Not bad for 23 years old. Dark ruby color, no amber. Dusty minerality aroma when first opened, becoming more fruit-like in a medicinal way. Tart on the tongue, very very light tannins. Plenty of fruit left, red berry and cherry flavors. Simple, not much structure or complexity to it. Nice long finish going from fruit to oak to minerals.
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Fruit has matured. Currant, olive, earth notes. Good finish and very smooth. Dark red with color holding to the edges. This wine is on the downward slope but holding up nicely if you like aged cab.
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Very well balanced with a fruity nose when let sit to open up for about 45 min. Not as much oak as I would have expected but a nice smooth drinking cab.
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Retail ~$20-25. Had this after dinner with one of the owners at our local BYOB restaurant. The previous bottle of this wine was rather austere and vegetal. This was one was far better. Dark black fruit with an faint freshly brewed coffee on the nose. The coffee/mocha persisted on the palate, making this a very interesting wine. Very Good. 89 points.
Retail ~$20-25. I have mentioned here a few times about the insane deal I got when a buddy and I bought out the remains of a cellar from a guy who no longer could drink wine. Over 24 cases of wine. There was more BV than anything else and most of it was the Rutherford Cab. Not the top of the line by any means, but one of their larger production wines. Over the past 15 months or so, we have gone through most of these, with vintages starting back in the mid-1970’s. This one was not bad, but clearly not the best we have had either. It was very green (lots of green pepper and other vegetal elements), which was in stark contrast to the ’98. Surprising since the ’98, an el Nino year, was a much riper, well-balanced wine. Oh, well, it was OK with the skirt steak and corn on the cob. Good. 85 points.
PnP to glass. Perfect cork condition. Shows a garnet color that's on the lighter side for the locale. I found the nose at first a bit funky with some reductive qualities. With swirling it freed up some with mellow french oak, red currant, roasted capsicum, and a slightly cloying ivory soap component. Pretty darn tight and non-expansive up front before it becomes astringent and bitter a tight ball of acid that cuts at the rear-palate. A little tart cherry fruit, but lacking the spice, cracked pepper, or any of the other expressions I'd like to feel/taste. Some lame oak flavors linger on the short finish. Plenty of mouth drying tannins remain, and I think this is in an awkward phase right now that I hope additional age will help remedy to some degree. I'm a little sad that this is what I have to drink for the next couple nights because this really isn't bringing much pleasure or interest. Oh well.
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Drank this weekend with a nice prime bone-in ribeye. This wine is holding up fantastically well for its price point. Great complex nose and a nice finish for a 11 year old Cabernet. Highly recommended. Will probably last 2+ more years.
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Holding up well for its pedigree. Typical Rutherford cab with black cherry, olive and loam notes. This does show some greeness but is lush enough with fine tannins to make it pleasurable.
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Not sure if it truly was flawed....wife says not and thought just OK. I didn't like it. Very flat, no range of flavor that one expects with a big wine.
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mint with slight green pepper note on nose, bright red fruit - strawberry, bit of white pepper on finish. Still a bit closed when opened, was at its best after 90 mins of decanting.
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Dark ruby color. Nose with blackberries, cassis, and herbs. After a few minutes, the herbs turned more earthy. Good acidity and softened tannins. Good initial flavors and finish, but the middle gets soft and muddled.
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6/18/2022 - MateusPetrus Likes this wine: 88 Points
Not bad for 23 years old.
Dark ruby color, no amber.
Dusty minerality aroma when first opened, becoming more fruit-like in a medicinal way.
Tart on the tongue, very very light tannins.
Plenty of fruit left, red berry and cherry flavors. Simple, not much structure or complexity to it.
Nice long finish going from fruit to oak to minerals.
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2/9/2014 - afandrei wrote:
Past its prime for sure. About half the wine it was 4 years ago.
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1/12/2013 - aaronwine wrote: 88 Points
Fruit has matured. Currant, olive, earth notes. Good finish and very smooth. Dark red with color holding to the edges. This wine is on the downward slope but holding up nicely if you like aged cab.
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1/1/2013 - jrg01 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very well balanced with a fruity nose when let sit to open up for about 45 min. Not as much oak as I would have expected but a nice smooth drinking cab.
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8/1/2012 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 89 Points
Retail ~$20-25. Had this after dinner with one of the owners at our local BYOB restaurant. The previous bottle of this wine was rather austere and vegetal. This was one was far better. Dark black fruit with an faint freshly brewed coffee on the nose. The coffee/mocha persisted on the palate, making this a very interesting wine. Very Good. 89 points.
*www.thedrunkencyclist.com
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7/21/2012 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 85 Points
Retail ~$20-25. I have mentioned here a few times about the insane deal I got when a buddy and I bought out the remains of a cellar from a guy who no longer could drink wine. Over 24 cases of wine. There was more BV than anything else and most of it was the Rutherford Cab. Not the top of the line by any means, but one of their larger production wines. Over the past 15 months or so, we have gone through most of these, with vintages starting back in the mid-1970’s. This one was not bad, but clearly not the best we have had either. It was very green (lots of green pepper and other vegetal elements), which was in stark contrast to the ’98. Surprising since the ’98, an el Nino year, was a much riper, well-balanced wine. Oh, well, it was OK with the skirt steak and corn on the cob. Good. 85 points.
*www.thedrunkencyclist.com
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6/17/2012 - Tomarnold@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Not much fruit but quite pleasant. Still closed with heavy tannins. If you bought in 1999, good value.
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10/11/2011 - soyhead wrote: 90 Points
nose - dark cherry
mouth - cherry fruit, considerable tannins, good concentration
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4/12/2011 - z_willus_d wrote: 81 Points
PnP to glass. Perfect cork condition. Shows a garnet color that's on the lighter side for the locale. I found the nose at first a bit funky with some reductive qualities. With swirling it freed up some with mellow french oak, red currant, roasted capsicum, and a slightly cloying ivory soap component. Pretty darn tight and non-expansive up front before it becomes astringent and bitter a tight ball of acid that cuts at the rear-palate. A little tart cherry fruit, but lacking the spice, cracked pepper, or any of the other expressions I'd like to feel/taste. Some lame oak flavors linger on the short finish. Plenty of mouth drying tannins remain, and I think this is in an awkward phase right now that I hope additional age will help remedy to some degree. I'm a little sad that this is what I have to drink for the next couple nights because this really isn't bringing much pleasure or interest. Oh well.
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6/20/2010 - dave8989 wrote: 85 Points
Still holding up. Very rich dark fruit and complex nose.
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5/4/2010 - mhewitt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank this weekend with a nice prime bone-in ribeye. This wine is holding up fantastically well for its price point. Great complex nose and a nice finish for a 11 year old Cabernet. Highly recommended. Will probably last 2+ more years.
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4/7/2010 - pickhardt wrote: 89 Points
Graceful age, good fruit, Rutherford dust. Lots of sediment. Very nice.
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2/15/2009 - aaronwine wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well. Strong fruit dominated by black cherry and currant with olive and vanilla notes. Better than I expected.
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2/21/2008 - DNABog wrote: 89 Points
Fruit was still strong and rich on he pallet. A bit corked which seems to be a common problem with BV wines of this period (1999-2003?).
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2/20/2008 - rmodak wrote: 87 Points
Holding up well for its pedigree. Typical Rutherford cab with black cherry, olive and loam notes. This does show some greeness but is lush enough with fine tannins to make it pleasurable.
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2/4/2008 - bmarshall wrote: 87 Points
Still in decent shape. Typical Napa cab profice of black currants, oak and vanilla. Full bodied with a decent finish. Just a touch jammy.
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1/11/2008 - oski wrote: 89 Points
Bit of leather, mint, most of the primary fruit is gone, bit of currant and a somewhat bandage smelling finish.
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12/11/2007 - IlonaN wrote: 88 Points
Nice dark cherry and chocolate notes, smooth and rich, a touch sweet. Very good with an Aisian spiced flatiron steak.
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9/1/2007 - raadams wrote: 91 Points
A very enjoyable cab. Notes of cherries, cassis, oak, and "Rutherford Dust". Nicely integrated.
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7/5/2007 - DaleW wrote: flawed
From the problem period, and this reeked of TCA. Oh well
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5/23/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 90 Points
Much better balance between oak, tannins and dark fruit. Set for 1/2 an hour and drank very smooth and rich.
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12/30/2006 - pickhardt wrote: 89 Points
One of two wines brought to Brian's for dinner. Great Rutherford mid-palate. Not as long on the finish and complete as the Freemark Abbey Bosche.
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11/22/2006 - pickhardt wrote: 89 Points
Drinking very nicely now.
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10/10/2006 - jdoakpark wrote: 84 Points
Not sure if it truly was flawed....wife says not and thought just OK. I didn't like it. Very flat, no range of flavor that one expects with a big wine.
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6/22/2006 - zinfidel wrote: 88 Points
mint with slight green pepper note on nose, bright red fruit - strawberry, bit of white pepper on finish. Still a bit closed when opened, was at its best after 90 mins of decanting.
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2/1/2005 - cbbrown3 wrote: 87 Points
Dark ruby color. Nose with blackberries, cassis, and herbs. After a few minutes, the herbs turned more earthy. Good acidity and softened tannins. Good initial flavors and finish, but the middle gets soft and muddled.
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10/24/2004 - stevei01 wrote:
horribly, horribly corked.
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1/24/2003 - peternelson wrote: 85 Points
Sandra’s: Very dark brown-purple; sort of stemmy, dirt and leather. Not much fruit going on, but pretty smooth mouth. Lacks finesse, and finish.
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4/30/2002 - peternelson wrote: 85 Points
My house: Cold from Denise: Asparagus nose; blk pepper mouth, not warm enough, closed.
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