Weekend Blind tasting (67 Pall Mall): Blind. Fairly young, plenty of strong kegs, rich plum, creamy oak, black currant nose, more blackcurrant, med+ acid, med tannin, med+ length. Definitely some Cabernet, but I suspected more merlot in the blend, I went for a Bordeaux blend as it didn't feel too big, ripe or hot, but the plushness and creamy nose should have pointed me elsewhere
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Opened this bottle later in the evening without food. Decanted for an hour then drank over about two hours with Brookie. On the nose, mocha, plum, dark fruit, cedar. On the mid palate, more of the same, plus tobacco and leather. Brookie says she gets a scorched sugar/vanilla aspect. Ah Brookie.
This is a very decent, extracted Napa wine which needs some additional time to integrate the various parts. Okay finish, with just a very slight hint of pepper. Many different notes for a $30 bottle. Good enough for a holiday gift, and certainly worth cellaring for . . . . oh, say, another four years.
Rich, inviting, drink it with your gourmet hamburger to impress your pretentious friends. I would be willing to bet that a lot of "wine people" couldn't distinguish this from a $60 bottle in a blind tasting. I might be in that group. That's a statement on me as well as a lot of $60 bottles from Napa.
I recently drank a bottle of '04 Freemark Abbey and was very pleasantly surprised. This bottle is in the same price range and also from Rutherford. Freemark Abbey has merlot, which this bottle does not, so maybe there isn't as much fruit, but still, in an excellent vintage such as this, there might be equal aging potential. At the very least one could buy a half dozen bottles or even a case and start drinking one a year starting in 2018.
The petit verdot and and petit sirah add richness, power, and a velvety texture. Delicious, needs time, worth $30.
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Bouquet of dark fruits, cassis, touch of tobacco. Blackberries, mocha and cigar box on the palate. Pleasant wine, good with food; short to medium finish
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Drank at a charity wine tasting event. Color is dark garnet. Most is fairly expressive with black fruit and cedary, earth tones. Big wine with extracted blackberry jam, licorice and a slight peppery note on the finish, probably from the small percentage of Syrah added to the blend. Decent tannic structure, could use more time in a cellar.
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Just an average cab. Black fruit with a little red currant with a hint if smokey oak. Medium smooth somewhat balanced finish. Better selections at this price point, even with the $5 off coupon at Costco (final price $18.50).
Dark ruby, medium density offering up warm melange of mixed dark fruits and light toffee flavors. Nothing super special but enjoyable w/or w/o food. Tasted against 2012 B Side Cab and 2012 Columbia Crest H3 cab, which is super value at around $10. The H3 started out lighter w/brighter fruit flavors but after a couple of hours grew to be the biggest of the three. All three were good though.
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12/16/2017 - chekraze wrote:
Nothing great. Expected better. Better values out there.
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7/22/2017 - wdlohr wrote: 89 Points
Dark in color and rich aromas of black fruit, dense and structured with long finish
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2/25/2017 - kingkanu wrote:
Weekend Blind tasting (67 Pall Mall): Blind. Fairly young, plenty of strong kegs, rich plum, creamy oak, black currant nose, more blackcurrant, med+ acid, med tannin, med+ length.
Definitely some Cabernet, but I suspected more merlot in the blend, I went for a Bordeaux blend as it didn't feel too big, ripe or hot, but the plushness and creamy nose should have pointed me elsewhere
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11/25/2016 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 88 Points
Opened this bottle later in the evening without food. Decanted for an hour then drank over about two hours with Brookie. On the nose, mocha, plum, dark fruit, cedar. On the mid palate, more of the same, plus tobacco and leather. Brookie says she gets a scorched sugar/vanilla aspect. Ah Brookie.
This is a very decent, extracted Napa wine which needs some additional time to integrate the various parts. Okay finish, with just a very slight hint of pepper. Many different notes for a $30 bottle. Good enough for a holiday gift, and certainly worth cellaring for . . . . oh, say, another four years.
Rich, inviting, drink it with your gourmet hamburger to impress your pretentious friends. I would be willing to bet that a lot of "wine people" couldn't distinguish this from a $60 bottle in a blind tasting. I might be in that group. That's a statement on me as well as a lot of $60 bottles from Napa.
I recently drank a bottle of '04 Freemark Abbey and was very pleasantly surprised. This bottle is in the same price range and also from Rutherford. Freemark Abbey has merlot, which this bottle does not, so maybe there isn't as much fruit, but still, in an excellent vintage such as this, there might be equal aging potential. At the very least one could buy a half dozen bottles or even a case and start drinking one a year starting in 2018.
The petit verdot and and petit sirah add richness, power, and a velvety texture. Delicious, needs time, worth $30.
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11/19/2016 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice every day drinker...
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9/20/2016 - ThomasE Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bouquet of dark fruits, cassis, touch of tobacco. Blackberries, mocha and cigar box on the palate. Pleasant wine, good with food; short to medium finish
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9/3/2016 - AAJR Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had at Sam Vera - flavors of black fruits. Easy to drink, would buy/try again.
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6/11/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at a charity wine tasting event. Color is dark garnet. Most is fairly expressive with black fruit and cedary, earth tones. Big wine with extracted blackberry jam, licorice and a slight peppery note on the finish, probably from the small percentage of Syrah added to the blend. Decent tannic structure, could use more time in a cellar.
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6/8/2016 - marvelous wrote: 90 Points
Nicely balanced. Blackberry overtones. Soft tannins. Very drinkable
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4/3/2016 - Monsieur le Comte wrote: 91 Points
very smooth, round and polished.
mostly plum, blackberries, cassis, stewed plum, smoke, pepper, dust..
leather, cola, tobacco, cinnamon, vanilla and coffee
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12/24/2015 - Collinsb1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fruity, bold, smooth. A little expensive for the value though.
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12/5/2015 - Jphowarth Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great with pizza for 14 bucks a bottle in San Diego. Soft nose, with raspberry. Some heat on the finish. Approachable.
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8/2/2015 - quicklunarcop Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very smooth.
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7/1/2015 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
By the glass at Zins in Cedar Rapids
Big red and blue nose translates to the palate. Great full, plush mouth feel. Balanced structure
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5/16/2015 - Randito wrote: 87 Points
Just an average cab. Black fruit with a little red currant with a hint if smokey oak. Medium smooth somewhat balanced finish. Better selections at this price point, even with the $5 off coupon at Costco (final price $18.50).
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1/10/2015 - MoreWinePlease Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark ruby, medium density offering up warm melange of mixed dark fruits and light toffee flavors. Nothing super special but enjoyable w/or w/o food. Tasted against 2012 B Side Cab and 2012 Columbia Crest H3 cab, which is super value at around $10. The H3 started out lighter w/brighter fruit flavors but after a couple of hours grew to be the biggest of the three. All three were good though.
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12/9/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Sweet blue and black fruit. Could probably be from anywhere (anyone) on the Napa Valley floor. Works it out at $30 or so.
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