Intense sweet cherries, ripe black plums, perfect blackberries, almonds, milk chocolate, flowers, hint of maybe allspice, faint background of leather, faintest hint of licorice. Gentle tannins. Lovely and very long aftertaste. Enjoyable even immediately after opening, but needs well more than an hour in the glass to be at its best (the score was significantly lower earlier). Just a lot of fun. No hurry at all, but also no reason at all to wait. [Tasted over almost two hours from the Jancis Robinson glass. The description reflects this glass and combines notes from the entire 2-hour period--at any one time, most, but not all, of these descriptors would make sense. Very briefly tried several other glasses--too briefly for it to be fair to mention them by name--and, although the wine was still enjoyable, little of the complexity was present from those glasses. I gave this bottle a week upright to allow any sediment to settle out, but I suspect that this was more than was needed.]
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Deep ruby color. Absolutely fantastic bouquet, redolent of black sherry, red currant, wet gravel, chocolate, tar. eucalyptus and rose petals. Smooth and supple, medium-full bodied, with flavors of red and black fruit, streaked with hints of menthol, earth and spice. Lingering dried fruit finish, supported by fine-grained tannins.
Perhaps a little tight still, and could benefit from a few more years of rest. But a very solid wine, regardless.
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Lovely wine. Upon opening it was tight but nice, fruit showed through but a touch astringent. I decanted the bottle for 3 hours - 2 would have been fine as well. After decanting the wine was perfect with prime quality New York strip and lamb chops. Tar, tobacco, blue fruits - intense bit food friendly. I drink a bottle each year on my father's birthday (it was his favorite). It's fun to watch the case I purchased evolve year after year. I think the wine may be at peak or in a dumb faze, it's not as energetic as in the past but is really delicious.
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@BTWINE nailed the notes. Enjoyed over steaks at a friends house at a wine dinner. Extremely warm heat wave but controlled the temperature with ice Great bottle. I apparently have one more left in my cellar. Need to locate it and likely will have it soon so I enjoy this bottle at or near its apex.
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Delicious, needs at least 2 hour decant. Enjoyed it with Prime NY Strip - it definitely requires food. Dark fruit and balaced tannins lead to a leather note that sings via a long finish. Drink now with a long decant or hold for, I would guess, a couple decades.
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Decanted for 2 hrs to start. Opened up as the evening progressed, though tannins still need more time. Nice acid component. Black peppercorn, blackberry, leather, forest bramble. Overall what I would expect at this level for a Napa cab. And, a delicious complement to tonight’s NY Strip. Probably still has 5+ years in the tank for my remaining bottles. Great qpr.
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Nose of black berry, black cherry and dusty earth, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, tasty, easy to sip and savor with the grilled Ribeye Steak, will easily last for another 8 years, and a long finish. Photo uploaded.
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Nose of black berry, black cherry, spring flowers, and forest floor, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, very tasty, great nose and then a great taste on the palate, better the second night than the first which suggests on peak plateau for the next 5 years, and a lovely, lingering, long finish. Photo uploaded.
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An interesting bottle, have had this for 5 years now (one a year) and while this bottle is good, it seems a bit closed down. 2 hour decant and drank over 2 hours, nice but not overly complex. Very different from last year. Perhaps it would have been better after further decanting? Cherry, tar and anise wrapped around tobacco and dark plum. Very interesting, perhaps a long decant would be helpful. Looking forward to next year's bottle. *** I saved a large glass for, what was supposed to be, a day or maybe two. A week later, I finally drank the remaining glass. All I can say is phenomenal. Complex, powerful but not overpowering. Truly a special experience - a slow ox for 12 hours is probably ideal but, it is hard to tell. This will have a long life. 90 on day 1, 94 on day 7 - truly shocking.
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Nose of black berry, black cherry, mint, and allspice, on the palate, big body, tasty, elegant, drinking at peak now, lots of secondary flavors and lots of complexity for the money, mouth filling fruit, has a long finish and lovely aftertaste. Photo uploaded.
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This wine continues to evolve and become more integrated but has a long way to go before it is at its peak. I would decant for a minimum of 3 hours at this point, was far more expressive on day 2.
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Nose of black berry, black cherry and spring flowers, same on the palate, big body, fairly fruit forward so easy to enjoy as it opens and improves in your glass, mouth filling fruit, tasty, 2 more years and merit a higher score, long finish. Photo uploaded.
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Evan with a 90-minute decant, I found the tannins to be a bit harsh on the finish. I think this wine needs a couple more years before it hits its sweet spot.
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Nose of black berry, black cherry, mint, and allspice, on the palate, big body, very tasty, delicious, elegant, faded to 92 the third night so in its peak drinking window now, rich, lovely fruit, mouth filling fruit, and a long finish and lovely aftertaste. Photo uploaded.
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Another great bottle, this wine has further evolved. Dense black cherry and tar roll into tobacco notes that are backed up by thick, syrupy cassis. Tannins are well integrated but lots of room to improve. 2 hour decant was nice but certainly could have gone further. I love the way this wine is developing!
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Nose of black cherry, red cherry, licorice, and a touch of oak, same on the palate, big body, tasty, juicy fruit, mouth filling fruit, hint of soft tannins on the mid palate, and during the medium/long finish. Photo Uploaded.
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Definitely lots of quality at this price point. Reasonably structured, a little brighter than my taste - I got a little candy apple to go with cherry and blueberry, but backed up with some oak and tannins. I decanted for 45 minutes- may need a slightly longer decant or a couple more years in the bottle. Hopefully will integrate a little more. A nice wine right now, may turn out even better.
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I've consumed almost 2 cases of '13 Raymond Reserve Cab over the past couple of years, and all of the bottles have showed quite well. Youthful color, with notes of blackberry, cassis, roasted fennel and hints of campfire. Medium bodied, with good grip, balance and depth; the structure is evident, but still pleasing on the palate. Incredible QPR for $25
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This is a delicious Cabernet - only a little oak, with rich, supple texture and flavor. The color is beautiful right now. We did not decant - opened it about 30 minutes before drinking. For the money, this is a great quality wine.
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Very well balanced, big but plenty of acid and tannins, still remains elegant while being wholly CA. Ripe blackberry, spice, anis, sweet tannins. Pretty good QPR, especially given longevity, prob has 7-10 years left in it.
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30 min decant. Deep ruby magenta color. Red apple skin, cola, and red currant on the nose. Smooth, dry palate. Sharp, full tannins on the medium finish.
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This wine has evolved nicely. A bit of anise, along with the typical Cab characteristics. Should certainly continue to age well, no rush here. Decanted for 1.5 hours, it could use more, for sure. Serve at cellar temp, of possible. This was served more towards room temp and it detracted from the over all enjoyment. Looking forward to opening my next bottle.
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Nice cab aroma. Did not decant; mistake. Med to Full bodied. Black fruits, bramble, vanilla. Very hot. Very tannic. I feel it needs more time on the rack.
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Day 1: Earth, subtle fruits and leather on the nose. The palate is more alive with green olives, earth, blueberries, cedar and spices. Medium plus finish. Tannins are still firm and it will be interesting to see how this develops over 3 days. I would not recommend drinking this whole bottle unless you do it over time as I think it will improve. 88 points Day 2: Took the night off Day 3: Still firm tannins. As noted on day 1 still plenty of character there but this wine is too young for everything to show through. This is a must age me wine. 88 points Recommendation: Cellar for about 3 to 5 years. Just not ready.
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Nice wine, whose complexity grows with time. 90 minute decant. Entry of cedar and sweet plums, with a little tannic "bite" to boot. Mid-palate pomegranate and sambuca liquor. Very unique.
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This didn't impress me a year ago - but this time around I was a bit surprised and coming into its own and quite enjoyable -- a decent QPR. I'll let my last bottle sit another year or two. I see the 2015 is hitting stores now...I'll definitely give that a try now.
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3.5 hour decant. Deep maroon color. Fragrant nose of smokey oak, red cherry and dark chocolate. Brambly palate with tongue-drying tannins. Rounded tannins on spicy, medium finish. Excellent QPR here. I was surprised.
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A solid Cabernet and an excellent QPR. Notes of ripe black fruits and toasty oak. Medium bodied, with good intensity, nice grip, and a rich finish. Excellent value
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Sat, 09/09/17, $2 Tasting + 2 Shared Bottles (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “91% C.S., 5% P.S., 2% P.V., & 1% C.F. which spent 25-43 days on the skins, then was aged for 18 mos in 30% new FR oak (mostly Demptos, Saury, & Seguin Moreau). The balance was aged in 1x & 2x used FR oak. Bottled unfiltered; 15% ABV, 6.1 g/L T.A., & 3.74 pH;”
N: Nice melange of toast, smoke, & berries; Intensity lurking? // 8 hrs later: Ripe, with notes of choc & pyrazines; Iron with addt'l swirling?
P: MF body; Rndish entry with ok frt met by an astringent pucker which slowly, only somewhat resolves by the quite LONG, very slightly dustily tannic, ult bitterswt choc finish. // 8 hrs later: Same, the mid-P astringent pucker not AS assertive; Went VERY well with some inexpensive, sharp cheddar cheese; 85 pts winealign.com (6/’17) + other scores & a medal on wine-searcher's Tasting Notes pg. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows 1 source @ $35].
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A nose of rich dark fruits, dark garnet in color. A full bodied and smooth Napa Cab, with blackberry, and black cherry, currants, chocolate spice finish. A very good and classic Cab. www.winelx.com
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As young as this wine is, with proper decanting, it may be consumed now. A 2 hour decant offered up a plum, cherry and blackberry richness that, while tannic, was well balanced. On night two, this wine seemed a bit tighter (the bottle was Vin o Vac'd and stored in the fridge overnight). After another 30 minutes in the decanter, it opened up a bit more and tar/asphalt and tobacco notes showed through. We drank the second half of the bottle with NY strip and lobster mac and cheese. The Gruyere, in the lobster mac, was an excellent backdrop for the wine and the strip steak coaxed out the lengthy finish. I hope this wine develops as I think it will; at this price point, it will be a QPR all star.
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Mighty, fully packed with cool fruit, dark chocolate, green pepper, concrete, and dried flowers. 15% is at least one % too much, and there is a tendency to a hot and mean finish. Though, a very good wine, especially when the temperature is kept under control. Will give in to nothing, bigly rock solid!
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I'm surprised this is scoring above 90 in the community. It was smooth, easy drinking.....but something was off with the flavor profile that my wife and I couldn't put our hands on - maybe too minerally....aroma was nice....but it just seemed off. (Didn't have with any food though). I have 3 more so we'll see how this one evolves.....but a little disappointed.
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What a tasty and well rounded wine. Black currant and cherry aromas over conifer and spices from the fancy oak. Full bodied and tightly wound, the palate shows undeniable Cabernet power, depth, and richness. Yet despite all of its assertive structure and concentration, this possesses outstanding purity of fruit and a well sculpted character that pushes through the espresso finish. Long, robust, and sumptuous.
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Ripe and dense black fruit with dark red fruit undertones. A little vanilla to the palate, some roast coffee notes on the finish. Very drinkable balance, ripe and round, silky texture, but still maintains some nice acid.
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2/1/2024 - SpenceP wrote: 93 Points
Intense sweet cherries, ripe black plums, perfect blackberries, almonds, milk chocolate, flowers, hint of maybe allspice, faint background of leather, faintest hint of licorice. Gentle tannins. Lovely and very long aftertaste. Enjoyable even immediately after opening, but needs well more than an hour in the glass to be at its best (the score was significantly lower earlier). Just a lot of fun. No hurry at all, but also no reason at all to wait. [Tasted over almost two hours from the Jancis Robinson glass. The description reflects this glass and combines notes from the entire 2-hour period--at any one time, most, but not all, of these descriptors would make sense. Very briefly tried several other glasses--too briefly for it to be fair to mention them by name--and, although the wine was still enjoyable, little of the complexity was present from those glasses. I gave this bottle a week upright to allow any sediment to settle out, but I suspect that this was more than was needed.]
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9/15/2023 - bigbass250 wrote:
opened after a fruit bomb so hard to judge but only had a tiny bit, tonight will be the real test
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7/2/2023 - daveyk39 wrote: 92 Points
Gave about 2h air, based on TNs.
Deep ruby color. Absolutely fantastic bouquet, redolent of black sherry, red currant, wet gravel, chocolate, tar. eucalyptus and rose petals. Smooth and supple, medium-full bodied, with flavors of red and black fruit, streaked with hints of menthol, earth and spice. Lingering dried fruit finish, supported by fine-grained tannins.
Perhaps a little tight still, and could benefit from a few more years of rest. But a very solid wine, regardless.
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7/1/2023 - kdart000 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely wine. Upon opening it was tight but nice, fruit showed through but a touch astringent. I decanted the bottle for 3 hours - 2 would have been fine as well. After decanting the wine was perfect with prime quality New York strip and lamb chops. Tar, tobacco, blue fruits - intense bit food friendly. I drink a bottle each year on my father's birthday (it was his favorite). It's fun to watch the case I purchased evolve year after year. I think the wine may be at peak or in a dumb faze, it's not as energetic as in the past but is really delicious.
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9/4/2022 - travelme wrote: 93 Points
@BTWINE nailed the notes. Enjoyed over steaks at a friends house at a wine dinner. Extremely warm heat wave but controlled the temperature with ice Great bottle. I apparently have one more left in my cellar. Need to locate it and likely will have it soon so I enjoy this bottle at or near its apex.
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7/1/2022 - kdart000 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious, needs at least 2 hour decant. Enjoyed it with Prime NY Strip - it definitely requires food. Dark fruit and balaced tannins lead to a leather note that sings via a long finish. Drink now with a long decant or hold for, I would guess, a couple decades.
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2/24/2022 - Radboy wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well.
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12/10/2021 - Radboy wrote: 92 Points
This wine continues to evolve and is taking on some nice secondary notes. Delicious!
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10/23/2021 - btwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs to start. Opened up as the evening progressed, though tannins still need more time. Nice acid component. Black peppercorn, blackberry, leather, forest bramble. Overall what I would expect at this level for a Napa cab. And, a delicious complement to tonight’s NY Strip. Probably still has 5+ years in the tank for my remaining bottles. Great qpr.
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7/25/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of black berry, black cherry and dusty earth, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, tasty, easy to sip and savor with the grilled Ribeye Steak, will easily last for another 8 years, and a long finish. Photo uploaded.
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7/20/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of black berry, black cherry, spring flowers, and forest floor, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling fruit, very tasty, great nose and then a great taste on the palate, better the second night than the first which suggests on peak plateau for the next 5 years, and a lovely, lingering, long finish. Photo uploaded.
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7/1/2021 - kdart000 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An interesting bottle, have had this for 5 years now (one a year) and while this bottle is good, it seems a bit closed down. 2 hour decant and drank over 2 hours, nice but not overly complex. Very different from last year. Perhaps it would have been better after further decanting? Cherry, tar and anise wrapped around tobacco and dark plum. Very interesting, perhaps a long decant would be helpful. Looking forward to next year's bottle. *** I saved a large glass for, what was supposed to be, a day or maybe two. A week later, I finally drank the remaining glass. All I can say is phenomenal. Complex, powerful but not overpowering. Truly a special experience - a slow ox for 12 hours is probably ideal but, it is hard to tell. This will have a long life. 90 on day 1, 94 on day 7 - truly shocking.
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2/26/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of black berry, black cherry, mint, and allspice, on the palate, big body, tasty, elegant, drinking at peak now, lots of secondary flavors and lots of complexity for the money, mouth filling fruit, has a long finish and lovely aftertaste. Photo uploaded.
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1/24/2021 - Radboy wrote: 90 Points
Lots of life left.
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7/1/2020 - kdart000 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine continues to evolve and become more integrated but has a long way to go before it is at its peak. I would decant for a minimum of 3 hours at this point, was far more expressive on day 2.
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6/25/2020 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of black berry, black cherry and spring flowers, same on the palate, big body, fairly fruit forward so easy to enjoy as it opens and improves in your glass, mouth filling fruit, tasty, 2 more years and merit a higher score, long finish. Photo uploaded.
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6/19/2020 - sbern wrote: 88 Points
Evan with a 90-minute decant, I found the tannins to be a bit harsh on the finish. I think this wine needs a couple more years before it hits its sweet spot.
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5/17/2020 - Cellarseller Likes this wine: 89 Points
Great value. Depth of color and texture, soft tannins now, not memorable complexity on the limited finish. Enjoyed with grilled steaks.
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3/29/2020 - VinnieVeritas wrote: 90 Points
Still firm with good structure and forward tannin. Perfect for a good steak but fine to leave a few years more.
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2/28/2020 - drmackey Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth, not too much tannin. One of my top 10
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2/15/2020 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of black berry, black cherry, mint, and allspice, on the palate, big body, very tasty, delicious, elegant, faded to 92 the third night so in its peak drinking window now, rich, lovely fruit, mouth filling fruit, and a long finish and lovely aftertaste. Photo uploaded.
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7/1/2019 - kdart000 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another great bottle, this wine has further evolved. Dense black cherry and tar roll into tobacco notes that are backed up by thick, syrupy cassis. Tannins are well integrated but lots of room to improve. 2 hour decant was nice but certainly could have gone further. I love the way this wine is developing!
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6/4/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of black cherry, red cherry, licorice, and a touch of oak, same on the palate, big body, tasty, juicy fruit, mouth filling fruit, hint of soft tannins on the mid palate, and during the medium/long finish. Photo Uploaded.
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5/9/2019 - lundmc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Definitely lots of quality at this price point. Reasonably structured, a little brighter than my taste - I got a little candy apple to go with cherry and blueberry, but backed up with some oak and tannins. I decanted for 45 minutes- may need a slightly longer decant or a couple more years in the bottle. Hopefully will integrate a little more. A nice wine right now, may turn out even better.
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4/2/2019 - tbabes wrote: 91 Points
I've consumed almost 2 cases of '13 Raymond Reserve Cab over the past couple of years, and all of the bottles have showed quite well. Youthful color, with notes of blackberry, cassis, roasted fennel and hints of campfire. Medium bodied, with good grip, balance and depth; the structure is evident, but still pleasing on the palate. Incredible QPR for $25
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3/11/2019 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #323; Six flights fully blind; we knew nothing, but had to choose: same varietal or same country. (@ MW): The bouquet is rustic with vanilla and some mint. On the palate sweet spices like cinnamon and vanilla, good acidity and juicy fruits. Really nice, still youthful wine. 91+
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2/21/2019 - A54f100 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was a delicious wine that we thoroughly enjoyed. Great body, taste and finish.
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11/23/2018 - VoVo Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a delicious Cabernet - only a little oak, with rich, supple texture and flavor. The color is beautiful right now. We did not decant - opened it about 30 minutes before drinking. For the money, this is a great quality wine.
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10/14/2018 - FINE01 wrote:
Fantastic
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9/16/2018 - tbabes wrote: 91 Points
A great QPR Napa Cabernet that is drinking wonderfully at present. Notes of ripe dark fruits, full bodied, with good intensity and depth.
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8/11/2018 - ChristyLeighNY wrote:
Very well balanced, big but plenty of acid and tannins, still remains elegant while being wholly CA. Ripe blackberry, spice, anis, sweet tannins. Pretty good QPR, especially given longevity, prob has 7-10 years left in it.
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7/5/2018 - AGELVIS wrote: 88 Points
30 min decant. Deep ruby magenta color. Red apple skin, cola, and red currant on the nose. Smooth, dry palate. Sharp, full tannins on the medium finish.
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7/1/2018 - kdart000 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine has evolved nicely. A bit of anise, along with the typical Cab characteristics. Should certainly continue to age well, no rush here. Decanted for 1.5 hours, it could use more, for sure. Serve at cellar temp, of possible. This was served more towards room temp and it detracted from the over all enjoyment. Looking forward to opening my next bottle.
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6/16/2018 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice cab aroma. Did not decant; mistake. Med to Full bodied. Black fruits, bramble, vanilla. Very hot. Very tannic. I feel it needs more time on the rack.
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5/23/2018 - AV2012 wrote:
Dried tomato on the nose. Solid but not very interesting.
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4/8/2018 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 88 Points
Day 1: Earth, subtle fruits and leather on the nose. The palate is more alive with green olives, earth, blueberries, cedar and spices. Medium plus finish. Tannins are still firm and it will be interesting to see how this develops over 3 days. I would not recommend drinking this whole bottle unless you do it over time as I think it will improve. 88 points
Day 2: Took the night off
Day 3: Still firm tannins. As noted on day 1 still plenty of character there but this wine is too young for everything to show through. This is a must age me wine. 88 points
Recommendation: Cellar for about 3 to 5 years. Just not ready.
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4/8/2018 - flwinos wrote: 90 Points
Great QPR. Balanced entry level Nap cabernet.
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3/7/2018 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice everyday drinker...fruit forward...full bodied...great nose. Can't go wrong for $29.00
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2/23/2018 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine, whose complexity grows with time. 90 minute decant. Entry of cedar and sweet plums, with a little tannic "bite" to boot. Mid-palate pomegranate and sambuca liquor. Very unique.
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1/28/2018 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 89 Points
This didn't impress me a year ago - but this time around I was a bit surprised and coming into its own and quite enjoyable -- a decent QPR. I'll let my last bottle sit another year or two. I see the 2015 is hitting stores now...I'll definitely give that a try now.
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10/31/2017 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar to last note, always good year after year. www.winelx.com
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10/22/2017 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 91 Points
3.5 hour decant. Deep maroon color. Fragrant nose of smokey oak, red cherry and dark chocolate. Brambly palate with tongue-drying tannins. Rounded tannins on spicy, medium finish. Excellent QPR here. I was surprised.
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10/5/2017 - tbabes wrote: 90 Points
A solid Cabernet and an excellent QPR. Notes of ripe black fruits and toasty oak. Medium bodied, with good intensity, nice grip, and a rich finish. Excellent value
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9/9/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Sat, 09/09/17, $2 Tasting + 2 Shared Bottles (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “91% C.S., 5% P.S., 2% P.V., & 1% C.F. which spent 25-43 days on the skins, then was aged for 18 mos in 30% new FR oak (mostly Demptos, Saury, & Seguin Moreau). The balance was aged in 1x & 2x used FR oak. Bottled unfiltered; 15% ABV, 6.1 g/L T.A., & 3.74 pH;”
N: Nice melange of toast, smoke, & berries; Intensity lurking? // 8 hrs later: Ripe, with notes of choc & pyrazines; Iron with addt'l swirling?
P: MF body; Rndish entry with ok frt met by an astringent pucker which slowly, only somewhat resolves by the quite LONG, very slightly dustily tannic, ult bitterswt choc finish. // 8 hrs later: Same, the mid-P astringent pucker not AS assertive; Went VERY well with some inexpensive, sharp cheddar cheese; 85 pts winealign.com (6/’17) + other scores & a medal on wine-searcher's Tasting Notes pg. [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows 1 source @ $35].
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8/2/2017 - Gjagai Likes this wine: 86 Points
Aroma Bouquet: hints of fruit, smokey, earthy
Color Hue Clarity: dark red brick, inky
Taste Texture Finish Balance: spicy, sour finish, slight tannins, medium body, juicy, little bitter.
Overall: 3/5, nothing special at this price point. Too high alcohol content.
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7/23/2017 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 90 Points
A nose of rich dark fruits, dark garnet in color. A full bodied and smooth Napa Cab, with blackberry, and black cherry, currants, chocolate spice finish. A very good and classic Cab. www.winelx.com
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7/1/2017 - kdart000 Likes this wine: 91 Points
As young as this wine is, with proper decanting, it may be consumed now. A 2 hour decant offered up a plum, cherry and blackberry richness that, while tannic, was well balanced. On night two, this wine seemed a bit tighter (the bottle was Vin o Vac'd and stored in the fridge overnight). After another 30 minutes in the decanter, it opened up a bit more and tar/asphalt and tobacco notes showed through. We drank the second half of the bottle with NY strip and lobster mac and cheese. The Gruyere, in the lobster mac, was an excellent backdrop for the wine and the strip steak coaxed out the lengthy finish. I hope this wine develops as I think it will; at this price point, it will be a QPR all star.
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4/29/2017 - KimHartman wrote: 92 Points
Mighty, fully packed with cool fruit, dark chocolate, green pepper, concrete, and dried flowers. 15% is at least one % too much, and there is a tendency to a hot and mean finish. Though, a very good wine, especially when the temperature is kept under control. Will give in to nothing, bigly rock solid!
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4/22/2017 - Colorado3G wrote: 88 Points
I'm surprised this is scoring above 90 in the community. It was smooth, easy drinking.....but something was off with the flavor profile that my wife and I couldn't put our hands on - maybe too minerally....aroma was nice....but it just seemed off. (Didn't have with any food though). I have 3 more so we'll see how this one evolves.....but a little disappointed.
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1/9/2017 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
What a tasty and well rounded wine. Black currant and cherry aromas over conifer and spices from the fancy oak. Full bodied and tightly wound, the palate shows undeniable Cabernet power, depth, and richness. Yet despite all of its assertive structure and concentration, this possesses outstanding purity of fruit and a well sculpted character that pushes through the espresso finish. Long, robust, and sumptuous.
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11/24/2016 - thomas667 wrote: 90 Points
Deep dark red in the glass. Quite dry with some nice tannins. Dark cherries and black fruit on the nose. Excellent Napa cab!
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9/2/2016 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Ripe and dense black fruit with dark red fruit undertones. A little vanilla to the palate, some roast coffee notes on the finish. Very drinkable balance, ripe and round, silky texture, but still maintains some nice acid.
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