I love CellarTracker but I find the recommended "drink by" dates typically are wrong. I opened this bottle thinking it was well past it's prime - CT says 2019 was the final year for this wine. Turns out this wine has a LONG way to go before I'd consider it on a downward slide. So, that being said...
I found this wine a bit dark and sweet. It's a pretty good wine but not what I have come to expect from Ghost Block. I will continue buying their wine but this one didn't bring anything profound. Maybe after a day of air it will improve.
Day 2: Much better! I recommend giving this wine lots of air before taking a sip. This is a really good Cali Cabernet.
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Modest bricking. Upon first opening, green veggies and Oak resin elements were completely overpowering the wine. After 90 minutes the wine changed appreciably. Vanilla Oak with creamy blackberries and started to dominate with some green veggies in the background, which I find perfectly fine. Still some Oak resin on the finish that just won't go away took was a remaining flaw - but not so much to warrant a lower score. Drink up as this won't get any better.
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Continues to be my favorite cab. Wonderfully smooth but yet tannins are firm. Notes of tea leaves, vanilla and some smoke or light cigar ash. Definitely a fair amount of oak on this. Would drink every weekend if I could!
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Recommend a quick decant as this started out a little stewed and calmed down later in the evening. Green pepper stayed throughout and the fruit made a big comeback.
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Coravin pour...Dark opaque garnet, not at all purple. Nose has lots of oak/vanilla, black fruit, smoke and strong vegetal/green pepper underlay. Great dense, rich mouth feel. The labeled 14.5% ABV seems under control but the green under-ripe element is obvious on the palate and a bit overpowering. Now, I am not against a little under-ripe in a tough year like 2011 in Napa, it may be fine with more age. At this point though the black fruit is overshadowed by both the green pepper and the oak. A solid effort in a tough year. My last taste of this was not as "green" as this so it also may be a funky stage that will evolve a bit more favorably
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Two hour decant, then drank over four hours. Better with food than on its own. Typical 2011 vintage profile, a little muted. Expected more for the price.
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Dark garnet, full bodied Vanilla, ripe blackberries, stewed cherries, some leafy-green hints Well balanced, lots of dark fruit, vanilla, tastes like the nose Rather short finish, faint lingering dark cherry, some tannins, high alcohol
A little underwhelmed with this bottle. I guess i was expecting too much.
Thank you Wagner's for bringing it
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Excellent wine. I purchased 2 bottles and had to try one immediately. I do think this will get much better with age. It took about 20 minutes to open but was amazing after that.
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1/21/2023 - Janstan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tannins have diminished and the dark fruits stand out. Went well with rib roast.
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7/30/2021 - fdub Likes this wine: 89 Points
Showing the herbal notes from the year. Drinking well but not reaching the levels of the hillside sites in 2011.
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1/13/2021 - wythes Likes this wine: 90 Points
I love CellarTracker but I find the recommended "drink by" dates typically are wrong. I opened this bottle thinking it was well past it's prime - CT says 2019 was the final year for this wine. Turns out this wine has a LONG way to go before I'd consider it on a downward slide. So, that being said...
I found this wine a bit dark and sweet. It's a pretty good wine but not what I have come to expect from Ghost Block. I will continue buying their wine but this one didn't bring anything profound. Maybe after a day of air it will improve.
Day 2: Much better! I recommend giving this wine lots of air before taking a sip. This is a really good Cali Cabernet.
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11/23/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Modest bricking. Upon first opening, green veggies and Oak resin elements were completely overpowering the wine. After 90 minutes the wine changed appreciably. Vanilla Oak with creamy blackberries and started to dominate with some green veggies in the background, which I find perfectly fine. Still some Oak resin on the finish that just won't go away took was a remaining flaw - but not so much to warrant a lower score. Drink up as this won't get any better.
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9/27/2020 - Janstan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark fruit went well with chargrilled tbone
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2/10/2020 - Race crew wrote: 92 Points
I think just a bit past it’s prime. I probably should NOT have decanted. Great mouth feel, round and velvety but the structure was not there.
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11/29/2019 - jb@jbisme.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
My reliable old friend. Perhaps slightly past peak but still wonderful tones of smoke, leather and tea leaves.
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5/26/2019 - jb@jbisme.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Continues to be my favorite cab. Wonderfully smooth but yet tannins are firm. Notes of tea leaves, vanilla and some smoke or light cigar ash. Definitely a fair amount of oak on this. Would drink every weekend if I could!
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8/18/2018 - eszencia wrote:
Recommend a quick decant as this started out a little stewed and calmed down later in the evening. Green pepper stayed throughout and the fruit made a big comeback.
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4/23/2017 - Asmiller Likes this wine: 91 Points
LOTS of fruit with this wine. Tannins are soft. Good pick for the money, but drink the 2011 now.
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3/14/2017 - oldwines wrote: 90 Points
Coravin pour...Dark opaque garnet, not at all purple. Nose has lots of oak/vanilla, black fruit, smoke and strong vegetal/green pepper underlay. Great dense, rich mouth feel. The labeled 14.5% ABV seems under control but the green under-ripe element is obvious on the palate and a bit overpowering. Now, I am not against a little under-ripe in a tough year like 2011 in Napa, it may be fine with more age. At this point though the black fruit is overshadowed by both the green pepper and the oak. A solid effort in a tough year. My last taste of this was not as "green" as this so it also may be a funky stage that will evolve a bit more favorably
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2/25/2017 - d_n_kpierson wrote: 50 Points
Past its prime. Tastes muddled almost like a port.
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12/25/2016 - partialmalfunction wrote: 92 Points
1.5hr decant. Opened up to a jammy bouquet. Deep inky color. Typical great oakville flavor. Similar to plump jack. Great wine!
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7/30/2016 - jb@jbisme.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with Punkin at Mastros
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12/31/2015 - jb@jbisme.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank at a steakhouse. Perfect with red meat. Big but yet fruity. Super purple. Really opened up after about 45 minutes.
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5/11/2015 - Coachron13 wrote: 88 Points
Two hour decant, then drank over four hours. Better with food than on its own. Typical 2011 vintage profile, a little muted. Expected more for the price.
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3/9/2015 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark garnet, full bodied
Vanilla, ripe blackberries, stewed cherries, some leafy-green hints
Well balanced, lots of dark fruit, vanilla, tastes like the nose
Rather short finish, faint lingering dark cherry, some tannins, high alcohol
A little underwhelmed with this bottle. I guess i was expecting too much.
Thank you Wagner's for bringing it
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8/10/2014 - DDS wine lover wrote: 92 Points
Execllent cab for the price. Good value. Medium body with lighter undertones of blackberry and cherry. Low tannins. Balanced.
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8/10/2014 - dmccann3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent wine. I purchased 2 bottles and had to try one immediately. I do think this will get much better with age. It took about 20 minutes to open but was amazing after that.
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