took a little time to settle down the first evening but classic fruit but demure and tannins settled 2nd day past it's prime, exhausted but rallied briefly time to drink up
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Had not been over top with my Mascots until now. 08 off the hook. Prob 10-20yrs left on it, deep, dark California Cabernet fruit, tannins that are softening but could still use more time, touch of tobacco & vanilla ^glorious long finish.
Did not decent but maybe that could have softened Drank over 3-4hrs.
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100% audacious and bold. Lots of Cab but I suspect the presence of some Petite Syrah and Petit Verdot. Even though it’s 13 years aged, I suspect it could age for 30 years or longer.
No reason to change my score. A terrific wine. Boatloads of blueberries (?), beautiful balance, and a great finish. Only caveat is that, over the course of two or three hours, it did not open up any more than immediately after the cork was pulled. In fact, it seemed to deterirorate a little, so I SUSPECT that it's about to head downhill.
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Opened about two hours before drinking. No visible signs of age. Terrific nose - cassis, spices, and a hint of tobacco. On the palate, it was perfectly balanced, with cassis and a ton of spices, most notably cinnamon. Quite rich, with a very long, very good finish. I suspect that it's only at the beginning of its prime drinking window.
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Beautiful soft, velvety tannins. Light, sweet white oak with elegant berry flavors. Definitely a powerful cab but not heavy on the palate. Higher alcohol level. Excellent structure. Could easily last 10 more years and can only imagine more time will reveal many more gorgeous nuances.
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Consistent with the last tasting two years ago, but this has gained weight on the mid-palate. Still tight but it now has good viscosity, concentration, and a lengthy finish. Nice balance of savory herbs and sweet black fruit. Technical score: 94. Enjoyment score: 93.
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4 years since my last bottle and it helped. Vibrant nose of dark berries upon opening. I slow oxed this for 14 hours in my cellar (60 degrees). Would have preferred to pair this with a nice steak but settled for Thanksgiving desserts of chocolate silk pie and triple berry pie (blueberries, raspberries with a sliced strawberry on top). Black fruit, vanilla and cassis on the palate that evolves into a deliciously long finish. Love this wine and at $75 on release a great buy. It's listed on Wine Searcher for $300 now. That's too much for me but I see 683 bottles in the CT community. Hit me up if you want to make $50 a bottle. Cheers !
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On open, sharp tanins and muddled fruit but I decanted and let sit in the cellar for 4hrs & it emerged softened and fully integrated. Tanins were muted but fruit didn't recover as I had hoped. Perhaps it was closed. Will try again in a few years.
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I shared this with a group at the HDH auction celebration in Washington DC. It was my last bottle from this vintage, and since released it has matured nicely. We opened it about an hour before serving, and the tannins were mostly integrated. There were a lot of great wines being opened that day, but The Mascot was a big hit. Everyone seemed to know the story, and over the next hour, the rich full body of the wine developed some very interesting notes . It is kind of old world in style; definitely not some kind of fruit bomb. It was compared favorably to the Harlan of the same vintage. I've never had the Harlan, but there were a lot of experts there whose opinion I respect.
It has gotten a lot more expensive since release, and I have seen a few bottles at retail over $150.
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Deep dark colors, medium to light body, amazing aroma of lime, anise and cinnamon with a hint of leather that fils your nose and mouth. Totally a Harlan wine!
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My third and final bottle of this. Not impressed. Very hot and bitter, even after aerating into a decanter an hour ahead of time. Paired with grilled ribeye which did help. Opened throughout the evening and became slightly better after 4 hours. I hope the 09 and 10 are better, but at this price point, money is better spent on Shafer or Mondavi Reserve.
Served with grilled steak and Gorgonzola sauce. The mascot was structured with restrained fruit and good body, medium tannins and medium finish. Wish I had more of it!
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Opened and decanted 2-hours ahead of grilled NY Strips, roasted potatoes, and seared asparagus. Murky crimson color with a purple/violet hue. Classic Oakville profile on the nose, bringing brambly blackberries, blackcurrant, creme de cassis, mint, sweet tobacco, dried leather, and wild herbs. The palate is medium-full, round, silky, and juicy, bringing dark chocolate cherries, milk chocolate, ripe raspberries, plums, and baked blackberry pie. The finish brings refined tannins with good length. However, the palate needs to gain some weight and fill out. Should be best after 2017.
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Outstanding. Will def get better over the next 3-5 years, but drinking very well now. Bad news...this was my last bottle. Good news...just took delivery on the 2010s!
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A year from last bottle isn't nearly enough. This one needs at least 3 more years before opening another to see how it is. It is fine right now overall but not "wow" so why not wait. Plenty of grip on this one upon opening and 1-2 hours later as well.
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Blood red. Chocolate and fresh mown grass nose. Chocolate, plums and cedar are the first, big notes. The wine took an hour and a half to open up, at which time herbal notes, currants, tobacco and toasted bread developed. This is a huge wine with soft acids. Drink up, but decant for at least an hour next time.
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Big, rich, with flavors of blueberry and cranberry but still very tannic which is surprising given that it is a 2008. PnP on day one which didn't help any. I expected the tannins to settle down on Day 2 but they had not and the alcohol became overwhelming. So much so that we poured the second half of the bottle out.
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in good shape with years of life left day 1 tannins with tart strawberries day 2 bitter at first then softer fruit and some earth notes day 3 overall better integration
let this sleeping dog lie down for awhile
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2 hr decant. Bold nose of blackberry, plum, graphite and oak notes. Medium plus body black fruits, tobacco, and bittersweet chocolate. Moderate tannins. I regret missing the window to purchase the 09.
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Oaky nose, hint of mint, raw beef. Smells tight. The palate shows some young fruit but its tight and very tannic. Very very tannic. Wow. Not sure what to make of the Dunn like tannins.
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Tasted blind: dark in color. Nose of black currant, dark fruit (plums, blackberries), coffee. The wine is quite fat but has a nice structure to it. Still tannic, a bit high on alcohol and sweet. Not a bad wine but all a bit too modern.
P.s: it needs to be noted that the wine was in the same flight next to the 2004 Maybach Materium (95 pts) and the 2010 Maybach Materium (97 pts) and it could almost stand up to this tough competition. So congrats to Will Harlan for producing such a great wine in its official first vintage.
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I see potential here but this needs time in the cellar or decanter. Pretty tightly wound and didn't giver up that much in the 2 hours we spent with it.
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Outstanding. Great youthful that morphed over the one hour decant from youthful fruit forward wine to a great expression of Napa. Graphite and dark fruit with a super supple finish
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Not as complex as Harlan's associated second-wines, but has tremendous concentration in flavor and jammy fruitiness. It seems to be meant to be drunk young (without the hit to the wallet of the others) and is a great youthful expression of what Harlan/Bond have to offer. Interested in trying the 2009 side-by-side with Maiden and Matriarch.
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terrific in every sense initially tight but gradually revealed it's secrets with layer upon layer of fruit earth and minerality changing almost every 15 minutes A long life ahead and look forward to the next release
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The bottle was very tight upon opening. Give it 60-90 minutes to breath. Well balanced with front end green peppers and eucalyptus. The back end tannins were well integrated and not at all harsh. Very enjoyable now and will be interesting to follow over time.
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Great bottle of wine. Reminds me of some Tor's we have had... "fall in a glass" as C says. Dark fruits, a touch floral, some fall spices (cinnamon?). Great now, and I think will continue to evolve for a number of years.
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Dark crimson in the glass and opaque. Nose is very much fruit centered with dark purple fruits and a bit of pencil lead. Medium bodied with a nice finish. Much better with filet than as a cocktail. Plenty of spine to let this one age a few more years. Fine now. Hopefully better with age.
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The Mascot is a project of Will Harlan, son of Bill Harlan of Harlan Estate, Bond, and Promontory wine icons. The wine is made from the younger vines on the aforementioned estates and is made to drink upon release. I found the wine to be lean, with flavors of blueberry and spice with some heat on the back end. It improved a little the second day and was notable for having a long persistent finish. The wine has not been rated by RP, WS or V.
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Blood red. Nose of camphor, earth, cinnamon, chocolate, forest and a hint of mint. A chewy, rich cab. Drinking well but opened up significantly and benefitted from a full day of decanting. Chocolate, earth, grilled meat and toast. A huge wine.
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Floored by how wonderful this wine was. Not particularly opulent, surprisingly, but very restrained and balanced. Lots of red fruit with just a hint of dark chocolate. The vanilla is there from the oak but I feel it's well integrated. Great flavor delineation now but this will only get more complex with age. Never would have guessed this was young vines.
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A bold young California cabernet. Opened much too early and did not give it enough time to decant, but thoroughly enjoyed the dark fruit and big tannins. Should age well for years.
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One of the more remarkable wines I've tasted. I poured it for a Somm friend and her husband, and both agreed that it was a remarkable wine. Notes of berry on the nose, opening after an hour or so into forest notes, loam and oak, with a hint of pine on the note. A lot of spice, and great complexity. The tanins were on the heavy side, but quite fine, so the wine had an excellent mouthfeel. Will no doubt continue to develop in the bottle, but I don't regret opening this one at all. A special bottle, I regret only buying three.
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Pigeon's blood red. Vinous nose of tarragon, chocolate, pepper, vanilla and beef. Chewy and rich mouthfeel. Rich spices, meat, bittersweet chocolate, finishes with cedar and tobacco.
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This is a very young wine with the structure and tannins to age for quite some time. Fruity nose with moderate finish. Curious to see what this is like in 5+ years. Excited for the future of this project from Harlan.
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Delicious. Very dark - almost black - with thin legs. Chocolate and a hint of cinnamon on the nose. Syrupy flavor like a Syrah at first; after an hour black pepper and coffee flavors emerged. This will certainly improve with age.
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Deep dark crimson to garnet. Dense and vital! Fine & highly complex aromas of Dark Berries, Flower(s) (Meadow), Perfume, and Exotic Spices. Constantly evolving – especially in the first hour! Beautiful and powerful Floral characters. Mushrooms, Herbs and little Licorice. Vanilla Sugar and some Fresh Eucalypt. Multi-layered and finely spun while very present and intense! Dense Dark Fruit flavors- Cassis, Cedar, Blackberry and even (little) Plum. Mocha, Dark Chocolate, Spices, and Road Tar. Great density with medium- to full-bodied, silky mouthfeel. Finishes long and intense with amazing Dark Fruit, Fine Dusty Tannins and intense Peppery Spiciness. Combines density, concentration and power with filigree flavor levels, balance and great complexity!
Primarily intended for uncomplicated and early consumption, this wine combines all virtues of Premium Napa Valley Cabernet. An approachable, but exceptional wine with great structure and future potential! Filigree, harmonious, balanced and complex. This wine doesn´t get boring and unites richness, great fruit, freshness and sophistication. See more details at cellartv.wordpress.com
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I decanted this for 90 minutes, dark garnet in the glass, the nose was nice with plums, chocolate and cherries present, it was silky smooth in the mouth with traces of vanilla and oak and a nice pleasant finish. I felt there was good complexity of flavors which bodes well for the future.
The Mascot improved over the course of the evening, both the complexity and finish improved. It really opened up in the 4th hour.
This wine has an interesting history. It is made by Will Harlan the 26 year old son of Bill Harlan of BOND and Harlan Estate fame. The grapes for The Mascot come from the younger vines on the two famous (and expensive) vineyards.
Given the BOND and Harlan heritage and the potential this wine has to improve with age (IMO) I believe there is good value, perhaps exceptional, in the $75 price point. While it is a very nice wine right now I believe it will improve with 4-5 years in the cellar. Perhaps a 95 someday in the future.
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Got my shipment of The Mascot today and couldn't resist opening a bottle. Poured in a decanter and drank across 2 hours at dinner with a nice pork chop and flowerless chocolate cake. The nose was muted at first but opened up after 1/2 hour in the decanter to a sweet nose of chocolate, cedar, vanilla and warm spice. Visually the wine is medium/full body dark ruby in color. The mouthfeel is medium body with soft super sweet tannins that could use a few years to mellow, but drinks well now. Mid palat hits you with a "pow" of super sweet milk chocolate, cedar, spice, vanilla and bright fruit, then fades a bit early. This wine is not an over extracted Napa fruit bomb, but has a well balanced sweet palate of fruit that is enjoyable on its own or with some medium rich food. It should benefit from a few years of cellaring, but drinks well young. Well done Will Harlan! Great fist vintage of The Mascot. Looking forward more in the future.
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7/15/2023 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 90 Points
took a little time to settle down the first evening
but classic fruit but demure and tannins settled
2nd day past it's prime, exhausted
but rallied briefly
time to drink up
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12/29/2021 - Deadhead wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours prior to serving. Delicious.
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12/17/2021 - Rhone Rick Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had not been over top with my Mascots until now. 08 off the hook. Prob 10-20yrs left on it, deep, dark California Cabernet fruit, tannins that are softening but could still use more time, touch of tobacco & vanilla ^glorious long finish.
Did not decent but maybe that could have softened Drank over 3-4hrs.
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3/20/2021 - Alongfield Likes this wine: 94 Points
100% audacious and bold. Lots of Cab but I suspect the presence of some Petite Syrah and Petit Verdot. Even though it’s 13 years aged, I suspect it could age for 30 years or longer.
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10/9/2020 - Pchandhok@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
BlackBerry jammy yummy
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9/17/2020 - Night Train Likes this wine: 94 Points
No reason to change my score. A terrific wine. Boatloads of blueberries (?), beautiful balance, and a great finish. Only caveat is that, over the course of two or three hours, it did not open up any more than immediately after the cork was pulled. In fact, it seemed to deterirorate a little, so I SUSPECT that it's about to head downhill.
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7/3/2020 - Rhone Rick Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brighter and richer than the last time. Classic Napa Cab, red fruit and tobacco, long finish.
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1/17/2020 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 95 Points
Herbaceous with black fruit and eucalyptus. Big cherry flavor with a hint of leather. Rich and full bodied, soft tannins and a luxurious long finish
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12/25/2019 - Night Train Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tied for second in a bodacious Xmas tasting (2003 Spottswoode was 1st). Killer, and may still improve.
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10/3/2019 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
so much better after a 4 hour decant
wow
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4/5/2019 - Night Train Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened about two hours before drinking. No visible signs of age. Terrific nose - cassis, spices, and a hint of tobacco. On the palate, it was perfectly balanced, with cassis and a ton of spices, most notably cinnamon. Quite rich, with a very long, very good finish. I suspect that it's only at the beginning of its prime drinking window.
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12/6/2018 - dkentaustin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful soft, velvety tannins. Light, sweet white oak with elegant berry flavors. Definitely a powerful cab but not heavy on the palate. Higher alcohol level. Excellent structure. Could easily last 10 more years and can only imagine more time will reveal many more gorgeous nuances.
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4/6/2018 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with the last tasting two years ago, but this has gained weight on the mid-palate. Still tight but it now has good viscosity, concentration, and a lengthy finish. Nice balance of savory herbs and sweet black fruit. Technical score: 94. Enjoyment score: 93.
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1/1/2018 - MTwine66 wrote: 96 Points
Had with steak dinner. Very well integrated and drinking great. Would drink this now or in the near future.
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11/23/2017 - GaryHOhio wrote: 95 Points
4 years since my last bottle and it helped. Vibrant nose of dark berries upon opening. I slow oxed this for 14 hours in my cellar (60 degrees).
Would have preferred to pair this with a nice steak but settled for Thanksgiving desserts of chocolate silk pie and triple berry pie (blueberries, raspberries with a sliced strawberry on top). Black fruit, vanilla and cassis on the palate that evolves into a deliciously long finish.
Love this wine and at $75 on release a great buy. It's listed on Wine Searcher for $300 now. That's too much for me but I see 683 bottles in the CT community. Hit me up if you want to make $50 a bottle. Cheers !
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2/20/2017 - Rhone Rick Likes this wine: 92 Points
On open, sharp tanins and muddled fruit but I decanted and let sit in the cellar for 4hrs & it emerged softened and fully integrated. Tanins were muted but fruit didn't recover as I had hoped. Perhaps it was closed. Will try again in a few years.
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2/11/2017 - Sandbar Likes this wine: 95 Points
I shared this with a group at the HDH auction celebration in Washington DC. It was my last bottle from this vintage, and since released it has matured nicely. We opened it about an hour before serving, and the tannins were mostly integrated. There were a lot of great wines being opened that day, but The Mascot was a big hit. Everyone seemed to know the story, and over the next hour, the rich full body of the wine developed some very interesting notes . It is kind of old world in style; definitely not some kind of fruit bomb. It was compared favorably to the Harlan of the same vintage. I've never had the Harlan, but there were a lot of experts there whose opinion I respect.
It has gotten a lot more expensive since release, and I have seen a few bottles at retail over $150.
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9/30/2016 - jicreixell Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep dark colors, medium to light body, amazing aroma of lime, anise and cinnamon with a hint of leather that fils your nose and mouth. Totally a Harlan wine!
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9/2/2016 - Tonythefish wrote: 95 Points
See prior notes - big fan of this wine
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7/30/2016 - jyensan wrote:
My third and final bottle of this. Not impressed. Very hot and bitter, even after aerating into a decanter an hour ahead of time. Paired with grilled ribeye which did help. Opened throughout the evening and became slightly better after 4 hours. I hope the 09 and 10 are better, but at this price point, money is better spent on Shafer or Mondavi Reserve.
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7/23/2016 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served with grilled steak and Gorgonzola sauce. The mascot was structured with restrained fruit and good body, medium tannins and medium finish. Wish I had more of it!
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6/26/2016 - Deadhead wrote: 94 Points
No notes. Got better as the evening progressed. Quite enjoyable.
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4/17/2016 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and decanted 2-hours ahead of grilled NY Strips, roasted potatoes, and seared asparagus. Murky crimson color with a purple/violet hue. Classic Oakville profile on the nose, bringing brambly blackberries, blackcurrant, creme de cassis, mint, sweet tobacco, dried leather, and wild herbs. The palate is medium-full, round, silky, and juicy, bringing dark chocolate cherries, milk chocolate, ripe raspberries, plums, and baked blackberry pie. The finish brings refined tannins with good length. However, the palate needs to gain some weight and fill out. Should be best after 2017.
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3/13/2016 - Tonythefish wrote: 96 Points
Crazy ass good. Color is superb and structure is well developed!
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1/3/2016 - Tonythefish wrote: 96 Points
See prior notes - just really damned good
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12/22/2015 - wr12162 wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding. Will def get better over the next 3-5 years, but drinking very well now. Bad news...this was my last bottle. Good news...just took delivery on the 2010s!
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10/11/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 93 Points
tight delicious
years of life left
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9/26/2015 - Jbird73 wrote: 90 Points
A year from last bottle isn't nearly enough. This one needs at least 3 more years before opening another to see how it is. It is fine right now overall but not "wow" so why not wait. Plenty of grip on this one upon opening and 1-2 hours later as well.
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9/7/2015 - PDavisMarble wrote: 92 Points
Blood red. Chocolate and fresh mown grass nose. Chocolate, plums and cedar are the first, big notes. The wine took an hour and a half to open up, at which time herbal notes, currants, tobacco and toasted bread developed. This is a huge wine with soft acids. Drink up, but decant for at least an hour next time.
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9/6/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 93 Points
simply delicious with years of life left
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8/27/2015 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 87 Points
Big, rich, with flavors of blueberry and cranberry but still very tannic which is surprising given that it is a 2008. PnP on day one which didn't help any. I expected the tannins to settle down on Day 2 but they had not and the alcohol became overwhelming. So much so that we poured the second half of the bottle out.
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4/28/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
in good shape with years of life left
day 1 tannins with tart strawberries
day 2 bitter at first then softer fruit and some earth notes
day 3 overall better integration
let this sleeping dog lie down for awhile
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4/12/2015 - Tonythefish wrote: 96 Points
Wine is really starting to hit its stride. Great fruit in balance with Cedar and graphite overtones and tons of dark fruit.
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2/4/2015 - bobpsi Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 hr decant. Bold nose of blackberry, plum, graphite and oak notes. Medium plus body black fruits, tobacco, and bittersweet chocolate. Moderate tannins. I regret missing the window to purchase the 09.
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12/31/2014 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Oaky nose, hint of mint, raw beef. Smells tight. The palate shows some young fruit but its tight and very tannic. Very very tannic. Wow. Not sure what to make of the Dunn like tannins.
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12/22/2014 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind: dark in color. Nose of black currant, dark fruit (plums, blackberries), coffee. The wine is quite fat but has a nice structure to it. Still tannic, a bit high on alcohol and sweet. Not a bad wine but all a bit too modern.
P.s: it needs to be noted that the wine was in the same flight next to the 2004 Maybach Materium (95 pts) and the 2010 Maybach Materium (97 pts) and it could almost stand up to this tough competition. So congrats to Will Harlan for producing such a great wine in its official first vintage.
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12/6/2014 - Knicksfan wrote: 91 Points
I see potential here but this needs time in the cellar or decanter. Pretty tightly wound and didn't giver up that much in the 2 hours we spent with it.
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10/24/2014 - Tonythefish wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding. Great youthful that morphed over the one hour decant from youthful fruit forward wine to a great expression of Napa. Graphite and dark fruit with a super supple finish
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10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not as complex as Harlan's associated second-wines, but has tremendous concentration in flavor and jammy fruitiness. It seems to be meant to be drunk young (without the hit to the wallet of the others) and is a great youthful expression of what Harlan/Bond have to offer. Interested in trying the 2009 side-by-side with Maiden and Matriarch.
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10/5/2014 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 94 Points
terrific in every sense
initially tight but gradually revealed it's secrets with layer upon layer of fruit earth and minerality changing almost every 15 minutes
A long life ahead and look forward to the next release
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10/4/2014 - jdpearse Likes this wine: 91 Points
The bottle was very tight upon opening. Give it 60-90 minutes to breath. Well balanced with front end green peppers and eucalyptus. The back end tannins were well integrated and not at all harsh. Very enjoyable now and will be interesting to follow over time.
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10/1/2014 - domco wrote:
Great bottle of wine. Reminds me of some Tor's we have had... "fall in a glass" as C says. Dark fruits, a touch floral, some fall spices (cinnamon?). Great now, and I think will continue to evolve for a number of years.
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9/13/2014 - Jbird73 wrote: 90 Points
Dark crimson in the glass and opaque. Nose is very much fruit centered with dark purple fruits and a bit of pencil lead. Medium bodied with a nice finish. Much better with filet than as a cocktail. Plenty of spine to let this one age a few more years. Fine now. Hopefully better with age.
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9/12/2014 - Flesh wrote: 93 Points
Drank with an Italian meal. Great right out of the bottle - nice color and smell - and smooth wine. Pure enjoyment!
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9/1/2014 - maderay wrote: 90 Points
VG. Strong-bodied. Spices, dark berries.
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8/1/2014 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 91 Points
The Mascot is a project of Will Harlan, son of Bill Harlan of Harlan Estate, Bond, and Promontory wine icons. The wine is made from the younger vines on the aforementioned estates and is made to drink upon release. I found the wine to be lean, with flavors of blueberry and spice with some heat on the back end. It improved a little the second day and was notable for having a long persistent finish. The wine has not been rated by RP, WS or V.
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7/28/2014 - nick&nora Likes this wine:
Some pink eraser on the nose. A bit of strawberry and cocoa on the palate. Strawberry gives way to dark cherry. Violet. Smooth and delicious.
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7/5/2014 - ravbik wrote: 91 Points
Fruity young wine. Has great potential. Easy to drink by itself. I will try in one year.!
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6/7/2014 - PDavisMarble wrote: 92 Points
Blood red. Nose of camphor, earth, cinnamon, chocolate, forest and a hint of mint. A chewy, rich cab. Drinking well but opened up significantly and benefitted from a full day of decanting. Chocolate, earth, grilled meat and toast. A huge wine.
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5/15/2014 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 90 Points
For a young wine, this was incredibly smooth, with a wonderful rich aroma and very long finish. This will age very well.
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4/29/2014 - Bodes Likes this wine: 94 Points
Floored by how wonderful this wine was. Not particularly opulent, surprisingly, but very restrained and balanced. Lots of red fruit with just a hint of dark chocolate. The vanilla is there from the oak but I feel it's well integrated. Great flavor delineation now but this will only get more complex with age. Never would have guessed this was young vines.
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4/13/2014 - TGOT wrote: 94 Points
A bold young California cabernet. Opened much too early and did not give it enough time to decant, but thoroughly enjoyed the dark fruit and big tannins. Should age well for years.
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4/13/2014 - Will Hierholzer Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the more remarkable wines I've tasted. I poured it for a Somm friend and her husband, and both agreed that it was a remarkable wine. Notes of berry on the nose, opening after an hour or so into forest notes, loam and oak, with a hint of pine on the note. A lot of spice, and great complexity. The tanins were on the heavy side, but quite fine, so the wine had an excellent mouthfeel. Will no doubt continue to develop in the bottle, but I don't regret opening this one at all. A special bottle, I regret only buying three.
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4/11/2014 - 321Nomad wrote: 90 Points
Needs more time. Was expecting a more bold, full-bodied Cabernet. A bit thin on the mid palette.
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3/1/2014 - PDavisMarble wrote: 91 Points
Pigeon's blood red. Vinous nose of tarragon, chocolate, pepper, vanilla and beef. Chewy and rich mouthfeel. Rich spices, meat, bittersweet chocolate, finishes with cedar and tobacco.
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2/28/2014 - Philman15 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a very young wine with the structure and tannins to age for quite some time. Fruity nose with moderate finish. Curious to see what this is like in 5+ years. Excited for the future of this project from Harlan.
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2/22/2014 - Zuperdaave wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Very dark - almost black - with thin legs. Chocolate and a hint of cinnamon on the nose. Syrupy flavor like a Syrah at first; after an hour black pepper and coffee flavors emerged. This will certainly improve with age.
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1/11/2014 - kcp Likes this wine: 93 Points
An impressive effort. Beautiful fruit, deep and persistent. This one should improve in the next few years.
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12/16/2013 - WineCellarTV Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep dark crimson to garnet.
Dense and vital!
Fine & highly complex aromas of Dark Berries, Flower(s) (Meadow), Perfume, and Exotic Spices.
Constantly evolving – especially in the first hour!
Beautiful and powerful Floral characters. Mushrooms, Herbs and little Licorice.
Vanilla Sugar and some Fresh Eucalypt.
Multi-layered and finely spun while very present and intense!
Dense Dark Fruit flavors- Cassis, Cedar, Blackberry and even (little) Plum. Mocha, Dark Chocolate, Spices, and Road Tar.
Great density with medium- to full-bodied, silky mouthfeel.
Finishes long and intense with amazing Dark Fruit, Fine Dusty Tannins and intense Peppery Spiciness.
Combines density, concentration and power with filigree flavor levels, balance and great complexity!
Primarily intended for uncomplicated and early consumption, this wine combines all virtues of Premium Napa Valley Cabernet.
An approachable, but exceptional wine with great structure and future potential!
Filigree, harmonious, balanced and complex.
This wine doesn´t get boring and unites richness, great fruit, freshness and sophistication.
See more details at cellartv.wordpress.com
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11/28/2013 - GaryHOhio wrote: 93 Points
I decanted this for 90 minutes, dark garnet in the glass, the nose was nice with plums, chocolate and cherries present, it was silky smooth in the mouth with traces of vanilla and oak and a nice pleasant finish. I felt there was good complexity of flavors which bodes well for the future.
The Mascot improved over the course of the evening, both the complexity and finish improved. It really opened up in the 4th hour.
This wine has an interesting history. It is made by Will Harlan the 26 year old son of Bill Harlan of BOND and Harlan Estate fame. The grapes for The Mascot come from the younger vines on the two famous (and expensive) vineyards.
Given the BOND and Harlan heritage and the potential this wine has to improve with age (IMO) I believe there is good value, perhaps exceptional, in the $75 price point.
While it is a very nice wine right now I believe it will improve with 4-5 years in the cellar. Perhaps a 95 someday in the future.
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11/20/2013 - TEKinsider wrote: 95 Points
Got my shipment of The Mascot today and couldn't resist opening a bottle. Poured in a decanter and drank across 2 hours at dinner with a nice pork chop and flowerless chocolate cake. The nose was muted at first but opened up after 1/2 hour in the decanter to a sweet nose of chocolate, cedar, vanilla and warm spice. Visually the wine is medium/full body dark ruby in color. The mouthfeel is medium body with soft super sweet tannins that could use a few years to mellow, but drinks well now. Mid palat hits you with a "pow" of super sweet milk chocolate, cedar, spice, vanilla and bright fruit, then fades a bit early. This wine is not an over extracted Napa fruit bomb, but has a well balanced sweet palate of fruit that is enjoyable on its own or with some medium rich food. It should benefit from a few years of cellaring, but drinks well young. Well done Will Harlan! Great fist vintage of The Mascot. Looking forward more in the future.
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