Amazing that this wine has held up so well for 19 years. Still firm and intact (with excellent cellar conditions). Whiffs of the cab franc led with some grassy jalapeño that integrated quickly into the cab sauv with some air. Still rich, solid, and good grip.
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Weird wine - a combination of an odd, confected saccharine sweetness with a decidedly green undertone. The black cherry says Howell Mountain, the still-noticeable oak says vaguely modern; but the weird diet soda sweetness is a new one for me. I dumped; my wife gagged; your mileage might vary.
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We love this blend of Napa Valley 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon accented by the structure, grip and spice of 40 percent Cabernet Franc. At eighteen years this was wonderful, probably at the apex of its drinking window, but likely with a decade of life still left. The fill level, label and cork were all pristine.
Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied and firmly structured ripe black raspberry fruits with notes of coffee, mocha, leather, graphite, sweet oak and spice with firm gripping but elegantly smooth polished tannins on the long finish. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/09/viader-napa-valley-proprietary-red.html
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half bottle, purchased about 10 years ago. maybe in the NH liquor store in Portsmouth. still had a nice taste on opening but faded after an hour. nice glass of wine.
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Drinking beautifully right now. Decanted for1 hour and then consumed over the next 2.5 hours. Violets on the nose. Lively acidity and red and blue fruit. Howell mountain fruit coming through. No signs of falling apart.
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Drank on 6/25/17. Cork was very difficult to remove. Past its end drink date. A small amount of fruit, more European in character with lots of tobacco, leather and earthy flavors. Definitely not my style, although it was Okay, finished the bottle. Would recommend drinking during it's prime.
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Right in line with previous notes on well integrated, seamless bottles. This continues to rest on its plateau and give great balance of fruit, earth, herb and stone notes. This bottle was perhaps showing more un-integrated oak than others which placed it just below the best bottles I have had.
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PHMG WAG Blind Pairs: Old World vs. New (Lyon Den): Just great out of a magnum. Garnet rim, aged Cab / Franc nose with a floral note hanging over the plum, berries, mocha, and herbs. Very silky and long. I had a 1/2 glass before the tasting so I knew which was which in the blind pair -- cheater! 93 on day 2. On plateau, now-2019 in this format.
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Consistant with prior tasting notes. this wine is drinking perfectly. I gave it a 3.5 hour decant and it sings. beautiful. see my previous notes for details. soft baked cherry and wood.
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Some Napa CS (Vila Viniteca - Madrid): Peppery nose maybe a little floral and fruity. Mineral? Excepting if we're talking of river stones. No way Jose! Time offers a coke, citrus smelling... Tannic and quite long. Echoes of that nose. Sincerely would prefer more elegance. Fine but where is density? Where that supposed perfume?
Pimentada nariz, quizá un poco floral y afrutada. ¿Mineral? Excepto si hablamos de piedras de río, no hay nada. Con tiempo desarrolló aromas a cola, cítricos... Tánica y bastante larga en boca. Ecos de esa nariz. Sinceramente preferiría más elegancia. Rica pero, ¿dónde está la densidad? ¿Dónde ese supuesto perfume?
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Remains exceptional and consistent with December notes. Perhaps more fruit on this example. This should be on plateau here for a few years and represents what viader can achieve in the best years. Complex, incredible mouthfeel and balance.
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The day we bought this wine we drove on ice and snow up a mountain to the Viader winery. Now, 11 years later we sit by a warm fire with the wine decanted in front of us. Definitely the adventure we had getting to Viader adds to the greatness of this wine. Unlike the icy road this wine is easy. You can almost forget what you are drinking, it is subtle, it is clean...just easy. Dry, it coats your palate and lingers well after you swallow. The strawberries are ever so present, but the long linger begins to darken into something more seductive. Deep fruit, fig, pomegranate and cloves take hold. We would happily climb the icy mountain again to have more of this juice, as this is our last bottle. (We had our pregnant friend drive us back down, in case you were concerned about our safety).
Dark dried berries, charcoal, herbs and a prickly texture and drying tartness on the finish. Finish turns chalky & charcoal Should be great but doesn't come together to be seamless and elegant. Does have some time left (2 - 3 year) but not sure it will get any better.
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Drank this along-side Rockincabs so see his comprehensive notes (partially combined) – but hands down top 3 Napa wine I’ve consumed this year. Outstanding on integration and finesse. Nose: red fruits like cherry, cooked strawberry, raspberry and a touch of blue raspberry, plum. Age on this is starting to open up into a little button mushroom, Portobello, fresh garden. Definitely some green bell pepper pyrazine notes but mellowing. Definitely signs of new oak here with the baking spice, vanilla, new barrel room smell. Incredibly complex. Palate confirms nose flavors and shows the integration and complexity. Palate: still red cooked fruit, sweet baked bread (tannins smoothing out), anise, starting to show some signs of secondary notes given age with hints of pepper, leather, sage. This bottle is absolutely phenomenal. Drinking perfect now but will age easily. 75+ second, decanting is a must given all the sediment. Beautiful.
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Nose: Cherry, Currant, Sage, Vanilla and gorgeous barrel notes. A perfumed and fine nose. Palate: Silky and round on the palate with layers of classic napa fruit. Crushed black cherry, blackberry jam and really nice sage/savory notes with some reduced mushroom as well. Finish: quite long and refined showing cherry, raspberry and some earth/mushroom notes. Not one hard edge to be found on this wine.
This is one of the best cab blends I have had in the 2004 vintage. No need to wait this is as good as it gets. Many thanks to BCharlieG for sharing this out of his cellar over the weekend.
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Needs short 30 minute decant for light heat to dissipate and tannins to integrate. Cherry, pepper, leather, mocha, earth and stone flavors. Mid weight, well balanced, long finish. Superb.
The last two bottles I had of this wine were so perfectly memorable. This is a pop and pour bottle that I don’t think really needs much decanting (although would be interesting to see how it tastes that way but I’ve had success pop and pour here). Color is a beautiful crimson showing rim variation. Throwing a ton of sediment (so maybe a quick decant a good idea here actually or at least a filter pour). Initial nose is austere but easily comes together with sweet cherry fruit, tart raspberry and cool eucalyptus. Love this blend of 60% cab and 40% franc - The palate is stunning and what’s most memorable to me on this is the perfect palate weight here – just floats on the tongue. Palate confirms fruit indications: baked raspberry, tart berries, cooked cherry, herbaceous (savory and maybe hint of some chocolate/tobacco/earth), leather, vanilla, pinecone cool. Little bit of banana foster in there and some beautiful lingering tannins which have mellowed nicely. In my opinion, one of the best bottles I’ve had in a long time. I’m a sucker for the 2004 Napa Vintage especially Howell Mountain and this shows how elegant this hot vintage can be. Finish is 45+ seconds of milk chocolate and some caramel. This wine should continue to age really nicely. Fantastic bottle.
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As with every other time we've had this, a beautiful wine. Elegant, balanced and flavourful. No hurry to drink, but I doubt it is going to get much better.
This wine (a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc) was assessed in single-blind fashion at our group's Right Bank vs. New World Merlot/Cabernet Franc tasting. Perhaps it was a bit outside of the parameters of the tasting, but nobody complained. It is a luscious, opaque crimson wine with explosive aromas and flavors of kirsch, pickling spice, ganache, and alder wood. It is a round, full-bodied and fruit-forward wine, yet has ample sweet tannins to give it some structure. The alcohol (listed as 14.3%) is very well-integrated. No paucity of stuffing in the middle on this one... and the silky finish is very long. Borderline classic juice here! Drink now-12/20.
Consistent with prior tasting note. this is a wonderful bottle of wine. Popped and poured this at cellar temperate and it sang. beautiful balance. 60% cab sauv, 40% cab franc. beutiful left bank style blend. Elegant.
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This is a very special bottle of wine given it's balance. almost perfect balance of alcohol and tannins to palate weight. Has that wonderful Napa Valley toasted oak smell with some extremely big red and brown fruit. just a touch of rim variation. Most importantly, this bottle has that beautifully nostalgic smell of a vineyard barreling room when there is nothing left in that glass: sweet vanilla butter, toasted oak. As this bottle opens you get really haunting elements of red cherry, strawberry, blueberry, bubble gum sweetness with a lasting kiss of cool herb. after about an hour open with no decanting this wine really singing. nice alcohol, tannins, hot fruit (cherry, pomegranate) but maintains that balance and silky palate feel and weight of a high quality Napa cab blend. awesome.
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Winery described this as 'liquid cashmere' and that's corny... but fitting. Truly one of my favorite wines of all time when I first tried it 3 years ago and I enjoyed it just as much this time. To me it's a perfect balance of all my favorite Napa wine characteristics- fruit, spice, vanilla, chocolate. Smooth and long.
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Drank from a magnum. Dark red color with aromas of fresh cherry, spice and maybe a hint of tobacco. After 20 minutes in the glass the first sip was extremely smooth and well balanced between alcohol, fruit, acid and tanin. Loads of dark red fruits unfolding into complex flavors of spice, and a bit of dark chocolate. We drank this with Peruvian food over the course of 2 hours and it just kept getting better. This is one of my favorite bottles from the 2004 vintage.
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Very nice. The high % of cab franc gives this wine a very delicate balance and some beautiful hints of nuts and florals. Wish I had more. Gave around 30 minutes in decanter.
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Decanted and consumed over 3.5 hours. First 45 mins this had some very floral notes with dark berries and oak. The wine hit its sweet spot after 90 mins, with the tanins taking on some elegant yet very sweet notes. At the three hour mark the wine was still quite enjoyable but was clearly beginning to fall apart. I'd drink up my remaining bottles within 2 years if I had any more.
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A nose of heady grilled meat, tobacco, and a hint of fig. The tannins are nicely integrated, round with a hint of heat. Boysenberry, tar, and a bit of earth hit the mid palette with a nice lingering finish of dark fruit.
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That roasted hazelnut thing again. Sweet cinnamon and cardomom, really nicely evolved and in a good place. From half. Palate is soft and smooth, coffee with dark cherry fruit. Goes down and stays down.
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Dark chocolate or coco on the nose. To the point of being dry coco. The palate is structured and delcious. "Milk chocolate", "texutured", very fascinating wine. A bit of mint going on as well.
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An excellent wine w/ a young color, plum and violet nose, dark fruit and stone on the palate. Velvety texture and good length make this a joy to linger over.
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Wonderfully crafted. A gentle and sexy nose of mocha, black cherries and integrated oak. Soft and pure in the mouth. The finish sings. Ready for drinking, and I'm not sure how long it will last...
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Napa Valley Masterclass with Greg Sherwood MW @ Handford Wines. Needs time but this is a very nice wine for sure. Stony, mineral. Big wine with lots of structure and i wouldlike to taste it in 3-4yrs. Pls decant it for 2+ hours if you cant wait as the nose only developed after like 40mins in the glass.
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Drank a half bottle and it was good but would probably have been better in another 6-12 months. Tannins had smoothed out a bit but were still there. We'll wait another year or so to drink a full 750ml.
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Very impressed with this wine; better than recent vintages. Drinking so well now, though could last a few more years. Nice nose, delicious fruit, smooth, beautiful wine.
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Drank as 3rd bottle of the evening so no time to decant. However, it opened up quickly and had beautiful nose, structure, and finish. Would like to know if others had more flavors appear with longer time opened.
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This was an outstanding bottle of wine. Rich deep brooding fruit. With touches of smoky oak, and hints of caramel. Mouth coating tannins and finish that went on forever. Perfect Valentines Day wine.
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Continue to evolve nicely and drinking very well currently. see previous note but very perfumed with dark fruit on the nose. soft integrated tannins and nice balance throughout.
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LWTF - Napa Tasting (London): Aromas of black cherry, blackcurrant, wood smoke and minerals. Clean lines, the palate is sweet on entry but not overdone and has an elegant smoothness accented by a lively acidity and firm, fine-grained tannins. Plenty of fruit fills the mid-palate with cassis and blackberry and that line of minerality throughout. I rather liked this wine. blend of 60 CS & 40 CF
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Classis Cab nose of currant and cassis with notes of oak and vanilla. Medium bodied wiyh firm tannins. Lots of oak influence. Hopfully the tannins will moderate with time.
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Elegent nose with dark fruit along with a bit of sweetness perhaps vanilla. Complex palate that coats the mouth with well integrated tannins and a clean finish.
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Wonderful flavors of clove, berries and spices. Young, with firm tannins, but drinking well alredy. This may be Viader's best effort in several vintages.
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2/27/2023 - halfred Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing that this wine has held up so well for 19 years. Still firm and intact (with excellent cellar conditions). Whiffs of the cab franc led with some grassy jalapeño that integrated quickly into the cab sauv with some air. Still rich, solid, and good grip.
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2/20/2023 - blank blank wrote: 85 Points
Weird wine - a combination of an odd, confected saccharine sweetness with a decidedly green undertone. The black cherry says Howell Mountain, the still-noticeable oak says vaguely modern; but the weird diet soda sweetness is a new one for me. I dumped; my wife gagged; your mileage might vary.
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9/26/2022 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
We love this blend of Napa Valley 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon accented by the structure, grip and spice of 40 percent Cabernet Franc. At eighteen years this was wonderful, probably at the apex of its drinking window, but likely with a decade of life still left. The fill level, label and cork were all pristine.
Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied and firmly structured ripe black raspberry fruits with notes of coffee, mocha, leather, graphite, sweet oak and spice with firm gripping but elegantly smooth polished tannins on the long finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/09/viader-napa-valley-proprietary-red.html
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5/22/2021 - Davidalan Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank with crawfish jambalaya
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7/26/2020 - Martyl9 Likes this wine: 91 Points
half bottle, purchased about 10 years ago. maybe in the NH liquor store in Portsmouth. still had a nice taste on opening but faded after an hour.
nice glass of wine.
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8/13/2017 - wiscgrad wrote: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully right now. Decanted for1 hour and then consumed over the next 2.5 hours. Violets on the nose. Lively acidity and red and blue fruit. Howell mountain fruit coming through. No signs of falling apart.
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6/24/2017 - Dooms wrote: 61 Points
Drank on 6/25/17. Cork was very difficult to remove. Past its end drink date. A small amount of fruit, more European in character with lots of tobacco, leather and earthy flavors. Definitely not my style, although it was Okay, finished the bottle. Would recommend drinking during it's prime.
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8/18/2016 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully after 30 minutes of air. Similar notes to previous.
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5/8/2016 - miadelt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still going strong.
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11/23/2015 - RockinCabs wrote: 94 Points
Right in line with previous notes on well integrated, seamless bottles. This continues to rest on its plateau and give great balance of fruit, earth, herb and stone notes. This bottle was perhaps showing more un-integrated oak than others which placed it just below the best bottles I have had.
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5/23/2015 - Sugarb Likes this wine: 90 Points
Has seen its better days. Medium red color, tannins significantly subsided, almost to the point of losing structure.
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4/29/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Received as a gift. Just a stellar Napa Bordeaux style blend!
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4/17/2015 - curtr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking at its peak now. Full bodied, should hold for 2 more years.
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3/11/2015 - winelover1808 wrote: 89 Points
very good. sweet red fruit on the nose. not particularly notable - well made but perfume, fruit, finish were all very good but nothing stood out.
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3/7/2015 - Grinner wrote: 94 Points
PHMG WAG Blind Pairs: Old World vs. New (Lyon Den): Just great out of a magnum. Garnet rim, aged Cab / Franc nose with a floral note hanging over the plum, berries, mocha, and herbs. Very silky and long. I had a 1/2 glass before the tasting so I knew which was which in the blind pair -- cheater! 93 on day 2. On plateau, now-2019 in this format.
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2/11/2015 - RockinCabs wrote: 93 Points
Not quite on the same level as recent bottles, but the quality was definitely there. Showing tighter than others and somewhat less evolved.
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1/24/2015 - mkubow wrote: 96 Points
Excellent and in its prime.
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1/11/2015 - miadelt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very solid wine all around. Has typical Napa characteristics.
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12/12/2014 - kakpoo wrote:
drank from a 375ml and it was in a good place.
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11/29/2014 - Whodeyinsea Likes this wine:
Not fruit bomb, but not Bordeaux. Just another great wine from the Viader family. Drinking great right now.
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6/2/2014 - BCharlieG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistant with prior tasting notes. this wine is drinking perfectly. I gave it a 3.5 hour decant and it sings. beautiful. see my previous notes for details. soft baked cherry and wood.
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4/24/2014 - Harley1199 wrote:
Some Napa CS (Vila Viniteca - Madrid): Peppery nose maybe a little floral and fruity. Mineral? Excepting if we're talking of river stones. No way Jose! Time offers a coke, citrus smelling...
Tannic and quite long. Echoes of that nose. Sincerely would prefer more elegance. Fine but where is density? Where that supposed perfume?
Pimentada nariz, quizá un poco floral y afrutada. ¿Mineral? Excepto si hablamos de piedras de río, no hay nada. Con tiempo desarrolló aromas a cola, cítricos...
Tánica y bastante larga en boca. Ecos de esa nariz. Sinceramente preferiría más elegancia. Rica pero, ¿dónde está la densidad? ¿Dónde ese supuesto perfume?
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3/4/2014 - RockinCabs Likes this wine: 95 Points
Remains exceptional and consistent with December notes. Perhaps more fruit on this example. This should be on plateau here for a few years and represents what viader can achieve in the best years. Complex, incredible mouthfeel and balance.
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3/2/2014 - MaximusT Likes this wine: 94 Points
The day we bought this wine we drove on ice and snow up a mountain to the Viader winery. Now, 11 years later we sit by a warm fire with the wine decanted in front of us. Definitely the adventure we had getting to Viader adds to the greatness of this wine. Unlike the icy road this wine is easy. You can almost forget what you are drinking, it is subtle, it is clean...just easy. Dry, it coats your palate and lingers well after you swallow. The strawberries are ever so present, but the long linger begins to darken into something more seductive. Deep fruit, fig, pomegranate and cloves take hold. We would happily climb the icy mountain again to have more of this juice, as this is our last bottle. (We had our pregnant friend drive us back down, in case you were concerned about our safety).
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1/18/2014 - Eags25 wrote: 89 Points
Dark dried berries, charcoal, herbs and a prickly texture and drying tartness on the finish. Finish turns chalky & charcoal Should be great but doesn't come together to be seamless and elegant. Does have some time left (2 - 3 year) but not sure it will get any better.
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12/16/2013 - BCharlieG Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank this along-side Rockincabs so see his comprehensive notes (partially combined) – but hands down top 3 Napa wine I’ve consumed this year. Outstanding on integration and finesse. Nose: red fruits like cherry, cooked strawberry, raspberry and a touch of blue raspberry, plum. Age on this is starting to open up into a little button mushroom, Portobello, fresh garden. Definitely some green bell pepper pyrazine notes but mellowing. Definitely signs of new oak here with the baking spice, vanilla, new barrel room smell. Incredibly complex. Palate confirms nose flavors and shows the integration and complexity. Palate: still red cooked fruit, sweet baked bread (tannins smoothing out), anise, starting to show some signs of secondary notes given age with hints of pepper, leather, sage. This bottle is absolutely phenomenal. Drinking perfect now but will age easily. 75+ second, decanting is a must given all the sediment. Beautiful.
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12/8/2013 - RockinCabs wrote: 95 Points
Nose: Cherry, Currant, Sage, Vanilla and gorgeous barrel notes. A perfumed and fine nose. Palate: Silky and round on the palate with layers of classic napa fruit. Crushed black cherry, blackberry jam and really nice sage/savory notes with some reduced mushroom as well. Finish: quite long and refined showing cherry, raspberry and some earth/mushroom notes. Not one hard edge to be found on this wine.
This is one of the best cab blends I have had in the 2004 vintage. No need to wait this is as good as it gets. Many thanks to BCharlieG for sharing this out of his cellar over the weekend.
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12/3/2013 - BillyRayValentine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Needs short 30 minute decant for light heat to dissipate and tannins to integrate. Cherry, pepper, leather, mocha, earth and stone flavors. Mid weight, well balanced, long finish. Superb.
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9/30/2013 - BCharlieG Likes this wine: 94 Points
The last two bottles I had of this wine were so perfectly memorable. This is a pop and pour bottle that I don’t think really needs much decanting (although would be interesting to see how it tastes that way but I’ve had success pop and pour here). Color is a beautiful crimson showing rim variation. Throwing a ton of sediment (so maybe a quick decant a good idea here actually or at least a filter pour). Initial nose is austere but easily comes together with sweet cherry fruit, tart raspberry and cool eucalyptus. Love this blend of 60% cab and 40% franc - The palate is stunning and what’s most memorable to me on this is the perfect palate weight here – just floats on the tongue. Palate confirms fruit indications: baked raspberry, tart berries, cooked cherry, herbaceous (savory and maybe hint of some chocolate/tobacco/earth), leather, vanilla, pinecone cool. Little bit of banana foster in there and some beautiful lingering tannins which have mellowed nicely. In my opinion, one of the best bottles I’ve had in a long time. I’m a sucker for the 2004 Napa Vintage especially Howell Mountain and this shows how elegant this hot vintage can be. Finish is 45+ seconds of milk chocolate and some caramel. This wine should continue to age really nicely. Fantastic bottle.
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6/22/2013 - winot Likes this wine: 93 Points
As with every other time we've had this, a beautiful wine. Elegant, balanced and flavourful. No hurry to drink, but I doubt it is going to get much better.
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5/3/2013 - ajfret01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still going strong
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2/22/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine (a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc) was assessed in single-blind fashion at our group's Right Bank vs. New World Merlot/Cabernet Franc tasting. Perhaps it was a bit outside of the parameters of the tasting, but nobody complained. It is a luscious, opaque crimson wine with explosive aromas and flavors of kirsch, pickling spice, ganache, and alder wood. It is a round, full-bodied and fruit-forward wine, yet has ample sweet tannins to give it some structure. The alcohol (listed as 14.3%) is very well-integrated. No paucity of stuffing in the middle on this one... and the silky finish is very long. Borderline classic juice here! Drink now-12/20.
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12/3/2012 - lumpkins wrote: 91 Points
well balanced wine with cedar and dark cherry notes
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11/19/2012 - BCharlieG wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with prior tasting note. this is a wonderful bottle of wine. Popped and poured this at cellar temperate and it sang. beautiful balance. 60% cab sauv, 40% cab franc. beutiful left bank style blend. Elegant.
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8/5/2012 - fritza wrote: 93 Points
Not a strong nose but incredible on the palate. Not your typical Cali fruit bomb, but a velvety smooth delicious wine.
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7/14/2012 - chefshren wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful bright fruit. Very well balanced lighter tannins, nice cyprus and underlying earth tones. Definitely at its peak.
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7/2/2012 - BCharlieG wrote: 96 Points
This is a very special bottle of wine given it's balance. almost perfect balance of alcohol and tannins to palate weight. Has that wonderful Napa Valley toasted oak smell with some extremely big red and brown fruit. just a touch of rim variation. Most importantly, this bottle has that beautifully nostalgic smell of a vineyard barreling room when there is nothing left in that glass: sweet vanilla butter, toasted oak. As this bottle opens you get really haunting elements of red cherry, strawberry, blueberry, bubble gum sweetness with a lasting kiss of cool herb. after about an hour open with no decanting this wine really singing. nice alcohol, tannins, hot fruit (cherry, pomegranate) but maintains that balance and silky palate feel and weight of a high quality Napa cab blend. awesome.
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4/30/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
From half bottle. Franc-y and earthy. More clearly its own thing than most Napa cabernets that I have known.
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3/9/2012 - shank wrote: 93 Points
Still my favorite. Smooth as silk. Still has lots of life.
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12/24/2011 - VinoTx wrote: 95 Points
Winery described this as 'liquid cashmere' and that's corny... but fitting. Truly one of my favorite wines of all time when I first tried it 3 years ago and I enjoyed it just as much this time. To me it's a perfect balance of all my favorite Napa wine characteristics- fruit, spice, vanilla, chocolate. Smooth and long.
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6/23/2011 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Drank from a magnum. Dark red color with aromas of fresh cherry, spice and maybe a hint of tobacco. After 20 minutes in the glass the first sip was extremely smooth and well balanced between alcohol, fruit, acid and tanin. Loads of dark red fruits unfolding into complex flavors of spice, and a bit of dark chocolate. We drank this with Peruvian food over the course of 2 hours and it just kept getting better. This is one of my favorite bottles from the 2004 vintage.
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4/14/2011 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 93 Points
Very nice. The high % of cab franc gives this wine a very delicate balance and some beautiful hints of nuts and florals. Wish I had more. Gave around 30 minutes in decanter.
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4/8/2011 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and consumed over 3.5 hours. First 45 mins this had some very floral notes with dark berries and oak. The wine hit its sweet spot after 90 mins, with the tanins taking on some elegant yet very sweet notes. At the three hour mark the wine was still quite enjoyable but was clearly beginning to fall apart. I'd drink up my remaining bottles within 2 years if I had any more.
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3/24/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
From half. High aromatics off the cork pull of blueberry, meat, cinnamon, cloves. Wow. A stunner.
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1/28/2011 - Chrisboone wrote: 93 Points
Very good and smooth
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1/28/2011 - Xtriguy wrote: 92 Points
A nose of heady grilled meat, tobacco, and a hint of fig. The tannins are nicely integrated, round with a hint of heat. Boysenberry, tar, and a bit of earth hit the mid palette with a nice lingering finish of dark fruit.
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10/11/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Pounded through this half bottles as well. It needs at least 30 minutes to open up from the half bottle format. And I didn't give it that.
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6/23/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
That roasted hazelnut thing again. Sweet cinnamon and cardomom, really nicely evolved and in a good place. From half. Palate is soft and smooth, coffee with dark cherry fruit. Goes down and stays down.
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6/12/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Dark chocolate or coco on the nose. To the point of being dry coco. The palate is structured and delcious. "Milk chocolate", "texutured", very fascinating wine. A bit of mint going on as well.
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3/18/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Very mineral and violety right now. Really pretty. Going really well right now. Delicious. Going back - very interesting, earthy, really showing off.
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2/12/2010 - Grinner wrote: 93 Points
An excellent wine w/ a young color, plum and violet nose, dark fruit and stone on the palate. Velvety texture and good length make this a joy to linger over.
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2/10/2010 - al-Zabba wrote:
I no longer choose to buy cabernet WITHOUT the addition of cab franc. This is why.
Just kidding...almost.
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2/7/2010 - caeleric wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfully crafted. A gentle and sexy nose of mocha, black cherries and integrated oak. Soft and pure in the mouth. The finish sings. Ready for drinking, and I'm not sure how long it will last...
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1/3/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Rapidly becoming my house cabernet or cabernet blend. Still tasting youthful, I like the aggressive cab franc note.
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12/15/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Pure and good with some funk up in it. Soft and smooth right now. Good to go? We shall see.
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11/18/2009 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Napa Valley Masterclass with Greg Sherwood MW @ Handford Wines.
Needs time but this is a very nice wine for sure. Stony, mineral. Big wine with lots of structure and i wouldlike to taste it in 3-4yrs. Pls decant it for 2+ hours if you cant wait as the nose only developed after like 40mins in the glass.
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10/31/2009 - robertr wrote: 88 Points
Opened and drank. Not impressed for the price. Will decant next one.
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10/25/2009 - CorkPullerUpSC wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding!
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10/4/2009 - mplasker wrote: 89 Points
Great Meritage wine with lots of fruit up front. Very well balanced. A few more years on the shelf would really refine this bottle.
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7/19/2009 - lynarthur wrote: 90 Points
Drank a half bottle and it was good but would probably have been better in another 6-12 months. Tannins had smoothed out a bit but were still there. We'll wait another year or so to drink a full 750ml.
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6/7/2009 - FoodMuse Likes this wine: 100 Points
Easily my favorite wine in all of California. Stunning.
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5/11/2009 - stevewinebets wrote: 93 Points
Excellent Cab with big fruit, berries and tobacco with long finish
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4/30/2009 - patwjr wrote: 93 Points
Very impressed with this wine; better than recent vintages. Drinking so well now, though could last a few more years. Nice nose, delicious fruit, smooth, beautiful wine.
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3/1/2009 - cwatx wrote: 91 Points
Drank as 3rd bottle of the evening so no time to decant. However, it opened up quickly and had beautiful nose, structure, and finish. Would like to know if others had more flavors appear with longer time opened.
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2/28/2009 - mblaine wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose...very ripe... pretty colour...smooth and lush.
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2/14/2009 - pkbackman wrote: 93 Points
This was an outstanding bottle of wine. Rich deep brooding fruit. With touches of smoky oak, and hints of caramel. Mouth coating tannins and finish that went on forever. Perfect Valentines Day wine.
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2/2/2009 - J-Sho wrote: 92 Points
see prior note
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10/18/2008 - J-Sho wrote: 92 Points
Continue to evolve nicely and drinking very well currently. see previous note but very perfumed with dark fruit on the nose. soft integrated tannins and nice balance throughout.
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10/5/2008 - JScott wrote: 91 Points
Approachable now, can hold.
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5/24/2008 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 93 Points
LWTF - Napa Tasting (London): Aromas of black cherry, blackcurrant, wood smoke and minerals. Clean lines, the palate is sweet on entry but not overdone and has an elegant smoothness accented by a lively acidity and firm, fine-grained tannins. Plenty of fruit fills the mid-palate with cassis and blackberry and that line of minerality throughout. I rather liked this wine.
blend of 60 CS & 40 CF
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4/5/2008 - J-Sho wrote: 92 Points
see prior note
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1/30/2008 - blackmistressdiva wrote: 90 Points
Violets and lots of fruit on the nose. Lush, full and complex.
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11/17/2007 - pitt71 wrote: 90 Points
Classis Cab nose of currant and cassis with notes of oak and vanilla. Medium bodied wiyh firm tannins. Lots of oak influence. Hopfully the tannins will moderate with time.
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11/9/2007 - J-Sho wrote: 92 Points
Elegent nose with dark fruit along with a bit of sweetness perhaps vanilla. Complex palate that coats the mouth with well integrated tannins and a clean finish.
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3/26/2007 - MPF wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful flavors of clove, berries and spices. Young, with firm tannins, but drinking well alredy. This may be Viader's best effort in several vintages.
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