This is all about sweet blackberry fruit -- intense blackberry aroma that carries over to the flavor, with some chocolate and licorice. We had one bottle last year and the wine seems to have evolved a lot from then, less tannin, more ripeness. There's still some balance, but several at the table commented on the sweetness. To my taste, these will be best drunk soon.
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Third best for tonight, but no slouch. Slow ox'ed a couple of hours and enjoyed by all. The nose is just a touch reticent compared to the other two wines but it has the biggest, sweetest, juiciest fruit of the night....darker, blacker fruit than the others and also very well integrated overall, today. Not sure it gets any better from this point forward. My last bottle. Thanks to Agelvis for introducing me to this maker.
Pnp'd into a decanter 3 hours before taking over to HMCs for dinner tonight. A shade darker garnet in the glass with less of a clear meniscus at glass edge compared to the '12 Anakota. Nose is of dark red/black fruit, with hints of sweet tobacco leaf, a little graphite and confectioner's sugar moving into florals, maybe gardenia? On entry, smooth, juicy dark red/black fruit, maybe a hint of orange rind on the back end. Right now does not feel as though it'll need even a two hour decant. Will check back in one hour.
One hour of air......the florals and orange rind remain. Palate reveals almost perfect red/black fruit, seamless acidity and great weight. All things in balance. This one also going back into the bottle under cork in the wine cellar for 2 more hours before dinner.
Two hours in before and during dinner and this wine is singing. Totally together, totally resolved and an excellent bottle. Fruit remains dark and sweet and other savory umami components compliment it exceptionally well with more airing out. Is there another point to be had? Maybe.
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Two hour decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Blackberry jam, wild strawberry, vanilla caramel, walnut, and dried date on the nose. Super smooth, dry, voluptuous palate, with tongue blanketing acidity. Firm, full tannins on the long finish.
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1st of 4 bottles, purchased from JJ Buckley: A complex and interesting wine -- when I first opened it, the wine seemed like the archetype of Napa cabernet, rich and smooth and intensely dark-fruited and oaky. After three hours in the decanter, a fair degree of acidity had emerged, and the wine seemed much more structured, with a strong graphite character. At the end of the evening, the last glassful smelled like an old Bordeaux, with a rich plumminess and some spice. The wine is certainly drinkable and enjoyable now, but it will improve with another two years or more in the cellar.
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Two hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Black cherry turnover, black tea, sage, violet, and lemon bar on the simultaneously rich and elegant nose. Smooth, dry palate, with tongue coating acidity. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This is in a really good place at the moment. It’s likely at its peak for my palate.
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Enjoyed over two days with a 3 hour decant on day one. Still reluctant the first day with evident oak, day two presented the interesting portent this bottle represents: complicated fruit with sufficient structure at a reasonable price point. Will be looking forward to this one.
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2nd half of a coravined bottle from a few days ago.....enjoyed over 90 minutes....nice black fruit, spice, maybe cardamom? Well made....no harsh tannins. Can be enjoyed with a little air....very nice! Glad I have 3 left to enjoy over the next few years! Thanks for turning me onto this, J!
Four hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Blackberry, dark raspberry, fudge cake, and blood orange on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with great, lingering acidity. Firm, full, low intensity tannins on the longish finish. I’ll likely do a shorter decant (two hours) with my next bottle, which will likely improve the score a bit.
Four hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Black Forest cake, chopped pecans, dark raspberry, caramel, and fennel on the warm, elegant nose. Very dry, plush palate. Firm tannins on the long finish.
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Was wine of the night at recent tasting. Fantastic right out of the bottle, with an usual, complex flavor profile. In particular, there were bright fruit notes that cut through the typical heaviness of a big Cabernet. This was a steal for the price.
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Four hour decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Blackberry, black cherry, Korean plum, black walnut, vanilla rum cake, and cola on the warm, richly fruited nose. Dry, satiny palate, with mouth and throat filling acidity. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This is really drinking beautifully with a good decant. I’ve gotten used to this wine, which is the only reason it’s not a 96 or 97.
Really nice Napa cab courtesy of AGELVIS. For once I think I may have unintentionally decanted for too long. Opened with the intent to give it 3-4 hours in the decanter, but then life got in the way and it was closer to 6 before I could drink it. On opening it was very dark purple in color and very closed and muted. So I was expecting a young fruit bomb when it opened! By the time I got to it, it was fully open with an expressive nose of berries, floral and exotic spice. On the palate mouth filling but not overly intense fruit, very very smooth. Great acid giving a juicy round mouthfeel and no sign of the alcohol. But at this point, strangely, no sign of the tannins at all. This did not drink like a young wine, maybe these ‘16s are finally starting to emerge from adolescence. Enjoyed but I wish I had been able to sample throughout the day, I suspect a 3 hrs decant would be the sweet spot.
Four hour decant. Very deep magenta color. Fresh cherry, strawberry, tulips, and caramel on the elegant nose. Smooth, dry, plush palate. Full tannins on the longish finish. Beautiful TRB Cabernet that is just hitting its stride.
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Five hour decant, but drank over an additional two hours. Everything continued to improve over hours five to seven. Very deep dark purple magenta color. Red currant, cassis, Surinam (star) cherry, fennel, nutmeg, cocoa dust, and subtle spearmint on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with nice, center of the tongue acidity. Full tannins on the longish finish. Enjoyed this with my good friend Mark1NPT over Zoom.
Gifted from Agelvis during his visit......great zoom tasting of this along with his '12 tonight as well. Started out with a 5+ hour decant and it was a 93-94.....hours 6-7 moved it ahead 2 more points to a 96.....silky red fruit turns darker with time. An electric wine on the pnp, turns quieter, loses it's nose at 4-5 hours then re-emerges with rose petal and a little leather at hours 6-7. The wine really comes together at that point with soft tannins, and perfectly matched acidity. This is drinking exceptionally well right now with the elongated decant. Amazing the trip a wine can make over the course of one night......thanks for the introduction and the bottle, my friend. This is a really nice wine!
Five hour decant. Very deep dark purplish magenta color. Ripe boysenberry, shortbread, strawberry, limestone, and subtle honey on the dark, serious, yet fruit filled nose. Smooth, dry, dark fruited palate. Full tannins on the longish finish. Classic, well-built Napa Cab.
A opaque purple hue this wine is very expressive Cabernet. A fragrance bomb with scents of cedar, pencil shavings, and cardamom. Robust and concentrated with blackberry, blueberry, nutmeg, and earthy notes. A youthful beauty that needs some air before its sipped. Fine targeted tannins with a long and dramatic finish.
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Four hour decant. Deep dark eggplant color. Stewed black cherry, black currant, cardamom, and fenugreek (think spicy maple syrup) on the nose. Smooth, creamy, tongue drying palate, with subtle nutmeg in the background and nice lingering acidity. Firm tannins on the longish finish.
There is lots of room for growth here. One more year in the cellar will do wonders.
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12/24/2023 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is all about sweet blackberry fruit -- intense blackberry aroma that carries over to the flavor, with some chocolate and licorice. We had one bottle last year and the wine seems to have evolved a lot from then, less tannin, more ripeness. There's still some balance, but several at the table commented on the sweetness. To my taste, these will be best drunk soon.
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8/7/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Third best for tonight, but no slouch. Slow ox'ed a couple of hours and enjoyed by all. The nose is just a touch reticent compared to the other two wines but it has the biggest, sweetest, juiciest fruit of the night....darker, blacker fruit than the others and also very well integrated overall, today. Not sure it gets any better from this point forward. My last bottle. Thanks to Agelvis for introducing me to this maker.
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4/22/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pnp'd into a decanter 3 hours before taking over to HMCs for dinner tonight. A shade darker garnet in the glass with less of a clear meniscus at glass edge compared to the '12 Anakota. Nose is of dark red/black fruit, with hints of sweet tobacco leaf, a little graphite and confectioner's sugar moving into florals, maybe gardenia? On entry, smooth, juicy dark red/black fruit, maybe a hint of orange rind on the back end. Right now does not feel as though it'll need even a two hour decant. Will check back in one hour.
One hour of air......the florals and orange rind remain. Palate reveals almost perfect red/black fruit, seamless acidity and great weight. All things in balance. This one also going back into the bottle under cork in the wine cellar for 2 more hours before dinner.
Two hours in before and during dinner and this wine is singing. Totally together, totally resolved and an excellent bottle. Fruit remains dark and sweet and other savory umami components compliment it exceptionally well with more airing out. Is there another point to be had? Maybe.
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3/31/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 97 Points
Two hour decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Blackberry jam, wild strawberry, vanilla caramel, walnut, and dried date on the nose. Super smooth, dry, voluptuous palate, with tongue blanketing acidity. Firm, full tannins on the long finish.
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2/28/2022 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 93 Points
1st of 4 bottles, purchased from JJ Buckley: A complex and interesting wine -- when I first opened it, the wine seemed like the archetype of Napa cabernet, rich and smooth and intensely dark-fruited and oaky. After three hours in the decanter, a fair degree of acidity had emerged, and the wine seemed much more structured, with a strong graphite character. At the end of the evening, the last glassful smelled like an old Bordeaux, with a rich plumminess and some spice. The wine is certainly drinkable and enjoyable now, but it will improve with another two years or more in the cellar.
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2/24/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 96 Points
Two hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Black cherry turnover, black tea, sage, violet, and lemon bar on the simultaneously rich and elegant nose. Smooth, dry palate, with tongue coating acidity. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This is in a really good place at the moment. It’s likely at its peak for my palate.
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1/8/2022 - jeagle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Enjoyed over two days with a 3 hour decant on day one. Still reluctant the first day with evident oak, day two presented the interesting portent this bottle represents: complicated fruit with sufficient structure at a reasonable price point. Will be looking forward to this one.
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11/6/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
2nd half of a coravined bottle from a few days ago.....enjoyed over 90 minutes....nice black fruit, spice, maybe cardamom? Well made....no harsh tannins. Can be enjoyed with a little air....very nice! Glad I have 3 left to enjoy over the next few years! Thanks for turning me onto this, J!
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10/24/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 94 Points
Four hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Blackberry, dark raspberry, fudge cake, and blood orange on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with great, lingering acidity. Firm, full, low intensity tannins on the longish finish. I’ll likely do a shorter decant (two hours) with my next bottle, which will likely improve the score a bit.
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10/6/2021 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful wine that's still tightly wound. Loads of upside over the next 5+ years.
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9/18/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Four hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Black Forest cake, chopped pecans, dark raspberry, caramel, and fennel on the warm, elegant nose. Very dry, plush palate. Firm tannins on the long finish.
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9/3/2021 - VegasDocEasy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Was wine of the night at recent tasting. Fantastic right out of the bottle, with an usual, complex flavor profile. In particular, there were bright fruit notes that cut through the typical heaviness of a big Cabernet. This was a steal for the price.
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6/29/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Four hour decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Blackberry, black cherry, Korean plum, black walnut, vanilla rum cake, and cola on the warm, richly fruited nose. Dry, satiny palate, with mouth and throat filling acidity. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
This is really drinking beautifully with a good decant. I’ve gotten used to this wine, which is the only reason it’s not a 96 or 97.
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6/12/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice Napa cab courtesy of AGELVIS. For once I think I may have unintentionally decanted for too long. Opened with the intent to give it 3-4 hours in the decanter, but then life got in the way and it was closer to 6 before I could drink it. On opening it was very dark purple in color and very closed and muted. So I was expecting a young fruit bomb when it opened! By the time I got to it, it was fully open with an expressive nose of berries, floral and exotic spice. On the palate mouth filling but not overly intense fruit, very very smooth. Great acid giving a juicy round mouthfeel and no sign of the alcohol. But at this point, strangely, no sign of the tannins at all. This did not drink like a young wine, maybe these ‘16s are finally starting to emerge from adolescence. Enjoyed but I wish I had been able to sample throughout the day, I suspect a 3 hrs decant would be the sweet spot.
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6/4/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 96 Points
Four hour decant. Very deep magenta color. Fresh cherry, strawberry, tulips, and caramel on the elegant nose. Smooth, dry, plush palate. Full tannins on the longish finish. Beautiful TRB Cabernet that is just hitting its stride.
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4/8/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Five hour decant, but drank over an additional two hours. Everything continued to improve over hours five to seven. Very deep dark purple magenta color. Red currant, cassis, Surinam (star) cherry, fennel, nutmeg, cocoa dust, and subtle spearmint on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with nice, center of the tongue acidity. Full tannins on the longish finish. Enjoyed this with my good friend Mark1NPT over Zoom.
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4/8/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 96 Points
Gifted from Agelvis during his visit......great zoom tasting of this along with his '12 tonight as well. Started out with a 5+ hour decant and it was a 93-94.....hours 6-7 moved it ahead 2 more points to a 96.....silky red fruit turns darker with time. An electric wine on the pnp, turns quieter, loses it's nose at 4-5 hours then re-emerges with rose petal and a little leather at hours 6-7. The wine really comes together at that point with soft tannins, and perfectly matched acidity. This is drinking exceptionally well right now with the elongated decant. Amazing the trip a wine can make over the course of one night......thanks for the introduction and the bottle, my friend. This is a really nice wine!
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1/27/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Five hour decant. Very deep dark purplish magenta color. Ripe boysenberry, shortbread, strawberry, limestone, and subtle honey on the dark, serious, yet fruit filled nose. Smooth, dry, dark fruited palate. Full tannins on the longish finish. Classic, well-built Napa Cab.
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10/30/2020 - CoryDean44 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A opaque purple hue this wine is very expressive Cabernet. A fragrance bomb with scents of cedar, pencil shavings, and cardamom. Robust and concentrated with blackberry, blueberry, nutmeg, and earthy notes. A youthful beauty that needs some air before its sipped. Fine targeted tannins with a long and dramatic finish.
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10/20/2020 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Four hour decant. Deep dark eggplant color. Stewed black cherry, black currant, cardamom, and fenugreek (think spicy maple syrup) on the nose. Smooth, creamy, tongue drying palate, with subtle nutmeg in the background and nice lingering acidity. Firm tannins on the longish finish.
There is lots of room for growth here. One more year in the cellar will do wonders.
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