Dark cherries, plums, and a hint of chocolate on the nose. Wine was restrained with subtle sweetness and a nice texture. Not sure if it was in a weird phase or slipping past prime drinking.
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This winery was founded by Jack Cakebread; in the 1970s he was traveling through Napa Valley taking pictures with none other than Ansel Adams when he stumbled upon a plot of land. He liked it so much, he bought it! He then made friends with Robert Mondavi, who encouraged him to plant grapes, and so he started a winery there that has been in continuous operation ever since. Cakebread first started with plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, whicih still constitutes 20% of their production to this day.
I highly recommend visiting the facility; it is lovely, and the staff there offer fantastic personalized tours. A shout out to Lisa, who showed me around, offered me a great tasting, and patiently endured my never-ending questions! She was great!
This particular wine is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, which spent 17 months in French oak. It aged beautifully! I lost my detailed tasting notes on it (somehow the file on my computer vanished) but I do still have handwritten notes to go off of. Deep ruby in color, this wine was dry with medium acid and high alcohol. The tannins were ample and ripe, and they integrated very well into this wine’s full body as it aged, leaving it silky-smooth. Despite its age, it still maintained vibrant flavors of black currant, ripe red cherry, blackberry, ripe black raspberry and raspberry pastry along with olives, mint, cigar tobacco, earth and a bit of yeast. The finish was long, though regrettably I failed to write down how the flavor profile evolved over time.
Delightfully complex, this was a real gem, and I will be looking out for another bottle. I highly recommend visiting the winery and picking up a bottle of this. It went very well with grilled steak!
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1hr+ decant. Dark red color. Dark fruit and medicinal tones on the nose. Elegant when that is well integrated. Medium depth. Drinking lovely right now.
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Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): Part of Napa Cab tasting double-decanted blind First wine poured and definitely set a benchmark for the sitting. Dark purple, opaque. Intense nose of dark red and black fruits. Very fresh bouquet - seemed primary. We all thought this was one of the '18 vintages. Later blown away this was a 2012. Young vibrant wine with good depth. a bit of tannic grip on the finish (which went well with the cheeseboard and grilled filet slices. This could be cellared for another 10 years.
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I drank this about 2-years after it’s prime drinking age in my opinion. I had the same vintage in 2020 and it was perfect! This time (6/2022) it was still “okay” but certainly not what it was.
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Clear deep ruby; clean medium plus nose of leather, cassis, tar, graphite, cocoa and balsamic; dry; high acidity; high tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; medium plus flavour intensity; palate is tarter with strong fruit; long finish; drink now or in 5 years; fabulous example of age-worthy Cali Cab; tasted at winery
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At 9 years old this wine is in a fantastic place. The nose is very elegant with lots of dark chocolate, lavender, and a hint of spice. The palate is medium to full bodied, rich and opulent. Fruit forward but not over the top. The tannins are perfectly integrated. Medium finish. This is likely drinking at its peak right now, no need to wait any longer. We drank this with homemade pizza, and it was fantastic.
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I tend to agree with another reviewer who said that it's so integrated, it doesn't really have much flavor. This cabernet didn't stand out and didn't have any secondary/tertiary flavors either. Nothing wrong with it but it doesn't drink like its price tag suggests.
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Very good wine. It is your typical cakebread cab after some age. Smooth tannins with lively fruit still present. This transforms into strawberry, almond, and vanilla on the backend. It’s drinking great right now.
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Not your punch-in-the-face Napa cab, the nose is quite restrained; tasting reveals soft tannins, dark fruits, maybe a hint of licorice. Everything nicely balanced and integrated, but maybe a touch too much? I enjoyed this, but not sure I'd pick it again over its cohorts at this price point.
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Thick legs, dark purple, no nose to speak of (disappointing!), quite a bit of tannins left so probably should have decanted, fruit has subsided from last bottle, some herbal notes showing through, decent length. There’s definitely some quality here, but I may have opened this a year or two early for my taste.
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Was slightly disappointed by this after high expectations. Also drank alongside a 2008 Hidden Ridge Cab and the HR completely blew away the Cakebread. Paired with ribeye and a strip, let breathe in bottle for 2 hours before drinking and then drank over another 2. Great nose, not too much fruit up front and medium bodied and slightly above average complexity. Average QPR.
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Throw down vs. 2012 CB Dancing Bear Ranch. Opened up much slower - with tight biting tannins. By 90 minutes, this guy was doing fine - nice blackberry and spice flavors, good earthy aroma, and the same dark ruby color and full mouthfeel. No, this was not as good - but it was much closer than I thought it would be. This is a very good wine, with strong QPR in relation to its big brother.
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Drinking perfectly right now. Decanted for two hours but and this is an elegant dinner wine. Beautiful inky violet in the glass and a very balanced nose, fruity with notes of grape jam and some tartness. Mouthfeel is fantastic, jammy but balanced, slight notes of green pepper on a cool, dry finish. This is a winner, if you have one, I’d pop it soon.
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In the 90's, this was my "go to" Napa Cab, so either everyone else has raised their game or it is not as good as I remember. It was flat on the nose and had very little complexity from start to finish in the glass. Not that it was bad, just dissapointing and uninteresting. Know I'm not being very specific, but that's just another example of not leaving an impression.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Delicious! Big nose of dark berries, cherry cola, licorice. Medium-full body with lots of dark fruit. Great balance of fruit, acidity and silky tannins. 20 second plus finish. Still young, but drinking really well!
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Opened in recognition of girlfriends. First of a case. Smooth with mellowed tannins. Easy to drink. Black fruit forward but not overtly so. Nice finish. Not a weekday wine but a lovely celebratory wine that will not disappoint. A lovely wine for novice palates.
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Drank Christmas Day paired with beef tenderloin. Decanted for one hour. On the nose was red fruit, vanilla, and a hint of green pepper. On the palate was predominant black cherry, red and black fruit, and baking spice. The wine had a long finish and the tannins are starting to mellow. If you are impatient, the wine is very enjoyable now, but I'm thinking this will continue to get better over the coming years.
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Drank over 2 nights. Decanted for 30 minutes. Dark red color with a slight meniscus. On nose, cassis, blackberry, green bell pepper (not in a good way) and dill / oak. Palate was better than nose - cassis, blackberry primarily. Medium body, good structure and long finish. 90+
Not a rebuy for me - oak (more wood tones than vanilla) was too powerful on the nose. Good palate feel and structure though.
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Appearance - Dark garnet in color, clear @ edge, reflective, good body/legs - 3 Aroma/Bouquet - Black berry fruit forward, slightly hot/alc., some minerality, oak & vanilla - 5 Taste - Blackberry, black cherry, light tannins, slightly hot/alc., black currant, slightly chalky, light spice - 6 Aftertaste - Long finish, black fruit continues, tannins subside quickly - 3 Overall - Good fruit forward wine, light tannin, good body, long finish - 2
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Paired with a medium rear beef strip. Approachable and well balanced with a medium finish. The wine looks inky colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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Pop and pour, drank over lunch. Appearance was clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. On the nose, aroma intensity pronounced, with aromas of black pepper spice, green bell pepper, vanilla, blackcurrants, black plums, liquorice, meat. Developing. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, full bodied, fine grained medium+ tannin, long finish. Flavour intensity medium+. Flavours of vanilla, blackcurrants, plums and pepper spices. Very good quality, didn't feel it was overly oaked. Can drink now with potential for further ageing.
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Brought to our friends in NYC and shared pre-dinner with apps. They immediately commented favorably on the wine as they took their first sips. Much better than the 87 points by Laube from WS suggest. Sometimes I just don't get his rating and rely on my fellow CT members to "crowd-source" the reviews.
Decided to open a bottle after reading disparate reviews. As expected, I am a fan. Smooth, dry and delicious right after opening. Full bodied and flavorful, without any hint of bitterness.
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I had not opened a Cakebread Napa Cabernet until last night. I was surprised how much I liked it. It showed blueberries, plum and lots of crème de cassis with structured tannins. I tasted plenty of Dancing Bear in this wine and will gladly go back for more. For me its a great value.
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The most disappointing cakebread I have ever had. Only a few bottle left. Keep hoping I am wrong. But each bottle I have confirms something went wrong with this well known wine maker in 2012.
Had a 2011 cakebread cab a month ago and despite being an awful year for napa, it was a very good wine.
Not sure what happened in 2012???
No matter what this wine is not worth $100 Cdn.
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Classic Californian Cab that is surprisinly approachable now. Needed approx 1 hour decant and began to fade after hour three, which makes me believe that shelf life may not be as long as expected.
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Good ripe fruit, packed with medium acidity and puckering tannins. Tasty factor. Complex aroma of sweet fruit. Restrained and balanced at the open, but evolved into a rich concentrated wine after an hour.
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Needs more time. Decanted for two hours and still had a ways to go. Cherries on the palate and high heat from the alcohol. Day 2 was not good. Drink ASAP if you open now. I recommend waiting until 2022.
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We pnp,d after a 2006 Pahlmeyer, nose was dark berries, palate was blackberry, tree bark and a touch of vanilla, nice long finish. Will definitely improve with age or a long decant
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Expressive nose of blackcurrant, cigar box, and vanilla. Heavy on the palate with flavors predicted by the nose, with the addition of some leathery and woody accents. Strong tannins dominate the finish. While I'm happy to have had it and overall it's an excellent wine, better QPRs are available.
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This was thin and uneventful. Not much of anything going on at all. Flavors were muted. Very light in body which made it taste cheap when it was combined with virtually no flavor profile. Not a wine I will drink again.
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Midnight purple with violet at the edges. BlackBerries, humidor wood, and a bit of black pepper on the nose. Strawberries, blackberries, a touch of coffee, and lightly gripping tannins catch your immediate attention. The delicious finish, which is a mixture of all of blackberry and coffee, is where this wine really shines. It should be much tastier in a few years.
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Very deep colour. 'Tar' with the fruit on the nose but perfumed in the glass later. Rich, ripe fruit - blackberry and gentle blackcurrant fruit and acidity. Tannins (French oak) are gentle but grainy at this stage. This is too young as yet and I assume it will offer a long life if it has the acidity. Great stuff but around $80 in UK. Tasted with Simon Woods at Grand Union Wine Society.
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Rich dark color thick on on the glass, nose was cedar wrapped monte cristo cigar dark chocolate blackberry and cherry. Fruit forward smooth and velvety in the mouth not as big as I thought it would be but delicious none the less. A fine wine just shy of great.
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All around great wine. Touch of sweet going down. Zero aftertaste. Found it to be a little thick. Better enjoyed with food rather than on its own. So have with dinner.
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My first Cakebread Cab in some time, and definitely not the Cab I remember. Wonderful burst of flavor off the bat, but fades quickly and no where near as bold as most top notch Napa Cabs. Love the texture, but just didn't have enough power and flavor for my liking.
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Tasted at the winery. Solid showing in a great vintage. Dark ruby color. Nose is moderately expressive with strong raisin notes. Blackberry on the palate followed by chalky tannins. Well integrated oak. Hold hold hold.
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Hide away for a couple of years is my vote. Half one day, half the next. The next it was quite good. The first it was just nit ready. Decanted two hours, but still, mouth puckering tannins, not smooth at all (which is how I think of CB). I tried it next to something very cheap the first night and honestly it got blown out of the Water..... Would love to give a higher score for nostalgic reasons. Maybe in a few years.
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Giant Wine Sale & Tasting, 12/13/2014 Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC (Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC): Just released, this superb rendition of Napa Valley Cabernet, very much lives up to the reputation of it's predecessors. 2012 had an excellent growing season in Napa Valley and everything we have been able to taste shows awesome upfront plum style fruit, and superb balance. This one is no exception. The color is as deep purple as wine gets. The nose is big rich ripe plum, violets and plenty of oak. Rich mouth coating dark blackberry, boysenberry and black cherry fruit. Small amounts of Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot nicely help round out the structure and flavors. Plenty of new French oak. Designed to be totally drinkable now, but able handle years of bottle age. Strong lingering finish with fruit, vanilla, cocoa and graphite.
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8/26/2023 - PMJak11 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark cherries, plums, and a hint of chocolate on the nose. Wine was restrained with subtle sweetness and a nice texture. Not sure if it was in a weird phase or slipping past prime drinking.
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8/22/2023 - Snoot Doggie Dogg Likes this wine: 94 Points
This winery was founded by Jack Cakebread; in the 1970s he was traveling through Napa Valley taking pictures with none other than Ansel Adams when he stumbled upon a plot of land. He liked it so much, he bought it! He then made friends with Robert Mondavi, who encouraged him to plant grapes, and so he started a winery there that has been in continuous operation ever since. Cakebread first started with plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, whicih still constitutes 20% of their production to this day.
I highly recommend visiting the facility; it is lovely, and the staff there offer fantastic personalized tours. A shout out to Lisa, who showed me around, offered me a great tasting, and patiently endured my never-ending questions! She was great!
This particular wine is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, which spent 17 months in French oak. It aged beautifully! I lost my detailed tasting notes on it (somehow the file on my computer vanished) but I do still have handwritten notes to go off of. Deep ruby in color, this wine was dry with medium acid and high alcohol. The tannins were ample and ripe, and they integrated very well into this wine’s full body as it aged, leaving it silky-smooth. Despite its age, it still maintained vibrant flavors of black currant, ripe red cherry, blackberry, ripe black raspberry and raspberry pastry along with olives, mint, cigar tobacco, earth and a bit of yeast. The finish was long, though regrettably I failed to write down how the flavor profile evolved over time.
Delightfully complex, this was a real gem, and I will be looking out for another bottle. I highly recommend visiting the winery and picking up a bottle of this. It went very well with grilled steak!
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9/17/2022 - PMJak11 Likes this wine: 94 Points
1hr+ decant. Dark red color. Dark fruit and medicinal tones on the nose. Elegant when that is well integrated. Medium depth. Drinking lovely right now.
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9/12/2022 - BobKat Cellars Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still young but drinking good.
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9/3/2022 - Canoehead Likes this wine: 93 Points
Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): Part of Napa Cab tasting double-decanted blind
First wine poured and definitely set a benchmark for the sitting. Dark purple, opaque. Intense nose of dark red and black fruits. Very fresh bouquet - seemed primary. We all thought this was one of the '18 vintages. Later blown away this was a 2012. Young vibrant wine with good depth. a bit of tannic grip on the finish (which went well with the cheeseboard and grilled filet slices. This could be cellared for another 10 years.
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6/30/2022 - WesleyCox wrote:
I drank this about 2-years after it’s prime drinking age in my opinion. I had the same vintage in 2020 and it was perfect! This time (6/2022) it was still “okay” but certainly not what it was.
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5/21/2022 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Clear deep ruby; clean medium plus nose of leather, cassis, tar, graphite, cocoa and balsamic; dry; high acidity; high tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; medium plus flavour intensity; palate is tarter with strong fruit; long finish; drink now or in 5 years; fabulous example of age-worthy Cali Cab; tasted at winery
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11/28/2021 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 92 Points
At 9 years old this wine is in a fantastic place. The nose is very elegant with lots of dark chocolate, lavender, and a hint of spice. The palate is medium to full bodied, rich and opulent. Fruit forward but not over the top. The tannins are perfectly integrated. Medium finish. This is likely drinking at its peak right now, no need to wait any longer. We drank this with homemade pizza, and it was fantastic.
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11/25/2021 - Brewster812 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautifully full bodied and silky smooth. Perfect with Thanksgiving dinner with the family. Glad I had a magnum because everyone wanted more.
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12/24/2020 - Gatekeeper wrote:
!
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11/1/2020 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 94 Points
consumed at our South Dakota pheasant hunt
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10/26/2020 - galewskj wrote: 88 Points
I tend to agree with another reviewer who said that it's so integrated, it doesn't really have much flavor. This cabernet didn't stand out and didn't have any secondary/tertiary flavors either. Nothing wrong with it but it doesn't drink like its price tag suggests.
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10/23/2020 - JRWehner Likes this wine: 94 Points
👍👍. Perfectly balanced Napa cab!! Yum
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9/5/2020 - Skyla venture Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good wine. It is your typical cakebread cab after some age. Smooth tannins with lively fruit still present. This transforms into strawberry, almond, and vanilla on the backend. It’s drinking great right now.
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8/16/2020 - jdelalamo Likes this wine: 92 Points
we liked very much
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7/22/2020 - RBurgundy99 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not your punch-in-the-face Napa cab, the nose is quite restrained; tasting reveals soft tannins, dark fruits, maybe a hint of licorice. Everything nicely balanced and integrated, but maybe a touch too much? I enjoyed this, but not sure I'd pick it again over its cohorts at this price point.
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5/27/2020 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
this is drinking perfect right now
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5/10/2020 - Steven DiFiore Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid cabernet. Always reliable.
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12/31/2019 - FlyinI wrote: 90 Points
Thick legs, dark purple, no nose to speak of (disappointing!), quite a bit of tannins left so probably should have decanted, fruit has subsided from last bottle, some herbal notes showing through, decent length. There’s definitely some quality here, but I may have opened this a year or two early for my taste.
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12/28/2019 - pdicorpo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good after an hour or so of decanting. Hints of dark fruit. Very pleased with this despite a less than stellar vintage.
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8/2/2019 - Mickey Wilson wrote:
Was still okay, but had lost almost all Citrus notes.
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5/2/2019 - Tonyboons33 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Was slightly disappointed by this after high expectations. Also drank alongside a 2008 Hidden Ridge Cab and the HR completely blew away the Cakebread. Paired with ribeye and a strip, let breathe in bottle for 2 hours before drinking and then drank over another 2. Great nose, not too much fruit up front and medium bodied and slightly above average complexity. Average QPR.
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4/6/2019 - VinoViking Likes this wine: 93 Points
Throw down vs. 2012 CB Dancing Bear Ranch. Opened up much slower - with tight biting tannins. By 90 minutes, this guy was doing fine - nice blackberry and spice flavors, good earthy aroma, and the same dark ruby color and full mouthfeel. No, this was not as good - but it was much closer than I thought it would be. This is a very good wine, with strong QPR in relation to its big brother.
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3/3/2019 - Martnmac wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic. Let breathe for an hour in the bottle. Smooth well balance lovely Napa cab
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3/2/2019 - willie_p74 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking perfectly right now. Decanted for two hours but and this is an elegant dinner wine. Beautiful inky violet in the glass and a very balanced nose, fruity with notes of grape jam and some tartness. Mouthfeel is fantastic, jammy but balanced, slight notes of green pepper on a cool, dry finish. This is a winner, if you have one, I’d pop it soon.
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2/2/2019 - NapaBias wrote: 88 Points
In the 90's, this was my "go to" Napa Cab, so either everyone else has raised their game or it is not as good as I remember. It was flat on the nose and had very little complexity from start to finish in the glass. Not that it was bad, just dissapointing and uninteresting. Know I'm not being very specific, but that's just another example of not leaving an impression.
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12/31/2018 - Johnbaier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great finish, black currant, fresh cut hay, pear, raspberry
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12/25/2018 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Delicious! Big nose of dark berries, cherry cola, licorice. Medium-full body with lots of dark fruit. Great balance of fruit, acidity and silky tannins. 20 second plus finish. Still young, but drinking really well!
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12/25/2018 - Martnmac wrote: 92 Points
Excellent. Still seems young. Decent for an hour and it will sing
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10/19/2018 - winetennis wrote:
Yup, I agree, "...not a weekday wine but a lovely celebratory wine that will not disappoint. A lovely wine for novice palates."
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9/17/2018 - FoxStreet55356 wrote:
- Garnet color.
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8/25/2018 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
really drinking well
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3/10/2018 - Marignon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened in recognition of girlfriends. First of a case. Smooth with mellowed tannins. Easy to drink. Black fruit forward but not overtly so. Nice finish. Not a weekday wine but a lovely celebratory wine that will not disappoint. A lovely wine for novice palates.
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12/31/2017 - Skullins wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful
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12/25/2017 - mktaylor23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank Christmas Day paired with beef tenderloin. Decanted for one hour. On the nose was red fruit, vanilla, and a hint of green pepper. On the palate was predominant black cherry, red and black fruit, and baking spice. The wine had a long finish and the tannins are starting to mellow. If you are impatient, the wine is very enjoyable now, but I'm thinking this will continue to get better over the coming years.
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7/16/2017 - CWilliam wrote: 90 Points
Drank over 2 nights. Decanted for 30 minutes. Dark red color with a slight meniscus. On nose, cassis, blackberry, green bell pepper (not in a good way) and dill / oak. Palate was better than nose - cassis, blackberry primarily. Medium body, good structure and long finish. 90+
Not a rebuy for me - oak (more wood tones than vanilla) was too powerful on the nose. Good palate feel and structure though.
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6/17/2017 - greedy wrote: 92 Points
A year has improved this wine measurably. Great use. Nice red fruit and well balanced acidity and alcohol
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6/6/2017 - dac2849 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Appearance - Dark garnet in color, clear @ edge, reflective, good body/legs - 3
Aroma/Bouquet - Black berry fruit forward, slightly hot/alc., some minerality, oak & vanilla - 5
Taste - Blackberry, black cherry, light tannins, slightly hot/alc., black currant, slightly chalky, light spice - 6
Aftertaste - Long finish, black fruit continues, tannins subside quickly - 3
Overall - Good fruit forward wine, light tannin, good body, long finish - 2
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4/22/2017 - pinotnzinlover Likes this wine: 91 Points
Paired with a medium rear beef strip. Approachable and well balanced with a medium finish.
The wine looks inky colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle.
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4/14/2017 - kelvchua wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour, drank over lunch.
Appearance was clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
On the nose, aroma intensity pronounced, with aromas of black pepper spice, green bell pepper, vanilla, blackcurrants, black plums, liquorice, meat. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, full bodied, fine grained medium+ tannin, long finish. Flavour intensity medium+. Flavours of vanilla, blackcurrants, plums and pepper spices. Very good quality, didn't feel it was overly oaked. Can drink now with potential for further ageing.
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3/15/2017 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brought to our friends in NYC and shared pre-dinner with apps. They immediately commented favorably on the wine as they took their first sips. Much better than the 87 points by Laube from WS suggest. Sometimes I just don't get his rating and rely on my fellow CT members to "crowd-source" the reviews.
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3/15/2017 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 95 Points
drinking very well
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3/5/2017 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 95 Points
we did a blind side by side with the 2012 SASSICAIA AND THE cAKEBREAD WON
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2/17/2017 - Rl67 wrote:
Still sharp after being open for 2hrs. Nice taste, but not as good as 2006/2008
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1/18/2017 - dbarkel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very satisfying Napa Cabernet, complimented our standing rib roast very well
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12/4/2016 - VinoViking Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decided to open a bottle after reading disparate reviews. As expected, I am a fan. Smooth, dry and delicious right after opening. Full bodied and flavorful, without any hint of bitterness.
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11/17/2016 - CellarBuzzz Likes this wine: 92 Points
I had not opened a Cakebread Napa Cabernet until last night. I was surprised how much I liked it. It showed blueberries, plum and lots of crème de cassis with structured tannins. I tasted plenty of Dancing Bear in this wine and will gladly go back for more. For me its a great value.
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10/20/2016 - greedy Likes this wine: 86 Points
The most disappointing cakebread I have ever had. Only a few bottle left. Keep hoping I am wrong. But each bottle I have confirms something went wrong with this well known wine maker in 2012.
Had a 2011 cakebread cab a month ago and despite being an awful year for napa, it was a very good wine.
Not sure what happened in 2012???
No matter what this wine is not worth $100 Cdn.
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10/15/2016 - gteran76 wrote: 90 Points
Dry, deep but a bit acid.
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8/27/2016 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic Californian Cab that is surprisinly approachable now. Needed approx 1 hour decant and began to fade after hour three, which makes me believe that shelf life may not be as long as expected.
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8/19/2016 - NathanT wrote: 92 Points
Good ripe fruit, packed with medium acidity and puckering tannins. Tasty factor. Complex aroma of sweet fruit. Restrained and balanced at the open, but evolved into a rich concentrated wine after an hour.
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7/27/2016 - mrmikemtr wrote: 91 Points
Needs more time. Decanted for two hours and still had a ways to go. Cherries on the palate and high heat from the alcohol. Day 2 was not good. Drink ASAP if you open now. I recommend waiting until 2022.
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6/24/2016 - Squilber Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice Cali Cabernet, with layers of fruit, meat, licorice, spice, and oak. Ready now and can be drank for several more years.
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5/28/2016 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 95 Points
it was good as always
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5/8/2016 - CMGray Likes this wine: 93 Points
Always a favorite of ours. Smooth as silk. Can't go wrong with this one. Wish I could afford to drink daily!!!
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4/29/2016 - GiantRam Likes this wine: 90 Points
Love it but not as much as Caymus or Corrison
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4/29/2016 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
We pnp,d after a 2006 Pahlmeyer, nose was dark berries, palate was blackberry, tree bark and a touch of vanilla, nice long finish. Will definitely improve with age or a long decant
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4/2/2016 - Jake112380 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Expressive nose of blackcurrant, cigar box, and vanilla. Heavy on the palate with flavors predicted by the nose, with the addition of some leathery and woody accents. Strong tannins dominate the finish. While I'm happy to have had it and overall it's an excellent wine, better QPRs are available.
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3/27/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 85 Points
This was thin and uneventful. Not much of anything going on at all. Flavors were muted. Very light in body which made it taste cheap when it was combined with virtually no flavor profile. Not a wine I will drink again.
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3/13/2016 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Midnight purple with violet at the edges. BlackBerries, humidor wood, and a bit of black pepper on the nose. Strawberries, blackberries, a touch of coffee, and lightly gripping tannins catch your immediate attention. The delicious finish, which is a mixture of all of blackberry and coffee, is where this wine really shines. It should be much tastier in a few years.
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2/12/2016 - johnrm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very deep colour. 'Tar' with the fruit on the nose but perfumed in the glass later. Rich, ripe fruit - blackberry and gentle blackcurrant fruit and acidity. Tannins (French oak) are gentle but grainy at this stage. This is too young as yet and I assume it will offer a long life if it has the acidity. Great stuff but around $80 in UK.
Tasted with Simon Woods at Grand Union Wine Society.
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1/26/2016 - Superoreo wrote: 93 Points
Excellent, drinking beautifully.
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1/18/2016 - Baronfreya wrote: 92 Points
Rich dark color thick on on the glass, nose was cedar wrapped monte cristo cigar dark chocolate blackberry and cherry. Fruit forward smooth and velvety in the mouth not as big as I thought it would be but delicious none the less. A fine wine just shy of great.
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1/2/2016 - greedy wrote:
Drink now
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12/31/2015 - dbuganto Likes this wine: 92 Points
All around great wine. Touch of sweet going down. Zero aftertaste. Found it to be a little thick. Better enjoyed with food rather than on its own. So have with dinner.
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10/1/2015 - 82Latour wrote: 88 Points
Week in wine country; 9/26/2015-10/3/2015 (Napa Valley): Mid dark red; chocolate, cherry on the nose; ripe berries, expressive, easy drinking. Finish goes down with drying tannins.
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9/28/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Forward, easy to like and even easier to drink, with plenty of ripe berries, soft textures, licorice and vanilla in the finish.
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9/27/2015 - Lee Fining wrote: 89 Points
Bit of a goldilocks wine. Not too fruity, not to tannic, just a pleasant wine to enjoy.
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8/29/2015 - PMJak11 wrote: 88 Points
My first Cakebread Cab in some time, and definitely not the Cab I remember. Wonderful burst of flavor off the bat, but fades quickly and no where near as bold as most top notch Napa Cabs. Love the texture, but just didn't have enough power and flavor for my liking.
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8/8/2015 - Tlanphier wrote: 85 Points
Quite nice!
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7/12/2015 - Martnmac wrote: 90 Points
Excellent rich fruit. Velvety mouth feel. Decanted for four hours. Feel like this will get better in another couple years
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7/8/2015 - CdP in NYC wrote:
Great wine, but disagree w/ others on its youthfulness; wouldn't hold past 2016 or so...
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7/3/2015 - Iacs Likes this wine:
Good but young
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5/30/2015 - jmorgand wrote: 88 Points
Too light for my taste. I honestly thought it was a Sonoma cab - even decanted over dinner for an hour or so.
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5/29/2015 - Ceo wrote: 91 Points
Has a lot of life will age very well. PNP
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5/16/2015 - yeti575rider wrote:
Vintage Wines cab tasting. In my top half. Pretty good. NR.
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5/9/2015 - Iacs wrote: 93 Points
Young
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3/17/2015 - jviz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at the winery. Solid showing in a great vintage. Dark ruby color. Nose is moderately expressive with strong raisin notes. Blackberry on the palate followed by chalky tannins. Well integrated oak. Hold hold hold.
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2/26/2015 - Ceo wrote: 91 Points
21st Anniversary dinner paired very well with steak! Cheers!!
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1/24/2015 - CrocodileCab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Hide away for a couple of years is my vote. Half one day, half the next. The next it was quite good. The first it was just nit ready. Decanted two hours, but still, mouth puckering tannins, not smooth at all (which is how I think of CB). I tried it next to something very cheap the first night and honestly it got blown out of the Water..... Would love to give a higher score for nostalgic reasons. Maybe in a few years.
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12/30/2014 - km5 wrote:
Plum, berries. Very dry and tannic but decent finish. Tasting very good and has potential.
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12/13/2014 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 92 Points
Giant Wine Sale & Tasting, 12/13/2014 Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC (Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC): Just released, this superb rendition of Napa Valley Cabernet, very much lives up to the reputation of it's predecessors. 2012 had an excellent growing season in Napa Valley and everything we have been able to taste shows awesome upfront plum style fruit, and superb balance. This one is no exception. The color is as deep purple as wine gets. The nose is big rich ripe plum, violets and plenty of oak. Rich mouth coating dark blackberry, boysenberry and black cherry fruit. Small amounts of Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot nicely help round out the structure and flavors. Plenty of new French oak. Designed to be totally drinkable now, but able handle years of bottle age. Strong lingering finish with fruit, vanilla, cocoa and graphite.
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