Much as per my 2019 note. An excellent quality and very good value fully mature Bordeaux blend from Stellenbosch. For drinking over the next couple of years.
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Perfect drinking window. Dark color with minimal fading. Dark fruit, green pepper, toast, spice. Should last a couple more years. Very Bordeaux like! Considering the price point, this is a terrific Bordeaux blend!
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Zh) (CS,M,PV,CF,Malb) leicht grasige, unauffällige Nase. Weiche Säure, etwas zurückgenommener Extrakt und Würze, sehr angenehm, wird im Alter milder...
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My first from this case. 2hr decant (heavy sediment). A fully mature wine of elegance. Gently cooked damson and juicy black cherry, some desert spice and smooth integrated tannins and lightly toasted oak. Concentrated albeit in a medium bodied framework. Excellent. Will be transferring to my everyday section for drinking over the next year or two.
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I think Pintag catches this wine well. First John X for me in quite a few years but it opens well and provides an interesting Southern Hemisphere take on Bordeaux. Good cherry fruit, spice, a touch of 'orange' acidity soon after opening. Quite soft at this stage with good balance and length. Very good next day, too. Nice wine.
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(ZH) Warme Alkoholtöne zunächst im Vordergrund, angenehm und dicht. Dann eine deutliche, aber schon etwas entspannte Säure. Finesse aus Würze mit etwas Lakritz, altem Balsamico und herb-weichen Tanninen mit ein wenig Süsholztönen im Abgang. Vielleicht noch 2-3 Jahre auf diesem schönen Höhepunkt...
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Lovely light chalk and tree bark on the nose. N7 Medium bodied B6 and dry in the mid palate through the finish. Probably drink within the next two years. Acidity comes through in the finish.
F7
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Brought this to a wine dinner last night with my wine mates at Song Garden. Theme of the evening: South African wines.
Purple in colour with a tinge of redness. Dark red fruits were present on the nose and palate, with some graphite, tar, spices and tobacco. Firm tannins with a sound structure, this flagship wine from the Rustenburg Estate is a reliable and balanced wine from nose to finish.
Decanted to 30 minutes prior to serving, the wine is made up of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon; 37% Merlot; 4% Petit Verdot; 2% Malbec; and 2% Cabernet Franc.
Very Left Bank (Bordeaux) in nature, very impressive in the bottle.
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Deep garnet and ruby red. Layered nose with notes of black fruits, pepper, woody and a little herby. Medium tannins (6/10) and well rounded medium plus body. Black cherries and fruit on the palate with some earthiness and light sweet spices. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2023.
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Pintag lays it down well below. On the mature side yet with firm tannins, overly ripe red fruit, tobacco. Earthy in an expected SA way. In a good state right now, very compatible with food, but can probably be held for 2-4 years more or so.
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Decent Cab that needed at least 30-45 min to show its potential. Unmistakeable varietal characteristics and a little hint of something green that leads me to believe that I may have had this too early, but obv this has a decade or more to go. At $25 this is a solid qpr choice.
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Lots going on with this red. Overall, reminiscent of left bank Bordeaux but with very slight new world leanings. Was tight and somewhat thin on the pop 'n pour, so gave it a half-hour or so of air in the glass, which seem to open it up and allow it to pick up some weight. More on the elegant, medium-weight side, with lots of cigar-like tobacco and smoky notes with some woody tones as well. There is a sweet component as well, someone below suggested "sweet cedar" which I think is a good descriptor - I didn't really care much for it and thought it to be too prominent. A little herbal Cab note as well, which I enjoyed. A fair bit of dusty tannin. Nice silky mouthfeel. I picked this up recently for $25 after really digging the 2012 Glenelly Glass Collection Cab ($13) - my first taste of a South African Cab. I really found this Rustenberg to be more complex for sure, but is "complex" necessarily better? Not in this case. I found the Glenelly to be much more enjoyable with less wood influence and more purity of fruit. At half the price of this Rustenberg, a real no-brainer.
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This 2011 is drinking excellent right now, and I found it to drink just as well on the first day as it did the second. For the price, this is an awesome value. This is all red fruit like boysenberries and raspberries mixed with vegetal notes on the nose. The finish is full of herbs, red licorice and earthy undertones.
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Deep black fruit nose with some graphite but initial tasting was lean/thin and finished with a red fruit undertone. The wine developed into a deep brooding wine heavy with mineral and anise. Long finish with nice balance.
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Deep ruby red. Tons of earthiness on the nose with bell peppers, almost jalapenos and cherries. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Similar notes on the palate with earthiness, cherries and greenery. Long and lingering finish. This is an insane QPR and delicious SA Bordeaux blend. Drink till 2024.
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Not your typical SA wine (since a cab rather than pinotage). Refined and subtle nose. Really like it, more interesting than a CS and more diverse than a SA. Body a bit too subtle, good structure but coud use more body. In short: elegant, pleasant but a bit too subtle
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Nose shows an earthy, woody profile, sort of Bordeaux-esque. Sweet cedar, dirty plum, blackberry, tar. Palate has tons of lovely complexity, both fresh fruit, decayed notes, black pepper spice, juicy acidity, medium tannins are smooth. Wonderful value here.
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Palate- minerals, berries, fruity, earthy, well balanced, finish is long, culminating in spice. Decanted a long time, got some cinnamon or gingerbread, with a bitter finish.
Expected more based on reviews and price. Maybe it needs more time.
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Second time trying this wine. Has gotten huge reviews from WA and AS especially for this price point (19.99). Color was ruby red with garnet edges. Nose had some light notes of barnyard, hay, dirt, green peppers and leather. Initially hit the front of my palate with some fruit, both dark and red fruits. Moderate tannins (6/10) with a moderate body that are not fully integrated yet. Moderate to long finish that lingers and is slightly vegetal. Rated this an 89 with potential to improve once it fully integrates.
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Definitely needs to breath before consumption. I enjoyed this wine more the second day, when it had a much smoother finish. Tannin is a bit strong, but not over powering. Nose has an appetizing earthiness This wine will probably be better with a bit more time in the bottle.
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ripe new world nose with a more bitter green nuance. Palate mirrors nose with ripe fruit and a severe green flavor coupled with aggressive tannins. I like the savory element but it needs about 3 yrs for the tannins to melt and integrate. If this happens as I hope, I will score it higher. This is a substantial red.
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Nose reminiscent of a quality Bdx left-banker with cassis, capsicum, cedar and pencil-shavings. After aeration a Pessac-like ash element starts being noticeable. Medium+ bodied with firm tannins that require cellaring to mellow. Vibrant-fruit, bright acidity and long aftertaste. Good qpr given the style and quality. Just give it time and it will sing. 3-5 years of cellaring are recommended.
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Nice Bordeaux blend. The Cab Franc comes across in the nose but is not overpowering. Berry on the palate. Medium length finish. Tried it with Vegetable Lasagna but think that pairing fell a little short. Probably pairs best with a Steak with a little pepper.
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Spicy green peppercorn notes in a lovely way. Jalapeno if you will, but again, in a delicious way. Then red fruit, leaf, cedar and blackberries. Vivid on the palate, clean long finish.
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Dark purple with ruby/crimson rim. The first whiff out of the bottle I can only describe as... meaty and funky, like ham in the fridge that's a bit over the hill. And said ham was served in a sandwich with green bell peppers and violets. If someone put a violet in a sandwich, that is. After a while, the aroma has a lot more dark fruit it. On the palate, plum, cassis, bell pepper and some cranberry. The bell pepper is strong but it's not negative.. it's nice in its context. The body is medium-light... definitely not a heavyweight. Towards the finish, smoke, earth and leather lead to a fuzzy, velvety tannic finish that's pretty well integrated . With air time, the bell pepper becomes harder to detect. Paired very well with steak milanese with sauteed squash and mushrooms.
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Six nations tasting (Pyrmont): graphite, and slightly jammy back fruit…juicy and surprisingly fresh on the palate then the fruit persists under plentiful tannin. Okay
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A blend of Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, aged for 20 months on oak, 14% ABV. Rich and saturated ruby red colour with a purple tinge; rich nose opens up quickly after decanting, fleshy plums and cigar box, floral topnote, good oak integration; the palate is ripe and rounded, with ripe fruit flavours, attractive freshness and well-integrated tannins; relatively light finish for such a young and powerful young wine, good length. Good wine, lacks just a bit of persistence for a higher score.
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8/14/2021 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much as per my 2019 note. An excellent quality and very good value fully mature Bordeaux blend from Stellenbosch.
For drinking over the next couple of years.
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1/5/2021 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good
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10/4/2020 - ragtop Likes this wine: 92 Points
This held up surprisingly well and drank a week later after having been vacuumed and chilled. Very good value.
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7/7/2020 - ragtop Likes this wine: 88 Points
Past it’s prime at this point.
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5/21/2020 - papabluez wrote: 93 Points
Perfect drinking window. Dark color with minimal fading. Dark fruit, green pepper, toast, spice. Should last a couple more years. Very Bordeaux like!
Considering the price point, this is a terrific Bordeaux blend!
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4/20/2020 - Angle Gold Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of green pepper, still integrated and balanced. Definitely my style.
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3/7/2020 - Axelpeter wrote: 91 Points
Zh) (CS,M,PV,CF,Malb) leicht grasige, unauffällige Nase. Weiche Säure, etwas zurückgenommener Extrakt und Würze, sehr angenehm, wird im Alter milder...
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12/8/2019 - Christian von Dresky wrote: 87 Points
Well made but it is not getting my attention. No real focus or character here but enjoyable.
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9/21/2019 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 90 Points
My first from this case. 2hr decant (heavy sediment).
A fully mature wine of elegance. Gently cooked damson and juicy black cherry, some desert spice and smooth integrated tannins and lightly toasted oak. Concentrated albeit in a medium bodied framework. Excellent.
Will be transferring to my everyday section for drinking over the next year or two.
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4/20/2019 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points
I think Pintag catches this wine well. First John X for me in quite a few years but it opens well and provides an interesting Southern Hemisphere take on Bordeaux. Good cherry fruit, spice, a touch of 'orange' acidity soon after opening. Quite soft at this stage with good balance and length. Very good next day, too. Nice wine.
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10/20/2018 - Axelpeter wrote: 91 Points
(ZH) Warme Alkoholtöne zunächst im Vordergrund, angenehm und dicht. Dann eine deutliche, aber schon etwas entspannte Säure. Finesse aus Würze mit etwas Lakritz, altem Balsamico und herb-weichen Tanninen mit ein wenig Süsholztönen im Abgang. Vielleicht noch 2-3 Jahre auf diesem schönen Höhepunkt...
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8/17/2018 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
Lovely light chalk and tree bark on the nose. N7
Medium bodied B6 and dry in the mid palate through the finish. Probably drink within the next two years. Acidity comes through in the finish.
F7
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1/30/2018 - stayhappy21 wrote: 90 Points
Brought this to a wine dinner last night with my wine mates at Song Garden. Theme of the evening: South African wines.
Purple in colour with a tinge of redness. Dark red fruits were present on the nose and palate, with some graphite, tar, spices and tobacco. Firm tannins with a sound structure, this flagship wine from the Rustenburg Estate is a reliable and balanced wine from nose to finish.
Decanted to 30 minutes prior to serving, the wine is made up of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon; 37% Merlot; 4% Petit Verdot;
2% Malbec; and 2% Cabernet Franc.
Very Left Bank (Bordeaux) in nature, very impressive in the bottle.
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1/27/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Deep garnet and ruby red. Layered nose with notes of black fruits, pepper, woody and a little herby. Medium tannins (6/10) and well rounded medium plus body. Black cherries and fruit on the palate with some earthiness and light sweet spices. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2023.
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1/6/2018 - Krassens Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pintag lays it down well below. On the mature side yet with firm tannins, overly ripe red fruit, tobacco. Earthy in an expected SA way. In a good state right now, very compatible with food, but can probably be held for 2-4 years more or so.
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1/5/2018 - mats13 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decent Cab that needed at least 30-45 min to show its potential. Unmistakeable varietal characteristics and a little hint of something green that leads me to believe that I may have had this too early, but obv this has a decade or more to go. At $25 this is a solid qpr choice.
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10/7/2017 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice, if surprising. Bordeaux style, color, nose, mellow with smooth finish.
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9/10/2017 - PIntag wrote: 89 Points
Lots going on with this red. Overall, reminiscent of left bank Bordeaux but with very slight new world leanings. Was tight and somewhat thin on the pop 'n pour, so gave it a half-hour or so of air in the glass, which seem to open it up and allow it to pick up some weight. More on the elegant, medium-weight side, with lots of cigar-like tobacco and smoky notes with some woody tones as well. There is a sweet component as well, someone below suggested "sweet cedar" which I think is a good descriptor - I didn't really care much for it and thought it to be too prominent. A little herbal Cab note as well, which I enjoyed. A fair bit of dusty tannin. Nice silky mouthfeel.
I picked this up recently for $25 after really digging the 2012 Glenelly Glass Collection Cab ($13) - my first taste of a South African Cab. I really found this Rustenberg to be more complex for sure, but is "complex" necessarily better? Not in this case. I found the Glenelly to be much more enjoyable with less wood influence and more purity of fruit. At half the price of this Rustenberg, a real no-brainer.
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7/25/2017 - pgb67 wrote: 88 Points
A bit of a disappointment - seemed too California to me - flavorful but not distinctive.
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1/25/2017 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 91 Points
This 2011 is drinking excellent right now, and I found it to drink just as well on the first day as it did the second. For the price, this is an awesome value. This is all red fruit like boysenberries and raspberries mixed with vegetal notes on the nose. The finish is full of herbs, red licorice and earthy undertones.
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1/10/2017 - ChickenNoodle wrote: 91 Points
Deep black fruit nose with some graphite but initial tasting was lean/thin and finished with a red fruit undertone. The wine developed into a deep brooding wine heavy with mineral and anise. Long finish with nice balance.
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12/16/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby red. Tons of earthiness on the nose with bell peppers, almost jalapenos and cherries. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Similar notes on the palate with earthiness, cherries and greenery. Long and lingering finish. This is an insane QPR and delicious SA Bordeaux blend. Drink till 2024.
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7/28/2016 - JTeeSmith wrote: 94 Points
BIG CAB with subtle backends - really nice tobacco, chocolate, and dark fruit flavors on this all-time favorite.
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3/7/2016 - dissler Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not your typical SA wine (since a cab rather than pinotage). Refined and subtle nose. Really like it, more interesting than a CS and more diverse than a SA. Body a bit too subtle, good structure but coud use more body. In short: elegant, pleasant but a bit too subtle
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2/13/2016 - Imagnu Likes this wine: 90 Points
Developed very nicely. Rich black berry fruit nose. Ripe fruit palate. Softening tannins. Long finish. Delivers at its price point.
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1/21/2016 - GTFreek wrote:
Nose shows an earthy, woody profile, sort of Bordeaux-esque. Sweet cedar, dirty plum, blackberry, tar. Palate has tons of lovely complexity, both fresh fruit, decayed notes, black pepper spice, juicy acidity, medium tannins are smooth. Wonderful value here.
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1/12/2016 - TashNYC wrote: 87 Points
South African Wine Seminar (New York, NY): Red fruit, some earth, spice. But a little light. I've had better vintages of this wine.
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1/3/2016 - Tobacco wrote:
Purple cherry color. Syrupy.
Nose- ripe berries, oak, bit of butter
Palate- minerals, berries, fruity, earthy, well balanced, finish is long, culminating in spice. Decanted a long time, got some cinnamon or gingerbread, with a bitter finish.
Expected more based on reviews and price. Maybe it needs more time.
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11/1/2015 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 89 Points
Second time trying this wine. Has gotten huge reviews from WA and AS especially for this price point (19.99). Color was ruby red with garnet edges. Nose had some light notes of barnyard, hay, dirt, green peppers and leather. Initially hit the front of my palate with some fruit, both dark and red fruits. Moderate tannins (6/10) with a moderate body that are not fully integrated yet. Moderate to long finish that lingers and is slightly vegetal. Rated this an 89 with potential to improve once it fully integrates.
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10/31/2015 - cab blends wrote: 91 Points
PnP - needs decanting - not as enjoyable as I had expected - will decant for a few hours next time - almost a 90
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10/30/2015 - Craigss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Definitely needs to breath before consumption. I enjoyed this wine more the second day, when it had a much smoother finish. Tannin is a bit strong, but not over powering. Nose has an appetizing earthiness This wine will probably be better with a bit more time in the bottle.
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8/2/2015 - Imagnu Likes this wine: 87 Points
Boring, but nice Subday evening wine
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7/18/2015 - cab blends Likes this wine: 93 Points
Intense clean white chalkiness on the nose. A hint of green pepper to. Light fruitiness on the palate. Strong tannins (probably due to its youth )
Dark bright red. And balanced.
Great value for money at $20!
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6/23/2015 - ephorn Likes this wine:
ripe new world nose with a more bitter green nuance. Palate mirrors nose with ripe fruit and a severe green flavor coupled with aggressive tannins. I like the savory element but it needs about 3 yrs for the tannins to melt and integrate. If this happens as I hope, I will score it higher. This is a substantial red.
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6/3/2015 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose reminiscent of a quality Bdx left-banker with cassis, capsicum, cedar and pencil-shavings. After aeration a Pessac-like ash element starts being noticeable. Medium+ bodied with firm tannins that require cellaring to mellow. Vibrant-fruit, bright acidity and long aftertaste. Good qpr given the style and quality. Just give it time and it will sing. 3-5 years of cellaring are recommended.
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3/23/2015 - Angle Gold Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice Bordeaux blend. The Cab Franc comes across in the nose but is not overpowering. Berry on the palate. Medium length finish. Tried it with Vegetable Lasagna but think that pairing fell a little short. Probably pairs best with a Steak with a little pepper.
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1/29/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Spicy green peppercorn notes in a lovely way. Jalapeno if you will, but again, in a delicious way. Then red fruit, leaf, cedar and blackberries. Vivid on the palate, clean long finish.
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12/4/2014 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: flawed
Raw and rough - brett, probably.
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11/15/2014 - CondorKhan wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple with ruby/crimson rim.
The first whiff out of the bottle I can only describe as... meaty and funky, like ham in the fridge that's a bit over the hill. And said ham was served in a sandwich with green bell peppers and violets. If someone put a violet in a sandwich, that is. After a while, the aroma has a lot more dark fruit it.
On the palate, plum, cassis, bell pepper and some cranberry. The bell pepper is strong but it's not negative.. it's nice in its context. The body is medium-light... definitely not a heavyweight. Towards the finish, smoke, earth and leather lead to a fuzzy, velvety tannic finish that's pretty well integrated . With air time, the bell pepper becomes harder to detect.
Paired very well with steak milanese with sauteed squash and mushrooms.
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10/9/2014 - chatters wrote:
Six nations tasting (Pyrmont): graphite, and slightly jammy back fruit…juicy and surprisingly fresh on the palate then the fruit persists under plentiful tannin. Okay
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8/28/2014 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 89 Points
A blend of Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, aged for 20 months on oak, 14% ABV. Rich and saturated ruby red colour with a purple tinge; rich nose opens up quickly after decanting, fleshy plums and cigar box, floral topnote, good oak integration; the palate is ripe and rounded, with ripe fruit flavours, attractive freshness and well-integrated tannins; relatively light finish for such a young and powerful young wine, good length. Good wine, lacks just a bit of persistence for a higher score.
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8/25/2014 - jimbobcox wrote: 88 Points
Quaffable, but a bit too jammy and unrefined for my liking.
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