A fine old California Cabernet. This may seem over-the-hill when first opened, but let it breathe a little and it will come into focus. This is still near the end of its life, granted, but is still quite pleasurable. It has classic aged Cabernet dark fruit with some herbs and a small leather component. This isn't truly profound, but is well integrated and complete. Quite smooth, elegant, and mid-weight at this point, and a reminder of the virtues of aged California Cabernet. Drink now.
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Drank this over two nights and it was delicious both nights. Dark and blue fruit, cassis and spice flavors. Elegant, smooth with a long finish. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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Drank at the cottage - this is about finished evolving and about to start the downward plunge. But, nose still bringing some plum and pruney nuances and following through with some nice fruit, integrated tannins (to little tannin at all) and a loss of support. All in all, though, a nice wine. The foregoing doesn't make it sound as good as it was.
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This was enjoyed with friends and we were all surprised at its continuing liveliness and depth. Still some backbone but fading fast, I'd say. Bought at auction so not sure what the MSRP is but I'd bet its got a good QPR.
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Similar notes to last bottle: Nice cali bordeaux blend, but a bit rounder and riper than the real thing. Nevertheless, very nice cherry, berry, tobacco, anise flavors, smooth texture and finish.
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Nice cali bordeaux blend, but a bit rounder and riper than the real thing. Nevertheless, very nice cherry, berry, tobacco, anise flavors, smooth texture and finish.
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Deep crimson color. Nose of black fruits and tobacco. The palate follows, with black fruits, black cherry, tobacco (particularly on the mid palate) and fine, mostly resolved, tannins. Still enough structure to go a few more years, but drinking very nicely right now, and a good match with leg of lamb. Not a blockbuster, but very nice.
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who says cali wines can't age. this is the second bottle of this wine that i have had. the first was a year ago and this one was even better. smooth, well intergrated with fine tannins and nice vibrantred purple fruits, overall well balanced. not bad for almost 10 year old grape juice. too bad this my last bottle from this vintage.
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I was dreading making a mistake, given the WA roccomendation this could last till 2012...straight out of the bottle this wine sang with chocolate dominating, smoking tobacco and some rather severe earth, shrooms...a healthy chunk of earth, oak, still great acid to fruit to tannin balance, smooth texture, fair tannins, good extraction --- and then this greenish thing going down the middle, complimentary I suppose - my wife says honeydewish - what could cause this? Oak regiment? '96 was ripe enough - this dissipates after an hour or so ...As always this is a delicious, balanced and worthy wine - always used to be worth the buy...this was the last vintage I purchased.
What are the rules in regards to labeling for alcohol?...this bottling had none!
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10/9/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Mid-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Lunch (Mostly Double Blind) (Pixca - Highland Park IL): Double blind from magnum. Clearly mature New World wine with ripe/ fat black fruit that was still nicely fresh with enough structure un the near background, just lacking particular finesse.
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6/2/2017 - ilcalmo wrote: 91 Points
A fine old California Cabernet. This may seem over-the-hill when first opened, but let it breathe a little and it will come into focus. This is still near the end of its life, granted, but is still quite pleasurable. It has classic aged Cabernet dark fruit with some herbs and a small leather component. This isn't truly profound, but is well integrated and complete. Quite smooth, elegant, and mid-weight at this point, and a reminder of the virtues of aged California Cabernet. Drink now.
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7/20/2016 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Drank this over two nights and it was delicious both nights. Dark and blue fruit, cassis and spice flavors. Elegant, smooth with a long finish. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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4/1/2016 - no leashes wrote: 89 Points
Smooth, elegant and drinking nicely.
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5/23/2014 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Gorgeous nose, quite fruit forward (A-). Excellent soft palate with lots of red fruits (B++)
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6/30/2012 - AlexHop wrote: 91 Points
Really nice with bold dark fruit flavors. Holding up nicely.
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5/27/2011 - bdufton wrote: 88 Points
Drank at the cottage - this is about finished evolving and about to start the downward plunge. But, nose still bringing some plum and pruney nuances and following through with some nice fruit, integrated tannins (to little tannin at all) and a loss of support. All in all, though, a nice wine. The foregoing doesn't make it sound as good as it was.
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3/5/2011 - WDSteers wrote: 90 Points
bouquet of cherries with red fruit tastes and slight chocolate. prob at peak
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1/18/2011 - bdufton wrote: 90 Points
This was enjoyed with friends and we were all surprised at its continuing liveliness and depth. Still some backbone but fading fast, I'd say. Bought at auction so not sure what the MSRP is but I'd bet its got a good QPR.
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4/10/2010 - no leashes wrote: 89 Points
Similar notes to last bottle: Nice cali bordeaux blend, but a bit rounder and riper than the real thing. Nevertheless, very nice cherry, berry, tobacco, anise flavors, smooth texture and finish.
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10/3/2009 - AlexHop wrote: 89 Points
Starting to fade but still very nice.
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8/31/2008 - no leashes wrote: 89 Points
Nice cali bordeaux blend, but a bit rounder and riper than the real thing. Nevertheless, very nice cherry, berry, tobacco, anise flavors, smooth texture and finish.
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1/9/2008 - mjpaustin wrote:
Deep crimson color. Nose of black fruits and tobacco. The palate follows, with black fruits, black cherry, tobacco (particularly on the mid palate) and fine, mostly resolved, tannins. Still enough structure to go a few more years, but drinking very nicely right now, and a good match with leg of lamb. Not a blockbuster, but very nice.
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12/23/2005 - Opimian wrote:
who says cali wines can't age. this is the second bottle of this wine that i have had. the first was a year ago and this one was even better. smooth, well intergrated with fine tannins and nice vibrantred purple fruits, overall well balanced. not bad for almost 10 year old grape juice. too bad this my last bottle from this vintage.
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10/9/2004 - CO CHRIS wrote: 92 Points
I was dreading making a mistake, given the WA roccomendation this could last till 2012...straight out of the bottle this wine sang with chocolate dominating, smoking tobacco and some rather severe earth, shrooms...a healthy chunk of earth, oak, still great acid to fruit to tannin balance, smooth texture, fair tannins, good extraction --- and then this greenish thing going down the middle, complimentary I suppose - my wife says honeydewish - what could cause this? Oak regiment? '96 was ripe enough - this dissipates after an hour or so ...As always this is a delicious, balanced and worthy wine - always used to be worth the buy...this was the last vintage I purchased.
What are the rules in regards to labeling for alcohol?...this bottling had none!
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1/9/2004 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Red Carpet: Mushrooms, herbs, slight vinegar-age with great character, silky smooth mth, softer t’s, good long fennel fin.
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