I was apprehensive about this because of the age but needn’t have been. Very enjoyable. Removed from the cellar about 2 hours before drinking and opened about 1 hour before. Nice balance of fruit and structure and paired well with food (lamb kebabs). No detailed notes but would happily drink this again, especially at under $20. Not getting any better with additional age but also probably still good for another 2 years.
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A standout sip and savor red blend. Paired very well with beef and pork, but I enjoyed it even more without food. So many well balanced flavors...each sip seemed to uncover something new. Mild tannins, no heat. Recommend pairing this wine with a wine flavor wheel--hours of entertainment!
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Wow, has it really been over a year since I last had this wine? My last note is pre-pandemic! Love the combination of red fruit, light dashes of green elements and grippy tannins. Glad to have more of this. Maybe a bottle every year or 18 months is about right. Just please no more pandemics!
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A really interesting wine. It’s one where you can clearly pick out all the individual components of the wine. Plenty of herbal and green notes from the CF lead the way on the nose. Followed by dill and coconut from the American oak. Dark red fruits rom the CS and some leather and spice from the Tempranillo. Big wine, but alcohol wasn’t intrusive or in your face. Well balanced and drinking great now, but has plenty of life ahead of it
Love the balance and presence on this wine. The Cabernet Franc leads the way with red fruit and herb elements. There’s a bit of green pepper, in a Loire Cab Franc way. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes in next, with deeper fruit, and solid structure. The Tempranillo dances around the two Cabernets, with leathery, earthy and spicy tones. I had a bottle of this a while back, and didn’t quite get it. Spending more time, and focus on this bottle is a rewarding experience. This is fabulous value, and has the fruit and structure to evolve for several more years.
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Loaded with ripe Cabernet fruit with a touch of herbs and a little more vanilla/coconut oak than I prefer, held together with fine tannin. It paired brilliantly with a 60 day dry aged Flannery ribeye.
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2000' in Sierra Nevadas. 40 CF, 40CS, 20 temp. Rch and dusty black fruit with a cocoa quality. French and US oak for 1 year. Mouthfeel is surprisingly med for a 15%. Good for price. Firm tannins.
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Crimson to garnet, slight rim variation. Medium legs. Aromas of black fruit, barnyard: blackberry, raspberry, red currant, forest floor. Other aromas/flavors are subtle: light toast, cedar, vanilla, cinnamon, eucalyptus, mint and stems. Light/medium body, short finish. Texture best described as subdued and developing. Low acid. Based upon 2 bottles tasted over 1 week in sequence. Second bottle had more impact than the first, with the addition of barnyard aromas. Purchased as a Berserker Day special, with price of <$15 per bottle. Overall impression: lacks presence and drinks at QPR substantially below average. Rating is average of two bottles. Drink now.
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3/17/2024 - sjtave Likes this wine:
I was apprehensive about this because of the age but needn’t have been. Very enjoyable. Removed from the cellar about 2 hours before drinking and opened about 1 hour before. Nice balance of fruit and structure and paired well with food (lamb kebabs). No detailed notes but would happily drink this again, especially at under $20. Not getting any better with additional age but also probably still good for another 2 years.
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5/31/2023 - jayrod wrote: flawed
Corked
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5/29/2022 - costacasa Likes this wine: 91 Points
A standout sip and savor red blend. Paired very well with beef and pork, but I enjoyed it even more without food. So many well balanced flavors...each sip seemed to uncover something new. Mild tannins, no heat. Recommend pairing this wine with a wine flavor wheel--hours of entertainment!
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1/16/2022 - Nestor John Salazar wrote: 89 Points
Not feeling this. By itself it was good. But " chunky" mouth feel on the amount of fruit.
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5/19/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Wow, has it really been over a year since I last had this wine? My last note is pre-pandemic! Love the combination of red fruit, light dashes of green elements and grippy tannins. Glad to have more of this. Maybe a bottle every year or 18 months is about right. Just please no more pandemics!
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3/25/2021 - rcb25 Likes this wine:
A really interesting wine. It’s one where you can clearly pick out all the individual components of the wine. Plenty of herbal and green notes from the CF lead the way on the nose. Followed by dill and coconut from the American oak. Dark red fruits rom the CS and some leather and spice from the Tempranillo. Big wine, but alcohol wasn’t intrusive or in your face. Well balanced and drinking great now, but has plenty of life ahead of it
ABV: 15%
Closure type: Natural cork
Stem: Grassl 1855
Blend: 40% CF, 40% CS, 20% Tempranillo
Decant: 1h
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2/15/2020 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Love the balance and presence on this wine. The Cabernet Franc leads the way with red fruit and herb elements. There’s a bit of green pepper, in a Loire Cab Franc way. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes in next, with deeper fruit, and solid structure. The Tempranillo dances around the two Cabernets, with leathery, earthy and spicy tones. I had a bottle of this a while back, and didn’t quite get it. Spending more time, and focus on this bottle is a rewarding experience. This is fabulous value, and has the fruit and structure to evolve for several more years.
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10/13/2019 - Maphill01 wrote:
Inky black. Cassis. Bell pepper. Earthy. Tannic
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1/26/2019 - MikeATL wrote: 88 Points
Loaded with ripe Cabernet fruit with a touch of herbs and a little more vanilla/coconut oak than I prefer, held together with fine tannin. It paired brilliantly with a 60 day dry aged Flannery ribeye.
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10/11/2018 - Joe Kane wrote:
2000' in Sierra Nevadas. 40 CF, 40CS, 20 temp. Rch and dusty black fruit with a cocoa quality. French and US oak for 1 year. Mouthfeel is surprisingly med for a 15%. Good for price. Firm tannins.
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3/13/2018 - ISOPinot wrote: 82 Points
Crimson to garnet, slight rim variation. Medium legs. Aromas of black fruit, barnyard: blackberry, raspberry, red currant, forest floor. Other aromas/flavors are subtle: light toast, cedar, vanilla, cinnamon, eucalyptus, mint and stems. Light/medium body, short finish. Texture best described as subdued and developing. Low acid. Based upon 2 bottles tasted over 1 week in sequence. Second bottle had more impact than the first, with the addition of barnyard aromas. Purchased as a Berserker Day special, with price of <$15 per bottle. Overall impression: lacks presence and drinks at QPR substantially below average. Rating is average of two bottles. Drink now.
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3/11/2017 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
Drinking well and much higher than the price point. Still tannic but acceptable.
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9/17/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Pretty plain Jane as it goes.
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7/14/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Cabernet is kinda dominate, in a sort of green way. Cabernet is red fruit and full but with grip.
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9/22/2015 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
A good food wine. Great structure but tannic even after three days.
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5/14/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Some funk, but also a touch of green, balanced, structured but big, works it out at $12.
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