Excellent, 16 months since my last bottle of this vintage. Actually not much different from my last note. Aroma was softer, but the taste was nearly identical to the tasting in 2018.
Since my last ‘14 bottle, I have had the ‘15 and it is significantly better. Wish I had more of it actually.
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Drinking well right now. Not the class the 2015 is, which is head and shoulders the best value Napa Cab I have had recently. 2014 is good value if you can find it for $29
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More like a $12 Merlot than a $45 Cab. Only medium-bodied and more spice notes than anything else. Disappointing for the money paid. (If it had been $12, I would have given it about an 88.)
Decanted for one hour, and hardly any change from first taste upon opening.
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This aged quite nicely. Decanted for 2+ hours. Aroma is powerful with a lot of dark fruit, plum and light oak. Taste follows along nicely, with a lot of dark fruit and a bit more oak. Medium acidity with nice balanced/smooth tannins.
I’ve always felt this core Cabernet Sauvignon was their best value. For the price paid this is an Outstanding Cabernet!
I’ve heard that 2015 is even (significantly) better and I have not tried it, nor do I even have any in my cellar. That is an error that needs to be rectified!
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Deep purple with a magenta rim. Mostly opaque. Taste of cedar, sandalwood, blackberries and a little licorice. Nice balance of medium tannins and acidity. Full bodied, lush mouthfeel and a long spicy chalky finish. Great QPR at about $40.
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PnP... nice aroma, more oak than I remember. Taste initially, was very acidic, but smoothed out quite quickly. Dark fruit with some spice and pepper. Nice balance and I like the mix/blend of fruit in this had this with a savory, dry rubbed grilled chicken finished with some Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce. Very Nice!
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Restaurant dinner purchase. Deep ruby color. Youthful aromatic profile of mostly primary and secondary medium plus aromas of vanilla, black currant, cassis, blackberry, black cherry, and lots of vanilla. Dry palate. Medium body and medium alcohol. Medium plus flavors of ripe fruits: blackberry, cassis, black cherry, and mocha. Ripe medium tannins, and medium acidity culminating in a medium finish. A very good wine with excellent balance, and good intensity. Still very young, so not much complexity at this stage, and the length is medium. Can drink now, but may have some potential for further development. Slightly better than my experience almost a year ago.
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Note: wine had been opened for 3+ hours before these notes.
Big and dark in the glass with a clear red-black color. Aroma is big with a nice blend of black fruit and oak. The taste follows very similar with oak, black fruit with plum. Nice balance with smooth tannins and pretty strong acid.
For the price of $30, this is a Very Nice QPR. A solid 90 Pointer. I like the ‘14 more than the ‘13. Which makes me very interested in getting the ‘15 which was just released.
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Drunk at 3Sixty at Hyatt Regency SFO watching the Eagles-Patriots Super Bowl. Purple-ruby, just shy of opaque. Red tinge to the legs. Nose is softly fruity with plenty of Napa character. Chocolate/cocoa. Very drinkable. Has enough edge of tannin and acid to provide a semblance of balance, but this is lush and soft and meant for relatively early consumption. Tasty stuff. 4-12-16-8: 90/100.
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P: Med body; Rndish entry with NICE frt met by firming astringency. The finish is LONG with notes of spice & very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now, this DESERVES until early '19, then drinking for the following 3 yrs or so. 90 pts WE & Best of Class @ '17 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp in the $35 - $38.99 class. [This vendor's $33.95 is in the upper 1/3 or so of wine'searcher's listings.]
THANK you for sharing, Steve & Kim! :)
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Decanted 30 min. Mineraly, medium complexity, graphite and mineral backbone, medium tannin, dark fruits. Tasty and easy drinking. Preferable over mondavi Oakville cab.
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P: MF body; Ripe, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) with notes of dk choc, poss coffee, counterbalanced by some very, VERY finely tannic pucker which slowly, fairly seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, tangy/swt finish with a VERY slight spiciness. Approachable now (certainly with food), this needs/DESERVES into '19, then POSSIBLY making its 10th yr (based upon the acidity). VERY nicely done in the style! :) 90 pts WE & Best of Class @ '17 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp in the $35 - $38.99 class. [This vendor's $33.95 is in the upper 1/3 or so of wine'searcher's listings.]
Man, this was terrific. I love SG Cabernets and this one is something special. Something really good. Big, dark, rich and just terrific.
Had this at The Rim restaurant at the Volcano House Hotel in the HVNP. Great place to have a great wine! In the spirit of full transparency, I have to admit the location for this colored my tasting. How could it not.
Have to say (and not for the first time!), I think their standard Core Cabernet is their best value.
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Dark purple, fragrant nose of blackberry, black currant, cassis and mocha, velvety palate with rich ripe black and red fruit with spice and balancing acidity, finish is long with mocha, black plum, black currant, soft tannins and tangy acidity, sold QPR
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Concentrated with soft Tannins. Vanilla flavor on end due to malolactic fermentation. Can drink right away but recommend Decant for at least 20 minutes. Rutherford Napa cab. Good BY itself or steak
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Color: Purple Nose: Blackberry and Oak Influence Taste: Back Fruits like Blackberry and Plum; Good Mouthfeel Comp's: Riper 1858 by Caymus, Less Acidic than Range, Less Velvety than KG3; Better ones at the $50 Range
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2/7/2024 - willfab60 wrote: 88 Points
One dimensional. Use for cooking.
Very surprising.
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4/8/2022 - ClaytonDave Likes this wine: 91 Points
A solid Napa cab, and good QPR. Bright fruits and focused cassis on the palate. Brief decant helps, but this is good to go.
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7/2/2021 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dry good and everyone enjoyed. Followed a ‘12 Freemark Abbey and was holding it’s own
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8/8/2020 - cabfan30 wrote:
This was delicious. Cristi shared it with Lee at her house on 8 Aug 2020
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1/7/2020 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent, 16 months since my last bottle of this vintage. Actually not much different from my last note. Aroma was softer, but the taste was nearly identical to the tasting in 2018.
Since my last ‘14 bottle, I have had the ‘15 and it is significantly better. Wish I had more of it actually.
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12/18/2019 - Red Devils wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well right now. Not the class the 2015 is, which is head and shoulders the best value Napa Cab I have had recently. 2014 is good value if you can find it for $29
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8/23/2019 - Duderino wrote: 90 Points
Meh
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5/3/2019 - Kathrynfore Does not like this wine: 78 Points
More like a $12 Merlot than a $45 Cab. Only medium-bodied and more spice notes than anything else. Disappointing for the money paid. (If it had been $12, I would have given it about an 88.)
Decanted for one hour, and hardly any change from first taste upon opening.
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12/30/2018 - Kyle460m wrote: 88 Points
Great Napa Cab. Very well balanced.
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12/14/2018 - Wayno the Wino Likes this wine: 87 Points
WHY DIDN'T I LET THIS SIT ANOTHER 5 YEARS!!! It was good, but I am sure it would have gotten better.
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9/25/2018 - ChickenNoodle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nicely balanced Napa Cab with blackberry nose. Still pretty tannic and would do well with a few years in the cellar.
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9/5/2018 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This aged quite nicely. Decanted for 2+ hours. Aroma is powerful with a lot of dark fruit, plum and light oak. Taste follows along nicely, with a lot of dark fruit and a bit more oak. Medium acidity with nice balanced/smooth tannins.
I’ve always felt this core Cabernet Sauvignon was their best value. For the price paid this is an Outstanding Cabernet!
I’ve heard that 2015 is even (significantly) better and I have not tried it, nor do I even have any in my cellar. That is an error that needs to be rectified!
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9/3/2018 - Risky Likes this wine: 90 Points
Smooth, dark fruit
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6/22/2018 - RockyII Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep purple with a magenta rim. Mostly opaque. Taste of cedar, sandalwood, blackberries and a little licorice. Nice balance of medium tannins and acidity. Full bodied, lush mouthfeel and a long spicy chalky finish. Great QPR at about $40.
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6/15/2018 - Coupe 60 wrote: 90 Points
PnP with Pasta and Pizza dinner. Modern styled dark fruit. Very tasty, could be a little sharper, but excellent effort
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5/7/2018 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 89 Points
PnP... nice aroma, more oak than I remember. Taste initially, was very acidic, but smoothed out quite quickly. Dark fruit with some spice and pepper. Nice balance and I like the mix/blend of fruit in this had this with a savory, dry rubbed grilled chicken finished with some Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce. Very Nice!
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4/14/2018 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Quick pop ‘n pour... liking it. More notes later.
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4/11/2018 - wmccone54 wrote: 88 Points
Restaurant dinner purchase. Deep ruby color. Youthful aromatic profile of mostly primary and secondary medium plus aromas of vanilla, black currant, cassis, blackberry, black cherry, and lots of vanilla. Dry palate. Medium body and medium alcohol. Medium plus flavors of ripe fruits: blackberry, cassis, black cherry, and mocha. Ripe medium tannins, and medium acidity culminating in a medium finish. A very good wine with excellent balance, and good intensity. Still very young, so not much complexity at this stage, and the length is medium. Can drink now, but may have some potential for further development. Slightly better than my experience almost a year ago.
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3/17/2018 - LEEJV123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full, round, rich, not as good as 2013
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3/16/2018 - thelostverse wrote: 88 Points
Opened at Anvil. This is pretty simple with soft fruit and integrated tannins. More of a cocktail wine than something you need to pair with meat.
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2/22/2018 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Note: wine had been opened for 3+ hours before these notes.
Big and dark in the glass with a clear red-black color. Aroma is big with a nice blend of black fruit and oak. The taste follows very similar with oak, black fruit with plum. Nice balance with smooth tannins and pretty strong acid.
For the price of $30, this is a Very Nice QPR. A solid 90 Pointer. I like the ‘14 more than the ‘13. Which makes me very interested in getting the ‘15 which was just released.
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2/4/2018 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drunk at 3Sixty at Hyatt Regency SFO watching the Eagles-Patriots Super Bowl. Purple-ruby, just shy of opaque. Red tinge to the legs. Nose is softly fruity with plenty of Napa character. Chocolate/cocoa. Very drinkable. Has enough edge of tannin and acid to provide a semblance of balance, but this is lush and soft and meant for relatively early consumption. Tasty stuff. 4-12-16-8: 90/100.
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2/1/2018 - Rnljna Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice. Bold and oaky. Great with steak. Prefer 2014 over 2013.
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12/27/2017 - Rktekt3 wrote: 88 Points
Come on. $35
Very nice
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12/14/2017 - Lulu2 wrote: 90 Points
Very good. Prob drank prematurely, but with wonderful friend, so prob not premature.:) #liveinthemoment
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12/9/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whts, 8 Reds, & 4 Shared Bottles] from 12/8/17 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: Slightly closed; Toast, earth, some berries
P: Med body; Rndish entry with NICE frt met by firming astringency. The finish is LONG with notes of spice & very, VERY fine tannins. Approachable now, this DESERVES until early '19, then drinking for the following 3 yrs or so. 90 pts WE & Best of Class @ '17 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp in the $35 - $38.99 class. [This vendor's $33.95 is in the upper 1/3 or so of wine'searcher's listings.]
THANK you for sharing, Steve & Kim! :)
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11/25/2017 - Dgiv Likes this wine:
Decanted 30 min. Mineraly, medium complexity, graphite and mineral backbone, medium tannin, dark fruits. Tasty and easy drinking. Preferable over mondavi Oakville cab.
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11/16/2017 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wow, just another great Sequoia Grove standard Cabernet Sauvignon. Big dark and rich, both in aroma and taste.
I love SG‘s standard Cabernet. It’s their best value. Gotta’ get more! Much More!
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11/11/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [Various Reds & 3 Whites] for 11/10/17: 77% C.S., 9% C.F., 8% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, & 1% Syrah; 14.8% ABV
N: Ripe, jammy, vanilla; Intensity lurking?
P: MF body; Ripe, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) with notes of dk choc, poss coffee, counterbalanced by some very, VERY finely tannic pucker which slowly, fairly seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, tangy/swt finish with a VERY slight spiciness. Approachable now (certainly with food), this needs/DESERVES into '19, then POSSIBLY making its 10th yr (based upon the acidity). VERY nicely done in the style! :) 90 pts WE & Best of Class @ '17 S.F. Chronicle Wine Comp in the $35 - $38.99 class. [This vendor's $33.95 is in the upper 1/3 or so of wine'searcher's listings.]
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11/5/2017 - Rsblackley Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Fruit bomb
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9/29/2017 - kevrob822 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Man, this was terrific. I love SG Cabernets and this one is something special. Something really good. Big, dark, rich and just terrific.
Had this at The Rim restaurant at the Volcano House Hotel in the HVNP. Great place to have a great wine! In the spirit of full transparency, I have to admit the location for this colored my tasting. How could it not.
Have to say (and not for the first time!), I think their standard Core Cabernet is their best value.
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9/28/2017 - duchamp Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple, fragrant nose of blackberry, black currant, cassis and mocha, velvety palate with rich ripe black and red fruit with spice and balancing acidity, finish is long with mocha, black plum, black currant, soft tannins and tangy acidity, sold QPR
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9/13/2017 - alpark24 wrote:
Nice bottle of wine, a bit young. Spicey finish at first, but smoothed out over time.
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7/18/2017 - Mark4w Likes this wine: 91 Points
Concentrated with soft Tannins. Vanilla flavor on end due to malolactic fermentation. Can drink right away but recommend Decant for at least 20 minutes. Rutherford Napa cab. Good BY itself or steak
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6/29/2017 - Shaun Mondavi wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple robe. Nose of black cherry, blueberry, cassis, vanilla, chocolate and espresso. Give it a chilling and a little decant. Enjoyable for ~30.
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5/22/2017 - SlimShaney wrote: 89 Points
A very merlotey cabernet. No real hard edges. Some earthiness.
Good wine by the glass selection at Ritz Carlton LA.
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4/29/2017 - wmccone54 wrote: 87 Points
2017 Austin Food & Wine Festival; 4/29/2017-4/30/2017 (Auditorium Shores, Austin, TX): Lots of upfront cherry and plum made in a jammy style. Not what I enjoy, very young.
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1/14/2017 - kvd2 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Color: Purple
Nose: Blackberry and Oak Influence
Taste: Back Fruits like Blackberry and Plum; Good Mouthfeel
Comp's: Riper 1858 by Caymus, Less Acidic than Range, Less Velvety than KG3; Better ones at the $50 Range
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