Should not have waited this long. Well past its prime, and only showing faint echos of what it once was. Not falling apart, but fading away gently. If you have any left, drink up. (I misplaced this one!)
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Oh wow...right up my alley and still going strong after 20 years. Has a little funk on the nose with red/black cheery and cassis up front. Mostly, though, it has given way to the tertiary notes of leather, tar, earth, and dark chocolate. Still has great structure and balance to the wine with dusty tannins and a wonderful long finish. Great now but can easily go another 5-10 years.
Opened and decanted one hour before tasting, but it didn't really open up for another 45 minutes or so. Visually, I might have guessed it was bottled 16 months ago, not 16 years. Nose was all forest floor and mushrooms, with no fruit, but it did not strike me as musty. On the palate, it was plums and caramel. Lean, with minimal tannins but still some backbone. Decent finish, with a lot of cinnamon and cedar. All in all, it was interesting (and not completely dead), but it wasn't all that enjoyable.
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Deep, dark reddish-purple garnet in color with ever-so-slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & cassis with classic cigar box overtones of cedar & tobacco, leather, earthy/dusty, herbal notes of juniper & mint, coffee/cocoa, minerals, some spices & a hint of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & silky smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with cocoa, herbs, minerals, spices & a hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing but even at 18 years of age, it should hold at its present plateau of development for several years longer if cellared properly although any further development may be minimal.
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Dark fruit, cassis, plum, and tobacco notes on the nose. Nicely integrated tannins with notes of more dark fruit, vanilla, and sweet plum. Long finish. Beautiful! This tastes decidedly Old World...
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Blind 2001/2002 Cab Tasting (Chez Hughes): Blind side-by-side with the 02. Gorgeous and typical Forman nose that surrounds plum fruit with a medley of tar, tobacco, medicinal herbs and cedar. Incredible velvety smooth texture. Tannins are smoothing and integrated. Long with precise, complex flavors. I slightly preferred this to what turned out to be the 02.
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California Cabernet 2001/2002 Blind Tasting (Hughes House - Chicago IL): Double blind in 01/02 Cali Cab tasting. Black cherry with some faint tobacco leaf and savory spice. Nicely integrated structure giving this excellent harmony and balance. Good+ weight and length. Easily my favorite of the tasting. Correctly ID'ed this as '01.
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Decanted 45min prior to consumption. Some allspice and brett on the nose like cigar ash. Tight and focused. Lot's of fruit in here just a bit cradled yet. More complexity on the finish and some cedar coming out later. Last glass taken home drank like a ringer for a classic left bank Bordeaux. Terrific though I'd recommend holding at least a few more years for best expression. This one is gonna last quite a while.
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Cassis, dark fruit, plums, and leather on the nose. Lovely integrated tannins with good acidity and more cassis flavors with good fruit on the palate. Nice finish. Maybe even a tiny bit better than the last bottle.
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Whoa, this is a fantastic wine. With all due respect to some of the recent reviews here, I think this is much better than what has been posted. Black cherry and blackberry fruit with an intense core of leather, earth, tobacco, tar, and dark chocolate. Holding it's own after 16 years, great mid-palate, beautiful firm, dusty tannins, and a wonderful long finish. This is a great example of why I love aged wine! Bummer it's my last bottle.
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Cassis, dark berries, leather, and plum on the nose. Integrated, but very present tannins with more dark fruit, plum, and herbs on the palate. Nice finish.
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Really heavenly. Youthful-still, but completely integrated and resolved. Deep, plush, weighty, smooth, and classic. Bottle 12 of 12. We've been so fond of this superb cab.
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This bottle was good, a solid take on Cali Cab that was a ringer for Chateau Latour. Bricking at edge, full nose of dried flowers and currant compote, touch of oak and very Bordeaux bit of old wood. Medium finish. Nice.
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Wow, this bottle is/was way better than my notes below for prior bottles....wonderful, full rich and ripe cherry, cassis and other red fruits plus some darker chocolate...Yum
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A soft wine still dripping with bright cherry brandy; a tad monolithic. Not as well-matched with the NY strips as a much lower priced 2004 Vina Mayor ribera del duero reserva.
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decanted 1 hr Med red; first impression was of ripe black and red cherries, red currants, later some dark chocolate came in; full body with integrated tannins and great balance, later there was less cherry and more pomegranate flavor- example of the changing nose/flavors over time. Very long soft finish, most Bdx would be proud to make this wine.
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This was more CA than the first bottle. Exquisite cabernet that seamlessly glides across the palette. Ready to drink and it didn't last long. Paired with Texas style smoked brisket. Wham!
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In my cellar since pre 06. Purple plum in color with no sign of maturity. Beautiful floral nose with a dose of cherry. Wonderful palate bursting with sweet red and black fruits. A nice sweetness. A wine that was made for my palate. No tannin. and very different than the 02 drunk side by side. Also a nice wine, but earthy and with some tannin to resolve. Drink the 01s now while waiting for the 02s to mature. An underpriced CA Cab for those who enjoy Napa wines as I do.
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The Forman Cabernet opens with a robust nose of earth, leather, and cherry. Still drinking quite young, this medium to full bodied wine shows flavors of casis, cherry, vanilla, and both dark and red berries. The tannins have softened over time leaving a beautifully well balanced wine that is a pleasure to drink. The nose on this wine was particularly wonderful and complex starting out with more earth and leather that morphed over time to a more fruity bouquet. The wine paired wonderfully with Stinco d'Agnello
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Deep dark red center, red rim with signs of age. Plums, blackberries, Bordeaux funk, a little minty, tapenade, pan grille, smoked bacon and a little toasty oak. Smooth, blueberries, blackberries, good tannins still, raspberry jam, touch of greenness, good length of mature fruit and supporting acidity. Excellent, leans towards the European but has the rounded fruit of a Napa wine. Drinking well now, but will likely last another 5+ years.
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Much better than when I tasted this wine a few years ago. It has matured nicely, tannins are resolved, deep dark fruit, balanced, earthy bordeaux-like nose. Lots of life left here.
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This is still an adolescent. Tanins are still evident yet help provide a framework for dark and brambly fruit. Finish is moderate in length. While this is my kind of cab it's a little one dimentional. I think this will improve over the next 5-10 years so I'm in rush to drink my remaining bottles. I should note I prefer my cabs with some serious age (+/- 20)
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Annual NFL Draft party. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black currant, forest floor, tobacco, cedar and some herbal notes. Really smooth in the mouth. The tannin seems totally resolved. Nice acid and balance. Rich and moderately full bodied. A decent finish.
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Popped and poured. Drank over two plus hours. Just beautiful! Reminds me of a pavilion rouge and a ridge montebello put together. It has the napa fruit and the French earthiness wrapped up in one wine. Plenty of time left, built to age.
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Bordeaux-like, dark fruit and graphite nose. Fresh acidity keeps it tasting young. Very rich, concentrated on the mid palate, restrained fruit, and strong structure with an iron, lingering finish. Delicious.
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Opened at a party, so I didn't get much of a chance to taste and evaluate. Compared to my last bottle almost exactly one year ago, this seemed to have a little less fruit and a little less body. Still pretty solid, but I now question how much longer it will last. Probably time to drink up.
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EWG - 2001: A Taste Odyssey (Conrad Green's Abode): Decanted about 4 hours prior to consumption. Cedary nose with light notes of wood. Lots of focused fruit. Forward acids bringing lovely structure into focus. Notes of cedar and tobacco with hints of brett. Still a bit tight for me but a very nice classic Cab. Will leave my others to rest.
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(Tasted in a flight with 2001 Forman, 2001 Togni, 2001 Bond Melbury and 2001 Pahlmeyer) There is so much brettanomyces in the nose I am quite amazed. The smell of wet gauze bandage and wet plaster boards is almost overwhelming. Behind this veil there is a quite elegant wine revealing mineral, green tea, black pepper, red currant and lovely tone of clay. The palate is balanced with pleasant tannins and an earthiness I do like. Finish lasts some 45 seconds.
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Opened, but not decanted, about 90 minutes before tasting. Bordeaux-like nose, but not excessively funky. Obviously mature, but not tired. Earth, wet leaves, a little mint, and a lot of cassis. Medium body and an above average finish. Surprising sweetness on the finish - more than I would have wanted. Except for the sweetness, it was about what I expected, an unusually complex Napa Cabernet. Given Forman's track record, it should hang in there for several more years.
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Drinking very well now. Needs a good decant to come alive - try 2 hours. This one is clasically structured. Still has great Napa fruit, but not overblown in any way. Nice fresh acids. Deep and long on the palate. Lovely wine!
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I'm not sure of this on. I opened and decanted then consumed over 4 hours on the first night then finished up watching watching the Patriots beat the Bears in the snow. The positives are the mouth feel and texture. The nose is rather mute and the wine never seems to open up, even with the extended decanting. I think it is in a transition phase right now and will try again in a year.
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Sue nailed this one as older Cali cab and that's exactly how it tasted....some age evident and tannin pretty well resolved, but still some there...this one had enough fruit left to carry the structure.....I would rate it 91-92...not sure how it will age from here.
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This is a strange wine - barnyard, bretty nose, but full bodied and lots of fruit left. I can't decide if I like its earthy bordeaux-like qualities or am put-off by the apparent taint. I guess more the latter since I have two bottles left and am not really looking forward to opening them. Tried the second day and must has not blown off.
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Opaque. Medium nose with sweet fruit. Medium bodied. Nicely structured. Very nicely balanced. Sweet dark berries and firm tannins. Drinking very good now, but will probably last 3-4 years.
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My first Forman Cab. I get the hype. This is quality juice! Built for the long haul rather than immediate gratification. Complex flavors and nice structure.
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Actually gave as a gift to a friend whose wife popped and poured it immediately for their anniversary. But under "gave away as a gift" you can't post a note! Great wine, essence of cali cab. But hold for atleast 5 more years. It really needs to shed it's skin! Maybe a 94 in a few years.
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A good example of a Napa bordeaux style. Very earthy with notes of mushroom, herbs, and ripe cherry. The wine grew on me as it opened, yet the finish and body maintained a voluptuous and rich texture that was enjoyable and fitting to the meal of sliced tenderloin and garlic toast.
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Wow! 4th bottle into the case, and it's really starting to come into its own already. I thought I'd have to keep waiting for those sweet tannins to soften up and show off the fruit, but here it is... can't wait for bottles 5-12 :-)
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Decanted 90 minutes. Four hours would have been better. The last glass was the best. Good dark fruit. Smooth mouthfeel. Looking forward to opening another in a year or two!
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This tasted just like Laube described it in WS when he gave it a 77. Very different from other bottles I have had, so there must be some defect present in a certain percentage of production. Bummer.
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Popped and poured. Medium dark opaque purple. On the nose, cherries, smoke, cedar and oak, with a minty, toothpaste note. The palate follows, with rich cherries, cedar and leather, with substantial but integrated tannins coming through on the medium length finish. I've had several bottles of this over the past couple years, and this shows notable softening of the leathery nose and palate that characterized prior bottles. I think JL has really missed the boat on this one - this is a well structured wine that is drinking well now but still has some aging potential. Glad I have a few more bottles.
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Better than the last one 8 months ago. Opened and poured side by side with a 99 Montalena. Preferred this (more fruit). Beautiful nose of Plums and Cherries. Dark purple. Lots of Plum and black fruits on the palate beautifully balanced with graphite and minerals. Some tannin, but not a lot. Will try this again in two or three years, and I would expect it to be better yet. One fine bottle.
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$40-60 Napa Cabs that Drink Like It (Inside): Pretty disappointing given some of the praise I've heard. This was decent, but that is about all. It was a bit herbal and underfruited. Decent mouthfeel which I think was more attributable to the tannins than anything else. It kind of felt like a failed effort to make an elegant wine or a bad year BDX. On the bright side, if you're into leather, this is the wine for you.
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Clear and dark ruby/purple. Great nose from start to finish; a dark fruit perfume. No tannin. More mineral than fruit on the palate. Smooth, but brooding. Grapphite, charcoal and purple plum. A little more sweetness and fruit and this would have merited a higher score. Very enjoyable.
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2001 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Refined elegance. Dark brooding color. The nose is a bit subdued and I believe this may a bit closed from the last time I had it (July 2004). I decant 1 hour, vigorous at times). Then… mocha laced dark berry fruits, super smooth integrated tannins. Wonderful clean finish. I read somewhere that Forman uses special yeast to achieve these qualities. Whatever is done seems to work.(glad I got more)
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The notes from my first tasting in July, 2005 were slightly different than February, 2006. Wasn't getting the finish on the first tasting, but everything else was similar but less balanced.
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Decanted 3 hours, still a youngster, bordeaux qualities, but distinctly California. It's a bright, deeply colored wine with lots of red & black fruit flavors and lots of mocha chocolate. We like this wine a lot, tasted twice over last year. Better notes on this bottle than last year (88-90).
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Too young, tanins not resolved, needs more time, try again in 6 months or more; some bitterness -- perhaps the petit verdot and not yet in balance; decanted a couple of hours
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Bright ruby-red. Initial funky & smoked meat aroma which lessens with a couple hours of decanting. Currant, smoked meat & espresso flavors, medium to full bodied, but ends with a disappointingly dry, bitter finish. 50+4+11+14+6=85.
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This bottle epitomizes why I fell in love with Napa Cabs. Big fruit, smooth LONG beautifully balanced middle, wonderful meshing of tannins and fruit. Nice oak, big but not overdone, ends with a wonderful silky aftertaste. This amazing bottle is one of the best Cabernets I have had in a long time, and I try new wines at a rate of two to three per week.
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4/22/2023 - ddemas wrote: 94 Points
Exceptional. Opened two bottle with ribeye steaks. Decanted for 30 minutes. Fruit well integrated and very balanced on the palate. Great finish.
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3/16/2023 - cawinenerd wrote: 86 Points
Should not have waited this long. Well past its prime, and only showing faint echos of what it once was. Not falling apart, but fading away gently. If you have any left, drink up. (I misplaced this one!)
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3/16/2021 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Oh wow...right up my alley and still going strong after 20 years. Has a little funk on the nose with red/black cheery and cassis up front. Mostly, though, it has given way to the tertiary notes of leather, tar, earth, and dark chocolate. Still has great structure and balance to the wine with dusty tannins and a wonderful long finish. Great now but can easily go another 5-10 years.
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4/18/2020 - Night Train wrote:
Opened and decanted one hour before tasting, but it didn't really open up for another 45 minutes or so. Visually, I might have guessed it was bottled 16 months ago, not 16 years. Nose was all forest floor and mushrooms, with no fruit, but it did not strike me as musty. On the palate, it was plums and caramel. Lean, with minimal tannins but still some backbone. Decent finish, with a lot of cinnamon and cedar. All in all, it was interesting (and not completely dead), but it wasn't all that enjoyable.
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1/21/2020 - RDB Wine wrote: flawed
From north 13 bin. Oak cork nose. Dark purple. Burst of oak chewy long body with dry stone finish. No fruit. Past prime. 3/10. Drank with Aline in BC.
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7/6/2019 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep, dark reddish-purple garnet in color with ever-so-slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & cassis with classic cigar box overtones of cedar & tobacco, leather, earthy/dusty, herbal notes of juniper & mint, coffee/cocoa, minerals, some spices & a hint of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & silky smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of dark cherries, blackberries & plums with cocoa, herbs, minerals, spices & a hint of oak/vanilla in the background. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & airing but even at 18 years of age, it should hold at its present plateau of development for several years longer if cellared properly although any further development may be minimal.
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3/23/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruit, cassis, plum, and tobacco notes on the nose. Nicely integrated tannins with notes of more dark fruit, vanilla, and sweet plum. Long finish. Beautiful! This tastes decidedly Old World...
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6/15/2018 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Blind 2001/2002 Cab Tasting (Chez Hughes): Blind side-by-side with the 02. Gorgeous and typical Forman nose that surrounds plum fruit with a medley of tar, tobacco, medicinal herbs and cedar. Incredible velvety smooth texture. Tannins are smoothing and integrated. Long with precise, complex flavors. I slightly preferred this to what turned out to be the 02.
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6/15/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
California Cabernet 2001/2002 Blind Tasting (Hughes House - Chicago IL): Double blind in 01/02 Cali Cab tasting. Black cherry with some faint tobacco leaf and savory spice. Nicely integrated structure giving this excellent harmony and balance. Good+ weight and length. Easily my favorite of the tasting. Correctly ID'ed this as '01.
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5/17/2018 - WetRock wrote:
Decanted 45min prior to consumption. Some allspice and brett on the nose like cigar ash. Tight and focused. Lot's of fruit in here just a bit cradled yet. More complexity on the finish and some cedar coming out later. Last glass taken home drank like a ringer for a classic left bank Bordeaux. Terrific though I'd recommend holding at least a few more years for best expression. This one is gonna last quite a while.
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8/20/2017 - petermpls Likes this wine:
Striking intensity. Recent reviews capture it well. Still has a long life ahead.
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8/19/2017 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cassis, dark fruit, plums, and leather on the nose. Lovely integrated tannins with good acidity and more cassis flavors with good fruit on the palate. Nice finish. Maybe even a tiny bit better than the last bottle.
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3/19/2017 - ledocq wrote: flawed
Boo. Cork disintegrated. Smelled "off." Just shrill and no good.
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2/14/2017 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Whoa, this is a fantastic wine. With all due respect to some of the recent reviews here, I think this is much better than what has been posted. Black cherry and blackberry fruit with an intense core of leather, earth, tobacco, tar, and dark chocolate. Holding it's own after 16 years, great mid-palate, beautiful firm, dusty tannins, and a wonderful long finish. This is a great example of why I love aged wine! Bummer it's my last bottle.
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1/1/2017 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cassis, dark berries, leather, and plum on the nose. Integrated, but very present tannins with more dark fruit, plum, and herbs on the palate. Nice finish.
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11/4/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Really heavenly. Youthful-still, but completely integrated and resolved. Deep, plush, weighty, smooth, and classic. Bottle 12 of 12. We've been so fond of this superb cab.
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7/30/2016 - edjBoca Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well balanced, but not singing. I am not sure if this is old or not...
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7/23/2016 - ginfizz wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was good, a solid take on Cali Cab that was a ringer for Chateau Latour. Bricking at edge, full nose of dried flowers and currant compote, touch of oak and very Bordeaux bit of old wood. Medium finish. Nice.
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1/27/2016 - Mr T wrote:
Wow, this bottle is/was way better than my notes below for prior bottles....wonderful, full rich and ripe cherry, cassis and other red fruits plus some darker chocolate...Yum
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1/25/2016 - Rollerball wrote: 89 Points
A soft wine still dripping with bright cherry brandy; a tad monolithic. Not as well-matched with the NY strips as a much lower priced 2004 Vina Mayor ribera del duero reserva.
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5/8/2015 - vinojones wrote: 94 Points
decanted 1 hr Med red; first impression was of ripe black and red cherries, red currants, later some dark chocolate came in; full body with integrated tannins and great balance, later there was less cherry and more pomegranate flavor- example of the changing nose/flavors over time. Very long soft finish, most Bdx would be proud to make this wine.
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1/9/2015 - JS199 wrote: 93 Points
This was more CA than the first bottle. Exquisite cabernet that seamlessly glides across the palette. Ready to drink and it didn't last long. Paired with Texas style smoked brisket. Wham!
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12/31/2014 - cos82 Likes this wine: 93 Points
In my cellar since pre 06. Purple plum in color with no sign of maturity. Beautiful floral nose with a dose of cherry. Wonderful palate bursting with sweet red and black fruits. A nice sweetness. A wine that was made for my palate. No tannin. and very different than the 02 drunk side by side. Also a nice wine, but earthy and with some tannin to resolve. Drink the 01s now while waiting for the 02s to mature. An underpriced CA Cab for those who enjoy Napa wines as I do.
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12/18/2014 - vinus_operandi Likes this wine: 93 Points
The Forman Cabernet opens with a robust nose of earth, leather, and cherry. Still drinking quite young, this medium to full bodied wine shows flavors of casis, cherry, vanilla, and both dark and red berries. The tannins have softened over time leaving a beautifully well balanced wine that is a pleasure to drink. The nose on this wine was particularly wonderful and complex starting out with more earth and leather that morphed over time to a more fruity bouquet. The wine paired wonderfully with Stinco d'Agnello
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11/26/2014 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark red center, red rim with signs of age.
Plums, blackberries, Bordeaux funk, a little minty, tapenade, pan grille, smoked bacon and a little toasty oak.
Smooth, blueberries, blackberries, good tannins still, raspberry jam, touch of greenness, good length of mature fruit and supporting acidity.
Excellent, leans towards the European but has the rounded fruit of a Napa wine. Drinking well now, but will likely last another 5+ years.
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6/13/2014 - Barnaby33 wrote:
Subtle, balanced, good, If you like Napa cab.
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5/20/2014 - Mr T wrote:
I would describe this wine similarly to many reviewers below but I'd score it a few points higher....Really pretty mature wine
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4/9/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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12/20/2013 - cabber Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better than when I tasted this wine a few years ago. It has matured nicely, tannins are resolved, deep dark fruit, balanced, earthy bordeaux-like nose. Lots of life left here.
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5/19/2013 - Rollerball wrote: 90 Points
Soft, feminine entry. Middle's nice and then it's gone.
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5/19/2013 - g-man wrote: 92 Points
This is still an adolescent. Tanins are still evident yet help provide a framework for dark and brambly fruit. Finish is moderate in length. While this is my kind of cab it's a little one dimentional. I think this will improve over the next 5-10 years so I'm in rush to drink my remaining bottles. I should note I prefer my cabs with some serious age (+/- 20)
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4/25/2013 - Chainthroer wrote: 91 Points
Annual NFL Draft party. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black currant, forest floor, tobacco, cedar and some herbal notes. Really smooth in the mouth. The tannin seems totally resolved. Nice acid and balance. Rich and moderately full bodied. A decent finish.
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12/22/2012 - budman wrote: 91 Points
Mature Napa cab. Resolved tannins. Good dark fruit. Medium to long finish.
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12/8/2012 - JS199 wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Drank over two plus hours. Just beautiful! Reminds me of a pavilion rouge and a ridge montebello put together. It has the napa fruit and the French earthiness wrapped up in one wine. Plenty of time left, built to age.
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10/8/2012 - maxfischer wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux-like, dark fruit and graphite nose. Fresh acidity keeps it tasting young. Very rich, concentrated on the mid palate, restrained fruit, and strong structure with an iron, lingering finish. Delicious.
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6/3/2012 - Night Train wrote: 89 Points
Opened at a party, so I didn't get much of a chance to taste and evaluate. Compared to my last bottle almost exactly one year ago, this seemed to have a little less fruit and a little less body. Still pretty solid, but I now question how much longer it will last. Probably time to drink up.
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4/5/2012 - geneswine wrote: 92 Points
Very nice red fruit. Smooth tannins.
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3/14/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Drinking very nicely.
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12/18/2011 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Lovely sweet tobacco; well-balanced, integrated, good light spice note, red fruits, soft raspberry, medium tannins. Nice.
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12/18/2011 - WetRock wrote:
EWG - 2001: A Taste Odyssey (Conrad Green's Abode): Decanted about 4 hours prior to consumption. Cedary nose with light notes of wood. Lots of focused fruit. Forward acids bringing lovely structure into focus. Notes of cedar and tobacco with hints of brett. Still a bit tight for me but a very nice classic Cab. Will leave my others to rest.
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9/15/2011 - Christoffer78 wrote: 88 Points
(Tasted in a flight with 2001 Forman, 2001 Togni, 2001 Bond Melbury and 2001 Pahlmeyer) There is so much brettanomyces in the nose I am quite amazed. The smell of wet gauze bandage and wet plaster boards is almost overwhelming. Behind this veil there is a quite elegant wine revealing mineral, green tea, black pepper, red currant and lovely tone of clay. The palate is balanced with pleasant tannins and an earthiness I do like. Finish lasts some 45 seconds.
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9/2/2011 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 92 Points
Very nice and still with a lot of life -- spicy with dried fruits and solid structure.
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5/27/2011 - Night Train wrote: 90 Points
Opened, but not decanted, about 90 minutes before tasting. Bordeaux-like nose, but not excessively funky. Obviously mature, but not tired. Earth, wet leaves, a little mint, and a lot of cassis. Medium body and an above average finish. Surprising sweetness on the finish - more than I would have wanted. Except for the sweetness, it was about what I expected, an unusually complex Napa Cabernet. Given Forman's track record, it should hang in there for several more years.
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5/21/2011 - marshalc wrote: flawed
corked wine, disappointing.
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4/3/2011 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured; recommend same. Deep, gorgeous, pleasurable. Lush but sophisticated. Kona coffee and cassis. Black cherry pencil.
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1/2/2011 - Blair Curtis wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very well now. Needs a good decant to come alive - try 2 hours. This one is clasically structured. Still has great Napa fruit, but not overblown in any way. Nice fresh acids. Deep and long on the palate. Lovely wine!
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12/12/2010 - g-man wrote: 90 Points
I'm not sure of this on. I opened and decanted then consumed over 4 hours on the first night then finished up watching watching the Patriots beat the Bears in the snow. The positives are the mouth feel and texture. The nose is rather mute and the wine never seems to open up, even with the extended decanting. I think it is in a transition phase right now and will try again in a year.
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11/9/2010 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Drinking real well from the first sip. Dark fruit. Smooth tannins.
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8/23/2010 - Mr T wrote:
Sue nailed this one as older Cali cab and that's exactly how it tasted....some age evident and tannin pretty well resolved, but still some there...this one had enough fruit left to carry the structure.....I would rate it 91-92...not sure how it will age from here.
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4/22/2010 - Anonymous Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good - the tannins have resolved and there's still structure, black fruit, tar, leather. Delineated and clean but a bit clipped on the finish.
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4/20/2010 - cabber wrote:
This is a strange wine - barnyard, bretty nose, but full bodied and lots of fruit left. I can't decide if I like its earthy bordeaux-like qualities or am put-off by the apparent taint. I guess more the latter since I have two bottles left and am not really looking forward to opening them. Tried the second day and must has not blown off.
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4/4/2010 - wynnewood500 wrote:
Nice aroma but bigger on the palete. Fruit driven with a good structure. A big hot from the alcohol. Delicious!
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3/28/2010 - pea wrote: 92 Points
Opaque. Medium nose with sweet fruit. Medium bodied. Nicely structured. Very nicely balanced. Sweet dark berries and firm tannins. Drinking very good now, but will probably last 3-4 years.
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3/24/2010 - bwillia wrote: 94 Points
My first Forman Cab. I get the hype. This is quality juice! Built for the long haul rather than immediate gratification. Complex flavors and nice structure.
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1/2/2010 - ginfizz wrote: 85 Points
Bretty, thin, short. Perfectly stored, purchased on release. A huge disappointment for the vintage.
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12/25/2009 - rpfarwell wrote: 90 Points
Very good but a little disappointing for what I was expecting. Still a bit harsh and closed - perhaps still needs more time
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12/9/2009 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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8/31/2009 - ZinRandy wrote: 93 Points
celebrated my 40th bday with this bottle.
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2/15/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
Pizza and Cabs at Mike P's, aka Go Buy Yourself Some Buccella (Mike and Barb's, Staten Island, NY): This was earthy. It didn't have much fruit. I didn't care for it.
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9/1/2008 - Blair Curtis wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was a touch bretty and not as good as past bottles. Still excellent, but different.
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4/21/2008 - WStucker wrote: 91 Points
Actually gave as a gift to a friend whose wife popped and poured it immediately for their anniversary. But under "gave away as a gift" you can't post a note! Great wine, essence of cali cab. But hold for atleast 5 more years. It really needs to shed it's skin! Maybe a 94 in a few years.
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12/25/2007 - napaJ6 wrote: 91 Points
A good example of a Napa bordeaux style. Very earthy with notes of mushroom, herbs, and ripe cherry. The wine grew on me as it opened, yet the finish and body maintained a voluptuous and rich texture that was enjoyable and fitting to the meal of sliced tenderloin and garlic toast.
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10/22/2007 - 2loyal wrote: 95 Points
Wow! 4th bottle into the case, and it's really starting to come into its own already. I thought I'd have to keep waiting for those sweet tannins to soften up and show off the fruit, but here it is... can't wait for bottles 5-12 :-)
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9/30/2007 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 90 minutes. Four hours would have been better.
The last glass was the best. Good dark fruit. Smooth mouthfeel. Looking forward to opening another in a year or two!
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9/14/2007 - jmd60611 wrote: 91 Points
Deep redd, big bouquet, very delicious and balanced silky and smooth, maybe missing just a bit of fruit to consider much more aging
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7/5/2007 - DLT wrote: flawed
This tasted just like Laube described it in WS when he gave it a 77. Very different from other bottles I have had, so there must be some defect present in a certain percentage of production. Bummer.
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6/7/2007 - DLT wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Medium dark opaque purple. On the nose, cherries, smoke, cedar and oak, with a minty, toothpaste note. The palate follows, with rich cherries, cedar and leather, with substantial but integrated tannins coming through on the medium length finish. I've had several bottles of this over the past couple years, and this shows notable softening of the leathery nose and palate that characterized prior bottles. I think JL has really missed the boat on this one - this is a well structured wine that is drinking well now but still has some aging potential. Glad I have a few more bottles.
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5/22/2007 - cos82 wrote: 93 Points
Better than the last one 8 months ago. Opened and poured side by side with a 99 Montalena. Preferred this (more fruit). Beautiful nose of Plums and Cherries. Dark purple. Lots of Plum and black fruits on the palate beautifully balanced with graphite and minerals. Some tannin, but not a lot. Will try this again in two or three years, and I would expect it to be better yet. One fine bottle.
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12/23/2006 - David S wrote: 90 Points
preferred the 02 and 99
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11/2/2006 - King Cab wrote: 93 Points
In don't know what wine tasting BSherwin was at, but the one I had that night was similar to my last one. Graceful, elegant, & balanced.
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11/2/2006 - bsherwin wrote:
$40-60 Napa Cabs that Drink Like It (Inside): Pretty disappointing given some of the praise I've heard. This was decent, but that is about all. It was a bit herbal and underfruited. Decent mouthfeel which I think was more attributable to the tannins than anything else. It kind of felt like a failed effort to make an elegant wine or a bad year BDX. On the bright side, if you're into leather, this is the wine for you.
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10/14/2006 - cos82 wrote: 91 Points
Clear and dark ruby/purple. Great nose from start to finish; a dark fruit perfume. No tannin. More mineral than fruit on the palate. Smooth, but brooding. Grapphite, charcoal and purple plum. A little more sweetness and fruit and this would have merited a higher score. Very enjoyable.
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8/30/2006 - King Cab wrote: 91 Points
2001 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
Refined elegance. Dark brooding color. The nose is a bit subdued and I believe this may a bit closed from the last time I had it (July 2004). I decant 1 hour, vigorous at times). Then… mocha laced dark berry fruits, super smooth integrated tannins. Wonderful clean finish. I read somewhere that Forman uses special yeast to achieve these qualities. Whatever is done seems to work.(glad I got more)
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5/1/2006 - Imagination wrote: 90 Points
The notes from my first tasting in July, 2005 were slightly different than February, 2006. Wasn't getting the finish on the first tasting, but everything else was similar but less balanced.
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5/1/2006 - Imagination wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours, still a youngster, bordeaux qualities, but distinctly California. It's a bright, deeply colored wine with lots of red & black fruit flavors and lots of mocha chocolate. We like this wine a lot, tasted twice over last year. Better notes on this bottle than last year (88-90).
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3/20/2006 - Cracker Barrel wrote: 88 Points
Too young, tanins not resolved, needs more time, try again in 6 months or more; some bitterness -- perhaps the petit verdot and not yet in balance; decanted a couple of hours
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3/19/2005 - blocsin wrote: 85 Points
Bright ruby-red. Initial funky & smoked meat aroma which lessens with a couple hours of decanting. Currant, smoked meat & espresso flavors, medium to full bodied, but ends with a disappointingly dry, bitter finish. 50+4+11+14+6=85.
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11/5/2004 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
BLACK CHERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, LICORICE, AND CHOCOLATE IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH. NICE COMPLEXITY.
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7/15/2004 - King Cab wrote:
This bottle epitomizes why I fell in love with Napa Cabs. Big fruit, smooth LONG beautifully balanced middle, wonderful meshing of tannins and fruit. Nice oak, big but not overdone, ends with a wonderful silky aftertaste. This amazing bottle is one of the best Cabernets I have had in a long time, and I try new wines at a rate of two to three per week.
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