, smooth, and pleasant drink. I'm a lucky guy with 4 bottles to go. Pays to wait!
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Very similar to notes on 5/25/12. This is just such a complete wine...it's all there, the dark fruits with good supporting acids and tannins, and nuance (much more description on previous notes). Fantastic! It's my last bottle but a great way to go...on top! Wish I had more...such is life...on to the next thing.
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Decanted for several hours. Color dark purple. Nose of cassis, leather, cigar box. Palate full bodied and silky smooth. Blackberry coats the mouth leading to a full rich finish. Excellent wine. 5,14,17,6=92
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90 minute decant and poured through a vinturri. What a lovely bouquet of dark berries, creme de cassis, and some green and black olives. Very focused on the palate; the tannins are firm, but smooth. Sweet red and black fruits, cassis, with a small hint of earthiness and minerality surrounds the palate. A bit hot on the back end. Medium-long finish; will try to wait this out for a couple of more years before trying again.
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Popped and poured. We took our time drinking this but it could have (probably should have) been decanted a few hours before. Dark garnet with a bit of sediment but nothing off putting. Huge nose of concentrated forest fruit, vanilla and manzanilla olives but there is potential for much more as it evolves. I was nearly overwhelmed by the power this is currently displaying in the glass. Really nice structure. Sweet, firm tannins. Minerals. Acidity that will work deftly with a nice meal. This bottle really has it all, just not quite working in concert...yet. Even with my 93, I might be scoring this conservatively. Rest assured, this has a very long life ahead of it. My remaining bottle will sit, in quiet confidence, for many years to come as it awaits a special occasion. An impressive effort. If I could find more, I would buy more.
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Nose: Red fruits with the Calistoga minerality (reminds me of Montelena Estate Cab), dust, fresh mint, and tree moss hints after extended air time. Palate: Red and dark fruits (most notably plums) with assorted spices, minerals and a medium length finish. Deft acidity and tannin levels. Very balanced and suave this is showing great right now, but has the stuffing to go another couple years at least. Great effort from Tom Eddy and the first wine I've had from this producer. Solid and one of the best Cali Cabs I've had in some time! Wish I had more then one left. 92+ points. With more richness and a longer finish this would easily be 93 or higher.
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Dang, this is great stuff! Let it open for 2 hours, and then it kept on blooming for 2 more hours as we drank it. Tannins were dominant in the first glass, but by the last, which I am finishing now, they were beautifully integrated with fruit, spice, leather, and oak. A bold wine for mature tastes, but not quite austere-- more immediately enjoyable than that term implies-- I wish I had more than the one bottle left--
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Wine Dinner at Heidi's (Heidi's Restaurant, Minneapolis): Dark red purple color. 1.5 hr decant. Nose is creme de cassis, with plum and blackberries, spice, and violets. The palate is full bodied, lush on the mouth, cassis, blackberry, spice, subtle oak, long finish. Good balance and integrated tannins. This is drinking very well, but I believe this will continue to evolve for several more years.
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This was a nice well balanced fruit forward cab, good complexity with potential to get better with a few more years, midpalate was smooth and silky in nature with a long lasting finish. Lots of flavors running throughout. Low to mid 90s. Great deal from WTSO. -S
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Tasted after a 3 hour decant and another 2 hours in open bottle. This wine has a great nose -- lush fruit, a hint of oak, and lingering graphite. The palate was beautifully balanced between fruit, tannin, acidity, and oak. Has great mouthfeel; finish was good, but not in the "superstar" category that the big boys have. Great QPR from WTSO.
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Decanted for an hour. Color bright purple. Subtle nose with aromas of cedar. The palate is what really sold me on this wine. SMOOTH, refined, balanced, velvet like flavors of cassis. The finish was delicious. Not over done, in fact I was a little concerned about what to expect from the subtle nose. Exceeded my expectations, looking forward to the next 3 bottles I still have. Will buy more if I can (WTSO). 50,5,12,17,6=91
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4/16/2021 - AMC Eagle wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for over an hour. Medium-dark garnet/brick red in colour. Nose of ripe blackberries with hints of fresh leather and some cassis. Good amount of tobacco infused black and red berries on the palate with some espresso at the end. Medium+ bodied with a medium+ finish. Still excellent since I first popped a bottle in 2012 and I think this has at least 5 more years of life to it. This is my last bottle, unfortunately.
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4/6/2021 - thesternowl wrote: 93 Points
It’s been a long time since I last checked in on this (almost 9 years ago!) and I am very happy to report that this wine is not only very much alive, it’s absolutely strutting! Popped and poured. Fully open for business at this point with currants, black berry preserves, tobacco, and earth on the nose. On the palate, black currants, black cherry, a hint of baking spice, and black olive. Beautiful texture. The tannins are almost completely integrated. I say almost because time coaxes the tannins out! Good acid too which leads me to believe this will very likely drink well for many years to come though, I suspect this is more or less at peak.
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12/24/2020 - gordorf wrote: 93 Points
This wine is that beautifully complex, special one that is hand selected from primarily from the prestigious Stagecoach Vineyard and other famed single vineyard sites in Diamond Mountain, Mount Vedeer and the Oakville Bench. A fantastic bottle of wine.
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10/28/2020 - Tarpon222 wrote: 92 Points
thoroughly enjoyed this nicely aged wine. My last one!
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12/30/2019 - pols Likes this wine: 91 Points
Got slayed by the 2005 York Creek we had alongside it, but a gorgeous bottle nonetheless (with a lot more runway to it than the York Creek, too).
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6/3/2018 - AMC Eagle wrote: 94 Points
30 minute decant. Medium diffused plum-garnet in colour. On the nose there are bright, sweet ripe berries along with some cigar box and a hint of dark tobacco and mint. On the palate, there are plenty of red fruits/berries with tobacco and some tar-like black fruits with some notes of minerality and cedar box at the end. Medium+ bodied with a with medium-long finish; tannins not as prevalent as the last time I tasted this(2012).
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3/25/2017 - merryberry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slightly cloudy dark ruby. Cedar, blackberry and leather nose. Medium to full bodied, lots of dark fruit - plums, blackberries, dark chocolate cherries - white pepper, well integrated tannins, good acid, tobacco, and a really nice long dry and fruity finish. Very enjoyable.
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6/29/2016 - Tarpon222 wrote: 92 Points
There is still a lot going on here. Lively mouthfeel and LONG finish. I like the balance.
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4/28/2016 - pols wrote: 93 Points
I still have a few more, but wish it was a lot more
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3/28/2016 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasting note from day 3. Really blossomed over three days. Didn't decant on day 1 or 2 and was not impressed. On day 3 this morphed into exactly what I was hoping for. Incredible deep notes of blue fruit, current, tobacco, and vanilla. Rich, but balanced with acidity. Super long finish. A steal for $40.
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3/14/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Very dark purple red color. Decanted for an hour, drank 2 glasses over 2 hours. The nose shows brooding black fruits, blackberry, blueberry, exotic spices. The palate is dry, full bodied, medium tannins, wood, some heat now, spice, glycerine, pepper, blackberry, black cherry, gravel and tar. Good place to end on.
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3/7/2015 - Chapel Likes this wine: 92 Points
moderate body. likeable
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11/21/2014 - Ranjan wrote: 91 Points
Moderately fruity nose, harsh initially, better the next day. Long finish
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5/7/2014 - juffer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs more time, or else plenty of protein, which we didn't have at the time. Quite enjoyable nevertheless.
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11/27/2013 - dboatguy wrote: 90 Points
wonderful. better than ever last bottle but time will improve
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11/9/2013 - Tarpon222 wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful. Drank over 2+ hours and it evolved very nicely. Agree on previous cigar box notes and bright fruit. Tannins nicely integrated, medium plus body, smooth, and pleasant drink. I'm a lucky guy with 4 bottles to go. Pays to wait!
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8/7/2013 - Mattshank wrote: 93 Points
Very similar to notes on 5/25/12. This is just such a complete wine...it's all there, the dark fruits with good supporting acids and tannins, and nuance (much more description on previous notes). Fantastic! It's my last bottle but a great way to go...on top! Wish I had more...such is life...on to the next thing.
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8/4/2013 - rodsjuice Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for several hours. Color dark purple. Nose of cassis, leather, cigar box. Palate full bodied and silky smooth. Blackberry coats the mouth leading to a full rich finish. Excellent wine. 5,14,17,6=92
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12/15/2012 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
still very good
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11/22/2012 - AMC Eagle wrote: 94 Points
90 minute decant and poured through a vinturri. What a lovely bouquet of dark berries, creme de cassis, and some green and black olives. Very focused on the palate; the tannins are firm, but smooth. Sweet red and black fruits, cassis, with a small hint of earthiness and minerality surrounds the palate. A bit hot on the back end. Medium-long finish; will try to wait this out for a couple of more years before trying again.
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7/7/2012 - Iceman611 wrote: 94 Points
One year later a little more earthy, just as excellent.
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6/18/2012 - BinVA wrote: 90 Points
Drank too young, my fault. The final half glass had a beautiful nose on it, that was about 3 hours after it was opened. Live and learn...I hope.
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6/15/2012 - thesternowl wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. We took our time drinking this but it could have (probably should have) been decanted a few hours before. Dark garnet with a bit of sediment but nothing off putting. Huge nose of concentrated forest fruit, vanilla and manzanilla olives but there is potential for much more as it evolves. I was nearly overwhelmed by the power this is currently displaying in the glass. Really nice structure. Sweet, firm tannins. Minerals. Acidity that will work deftly with a nice meal. This bottle really has it all, just not quite working in concert...yet. Even with my 93, I might be scoring this conservatively. Rest assured, this has a very long life ahead of it. My remaining bottle will sit, in quiet confidence, for many years to come as it awaits a special occasion. An impressive effort. If I could find more, I would buy more.
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5/25/2012 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Red fruits with the Calistoga minerality (reminds me of Montelena Estate Cab), dust, fresh mint, and tree moss hints after extended air time. Palate: Red and dark fruits (most notably plums) with assorted spices, minerals and a medium length finish. Deft acidity and tannin levels. Very balanced and suave this is showing great right now, but has the stuffing to go another couple years at least. Great effort from Tom Eddy and the first wine I've had from this producer. Solid and one of the best Cali Cabs I've had in some time! Wish I had more then one left. 92+ points. With more richness and a longer finish this would easily be 93 or higher.
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3/11/2012 - prettydeceextrap wrote: 91 Points
(A-) Bright red fruits. Little bit of flower petal and warm spice. Light oak. Already nicely balanced with smooth tannins. Complex and elegant.
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11/23/2011 - dboatguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
very nice Cab - Berries - long smooth finish - buy More
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11/2/2011 - apspr wrote: 92 Points
Dang, this is great stuff! Let it open for 2 hours, and then it kept on blooming for 2 more hours as we drank it. Tannins were dominant in the first glass, but by the last, which I am finishing now, they were beautifully integrated with fruit, spice, leather, and oak. A bold wine for mature tastes, but not quite austere-- more immediately enjoyable than that term implies-- I wish I had more than the one bottle left--
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9/13/2011 - pols wrote: 93 Points
wonderful bottle . well balanced , great texture
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7/31/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Wine Dinner at Heidi's (Heidi's Restaurant, Minneapolis): Dark red purple color. 1.5 hr decant. Nose is creme de cassis, with plum and blackberries, spice, and violets. The palate is full bodied, lush on the mouth, cassis, blackberry, spice, subtle oak, long finish. Good balance and integrated tannins. This is drinking very well, but I believe this will continue to evolve for several more years.
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6/24/2011 - pols wrote: 92 Points
tastes of dut & soil , wonderful cab
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4/27/2011 - pols wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed this bottle at the Arroyo chop house. A wonderful wine, great balance with a fullness that represents a solid California cab.
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3/7/2011 - sasvino wrote: 93 Points
This was a nice well balanced fruit forward cab, good complexity with potential to get better with a few more years, midpalate was smooth and silky in nature with a long lasting finish. Lots of flavors running throughout. Low to mid 90s. Great deal from WTSO. -S
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3/5/2011 - BBinSC wrote: 91 Points
Tasted after a 3 hour decant and another 2 hours in open bottle. This wine has a great nose -- lush fruit, a hint of oak, and lingering graphite. The palate was beautifully balanced between fruit, tannin, acidity, and oak. Has great mouthfeel; finish was good, but not in the "superstar" category that the big boys have. Great QPR from WTSO.
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2/19/2011 - kmcveigh wrote: 93 Points
Nice oaky smell, complex, smooth finish!
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2/9/2011 - Iceman611 wrote: 94 Points
Drank this earlier in the year. One of my favorite Cali cabs. I'd love to buy more. Also cellared one bottle.
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1/30/2011 - rodsjuice wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour. Color bright purple. Subtle nose with aromas of cedar. The palate is what really sold me on this wine. SMOOTH, refined, balanced, velvet like flavors of cassis. The finish was delicious. Not over done, in fact I was a little concerned about what to expect from the subtle nose. Exceeded my expectations, looking forward to the next 3 bottles I still have. Will buy more if I can (WTSO). 50,5,12,17,6=91
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