After pulling the cork (which broke in half), this poured dark - nearly black. But taste-wise, it started out tart and tight and not giving much. I was concerned, as the last bottle I drank (in 2021) of the 2003 Pride CF was dynamite. However, over the next 30-90 minutes, the bottle gradually started giving more fruit, until it was free-flowing with delicious fruit by the time half the bottle was consumed. Today, the remaining half was even a tad better — just as good as the bottle a couple years ago.
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Fantastic! Full bodied and just overflowing with delicious cab franc fruit. Truly hard to believe this is a 2003, as this is bursting with fruit and not heavy at all. (I referred recently to a drunk-too-early 2017 Pride Cab as an appetizer in itself - this isn’t like that.) Opened about 30 minutes before tasting, and not decanted. Given the timeless, delicious experience with this bottle, and that it shows no leather-type aged flavors, I’d expect similarly well kept bottles to give pleasurable drinking for another 10 years.
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Sadly, this bottle is past its prime by a few years.....flavors have lost freshness, more of a rustic granular mouthfeel, deep black/purple color with light bricking at the halo and little fruit or freshness remaining. Still enjoyable, just kept it a bit too long on the rack.
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Still a blockbuster and showing some age now, but still offering up beautiful, rich fruit in an extracted style and all the complexity of a well-made Cab Franc, just lacking some acidic bite on the finish. Mouthfuls of black fruit showing now. Wouldn't hold much longer, but should continue to be great for 3-5 more years.
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Edited Review: 2003 Magnum mostly consumed over a three hour timeframe.
Color: medium red-purple.
Nose: Pleaseant Muted-Plum, a bit of raspberry. Hints of candy after 15 min.
Palate: mostly creamy Plum, silky mouthfeel, med+ acidity, big and pleasant tannins, hints of Bell Pepper after an hour or so of being opened. Subtle and pleasant Creamy/earthiness like earthy tomatoes or a hint of creamy Mushrooms after a couple hours of being opened. (A little difficult to describe).
Wine evolved for about 3 hours but did not change much after that.
I was concerned it was past its prime but was surprised it still drank well. A big wine that was fun to share.
I was hoping it would be more like the 2014? Barrel sample I had at the Winery. It was a completely different experience but still glad I got to try it.
Cheers!
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Brought to the wine group dinner (double-blind format) last night at Le Provencal. Mintiness on the nose and palate. Sweet tannins that seems to be resolved. Touch of oak but not overly so. Most of the guys thought this was a syrah for some reason
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Dark garnet color, opulently perfumed bouquet of violets, cherries, blackberries and a hint of baking spices. Medium body and a medium finish. The structure is still in tact, this wine can go for another 7-10 years.
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Cherry/vanilla Haagen Dazs on the nose. Lots of cherry fruit on the palate, with SOME depth and complexity. Still drinking great, this is delicious if not profound...
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Deep garnet. Nose was a deep Bob Foley-made wine. Slightly sweet, black fruits, smooth perfume. Taste was smooth and delish. Best Pride I've had in a while.
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Good grief. Oak bomb to the max. Nothing here says Cabernet Franc, it only says Robert Foley. Massive vanilla and oak. Couldn't drink it. Bringing the heat too.
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popped and poured from mag. good fruit particularly for a cab franc. tannins fully integrated and well structured without strong acidity. Drank over 90 minute span and profile did not change suggesting decanting will not significantly enhance this experience. Surprisingly, this was a much better balanced Cab Franc than the '01 Pride I had from Mag a year ago.
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Fabulous new world wine in its peak drinking window. Lots of fruit, fine tannins, balanced with very little wood recognized. Great wine with roast beef.
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Drank from Magnum. Paired perfectly w/ prime rib. Opened up at about 45 minutes. Extremely well balanced with tanins fully integrated. Nice amount of dark and red fruit after 30 to 45 minutes with some earth, tobacco, leather. Certainly has years left, but probably not going to improve for my taste as I like to drink while there is still decent amount of fruit.
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Big and ripe in the Pride style, but the fruit is showing more roasted notes than I might prefer. Definitely shows its vintage. Probably at its apex (if not getting a bit beyond), but still good depth of flavor. Drink up...
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I agree with MPH's note, this went very well with braised marinated short ribs.. Very nice napa claret, i got notes of blackberry boysenberry and other dark forest berries.. wrapped in a fine grained tannin and wood wrapper. Very balanced, beautiful mounthfeel and finish. I would not have known this didnt have cab sav in it. Nothing green showing at all.- -
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Not what younger Pride CFs typically are like, but still a great wine. Its age is showing so the wine has a bit more smoke and bark in its flavor. The fruit bomb is gone yet it is still complex. It will be dead in 24 months.
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Maybe it benefited from lower expectations, but this was pretty damned nice. Still no discernible fruit, but it was just loaded with caramel, toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, etc. Rich, full body and a good finish. Pretty delicious, even though it wasn't what I normally look for in a "table wine".
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I'm calling this bottle flawed because I've never had a Pride wine that was so out of balance. The biggest problem was excessive heat (despite a 14.6 alcohol level, which is on the high side, but shouldn't leave one feeling scorched). The fruit and nose were nothing special. Very disappointing. I have some trepidation with regard to my remaining bottles. I know 2003 was not the greatest for reds in Napa, but this bottle suggests it was particularly cruel to Pride's cab franc.
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Boy these guys do not believe in filtration! I got three bits of twig in the bottle! Dark ruby color. Bursting with cinnamon, black cherry and tobacco. Just a touch of astringency marrs a silky, lovely, oily palate.
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Looks like I held on to this a little too long. Nice nose, cherries and vanilla. Very smooth and, frankly, delicious, but the (kirsch) fruit has faded and is overshadowed by caramel, vanilla and toast. Very plush texture, but the finish came up shorter than expected, detracting from the impression of richness. No tannins. Was probably fabulous a couple years ago, but that ship has sailed.
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The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Rich & Dana's): Initial aromas of chocolate, cherry, leather and mint. Black cherry and red currant flavors. Opens further in the glass with caramel and vanilla notes and a very subtle burnt tire quality. The tire quality follows through on the palate with dark fruit tones as well; a bit harsh on he finish. I guessed Petite Sirah.
This was decanted for sediment & returned to bottle for travel. Uncorked and sat for an hour or so until it wound up in the first flight.
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Pop and pour, consumed over 3 hrs with AdHoc fried chicken (at home). As Fisk15 notes, this should be downed in the coming months. While there's still a good amount of fruit, its being steadily overpowered by alcohol and the fruit - while present - is largely indistinguishable.
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This has always been a good CF, but I think it should be consumed now before the fruit fades any further. On the edge of Pride enjoyment for me right now. Smooth, resolved and a bit uninteresting. Good, with tempered expectations. Drank at HHI on Julie's B-Day trip.
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Textbook Cab Fran, with bluberry fruit palate, floral nose and and herbal finish with a touch of mint. Very concentrated and complex. Peaking right now but still going strong on day two with plenty of grip to age.
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Pop and pour, reserving half the bottle for the next day. Light profile with a lingering chalky aftertaste, which dissipated after 2 hours open. Blueberries and dark cherries, great showing for this varietal. Day 2 there was a little alcohol, but the blueberries remained dominant and the wine was still excellent, though it lost a little weight.
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I always have enjoyed the Pride cab francs. medium garnet colors with little aged hue. Aroma of blueberry, violet, toast, and light minerality. Excellent weight and and soft mouth feel. good balance but not great medium length on finish . very nice 91 pts.
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On first opening this was intensely grapey with black fruit. After being open a while the wine seemed a bit lighter with subtle fruit. Very nice and I was surprised by the acidity. A lot of times people say CA wines do not have enough acidity but that was not the case here. Probably should be drunk soon and not as fruity as the other Pride wines I have had.
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Similar to eating a chocolate covered cherry upon first sip; very heavy on the chocolate and espresso front with a burst of sweet red fruits. Super tannic when first opened, but mellowed out nicely with a nice complexity and good balance. very good
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Really delicious, very surprising. I didn't expect much from this, but it was vivacious and full of rich flavors. Really good.Hints of nutmeg, root beer, espresso bean and vanilla ice cream.Long finish.
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Very nice, but still has loads of alcohol. Even after 2 hours in a decanter, this was drinking hot - which is typical for the Foley-era Pride wines, but may not be everyone's style. Loads of spice, dark berry, and chocolate flavors emerge one the alcohol dissipates from your palate.
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Quite dissapointing. Hot finish. Dark berries, spice, black pepper, dark roasted mocha and espresso. Palate, like I stated, is quite hot showing more alcohol than desired.
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From Magnum This is better than what we have been led to believe by some critics. This is not as flamboyantly exotic and long as the 2002 version, but it has plenty of fruit, density and flavor to rate outstanding. It was more enjoyable than the magnum of 2002 Pride Merlot we had alongside it.
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Still terrific. Rich, fruity; like blackberry jam. A bit tight on opening, but quickly came to life. Deep purple, opaque. Lots of sediment. Just an outstanding wine.
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Core of blue fruit complemented by genrous oak, espresso and cocoa. Well structure but supple without any hard edges or hints of green that afflict the vintage. Very good stuff- peaking.
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Dark brick red core with medium legs in the glass. An opulent nose with dark chocolate, currant leaf, blackberry liqueur, and licorice. Sweet dark leafy fruit on the palate along with espresso, oak, and paste through the long finish. When cool this actually has a nice fresh tone but as it warms it picks up significant weight and tannic bite. With air this even turns pruney on the palate with slightly raisened flavors. I have never tasted such a strong coffee/espresso component in a wine; perhaps this is the Foley signature. Rich, heavy, ripe, pruney, but some good character and complexity.
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Tasting Group Dinner - West Coast Cabernet (Dave McMahon's House, Minneapolis): This has held up surprisingly well since my last tasting over two years ago. Bursting with very sweet, super-ripe dark fruit on the attack. This pulls itself together on the midpalate, and shows some nicely complex cinnamon/clove and tobacco flavors along with the fruit. Long finish that shows some oak. Like the '01 Pride CS Reserve, tasted side-by-side (see TN), this was surprisingly well-structured and balanced. Should be drunk reasonably soon, IMHO.
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Domestic Cab Tasting at the Dave M Condo: Nose: Exotic Licorice and clove undertones. Palate: Sweet fruit and nice length. This was the Mystery Wine in the "B" decanter. Nobody guessed Cab Franc although many of us guessed Cab Sauv. At least we were half right.
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What a nice surpriuse from the often maligned 2003 vintage for Pride Mountain Vineyards. While not as aromatically exotic as other better vintages of the Cab Franc, this wine makes it up in the palate. Sluttishly ripe and sweet, this is a concentrated, flavorful, hedonistic wine. Alcohol is completely in check and the finish is saturated with soft, ripe tannins. A winner.
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Double decanted 3 hr. and probably too long. Initial flavors were bright and high toned with red cherry, pepper and forrest. Over the evening this became somewhat dull. Should have popped and poured this one.
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88 points day one; some soft and smoky fruit but not enough to stand up to the toasty vanilla, mocha and coffee overtones; subtle herbal notes and adequate acid help, but this seems a bit contrived, or else has not come into balance yet for my taste; 91 points day 2 and glad i had a chance to let this one breathe; plum and currant fruit with good acidity; still a bit too much mocha for my taste but at least it is now in the background
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From magnum, direct from the Winery. A little concern at first, a little leakage into the foil, but seems not to be affected. Creamy wine with bright rich/soft red fruits, framed nicely with vanilla mocha oak, big floral spice, smoked meat over cherrywood as well. Still has a big tannic/acid kick to it...but enough sweet fruit to balance. Love the smoky floralness! Very tasty now, and doesn't show any signs that you have to drink up. This maggie could probably have lasted 10 more years...
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Deep cranberry in color with a nose of cranberries and black pepper. On the palate, this has bracing acidity with no hint of being under ripe; flavors of dark berries, twigs and earth (oak, no doubt) and cinnamon. A little drying on the back end. A baby still.
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WOW --- This is a GREAT CAB FRANC. Strong hints of Vanilla and Chocolate throughout the palate. This was dark and intense --- THIS IS WHY I LOVE PRIDE!
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Absolutely singing last night. Rich lush wine, with an incredible feel and long finish. Great nose of chocolate, black fruits, violets, and mocha. It all follows and is seamlessly integrated.
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Bottle showed well early. Bright color, no fading. Nose of red and black fruit. Nice finish. Second glass showed less on the nose. Next day, little fruit on the nose and fading midpalate.
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This wine is awesome. Perfectly aged but still showing great fruit on the nose and up front on the palate. Long, lingering finish. Tannins have mellowed significantly.
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This was impressive. Very gererously aromatic with mixed red and black fruit, mineral, tar and earth. Graceful entry to the palate with rich flavors of high-toned smokey red cherry, mint, cigar and toasted oak. Finished with good length, balanced with pure fruit and refreshing acidity. Seems to just be hitting it's stride now. Decanted about 1 hr. Drink or hold. 92+
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Double decanted for one hour (fair amound of sediment already). Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark garnet/magenta in color. On the nose, dark fruits and cigar ash. On the palate, cassis, espresso, dark chocolate, and herbs on a very long 30-40 second finish. Balance is quite good, but the tannins a bit drying. Still, quite a nice wine with Grilled NY Strips.
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may have been a bit generous the last time I had one of these. Don't get me wrong. It is a nice wine. The finish is pretty dry but overall it is very good. Not 2002 good but good. Lots of very fine sediment in this bottle.
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Time has treated this wine well. With the '05 offer letter out, I wanted to see how we liked the '03 which is a Cab Franc/Merlot blend like the '05 . Solid, easy drinking wine that offers up a sweet fruit nose with nice hints of toffee and caramel as its exposed to air. Medium body and smooth mouthfeel is laden with red fruits. Medium acidity and structure add to the overall expereince and lengthen the pleasant finish. We're in for the '05 now for sure.
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Opened with In-Laws pulled the cork and let it sit for about 30-40 minutes. When i poured a glass the nose just exploded. Cedar, cigar box and a little bit of dark chocolate. the tannins were still well in attendance, but they were relatively soft and round. very nice bottle.
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Not nearly as enjoyable at the 2002, the nose on this wine is abundant, but clouded in part by oak. Medium weight mouthfeel and medium length finish, with a slight touch of heat (14.6% alc). Not worth the tariff in my view.
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Dark violet with a red tinge. Decanted 2 hr. Lovely deep nose of black fruits, licorice, spice, vanilla/chocolate. Generous palate of fruit, rich dark mocha/chocolate that finishes with terrific grainy tannins and graphite. The package was greater than the sum of the parts, thus the 'extra' 2 points from me.
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@ Pangea with Pedro Piña (LG Air) & Rodolfo garcía (Farmacos Nacionales SA).
This Cab Franc is the least favorite for me when compared with the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 & 2002. It is probably better than the 2000. Nose is flamboyant, ripe with a distinctive Bailey's Irish Cream note that made it interesting. None of the floral, tobacco & eucalyptus that I have often found in other vintages. Full bodied, low acid and ripe, this is a very enjoyable bottle of wine, but it is not in the same exotic nose league as many of its predecessors.
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Lovely dark ruby; deep and concentrated color. Cassis and licorice the nose. Plenty of fruit on the palate with some leather as well, and plenty of tannins on the finish. Still young and I don't think it would hurt to wait a while. Not at all green or vegetal, but may need some more time to integrate the oak. A little dry on the finish.
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Deep purple and super potent...Chocolate and rich with mouth puckering tannins, this is a big powerful wine with plenty of ageing potential...Until thae tannins integrate, a bit stifling, but tons of potential
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dark color, chocolate/mocha and vanilla predominate, with faint hazelnut and alfalfa in the background; still tannic, but smooth with mod good length, slight warmth at the end; nice with salumi and goat cheese;
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Christmas Day. Out of mag. I figured this would be quite approachable, but was somewhat closed. After several hours it started to give more fruit, but all in all, a fairly reticent wine. Nice structure. Not a bad wine, but I have a feeling this wine is capable of more than it showed on this day. 88 points.
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From Mag - Uncorked, but not decanted, and allowed to sit for 2 hrs. Then decanted for 35 mins. Progressing nicely from last tasting; tinge of tobacco among the dark fruits. Nice wine!
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Popped and poured. Initially this was overpoweringly sweet, showing brown sugar, some nice blueberry and blackberry fruit, and lots of toasty oak. With about an hour of air time, the sugar flavors started to integrate and the wine was much more enjoyable. Very fruit-driven; not much structure evident; strong fine tannins on the finish. Borderline too sweet with food; best to drink this on its own.
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This was the star of the afternoon. Beautifully clear purple with a magnificent nose of red fruits, tobacco leaf, flowers and a minty note. This wine is very elegant, medium bodied with completely resolved tannin and a dash of acidity that makes it yummy.
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Juicy and substantial on the palate. Drinking very nicely now and a nice compliment to the Slow roasted Kalua Pork. Found the finish a little light/short. Will drink remaining stock soon.
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Gorgeous ruby red to deep pink. Blueberry and cassis syrup nose mixed with a hint of toasty oak. This seems to have settled down a bit in the last few months. Full and rich palate that is just bursting with juicy fruit. There is a good bit of tannin in the background. It almost overwhelms the finish. A bit of heat is also troubling. Not the best from this winery, but still a good drink. Keep the other bottles for 5 years. (15.5+?)
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It had me worried as some signs of seepage appeared on the cork after taking the capsule off, but the fears were unfounded. What a great bottle of wine. Deep purple and youthful color. Knock out nose of blackberries and minty tobacco leaf. Bright acidity, medium bodied and a killer, elegant finish. My kind of wine!
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Tasted July 15, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Titan Cabernet glass. Purple color in the glass, slightly cloudy throughout. Nose of violets, cocoa, anise and a little thistle. Flavors of red berries and a smidge of cocoa powder. Came across as just a touch “green”. Medium acidity, medium tannins. Medium to full bodied. Drink over the short term. No value recommendation. NOTE: never pour this after a bruiser like the Foley Claret at the same tasting or a big Aussie Shiraz. It won’t show well!
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Decanted 1.5 hours. Big, choclately, cherries, almost creamy mouthfeel. Continued to develop over the next 1.5 hours it was consumed. Loved it and glad I have more.
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Wow, a monster wine, even after a couple hours decant. Nose not great, a note of Mr. Clean (ammonia maybe) to go with currants, etc. The palate has lots of rich black cherry and currant to go with a note of rhubarb or something tart on the finish. The tannins needless to say are massive. Interesting ride...
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Poped and poured. This was good right out of the bottle. After about 1hr of air the tannins picked up a bit and I recorked for later. I reopened once I got home from dinner and the tannins had melowed nicely. The nose wasn't revealing a lot but in the mouth plenty of soft fruit and mocha. Finish is nice but not long.
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($50) Wow! Nose on this wine. Pretty violets and red berry fruit with a little oak. Has that uplift of leafy/weedy (in very good way) aroma that I love in Cab Franc. Touch of brown sugar. Muy Sniffable. Sweet black and red fruit on the palate tending toward black raspberry I suppose. Nice.
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Blueberries and toasted oak on the nose and palate; really quite oaky, with a sort of blueberry-carmel finish. Not as floral as the 2002. Medium-bodied with surprisingly tough tannins, and a little short on the finish. A disappointment, considering I thought the 2002 was marvelous.
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Bright ruby – little bleeding – a bit lighter in color than some past vintages. The nose is a combination of flamboyant blueberry jam and mocha ball cookies dipped in vanilla scented syrup. Bold and powerful. Lots of up-front fruit and alcohol on the palate. Surprisingly, there is much less depth than normal and the finish is a tad bitter. This is typically my overwhelming favorite of the Pride regular bottlings – this does not seem to be nearly as good as the previous four vintages. Maybe a weird stage. (14+?)
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Beautiful dark cherry fruit, spicy. Silky, plush palate, showing some tea and olives, finishing with strong tannins. Lots and lots of oak, so much so that too much of this wine's character comes from the oak at this point. A bit hot.
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We popped and poured this one last night. Drank over the course of 3 hours. Deep purple color. Great nose of chocolate, rasberry, violet, and oak(?). Lush mouthfull that explodes with flavor. Finish went on and on. This is my 1st experience with a Pride CF, and I loved it. I can't imagine it getting any better with more time in the bottle as it was very enjoyable last night.
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Very smooth, fruity wine with a more elegant Cab Franc profile - particularly a velvety mouthfeel that indicates that this vintage is a little more developed at this time than the '01 or '02. Consumed over 3 hours with no decant or air time prior to initial tastes, this continued to improve throughout the evening. Found a considerable amount of both chunky and fine sediment towards the bottom of the bottle.
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Great overall wine for the 1st time trying the varietal. Picked up great sense of red fruit and maybe a bit of mocha or coffee? on the nose. Sweet fruit on the mouth feel with a brown sugar or maybe molasses? on the finish. Opened for 1 hour prior, no decanting.
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Wonderful wine! Enjoyed with flank steak and mushroom sauce, and pasta with brussel sprouts and bacon, at Steve and Sherri's. Velvety, with great depth but not overly tannic. Plenty of fruit (Donna said "jammy" but I don't think so), but really plenty of flavor. Toward the end of the bottle, we had started in on a 2000 Barolo beside it; the Pride Cab Fanc was the ritzy one of the pair.
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Wonderful aromatics of raspberry and lilac. Comes through on the palate with very forward red fruits with a solid backbone of fine tannins. A moderate finish. One of my favorite CF to date (along with Kahn Cab Frank).
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This is always a fun bottle. A lot of everything Oak, fruit, tannin. Thick deep purple. Expressive Cab franc nose. Unmistakable pride palate, Thick sweet juicy wine. Don't hold this wine. It is too fun now. A true wow with the non wino friends as well.
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Mmm, young Pride Cabernet Franc, always a fun ride! Spicy and wild with some definite tea leaf. There is an abundance of toasty oak and vanilla on the nose, but the wine has plenty of stuffing and a surprising whallop of tannins as well. Wow, the grip here is truly impressive, much more than I expected from this wine. Give this a year to unwind. DAY 2: Wow, this is some seriously oaky juice. Overnight it took on a lovely note of violet, but tasting this after the 1999 Guigal Hermitage shows just how woody this is. It is certainly plush and packed with fruit, but some notes of coffee and drying wood tannins show up on the finish. This definitely needs some time to drink up the wood.
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Very tight from the bottle. About 15 minutes in the decanter with a couple of swirls and this was rockin'. Had a lot of tannins, but they were not oppressive at all and the fruit was deep and dark. Little cedar, vanilla, chocolate.... Extrememly tasty. I was a little nervous drinking this so young, but no worries here.
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My trip to Napa, Part 2: Barrel tasting at Pride Mountain (Napa Valley, California, USA): From barrel. This was showing a LOT of barrel char. Once you clawed your way past that, there was a toasty, cedary character to the, very spicy. By comparison to the prior few barrels this was clearly thinner and more feminine. This seemed pretty shocked from recent racking, so it was tough to get a read on it.
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3/25/2024 - kabert Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking in its prime! Delicious fruit, and very little indication on the palate that this is a 20+ year old cab franc. Lots of sediment though.
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10/31/2023 - kabert Likes this wine: 92 Points
After pulling the cork (which broke in half), this poured dark - nearly black. But taste-wise, it started out tart and tight and not giving much. I was concerned, as the last bottle I drank (in 2021) of the 2003 Pride CF was dynamite. However, over the next 30-90 minutes, the bottle gradually started giving more fruit, until it was free-flowing with delicious fruit by the time half the bottle was consumed. Today, the remaining half was even a tad better — just as good as the bottle a couple years ago.
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4/9/2023 - BCarv Likes this wine: 91 Points
Black fruits. Spicy, almost peppery finish.
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5/14/2021 - kabert Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic! Full bodied and just overflowing with delicious cab franc fruit. Truly hard to believe this is a 2003, as this is bursting with fruit and not heavy at all. (I referred recently to a drunk-too-early 2017 Pride Cab as an appetizer in itself - this isn’t like that.) Opened about 30 minutes before tasting, and not decanted. Given the timeless, delicious experience with this bottle, and that it shows no leather-type aged flavors, I’d expect similarly well kept bottles to give pleasurable drinking for another 10 years.
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6/7/2019 - Snoman Likes this wine:
Sadly, this bottle is past its prime by a few years.....flavors have lost freshness, more of a rustic granular mouthfeel, deep black/purple color with light bricking at the halo and little fruit or freshness remaining. Still enjoyable, just kept it a bit too long on the rack.
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10/7/2017 - Snoman Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a blockbuster and showing some age now, but still offering up beautiful, rich fruit in an extracted style and all the complexity of a well-made Cab Franc, just lacking some acidic bite on the finish. Mouthfuls of black fruit showing now. Wouldn't hold much longer, but should continue to be great for 3-5 more years.
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8/13/2016 - Wineguy777 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Edited Review:
2003 Magnum mostly consumed over a three hour timeframe.
Color: medium red-purple.
Nose:
Pleaseant Muted-Plum, a bit of raspberry.
Hints of candy after 15 min.
Palate: mostly creamy Plum, silky mouthfeel, med+ acidity, big and pleasant tannins, hints of Bell Pepper after an hour or so of being opened.
Subtle and pleasant Creamy/earthiness like earthy tomatoes or a hint of creamy Mushrooms after a couple hours of being opened. (A little difficult to describe).
Wine evolved for about 3 hours but did not change much after that.
I was concerned it was past its prime but was surprised it still drank well. A big wine that was fun to share.
I was hoping it would be more like the 2014? Barrel sample I had at the Winery. It was a completely different experience but still glad I got to try it.
Cheers!
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3/25/2016 - bkmt wrote: flawed
Oxidized
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2/2/2016 - mouton45 wrote: 91 Points
Brought to the wine group dinner (double-blind format) last night at Le Provencal. Mintiness on the nose and palate. Sweet tannins that seems to be resolved. Touch of oak but not overly so. Most of the guys thought this was a syrah for some reason
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1/25/2015 - DesMarteau wrote: 92 Points
drank this one out of a magnum...moldy nose upon open...blew off after 30 mins...currant, cassis, loads of plum. soft tannins...long finish. Nice.
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6/21/2014 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine: 87 Points
It was inexpensive, it was well made, what more do you want.
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6/1/2014 - subir Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark garnet color, opulently perfumed bouquet of violets, cherries, blackberries and a hint of baking spices. Medium body and a medium finish. The structure is still in tact, this wine can go for another 7-10 years.
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3/23/2014 - KevinS wrote: 90 Points
Cherry/vanilla Haagen Dazs on the nose. Lots of cherry fruit on the palate, with SOME depth and complexity. Still drinking great, this is delicious if not profound...
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1/18/2014 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep garnet. Nose was a deep Bob Foley-made wine. Slightly sweet, black fruits, smooth perfume. Taste was smooth and delish. Best Pride I've had in a while.
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1/14/2014 - JOsgood wrote:
Good grief. Oak bomb to the max. Nothing here says Cabernet Franc, it only says Robert Foley. Massive vanilla and oak. Couldn't drink it. Bringing the heat too.
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9/15/2013 - Barakahn Likes this wine: 92 Points
popped and poured from mag. good fruit particularly for a cab franc. tannins fully integrated and well structured without strong acidity. Drank over 90 minute span and profile did not change suggesting decanting will not significantly enhance this experience. Surprisingly, this was a much better balanced Cab Franc than the '01 Pride I had from Mag a year ago.
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2/10/2013 - RonniePiemonte wrote: 93 Points
Fabulous new world wine in its peak drinking window. Lots of fruit, fine tannins, balanced with very little wood recognized.
Great wine with roast beef.
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12/21/2012 - markan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank from Magnum. Paired perfectly w/ prime rib. Opened up at about 45 minutes. Extremely well balanced with tanins fully integrated. Nice amount of dark and red fruit after 30 to 45 minutes with some earth, tobacco, leather. Certainly has years left, but probably not going to improve for my taste as I like to drink while there is still decent amount of fruit.
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9/30/2012 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
BLACKBERRIES, CURRANTS, AND BLACK CHERRIES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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8/28/2012 - BrianMc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful bottle, if this was suppose to be consumed by 2011 and is on the backside, wonder what it was like in it's
Prime?
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8/17/2012 - Schnoz wrote: 90 Points
Amazing for a cab franc. Smokey, rich, berries. wow, what a potion. the best cab franc I've had. Drinking very well. Pride never disappoints.
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8/2/2012 - subir wrote: 92 Points
Much bigger and fruitier than I remember, but the bouquet was there.
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5/13/2012 - shk5157 wrote: 88 Points
maybe bottle shock from the trip to Kauai, but it lacked the typical lush Pride berry fruit
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5/13/2012 - shk5157 wrote: 89 Points
drank in Kauai, so maybe a little bottle shock. Lacked the lush Pride fruit
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5/12/2012 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Full fruited; A bunch of alcohol on the nose; Nice bite on the finish
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4/6/2012 - FLI Likes this wine: 88 Points
Best bottle yet of this. Still a bit hot, but the fruit was tasty and the tannins well integrated.
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4/5/2012 - KevinS wrote: 91 Points
Big and ripe in the Pride style, but the fruit is showing more roasted notes than I might prefer. Definitely shows its vintage. Probably at its apex (if not getting a bit beyond), but still good depth of flavor. Drink up...
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2/20/2012 - gzim wrote: 94 Points
I agree with MPH's note, this went very well with braised marinated short ribs..
Very nice napa claret, i got notes of blackberry boysenberry and other dark forest berries.. wrapped in a fine grained tannin and wood wrapper. Very balanced, beautiful mounthfeel and finish. I would not have known this didnt have cab sav in it. Nothing green showing at all.- -
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1/27/2012 - MPH wrote: 92 Points
I like to judge my wine with food. With braised short ribs this was absolutely awesome.
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1/13/2012 - FLI Likes this wine: 88 Points
Big fruit profile, tannins barely perceptible. Makes for a pleasant, but not terribly interesting, bottle of wine.
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12/25/2011 - spectrumphoto wrote: 92 Points
Not what younger Pride CFs typically are like, but still a great wine. Its age is showing so the wine has a bit more smoke and bark in its flavor. The fruit bomb is gone yet it is still complex. It will be dead in 24 months.
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12/10/2011 - Night Train wrote: 90 Points
Maybe it benefited from lower expectations, but this was pretty damned nice. Still no discernible fruit, but it was just loaded with caramel, toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, etc. Rich, full body and a good finish. Pretty delicious, even though it wasn't what I normally look for in a "table wine".
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10/19/2011 - shk5157 wrote: 90 Points
not quite as balanced as other Prides
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10/15/2011 - Iroyston wrote: 94 Points
Delicious
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8/1/2011 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Much better than my last bottle. Typical Franc aromas; nice red frut flavors on the palate.
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7/17/2011 - Baeyens Cellars wrote: 92 Points
Blueberry and blackberry, good structure but still soft on palate with nice finish.
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5/29/2011 - Choyberg wrote: 89 Points
Musty but in a good way
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2/27/2011 - biggwater wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well. Nice long finish, and opened up well after an hour or so. Great wine with no flaws of balance, heat, or over the tpo fruit.
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1/31/2011 - jswine15 wrote: 92 Points
drinking nicely...didn't decant (which might have helped)...nice Cab Franc blackberry taste with balanced tannins. A nice wine.
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12/28/2010 - FLI wrote: flawed
I'm calling this bottle flawed because I've never had a Pride wine that was so out of balance. The biggest problem was excessive heat (despite a 14.6 alcohol level, which is on the high side, but shouldn't leave one feeling scorched). The fruit and nose were nothing special. Very disappointing. I have some trepidation with regard to my remaining bottles. I know 2003 was not the greatest for reds in Napa, but this bottle suggests it was particularly cruel to Pride's cab franc.
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12/1/2010 - biggwater wrote: 90 Points
Big, chewy, licorice, nuts, let it breath, give a few more years
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11/27/2010 - Colia wrote: 91 Points
Boy these guys do not believe in filtration! I got three bits of twig in the bottle! Dark ruby color. Bursting with cinnamon, black cherry and tobacco. Just a touch of astringency marrs a silky, lovely, oily palate.
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11/13/2010 - Night Train wrote: 89 Points
Looks like I held on to this a little too long. Nice nose, cherries and vanilla. Very smooth and, frankly, delicious, but the (kirsch) fruit has faded and is overshadowed by caramel, vanilla and toast. Very plush texture, but the finish came up shorter than expected, detracting from the impression of richness. No tannins. Was probably fabulous a couple years ago, but that ship has sailed.
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10/23/2010 - AllRed Does not like this wine:
The Blind Drunks monthly tasting (Rich & Dana's): Initial aromas of chocolate, cherry, leather and mint. Black cherry and red currant flavors. Opens further in the glass with caramel and vanilla notes and a very subtle burnt tire quality. The tire quality follows through on the palate with dark fruit tones as well; a bit harsh on he finish. I guessed Petite Sirah.
This was decanted for sediment & returned to bottle for travel. Uncorked and sat for an hour or so until it wound up in the first flight.
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8/22/2010 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour, consumed over 3 hrs with AdHoc fried chicken (at home). As Fisk15 notes, this should be downed in the coming months. While there's still a good amount of fruit, its being steadily overpowered by alcohol and the fruit - while present - is largely indistinguishable.
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7/10/2010 - fisk15 wrote: 91 Points
This has always been a good CF, but I think it should be consumed now before the fruit fades any further. On the edge of Pride enjoyment for me right now. Smooth, resolved and a bit uninteresting. Good, with tempered expectations. Drank at HHI on Julie's B-Day trip.
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5/29/2010 - gsquireh wrote: 91 Points
Blueberry and blackberry, smooth, structured, saturated fruit and delicious. Drinking perfect.
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4/30/2010 - airbourneone wrote:
Wonderful Cabernet Franc. Nice bouquet. Well balanced with nice finish. Would not wait any longer on this wine.
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4/15/2010 - MJTed wrote: 91 Points
Textbook Cab Fran, with bluberry fruit palate, floral nose and and herbal finish with a touch of mint. Very concentrated and complex. Peaking right now but still going strong on day two with plenty of grip to age.
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12/26/2009 - NeuroDoc wrote: 92 Points
Not as green on the nose as I was expecting. Overall a fairly impressive showing. Developed some intriguing notes over time in the glass.
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12/13/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour, reserving half the bottle for the next day. Light profile with a lingering chalky aftertaste, which dissipated after 2 hours open. Blueberries and dark cherries, great showing for this varietal. Day 2 there was a little alcohol, but the blueberries remained dominant and the wine was still excellent, though it lost a little weight.
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11/30/2009 - kscopela wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle but not overly impressive.
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11/21/2009 - Beachrooster wrote: 91 Points
I always have enjoyed the Pride cab francs. medium garnet colors with little aged hue. Aroma of blueberry, violet, toast, and light minerality. Excellent weight and and soft mouth feel. good balance but not great medium length on finish . very nice 91 pts.
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11/4/2009 - spo wrote: 90 Points
On first opening this was intensely grapey with black fruit. After being open a while the wine seemed a bit lighter with subtle fruit. Very nice and I was surprised by the acidity. A lot of times people say CA wines do not have enough acidity but that was not the case here. Probably should be drunk soon and not as fruity as the other Pride wines I have had.
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9/22/2009 - zimmy07 wrote:
Similar to eating a chocolate covered cherry upon first sip; very heavy on the chocolate and espresso front with a burst of sweet red fruits. Super tannic when first opened, but mellowed out nicely with a nice complexity and good balance. very good
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9/16/2009 - Vinomarcus wrote: 91 Points
Really delicious, very surprising. I didn't expect much from this, but it was vivacious and full of rich flavors. Really good.Hints of nutmeg, root beer, espresso bean and vanilla ice cream.Long finish.
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9/5/2009 - B&T wrote: 91 Points
Very nice, but still has loads of alcohol. Even after 2 hours in a decanter, this was drinking hot - which is typical for the Foley-era Pride wines, but may not be everyone's style. Loads of spice, dark berry, and chocolate flavors emerge one the alcohol dissipates from your palate.
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8/16/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 89 Points
Quite dissapointing. Hot finish.
Dark berries, spice, black pepper, dark roasted mocha and espresso.
Palate, like I stated, is quite hot showing more alcohol than desired.
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7/18/2009 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
From Magnum
This is better than what we have been led to believe by some critics. This is not as flamboyantly exotic and long as the 2002 version, but it has plenty of fruit, density and flavor to rate outstanding. It was more enjoyable than the magnum of 2002 Pride Merlot we had alongside it.
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5/20/2009 - WineGirlOne wrote: 96 Points
This wine was so mmorable. Perfectly aged and silky. Classic cab franc aromas of earth and red berry. Wish I had a few more bottles!!
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5/6/2009 - tkoby11 wrote: 93 Points
A wonderful new world style of Cabernet Franc! Very typical of this wine it was too easy to enjoy! Not super complex, but very satisfying.
Color: Dark red core and lighter edges
Nose: Cinnamon, Mocha, some Caramel and Cake
Palate: Cherry, chocolate, some roasted sage and cinnamon & spice
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5/1/2009 - Quequeg wrote: 91 Points
Still terrific. Rich, fruity; like blackberry jam. A bit tight on opening, but quickly came to life. Deep purple, opaque. Lots of sediment. Just an outstanding wine.
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3/22/2009 - MJTed wrote: 92 Points
Core of blue fruit complemented by genrous oak, espresso and cocoa. Well structure but supple without any hard edges or hints of green that afflict the vintage. Very good stuff- peaking.
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2/14/2009 - Badfish wrote: 89 Points
Dark brick red core with medium legs in the glass. An opulent nose with dark chocolate, currant leaf, blackberry liqueur, and licorice. Sweet dark leafy fruit on the palate along with espresso, oak, and paste through the long finish. When cool this actually has a nice fresh tone but as it warms it picks up significant weight and tannic bite. With air this even turns pruney on the palate with slightly raisened flavors. I have never tasted such a strong coffee/espresso component in a wine; perhaps this is the Foley signature. Rich, heavy, ripe, pruney, but some good character and complexity.
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2/7/2009 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
Tasting Group Dinner - West Coast Cabernet (Dave McMahon's House, Minneapolis): This has held up surprisingly well since my last tasting over two years ago. Bursting with very sweet, super-ripe dark fruit on the attack. This pulls itself together on the midpalate, and shows some nicely complex cinnamon/clove and tobacco flavors along with the fruit. Long finish that shows some oak. Like the '01 Pride CS Reserve, tasted side-by-side (see TN), this was surprisingly well-structured and balanced. Should be drunk reasonably soon, IMHO.
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2/7/2009 - Mattshank wrote: 91 Points
Domestic Cab Tasting at the Dave M Condo: Nose: Exotic Licorice and clove undertones. Palate: Sweet fruit and nice length. This was the Mystery Wine in the "B" decanter. Nobody guessed Cab Franc although many of us guessed Cab Sauv. At least we were half right.
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1/31/2009 - hcampana wrote: 93 Points
What a nice surpriuse from the often maligned 2003 vintage for Pride Mountain Vineyards. While not as aromatically exotic as other better vintages of the Cab Franc, this wine makes it up in the palate. Sluttishly ripe and sweet, this is a concentrated, flavorful, hedonistic wine. Alcohol is completely in check and the finish is saturated with soft, ripe tannins. A winner.
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12/24/2008 - 6831 wrote: 88 Points
Double decanted 3 hr. and probably too long. Initial flavors were bright and high toned with red cherry, pepper and forrest. Over the evening this became somewhat dull. Should have popped and poured this one.
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10/4/2008 - wabi47 wrote: 88 Points
88 points day one; some soft and smoky fruit but not enough to stand up to the toasty vanilla, mocha and coffee overtones; subtle herbal notes and adequate acid help, but this seems a bit contrived, or else has not come into balance yet for my taste; 91 points day 2 and glad i had a chance to let this one breathe; plum and currant fruit with good acidity; still a bit too much mocha for my taste but at least it is now in the background
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9/29/2008 - Amerique wrote: 90 Points
delicious, chocolate, coffee flavors, slightly short, medium bodied wine
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7/21/2008 - Mrbuzz wrote: 94 Points
From magnum, direct from the Winery. A little concern at first, a little leakage into the foil, but seems not to be affected. Creamy wine with bright rich/soft red fruits, framed nicely with vanilla mocha oak, big floral spice, smoked meat over cherrywood as well. Still has a big tannic/acid kick to it...but enough sweet fruit to balance. Love the smoky floralness! Very tasty now, and doesn't show any signs that you have to drink up. This maggie could probably have lasted 10 more years...
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7/15/2008 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
rich full bodied, forward in the mouth berry fruit with chocolate, oaky, vanillin flavors, short finish
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6/19/2008 - lorenzo wrote:
Rich and Lush. Chocolate, Mocha, ripe.Great with BBQ
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5/10/2008 - Deb293 wrote: 90 Points
Deep cranberry in color with a nose of cranberries and black pepper. On the palate, this has bracing acidity with no hint of being under ripe; flavors of dark berries, twigs and earth (oak, no doubt) and cinnamon. A little drying on the back end. A baby still.
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5/7/2008 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 94 Points
WOW --- This is a GREAT CAB FRANC. Strong hints of Vanilla and Chocolate throughout the palate. This was dark and intense --- THIS IS WHY I LOVE PRIDE!
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4/16/2008 - Eric wrote:
Yummy, last one, exotic, indulgent. Fun with BBQ chicken.
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4/10/2008 - zimmy07 wrote: 91 Points
good stuff here. Chocolate, espresso, and a bit of herbal tones. Still big, needs more time.
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12/8/2007 - Geoffrey Carter wrote: 92 Points
Very nice bottle. Good fruit, good integration, great finish. Needs food, but what a wine.
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11/30/2007 - ChillyWino wrote: 94 Points
Absolutely singing last night. Rich lush wine, with an incredible feel and long finish. Great nose of chocolate, black fruits, violets, and mocha. It all follows and is seamlessly integrated.
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11/7/2007 - MNP wrote: 89 Points
Bottle showed well early. Bright color, no fading. Nose of red and black fruit. Nice finish. Second glass showed less on the nose. Next day, little fruit on the nose and fading midpalate.
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10/20/2007 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Big, rich and bursting with round Foley fruit. Coffee, currants with green herbs adding complexity. Medium-long finish. Nicely done and ready to go.
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9/1/2007 - WineGirlOne wrote: 95 Points
This wine is awesome. Perfectly aged but still showing great fruit on the nose and up front on the palate. Long, lingering finish. Tannins have mellowed significantly.
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9/1/2007 - 6831 wrote: 92 Points
This was impressive.
Very gererously aromatic with mixed red and black fruit, mineral, tar and earth.
Graceful entry to the palate with rich flavors of high-toned smokey red cherry, mint, cigar and toasted oak.
Finished with good length, balanced with pure fruit and refreshing acidity.
Seems to just be hitting it's stride now. Decanted about 1 hr. Drink or hold. 92+
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8/7/2007 - jwwinec wrote: 91 Points
Wow, mocha ice cream. Deep, rich fruit with a nice plush texture. Drinking well now.
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6/17/2007 - DFC wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted for one hour (fair amound of sediment already). Medium to full-bodied wine that is dark garnet/magenta in color. On the nose, dark fruits and cigar ash. On the palate, cassis, espresso, dark chocolate, and herbs on a very long 30-40 second finish. Balance is quite good, but the tannins a bit drying. Still, quite a nice wine with Grilled NY Strips.
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5/8/2007 - texaswino wrote: 91 Points
may have been a bit generous the last time I had one of these. Don't get me wrong. It is a nice wine. The finish is pretty dry but overall it is very good. Not 2002 good but good. Lots of very fine sediment in this bottle.
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5/6/2007 - Wusman wrote: 93 Points
Just a wonderful bottle of wine. Fruit forward, wonderfully aromatic berries and coffee on the nose.
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5/6/2007 - Elkiholic wrote: 92 Points
Time has treated this wine well. With the '05 offer letter out, I wanted to see how we liked the '03 which is a Cab Franc/Merlot blend like the '05 . Solid, easy drinking wine that offers up a sweet fruit nose with nice hints of toffee and caramel as its exposed to air. Medium body and smooth mouthfeel is laden with red fruits. Medium acidity and structure add to the overall expereince and lengthen the pleasant finish. We're in for the '05 now for sure.
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4/22/2007 - AlexRed wrote: 92 Points
Opened with In-Laws
pulled the cork and let it sit for about 30-40 minutes. When i poured a glass the nose just exploded. Cedar, cigar box and a little bit of dark chocolate. the tannins were still well in attendance, but they were relatively soft and round. very nice bottle.
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4/21/2007 - glg wrote: 88 Points
Not nearly as enjoyable at the 2002, the nose on this wine is abundant, but clouded in part by oak. Medium weight mouthfeel and medium length finish, with a slight touch of heat (14.6% alc). Not worth the tariff in my view.
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3/31/2007 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
Dark violet with a red tinge. Decanted 2 hr. Lovely deep nose of black fruits, licorice, spice, vanilla/chocolate. Generous palate of fruit, rich dark mocha/chocolate that finishes with terrific grainy tannins and graphite. The package was greater than the sum of the parts, thus the 'extra' 2 points from me.
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3/28/2007 - hcampana wrote: 90 Points
@ Pangea with Pedro Piña (LG Air) & Rodolfo garcía (Farmacos Nacionales SA).
This Cab Franc is the least favorite for me when compared with the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 & 2002. It is probably better than the 2000. Nose is flamboyant, ripe with a distinctive Bailey's Irish Cream note that made it interesting. None of the floral, tobacco & eucalyptus that I have often found in other vintages. Full bodied, low acid and ripe, this is a very enjoyable bottle of wine, but it is not in the same exotic nose league as many of its predecessors.
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3/17/2007 - Deb293 wrote: 90 Points
Lovely dark ruby; deep and concentrated color. Cassis and licorice the nose. Plenty of fruit on the palate with some leather as well, and plenty of tannins on the finish. Still young and I don't think it would hurt to wait a while. Not at all green or vegetal, but may need some more time to integrate the oak. A little dry on the finish.
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2/23/2007 - CMCLR wrote: 90 Points
A little light in body and nose.
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1/15/2007 - jmd60611 wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple and super potent...Chocolate and rich with mouth puckering tannins, this is a big powerful wine with plenty of ageing potential...Until thae tannins integrate, a bit stifling, but tons of potential
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1/7/2007 - wabi47 wrote: 92 Points
dark color, chocolate/mocha and vanilla predominate, with faint hazelnut and alfalfa in the background; still tannic, but smooth with mod good length, slight warmth at the end; nice with salumi and goat cheese;
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12/30/2006 - RJD wrote:
Christmas Day. Out of mag. I figured this would be quite approachable, but was somewhat closed. After several hours it started to give more fruit, but all in all, a fairly reticent wine. Nice structure. Not a bad wine, but I have a feeling this wine is capable of more than it showed on this day. 88 points.
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12/29/2006 - ProBob wrote: 89 Points
still getting used to Cab Franc. had it with lamb stew. very good, earthy, with good overture of holding its taste through the palet.
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12/24/2006 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
From Mag - Uncorked, but not decanted, and allowed to sit for 2 hrs. Then decanted for 35 mins. Progressing nicely from last tasting; tinge of tobacco among the dark fruits. Nice wine!
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12/16/2006 - Siggy wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured. Initially this was overpoweringly sweet, showing brown sugar, some nice blueberry and blackberry fruit, and lots of toasty oak. With about an hour of air time, the sugar flavors started to integrate and the wine was much more enjoyable. Very fruit-driven; not much structure evident; strong fine tannins on the finish. Borderline too sweet with food; best to drink this on its own.
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11/12/2006 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
Had in Guadalajara with Vanessa and her family.
This was the star of the afternoon. Beautifully clear purple with a magnificent nose of red fruits, tobacco leaf, flowers and a minty note. This wine is very elegant, medium bodied with completely resolved tannin and a dash of acidity that makes it yummy.
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10/17/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 91 Points
Juicy and substantial on the palate. Drinking very nicely now and a nice compliment to the Slow roasted Kalua Pork. Found the finish a little light/short. Will drink remaining stock soon.
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10/2/2006 - dbkitc wrote:
Gorgeous ruby red to deep pink. Blueberry and cassis syrup nose mixed with a hint of toasty oak. This seems to have settled down a bit in the last few months. Full and rich palate that is just bursting with juicy fruit. There is a good bit of tannin in the background. It almost overwhelms the finish. A bit of heat is also troubling. Not the best from this winery, but still a good drink. Keep the other bottles for 5 years. (15.5+?)
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9/30/2006 - hcampana wrote: 93 Points
Had it with my girlfriend at home.
It had me worried as some signs of seepage appeared on the cork after taking the capsule off, but the fears were unfounded. What a great bottle of wine. Deep purple and youthful color. Knock out nose of blackberries and minty tobacco leaf. Bright acidity, medium bodied and a killer, elegant finish. My kind of wine!
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9/13/2006 - ScottS wrote:
Reddish purple in color; This wine was a tannic beast! Needs serious air & time to soften the tannins
50+5+13+14+6=88 pts
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8/26/2006 - texaswino wrote: 93 Points
Damn nice stuff. Just a notch below the 02 which is outstanding. Gotta love the Pride Cab Francs.
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7/30/2006 - EricBe wrote: 92 Points
wow, nice black raspberry and very smooth. had with sole - you'd think that was a white wine dish, but this worked perfectly!
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7/29/2006 - Eric wrote:
Thick, chunky, enjoyable. Not much wood showing. This has settled down and is drinking pleasurably.
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7/15/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
anthonyiezzi Birthday Dinnner (Tre Vigne, Basking Ridge, NJ): WIML90,WA90,WS91
Tasted July 15, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Titan Cabernet glass. Purple color in the glass, slightly cloudy throughout. Nose of violets, cocoa, anise and a little thistle. Flavors of red berries and a smidge of cocoa powder. Came across as just a touch “green”. Medium acidity, medium tannins. Medium to full bodied. Drink over the short term. No value recommendation. NOTE: never pour this after a bruiser like the Foley Claret at the same tasting or a big Aussie Shiraz. It won’t show well!
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7/7/2006 - fisk15 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking great right now, typical Pride flavor profile. Variatally correct, who cares?
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7/5/2006 - MPH wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours. Big, choclately, cherries, almost creamy mouthfeel. Continued to develop over the next 1.5 hours it was consumed. Loved it and glad I have more.
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7/2/2006 - Squirreljam wrote:
Wow, a monster wine, even after a couple hours decant. Nose not great, a note of Mr. Clean (ammonia maybe) to go with currants, etc. The palate has lots of rich black cherry and currant to go with a note of rhubarb or something tart on the finish. The tannins needless to say are massive. Interesting ride...
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6/11/2006 - LC17SMP wrote: 92 Points
Poped and poured. This was good right out of the bottle. After about 1hr of air the tannins picked up a bit and I recorked for later. I reopened once I got home from dinner and the tannins had melowed nicely. The nose wasn't revealing a lot but in the mouth plenty of soft fruit and mocha. Finish is nice but not long.
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3/6/2006 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($50) Wow! Nose on this wine. Pretty violets and red berry fruit with a little oak. Has that uplift of leafy/weedy (in very good way) aroma that I love in Cab Franc. Touch of brown sugar. Muy Sniffable. Sweet black and red fruit on the palate tending toward black raspberry I suppose. Nice.
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3/6/2006 - Quinn_cab wrote: 90 Points
Good...but nowhere near the 2002. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
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1/20/2006 - tmay wrote: 90 Points
Nice floral nose. Medium body with mild tannins. Dark fruit with a dry long finish.
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1/7/2006 - ChrisR wrote: 88 Points
Blueberries and toasted oak on the nose and palate; really quite oaky, with a sort of blueberry-carmel finish. Not as floral as the 2002. Medium-bodied with surprisingly tough tannins, and a little short on the finish. A disappointment, considering I thought the 2002 was marvelous.
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12/21/2005 - dbkitc wrote:
Bright ruby – little bleeding – a bit lighter in color than some past vintages. The nose is a combination of flamboyant blueberry jam and mocha ball cookies dipped in vanilla scented syrup. Bold and powerful. Lots of up-front fruit and alcohol on the palate. Surprisingly, there is much less depth than normal and the finish is a tad bitter. This is typically my overwhelming favorite of the Pride regular bottlings – this does not seem to be nearly as good as the previous four vintages. Maybe a weird stage. (14+?)
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10/26/2005 - jwwinec wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful dark cherry fruit, spicy. Silky, plush palate, showing some tea and olives, finishing with strong tannins. Lots and lots of oak, so much so that too much of this wine's character comes from the oak at this point. A bit hot.
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10/18/2005 - ChillyWino wrote: 93 Points
We popped and poured this one last night. Drank over the course of 3 hours. Deep purple color. Great nose of chocolate, rasberry, violet, and oak(?). Lush mouthfull that explodes with flavor. Finish went on and on. This is my 1st experience with a Pride CF, and I loved it. I can't imagine it getting any better with more time in the bottle as it was very enjoyable last night.
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10/14/2005 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Very smooth, fruity wine with a more elegant Cab Franc profile - particularly a velvety mouthfeel that indicates that this vintage is a little more developed at this time than the '01 or '02. Consumed over 3 hours with no decant or air time prior to initial tastes, this continued to improve throughout the evening. Found a considerable amount of both chunky and fine sediment towards the bottom of the bottle.
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9/26/2005 - Elkiholic wrote: 91 Points
Great overall wine for the 1st time trying the varietal. Picked up great sense of red fruit and maybe a bit of mocha or coffee? on the nose. Sweet fruit on the mouth feel with a brown sugar or maybe molasses? on the finish. Opened for 1 hour prior, no decanting.
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9/17/2005 - Quequeg wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful wine! Enjoyed with flank steak and mushroom sauce, and pasta with brussel sprouts and bacon, at Steve and Sherri's. Velvety, with great depth but not overly tannic. Plenty of fruit (Donna said "jammy" but I don't think so), but really plenty of flavor. Toward the end of the bottle, we had started in on a 2000 Barolo beside it; the Pride Cab Fanc was the ritzy one of the pair.
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9/14/2005 - brianofthevine wrote: 95 Points
Wow, surprising! Up front boysenberry fruit with chocolate. Incredible balance and long finish.
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9/12/2005 - onholiday wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful aromatics of raspberry and lilac. Comes through on the palate with very forward red fruits with a solid backbone of fine tannins. A moderate finish. One of my favorite CF to date (along with Kahn Cab Frank).
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9/9/2005 - Mike V wrote: 92 Points
This is always a fun bottle. A lot of everything Oak, fruit, tannin. Thick deep purple. Expressive Cab franc nose. Unmistakable pride palate, Thick sweet juicy wine. Don't hold this wine. It is too fun now. A true wow with the non wino friends as well.
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9/9/2005 - Eric wrote: 91 Points
Mmm, young Pride Cabernet Franc, always a fun ride! Spicy and wild with some definite tea leaf. There is an abundance of toasty oak and vanilla on the nose, but the wine has plenty of stuffing and a surprising whallop of tannins as well. Wow, the grip here is truly impressive, much more than I expected from this wine. Give this a year to unwind.
DAY 2: Wow, this is some seriously oaky juice. Overnight it took on a lovely note of violet, but tasting this after the 1999 Guigal Hermitage shows just how woody this is. It is certainly plush and packed with fruit, but some notes of coffee and drying wood tannins show up on the finish. This definitely needs some time to drink up the wood.
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7/20/2005 - AlexRed wrote: 93 Points
Very tight from the bottle. About 15 minutes in the decanter with a couple of swirls and this was rockin'. Had a lot of tannins, but they were not oppressive at all and the fruit was deep and dark. Little cedar, vanilla, chocolate.... Extrememly tasty. I was a little nervous drinking this so young, but no worries here.
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7/30/2004 - Eric wrote:
My trip to Napa, Part 2: Barrel tasting at Pride Mountain (Napa Valley, California, USA): From barrel. This was showing a LOT of barrel char. Once you clawed your way past that, there was a toasty, cedary character to the, very spicy. By comparison to the prior few barrels this was clearly thinner and more feminine. This seemed pretty shocked from recent racking, so it was tough to get a read on it.
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