Medium dark garnet in color. Intense black currant, also with smoke, leather, violets and pencil lead on the nose. Medium body. The flavors that come through are similar to the nose, mainly black currant, some cedar and ash, with a medium finish of black currant. Too bad this was our last bottle....
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Just got bottles back after long period in storage. Wine was decanted, brick-ish around the edges in color. Still some presence of fruit, but fading and not as vibrant as a couple of years ago. Some deep fruits as well as some earthy, mushroom characteristics. Good wine still, but drink up if you have any. I have one bottle left and will be drinking it soon,
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Inky crimson color, opaque core. Blackberry, plum, violets, incense and black fruit. Well-integrated and nicely balanced. Black cherry, black currants, plum and florals; shows a bit of heat too. Nice finish, with lovely dark fruit flavors. Drink now through 2016. 92+ pts.
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My first and only bottle. Got this in a trade so I'm not sure what this costs. Solid tannins. Smooth texture. Herbal, black cherry, leather and mocha. Long finish. This is drinking very well and I liked it better than either of the BR Cohn wines or the Quilceda Creek that we also drank. 93 points.
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Consistent with note of 5/07. Probably drinking slightly better now, but I think this is at its peak and needs about 45 nin in the decanter to show its best. Some sediment in the bottle also and the cork was PERFECT.
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In a very good place right now, it seems to me. Generous currant fruit with blueberry cola meets 60% dark chocolate as the flavor core, which is rich and long. Tasty oak is laced spicely throughout, but never intrusively. Should last another three to five years, but seems to be at peak.
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Rich powerful aromas of kirsch, tar and vanilla. Nicely textured with fine tannins with the oak seeming fairly well integrated at this time. Some milk chocolate notes came in over time. Tasted blind with all participants going with a new world syrah or an S/G blend.
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Deep garnet color leads to a nose of kirsh, black cherry and dark chocolate. The big fruit melds nicely with the heavy chocolate oak. Good acidity leads to a 35 second seemless finish. A great under the radar winery!
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Opened from magnum and decanted 2 hours prior to a simple summer dinner of grilled NY strips and spring greens. While the nose is still somewhat reticent, showing dark cherry, blueberry, leather, and a whiff of something green, the wine is really starting to blossom in the mouth (even from the larger format). Pronounced creamy blueberry, cocoa, and noticeable oak are complimented by finely grained tannins for some grip and lively acidity. I expect that the oak treatment will soften over time and I bet this bottle will show even better in a year or so when it enters its peak drinking window. Even so, I'll drink mine over the next 1-2 years.
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A rich, pleasant wine. Strong and direct with bundles of smooth fruit, pronounced spice, chocolate and a heavy hand of mint. A powerful yet enjoyable wine.
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This bottle was showing MUCH better than the others we've opened over the last several years. Oak still present, but much better integration and balance.
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Decanted 1.5 hours. Flavors of blackberry and kirsh, then you get toasty oak. Also has a fair amount of acidity which probably allows for good aging potential as the fruit is likely enough to carry the oak that's present. This is pretty well integrated now and can probably improve a little over the next few years.
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This rocks! Deep garnet color leads to an unbelivable nose of chocolate covered cherries. The palate carries the chocolate and cherries forward while adding vanilla, kirsh, and blackberry syrup. The finish is 30 seconds and smooth. This is definately over the top new world in style, but very enjoyable.
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Blind Cabs with Friends and Family: Decanted 6-8 hours and Tasted blind. Ripe fruit and some sweet wood on the nose. Ripe and juicy on the palate, nice... but none of the components to compete with the wine that preceeeded it. 89 Tasted again on days 2 and 3. When Fruit Fades, wood is way too much.
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this time out this was consumed very quickly. That definitely plays a factor in my scoring. Blackberries an Mocha and plenty of promise... but tonight I was overwhelmed by the Oak. Toasty, charred, and Maple syrup where drowning out the other elements that I find more favorable. I believe (and hope) airtime (and bottle age) will take this to where I think it can go. 88
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Excellent wine. Very smooth. Deep garnet color. Cherry and oak nose. Definite sour cherry, black cherry, and oak flavor, with a long smooth finish. Big and complex, but not over the top. Going to buy more of this.
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Another new one for me. The color was a deep jeweled ruby again. The nose was lots of black cherries, licorice, vanilla. A minerally note was a nice foil. Strawberry preserves. The mouthfeel was more strawberries, minerals, and smoke. Lots of fruit, great texture and a long finish. I guessed a Super Tuscan. Early peak. 93 pts.
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Just finished my final 2000, and went straight into a glass of 2003. Much more fruit, obviously. Pronounced blackberry, mocha and cherry flavors. Smoother and more approachable right now than just a month or two ago. Very nice cabernet.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark magenta/purple in color. On the nose, dark fruits and toasty oak. On the palate, copious amounts of silky sweet black cherries, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Quite a bit of acidity, but enjoyably so. Extremely long 30-40 second finish. This wine has plenty of stuffing to improve...I'd say it'll go up another point or two in the next few years for me.
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Nice - reminds me a little of '03 QC - kind of a QC-lite if you will. Not bad for the price, but I'm not sure that it has the staying power to go more than 6-7 years past the vintage.
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I am have been an avid drinker of Januik wine since his solo act began with the 1999 vintages. Love ya, Mike, but I'm not tasting the 94 RP score just yet. Lots of acid and tannins at first taste. Three hours in the decanter later, things have mellowed out and the strong fruit style of Mike's is revealing itself. Lots of cherry and oak. Still not completely getting a soothing experience that I typically get with his Columbia Valley blend. Two glasses down, the rest going to bed with Vacu-Vin and 55 degree storage.
Day two: more fruit, more mellowing. Two hours later (so approximately five hours of air time counting last night), I am FINALLY getting the peak Januik cabernet experience: strong cherry, oak, some cigar and leaves; fragrance is a very strong and enjoyable with swirling. Dense, teeth staining color. Note to next time: decant the bottle at lunch and enjoy at dinner.
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Good but not great bottle of wine. All the characteristics of a fine cabernet but not assembled quite yet. Will try and save the next opening for a year or more.
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5/25/2015 - dnjones Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium dark garnet in color. Intense black currant, also with smoke, leather, violets and pencil lead on the nose. Medium body. The flavors that come through are similar to the nose, mainly black currant, some cedar and ash, with a medium finish of black currant. Too bad this was our last bottle....
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1/8/2014 - willison Likes this wine: 88 Points
Just got bottles back after long period in storage. Wine was decanted, brick-ish around the edges in color. Still some presence of fruit, but fading and not as vibrant as a couple of years ago. Some deep fruits as well as some earthy, mushroom characteristics. Good wine still, but drink up if you have any. I have one bottle left and will be drinking it soon,
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3/25/2013 - RDAwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
matured red, smooth, closed nose, full pallet,nice monday night wine, drinking well, 2-4 yrs left
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8/4/2012 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Inky crimson color, opaque core. Blackberry, plum, violets, incense and black fruit. Well-integrated and nicely balanced. Black cherry, black currants, plum and florals; shows a bit of heat too. Nice finish, with lovely dark fruit flavors. Drink now through 2016. 92+ pts.
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8/4/2012 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
My first and only bottle. Got this in a trade so I'm not sure what this costs. Solid tannins. Smooth texture. Herbal, black cherry, leather and mocha. Long finish. This is drinking very well and I liked it better than either of the BR Cohn wines or the Quilceda Creek that we also drank. 93 points.
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11/7/2009 - vinole wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with note of 5/07. Probably drinking slightly better now, but I think this is at its peak and needs about 45 nin in the decanter to show its best. Some sediment in the bottle also and the cork was PERFECT.
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10/17/2009 - AdamWallstein wrote: 93 Points
In a very good place right now, it seems to me. Generous currant fruit with blueberry cola meets 60% dark chocolate as the flavor core, which is rich and long. Tasty oak is laced spicely throughout, but never intrusively. Should last another three to five years, but seems to be at peak.
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10/13/2009 - burgbob wrote: 88 Points
Fully ready, fruit a bit obvious and some lack of complexity
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8/2/2008 - lewrose@gmail.com wrote: 85 Points
Not as good as the last several bottles - perhaps entering a second dumb phase - even after a lot of air -- average bottle of wine.
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5/22/2008 - CBurbank wrote: 90 Points
Rich powerful aromas of kirsch, tar and vanilla. Nicely textured with fine tannins with the oak seeming fairly well integrated at this time. Some milk chocolate notes came in over time. Tasted blind with all participants going with a new world syrah or an S/G blend.
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5/2/2008 - flashvictor wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet color leads to a nose of kirsh, black cherry and dark chocolate. The big fruit melds nicely with the heavy chocolate oak. Good acidity leads to a 35 second seemless finish. A great under the radar winery!
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1/4/2008 - willison wrote:
This wine is closed down right now...will wait to open any more.
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7/31/2007 - Moorese wrote: 92 Points
Opened from magnum and decanted 2 hours prior to a simple summer dinner of grilled NY strips and spring greens. While the nose is still somewhat reticent, showing dark cherry, blueberry, leather, and a whiff of something green, the wine is really starting to blossom in the mouth (even from the larger format). Pronounced creamy blueberry, cocoa, and noticeable oak are complimented by finely grained tannins for some grip and lively acidity. I expect that the oak treatment will soften over time and I bet this bottle will show even better in a year or so when it enters its peak drinking window. Even so, I'll drink mine over the next 1-2 years.
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6/26/2007 - Pacherant wrote: 90 Points
A rich, pleasant wine. Strong and direct with bundles of smooth fruit, pronounced spice, chocolate and a heavy hand of mint. A powerful yet enjoyable wine.
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6/15/2007 - lorenzo wrote: 91 Points
This bottle was showing MUCH better than the others we've opened over the last several years. Oak still present, but much better integration and balance.
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5/27/2007 - vinole wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours. Flavors of blackberry and kirsh, then you get toasty oak. Also has a fair amount of acidity which probably allows for good aging potential as the fruit is likely enough to carry the oak that's present. This is pretty well integrated now and can probably improve a little over the next few years.
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4/8/2007 - lewrose@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Rounding into shape and balance. An excellent drink that we both enjoyed.
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2/21/2007 - flashvictor wrote: 93 Points
This rocks! Deep garnet color leads to an unbelivable nose of chocolate covered cherries. The palate carries the chocolate and cherries forward while adding vanilla, kirsh, and blackberry syrup. The finish is 30 seconds and smooth. This is definately over the top new world in style, but very enjoyable.
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1/5/2007 - lewrose@gmail.com wrote: 80 Points
very oaky; unbalanced.
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11/25/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 89 Points
Blind Cabs with Friends and Family: Decanted 6-8 hours and Tasted blind. Ripe fruit and some sweet wood on the nose. Ripe and juicy on the palate, nice... but none of the components to compete with the wine that preceeeded it. 89
Tasted again on days 2 and 3. When Fruit Fades, wood is way too much.
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11/9/2006 - DFC wrote: 89 Points
While my senses were muted by a cold, I do not believe this wine performed nearly as well as last time when I gave it a 91.
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11/3/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 85 Points
way too much maple syrup infused toasty wood for me tonight.
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10/9/2006 - lorenzo wrote:
Opened at someone's request... but I'm hoping time will help. Right now just too much wood for my taste.
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9/23/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 88 Points
this time out this was consumed very quickly. That definitely plays a factor in my scoring. Blackberries an Mocha and plenty of promise... but tonight I was overwhelmed by the Oak. Toasty, charred, and Maple syrup where drowning out the other elements that I find more favorable. I believe (and hope) airtime (and bottle age) will take this to where I think it can go. 88
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8/25/2006 - willison wrote: 92 Points
Excellent wine. Very smooth. Deep garnet color. Cherry and oak nose. Definite sour cherry, black cherry, and oak flavor, with a long smooth finish. Big and complex, but not over the top. Going to buy more of this.
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7/16/2006 - cct wrote: 91 Points
Another new one for me. The color was a deep jeweled ruby again. The nose was lots of black cherries, licorice, vanilla. A minerally note was a nice foil. Strawberry preserves. The mouthfeel was more strawberries, minerals, and smoke. Lots of fruit, great texture and a long finish. I guessed a Super Tuscan. Early peak. 93 pts.
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7/10/2006 - anacapa1 wrote: 92 Points
Just finished my final 2000, and went straight into a glass of 2003. Much more fruit, obviously. Pronounced blackberry, mocha and cherry flavors. Smoother and more approachable right now than just a month or two ago. Very nice cabernet.
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6/16/2006 - DFC wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark magenta/purple in color. On the nose, dark fruits and toasty oak. On the palate, copious amounts of silky sweet black cherries, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Quite a bit of acidity, but enjoyably so. Extremely long 30-40 second finish. This wine has plenty of stuffing to improve...I'd say it'll go up another point or two in the next few years for me.
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6/7/2006 - ml wrote:
Nice - reminds me a little of '03 QC - kind of a QC-lite if you will. Not bad for the price, but I'm not sure that it has the staying power to go more than 6-7 years past the vintage.
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6/4/2006 - anacapa1 wrote: 90 Points
I am have been an avid drinker of Januik wine since his solo act began with the 1999 vintages. Love ya, Mike, but I'm not tasting the 94 RP score just yet. Lots of acid and tannins at first taste. Three hours in the decanter later, things have mellowed out and the strong fruit style of Mike's is revealing itself. Lots of cherry and oak. Still not completely getting a soothing experience that I typically get with his Columbia Valley blend. Two glasses down, the rest going to bed with Vacu-Vin and 55 degree storage.
Day two: more fruit, more mellowing. Two hours later (so approximately five hours of air time counting last night), I am FINALLY getting the peak Januik cabernet experience: strong cherry, oak, some cigar and leaves; fragrance is a very strong and enjoyable with swirling. Dense, teeth staining color. Note to next time: decant the bottle at lunch and enjoy at dinner.
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5/11/2006 - lewrose@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
Good but not great bottle of wine. All the characteristics of a fine cabernet but not assembled quite yet. Will try and save the next opening for a year or more.
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