2023 Napa in the City: Tasting & Lunch (The Pool/Grill): Very small taste. Wine was from a dinner the night before and a touch more tired and I think maybe even more so because this isn’t a year that has aged quite as well as everyone expected. So it goes. Still fun to get to try.
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Decanted from magnum 3 hrs before dinner. Wow. Classic Napa cab made in an old world style. Mature and integrated, yet still fresh. Drink now, but no rush - may not get better, but still has plenty of life.
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Dinner at Doug and Elaine's in North Palm Beach. Opened 3 hours ahead. On the nose beautiful black fruits, crushed rock and a hint of cedar. Medium bodied, pure cassis, earth and a touch of spice with a long smooth finish. Very nice structure and balance. Great bottle - fully mature but seems like it will stay at this level a long time. I can't say enough about this wine...one of the finest California Cabernets I have ever had. 97 points.
Cork Vault August Bottle Share--78 Giacosa Riserva, 85 Certan De May, 96 Calon-Segur and more (Charlotte, NC): Decanted 90 minutes before sampling. Classic mid-90s Napa Cabernet-- the best of new world fruit crafted in an old world style. Pleasant aromatic earthy, musty cherry nose with hints of cedar. Minerally on the mouthfeel the wine displayed a youthful flavor lending some thoughts to botrytis adding more punch to the cherries, fig, and cassis. Nice, smooth finish. A fine example of 90s Napa wine making.
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Decanted 90 min. Excellent cork, a bit of sediment. Immediate rush of plush cassis, plums and sweet oak bouquet in the decanter. In the glass, a bit reticent at first, but gobs of rich, sweet cassis fruit with some dusty tones, a bit of earth, and fine oak. tannins mostly integrated but still there on the finish. A superb Napa cab at its mature peak, but with structure to plateau a few more years for well stored bottles. Marvelous! 94+
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2000 Lynch-Bages and the 1997 Seavey: head to head comparison over wood grilled, 2" thick ribeyes..... And the winner was SEAVEY! So damn complex, evolving and just beautiful to drink!
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2000 Lynch-Bagnes and the 1997 Seavey: head to head comparison over wood grilled, 2" thick ribeyes..... And the winner was SEAVEY! So damn complex, evolving and just beautiful to drink!
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A good example of an aged Napa cabernet, and very typical of Seavey. Big nose of dusty barn wood, dry earth, leather, tobacco, a hint of black cherry. After a short decant the wine was actually still a bit tight, but after about an hour it really opened up. Silky smooth, still a little bit of fruit. This wine is at its peak, but will probably go another 5 or so years.
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Classic Napa meets New Age Cali with this Retro-Modern rendition of Cabernet Sauvignon. The ‘97 Seavey Cabernet is about as seamless as Classic Napa gets, but with a modern flare. It evokes the pedigree of late 60s / early 70s OG Cali despite its well concealed 14.5% alcohol.
Layers and layers of complexity with silky smooth texture on the mouthfeel. Sweet black fruits, leather and tobacco aromatics leap from the glass. The sweet cassis, coffee and spice box mid palate finishes long with dusty earth and graphite mineral undertones. A monumental effort and unanimous WOTN that begs for competition!
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OMG! Stunning wine that was long and seamless in the taste profile. Served with smoked rib roast.... what a great way to end one decade and start the next....
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The 1997 Seavey Cabernet sauvignon is gorgeous tonight. Bordelais nose of cassis, bell pepper, and cedar. Outsized power given the lithe frame and vibrant palate. Great stuff. Likely more or less at its peak but should drink well for a decade.
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A beautifully-made Napa cabernet, structured for time, now drinking at its peak. Aromatic and earthy, with a deep, savory palette of cassis, prunes, toasted spice, and ginger-fig compote. Soft, resolved fruit, a gentle tannic grip, minerally acidity, and a med-long finish. Skillful winemaking, an absolute pleasure.
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Fully mature and browning at the rim, this offering is textbook Cali-Bordeaux. Soft graphite, cassis and bay leaf in the bouquet, plums, menthol, oak shavings and spice box on the palate. A bit of smoke at the back end (or was that the barbecue grill?). And a long spicy finish redolent of antiques in the attic. Delicious. Drink up. Outstanding
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Unbelievably good. Very soft cork, so an ah-so was a good choice. Large amount of pretty chunky sediment. Decanted about 6 hours and consumed over the next 24. I was really surprised how bright the fruit flavors were in this wine. I'm generally pretty skeptical about Napa cabs with 20+ years down, but this was really great. Unlike the previous bottles, some of which had some manure aromas, this bottle had none of that. Strong aromatic profile to be sure, but well balanced with the fruit. Tannins nicely integrated. No sign of burnout here. Amazing.
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Daughter's 21st birthday dinner celebration. The cork came out perfect like it was a 2017, just a patch of sediment on the tip. it's great getting these old library wines from Seavey, they've been perfectly kept. Aired for about 2 hours and decanted for an hour. Showed her how to decant a bottle and this was a great example of why, lots of sediment left in the bottle. Everyone loved it. Raspberry, cherry, red apple, cranberry and garrigue aromas. Raspberries, cherries, tobacco, extra dark chocolate. Started with some strong tannins but those mellowed out over an hour or two leaving the wine jammy, fruity and yummy. 95-97 points.
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I found this in the cellar, but not in my Cellar Tracker. Opposite my usual situation. Great powerful aroma of cedar, tobacco, and fruit. A little funky to start but with decanting and swirling that went away for the leaves and fruit. Gained weight over time. Hope I find another in the cellar, this was great.
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Few wines fit perfectly into my wheelhouse. This is one of a few. I picked this up at Seavey last weekend. 1997 is such a historic Napa vintage and this wine lives up to every inch of it. It’s a wine that you want to slowly sip all night.
On the nose; very, ripe; blackberries, sweet & sour dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, huckleberries with slightly baked strawberries haunt the background. Mixed berry cola, vanilla, cherry liqueur notes, some black licorice, limestone minerals, very light clove, soft subtle dark spices, dry crushed rock powder, sweet tarry notes, saddle-wood, very soft leather, forest floor, blue flowers and dark fresh & withering flowers.
The body is gloriously soft, round and beyond elegant. Still has plenty of soft, round, slightly tarry tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit its sweet spot with another 7-10 years of really good drinking left. It’s harmony on the palate. Ripe; blackberries, sweet & sour dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, huckleberries with slightly baked strawberries haunt the background. Mixed berry cola, vanilla, notes of caramel, cherry liqueur notes, steeped fruit tea, some black licorice, just a hint of herbaceous, limestone minerals, very light clove, soft subtle dark spices, dusty tannins, dry crushed rock powder, gritty volcanic minerals, dry clay, sweet tarry notes, saddle-wood, chewy soft leather, forest floor, blue flowers and dark fresh & withering flowers. The acidity is about as perfect as I’ve had. The finish is nothing short of astounding. It’s long, elegant, ripe, well balanced and doesn’t end. One of the more exceptional wines I’ve had in some time.
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I opened a magnum I bought at the winery and put away. Decanted for over an hour. I must say I thought was an very fine drink. The vintage is 21 years old but the wine surely did not present itself as old and tired. I couldn’t believe how much life it still had — still a very muscular Cali Cab! Deep inky red color. Vibrant black and red fruits, good acidic balance, with some kitchen spice and faint earthiness. Chewy with a lasting finish. I’d say perhaps it was the large format but this wine had plenty more life.
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Bought as birth year wine for my son who is now 21 and we drank it together last night at his favorite restaurant. PNP and drunk over 2 hours and I thought it very good from the beginning and not necessarily in need of a decant. I'd call it mature for sure but in a good place and excellent balance and still plenty of sweet fruit. Very very nice wine
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Very solid wine. Double decanted for a good 2 hours ( We BYOB it) and we would for sure recommend it albeit not essential. Restrained and in balance at this stage as far as ripeness and fruit, oak assimilated, light herby notes spice, good dark fruits and a nice secondary touch. It hits all the boxes well but in a way also fails to make a distinct impact. Solid 92 nonetheless and drinks very well now. Nice find and well recommended by Alex Marton Fine wines.
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Decanted at Gwen for approx. an hour before dinner, which is not nearly enough. I wrote notes on my 2 previous bottles and didn’t pay attention to them. SMH. It might also be that this bottle is a little off. Medicinal/herbal and prune overtones subsided a little bit but still there even at the last drop.
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First birth year wine, I'm sure it'll be the first of many from this great Napa vintage. Tobacco, wood, and leather dominate the powerful nose whereas dark fruit (currants, raisins) and mild tannis leave your mouth dying for another taste.... it just won't leave my mouth. It's hard to put a price on this kind of wine experience, but I guess in this case it's $150.
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A little tired. Some black fruits here, but a lot of vegetal notes as well. Didn't really do so hot especially sitting right next to an 01 Colgin that pretty much wiped the cab competition right outta the park. I definitely believe bottle variation is in order here, as 97 was a pretty darn good year for Napa cab overall and I would love to see what the bottle that was aging right next to this one tastes like. Love Seavey wines, and muchos gracias to Keith for opening this one.
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Nose of sweet cherry fruit and charred oak. Charrred wood dominates the palate. This has a fair amount of acid and tannin but needs a bit more fruit for balance. Tart and drying. 89
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Slow ox’ed and decanted for approximately 3-4 hours. I always have wonderful experiences with this style of wine and this vintage from Napa. Sometimes I think the opulent style 97’s will last and drink forever...to which I can only hope.
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Had from a 3L bottle directly from the cellars at Seavey. Tannins were soft and fruit was still out front. The mouthfeel was beyond the term silky. Could still last another 5-10 years, no problem.
I don't think I've ever had a better wine. Ever.
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Stunning wine that was perfectly balanced. I was surprised as to how much more refined and balanced this wine became since the last bottle I drank. One more left....
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Blueberry and currant. Long lingering finish. Very well integrated. Could go a bit more, but this is drinking beautifully. No need to rush to drink, but sooner rather than later.
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Popped and poured few ounces in a glass. Wonderful meaty, earthy funk that can only turn to wonderful wine aroma with more air. Too acidic and too tannic to drink. No noticeable fruit at all. Funk blew off the glass after about half hour to an hour of swirling and red fruits started coming out as acid and tannins subsided. Bottle was left open to air out for two hours. Decanted at restaurant but it was ready to drink at that point. Wow! Fruit is completely balanced at this point with acid and tannins and the wine gained weight and body with more air in the decanter. Shared it with our Somm and waiter and they agree, it was a great wine.
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Attempted to Coravin but the cork seal failed, so just opened the bottle. Deep ruby with minimal bricking; nose is aromatic, blackberry, slight mint/menthol, well integrated; palate is full bodied, gritty tannins (may have been stirred up a bit by the failed coravin), mature black fruit, medium acidity; finish is short-medium and slightly drying. Ready now, no reason to wait. 91 With a few more sips, the grittiness disappears. Either the sediment settled, or I got used to the tannin. Mature, balanced, not the most complex but it has all the parts, lovely. 91-92
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Tasted at the winery, extracted red fruit on the nose and on the palate: cherry, graphite, black pepper. Typical minerality and mild tannins. While excellent, this was lacking the earthy notes that I enjoyed (and preffered) in the '93 vintage.
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I have had several Seavey vintages, dating back to 1990, but this was easily the best. Seamlessly integrated with smooth tannins, cassis, blackberry with earth and leather undertones. This wine reminded me more of a great mature Bordeaux than any other Seavey I have had. It is in a great drinking window with a 2 hour decant.
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Dinner @ Home (Fremont, CA): Deep ruby with age-appropriate bricking; nose is aromatic with well integrated blackberry, lovely fruit, some green complexity; palate is full bodied, medium tannin slightly drying, medium acidity, very balanced medium alcohol, still plenty of black fruit remaining with old-world structure and slight green complexity; medium-plus finish. A very nice mature california cabernet with still plenty of youthfulness and freshness along with its balanced complexity. Ready now but with plenty of time, consistent with my last note in March 2016. 91-92
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Got to this after 2+ hours of air, still showing quite well, complex, aged, red currants, tobacco, bay leaf, cedar, herbs, ripe but decent balance, good structure; drinking at peak.
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Still a vibrant ruby purple in the glass with viscous legs. A reticent nose, but offers tobacco leaf, bell pepper, slate and sage on the palate. Soft finish that echoes with cassis and pencil lead. What strikes you most is the elegance of this wine. Very integrated. Medium bodied. One to linger with over dinner. Nicely done. Drink now to 2020. (������= Outstanding)
Addendum: This gem takes on additional complexity with time in the glass. Suggest a quick decant before serving. Over time the bouquet emerges, offering an abundance of tobacco, plums, hillside herbs and spicy cassis. Two decades old and this still reveals its charms. Lovely.
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'95 vs. '97 Seavey (Home): Tried to use a Coravin but the needle pushed the cork in, so I double decanted. Deep ruby with age-appropriate bricking; complex aromatic nose with black fruits, blackcurrant, but also complex hints of green, capsicum, slight basil; palate is full bodied, good concentration of black fruit but less ripe and robust than the '95, fades just a tad through the midpalate, and just slightly drying, medium acid, medium alcohol; medium length finish. 91-92 Comparing the two: Both the '95 and '97 are similar in style, both fully mature and ready to drink, both representative of well balanced California cabernet. The '95 has a bit more density of fruit, a bit more depth of flavor on both the nose and the palate, and it doesn't dry out on the palate which the '97 does a bit. The '95 will probably live a bit longer than the '97, but both are ready to drink now and nice wines at ~$100.
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Pure cassis, with fresh, crisp, cherry laden fruit and a sweet, concentrated, long, blackberry and cocoa, soft, smooth finish. I really like the style of this wine.
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Drinking gorgeously. Bordeaux-like nose of currant, tobacco leaf, bell pepper and spice. Medium body palate with pure currant fruit and still gritty tannin. Hasn't peaked yet. Very nicely done.
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Drank as part of a 1997-2000 Seavey Cab vertical. Fantastic wine. Black currant, blackberry, anise, tobacco, and turned earth with medium plus acidity and elegant tannins.
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Decanted 2 hours. Mature CS with plenty of fruit to go for (presumably) years but terrific tertiary notes and hitting on all cylinders right now. Drink and enjoy, OK to hold.
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Exotic, very spicy, starts red-fruited but moves towards blackcurrant with air. Not too heavy--this drank well with salmon. But this is a New World wine from a hot vintage, and it shows in a slightly roasted fruit character and a touch of perceptible alcohol. Started to deteriorate around the 90-120 minute mark of aeration.
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Third tasting with consistent notes. Decanted for about 10 hours, then consumed over the next 24. Moderate amount of very fine to medium sediment. Typical old wine aromas, wet leather. Fruit flavors have held up well, but perhaps fading slightly. Consistent with my previous tastings, this wine has a barnyard aroma, though this bottle seemed less overpowering than the others I'd tasted. I have to assume that this is just a characteristic of that vintage, I've never detected it in any other vintage of Seavey I've tasted (though, I have smelled it in other wines). As per my previous comments, this aroma knocks my rating down by 2 or 3 points. I would not buy this again. I still have a magnum to drink, let's see if it has consistent notes.
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WOW! This wine is in a beautiful drinking window. Decanted (lots of sediment in these wines) and let breathe. Started drinking after 30 minutes. What a beautiful balance of fruit, aromatics, tannins and earth tones!
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Christmas Eve Dinner with H&M and The Kens. A dozen or so years in the bottle have served this offering well. Still a youthful ruby red with gentle legs in the glass. Very Bordeaux-like, as others have noted. Amazing purity. Some graphite and wet earth in the nose. Currants and blueberries dance in the glass alongside a dash of cassis. Delicious -- as long as you're not expecting another brash Cali-Cab.
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Syrah and Grenache at Blackstone Steakhouse (Blackstone Steakhouse Norwalk CT.): Excellent aged Napa Cabernet made in an old world style! The nose on this was filled with wet earth, cherry and iron. Very reminiscent of aged Bordeaux. I expected some more earth on the palate based on the nose but this dialed that back and the fruit kicked into high gear displaying that this is drinking at it's peak and will probably drink well for at least another 5 years if not longer.
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Second tasting with (somewhat) consistent notes. Decanted for about 6 hours before initial tasting. Small amount of very fine sediment. Initial tasting had aromas of musty, wet leather and a touch of manure, as per my previous tasting. After 24+ hours in the decanter, these dropped away to reveal more pure fruit flavors. Tannins fully integrated. A bit tawny, slightly brown on the edges. This tastes like an old wine, but was quite enjoyable after sufficient time in the decanter.
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Tasted after a 10 hour decant, moderate amount of small to medium sediment. Strong initial aroma of cow manure. First Seavey I'd tasted that had fully integrated tannins. Nice fruit flavors, still rich and chewy and could easily age longer. I'd have rated higher, 97 maybe, but this manure smell, which slowly faded over 36 hours, dropped my rating by 2 points.
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RICH BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH BLACKBERRIES, CURRANTS, BLACK CHERRIES, LEATHER, AND LICORICE. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH. ELEGANT WINE REMINISCENT OF A BORDEAUX
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Still big and bold; medium to dark color with great finish. This guy could use another 2 years in bottle; but still very drinkable now. Great wine maker.
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Deep ruby colored; medium intensity nose, lovely cocoa, blackcurrant, blueberry, slight sweet tobacco, slight sweet spices, slight integrated green leafy component; palate shows medium acidity with great balance, medium-high tannins- still very young, black fruits/blackberry/blackcurrant, very primary, hint eucalyptus or green component; medium-long finish. Superb quality classic california cabernet with balanced ripe fruit, very young and just entering drinkability. I love this style (ripe balanced fruits with a green streak). This will be very long-lived. My second one from a case scheduled in 2-3 years. 94-95
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Blending an interesting mix of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder taken up with Petit Verdot, the wine is filled with ripe dark berries with hints of chocolate covered cherry, forest floor, earth and a hint of smoke. The rich, concentrated, refined wine has everything in balance, ending with a big juicy mouthful of ripe, chewy, spicy Cabernet Sauvignon. I like how this is showing today. Based on recent tastings of the 1991, the wine has a good future. This could be one of the longest lived wines of the vintage. The original $40 cost continues paying dividends!
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Popped and poured into large Bordeaux stems. Dark purple color with noticeable bricking at the meniscus. Nose of spicy red berries and cherries, cedar, campfire and forest floor. Full bodied. Dark plumbs, cassis, tobacco, and a significant tannic spine that balances a bit of sweetness. 30 to 45 second finish with high toned spicy red fruit, a hint of eucalyptus, and pronounced cedar notes.
Definitely proof that some 1997 cabs can improve with age if they have the right structure to do so. Drinking at its peak but has the stuffing to last another 5 years.
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(Tasted in a flight with 1997 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon, 1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon and 1997 Harlan Estate.) A first sniff, no decanting, on this to-be-beauty actually revealed very expressive tones of cow manure. After about 15 minutes these tones disappeared and were replaced by a slight green tone lovely fruit, crushed minerals and a pleasant balance between tannins and acidity. Highly recommended. (Score is 95-96)
This was drinking like it was 3 years old. Really in need of more bottle age to fully speak its mind, but I was very impressed with what was there now. Lots of tannins remain, but lots of fruit also, with nice complex notes of meats, spice, underbrush and cedar. Almost reminded me of a young version of the old school (1991 and prior) Mondavi reserves, with just a bit more power. Very good, with room to grow.
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Pop and pour over three hour period. This wine was quite drinkable, but I was surprised at the drying tannins. Cedar, black fruit, and a little blocky and chunky. This should be better. Using this bottle as a reference point, I would not hold these any longer. Caution the tannins. I still like the 1996 of all of the Seavey wines.
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Had with SQN Atlantis Syrah. 90;70. Very dark but starting to mature with an edge turning to brick. Decanted and drunk immediately. Fresh nose and round nice mouthfeel. Big wine, lots of tannins but still in balance. Good fruit but a bit austere compared to the SQN.
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Quite mature looking but beautiful. Dense but with a light red/brownish color. Nose of strawberry jam. Soft entry then a very firm exit. Lots of sweetness on entry but then a very tannic exit. Very sweet and delicious on the palate with lots of berries and fruit and a very long delicious aftertaste.
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One of Lynn's favorites. Big wine. A bit too much tannins for my taste but perfect for Lynn. Sweet core of both red and black currants. Cedar, mushrooms and a very long aftertaste.
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Starts out with a deep core of cassis and plum fruit that's rich and intense without ever feeling heavy or overripe, and accents of cedar, cigar smoke and the start of developing leathery notes. This has a sense of grace and finesse despite the power of the flavours, really nicely balanced and finishing long while constantly evolving with time and unravelling more layers. Fantastic wine.
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...now THIS was a completely different story & experience! Drank on the heels of the '97 Dunn, I had a reference point for the evening and this one truly over-performed and outshined all the others. Unlike my first bottle, this one showed beautiful fruit that was perfectly in tune with both the sweet and formidable acidity, as well as the round, smooth, rich tannins; with plenty of all three to permit this wine to age gracefully (clarification: age, not necessarily improve) for another 3-4+ years, with relative ease. Truly a show-stopper wine that flirted with "extraordinary"!
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This is still a brute. Even after being decanted for 3 hours this was still tight and only giving a peak of what should be more giving in another 5 years or more. I have one bottle left and plan on holding on to it for a long time. it's not going anywhere fast.
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Hard to imagine it drinking any better than it is right now. Still plenty of fruit but its mature and this cab shows lots of restraint and femininity before it totally rips you apart with a finish that goes on forever and gets bigger and bigger, just enveloping you in wine ecstasy.
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Purple color in the glass. clear hue throughout. Nose of barnyard, rose petals, white pepper and plums. Flavors of plums, cassis and berries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink with about an hour in the decanter to allow it to open a bit or continue to hold over the medium term, maybe longer.
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Seavey Vineyard (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had blackberry jam, smoke, plum, and licorice. The palate was smooth, and had blackberry, coffee, smoke, plum, and licorice.
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WOW! This is an outrageous California red. Focused on blackberry, bell pepper, chocolate, herbs and currant flavors that are just absolutely delicious! The finish sails on and on. A truly remarkable wine. - JD94
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Just unreal. The best bottle of this I've had yet. Tremendous floral and fruity nose, refined tannins, very balanced and sexy with plenty of fruit to burn. Just a hint of sweetness from maybe too much(!) fruit kept this from being my first ever 98 point score.
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This was rocking. Typical awesome Seavey nose. Plenty of fruit and well integrated tannins. Could easily go 5+ years but nothing wrong with drinking this one right now. Of 100 wines tasted on the trip to Napa, this was the favorite of the group.
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Seavey never lets me down. We had this with friends at their Maine lake cabin. Decanted for about an hour served with sliced sirloin. Mistake was drining this bottle before a 95 Beringer Reserve and a 97 Etude. Although the other 2 were very good we all wished their were more the Seavey. Deep plum color, fantastic full body, berrry balanced with big finish. I have 1 left and I will hold it for another special occasion
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i took this wine on a weekend jaunt just about a year ago, but it never got opened, so stored in a vinotemp all this time, waiting for our return. not decanted. good secondary notes of leather/saddle/mature tannin. the fruit is smooth and fully integrated oak. drinking nicely, but i don't think it will improve. drink or hold 2-3 more years. nice wine.
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We had a gigantic party on Blakely -- Teri, Moreton, James, Katie, Kurt, Jenny and Dina. This wonderful nectar helped launch the party into a full blown festival. The fruit of this wine was on perfect display. Unbelievable nose. Huge finish. Everything about this wine is special. Purchased directly from the winery as part of a Library Collection release. Unbelievable.
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Ok, this far exceeded expectations. I really, really, really love aged wines. This was 100% perfectly in its drinkability window. Drink this NOW (if you have some). Perfect Cabernet fruit. Unbelievable nose. Perfect balance. Huge, giant, lingering finish - looong. Dark, deep, purple color. One of the very best Napa Cabernet's I've had in the last year. Paired perfectly with the fresh grilled lamb. A great treat to share with Grant & Ellen. A toast to new friends. I can taste this wine even now -- hours later.
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Pop and poured. Whoa - now we're talking. I was hoping for a better bottle after the disappointing '94 Oakford that we just drank. Bdx like nose of cigar box, tar, and cassis. Rich, textured palate and beginning to develop some secondary characteristics (cinnamon?). Nice long finish. Brilliant effort and I'm quite pleased to have more of these. No rush to drink these, but certainly enjoyable at the moment.
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Stupendous wine. Decanted then served 1 hr later with rack of lamb. Classic Napa Cab with lots of cassis on the nose, extremely dark and bursting with spicy black-fruit flavours. Very long finish with drying but sweet tannin. Half way during the meal the nose changed from very complex cassis and spice to fairly pronounced bell peppers. Stayed that way until almost the end and then turned very Bordeaux like. Deducted a point for those peppers. Last bottle but if I had more I'd wait another 5 years befroe opening the next. Very high class.
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This fooled everyone in a blind tasting. We knew there was a 2000 Lynch Bages in the grouping and thought this was it! Decanted 3 hours before trying. Beautifull nose initially before closing down and tightening up. Had with rack of lamb which really cut through the tannins and the fruit really showed. This probably needs 3-5 years more to really show its' stuff. Just incredible and shocked everyone, we were just dumbfounded when unveiled.
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My my my, this is solid stuff. Classic cab nose of cassis. Wonderful palate of cassis, cherries and just a little tobacco. Elegent, generous, mouthfilling, loonnnggg finish of 40+ seconds.
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Big, classic cabernet with great depth and richness, but with the styling of an old time cabernet. It certainly reflects the ’97 vintage and is still a little tannic, but drinking very well. Buy more.
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40th birthday dinner of grilled filet mignon. Absolutley outstanding. Deep, opaque ruby color to rim. Pure cassis and black cherry flavors, with tobacco underneath. Bursting nose, mouthfilling palate and long finish. Drinking great now (with 1 hr decant), but will last at least another 10 years and potentially much longer.
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Excellent on the nose with classic cab aromas. Still youthful fruit but the cassis is mixed with tobacco, leather and cedar. Full-bodied, lots of sweet fruit and firm tannins. This will most certainly develop further. Leave the next bottle until at least 2008/09.
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this wine suffered a little bit by being after the lokoya, which is too bad because it's a clear delight. and it "suffered" because it wasn't an in your face wine. not that there's anything wrong with that. smooth and very fruit forward. this is the wine i wish i had an entire case of. it's terrific now, and it has a beautiful underlying structure that will keep it going another decade.
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This is the bomb!! Decanted 30 minutes. Still very youthful, dark purple/black, this is one fantastic bottle. There are layers of concentrated fruit, blackberries, cassis liqueur, earth and cocoa powder. It shows complexity, and enough tannic grip and structure to last a good long time. It will be real hard holding off on opening my remaining few bottles. So far for 2004, this is one of my WOTY in the running. I have never had a bad bottle of this. Why can't I have cases and cases of this beauty??!? It'll be interesting to try the 01 when released later this year...
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3/11/2023 - MC2 Wines wrote:
2023 Napa in the City: Tasting & Lunch (The Pool/Grill): Very small taste. Wine was from a dinner the night before and a touch more tired and I think maybe even more so because this isn’t a year that has aged quite as well as everyone expected. So it goes. Still fun to get to try.
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1/1/2023 - KeithSurg wrote: 95 Points
Decanted from magnum 3 hrs before dinner. Wow. Classic Napa cab made in an old world style. Mature and integrated, yet still fresh. Drink now, but no rush - may not get better, but still has plenty of life.
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1/29/2022 - sastewart wrote: 97 Points
Dinner at Doug and Elaine's in North Palm Beach. Opened 3 hours ahead. On the nose beautiful black fruits, crushed rock and a hint of cedar. Medium bodied, pure cassis, earth and a touch of spice with a long smooth finish. Very nice structure and balance. Great bottle - fully mature but seems like it will stay at this level a long time. I can't say enough about this wine...one of the finest California Cabernets I have ever had. 97 points.
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10/29/2021 - grafighter Likes this wine: 95 Points
Palate = 94, Nose = 96…aroma of great Napa vintage plus brown sugar /praline and coconut…yes, hint of coconut…but soooo good!
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8/12/2021 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:
Cork Vault August Bottle Share--78 Giacosa Riserva, 85 Certan De May, 96 Calon-Segur and more (Charlotte, NC): Decanted 90 minutes before sampling. Classic mid-90s Napa Cabernet-- the best of new world fruit crafted in an old world style. Pleasant aromatic earthy, musty cherry nose with hints of cedar. Minerally on the mouthfeel the wine displayed a youthful flavor lending some thoughts to botrytis adding more punch to the cherries, fig, and cassis. Nice, smooth finish. A fine example of 90s Napa wine making.
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11/1/2020 - tsontag Likes this wine: 95 Points
Needs about a hour+ decanting. Classic Napa cab
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8/29/2020 - BHRH Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 90 min. Excellent cork, a bit of sediment. Immediate rush of plush cassis, plums and sweet oak bouquet in the decanter. In the glass, a bit reticent at first, but gobs of rich, sweet cassis fruit with some dusty tones, a bit of earth, and fine oak. tannins mostly integrated but still there on the finish. A superb Napa cab at its mature peak, but with structure to plateau a few more years for well stored bottles. Marvelous! 94+
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6/23/2020 - drmarc61 Likes this wine: 97 Points
2000 Lynch-Bages and the 1997 Seavey: head to head comparison over wood grilled, 2" thick ribeyes..... And the winner was SEAVEY! So damn complex, evolving and just beautiful to drink!
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6/23/2020 - drmarc61 Likes this wine: 97 Points
2000 Lynch-Bagnes and the 1997 Seavey: head to head comparison over wood grilled, 2" thick ribeyes..... And the winner was SEAVEY! So damn complex, evolving and just beautiful to drink!
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4/24/2020 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 93 Points
A good example of an aged Napa cabernet, and very typical of Seavey. Big nose of dusty barn wood, dry earth, leather, tobacco, a hint of black cherry. After a short decant the wine was actually still a bit tight, but after about an hour it really opened up. Silky smooth, still a little bit of fruit. This wine is at its peak, but will probably go another 5 or so years.
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4/19/2020 - jyensan Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very good mature Cabernet. In a perfect place right now. Has plenty of time left.
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1/23/2020 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine: 98 Points
Classic Napa meets New Age Cali with this Retro-Modern rendition of Cabernet Sauvignon. The ‘97 Seavey Cabernet is about as seamless as Classic Napa gets, but with a modern flare. It evokes the pedigree of late 60s / early 70s OG Cali despite its well concealed 14.5% alcohol.
Layers and layers of complexity with silky smooth texture on the mouthfeel. Sweet black fruits, leather and tobacco aromatics leap from the glass. The sweet cassis, coffee and spice box mid palate finishes long with dusty earth and graphite mineral undertones. A monumental effort and unanimous WOTN that begs for competition!
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12/31/2019 - drmarc61 Likes this wine: 97 Points
OMG! Stunning wine that was long and seamless in the taste profile. Served with smoked rib roast.... what a great way to end one decade and start the next....
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11/9/2019 - JMC1249 wrote:
Quite yummy
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11/2/2019 - rlove wrote: 94 Points
The 1997 Seavey Cabernet sauvignon is gorgeous tonight. Bordelais nose of cassis, bell pepper, and cedar. Outsized power given the lithe frame and vibrant palate. Great stuff. Likely more or less at its peak but should drink well for a decade.
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9/28/2019 - Wine2372 Likes this wine: 97 Points
A beautifully-made Napa cabernet, structured for time, now drinking at its peak. Aromatic and earthy, with a deep, savory palette of cassis, prunes, toasted spice, and ginger-fig compote. Soft, resolved fruit, a gentle tannic grip, minerally acidity, and a med-long finish. Skillful winemaking, an absolute pleasure.
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9/20/2019 - Leejgreen Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drinking beautifully. Nice fruit. Good layers. Really special.
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9/11/2019 - JGMalcolm wrote: 94 Points
Excellent. Red currant, dark chocolate, and plums predominate. Earthy and spicy, with a long satisfying finish.
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6/30/2019 - jonahfactor Likes this wine:
Fully mature and browning at the rim, this offering is textbook Cali-Bordeaux. Soft graphite, cassis and bay leaf in the bouquet, plums, menthol, oak shavings and spice box on the palate. A bit of smoke at the back end (or was that the barbecue grill?). And a long spicy finish redolent of antiques in the attic. Delicious. Drink up. Outstanding
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11/14/2018 - webbaker Likes this wine: 97 Points
Unbelievably good. Very soft cork, so an ah-so was a good choice. Large amount of pretty chunky sediment. Decanted about 6 hours and consumed over the next 24. I was really surprised how bright the fruit flavors were in this wine. I'm generally pretty skeptical about Napa cabs with 20+ years down, but this was really great. Unlike the previous bottles, some of which had some manure aromas, this bottle had none of that. Strong aromatic profile to be sure, but well balanced with the fruit. Tannins nicely integrated. No sign of burnout here. Amazing.
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11/11/2018 - DrBad Likes this wine: 97 Points
Daughter's 21st birthday dinner celebration. The cork came out perfect like it was a 2017, just a patch of sediment on the tip. it's great getting these old library wines from Seavey, they've been perfectly kept. Aired for about 2 hours and decanted for an hour. Showed her how to decant a bottle and this was a great example of why, lots of sediment left in the bottle. Everyone loved it. Raspberry, cherry, red apple, cranberry and garrigue aromas. Raspberries, cherries, tobacco, extra dark chocolate. Started with some strong tannins but those mellowed out over an hour or two leaving the wine jammy, fruity and yummy. 95-97 points.
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10/20/2018 - Mapleglo330 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I found this in the cellar, but not in my Cellar Tracker. Opposite my usual situation. Great powerful aroma of cedar, tobacco, and fruit. A little funky to start but with decanting and swirling that went away for the leaves and fruit. Gained weight over time. Hope I find another in the cellar, this was great.
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10/19/2018 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 98 Points
Few wines fit perfectly into my wheelhouse. This is one of a few. I picked this up at Seavey last weekend. 1997 is such a historic Napa vintage and this wine lives up to every inch of it. It’s a wine that you want to slowly sip all night.
On the nose; very, ripe; blackberries, sweet & sour dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, huckleberries with slightly baked strawberries haunt the background. Mixed berry cola, vanilla, cherry liqueur notes, some black licorice, limestone minerals, very light clove, soft subtle dark spices, dry crushed rock powder, sweet tarry notes, saddle-wood, very soft leather, forest floor, blue flowers and dark fresh & withering flowers.
The body is gloriously soft, round and beyond elegant. Still has plenty of soft, round, slightly tarry tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit its sweet spot with another 7-10 years of really good drinking left. It’s harmony on the palate. Ripe; blackberries, sweet & sour dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, huckleberries with slightly baked strawberries haunt the background. Mixed berry cola, vanilla, notes of caramel, cherry liqueur notes, steeped fruit tea, some black licorice, just a hint of herbaceous, limestone minerals, very light clove, soft subtle dark spices, dusty tannins, dry crushed rock powder, gritty volcanic minerals, dry clay, sweet tarry notes, saddle-wood, chewy soft leather, forest floor, blue flowers and dark fresh & withering flowers. The acidity is about as perfect as I’ve had. The finish is nothing short of astounding. It’s long, elegant, ripe, well balanced and doesn’t end. One of the more exceptional wines I’ve had in some time.
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10/13/2018 - slapsht007 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I opened a magnum I bought at the winery and put away. Decanted for over an hour. I must say I thought was an very fine drink. The vintage is 21 years old but the wine surely did not present itself as old and tired. I couldn’t believe how much life it still had — still a very muscular Cali Cab! Deep inky red color. Vibrant black and red fruits, good acidic balance, with some kitchen spice and faint earthiness. Chewy with a lasting finish. I’d say perhaps it was the large format but this wine had plenty more life.
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10/6/2018 - Mr T wrote:
Bought as birth year wine for my son who is now 21 and we drank it together last night at his favorite restaurant. PNP and drunk over 2 hours and I thought it very good from the beginning and not necessarily in need of a decant. I'd call it mature for sure but in a good place and excellent balance and still plenty of sweet fruit. Very very nice wine
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9/28/2018 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Very solid wine. Double decanted for a good 2 hours ( We BYOB it) and we would for sure recommend it albeit not essential.
Restrained and in balance at this stage as far as ripeness and fruit, oak assimilated, light herby notes spice, good dark fruits and a nice secondary touch. It hits all the boxes well but in a way also fails to make a distinct impact. Solid 92 nonetheless and drinks very well now. Nice find and well recommended by Alex Marton Fine wines.
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8/11/2018 - grafighter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted at Gwen for approx. an hour before dinner, which is not nearly enough. I wrote notes on my 2 previous bottles and didn’t pay attention to them. SMH. It might also be that this bottle is a little off. Medicinal/herbal and prune overtones subsided a little bit but still there even at the last drop.
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7/15/2018 - Wasque35 Likes this wine:
Excellent!
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6/17/2018 - evjoh Likes this wine:
First birth year wine, I'm sure it'll be the first of many from this great Napa vintage. Tobacco, wood, and leather dominate the powerful nose whereas dark fruit (currants, raisins) and mild tannis leave your mouth dying for another taste.... it just won't leave my mouth. It's hard to put a price on this kind of wine experience, but I guess in this case it's $150.
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3/30/2018 - mflesh wrote:
A little tired. Some black fruits here, but a lot of vegetal notes as well. Didn't really do so hot especially sitting right next to an 01 Colgin that pretty much wiped the cab competition right outta the park. I definitely believe bottle variation is in order here, as 97 was a pretty darn good year for Napa cab overall and I would love to see what the bottle that was aging right next to this one tastes like. Love Seavey wines, and muchos gracias to Keith for opening this one.
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2/11/2018 - WineGuyX wrote: 89 Points
Nose of sweet cherry fruit and charred oak. Charrred wood dominates the palate. This has a fair amount of acid and tannin but needs a bit more fruit for balance. Tart and drying. 89
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12/25/2017 - grafighter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slow ox’ed and decanted for approximately 3-4 hours. I always have wonderful experiences with this style of wine and this vintage from Napa. Sometimes I think the opulent style 97’s will last and drink forever...to which I can only hope.
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11/19/2017 - ciesel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Maybe a touch past prime, but a wonderful drink.
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10/27/2017 - DavilaDC Likes this wine: 100 Points
Absolutely PERFECT!
Had from a 3L bottle directly from the cellars at Seavey. Tannins were soft and fruit was still out front. The mouthfeel was beyond the term silky. Could still last another 5-10 years, no problem.
I don't think I've ever had a better wine. Ever.
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10/12/2017 - drmarc61 wrote: 98 Points
Stunning wine that was perfectly balanced. I was surprised as to how much more refined and balanced this wine became since the last bottle I drank. One more left....
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10/9/2017 - ciesel wrote: 93 Points
Blueberry and currant. Long lingering finish. Very well integrated. Could go a bit more, but this is drinking beautifully. No need to rush to drink, but sooner rather than later.
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9/22/2017 - grafighter Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped and poured few ounces in a glass. Wonderful meaty, earthy funk that can only turn to wonderful wine aroma with more air. Too acidic and too tannic to drink. No noticeable fruit at all. Funk blew off the glass after about half hour to an hour of swirling and red fruits started coming out as acid and tannins subsided.
Bottle was left open to air out for two hours. Decanted at restaurant but it was ready to drink at that point. Wow! Fruit is completely balanced at this point with acid and tannins and the wine gained weight and body with more air in the decanter. Shared it with our Somm and waiter and they agree, it was a great wine.
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9/18/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Attempted to Coravin but the cork seal failed, so just opened the bottle. Deep ruby with minimal bricking; nose is aromatic, blackberry, slight mint/menthol, well integrated; palate is full bodied, gritty tannins (may have been stirred up a bit by the failed coravin), mature black fruit, medium acidity; finish is short-medium and slightly drying. Ready now, no reason to wait. 91
With a few more sips, the grittiness disappears. Either the sediment settled, or I got used to the tannin. Mature, balanced, not the most complex but it has all the parts, lovely. 91-92
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9/8/2017 - WStucker wrote:
Drying out, but great with a one hour decant.
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6/3/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at the winery, extracted red fruit on the nose and on the palate: cherry, graphite, black pepper. Typical minerality and mild tannins. While excellent, this was lacking the earthy notes that I enjoyed (and preffered) in the '93 vintage.
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5/16/2017 - garymouton Likes this wine: 99 Points
I have had several Seavey vintages, dating back to 1990, but this was easily the best. Seamlessly integrated with smooth tannins, cassis, blackberry with earth and leather undertones. This wine reminded me more of a great mature Bordeaux than any other Seavey I have had. It is in a great drinking window with a 2 hour decant.
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12/2/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Dinner @ Home (Fremont, CA): Deep ruby with age-appropriate bricking; nose is aromatic with well integrated blackberry, lovely fruit, some green complexity; palate is full bodied, medium tannin slightly drying, medium acidity, very balanced medium alcohol, still plenty of black fruit remaining with old-world structure and slight green complexity; medium-plus finish. A very nice mature california cabernet with still plenty of youthfulness and freshness along with its balanced complexity. Ready now but with plenty of time, consistent with my last note in March 2016. 91-92
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6/21/2016 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Got to this after 2+ hours of air, still showing quite well, complex, aged, red currants, tobacco, bay leaf, cedar, herbs, ripe but decent balance, good structure; drinking at peak.
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5/6/2016 - jonahfactor Likes this wine:
Still a vibrant ruby purple in the glass with viscous legs. A reticent nose, but offers tobacco leaf, bell pepper, slate and sage on the palate. Soft finish that echoes with cassis and pencil lead. What strikes you most is the elegance of this wine. Very integrated. Medium bodied. One to linger with over dinner. Nicely done. Drink now to 2020. (������= Outstanding)
Addendum: This gem takes on additional complexity with time in the glass. Suggest a quick decant before serving. Over time the bouquet emerges, offering an abundance of tobacco, plums, hillside herbs and spicy cassis. Two decades old and this still reveals its charms. Lovely.
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3/19/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
'95 vs. '97 Seavey (Home): Tried to use a Coravin but the needle pushed the cork in, so I double decanted. Deep ruby with age-appropriate bricking; complex aromatic nose with black fruits, blackcurrant, but also complex hints of green, capsicum, slight basil; palate is full bodied, good concentration of black fruit but less ripe and robust than the '95, fades just a tad through the midpalate, and just slightly drying, medium acid, medium alcohol; medium length finish. 91-92 Comparing the two: Both the '95 and '97 are similar in style, both fully mature and ready to drink, both representative of well balanced California cabernet. The '95 has a bit more density of fruit, a bit more depth of flavor on both the nose and the palate, and it doesn't dry out on the palate which the '97 does a bit. The '95 will probably live a bit longer than the '97, but both are ready to drink now and nice wines at ~$100.
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9/23/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Pure cassis, with fresh, crisp, cherry laden fruit and a sweet, concentrated, long, blackberry and cocoa, soft, smooth finish. I really like the style of this wine.
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8/21/2015 - Nanda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking gorgeously. Bordeaux-like nose of currant, tobacco leaf, bell pepper and spice. Medium body palate with pure currant fruit and still gritty tannin. Hasn't peaked yet. Very nicely done.
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12/21/2014 - wineretriever wrote: 94 Points
Drank as part of a 1997-2000 Seavey Cab vertical. Fantastic wine. Black currant, blackberry, anise, tobacco, and turned earth with medium plus acidity and elegant tannins.
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9/6/2014 - Empirate wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Mature CS with plenty of fruit to go for (presumably) years but terrific tertiary notes and hitting on all cylinders right now. Drink and enjoy, OK to hold.
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4/12/2014 - cooberp wrote: 90 Points
Exotic, very spicy, starts red-fruited but moves towards blackcurrant with air. Not too heavy--this drank well with salmon. But this is a New World wine from a hot vintage, and it shows in a slightly roasted fruit character and a touch of perceptible alcohol. Started to deteriorate around the 90-120 minute mark of aeration.
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3/30/2014 - webbaker wrote: 94 Points
Third tasting with consistent notes. Decanted for about 10 hours, then consumed over the next 24. Moderate amount of very fine to medium sediment. Typical old wine aromas, wet leather. Fruit flavors have held up well, but perhaps fading slightly. Consistent with my previous tastings, this wine has a barnyard aroma, though this bottle seemed less overpowering than the others I'd tasted. I have to assume that this is just a characteristic of that vintage, I've never detected it in any other vintage of Seavey I've tasted (though, I have smelled it in other wines). As per my previous comments, this aroma knocks my rating down by 2 or 3 points. I would not buy this again. I still have a magnum to drink, let's see if it has consistent notes.
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2/10/2014 - drmarc61 wrote: 95 Points
WOW! This wine is in a beautiful drinking window. Decanted (lots of sediment in these wines) and let breathe. Started drinking after 30 minutes. What a beautiful balance of fruit, aromatics, tannins and earth tones!
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2/8/2014 - JGMalcolm Likes this wine: 98 Points
Spectacular. Decanted for 90 minutes, and drank with filet mignon. Memorably delicious. I immediately ordered three more bottles.
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12/24/2013 - jonahfactor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Christmas Eve Dinner with H&M and The Kens. A dozen or so years in the bottle have served this offering well. Still a youthful ruby red with gentle legs in the glass. Very Bordeaux-like, as others have noted. Amazing purity. Some graphite and wet earth in the nose. Currants and blueberries dance in the glass alongside a dash of cassis. Delicious -- as long as you're not expecting another brash Cali-Cab.
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10/26/2013 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Syrah and Grenache at Blackstone Steakhouse (Blackstone Steakhouse Norwalk CT.): Excellent aged Napa Cabernet made in an old world style! The nose on this was filled with wet earth, cherry and iron. Very reminiscent of aged Bordeaux. I expected some more earth on the palate based on the nose but this dialed that back and the fruit kicked into high gear displaying that this is drinking at it's peak and will probably drink well for at least another 5 years if not longer.
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5/13/2013 - fine137 wrote: 94 Points
Excellent. Aged to perfection, no need to wait on these. It is drinking at peak right now from magnum
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3/10/2013 - webbaker wrote: 94 Points
Second tasting with (somewhat) consistent notes. Decanted for about 6 hours before initial tasting. Small amount of very fine sediment. Initial tasting had aromas of musty, wet leather and a touch of manure, as per my previous tasting. After 24+ hours in the decanter, these dropped away to reveal more pure fruit flavors. Tannins fully integrated. A bit tawny, slightly brown on the edges. This tastes like an old wine, but was quite enjoyable after sufficient time in the decanter.
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12/6/2012 - mwinky Likes this wine: 91 Points
good bottle, was hoping for great
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12/1/2012 - kstoddard wrote: 92 Points
Mattias Holiday Dinner (Jeff): From magnum
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11/18/2012 - webbaker wrote: 94 Points
Tasted after a 10 hour decant, moderate amount of small to medium sediment. Strong initial aroma of cow manure. First Seavey I'd tasted that had fully integrated tannins. Nice fruit flavors, still rich and chewy and could easily age longer. I'd have rated higher, 97 maybe, but this manure smell, which slowly faded over 36 hours, dropped my rating by 2 points.
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10/20/2012 - buckeye76 wrote: 96 Points
RICH BERRY FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH BLACKBERRIES, CURRANTS, BLACK CHERRIES, LEATHER, AND LICORICE. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH. ELEGANT WINE REMINISCENT OF A BORDEAUX
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9/2/2012 - flattfam@charter.net wrote: 96 Points
Still big and bold; medium to dark color with great finish. This guy could use another 2 years in bottle; but still very drinkable now. Great wine maker.
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6/9/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
Deep ruby colored; medium intensity nose, lovely cocoa, blackcurrant, blueberry, slight sweet tobacco, slight sweet spices, slight integrated green leafy component; palate shows medium acidity with great balance, medium-high tannins- still very young, black fruits/blackberry/blackcurrant, very primary, hint eucalyptus or green component; medium-long finish. Superb quality classic california cabernet with balanced ripe fruit, very young and just entering drinkability. I love this style (ripe balanced fruits with a green streak). This will be very long-lived. My second one from a case scheduled in 2-3 years. 94-95
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1/5/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Blending an interesting mix of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder taken up with Petit Verdot, the wine is filled with ripe dark berries with hints of chocolate covered cherry, forest floor, earth and a hint of smoke. The rich, concentrated, refined wine has everything in balance, ending with a big juicy mouthful of ripe, chewy, spicy Cabernet Sauvignon. I like how this is showing today. Based on recent tastings of the 1991, the wine has a good future. This could be one of the longest lived wines of the vintage. The original $40 cost continues paying dividends!
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7/17/2011 - huntinpagan wrote: 95 Points
Popped and poured into large Bordeaux stems. Dark purple color with noticeable bricking at the meniscus. Nose of spicy red berries and cherries, cedar, campfire and forest floor. Full bodied. Dark plumbs, cassis, tobacco, and a significant tannic spine that balances a bit of sweetness. 30 to 45 second finish with high toned spicy red fruit, a hint of eucalyptus, and pronounced cedar notes.
Definitely proof that some 1997 cabs can improve with age if they have the right structure to do so. Drinking at its peak but has the stuffing to last another 5 years.
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3/17/2011 - Christoffer78 wrote: 95 Points
(Tasted in a flight with 1997 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon, 1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon and 1997 Harlan Estate.) A first sniff, no decanting, on this to-be-beauty actually revealed very expressive tones of cow manure. After about 15 minutes these tones disappeared and were replaced by a slight green tone lovely fruit, crushed minerals and a pleasant balance between tannins and acidity. Highly recommended. (Score is 95-96)
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2/17/2011 - phenricsson wrote: 96 Points
Exceptionally fresh, rich, vibrant.
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2/1/2011 - AtoZ wrote: 91 Points
I think the wood is beating the fruit. I guess I opened this way before I said I would. Don't touch another for a few years. Awkward stage?
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12/11/2010 - cadamson wrote: 93 Points
This was drinking like it was 3 years old. Really in need of more bottle age to fully speak its mind, but I was very impressed with what was there now. Lots of tannins remain, but lots of fruit also, with nice complex notes of meats, spice, underbrush and cedar. Almost reminded me of a young version of the old school (1991 and prior) Mondavi reserves, with just a bit more power. Very good, with room to grow.
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10/3/2010 - Ki Punwar wrote: 93 Points
Very deep color, full bodied with stong tannin clout. Not overtly oaked. Notes of blackberries and cassis
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8/18/2010 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 87 Points
Pop and pour over three hour period. This wine was quite drinkable, but I was surprised at the drying tannins. Cedar, black fruit, and a little blocky and chunky. This should be better. Using this bottle as a reference point, I would not hold these any longer. Caution the tannins. I still like the 1996 of all of the Seavey wines.
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7/25/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 95 Points
Had with SQN Atlantis Syrah. 90;70. Very dark but starting to mature with an edge turning to brick. Decanted and drunk immediately. Fresh nose and round nice mouthfeel. Big wine, lots of tannins but still in balance. Good fruit but a bit austere compared to the SQN.
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6/24/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 95 Points
Quite mature looking but beautiful. Dense but with a light red/brownish color. Nose of strawberry jam. Soft entry then a very firm exit. Lots of sweetness on entry but then a very tannic exit. Very sweet and delicious on the palate with lots of berries and fruit and a very long delicious aftertaste.
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5/5/2010 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
One of Lynn's favorites. Big wine. A bit too much tannins for my taste but perfect for Lynn. Sweet core of both red and black currants. Cedar, mushrooms and a very long aftertaste.
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4/15/2010 - rralls wrote:
AVV Bocado dinner.
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4/11/2010 - salil wrote: 94 Points
Starts out with a deep core of cassis and plum fruit that's rich and intense without ever feeling heavy or overripe, and accents of cedar, cigar smoke and the start of developing leathery notes. This has a sense of grace and finesse despite the power of the flavours, really nicely balanced and finishing long while constantly evolving with time and unravelling more layers. Fantastic wine.
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2/19/2010 - robertgoulet wrote: 93 Points
oh my my oh hell yes!!!!
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2/13/2010 - pea wrote: 92 Points
As expected
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10/27/2009 - ggkemp wrote: 94 Points
Still young, some tannin, delicious...
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9/26/2009 - golfwine wrote: 94 Points
...now THIS was a completely different story & experience! Drank on the heels of the '97 Dunn, I had a reference point for the evening and this one truly over-performed and outshined all the others. Unlike my first bottle, this one showed beautiful fruit that was perfectly in tune with both the sweet and formidable acidity, as well as the round, smooth, rich tannins; with plenty of all three to permit this wine to age gracefully (clarification: age, not necessarily improve) for another 3-4+ years, with relative ease. Truly a show-stopper wine that flirted with "extraordinary"!
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6/24/2009 - AtoZ wrote: 92 Points
At HB. Will fruit outlast the tannins? Won't touch another for five years.
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5/30/2009 - g-man wrote: 93 Points
This is still a brute. Even after being decanted for 3 hours this was still tight and only giving a peak of what should be more giving in another 5 years or more. I have one bottle left and plan on holding on to it for a long time. it's not going anywhere fast.
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5/3/2009 - Clarkmeister wrote: 96 Points
Hard to imagine it drinking any better than it is right now. Still plenty of fruit but its mature and this cab shows lots of restraint and femininity before it totally rips you apart with a finish that goes on forever and gets bigger and bigger, just enveloping you in wine ecstasy.
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5/2/2009 - mmasterson wrote: 93 Points
Very nice wine. Needs significant decanting or better a few more years in the cellar as the tannins are still relatively firm.
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4/18/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91?
Tasted April 18, 2009 at a retail tasting.
Purple color in the glass. clear hue throughout. Nose of barnyard, rose petals, white pepper and plums. Flavors of plums, cassis and berries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink with about an hour in the decanter to allow it to open a bit or continue to hold over the medium term, maybe longer.
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4/18/2009 - mmurry wrote: 94 Points
Seavey Vineyard (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had blackberry jam, smoke, plum, and licorice. The palate was smooth, and had blackberry, coffee, smoke, plum, and licorice.
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3/27/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 94 Points
WOW! This is an outrageous California red. Focused on blackberry, bell pepper, chocolate, herbs and currant flavors that are just absolutely delicious! The finish sails on and on. A truly remarkable wine. - JD94
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2/14/2009 - Clarkmeister wrote: 97 Points
Just unreal. The best bottle of this I've had yet. Tremendous floral and fruity nose, refined tannins, very balanced and sexy with plenty of fruit to burn. Just a hint of sweetness from maybe too much(!) fruit kept this from being my first ever 98 point score.
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11/16/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 96 Points
This was rocking. Typical awesome Seavey nose. Plenty of fruit and well integrated tannins. Could easily go 5+ years but nothing wrong with drinking this one right now. Of 100 wines tasted on the trip to Napa, this was the favorite of the group.
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11/8/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 94 Points
November 2008 Napa Trip; 11/7/2008-11/10/2008 (Napa): This was great. Had with dinner, super ready to drink, great fruit, balanced and ungodly intoxicating nose.
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10/21/2008 - martuna wrote: 93 Points
Great nose. Took an hour at least to really open up in the glass. Very dry on the long finish.
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9/7/2008 - Drinkup714 wrote: 94 Points
Seavey never lets me down. We had this with friends at their Maine lake cabin. Decanted for about an hour served with sliced sirloin. Mistake was drining this bottle before a 95 Beringer Reserve and a 97 Etude. Although the other 2 were very good we all wished their were more the Seavey. Deep plum color, fantastic full body, berrry balanced with big finish. I have 1 left and I will hold it for another special occasion
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9/6/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 93 Points
i took this wine on a weekend jaunt just about a year ago, but it never got opened, so stored in a vinotemp all this time, waiting for our return. not decanted. good secondary notes of leather/saddle/mature tannin. the fruit is smooth and fully integrated oak. drinking nicely, but i don't think it will improve. drink or hold 2-3 more years. nice wine.
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8/18/2008 - mchrist wrote: 95 Points
Per the comments below, I have to agree that this wine exceeded expectations for what I have come to expect from higher end Napa wines.
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6/27/2008 - A&C wrote: 98 Points
We had a gigantic party on Blakely -- Teri, Moreton, James, Katie, Kurt, Jenny and Dina. This wonderful nectar helped launch the party into a full blown festival. The fruit of this wine was on perfect display. Unbelievable nose. Huge finish. Everything about this wine is special. Purchased directly from the winery as part of a Library Collection release. Unbelievable.
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6/2/2008 - spotfin wrote: 93 Points
Took about 20 minutes in the glass to open up, nice, mature cab, perfect with aged NY strip
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5/2/2008 - A&C wrote: 95 Points
Ok, this far exceeded expectations. I really, really, really love aged wines. This was 100% perfectly in its drinkability window. Drink this NOW (if you have some). Perfect Cabernet fruit. Unbelievable nose. Perfect balance. Huge, giant, lingering finish - looong. Dark, deep, purple color. One of the very best Napa Cabernet's I've had in the last year. Paired perfectly with the fresh grilled lamb. A great treat to share with Grant & Ellen. A toast to new friends. I can taste this wine even now -- hours later.
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1/24/2008 - keithgg wrote: 95 Points
Plenty of life left in this. Deep. lots of character, excellent balance and a lingering finish.
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1/6/2008 - M-driver wrote:
Pop and poured. Whoa - now we're talking. I was hoping for a better bottle after the disappointing '94 Oakford that we just drank. Bdx like nose of cigar box, tar, and cassis. Rich, textured palate and beginning to develop some secondary characteristics (cinnamon?). Nice long finish. Brilliant effort and I'm quite pleased to have more of these. No rush to drink these, but certainly enjoyable at the moment.
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12/25/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
from magnum. decanted three hours. very solid performance and fun to drink with a standing rib roast, but hardly the legend others gush about.
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12/4/2007 - phenricsson wrote: 94 Points
Great wine but not as good as the ones in Vancouver
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8/27/2007 - Stirling wrote: 95 Points
Stupendous wine. Decanted then served 1 hr later with rack of lamb. Classic Napa Cab with lots of cassis on the nose, extremely dark and bursting with spicy black-fruit flavours. Very long finish with drying but sweet tannin. Half way during the meal the nose changed from very complex cassis and spice to fairly pronounced bell peppers. Stayed that way until almost the end and then turned very Bordeaux like. Deducted a point for those peppers. Last bottle but if I had more I'd wait another 5 years befroe opening the next. Very high class.
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4/21/2007 - g-man wrote: 95 Points
This fooled everyone in a blind tasting. We knew there was a 2000 Lynch Bages in the grouping and thought this was it! Decanted 3 hours before trying. Beautifull nose initially before closing down and tightening up. Had with rack of lamb which really cut through the tannins and the fruit really showed. This probably needs 3-5 years more to really show its' stuff. Just incredible and shocked everyone, we were just dumbfounded when unveiled.
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3/23/2007 - pepeelvis wrote:
excellent cab, with power grace and elegance. Tannins are still integrating themselves and i believe this wine is about 5 years away form peaking.
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2/17/2007 - ipp wrote: 93 Points
muscular, firm wine ... good structure with little fruit
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12/18/2006 - mmeng wrote: 92 Points
Very very solid. Classic cab and ready to drink. Perfect with the prime rib
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10/10/2006 - 97mjr wrote:
Dissappointed
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10/3/2006 - KevinS wrote: 94 Points
My my my, this is solid stuff. Classic cab nose of cassis. Wonderful palate of cassis, cherries and just a little tobacco. Elegent, generous, mouthfilling, loonnnggg finish of 40+ seconds.
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9/14/2006 - bdenuyl wrote: 95 Points
Big, classic cabernet with great depth and richness, but with the styling of an old time cabernet. It certainly reflects the ’97 vintage and is still a little tannic, but drinking very well. Buy more.
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5/13/2006 - KevinS wrote: 96 Points
40th birthday dinner of grilled filet mignon. Absolutley outstanding. Deep, opaque ruby color to rim. Pure cassis and black cherry flavors, with tobacco underneath. Bursting nose, mouthfilling palate and long finish. Drinking great now (with 1 hr decant), but will last at least another 10 years and potentially much longer.
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3/17/2006 - ipp wrote: 96 Points
beautifullly sweet, muscular nose ... complex, full-bodied ... nice finish
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3/17/2006 - pea wrote: 93 Points
Excellent on the nose with classic cab aromas. Still youthful fruit but the cassis is mixed with tobacco, leather and cedar. Full-bodied, lots of sweet fruit and firm tannins. This will most certainly develop further. Leave the next bottle until at least 2008/09.
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1/5/2006 - ipp wrote: 93 Points
monsterous, mouth-puckering, dry tannins ... the tannins dominated ... needs time
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11/27/2004 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
A falling apart wine - acid out of balance, fruit roasted, short finish.Bleech. This is not the Seavey I know.
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10/13/2004 - ipp wrote: 95 Points
wow ... huge plummy, floral nose ... wonderful tannic structure ... sweet 45+ second finish ... good stuff
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10/2/2004 - jeff nowak wrote:
this wine suffered a little bit by being after the lokoya, which is too bad because it's a clear delight. and it "suffered" because it wasn't an in your face wine. not that there's anything wrong with that. smooth and very fruit forward. this is the wine i wish i had an entire case of. it's terrific now, and it has a beautiful underlying structure that will keep it going another decade.
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3/20/2004 - Dteng wrote: 97 Points
This is the bomb!! Decanted 30 minutes. Still very youthful, dark purple/black, this is one fantastic bottle. There are layers of concentrated fruit, blackberries, cassis liqueur, earth and cocoa powder. It shows complexity, and enough tannic grip and structure to last a good long time. It will be real hard holding off on opening my remaining few bottles. So far for 2004, this is one of my WOTY in the running. I have never had a bad bottle of this. Why can't I have cases and cases of this beauty??!? It'll be interesting to try the 01 when released later this year...
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