Dark cherry and plum nose with mace and allspice... and a strong, distracting Brettanomyces element. Black cherry attack on the palate quickly segues into mocha, sweet berry, chicory, and basil. Black coffee and charred oak start the somewhat bitter finish, adding vanilla, dry plum, and various dried herbal elements. This was a disappointment compared to the 2002, and needed some time for the Brett to calm down enough to even drink it.
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For those who love French wine, this is the closest I can find. Well aged, but it aged well. Soft fruit and tannins with a hint of earth and mushroom coming through. This is a good time to drink it if you have it!
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Deep dark center, red rim with sings of age. Sweet, cassis and plums, brambles, smoke, very Bordeaux. Smooth, fully mature, black olives, significant acidity still, very good sweet fruit finish. Fully mature, not a great year but this has turned out very well, very Bordeaux, at its peak and might be a little too far from Napa for some.
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Had this alongside the 2004, and 1997 Syrah from SMV. This one is less aged than the 97' and clearly less Bricking. Taste is more youthful with flavors of vanilla, some blackberry and cloves. The finish is avg length.
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Decanted for 4-5 hours along with the 1993 and 2013 vintages. Served with dinner of beef tenderloin. This wine is drinking beautifully right now. Probably on the backside of the optimum drinking window. Drink up now and enjoy! This is a well made and fantastic wine.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of mint and vanilla - Drank with college buddies whom I haven't seen for a long time. Fantastic aroma of dried orange peel, pepper, supported by mint, touch of vanilla and fine grain tannin.
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The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like and Black currant (cassis). It tastes like and Forest floor. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Long.
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Shipped in bag to Turks & Caicos. 30 min to open up to a very nice Cali Cab. Cocoa, dark chocolate covered raisins, blackberry, light toasty oak, and a hint of rich soil. Smooth texture, with some tannins still present. Medium to full body. Very enjoyable if not quite the 2001 or 2002. Drinking well now but will save other bottle to see what develops.
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Beautiful blackberry fruit wrapped up in a smoky, toasty oak blanket; very clean, crisp profile with a lush but not overdone finish. One of the better 2003 cabs I have had.
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Ruby to brick red in color. Moderately aromatic nose of old leather. Opens with dark cherry and a touch of burnt oak. Good acidity and fruit intensity carries through to a medium long finish of smooth, dry tannin and tangy acid.
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Took a while to blow off the alcohol and slight carbonation, but after opening up in the glass, had dense chocolate and dark berry flavors. Well rounded and balanced. Yummy.
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Popped and poured. Opened up very nicely with a bit of air. Dark jammy fruit with intense depth and finish. I would say this is drinking great right now.
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Well, I waited, and, it got better! Time in the cave did the trick for this one. Nose was of cassis and oak. Mouthfeel was medium bodied, and there was balance between residual tannin and fruit. Still a lot of both, but overall a very enjoyable wine, especially since the vintage was so challenging.
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Bright nose, very inviting blue fruit profile, jammy with oak + vanilla inthe background and on the finish, very smooth wine with classic Spring Mtn profile.
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Decanted 2 hours, consumed over three. Classic mountain Cabernet nose of leather, cedar and cassis. Very dark fruit dominant. Tannic at first, smoothed out through the midpalate and finish. Good mouthfeel. Still a baby, needs time in bottle to settle.
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Enjoyed from a 375ml with Jill at St. Elmo's Steakhouse in Indianapolis. Menu said 2002, but I got the '03...oh well. Beautiful full rich and round. Excellent balance overall. We both thoroughly enjoyed the wine. Dark ripe berries. Tar and some excellent California Leather on the nose. Medium full bodied showing more dark fruit, cocoa and leather. Beautiful effort. Can't wait to try the '02 Elivette.
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I was a little leary of an '03 Napa wine, but a local wine merchant talked me into this one and it was great. A certain wine magazine gave it a very bad score, but according to the merchant, this winery simply doesn't play their game. Interesting. Did not decant. Nose seemed classic of other Spring Mountain cabs I've tasted. The tannins were strong and burly (my sister called it manly), but balanced and juicy and mouthcoating. The berry flavors were subtle. At one point some orange peel came through. The finish had coffee and cocoa powder. Impressive.
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Full bodied and dark in color, with lots of dusty, earth, leather and chocolate notes. The fruit is subdued, but on the very ripe side, acidity is fairly low. Long, mocha filled finish.
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Tough wine, a little green, herbaceous and stemmy at the start, it softened and opened over the next hour to reveal intense cassis, and plum. Finish was moderate, and this unfined wine, was also a little gritty. Wait on this one.
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12/31/2021 - ctmilner wrote: 93 Points
Drank this in a vertical with the 2001 and 2005. They were all good and this was the best of the three.
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10/19/2021 - VAGenius Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Dark cherry and plum nose with mace and allspice... and a strong, distracting Brettanomyces element. Black cherry attack on the palate quickly segues into mocha, sweet berry, chicory, and basil. Black coffee and charred oak start the somewhat bitter finish, adding vanilla, dry plum, and various dried herbal elements. This was a disappointment compared to the 2002, and needed some time for the Brett to calm down enough to even drink it.
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11/4/2020 - Kurtparkinson Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic!! Be sure to open 10-12 hours before drinking, it definitely needs to breathe.
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10/24/2020 - Wine Kat Likes this wine: 91 Points
For those who love French wine, this is the closest I can find. Well aged, but it aged well. Soft fruit and tannins with a hint of earth and mushroom coming through. This is a good time to drink it if you have it!
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12/9/2019 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep dark center, red rim with sings of age.
Sweet, cassis and plums, brambles, smoke, very Bordeaux.
Smooth, fully mature, black olives, significant acidity still, very good sweet fruit finish.
Fully mature, not a great year but this has turned out very well, very Bordeaux, at its peak and might be a little too far from Napa for some.
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7/4/2018 - tomoem wrote: 90 Points
Had this alongside the 2004, and 1997 Syrah from SMV. This one is less aged than the 97' and clearly less Bricking. Taste is more youthful with flavors of vanilla, some blackberry and cloves. The finish is avg length.
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4/8/2018 - BamaWiner Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 4-5 hours along with the 1993 and 2013 vintages. Served with dinner of beef tenderloin. This wine is drinking beautifully right now. Probably on the backside of the optimum drinking window. Drink up now and enjoy! This is a well made and fantastic wine.
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1/15/2018 - Alok Kapoor Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Past its prime
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8/31/2017 - Herb K wrote:
Lovely. Drink up.
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7/27/2017 - Alok Kapoor Does not like this wine: 80 Points
The legs are slow. It tastes like alcohol/hot. The wine has fleshy texture. The wine finishes medium. Probably past its prime.
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1/15/2017 - TJK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another strong offering from Spring Mountain. Solid tannic grip coupled with nuanced soft fruits and leather, cigar box and graphite.
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5/14/2016 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very well made Cab with definite underbrush components and overall balance. Still going strong but had mostly resolved tannins.
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2/28/2016 - acheng wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs and aromas of mint and vanilla - Drank with college buddies whom I haven't seen for a long time. Fantastic aroma of dried orange peel, pepper, supported by mint, touch of vanilla and fine grain tannin.
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9/6/2014 - ctmilner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful combination of fruit and spice. Smooth finish.
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6/24/2013 - cdpdoug wrote:
The wine looks Ruby colored. The legs are Medium.
It smells like and Black currant (cassis). It tastes like and Forest floor. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Long.
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5/29/2013 - SLR204 wrote: 92 Points
Shipped in bag to Turks & Caicos. 30 min to open up to a very nice Cali Cab. Cocoa, dark chocolate covered raisins, blackberry, light toasty oak, and a hint of rich soil. Smooth texture, with some tannins still present. Medium to full body. Very enjoyable if not quite the 2001 or 2002. Drinking well now but will save other bottle to see what develops.
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5/19/2013 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful blackberry fruit wrapped up in a smoky, toasty oak blanket; very clean, crisp profile with a lush but not overdone finish. One of the better 2003 cabs I have had.
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5/7/2013 - treidling Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ruby to brick red in color. Moderately aromatic nose of old leather. Opens with dark cherry and a touch of burnt oak. Good acidity and fruit intensity carries through to a medium long finish of smooth, dry tannin and tangy acid.
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3/11/2013 - Trolson wrote: 96 Points
One of the best wines we have had. ???
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12/10/2012 - Bakek wrote: 92 Points
Took a while to blow off the alcohol and slight carbonation, but after opening up in the glass, had dense chocolate and dark berry flavors. Well rounded and balanced. Yummy.
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7/21/2012 - pdadams66 wrote: 90 Points
Great Napa cab in a more European style. Dense, dark, with cassis and a somewhat animal character. Drinks well now.
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6/10/2012 - johnnyo wrote: 87 Points
I was a bit disappointed due to the presence of Brett but others didn't pickup on it and they really enjoyed it. Perhaps next bottle will show better.
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4/29/2012 - winejnky wrote: 88 Points
Menthol, oak, alcohol, cherry; in that order so not quite balanced, perhaps in a disjointed period or starting to decline?
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12/6/2011 - lopaka wrote: 91 Points
As good as the last.
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7/27/2011 - lopaka wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Opened up very nicely with a bit of air. Dark jammy fruit with intense depth and finish. I would say this is drinking great right now.
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6/4/2011 - pdadams66 wrote: 90 Points
Very bordeaux like. Great fruit and and depth. Good length.
Drinks well now but will last and maybe improve over the next two years.
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6/3/2011 - mmyette wrote: 88 Points
Well, I waited, and, it got better! Time in the cave did the trick for this one. Nose was of cassis and oak. Mouthfeel was medium bodied, and there was balance between residual tannin and fruit. Still a lot of both, but overall a very enjoyable wine, especially since the vintage was so challenging.
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5/18/2011 - ilcor wrote: 93 Points
Fine grained, elegant, drinking very nicely right now, has the backbone to last a few years though...
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3/21/2011 - pdadams66 wrote: 89 Points
Excellent napa cab, very restrained and old world like. Will improve over the next two years.
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11/20/2010 - winejnky wrote: 91 Points
Bright nose, very inviting blue fruit profile, jammy with oak + vanilla inthe background and on the finish, very smooth wine with classic Spring Mtn profile.
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7/3/2009 - blondon wrote:
Decanted 2 hours, consumed over three. Classic mountain Cabernet nose of leather, cedar and cassis. Very dark fruit dominant. Tannic at first, smoothed out through the midpalate and finish. Good mouthfeel. Still a baby, needs time in bottle to settle.
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5/15/2009 - mmurry wrote: 88 Points
Back to the Future: Then and Now (Pappas Bros.): The nose had raspberry, black currant, chocolate, spice, and vanilla. The palate had black currant, raspberry, spice, coffee, and oak.
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4/3/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed from a 375ml with Jill at St. Elmo's Steakhouse in Indianapolis.
Menu said 2002, but I got the '03...oh well.
Beautiful full rich and round. Excellent balance overall. We both thoroughly enjoyed the wine.
Dark ripe berries. Tar and some excellent California Leather on the nose.
Medium full bodied showing more dark fruit, cocoa and leather.
Beautiful effort. Can't wait to try the '02 Elivette.
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1/1/2009 - Cahill wrote: 85 Points
Ordered off the menu at Palmer's (Andover, MA) on new year's eve. Comes across on the nose and palate as soft and earthy with sweet fruit.
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6/16/2008 - maxmanx wrote: 89 Points
Nice cabernet. Got this as a gift, so not sure how much it cost.
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5/24/2008 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
I was a little leary of an '03 Napa wine, but a local wine merchant talked me into this one and it was great. A certain wine magazine gave it a very bad score, but according to the merchant, this winery simply doesn't play their game. Interesting. Did not decant. Nose seemed classic of other Spring Mountain cabs I've tasted. The tannins were strong and burly (my sister called it manly), but balanced and juicy and mouthcoating. The berry flavors were subtle. At one point some orange peel came through. The finish had coffee and cocoa powder. Impressive.
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4/19/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 87 Points
Full bodied and dark in color, with lots of dusty, earth, leather and chocolate notes. The fruit is subdued, but on the very ripe side, acidity is fairly low. Long, mocha filled finish.
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9/6/2007 - mmyette wrote: 88 Points
Tough wine, a little green, herbaceous and stemmy at the start, it softened and opened over the next hour to reveal intense cassis, and plum. Finish was moderate, and this unfined wine, was also a little gritty. Wait on this one.
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