From magnum. No detailed notes but the tannins were still quite chunky and need time to smooth out even after an hour long decant. Would definitely recommend aging longer but there's not as much fruit as expected and I'm not sure how much fun it will be once the tannins are ready. Mildly disappointing as I was hoping for more.
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Clear medium ruby with a hint of garnet; clean medium plus nose of red currant, chalk, wood and cassis; dry; high acidity; medium plus to high tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; pronounced flavour intensity; palate is tarter with addition of black licorice, cocoa and cinnamon; long finish; drinking well but will be even better in a few more years; powerful and balanced - alcohol does not dominate
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This is in a great place now. Classic Cabernet nose of cassis, bell pepper. Medium to full bodied, cocoa, dark fruit, tobacco and spice in the mouth. Long finish and mouth coating tannins. Very well balanced. Outstanding.
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While I'm not about to score this wine 100, for me, this is about as perfect as you can get in terms of quality, price, aromas, taste, balance. My 4th out of a case and a half, consistent, with continued improvement. Classic Napa Cab.
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Two years on since our previous bottle and this has really come around. Solid core of ripe berries and vanilla. Long finish with notes of strawberry syrup, oak, and dried herbs.
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No fruit bomb here, just a fantastic bottle of wine and one that is for sure under the radar for many. Great balance between fruit acid and tannin. Fruit and minerality interplay very well on the nose and on the palate. Very consistent producer.
Anderson's Conn Valley Library Tasting (Temecula, CA): Youthful and very primary at this stage, and even after 24hrs. Big, concentrated, ripe aromas of black currant and plum, while syrupy blackberry, cedar, vanilla bean and tight-woven tannins dominate the palate. 90-92 potential
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Classy cabernet. Notes of black currant, blackberries, minerals and a touch of red currant on the nose. Chewy yet sophisticated tannins, medium-bodied and polished package. Opened this wine decanted it for about 2 hours and then put a cork in it. Stored overnight in the fridge and consumed the following evening. I took a sip the first night and it was tight. The wine was much better the next night.
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I enjoyed, the wife less so as she didn’t find it very polished. I think it has a lot of potential, just still primary at this point, give it some time folks
Decanted for two hours and finished the next day. Blackberry, ripe plum, black cherry, cedar and black lava, with some spice. This is right, well behaved and honestly worthy of so much age. Better on day two, this deserves a dark corner of anyone’s cellar. Medium to full in regards to the body, with a long finish; the tannins are ripe and polished. Drink 2024 - 2039.
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Coravin pour with about 1/2 hour in the glass. This is a welcome change from some of the big, bombastic Napa '16 Cabs I've been guzzling. Not that I don't love that hedonism but this is more of a classy Napa Cab with young, tight tannins and less ripe fruit at this point. AG's notes are spot on for me with dark cherry, tobacco, and a medium length, minty, oaky finish. This is still tight, with the tannins on the dry side but I'll go out on a limb and say this will be hitting it's stride in year 10 and go for an easy 20+ years of quality drinking.
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Kickoff wine of the evening from Leon, I do not know how long it had been open. It's soft red/black fruit, chalky consistency in the mouth, definitely on the feminine side, overall a bit muted and tame. Competes for overall 'softness' with the '03 Pontet Canet. I thought for a moment this had to be their 'Right Bank' entry and not their big cab but was proven wrong. I guess it's possible this is shutdown a bit. Would be interesting to revisit next year and see. 91 bordering on 92.
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Poured through aerator and drank over days; took a long time to come around on day 1 but day 2 was so much better. Still hot on the nose but vanilla and coffee flavors hit you immediately; nice toasted oak and dark chocolate notes on finish; really smooth and fairly integrated for such a young cab
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N: Closed; Smoke, toast, & earth with cherries & pyrazines coming forward with swirling
P: LM, *poss* Med, body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it seamlessly works its way into & through the very LONG, BALANCED finish with a burgeoning elegance & discrete, tangy/swtness to the relatively few, quite unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with food, & should at LEAST continue through '24. IMPRESSIVELY done! 15.2% ABV; My EXC/EXC+ (92-95/100 using that metric). 94 pts ea WA (Perrotti-Brown, 10/31/18) & Vinous (Galloni,12/1/18), 93 Dunnuck (6/’18), 92 ea WS (Molesworth, 10/’19) & Suckling, and 91 WE (2/1/19) @ $125! [This vendor's (closeout?) $64.99 is a *DAZZLING* $24 < wine-searcher's lowest!]
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A day in Napa (Napa Valley, California): This is just unabashed Napa and I love it. There is a real richness and plushness to the fruit and nose with tones of chocolate, black cherries, cranberries, black raspberries, currants, smoke, tobacco leaf, leather tones, and some licorice and liqueur notes. There is really good depth and expression that makes you want to take a little extra bit to smell it. The Full bodied feel is plush and balanced with medium acidity and chewy, high tannins. The structure is youthful, but not punishing. This will really benefit from a few years of aging and has a long runway for many years of joyful drinking.
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4/14/2024 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Notes very consistent with previous bottle, though tannins have smoothed out quite nicely. More silky finish than prior bottles
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3/1/2024 - VAGenius wrote: 90 Points
From magnum. No detailed notes but the tannins were still quite chunky and need time to smooth out even after an hour long decant. Would definitely recommend aging longer but there's not as much fruit as expected and I'm not sure how much fun it will be once the tannins are ready. Mildly disappointing as I was hoping for more.
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2/3/2024 - Brent25 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clear medium ruby with a hint of garnet; clean medium plus nose of red currant, chalk, wood and cassis; dry; high acidity; medium plus to high tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; pronounced flavour intensity; palate is tarter with addition of black licorice, cocoa and cinnamon; long finish; drinking well but will be even better in a few more years; powerful and balanced - alcohol does not dominate
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12/1/2023 - winenut15 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is in a great place now. Classic Cabernet nose of cassis, bell pepper. Medium to full bodied, cocoa, dark fruit, tobacco and spice in the mouth. Long finish and mouth coating tannins. Very well balanced. Outstanding.
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5/25/2023 - robmatic wrote: 92 Points
Still pretty young, not even close to maturity but pretty approachable with a lovely cocoa laced body.
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3/26/2023 - DrBad Likes this wine: 94 Points
While I'm not about to score this wine 100, for me, this is about as perfect as you can get in terms of quality, price, aromas, taste, balance. My 4th out of a case and a half, consistent, with continued improvement. Classic Napa Cab.
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1/16/2023 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two years on since our previous bottle and this has really come around. Solid core of ripe berries and vanilla. Long finish with notes of strawberry syrup, oak, and dried herbs.
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12/15/2022 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
No fruit bomb here, just a fantastic bottle of wine and one that is for sure under the radar for many. Great balance between fruit acid and tannin. Fruit and minerality interplay very well on the nose and on the palate. Very consistent producer.
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9/24/2021 - DrBad Likes this wine: 94 Points
45 minute decant. Really drinking well right now. Silky smooth, dark fruits and tobacco.
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8/26/2021 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Black ripe fruit, certainly tastes like strong Napa Cabernet.
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6/14/2021 - R2-D2 wrote: 91 Points
Anderson's Conn Valley Library Tasting (Temecula, CA): Youthful and very primary at this stage, and even after 24hrs. Big, concentrated, ripe aromas of black currant and plum, while syrupy blackberry, cedar, vanilla bean and tight-woven tannins dominate the palate. 90-92 potential
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12/19/2020 - jwolf99 Likes this wine:
Notes consistent with previous bottle, including second day maturing
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12/18/2020 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Classy cabernet. Notes of black currant, blackberries, minerals and a touch of red currant on the nose. Chewy yet sophisticated tannins, medium-bodied and polished package. Opened this wine decanted it for about 2 hours and then put a cork in it. Stored overnight in the fridge and consumed the following evening. I took a sip the first night and it was tight. The wine was much better the next night.
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11/22/2020 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 91 Points
I enjoyed, the wife less so as she didn’t find it very polished. I think it has a lot of potential, just still primary at this point, give it some time folks
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11/7/2020 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for two hours and finished the next day. Blackberry, ripe plum, black cherry, cedar and black lava, with some spice. This is right, well behaved and honestly worthy of so much age. Better on day two, this deserves a dark corner of anyone’s cellar. Medium to full in regards to the body, with a long finish; the tannins are ripe and polished. Drink 2024 - 2039.
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10/4/2020 - Castle Peak wrote: 90 Points
Lighter style CA Cab.
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9/9/2020 - DrLes Likes this wine: 90 Points
The more I have, the better I like it. On the lighter side, but especially given time to open up is very satisfying
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9/3/2020 - DrBad Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin pour with about 1/2 hour in the glass. This is a welcome change from some of the big, bombastic Napa '16 Cabs I've been guzzling. Not that I don't love that hedonism but this is more of a classy Napa Cab with young, tight tannins and less ripe fruit at this point. AG's notes are spot on for me with dark cherry, tobacco, and a medium length, minty, oaky finish. This is still tight, with the tannins on the dry side but I'll go out on a limb and say this will be hitting it's stride in year 10 and go for an easy 20+ years of quality drinking.
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6/20/2020 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Kickoff wine of the evening from Leon, I do not know how long it had been open. It's soft red/black fruit, chalky consistency in the mouth, definitely on the feminine side, overall a bit muted and tame. Competes for overall 'softness' with the '03 Pontet Canet. I thought for a moment this had to be their 'Right Bank' entry and not their big cab but was proven wrong. I guess it's possible this is shutdown a bit. Would be interesting to revisit next year and see. 91 bordering on 92.
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4/19/2020 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Poured through aerator and drank over days; took a long time to come around on day 1 but day 2 was so much better. Still hot on the nose but vanilla and coffee flavors hit you immediately; nice toasted oak and dark chocolate notes on finish; really smooth and fairly integrated for such a young cab
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12/21/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Big Gun Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Tasting [9 Napa, 1 Paso] (San Diego Wine Co.): “97% C.S. & 3% P.V., aged 22 mos in 55% new FR oak barrels; 1,261 cs made.”
N: Closed; Smoke, toast, & earth with cherries & pyrazines coming forward with swirling
P: LM, *poss* Med, body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it seamlessly works its way into & through the very LONG, BALANCED finish with a burgeoning elegance & discrete, tangy/swtness to the relatively few, quite unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with food, & should at LEAST continue through '24. IMPRESSIVELY done! 15.2% ABV; My EXC/EXC+ (92-95/100 using that metric). 94 pts ea WA (Perrotti-Brown, 10/31/18) & Vinous (Galloni,12/1/18), 93 Dunnuck (6/’18), 92 ea WS (Molesworth, 10/’19) & Suckling, and 91 WE (2/1/19) @ $125! [This vendor's (closeout?) $64.99 is a *DAZZLING* $24 < wine-searcher's lowest!]
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6/15/2019 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
A day in Napa (Napa Valley, California): This is just unabashed Napa and I love it. There is a real richness and plushness to the fruit and nose with tones of chocolate, black cherries, cranberries, black raspberries, currants, smoke, tobacco leaf, leather tones, and some licorice and liqueur notes. There is really good depth and expression that makes you want to take a little extra bit to smell it. The Full bodied feel is plush and balanced with medium acidity and chewy, high tannins. The structure is youthful, but not punishing. This will really benefit from a few years of aging and has a long runway for many years of joyful drinking.
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