With K&O, socially distanced wine on our patio...last bottle of this 5 years ago, good time to check in on it. Drank next to an 02 Lascombes, nice to contrast 2 wines at a great point in their evolution. Splash decant, drank over an hour
Medium ruby color, no separation. Nose showing dark fruits, floral/violets, earth notes. Palate showing blackberry, currant, cedar, licorice, damp earth. Full body, richly texture. Long finish, tannins smooth and dusted.
In a great spot right now. Earth/terroir is dominant at this point. Maybe a Napa version of Haut Brion at this stage...:) Well, stored bottles should continue to drink at this level but not likely to improve much. Great showing on this evening.
Still drinking great! Fruit has dissipated but great earthy tones have emerged. Beginning is great, finish is great, the mid palate is starting to fade. Finish is long and strong. Wonderful to enjoy right now but don’t hang on too long.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still full of bright dark blackberry fruit. Smokey nose. Solid tannic structure suggests this has many more years of life ahead of it. Classic Cali cab. Delicious!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner at SLWC during PNV week, fantastic setting and great wines.
Drank this next to the current release 2012, a real treat to compare the two wines with some age.
Dark ruby crimson color to the rim, no signs of age. Nose was black fruits, currant, cedar, violet, vanilla. Could mistake for an old world wine on the nose. Palate of "black raspberries" and black cherries, spice and smoke. Full mouthfeel, tannins sweetened and resolved. Moving into it's zone right now - should have a good arc from here. Not one of the blockbuster Cask 23's, at least as reviewed, but I think very nice at this stage
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank at Ron's house with the WSS crew. Dark ruby/crimson color. Tobacco, cedar, currant on the nose. Also, still feint oak aromas. Big and round, with ripe fruit as one would expect. Not particularly hot though, which was a pleasant surprise. Lots of black raspberries and black cherries, along with some smoke and spice. Nice wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not sure of the provenance here, but, after reading button yang's note, I have to believe tonight's bottle wasn't on point. In fact, it was just meh. Did not speak of place or grape, really, the wine seeming somewhat tired, past peak. Enjoyable as a final bottle (after the good ones had been consumed with dinner), but also anonymous. 14,5% abv
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted blind in duo with Mouton Rothschilds 2000, the nose at the beginning was so similar which made everyone on the table confused. Those black current, violet, tobacco, vanilla(still!) and cedar notes were so beautiful, that most of us mistook that was an old world. The mouthfeeling was full, opulent and deep, with layered tannin and long finish. What is more important, this wine looked like a younger vintage! Nice conservation status and outstanding performence.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cask 23 Vertical Tasting (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Deep crimson. Nose of cooked currant and black licorice. The wine is very smooth and long and still quite youthful. I expect the dry tannins and tartiness to go away in a few years of time. Plenty of sweetness and power. In a few years this could be a blockbuster Cask 23. Decant or wait.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From magnum. Slow o'd for 1 hour prior to consumption.
Nose: Rasberry ganache and a little smoke from the oak treatment.
Taste: Beautiful rasberry and blackberry fruit with a dallop of chocholate mousse and whipped cream folded in to give an incredible silky texture which would have been a indication of a fine stags leap cabernet in a blind tasting. There was also some brett which distracted from the initial experience but blew off and mellowed in the glass with additional air.
Overall: Incredible balance and finesse, wonderful fruit and the incredible texture. This is a regal wine which has stayed true to its sensibilities rather than the critics and I am most pleased with the results. I do not think that this will be getting any better with additional aging but may hold for a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine was good but it was definitely past its prime. Fruit was faded but the wine was still balanced. The wine was bought from the winery upon release and properly stored. I drank this next to a 2001 Chimney Rock Reserve and a 2002 Hartwell Estate and the Hartwell was the best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really enjoyed this wine. Great balance of fruit and structure and smooth as a baby' bottom. Long, satisfying finish. Time to drink if you are holding. Expect it will start to decline next couple of years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
By far the best California red that I have had to date. Very big presence, but in a noble manner, full body but perfectly tailored suit like. Deep fruits, yet enough fresh tanning to lift it all up, to have a wide range of reverberation on the palate. Wow, that was a major discovery.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I am a bit torn about this wine. I don't want to be negative - because it was good - but I certainly think it is overrated given the $150 release price that still holds at auction today and 93 CT rating. The Bottle was well stored - cork perfect. The nose was dominated by prune and alcohol. The palate was a bit thin with the alcohol again showing a touch in front of the secondary flavors...then the fruit. The finish - although a touch angular - was fairly long and ended with a nice cassis & blue fruit tone. Again, it was a fine bottle of wine...even a nice bottle of wine. But at this price, I expect a lot more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 1hr, blackberry,eucalyptus, tea and cedar. Very smooth on the palate, with dark berries, mint and a green herbal note, indicative of the cool vintage. Very nice long finish. Based on this bottle, drinking quite well now with plenty of life left
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep purple color. Black currant nose. Tastes of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, currant and earth. Very well balanced. Nice depth and complexity on the mid palate and finish. A very well made wine that is simply outstanding but should be considering the cost. 14.5% alcohol.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great bottle, smooth balanced and several years of life remaining. Wonderful dark color strong currant, tobacco and a hint of licorice on the nose. Taste was even with tannins at a minimum good long linger.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and pour, consumed with Lobel's steaks, potato/celeriac puree, sauteed spinach, and duxelles. In the glass, ruby red at the rim fading rapidly to inky dark purple at the core. On the nose, a great blend of dark fruit and menthol, with notes of tobacco and cedar. On the palate, more dark fruit with mint and tobacco, and a long finish that leans towards being too tannic without quite getting there. The only things keeping this wine from a higher mark in my book were the texture, which was a bit more grainy than a really fine Bordeaux, and the core of dark fruit, which was slightly muted. Make no mistake, however; I'd be very happy to have a lot more of this in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 1 hour. Deep garnet color to the rim. Expressive nose with cassis, plum, blackberry, vanilla, cedar, and alcohol. Much more approachable than I remember it being two years ago with medium to full body, lots of black fruit, earthy espresso, nice acidity and full tannin. A nice glass of wine, but I can't imagine the fruit will ever come into balance with the high alcohol or tannin. Many better wines at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brian and I really like this. Brian thought it had a long time more to go...i actually thought it still was pretty tannic...can definely handle a few more years. Held up great to the food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aromas of plums and cherry. I get a good oak and vanilla on the a 30 sec finish. Very well balanced and drinking very well right now. Was very happy with this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/13/2020 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
With K&O, socially distanced wine on our patio...last bottle of this 5 years ago, good time to check in on it. Drank next to an 02 Lascombes, nice to contrast 2 wines at a great point in their evolution. Splash decant, drank over an hour
Medium ruby color, no separation. Nose showing dark fruits, floral/violets, earth notes. Palate showing blackberry, currant, cedar, licorice, damp earth. Full body, richly texture. Long finish, tannins smooth and dusted.
In a great spot right now. Earth/terroir is dominant at this point. Maybe a Napa version of Haut Brion at this stage...:) Well, stored bottles should continue to drink at this level but not likely to improve much. Great showing on this evening.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
5/16/2020 - Fusions33 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still drinking great! Fruit has dissipated but great earthy tones have emerged. Beginning is great, finish is great, the mid palate is starting to fade. Finish is long and strong. Wonderful to enjoy right now but don’t hang on too long.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2019 - lesz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2017 - Alongfield wrote: 93 Points
Well balanced and seductive. Blackberry fruit and mild tannins. I suggest drinking now as I don't think it will last for more than a couple years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2017 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still full of bright dark blackberry fruit. Smokey nose. Solid tannic structure suggests this has many more years of life ahead of it. Classic Cali cab. Delicious!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2015 - JCGilberti wrote: 93 Points
The wine looks purple colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2015 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at SLWC during PNV week, fantastic setting and great wines.
Drank this next to the current release 2012, a real treat to compare the two wines with some age.
Dark ruby crimson color to the rim, no signs of age. Nose was black fruits, currant, cedar, violet, vanilla. Could mistake for an old world wine on the nose. Palate of "black raspberries" and black cherries, spice and smoke. Full mouthfeel, tannins sweetened and resolved. Moving into it's zone right now - should have a good arc from here. Not one of the blockbuster Cask 23's, at least as reviewed, but I think very nice at this stage
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2015 - Brett wrote: 92 Points
Great wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2014 - cephomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank at Ron's house with the WSS crew. Dark ruby/crimson color. Tobacco, cedar, currant on the nose. Also, still feint oak aromas. Big and round, with ripe fruit as one would expect. Not particularly hot though, which was a pleasant surprise. Lots of black raspberries and black cherries, along with some smoke and spice. Nice wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2014 - Cruzin wrote:
Good not great. Drank best third day opened after the whiff of brett funk blew off.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2013 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Not sure of the provenance here, but, after reading button yang's note, I have to believe tonight's bottle wasn't on point. In fact, it was just meh. Did not speak of place or grape, really, the wine seeming somewhat tired, past peak. Enjoyable as a final bottle (after the good ones had been consumed with dinner), but also anonymous. 14,5% abv
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2013 - Button Yang Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted blind in duo with Mouton Rothschilds 2000, the nose at the beginning was so similar which made everyone on the table confused. Those black current, violet, tobacco, vanilla(still!) and cedar notes were so beautiful, that most of us mistook that was an old world. The mouthfeeling was full, opulent and deep, with layered tannin and long finish. What is more important, this wine looked like a younger vintage! Nice conservation status and outstanding performence.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2013 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Cask 23 Vertical Tasting (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Deep crimson. Nose of cooked currant and black licorice. The wine is very smooth and long and still quite youthful. I expect the dry tannins and tartiness to go away in a few years of time. Plenty of sweetness and power. In a few years this could be a blockbuster Cask 23. Decant or wait.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2012 - Tarokun Likes this wine: 91 Points
very good, a little past peak...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2012 - Chris Forno wrote: 93 Points
From magnum. Slow o'd for 1 hour prior to consumption.
Nose: Rasberry ganache and a little smoke from the oak treatment.
Taste: Beautiful rasberry and blackberry fruit with a dallop of chocholate mousse and whipped cream folded in to give an incredible silky texture which would have been a indication of a fine stags leap cabernet in a blind tasting. There was also some brett which distracted from the initial experience but blew off and mellowed in the glass with additional air.
Overall: Incredible balance and finesse, wonderful fruit and the incredible texture. This is a regal wine which has stayed true to its sensibilities rather than the critics and I am most pleased with the results. I do not think that this will be getting any better with additional aging but may hold for a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2012 - vkcellars wrote: 90 Points
The wine was good but it was definitely past its prime. Fruit was faded but the wine was still balanced. The wine was bought from the winery upon release and properly stored. I drank this next to a 2001 Chimney Rock Reserve and a 2002 Hartwell Estate and the Hartwell was the best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2012 - Maz wrote: 94 Points
Really enjoyed this wine. Great balance of fruit and structure and smooth as a baby' bottom. Long, satisfying finish. Time to drink if you are holding. Expect it will start to decline next couple of years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2012 - swyang wrote: 94 Points
By far the best California red that I have had to date. Very big presence, but in a noble manner, full body but perfectly tailored suit like. Deep fruits, yet enough fresh tanning to lift it all up, to have a wide range of reverberation on the palate. Wow, that was a major discovery.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2012 - PASimon wrote: 88 Points
I am a bit torn about this wine. I don't want to be negative - because it was good - but I certainly think it is overrated given the $150 release price that still holds at auction today and 93 CT rating. The Bottle was well stored - cork perfect. The nose was dominated by prune and alcohol. The palate was a bit thin with the alcohol again showing a touch in front of the secondary flavors...then the fruit. The finish - although a touch angular - was fairly long and ended with a nice cassis & blue fruit tone. Again, it was a fine bottle of wine...even a nice bottle of wine. But at this price, I expect a lot more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2011 - Brett wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic bottle of wine! Lots of life left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2011 - Brett wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle of wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2010 - wineshaman wrote:
Decanted 1hr, blackberry,eucalyptus, tea and cedar. Very smooth on the palate, with dark berries, mint and a green herbal note, indicative of the cool vintage. Very nice long finish. Based on this bottle, drinking quite well now with plenty of life left
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2009 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
Stag's Leap vertical 1973 to 2006 (Institute of Directors, London): Riper, rounder, fleshier than the '01, more berried, soft, inviting, but not so deep
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2009 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple color. Black currant nose. Tastes of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, currant and earth. Very well balanced. Nice depth and complexity on the mid palate and finish. A very well made wine that is simply outstanding but should be considering the cost. 14.5% alcohol.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2009 - jlgnml wrote: 94 Points
HDH BYOB at Custom House (Custom House Chicago IL): Great color, strong nose, lots of depth on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2009 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Still some tannins, but delicous with chocolate and black cherry notes. Drank it with thick rare strip steaks.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2008 - GA wrote: 92 Points
10/08 Sweet red fruit with a balanced refined tannic finish - ready now and over next five years, 92 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2008 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Big, young, and tannic. Enough fruit to warrant a few more years in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2008 - Brett wrote: 91 Points
Still lots of life in this great wine. Earty tones dominate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2007 - mcneil7 wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle, smooth balanced and several years of life remaining. Wonderful dark color strong currant, tobacco and a hint of licorice on the nose. Taste was even with tannins at a minimum good long linger.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2007 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour, consumed with Lobel's steaks, potato/celeriac puree, sauteed spinach, and duxelles. In the glass, ruby red at the rim fading rapidly to inky dark purple at the core. On the nose, a great blend of dark fruit and menthol, with notes of tobacco and cedar. On the palate, more dark fruit with mint and tobacco, and a long finish that leans towards being too tannic without quite getting there. The only things keeping this wine from a higher mark in my book were the texture, which was a bit more grainy than a really fine Bordeaux, and the core of dark fruit, which was slightly muted. Make no mistake, however; I'd be very happy to have a lot more of this in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2007 - Buddarev wrote: 92 Points
Amazing finish! Lasted for a minute plus. Great fruit and subtle tannins. Was a gift but I will now buy future vintages for sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2007 - Brett wrote: 92 Points
Big fruit nose, wonderful color, with a nicely balanced taste. Earthy flavors and it is drinking fantastic. Consumed at a dinner party at the cabin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2006 - AzorianMatador wrote: 92 Points
Good wine, drinking great right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2006 - Crackers wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Deep garnet color to the rim. Expressive nose with cassis, plum, blackberry, vanilla, cedar, and alcohol. Much more approachable than I remember it being two years ago with medium to full body, lots of black fruit, earthy espresso, nice acidity and full tannin. A nice glass of wine, but I can't imagine the fruit will ever come into balance with the high alcohol or tannin. Many better wines at this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2005 - jakesmyboy wrote: 95 Points
Brian and I really like this. Brian thought it had a long time more to go...i actually thought it still was pretty tannic...can definely handle a few more years.
Held up great to the food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2005 - Davisjl wrote: 92 Points
Aromas of plums and cherry. I get a good oak and vanilla on the a 30 sec finish. Very well balanced and drinking very well right now. Was very happy with this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment