This has been a great vintage for Cali Cabs and this bottle showed very well. Lovely almost old world feel to it but not super complex. Dark color matches the dark fruit nose and flavor. Some tobacco and earth. Lovely aroma on pop and pour and paired nicely with pizza. Medium length and tannins present but nearly resolved. Much better than when it was young IMHO. Outstanding QPR. Likely drinking at peak but I suspect there’s no big rush, can probably go a few more years.
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I really enjoyed this wine. Dark ruby red in the glass with aromas of dark fruit. On the palate, dark cherry and blackberry flavors with a slight taste of chocolate. Smooth, long finish on this nice Napa cab.
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Great but not great, great. Good value. Excellent nose. Not as full bodied as I was hoping for. Peppery with nice tannins and mouth feel, without an accompaniment of secondary flavors.
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This bottle drank very well, better then the last couple. Thought they were fading, but this one had plenty of life left in it. Dark fruit, brambly. with a hint of tar and tobacco. Very enjoyable over 3 days.
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Someone left this bottle and finally decided to open. Was actually expecting less, but opened up to an enjoyable glass. Dark ruby red. Black fruit, herbs, cedar. Smooth, but some heat that follows on the finish. Decent weeknight bottle. Definitely improved with air.
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Cabernet Sauvignon Holiday tasting (My house): Tasted blind with 5 other cabs; surprise of the tasting for me as it was light, delicate, not much wood good cab flavor but I did not like it. Others liked it alot.
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second bottle just as good as the first. Beautiful nose...longs legs...cherry...lead pencil....grapefruit....nice value at $20. I should have bought more
Decanted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Really inky purple in color. On the nose I get cherries and blackberries. Some blue berries. Really nice on the nose. As it sits in the glass I start to pickup some caramel. O the palate I get really nice dark fruit. Slight oak. Medium finish. Nice balance of tannins and acidity. I do pick up a little heat at the end.
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This wine is hitting its' stride. Aerated but not decanted. Very pleasant aromatic nose with dark cherries and blackberries. Very approachable. Dark fruit and black currants to mid-palate, some acidity with balanced tannins, a good, satisfying, slightly heated finish. Earlier versions of this vintage I sampled were unrefined and out of balance, almost awkward. Not any more. A real nice example of a Napa cab.
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Consistent with previous bottle, this is available locally in grocery stores and is very reminiscent of Silver Oak...on a budget. Very dry but ripe tannins with dark tight fruit, and quite a lot of grip on the finish. Make no mistake this is an oaky style. Better on the second day.
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Good value. Solid representation of a great vintage. Good dependable rep of the varietal. Good balance of fruit/tannins/alcohol. Got the currants but not much else except some nondescript green veggie. More to come
Quite a lovely tipple. Black fruit and currant aromas open up to oak, vanilla, and sweet spice. Full-bodied, rich, and long, with flavors that get denser and spicier as they unfold in the glass. Shows attractive drive and progression before closing with black currants and fancy oak on the sumptuous finish. Expressive, harmonious, and tasty.
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Not really impressed by this. A very young wine, to be sure, that took several hours to soften and open up. Fairly dark color. Moderate nose, with a bit of cassis, oak, and tobacco. Some ripe dark fruit and abundant oak on the palate. Clean finish. So far, so good. But the wine suffers a bit from an overabundance of heat - do we really need table wines with almost 15% ABV? Furthermore, while it is difficult to find a single element to fault, the wine does not hang together well. It is certainly drinkable, even enjoyable, but it left me wanting more. For a wine that retails at $20 - $25 a bottle, this just doesn't deliver enough. Neither am I convinced that it will improve significantly.
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Enjoyed this with some salmon. A very good value at this price point (on sale) and purchased a few more to cellar for a couple years. Decanted for 30 minutes and probably will go for 1 hour next time. Probably a 90 in a few years!
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PnP, dense dark cherry color, tight nose, med+ mouthfeel, med+ length finish with some oak/tannins, too hot, decant well or wait another year. Softened after a couple hours, crowd pleaser blend.
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Very ripe dark violet fruit, good balance and depth, noticeable oak influence, ripe, with slightly sweet and medium tannins. Would buy again. Drank with a '13 Kunde and both were excellent. The '13 vintage is a great one for most of the wines I've had. I agree, good value here.
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Very young, robust and tannic. Needs a few years in the cellar to come together. Usual black cherry, currants and vanilla. Not too much oak, but some heat up front. Got better as the night went on. Decanting is a must if drinking this young. Time will make this a great everyday cab. For the price, I will definitely be stocking the cellar with these for years to come.
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Always consistent, well balanced Cab with light tannins, dark fruit up front and pleasant medium finish. Great everyday wine which complements grilled steak, prime ribs, lamb chops.
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5/11/2022 - Triforwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
This has been a great vintage for Cali Cabs and this bottle showed very well. Lovely almost old world feel to it but not super complex. Dark color matches the dark fruit nose and flavor. Some tobacco and earth. Lovely aroma on pop and pour and paired nicely with pizza. Medium length and tannins present but nearly resolved. Much better than when it was young IMHO. Outstanding QPR. Likely drinking at peak but I suspect there’s no big rush, can probably go a few more years.
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2/26/2022 - redz wrote: 91 Points
Beat a 2013 Buehler in taste off. Mellowing nicely
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5/26/2021 - Peter Mach wrote:
On sale at Smart n Final
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1/2/2021 - 33Bob Likes this wine: 91 Points
I really enjoyed this wine. Dark ruby red in the glass with aromas of dark fruit. On the palate, dark cherry and blackberry flavors with a slight taste of chocolate. Smooth, long finish on this nice Napa cab.
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4/17/2020 - Ketch1288 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Always good wine and holds great. Still tight and could age well longer. Big wine.
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4/12/2020 - KlinkandKlank Likes this wine: 88 Points
Great but not great, great.
Good value. Excellent nose. Not as full bodied as I was hoping for. Peppery with nice tannins and mouth feel, without an accompaniment of secondary flavors.
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12/28/2019 - AAJR Likes this wine: 89 Points
Solid - enjoyed over three days.
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11/19/2019 - wineotim wrote: 91 Points
Still drinking well, consistent with previous notes.
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9/12/2019 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle drank very well, better then the last couple. Thought they were fading, but this one had plenty of life left in it. Dark fruit, brambly. with a hint of tar and tobacco. Very enjoyable over 3 days.
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7/12/2019 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fading. A bit harsher and less well-rounded than when first enjoyed.
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7/9/2019 - winecadence Likes this wine: 87 Points
Someone left this bottle and finally decided to open. Was actually expecting less, but opened up to an enjoyable glass. Dark ruby red. Black fruit, herbs, cedar. Smooth, but some heat that follows on the finish. Decent weeknight bottle. Definitely improved with air.
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6/2/2019 - redz wrote: 91 Points
Really drinking well, velvety smooth, rich cab, mellowing with age.
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12/21/2018 - Marlana80 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Lamb shanks.
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12/15/2018 - mwneil wrote: 86 Points
Cabernet Sauvignon Holiday tasting (My house): Tasted blind with 5 other cabs; surprise of the tasting for me as it was light, delicate, not much wood good cab flavor but I did not like it. Others liked it alot.
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6/3/2018 - wineotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
I stand by my previous reviews, comes together and better on the second day. Hasn't lost a step.
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6/2/2018 - umazz Likes this wine: 86 Points
little too sour for my liking.
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4/9/2018 - alabunka wrote: 88 Points
when in doubt you can always rely on Charles Krug bottle of wine
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3/26/2018 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 89 Points
second bottle just as good as the first. Beautiful nose...longs legs...cherry...lead pencil....grapefruit....nice value at $20. I should have bought more
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3/2/2018 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote: 88 Points
still deep and dark color and nose, but tough to get much palate out of it. not aging well, or shutting down temporarily, or just my palate?
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1/12/2018 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 89 Points
Plug and play - good weekday wine or when you need a little bit more!
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1/7/2018 - zinfomaniac Likes this wine: 89 Points
My suggestion would be to open and let sit overnight because this was dynamic on day two with copious amounts of raspberry infused dark chocolate.
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11/25/2017 - alpark24 Likes this wine:
Excellent! Smooth with great flavor.
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11/22/2017 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Better than prior couple of bottles. I believe there is some meaningful bottle variation in this wine.
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11/7/2017 - lpettet Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was very good. I will buy again. Good color. Lasting flavor.
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10/22/2017 - Martaven Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good Cab, first I did not like it that much, but I let it breath and it was just great! Would but it again.
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10/8/2017 - ktnjr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Really inky purple in color.
On the nose I get cherries and blackberries. Some blue berries. Really nice on the nose. As it sits in the glass I start to pickup some caramel. O the palate I get really nice dark fruit. Slight oak. Medium finish.
Nice balance of tannins and acidity. I do pick up a little heat at the end.
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8/5/2017 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better than last couple of bottles.
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5/27/2017 - KateBGood Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious, full bodied, ripe red fruit. Smooth and balanced. Everyone loved it.
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4/26/2017 - denisontb Likes this wine: 89 Points
Showing improvement... drinking 1/2 case over 6 months and most recent bottle was the best. Nice nose, solid body, smooth finish. Would buy again
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4/20/2017 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine is hitting its' stride. Aerated but not decanted. Very pleasant aromatic nose with dark cherries and blackberries. Very approachable. Dark fruit and black currants to mid-palate, some acidity with balanced tannins, a good, satisfying, slightly heated finish. Earlier versions of this vintage I sampled were unrefined and out of balance, almost awkward. Not any more. A real nice example of a Napa cab.
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4/18/2017 - Theismann wrote: 88 Points
solid bottle,
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4/7/2017 - wineotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with previous bottle, this is available locally in grocery stores and is very reminiscent of Silver Oak...on a budget. Very dry but ripe tannins with dark tight fruit, and quite a lot of grip on the finish. Make no mistake this is an oaky style. Better on the second day.
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2/9/2017 - beej Likes this wine:
Good value.
Solid representation of a great vintage.
Good dependable rep of the varietal.
Good balance of fruit/tannins/alcohol.
Got the currants but not much else except some nondescript green veggie.
More to come
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12/28/2016 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
Quite a lovely tipple. Black fruit and currant aromas open up to oak, vanilla, and sweet spice. Full-bodied, rich, and long, with flavors that get denser and spicier as they unfold in the glass. Shows attractive drive and progression before closing with black currants and fancy oak on the sumptuous finish. Expressive, harmonious, and tasty.
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12/22/2016 - denisontb Likes this wine: 88 Points
Solid, if simple, Napa Cab. A good daily drinker if you can get it for <$25 (found mine for $20).
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12/20/2016 - daver852 wrote: 87 Points
Not really impressed by this. A very young wine, to be sure, that took several hours to soften and open up. Fairly dark color. Moderate nose, with a bit of cassis, oak, and tobacco. Some ripe dark fruit and abundant oak on the palate. Clean finish. So far, so good. But the wine suffers a bit from an overabundance of heat - do we really need table wines with almost 15% ABV? Furthermore, while it is difficult to find a single element to fault, the wine does not hang together well. It is certainly drinkable, even enjoyable, but it left me wanting more. For a wine that retails at $20 - $25 a bottle, this just doesn't deliver enough. Neither am I convinced that it will improve significantly.
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12/14/2016 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big and dark as usual. A little hotter than I remembered from prior bottles.
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11/12/2016 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 88 Points
Enjoyed this with some salmon. A very good value at this price point (on sale) and purchased a few more to cellar for a couple years. Decanted for 30 minutes and probably will go for 1 hour next time. Probably a 90 in a few years!
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11/3/2016 - RedValues Likes this wine: 88 Points
PnP, dense dark cherry color, tight nose, med+ mouthfeel, med+ length finish with some oak/tannins, too hot, decant well or wait another year. Softened after a couple hours, crowd pleaser blend.
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10/22/2016 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 89 Points
nice everyday drinker...cherry...blackberry
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10/10/2016 - wineotim Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very ripe dark violet fruit, good balance and depth, noticeable oak influence, ripe, with slightly sweet and medium tannins. Would buy again. Drank with a '13 Kunde and both were excellent. The '13 vintage is a great one for most of the wines I've had. I agree, good value here.
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9/29/2016 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth firm tannins. Notes of tobacco.
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9/11/2016 - AAJR Likes this wine: 90 Points
Terrific QPR
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8/21/2016 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great CA cab sauv, esp for the price. Drinks like a wine twice the price.
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8/11/2016 - deetz Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fleshy, dark fruit, moderate oak, well-balanced palate with fine to chewy tannins. Solid wine for price.
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7/31/2016 - MPilot Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good body and fruit... Not overly complex but good QPR and everyday wine.
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7/28/2016 - Robwild Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep purple color. Full bodied. Berries and oak.Well balanced and good structure.
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7/13/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Sweetly fruited with some unresolved oak but otherwise a very nice Cabernet. Give it two years to integrate.
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6/17/2016 - Garb Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very young, robust and tannic. Needs a few years in the cellar to come together. Usual black cherry, currants and vanilla. Not too much oak, but some heat up front. Got better as the night went on. Decanting is a must if drinking this young. Time will make this a great everyday cab. For the price, I will definitely be stocking the cellar with these for years to come.
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6/10/2016 - MelroseCellars Likes this wine:
Deep purple color. Good flavor, balance, and finish. Popped and poured. Nice everyday Cali cab.
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5/21/2016 - dkortukov wrote: 59 Points
Очень терпкое
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4/25/2016 - NJWINELOVERS Likes this wine: 90 Points
Always consistent, well balanced Cab with light tannins, dark fruit up front and pleasant medium finish. Great everyday wine which complements grilled steak, prime ribs, lamb chops.
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