Original post: Would prefer an Old World Bordeaux vs. this. Fell short in all measures. Correction: Actually drank 2003 Colgin IX Estate Syrah. No wonder would prefer Old World. At this juncture my best descriptor "BIG".b
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Salon Ficofi Paris walkabout tasting and dinner, no detailed tasting notes. From DMG. Fully mature, polished palate, good tertiary complexity with baking spices, toast, eucalyptus.
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tasted blind nose- gorgeous raspberry and blackberry aromas, cocoa mouth - spiced broad mouthcoating ultraripe red and dark berry fruits attack the palate in a way that to me screams out Napa. Pure hedonism in a glass, no need for food here. my only critique would be that it comes across as a tad confected. but still lovely. I guessed Bryant family (close?)
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Decanted for 1 hour before serving. Big dark currant, vanilla oak, purple fruit and chocolate. Rich and ripe with elegance. The kind of wine I enjoy once in a while. Lovely.
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Dark garnet, still opaque. Deep cassis and slight herbal aromas, not showing great complexity. Full-bodied flavors to match, moderate but soft tannins, long aftertaste. Excellent, but didn't show the layers of complexity I expected. Maybe still needs more time. Ric
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Cassis, cherry, strawberry, blackberry, vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa powder, chalky tannins, smooth silky mouthfeel and perfect balance. I love where this is right now and is hitting the spot for me. I'd drink up over the next 3 years as I don't see this getting any better.
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Mostly Napa Cabernet Dinner (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Expressive youthful nose displaying pure black fruit with a hint of red, crushed blackberry and blueberry, red currant, violet, ink, lead pencil, cocoa powder and cedar. Fully integrated harmonious palate, nicely layered pure black fruit, silky and polished, slightly lean, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long pure black fruit finish with lead pencil and cedar at the end. This is surprisingly lean. Some love the balance and others are disappointed by the lack of opulent fruit. I am liking it.
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Was very excited to try this, but this bottle was quite reductive. Never have tried Colgin before, so not sure if that is expected. Smelled like burnt cabbage with hints of blackberry and blueberry pie. Very little tertiary on the nose or palate, and the finish was quite short and abrupt. Showed hints of the quality within this bottle. Would love to try another bottle of this at some point to see if this was a flawed wine.
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Cellar Work? (Alpharetta, GA): Still very fresh and vibrant garnet color, chunky sediment towards end of the bottle; nose shows a large scaled boldly flavored tarry quality, smoky, jammy blackberry blueberry cassis liqueur; large scaled on the palate, pulls off the 15.6% well, sweet fruit but not overblown, savory and satisfying, lovely clove allspice and cinnamon late on the finish; delicious with the tenderloin.
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Decanted for an hour then back in the bottle without cork for a few more hrs, deep ruby, beautiful blue & blackberry, almost syrah-like, mod. tannins, long finish; outstanding, drink or hold
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Garnet-purple, nearly opaque. Cassis and black fruit aromas, with slight herbal and French oak notes in the background, moderately pronounced intensity. Big, rich flavors to match, concentrated. Still a bit tannic but very enjoyable. Nice acidity. Slightly coarse on the late palate and into a very long but hot aftertaste. This is still on the young side, just reaching its plateau. I'll hold my remaining bottle several more years to let it soften more. Ric
Q1 - 2017 Tasting - Starts with the Letter.... (notes from another taster) (New York, NY): #8 of 17 wines tasted double blind. One of my top 4 wines of the lineup - this was terrific - my notes say "ME LIKEY!". Definitely new world in style, with napa ripe dark fruits, but really well balanced, with the fruit, tannin and acid all in harmony. I would very much have enjoyed sitting with this glass over the course of an evening. The group voted 5 pennies.
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Q1 2017 Tasting - Starts with the Letter (The Apt): Wine #8: Softer red, fruits a bit more muted. Some spice of sorts. It's got just a touch of alcohol. Still a pretty wine, but my least favorite of the three Colgins. Bit quicker finish. (5 pennies)
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I had this wine upon release and it was all disjointed with too many stems and seeds that proved completely distracting. The wine has come together since, but I doubt will improve by much. Vanilla Oak, black fruits and blueberries come in waves with some green veggies underneath, and suggestions of malo ferm. A high quality wine in a difficult year, but hardly worth the price of admission.
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Flickinger Warehouse Tasting (Chicago, IL): Like a skinny-dipper caught out in the open when the tide recedes, a noxious pile of oak and alcohol is exposed now that the fruit is starting to dry out.
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decanted for just under 2½ hours prior to serving. Honestly I was disappointed in the wine I brought, although the others seem to have enjoyed them. Maybe because I left the wine in my glass for much too long before taking the first sip, but I didn't get very much out of my first glass. I got a little more from my second glass, which showed some coconut and vanilla oak that I was expecting from this wine. Still very tannic at this young age.
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California Cult Cabernet dinner (Oak Mill Cafe - Chicago IL): Fun and forward black fruit, hints of cassis. Fruit is ever-so-slightly roasted, but the wine still retains energy and good balance. Drinking nicely now, I don't expect upside from here.
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Based on prior TNs, this wine appears to have some bottle variation. This one had beautiful dark red color with a pinch of brick. The bouquet was reticent with tightly packed dark fruits, pinch of unsmoked cigar, and some spices. Palate was a bit tight as well showing silkier tannins and the presence of oak. Well made wine, however not in the league that it's price suggests (at least for this bottle) 92-93
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SAFW Reunion tasting. Big and powerful, with very rich fruit. Blackberry, cassis, raspberry, cedar, hints of spicy herbs, cigar box and seemingly French oak. Smooth and velvety in the mouth; tannins resolved and integrated into the wine. Excellent structure and balance. A long and extended finish. A sensational wine.
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An amazing wine, perfectly drinkable, or just perfect! Went great with my 45 year-old grilled steak recipe. Opened and decanted three hours earlier. Completely dark and opaque; aromas complex and pronounced, with cassis, dark berries, French oak. Flavors to match, but perfectly balanced with acid and tannin. Rich and mouth-coating, but not too heavy. The finish wouldn't stop, kept changing, with tones of anise at the end. 2003 cabernets have become better than originally thought. This wine is at its peak, but should easily hold at least five more years. Ric
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Very nice wine with deep dark color and soft floral nose. Fruit was soft and tannins very smooth. Long lingering finish. Just didn't seem as complete as I would have expected though very nice. Two hour slow ox prior to serving.
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Even though the wine was decanted for 4 hours beforehand, I did find it somewhat closed at first and it was slow to open up. Very little on the nose. Very restrained and balanced palate relative to the 2005 Shafer Hillside Select next to it. Black fruits and strong eucalyptus notes on the palate. Stylistically, I did enjoy this better than the Shafer, although the Shafer did have more of a wow factor in the end. I think that this is at least 5-10 years away from prime drinking and has very good upside. 92-95
Enjoyed six bottles of this wine over the past two months. All notes consistent. Dark red color. Nose of violets and cassis with a touch of cedar. On the palate this wine is so elegant with wonderful red fruits and a long long smooth finish. Tannins show good structure but are soft and supple. Outstanding wine!!
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My, my, my. This is what Napa Cabs should be about! Luscious without being over the top. Huge black fruits with some tertiary characters developing (vanilla, cigar, spices). 10 years old and still has quite the way to go. Dilemma on whether to hold or drink up...
Day 2 : half the bottle was sealed in a spilt immediately upon opening and consumed the following day. Alcohol seems more apparent as this wine is showing less fruit. Would recommend drinking up within 4-5 years if preference is for more fruit forward styled wines.
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Now we are talking wine with a big "W". This a supreme and also sublime offering from super producer. The nose offers deep profound almost primary fruit. There is no better way to describe it than I did in my hand-written notes: "This is a SUPER NOSE!!!". I will refrain from putting more labels on it. The palate follows through nicely and adds to the overall experience. It is powerful with perfect integration but also shows a little bit of elegance. This is not a huge wine. Nothing is over the top or too much, but it certainly is powerful. A magnificent experience deserving a full round of applause. (score is 96-97)
(Served in a flight with 2003 Yarra Yering N°2, 2003 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon and 2003 Blankiet Paradise Hill)
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simply delicious. One of the best bottles of wine in along time. Great fruit, silky smooth with plenty of great years ahead. The tannins got a bit more pronounced over the few hours it was consumed with dinner. I did not have time to open and let breathe before dinner and I'm glad I didn't as the first two glasses were a bit more fruit forward and softer than the final two , which were also spectacular.
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This bottle may have been corked. It had a strange aroma and astringent taste; unlike any Colgin I have ever tasted. It may have been left uncorked too long before I tasted it.
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Opened 2 hours before tasting. Probably could have had another hour. Evolved nicely in the glass. Nice nose. Well integrated. Smooth from start to finish. Lots of red fruits, very round. Not really tongue coating, but a nice viscosity. Sad it is our last one.
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X20 Pre-Holiday Feast (X20 - Yonkers, NY): Truly stunning nose. I decanted this wine at 1pm(ish) and we didn't get to taste until nearly 9pm, but this was flat out the best nose of the night. The flavor profile was very different from the Bryant's as it was clearly on the red fruit side of the fence, softer and more elegant than the powerful and muscularly built Bryants. I loved the feminine curves of this wine and was fairly torn between this and the 03 Bryant as WOTN, but picked the Bryant due to it's fuller fruit core. I loved this wine though, very well structured, very elegant, soft and velvety with a long lush finish.
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Blind CA Cult Cab Tasting (Snohomish, WA): Tasted blind. (Group's #3 (my #1)) – 3 first place votes, 2 second place votes, 7 third place votes – The nose had aromas of blue/black fruits, espresso and eucalyptus with a perfume-like note. The palate had flavors of black fruits with dark chocolate, eucalyptus and bell pepper. This was my favorite of the flight, but when I revisited it at the end of the tasting, I enjoyed it even more than I did at first. I ended up calling this my co-WOTN along with the Abreu.
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Let me start by saying I really don't like this vintage. I find it kind of harsh and unappealing generally. But this wine is so well made it manages to overcome the negative characteristics of the vintage. Had a 2004 Herb Lamb at the same dinner and it was an interesting contrast. Some people might not have pegged the HL as Cali in a blind tasting, but nobody would have missed this one. I have had 2006 and 2007 IX at about a year after release and they were pretty impenetrable. I think this might be a wine one is supposed to lay off young, even 6-7 years in.
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Typical american - very smooth, lots of dominating oak, very nice. Impossible not to like, but not quite the character one could expect from a wine in this pricerange.
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really explosively sweet nose, full of strawberries. Very typical Cali nose, with minerals and caramel notes. Hot and burns the back of the throat. Would be lovely after a few more years of cellaring.
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The Bristol with Russell Bevan (The Bristol - Chicago, IL): In a good place and initially more rewarding than an '05 served side by side. Beautiful, rich nose of currants with a deliciously complex bell pepper note. Palate is rich and chalky with red fruit, mocha and that delicious bell pepper kick. Super!
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decanted. ouch. this wine took a ride on the seriously lousy train tonight. herbal tinge on the palate, lacking the lush fruit of memory and past notes. when first presented, a whiff of nice cassis and blackberry crossed my nose, but it was pretty much all downhill from then on. thick oak and smoke, one dimensional. we thought that maybe the temp of the wine had crept up causing some mayhem, but it wasn't any better after chilling it down. MAJOR disappointment.
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Ann and Joe's wedding day. Very dark and intense looking.Black core, all the way to the rim. 93;87. Nose of very dark fruit, soft and fat mouthfeel. Big, dark flavors, not very sweet. Huge tannins. Intense flavors, especially on the finish. Long aftertaste with burnt embers, ash, asphalt, tar ad very dark fruit. Not flamboyant like the 04 but impressive, personally I prefer the flamboyant.
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Still youthful and primary but so delicious! Ripe dark fruits complicated by a host of cab-typical flavors and aromas. Liqueur like texture and intensity of flavors. Well balanced and well structured. Will certainly continue to improve and no need to drink this for another 5+ years.
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Dark purple color with a very powerful nose of herbs and black fruits. Definitely a big wine. In the mouth, jammy blueberry fruit, oak and tannin. While I tried to give this wine the benefit of doubt at first, at the end of the evening, the only thing left was oak, relentless black fruit and the 15+% alcohol. I had problems finishing my glass even with quite heavy food. Like bad heavy metal music - raw power without grace, finesse or balance.
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Not quite as profound as the first bottle I had, but still a marvelous wine. Deep reddish purple. Currants, chocolate and espresso on the nose and palate. I got eucalyptus, chocolate, earth and currants on the full palate. Lush but still not wholly integrated, will probably continue to improve with time.
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Tasting with TheDumbPhase: Dark ruby. Nose of slight olive, ripe fruit, medium oak. Palate: unctuous and syrupy-textured like nothing I've had before. Soft, plush, sticky tannins. Heavy. Missing the blue fruit/acid of some of the Spanish wines I've had with this sort of weight. Fruit falls short. med- acid. med-sticky tannins. left with wood at the end. 84-87. ~$200. rp95, st93
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BYO Californian (Le Sommelier): Very dark red color. Clean and elegant black currant, leafs and earth dominate the nose, with nuances of ammonium chloride and mint. Super intense taste of spiced eucalyptus, mint and black currant. On the midpalate and finish there are notes of salt licorise, prunes and dry matter. A classic cabernet taste and structure, with the new world intensity of the fruit and the mint, coolness and acidity for balance. Very nice.
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Very good bottle of this wine. Took to Joel Robuchon to help celebrate a friend's 40th b-day, and it was singing. Dark red berries, mocha, sweet tannins. Surprisingly approachable for an '03, although I think this wine would probably stay at this level for the next several years Sadly, I sold a bunch of mine and have drunk the others. Oh well--it was good young, I'll have to hear about how good old they are from somebody else!
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SURPRISINGLY APPROACHABLE, SHOWED DEEP BERRY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR, WITH BLACK CHERRIES, CHOCOLATE, AND ALMOST A HINT OF CARAMEL. NICE COMPLEXTY AND A VERY LONG FINISH.
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Absolutely exceptional. 2 hour decant. Bohemoth power, concentration, depth. Coffee and rich chocolate. Very long finish with viscous mouthcoating tannins.
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15.6% alcohol. beautifully integrated, no heat. not decanted, and it shut down hard in the glass within an hour. black and blue fruit, perfumed nose, rich midpalate, and a long finish. what else is there? recommend holding.
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Wow – deep ruby color. Powerful red fruit nose mixed with shitake mushrooms and forest floor. Gorgeous flavors, highly complex for such a young wine and long. Stunning and will only get better. I like the mix of power and intensity in this one. (95)
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had this at campanile in LA and was completely underwhelmed as was the rest of the table.
completely overpriced, not anywhere in the realm of shafer, sine qua non, even diamond creek. this is good, but far from great. very standard big oak california flavor, tight nose. pass.
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Somewhat subdued nose of black cherries and raspberries huge full bodied wine on the palate with huge amounts of fruit. Finish starts smooth but end with huge ripe tannins that stick to your throat. This will probably be amazing in about 5 years but today it is a little tight and way too big.
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i thought i would share this as a means of recounting our aubert OL in the OC. i find the wine somewhat backward, but showing well enough to understand it's quality and potential. i'll revisit again at age five + decanting, and it should keep for 12-15 years with excellent cellaring. the fruit isn't as oppulent as the herb lamb, and considering the youngish age of the vines, that's to be expected. it's got a tannic mouthfeel at present, yet the finish isn't dusty or dry.
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Mammoth, intensely concentrated, mouth coating, full bodied wine. Loads of fruit on the nose and palate with hints of vanilla, smoke, licorice, mineral. Very well balanced. Finish goes on and on. Still it's quite young and I suspect it will improve with age.
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Very dark. Very close and very thin colored tears. A delicious and very seducing nose. WOW! It has a super structure and just takes control. Licorice, mint, dark dark dark berries and a looong aftertaste. Complex and intense pleasure. Rating: 95+
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Opaque purple in the glass. Nose initially a bit reserved, but the palate was huge immediately. Over the course of 2 hours, this wine unfolded with incredible complexity and strength (although, somewhat paradoxically, it actually got tighter and more closed over time). Initially it tasted and smelled nearly the same as the '01 Pride Merlot Moutaintop - velvety chocolate, rich berries, with a mouthcoating viscosity that kept the flavors going. Over time it unveiled vanilla bean, plum, and blackberry. It showed great purity with the strength, however - definitely an adult's "big wine." Similar to the Syrah, this has SQN-esque clarity and delineation, while remaining a tour de force. Imagine being gently nudged into submission instead of bludgeoned. I'm excited to see how this one evolves over the next 5+ years.
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Fine Whites and mostly Cali Reds (Castle Hill Restaurant; Austin Texas): Served double blind. It was obvious that it was Cali cab. Beyond that there weren't many clues. I did not rate this wine because I believe it was slightly corked or otherwise damaged due to the complete lack of fruit. It had no nose other than a bit of oak and the only discernible flavor was coffee then it was gone. Thanks to CWG who so kindly brought this wine.
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Drinking this way too early (perhaps?) but my curiosity got the best of me. And boy, am I glad it did. It's hard to say with the youth but this wine might be the best new world Red I've ever had next to the 1994 Dominus. There is an almost unreal concentration of crushed black fruit...fruit bomb doesn't begin to describe it. Tannins could be the most seamless I've ever tasted. Finish goes on forever -- mouth-coating but perfectly smooth and well integrated. The only question I have is the alcohol...it's 15.6 and it's noticeable once it hits the palate (though not as apparent on the nose). Maybe this mellows in a couple of years? Honestly, this could be a perfect wine for my palate. Awesome!!!
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This was so fat, lush and sexy. The color was akin to dark, purple and black ink. Filled with gobs of blue and fruit, licorice and cassis. Great plush, opulent mouth feel and finish that keeps on going. This is a stellar expression of Napa Cabernet. While the wine checks in at over 15% alcohol, you'd never know it with it's wealth of ripe fruit
12/26/2023 - Minnesota wrote: 90 Points
Original post: Would prefer an Old World Bordeaux vs. this. Fell short in all measures. Correction: Actually drank 2003 Colgin IX Estate Syrah. No wonder would prefer Old World. At this juncture my best descriptor "BIG".b
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12/13/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Salon Ficofi Paris walkabout tasting and dinner, no detailed tasting notes. From DMG. Fully mature, polished palate, good tertiary complexity with baking spices, toast, eucalyptus.
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11/18/2023 - warrenpeace wrote: 95 Points
A gorgeous wine with lush fruit but a solid backbone. In its prime.
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2/25/2023 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow oxed for 5 hours. A good marriage between bordeaux and napa style. Very round and plush with berries, violets, vanilla and flowers.
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5/14/2022 - soyhead wrote:
tasted blind
nose- gorgeous raspberry and blackberry aromas, cocoa
mouth - spiced broad mouthcoating ultraripe red and dark berry fruits attack the palate in a way that to me screams out Napa. Pure hedonism in a glass, no need for food here. my only critique would be that it comes across as a tad confected. but still lovely. I guessed Bryant family (close?)
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2/26/2022 - WStucker wrote: 98 Points
Everything an almost 20 year old cali BDX blend should be. Decant for an hour, but has atl east 15 years left.
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5/13/2020 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hour before serving. Big dark currant, vanilla oak, purple fruit and chocolate. Rich and ripe with elegance. The kind of wine I enjoy once in a while. Lovely.
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5/8/2020 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 86 Points
[Magnum] Impenetrable, glycerin, alcohol, bourbon, heavy oak. Four hour decant and nothing to show for it on the nose. Cough syrup.
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10/26/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior notes after a 1 hr double decant; outstanding, drink or hold
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9/23/2019 - handymom wrote:
The cork disintegrated and the wine was still okay after about an hour in the decanter.
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8/23/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to prior notes after a 1 hr double decant; outstanding, drink or hold
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7/20/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to prior notes, another great bottle of CA cab; outstanding, drink or hold
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7/7/2019 - sonofstone wrote:
From Flynn cellar
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6/13/2019 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark garnet, still opaque. Deep cassis and slight herbal aromas, not showing great complexity. Full-bodied flavors to match, moderate but soft tannins, long aftertaste. Excellent, but didn't show the layers of complexity I expected. Maybe still needs more time.
Ric
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4/25/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior notes; another great bottle at couples night at All Meats Brazilian; a great CA Bordeaux blend & my WOTN, drink or hold (but why?)
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2/28/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cassis, cherry, strawberry, blackberry, vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa powder, chalky tannins, smooth silky mouthfeel and perfect balance. I love where this is right now and is hitting the spot for me. I'd drink up over the next 3 years as I don't see this getting any better.
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2/28/2019 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Mostly Napa Cabernet Dinner (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Expressive youthful nose displaying pure black fruit with a hint of red, crushed blackberry and blueberry, red currant, violet, ink, lead pencil, cocoa powder and cedar. Fully integrated harmonious palate, nicely layered pure black fruit, silky and polished, slightly lean, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long pure black fruit finish with lead pencil and cedar at the end. This is surprisingly lean. Some love the balance and others are disappointed by the lack of opulent fruit. I am liking it.
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10/20/2018 - bkc1428 Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Was very excited to try this, but this bottle was quite reductive. Never have tried Colgin before, so not sure if that is expected. Smelled like burnt cabbage with hints of blackberry and blueberry pie. Very little tertiary on the nose or palate, and the finish was quite short and abrupt. Showed hints of the quality within this bottle. Would love to try another bottle of this at some point to see if this was a flawed wine.
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10/6/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Similar to prior note; great cab! Drink or hold (my last 03)
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5/6/2018 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Cellar Work? (Alpharetta, GA): Still very fresh and vibrant garnet color, chunky sediment towards end of the bottle; nose shows a large scaled boldly flavored tarry quality, smoky, jammy blackberry blueberry cassis liqueur; large scaled on the palate, pulls off the 15.6% well, sweet fruit but not overblown, savory and satisfying, lovely clove allspice and cinnamon late on the finish; delicious with the tenderloin.
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3/25/2018 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Rich, delicious, black cherry fruit, tannins dominated fruit, tight and chewy but elegant, excellent structure, ample finish
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2/24/2018 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Rich, delicious, black cherry fruit, elegant, somewhat muted and tight, excellent structure, ample finish, Bordeaux style
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2/9/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for an hour then back in the bottle without cork for a few more hrs, deep ruby, beautiful blue & blackberry, almost syrah-like, mod. tannins, long finish; outstanding, drink or hold
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11/27/2017 - shaferguy91 wrote: 95 Points
Still Young. Outstanding.
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9/25/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Luscious, sexy, ripe, polished, hedonistic in style, the wine is rich, full bodied and supple, ripe, round and made for pleasure, this just rocks!
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8/21/2017 - NJwineguy wrote: 95 Points
Tool long to open.
Worth the wait.
Big berry. Tannins in balance. Excellent.
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3/24/2017 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 97 Points
Garnet-purple, nearly opaque. Cassis and black fruit aromas, with slight herbal and French oak notes in the background, moderately pronounced intensity. Big, rich flavors to match, concentrated. Still a bit tannic but very enjoyable. Nice acidity. Slightly coarse on the late palate and into a very long but hot aftertaste. This is still on the young side, just reaching its plateau. I'll hold my remaining bottle several more years to let it soften more.
Ric
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2/4/2017 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Q1 - 2017 Tasting - Starts with the Letter.... (notes from another taster) (New York, NY): #8 of 17 wines tasted double blind. One of my top 4 wines of the lineup - this was terrific - my notes say "ME LIKEY!". Definitely new world in style, with napa ripe dark fruits, but really well balanced, with the fruit, tannin and acid all in harmony. I would very much have enjoyed sitting with this glass over the course of an evening. The group voted 5 pennies.
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2/4/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Q1 2017 Tasting - Starts with the Letter (The Apt): Wine #8: Softer red, fruits a bit more muted. Some spice of sorts. It's got just a touch of alcohol. Still a pretty wine, but my least favorite of the three Colgins. Bit quicker finish. (5 pennies)
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11/26/2016 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
I had this wine upon release and it was all disjointed with too many stems and seeds that proved completely distracting. The wine has come together since, but I doubt will improve by much. Vanilla Oak, black fruits and blueberries come in waves with some green veggies underneath, and suggestions of malo ferm. A high quality wine in a difficult year, but hardly worth the price of admission.
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9/10/2016 - acyso wrote: 60 Points
Flickinger Warehouse Tasting (Chicago, IL): Like a skinny-dipper caught out in the open when the tide recedes, a noxious pile of oak and alcohol is exposed now that the fruit is starting to dry out.
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7/22/2016 - Peech wrote: 92 Points
decanted for just under 2½ hours prior to serving. Honestly I was disappointed in the wine I brought, although the others seem to have enjoyed them. Maybe because I left the wine in my glass for much too long before taking the first sip, but I didn't get very much out of my first glass. I got a little more from my second glass, which showed some coconut and vanilla oak that I was expecting from this wine. Still very tannic at this young age.
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5/30/2016 - G_H wrote: 98 Points
Very warm, cinammon, extremely Long, perfectly ripe right now
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2/20/2016 - bobwire Likes this wine: 98 Points
Awesome. great balance all around from start to finish.
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12/19/2015 - mkubow wrote: 96 Points
Wow, quintessential Napa Cab in its prime. Wonderful nose, great mouth feel, gorgeous finish
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12/2/2015 - bobwire wrote: 97 Points
pretty spectacular.. great fruit, smooth as silk
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11/26/2015 - GFischmann Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing
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11/19/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
California Cult Cabernet dinner (Oak Mill Cafe - Chicago IL): Fun and forward black fruit, hints of cassis. Fruit is ever-so-slightly roasted, but the wine still retains energy and good balance. Drinking nicely now, I don't expect upside from here.
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6/12/2015 - LeechDogg wrote:
Tasting great now, I see no reason to wait to open my last bottle.
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5/16/2015 - farinas wrote: 92 Points
Based on prior TNs, this wine appears to have some bottle variation. This one had beautiful dark red color with a pinch of brick. The bouquet was reticent with tightly packed dark fruits, pinch of unsmoked cigar, and some spices. Palate was a bit tight as well showing silkier tannins and the presence of oak. Well made wine, however not in the league that it's price suggests (at least for this bottle) 92-93
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10/25/2014 - Chainthroer wrote: 96 Points
SAFW Reunion tasting. Big and powerful, with very rich fruit. Blackberry, cassis, raspberry, cedar, hints of spicy herbs, cigar box and seemingly French oak. Smooth and velvety in the mouth; tannins resolved and integrated into the wine. Excellent structure and balance. A long and extended finish. A sensational wine.
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8/6/2014 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 100 Points
An amazing wine, perfectly drinkable, or just perfect! Went great with my 45 year-old grilled steak recipe. Opened and decanted three hours earlier. Completely dark and opaque; aromas complex and pronounced, with cassis, dark berries, French oak. Flavors to match, but perfectly balanced with acid and tannin. Rich and mouth-coating, but not too heavy. The finish wouldn't stop, kept changing, with tones of anise at the end. 2003 cabernets have become better than originally thought. This wine is at its peak, but should easily hold at least five more years.
Ric
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7/26/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Drinking perfectly, with its showy display of ripe fruits, and silky tannins, you can age it if you must, or enjoy it today.
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4/26/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice wine with deep dark color and soft floral nose. Fruit was soft and tannins very smooth. Long lingering finish. Just didn't seem as complete as I would have expected though very nice. Two hour slow ox prior to serving.
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4/3/2014 - pifcho Likes this wine: 93 Points
Even though the wine was decanted for 4 hours beforehand, I did find it somewhat closed at first and it was slow to open up. Very little on the nose. Very restrained and balanced palate relative to the 2005 Shafer Hillside Select next to it. Black fruits and strong eucalyptus notes on the palate. Stylistically, I did enjoy this better than the Shafer, although the Shafer did have more of a wow factor in the end. I think that this is at least 5-10 years away from prime drinking and has very good upside. 92-95
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3/20/2014 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dinner with Ann Colgin (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Translucent ruby red colour. Nose has the classic Colgin restraint. Thick, mouthfiling palate - mouthcoating. A bit hot. Belly-filling. Young vines but you can taste the terroir. Juicy. Lots of structure. Reminds me of the 2003 Silver Oak but less evolved.
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11/9/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Roasted and ultra ripe fruit. Very New World, clearly from a ripe vintage. Clearly well made, but lacking depth and structure for what I like in Cabernet-based wines.
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11/9/2013 - astrauss Likes this wine: 97 Points
Enjoyed six bottles of this wine over the past two months. All notes consistent. Dark red color. Nose of violets and cassis with a touch of cedar. On the palate this wine is so elegant with wonderful red fruits and a long long smooth finish. Tannins show good structure but are soft and supple. Outstanding wine!!
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10/10/2013 - JOwzer Likes this wine: 95 Points
My, my, my. This is what Napa Cabs should be about! Luscious without being over the top. Huge black fruits with some tertiary characters developing (vanilla, cigar, spices). 10 years old and still has quite the way to go. Dilemma on whether to hold or drink up...
Day 2 : half the bottle was sealed in a spilt immediately upon opening and consumed the following day. Alcohol seems more apparent as this wine is showing less fruit. Would recommend drinking up within 4-5 years if preference is for more fruit forward styled wines.
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4/11/2013 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Now we are talking wine with a big "W". This a supreme and also sublime offering from super producer. The nose offers deep profound almost primary fruit. There is no better way to describe it than I did in my hand-written notes: "This is a SUPER NOSE!!!". I will refrain from putting more labels on it. The palate follows through nicely and adds to the overall experience. It is powerful with perfect integration but also shows a little bit of elegance. This is not a huge wine. Nothing is over the top or too much, but it certainly is powerful. A magnificent experience deserving a full round of applause. (score is 96-97)
(Served in a flight with 2003 Yarra Yering N°2, 2003 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon and 2003 Blankiet Paradise Hill)
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2/22/2013 - bobwire Likes this wine: 98 Points
simply delicious. One of the best bottles of wine in along time. Great fruit, silky smooth with plenty of great years ahead. The tannins got a bit more pronounced over the few hours it was consumed with dinner. I did not have time to open and let breathe before dinner and I'm glad I didn't as the first two glasses were a bit more fruit forward and softer than the final two , which were also spectacular.
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9/30/2012 - bulldurham wrote: 89 Points
This bottle may have been corked. It had a strange aroma and astringent taste; unlike any Colgin I have ever tasted. It may have been left uncorked too long before I tasted it.
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4/14/2012 - arniec wrote: 95 Points
Opened 2 hours before tasting. Probably could have had another hour. Evolved nicely in the glass. Nice nose. Well integrated. Smooth from start to finish. Lots of red fruits, very round. Not really tongue coating, but a nice viscosity. Sad it is our last one.
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12/21/2011 - phenricsson wrote: 94 Points
A big brute of a wine. Still quite tannic but with lots of flavors. Certainly not ingratiating. Impressive but not my favorite style of Colgin wines.
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11/19/2011 - Vinomarcus wrote: 95 Points
X20 Pre-Holiday Feast (X20 - Yonkers, NY): Truly stunning nose. I decanted this wine at 1pm(ish) and we didn't get to taste until nearly 9pm, but this was flat out the best nose of the night. The flavor profile was very different from the Bryant's as it was clearly on the red fruit side of the fence, softer and more elegant than the powerful and muscularly built Bryants. I loved the feminine curves of this wine and was fairly torn between this and the 03 Bryant as WOTN, but picked the Bryant due to it's fuller fruit core. I loved this wine though, very well structured, very elegant, soft and velvety with a long lush finish.
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6/17/2011 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
Great Grapes for a Great Cause SQN Tasting -- 4th Annual; 6/17/2011-6/18/2011 (Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC): tasted along with 05 and 07 at a large event. the 03 had niceblack cherry flavors and sweet spice. perhaps my favorite of the three.
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2/26/2011 - last chance wrote: 97 Points
Blind CA Cult Cab Tasting (Snohomish, WA): Tasted blind. (Group's #3 (my #1)) – 3 first place votes, 2 second place votes, 7 third place votes – The nose had aromas of blue/black fruits, espresso and eucalyptus with a perfume-like note. The palate had flavors of black fruits with dark chocolate, eucalyptus and bell pepper. This was my favorite of the flight, but when I revisited it at the end of the tasting, I enjoyed it even more than I did at first. I ended up calling this my co-WOTN along with the Abreu.
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1/8/2011 - jaylew1 wrote: 92 Points
Let me start by saying I really don't like this vintage. I find it kind of harsh and unappealing generally. But this wine is so well made it manages to overcome the negative characteristics of the vintage. Had a 2004 Herb Lamb at the same dinner and it was an interesting contrast. Some people might not have pegged the HL as Cali in a blind tasting, but nobody would have missed this one. I have had 2006 and 2007 IX at about a year after release and they were pretty impenetrable. I think this might be a wine one is supposed to lay off young, even 6-7 years in.
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12/10/2010 - ChiefNose wrote: 95 Points
Typical american - very smooth, lots of dominating oak, very nice. Impossible not to like, but not quite the character one could expect from a wine in this pricerange.
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12/9/2010 - Peech wrote: 93 Points
really explosively sweet nose, full of strawberries. Very typical Cali nose, with minerals and caramel notes. Hot and burns the back of the throat. Would be lovely after a few more years of cellaring.
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2/25/2010 - Nanda Likes this wine: 94 Points
The Bristol with Russell Bevan (The Bristol - Chicago, IL): In a good place and initially more rewarding than an '05 served side by side. Beautiful, rich nose of currants with a deliciously complex bell pepper note. Palate is rich and chalky with red fruit, mocha and that delicious bell pepper kick. Super!
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1/31/2010 - kenv wrote: 92 Points
Lugeresque V: California Table #6 (Pratt's Inn, Yorktown, NY): Super intense black fruit nose. Intense, inky wine. Super extracted. Quite pleasurable, but is it wine? Truly a "Parkerized wine".
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11/18/2009 - jeff nowak wrote:
decanted. ouch. this wine took a ride on the seriously lousy train tonight. herbal tinge on the palate, lacking the lush fruit of memory and past notes. when first presented, a whiff of nice cassis and blackberry crossed my nose, but it was pretty much all downhill from then on. thick oak and smoke, one dimensional. we thought that maybe the temp of the wine had crept up causing some mayhem, but it wasn't any better after chilling it down. MAJOR disappointment.
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10/17/2009 - RedorDead wrote:
Great well balanced bottle. 2 hours and the bottle was perfect.
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9/9/2009 - phenricsson wrote: 95 Points
Ann and Joe's wedding day. Very dark and intense looking.Black core, all the way to the rim. 93;87. Nose of very dark fruit, soft and fat mouthfeel. Big, dark flavors, not very sweet. Huge tannins. Intense flavors, especially on the finish. Long aftertaste with burnt embers, ash, asphalt, tar ad very dark fruit. Not flamboyant like the 04 but impressive, personally I prefer the flamboyant.
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9/5/2009 - rsepulve wrote: 96 Points
Still youthful and primary but so delicious! Ripe dark fruits complicated by a host of cab-typical flavors and aromas. Liqueur like texture and intensity of flavors. Well balanced and well structured. Will certainly continue to improve and no need to drink this for another 5+ years.
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4/25/2009 - cortoncharlie wrote: 85 Points
Dark purple color with a very powerful nose of herbs and black fruits. Definitely a big wine. In the mouth, jammy blueberry fruit, oak and tannin. While I tried to give this wine the benefit of doubt at first, at the end of the evening, the only thing left was oak, relentless black fruit and the 15+% alcohol. I had problems finishing my glass even with quite heavy food. Like bad heavy metal music - raw power without grace, finesse or balance.
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12/16/2008 - LeechDogg wrote: 91 Points
Dark, tannic, fruity.
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12/8/2008 - nvandyk wrote: 94 Points
Not quite as profound as the first bottle I had, but still a marvelous wine. Deep reddish purple. Currants, chocolate and espresso on the nose and palate. I got eucalyptus, chocolate, earth and currants on the full palate. Lush but still not wholly integrated, will probably continue to improve with time.
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11/11/2008 - Phin wrote:
I won't skew the scoring by giving it another 98, but it earns it again. Just exceptional.
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10/10/2008 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 84 Points
Tasting with TheDumbPhase: Dark ruby. Nose of slight olive, ripe fruit, medium oak. Palate: unctuous and syrupy-textured like nothing I've had before. Soft, plush, sticky tannins. Heavy. Missing the blue fruit/acid of some of the Spanish wines I've had with this sort of weight. Fruit falls short. med- acid. med-sticky tannins. left with wood at the end. 84-87. ~$200.
rp95, st93
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10/6/2008 - Terkel wrote: 95 Points
BYO Californian (Le Sommelier): Very dark red color. Clean and elegant black currant, leafs and earth dominate the nose, with nuances of ammonium chloride and mint. Super intense taste of spiced eucalyptus, mint and black currant. On the midpalate and finish there are notes of salt licorise, prunes and dry matter. A classic cabernet taste and structure, with the new world intensity of the fruit and the mint, coolness and acidity for balance. Very nice.
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9/20/2008 - MarkC wrote: 94 Points
Very good bottle of this wine. Took to Joel Robuchon to help celebrate a friend's 40th b-day, and it was singing. Dark red berries, mocha, sweet tannins. Surprisingly approachable for an '03, although I think this wine would probably stay at this level for the next several years Sadly, I sold a bunch of mine and have drunk the others. Oh well--it was good young, I'll have to hear about how good old they are from somebody else!
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9/4/2008 - buckeye76 wrote: 97 Points
SURPRISINGLY APPROACHABLE, SHOWED DEEP BERRY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR, WITH BLACK CHERRIES, CHOCOLATE, AND ALMOST A HINT OF CARAMEL. NICE COMPLEXTY AND A VERY LONG FINISH.
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5/17/2008 - wcacern wrote: 90 Points
Extreme CULT Cabernet (Sam & Harry's Restaurant @ Newport Beach Marriott sponsored by LearnAboutWine): 64% cab. sav., 31% merlot, 3% cab. franc, 2% petite verdot. tight nose of mineral laced dark fruit, cherry cola, spice box, pepper, dry earth notes. nice balance of dry fruit, firm dusty tannins, and a lingering finish.
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3/9/2008 - Phin wrote: 98 Points
Absolutely exceptional. 2 hour decant. Bohemoth power, concentration, depth. Coffee and rich chocolate. Very long finish with viscous mouthcoating tannins.
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12/23/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 95 Points
15.6% alcohol. beautifully integrated, no heat. not decanted, and it shut down hard in the glass within an hour. black and blue fruit, perfumed nose, rich midpalate, and a long finish. what else is there? recommend holding.
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11/4/2007 - dbkitc wrote: 95 Points
Wow – deep ruby color. Powerful red fruit nose mixed with shitake mushrooms and forest floor. Gorgeous flavors, highly complex for such a young wine and long. Stunning and will only get better. I like the mix of power and intensity in this one. (95)
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4/27/2007 - mike l. wrote: 89 Points
had this at campanile in LA and was completely underwhelmed as was the rest of the table.
completely overpriced, not anywhere in the realm of shafer, sine qua non, even diamond creek. this is good, but far from great. very standard big oak california flavor, tight nose. pass.
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4/20/2007 - WineForRob wrote: 92 Points
Somewhat subdued nose of black cherries and raspberries huge full bodied wine on the palate with huge amounts of fruit. Finish starts smooth but end with huge ripe tannins that stick to your throat. This will probably be amazing in about 5 years but today it is a little tight and way too big.
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2/19/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
i thought i would share this as a means of recounting our aubert OL in the OC. i find the wine somewhat backward, but showing well enough to understand it's quality and potential. i'll revisit again at age five + decanting, and it should keep for 12-15 years with excellent cellaring. the fruit isn't as oppulent as the herb lamb, and considering the youngish age of the vines, that's to be expected. it's got a tannic mouthfeel at present, yet the finish isn't dusty or dry.
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2/10/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 93 Points
The Wines of Mark Aubert (Pinot Provence, Costa Mesa, CA): Huge and tannic. Needs time, but should become great with time.
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1/8/2007 - rsepulve wrote: 96 Points
Mammoth, intensely concentrated, mouth coating, full bodied wine. Loads of fruit on the nose and palate with hints of vanilla, smoke, licorice, mineral. Very well balanced. Finish goes on and on. Still it's quite young and I suspect it will improve with age.
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11/11/2006 - mnh wrote:
Wine exp: Deep purple. Violet and currnats. Elegant, balanced long finish. Lafite like. 96 points
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10/31/2006 - WineForRob wrote: 90 Points
Very tight. Strong raspberry flavor with strong tannins. Very strong potential
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10/29/2006 - gorm wrote: 95 Points
Very dark. Very close and very thin colored tears. A delicious and very seducing nose. WOW! It has a super structure and just takes control. Licorice, mint, dark dark dark berries and a looong aftertaste. Complex and intense pleasure. Rating: 95+
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10/20/2006 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
WS California Wine Experience Napa Valley Cabernet Tasting (San Francisco Marriott): Full opaque black/red. Medium clearn aroma of bright black raspberry. full tight rich black raspberry fruit with a firm tannic structure. Needs some time. 93-94 pts.
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7/7/2006 - MarkC wrote: 94 Points
Opaque purple in the glass. Nose initially a bit reserved, but the palate was huge immediately. Over the course of 2 hours, this wine unfolded with incredible complexity and strength (although, somewhat paradoxically, it actually got tighter and more closed over time). Initially it tasted and smelled nearly the same as the '01 Pride Merlot Moutaintop - velvety chocolate, rich berries, with a mouthcoating viscosity that kept the flavors going. Over time it unveiled vanilla bean, plum, and blackberry. It showed great purity with the strength, however - definitely an adult's "big wine." Similar to the Syrah, this has SQN-esque clarity and delineation, while remaining a tour de force. Imagine being gently nudged into submission instead of bludgeoned. I'm excited to see how this one evolves over the next 5+ years.
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6/28/2006 - Winetex wrote:
Fine Whites and mostly Cali Reds (Castle Hill Restaurant; Austin Texas): Served double blind. It was obvious that it was Cali cab. Beyond that there weren't many clues. I did not rate this wine because I believe it was slightly corked or otherwise damaged due to the complete lack of fruit. It had no nose other than a bit of oak and the only discernible flavor was coffee then it was gone. Thanks to CWG who so kindly brought this wine.
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5/16/2006 - nvandyk wrote: 97 Points
Drinking this way too early (perhaps?) but my curiosity got the best of me. And boy, am I glad it did. It's hard to say with the youth but this wine might be the best new world Red I've ever had next to the 1994 Dominus. There is an almost unreal concentration of crushed black fruit...fruit bomb doesn't begin to describe it. Tannins could be the most seamless I've ever tasted. Finish goes on forever -- mouth-coating but perfectly smooth and well integrated. The only question I have is the alcohol...it's 15.6 and it's noticeable once it hits the palate (though not as apparent on the nose). Maybe this mellows in a couple of years? Honestly, this could be a perfect wine for my palate. Awesome!!!
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3/10/2006 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
This was so fat, lush and sexy. The color was akin to dark, purple and black ink. Filled with gobs of blue and fruit, licorice and cassis. Great plush, opulent mouth feel and finish that keeps on going. This is a stellar expression of Napa Cabernet. While the wine checks in at over 15% alcohol, you'd never know it with it's wealth of ripe fruit
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