As close to a perfect wine as I’ve had in a while. The nose is not described in bouquet but rather in emotion…it is brooding. The flavor profile is rich and unctuous. Even oily. The mouthful is thick and gritty. Deep, dark black fruit and oh did I mention this wine is perfectly balanced and has a sensational finish. Long long long.
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Birthday wine, paired next to a 2014 Checkerboard Kings Row. This wine is still not hitting peak. Both my fiance and I preferred the Checkerboard which had a more fruit forward approach to it, very voluptuous. This in my mind, leaned a bit more austere. Well made wine, but better in 3-5 years.
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Decanted for 3+hours. On the nose dark fruit, floral bouquet and you can sense the purity of the fruit. Loads of cassis, dark chocolate and mouth coating tannins. The finish goes on and on. What strikes me is the purity of the dark fruit - blackberries and black currant that creates this powerful wine which can be cellared for another decade but worthwhile opening before the 2015, 2016 vintages.
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As good as any wine in recent memory. Seductive, structured rich, and balanced. Loads of cassis, chocolate and some savory, black tea notes. Dry but round mouthfeel Majestic finish.
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Martel Tour des Vins 2021 Day 2: This is not my style of wine at all and I struggled to enjoy it, or even understand when I'd want to actually drink this. It's so big, so concentrated, so oaky... there's no subtely, no balance, no personality. The complexity and nuance is overwhelmed by all the richness. To be quite honest, if I was to give this a rating it would be sub-90, because as much as this wine might be well made, it is no longer a drink that I can truly enjoy. There are many people who love this style, so I'll leave this as NR. Most people spending this much on a wine will know what they're getting into, but for anyone unsure, just try it before investing and make sure this is what you enjoy. Maybe this would be something I enjoy more outside of a tasting, I really don't know.
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Expressive, fruit-forward Napa Cabernet. Big red fruit, herbs, and a bit of mocha at the end. Open for business after a short decant, but enough stuffing to go another 10-15 years. Very nice.
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Over the past few years, the wine has started filling out, adding more flesh and fruit. Along the wine, the has also taken on additional polish to the tannins and nuances of smoke, earth, dark red fruits and forest leaf notes. You can already enjoy this beauty now, while waiting for the bigger, more powerful 2015 and 2016 to develop.
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Deep, bold Napa cab. Surprisingly smooth given how young it is. The fruit wasn't too overpowering and the tannins are already coming forward on the palate. I'm sure it will only get better with age; I bought 3 more bottles so I can enjoy more of it over the years.
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2017 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/16/2017-10/25/2017 (New York City, NY): This opaque Crimson Cabernet Sauvignon includes a 1% dollop of Petit Verdot. Effusive of dark currants, blackberries, licorice, espresso and savory herbs, it is a full-bodied, freshly acidic wine possessing mouth-coating tannins and substantial creamy oak. With a solid middle palate, seamless alcohol (14.8%) and a lengthy finish, all this needs is some cellar time to allow its components to integrate. The substrate is all there. Drink 2022-2040.
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Tasted at the Eisele Estate in the cellar. Since the purchase by Pinault, the production has gone down to 1,600 cases and the fruit sourced only from the vines closest to the creek, which have shallow soils with a rocky underground. The vineyard is located just off the Silverado Trail in Calistoga not too high in elevation but with utmost vineyard management to make sure the fruit stays fresh. The red berries with a créame of cassis show through the bouquet. Nice garnet color with extremely thick but velvety tannins. This is an age worthy wine but so approachable at an early stage. Could use a bit more perfume akin to earlier vintages but an outstanding wine. In my mind, the closest Bordeaux-like terroir in the Napa Valley.
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Cedar and dark berries, hints of licorice and vanilla bean are out in front. The wine is tannic,masculine and semi strict in character. There is good fruit in the middle here, but it takes effort and time to find it. Perhaps time in the cellar will help flesh out the wine, adding more of its typical, soft, lush personality.
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3/5/2024 - SAS54 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Oaky, dark fruit and full of cassis. I try to reserve cassis for Opus, but the 2014 is not far behind.
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5/14/2023 - timcan Likes this wine: 97 Points
First of three bottles, Mothers Day, 2023
Stood up in the cellar for 2 hours
Popped the cork, slow ox for 2 hours
Decant for 2 hours
Dark fruits, medium to full-bodied, seamless, superfine tannins. In a great spot. Thoroughly enjoyed with a prime filet.
Ps call your mom, don't text!
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5/14/2023 - Hppr Cellar Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very good. But not quite as good as we were expecting. Maybe needs a couple more years?
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3/10/2023 - dfresh wrote: 98 Points
As close to a perfect wine as I’ve had in a while. The nose is not described in bouquet but rather in emotion…it is brooding. The flavor profile is rich and unctuous. Even oily. The mouthful is thick and gritty. Deep, dark black fruit and oh did I mention this wine is perfectly balanced and has a sensational finish. Long long long.
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10/31/2022 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Birthday wine, paired next to a 2014 Checkerboard Kings Row. This wine is still not hitting peak. Both my fiance and I preferred the Checkerboard which had a more fruit forward approach to it, very voluptuous. This in my mind, leaned a bit more austere. Well made wine, but better in 3-5 years.
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9/24/2022 - rpatel99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 3+hours. On the nose dark fruit, floral bouquet and you can sense the purity of the fruit. Loads of cassis, dark chocolate and mouth coating tannins. The finish goes on and on. What strikes me is the purity of the dark fruit - blackberries and black currant that creates this powerful wine which can be cellared for another decade but worthwhile opening before the 2015, 2016 vintages.
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1/29/2022 - dfresh wrote: 98 Points
As good as any wine in recent memory. Seductive, structured rich, and balanced. Loads of cassis, chocolate and some savory, black tea notes. Dry but round mouthfeel Majestic finish.
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9/17/2021 - 99tollap wrote:
Martel Tour des Vins 2021 Day 2: This is not my style of wine at all and I struggled to enjoy it, or even understand when I'd want to actually drink this. It's so big, so concentrated, so oaky... there's no subtely, no balance, no personality. The complexity and nuance is overwhelmed by all the richness. To be quite honest, if I was to give this a rating it would be sub-90, because as much as this wine might be well made, it is no longer a drink that I can truly enjoy. There are many people who love this style, so I'll leave this as NR. Most people spending this much on a wine will know what they're getting into, but for anyone unsure, just try it before investing and make sure this is what you enjoy. Maybe this would be something I enjoy more outside of a tasting, I really don't know.
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6/24/2020 - BBencz Likes this wine:
Expressive, fruit-forward Napa Cabernet. Big red fruit, herbs, and a bit of mocha at the end. Open for business after a short decant, but enough stuffing to go another 10-15 years. Very nice.
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2/22/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Over the past few years, the wine has started filling out, adding more flesh and fruit. Along the wine, the has also taken on additional polish to the tannins and nuances of smoke, earth, dark red fruits and forest leaf notes. You can already enjoy this beauty now, while waiting for the bigger, more powerful 2015 and 2016 to develop.
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4/6/2018 - handyjason Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep, bold Napa cab. Surprisingly smooth given how young it is. The fruit wasn't too overpowering and the tannins are already coming forward on the palate. I'm sure it will only get better with age; I bought 3 more bottles so I can enjoy more of it over the years.
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2/21/2018 - mattiasjansson wrote: 92 Points
Eisele Vineyard Tasting (Gordon's): Medium-dark red. Soft tannins. Pleasant but not all that interesting.
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10/19/2017 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 95 Points
2017 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/16/2017-10/25/2017 (New York City, NY): This opaque Crimson Cabernet Sauvignon includes a 1% dollop of Petit Verdot. Effusive of dark currants, blackberries, licorice, espresso and savory herbs, it is a full-bodied, freshly acidic wine possessing mouth-coating tannins and substantial creamy oak. With a solid middle palate, seamless alcohol (14.8%) and a lengthy finish, all this needs is some cellar time to allow its components to integrate. The substrate is all there. Drink 2022-2040.
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7/21/2017 - farinas Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted at the Eisele Estate in the cellar. Since the purchase by Pinault, the production has gone down to 1,600 cases and the fruit sourced only from the vines closest to the creek, which have shallow soils with a rocky underground. The vineyard is located just off the Silverado Trail in Calistoga not too high in elevation but with utmost vineyard management to make sure the fruit stays fresh. The red berries with a créame of cassis show through the bouquet. Nice garnet color with extremely thick but velvety tannins. This is an age worthy wine but so approachable at an early stage. Could use a bit more perfume akin to earlier vintages but an outstanding wine. In my mind, the closest Bordeaux-like terroir in the Napa Valley.
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9/19/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Cedar and dark berries, hints of licorice and vanilla bean are out in front. The wine is tannic,masculine and semi strict in character. There is good fruit in the middle here, but it takes effort and time to find it. Perhaps time in the cellar will help flesh out the wine, adding more of its typical, soft, lush personality.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment