With regrets, I stopped buying from Alpha Omega, beacuse of the questionable ethics of the company. but I still have some bottles in the cellar, and this one is a beauty. Their ethics may be bad but their wine is good. I opened this an hour before I intended to serve it, but it tasted beautiful--rich and smooth--right out of the bottle. I don't think you need to decant it at all.
In OCNJ with some friends. Decanted for about 45 minutes, drank over an hour. Served with filet mignon and swordfish.
Full ruby/purple color, no thinning. Nose showing dark fruits, floral notes, sous bois. Palate of black raspberry, cassis, bramble fruit, baking spice. Ripe fruits through the mid palate....Tannins are settling, full body, long finish.
This is a big wine - their top offering, great fruit source and winemaking (this would have been Jean Hoeflinger). Many of the 12s from Napa in my cellar seem to be peaking, they were thinner and accessible young. This bottle just coming into its own. Tannins settling, fruits are ripe and expressive, great secondary notes. Ready now - worth opening but will go a while if wanting to cellar
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of violet, black raspberry, currant, chocolate, forest floor and spice. Black and red fruit, mocha, forest floor, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish. Full bodied. Served with steak Diane.
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Dark fruits, chocolate, and cassis. Decent nose but must decant due to sediment. Medium tannins and strong 30 second finish. Wine is a true beast and will stand up to any steak or game
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Really good wine. A lot going on. Rich, a lot of fruit, hint of chocolate and spice. Really great. Decanted for 2hrs. Second day as good. For me I wish had less alcohol, at 15.1 takes away from taste and overwhelms it. I would have scored higher if had less, again personal taste
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In honor of the passing of an amazing Silver Lab we named Steely Dan. He gave us over a decade of joy until cancer took him from us. We love you Steely!
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This wine hasn’t budged since I last tasted it four years ago. Needs many hours of air. Inky purple, thick texture, and unbalanced. Too rich, too hot, too intense, perhaps even too ripe. Maybe try it in ten years? But this was my last bottle and I’m not sorry to see it go.
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It’s a good wine. Has a lot going on. The wax cap is a disservice because it does not let the wine develop. Had back to back with a Piña cab, I and most my guests preferred the Piña that’s half the cost. I recall the young AO being better.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Blackberry, currant, milk chocolate, spice and crushed rock on the nose. Black and red fruit, dark chocolate, spice, crushed rock and ripe tannins on the palate. Fruit forward. Very long finish. Full bodied. A very well made wine. Served with grilled strip steak.
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I fear I may have opened this too early. Even after 3 hours decanting and drinking it over 4 hours, I felt like it was just starting to come together. Very complex wine, just need to give it another 4-6 years in bottle..
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I was really impressed by this wine. Surprisingly subdued tannins for a young AO wine. Lots of forrest floor, blackberry, melted dark chocolate, cedar, pipe tobacco, cassis. Finish lasted for quite a while. Became more integrated as it got air.
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9/23/17: Dark color, very fruity in the nose: boysenberry, black currant and black berries. Complex structure almost too much of a fruitbomb but you can't get enough of it. However put this wine back to storage for another 5 to 10 years.
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2012 Era was the 2nd wine of the night and it only got better with dinner at Osso Steakhouse is San Francisco. Dark, inky showing nice elegant dark fruit, dark berry an black plums. Beautiful floral nose and nice elegant depth on the palate, spice, sweet tobacco and dusty coco. Nice, elegant concentration, but powerful none the less, excellent. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Parker gives it 98 points and I can see that with time, but why wait, its drinking beautifully right now. 96+ points. 96.6 Points and outstanding.
Second bottle, and I am not going to touch my remaining bottles for several years. It has almost too much of everything, but not in a bad way. Modern Style. I wonder how this turns out in a decade or two.
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Dark, inky and opaque leaning on black plum and dark blood hues. On the nose this exhibits great depth and complexity showing deep plum scents with earth and mineral, toasty oak, vanilla and floral notes of violets along with chocolate, herbs, coffee and cigar box with a touch of smoke and dust. On the palate deep, full and smooth. Highly concentrated flavors of blackberry, plum, vanilla, violets, rich mocha, dark cherry, pastilles, sweet pipe tobacco, more, oak, earth dust and an iron minerality. Long and the finish. Still needs time, otherwise plenty of air time.
Should show best after 2018
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Impenetrable purple... Satiny appearance, nose shows very pure cassis and toffee, notes of lavender and thyme. Sweet, full bodied to the edge of being syrupy, yet has an unexpectedly clean palate. Long soft, mineral finish. I like this wine, but don't understand the very high scores people are giving it. Perhaps they aren't used to balance in a wine? Anyhow, very enjoyable, but for me, nothing all that special.
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Inky in color, with a blast of licorice, chocolate, vanilla, blackberry and smoke in the nose, this is seriously concentrated, lush, round and powerful. Everything is in balance with a lot of all the rights things in all the right places.
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Wow, R.P. likes it and gives it 98 points. I'm glad that I have a 3 pack waiting for pickup. The price was already steep. It will be interesting to see how much the 2012 Era will cost after the Parker’s anointing. This is the best of their high end portfolio of reds. Barrel sample, 94 Solid Points!
Fantastic and hedonistic. Dark fruit, bright acidity, and subtle oak influence. Drinking great out of the barrel. Everything you want in a glass of wine.
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Barrel sample. Every bit as good as the 2011 right now. It is delightful to anticipate what some time will do for this absolutely fabulous wine. As has been mentioned, 2012 is looking to be very special!
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Take all that burly structure from the 2011, reduce the tannins, enhance the richness of the dark fruit and make it even more precise and concentrated, make the earthy undertones a little more pronounced and you have the 2012 Era. A fantastic step up from the 2011 and a very compelling wine as almost every 2012 I've tried this trip has been.
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10/14/2023 - Naomi Oreskes Likes this wine: 98 Points
With regrets, I stopped buying from Alpha Omega, beacuse of the questionable ethics of the company. but I still have some bottles in the cellar, and this one is a beauty. Their ethics may be bad but their wine is good. I opened this an hour before I intended to serve it, but it tasted beautiful--rich and smooth--right out of the bottle. I don't think you need to decant it at all.
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8/14/2023 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
In OCNJ with some friends. Decanted for about 45 minutes, drank over an hour. Served with filet mignon and swordfish.
Full ruby/purple color, no thinning. Nose showing dark fruits, floral notes, sous bois. Palate of black raspberry, cassis, bramble fruit, baking spice. Ripe fruits through the mid palate....Tannins are settling, full body, long finish.
This is a big wine - their top offering, great fruit source and winemaking (this would have been Jean Hoeflinger). Many of the 12s from Napa in my cellar seem to be peaking, they were thinner and accessible young. This bottle just coming into its own. Tannins settling, fruits are ripe and expressive, great secondary notes. Ready now - worth opening but will go a while if wanting to cellar
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6/28/2023 - Bigfresser wrote: 96 Points
excellent bottle. Soft tannins and rich smooth flavors
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8/27/2022 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened and it was ready from the start. But I did a quick double decanted and placed it in the fridge for about 30 min which I think didn’t help.
The wine is ruby in color, thick legs, complex, firm tannins and good acidity. The finish is very pleasant and sweet/fresh black fruits.
IMO this is drinking at prime right now, just PnP or quick decant and start drinking immediately!
Cheers!
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3/6/2021 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of violet, black raspberry, currant, chocolate, forest floor and spice. Black and red fruit, mocha, forest floor, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish. Full bodied. Served with steak Diane.
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10/28/2020 - Tonythefish wrote: 95 Points
See prior notes - really good juice
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7/22/2020 - Tonythefish wrote: 95 Points
Dark fruits, chocolate, and cassis. Decent nose but must decant due to sediment. Medium tannins and strong 30 second finish. Wine is a true beast and will stand up to any steak or game
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7/12/2020 - AAJR Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP’d - shared the bottle with 5 friends. Lush, powerful with blackberry, cassis, cocoa & spice flavors.
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4/12/2020 - GeorgeGj wrote: 93 Points
Really good wine. A lot going on. Rich, a lot of fruit, hint of chocolate and spice. Really great. Decanted for 2hrs. Second day as good. For me I wish had less alcohol, at 15.1 takes away from taste and overwhelms it. I would have scored higher if had less, again personal taste
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3/22/2020 - Mark V Likes this wine: 95 Points
In honor of the passing of an amazing Silver Lab we named Steely Dan. He gave us over a decade of joy until cancer took him from us. We love you Steely!
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11/4/2019 - KPB wrote: 90 Points
This wine hasn’t budged since I last tasted it four years ago. Needs many hours of air. Inky purple, thick texture, and unbalanced. Too rich, too hot, too intense, perhaps even too ripe. Maybe try it in ten years? But this was my last bottle and I’m not sorry to see it go.
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6/29/2019 - aronaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
It’s a good wine. Has a lot going on. The wax cap is a disservice because it does not let the wine develop. Had back to back with a Piña cab, I and most my guests preferred the Piña that’s half the cost. I recall the young AO being better.
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10/13/2018 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Blackberry, currant, milk chocolate, spice and crushed rock on the nose. Black and red fruit, dark chocolate, spice, crushed rock and ripe tannins on the palate. Fruit forward. Very long finish. Full bodied. A very well made wine. Served with grilled strip steak.
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10/13/2018 - Mark V Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great wine, a 2012 for a 12 year anniversary celebration. My wife’s jam!
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9/13/2018 - R&R Likes this wine: 94 Points
I fear I may have opened this too early. Even after 3 hours decanting and drinking it over 4 hours, I felt like it was just starting to come together. Very complex wine, just need to give it another 4-6 years in bottle..
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2/18/2018 - R&R Likes this wine: 96 Points
I was really impressed by this wine. Surprisingly subdued tannins for a young AO wine. Lots of forrest floor, blackberry, melted dark chocolate, cedar, pipe tobacco, cassis. Finish lasted for quite a while. Became more integrated as it got air.
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9/23/2017 - MagicMNJ Likes this wine: 96 Points
9/23/17:
Dark color, very fruity in the nose: boysenberry, black currant and black berries. Complex structure almost too much of a fruitbomb but you can't get enough of it. However put this wine back to storage for another 5 to 10 years.
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1/8/2017 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 97 Points
2012 Era was the 2nd wine of the night and it only got better with dinner at Osso Steakhouse is San Francisco. Dark, inky showing nice elegant dark fruit, dark berry an black plums. Beautiful floral nose and nice elegant depth on the palate, spice, sweet tobacco and dusty coco. Nice, elegant concentration, but powerful none the less, excellent. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Parker gives it 98 points and I can see that with time, but why wait, its drinking beautifully right now. 96+ points.
96.6 Points and outstanding.
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9/2/2016 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Second bottle, and I am not going to touch my remaining bottles for several years. It has almost too much of everything, but not in a bad way. Modern Style. I wonder how this turns out in a decade or two.
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5/16/2016 - bjamesclark wrote: 93 Points
Dark, inky and opaque leaning on black plum and dark blood hues.
On the nose this exhibits great depth and complexity showing deep plum scents with earth and mineral, toasty oak, vanilla and floral notes of violets along with chocolate, herbs, coffee and cigar box with a touch of smoke and dust.
On the palate deep, full and smooth. Highly concentrated flavors of blackberry, plum, vanilla, violets, rich mocha, dark cherry, pastilles, sweet pipe tobacco, more, oak, earth dust and an iron minerality. Long and the finish. Still needs time, otherwise plenty of air time.
Should show best after 2018
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5/4/2016 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 94 Points
A nice California Bordeaux blend. Smooth, round and delicate. Impressive, but quite expensive.
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4/17/2016 - KPB wrote: 91 Points
Impenetrable purple... Satiny appearance, nose shows very pure cassis and toffee, notes of lavender and thyme. Sweet, full bodied to the edge of being syrupy, yet has an unexpectedly clean palate. Long soft, mineral finish. I like this wine, but don't understand the very high scores people are giving it. Perhaps they aren't used to balance in a wine? Anyhow, very enjoyable, but for me, nothing all that special.
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2/26/2016 - Jayanr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fresh and refreshing
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11/30/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Inky in color, with a blast of licorice, chocolate, vanilla, blackberry and smoke in the nose, this is seriously concentrated, lush, round and powerful. Everything is in balance with a lot of all the rights things in all the right places.
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8/5/2015 - jmorgand wrote: 92 Points
Entirely too young at the moment. Decanted for a couple of hours and only now becoming approachable.
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5/23/2015 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still a touch on the young side, not yet fully integrated. Great black fruit (currants dominate, with cherry), full bodied, full rich nose.
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11/13/2014 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, R.P. likes it and gives it 98 points. I'm glad that I have a 3 pack waiting for pickup. The price was already steep. It will be interesting to see how much the 2012 Era will cost after the Parker’s anointing. This is the best of their high end portfolio of reds. Barrel sample, 94 Solid Points!
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9/29/2014 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful! Notes are the same as before. I don't like it, I love it. Barrel sample.
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6/9/2014 - ecola Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic and hedonistic. Dark fruit, bright acidity, and subtle oak influence. Drinking great out of the barrel. Everything you want in a glass of wine.
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5/26/2014 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Barrel sample. Every bit as good as the 2011 right now. It is delightful to anticipate what some time will do for this absolutely fabulous wine. As has been mentioned, 2012 is looking to be very special!
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4/8/2014 - clayfu wrote:
Impressions from a weekend in Napa Valley Day 2 (Napa Valley): Barrel sample
Take all that burly structure from the 2011, reduce the tannins, enhance the richness of the dark fruit and make it even more precise and concentrated, make the earthy undertones a little more pronounced and you have the 2012 Era. A fantastic step up from the 2011 and a very compelling wine as almost every 2012 I've tried this trip has been.
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