I let this 2005 cab get way past prime. The corked bottle held up well, but tasted on the pruney side with dark brown rings on the edges. Still drinkable and enjoyed with a delicious lasagna dinner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened ~2 hrs before drinking. Bramble, Blueberry and dark fruit on the nose. Unfortunately the bramble overpowered everything else in the glass. I really wanted to be impressed with this wine... While structurally correct this seemed to lack the depth of fruit of a mid-priced Napa cab and replaced the fruit with briar, leather and forest floor. Not bad, just not my style.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Note: I use a rating scale for which 85 represents a very good wine.
Nothing too dramatic here. Decent, but not outstanding Calif cab. Benefited a little (but not a lot) from decanting. Fruit not that present, taste overall not that deep.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was the best out of my 14 bottles and my last. This wine gained weight and I think well stored bottles should last at least 5 more years. I wouldn't be surprised to see them drinking well in 10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent, classy, elegant and balanced Colour: deep black berry Bouquet: rich blackberry cassis, black cherry, ripe plum, tobacco leaf, spice and pepper Palate: as bouquet, full bodied but soft tannins and velvety texture, savoury long clean very dry finish. Gorgeous luscious wine. July 2015
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP, seemed closed at first but opened nicely - but then seemed to fade quickly. Could be its age, but other than a brief period - about 2 hrs after opening - the fruit seemed lost.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
If you have this in your cellar (looks like there are 600+ bottles) you'll want to aggressively start working through it since the wine is certainly past its prime. The wine is opaque and purple in color. The nose is olives and cedar. The palate is green olives and graphite tannins that taste as if they've rounded and are becoming bitter. 5+11+15+7=88
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A bit more fruit forward than expected for a Napa Cab, but that goes away quickly, leaving you with solid Nap Cab taste. To be technical, I would call this wine kinda delicious. Didn't slap me silly with how good it was, but the aroma during decanting made my mouth water and my belly rumble. We thoroughly enjoyed the bottle with some (humbly speaking) fantastically grilled steaks. Dark color, full body, good finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Once you get past the initial blast of alcohol to the face, a fruity rather than floral nose opens up nicely over the ensuing half hour. classic cabernet tastes on the front and mid-palette lead to a finish that was somewhat light, short, and thus disappointing. The wine at 8 years did not live up to prior bottles of the vintage. Tannins came across as soft and fine but the fruit somehow seemed past it's prime. I wondered how much merlot was in the blend if any as the cabernet seemed a bit soft and washed out for a 2005 napa bottling. finally, I'd say that the wine was a bit out of balance perhaps due to bottle variation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep unctous quality. Not too tannic, but also not a lean wine. Very drinkable versus the last time we tasted this vintage when it was a little too "hot".
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank the 2005 right after a good bottle of the 2007, with a wonderful sirloin . Great to see 05 holding its own and still showing room for improvement.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really very good...dry, still some great tannins...chewy, rich, earthy...great steak wine...was concerned this could be peaking, but had much life remaining..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
overpeak. my third time to have this wine and believed the best period is passed. the smell is integrated better than 2 years ago but the "heat" caused by alcohol pop out overall is lopsided.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purple color with a light cedar nose. Dark cherry, light cassis and cola with a bit of earth; solid balance, medium tannins and finish. Good, solid everyday wine. High QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color is rich - red/purple. Nose is oaky and little hot. Palate is weak - plenty of oak but not enough fruit. A little berry and acid but no meat or finish/persistence. I don't think more time will help it - the fruit will only fade more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP. Clear, very deep dark purple color. Usual nose. A nice everyday go-to-hell wine for a decent price. Proper balace, nothing off & in a good drinking window. $25
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 375ml, this needed more air than I would have suspected. Good medium to full bodied cab with some earth to complement the dark fruit. Fairly priced at $16 for the half-bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Somme toute un bon vin, ce fût un nez très prometteur, ce que je recherche sur le cabernet-sauvignon.. au nez ce fût très savoureux dans les premiers instant..même avant le décantage..l'agréable de ce vin s'estompe malheureusement très vite... au palais ce fût un peu désapointant, ne rendant pas ce que le nez promet, il est quand même agréable..il n'a pas la mâche que j'aime du cabernet, il est plutôt mince avec une finale qui ne perdure pas éternellement.. la finale est bien, mais pas aussi intense qu'e l'intensité de la robe et la force aromatique le laisse prétendre...la chaleur alcoolique est trop présente en final cachant tout ce qui à de bonbon dans le vin.. je ne dirais pas que c'est un vin décevant, mais pour la moitié du prix, j'aurais été servi à souhait....ma prochaine bouteille, je lui laisse 2 ans, mais je ne crois pas à son potentiel tant que cela....je lui laisse la chance de me surprendre...j'aurais beaucoup de cab de napa valley à vous conseiller avant celui là pour la fraction du prix!!! bonne soirée à vous et bonne dégustation
english try.... it is a nice wine... it is a promising nose..everything i like from cabernet-sauvignon...but the ''nice thing'' from this wine goes away faster then we think... on the palate, this wine dont show everything you can have on nose..its small on the palate, we dont have the grinding from cabernet and we dont have an eternal finish..this wine should have been really nice but from the half on the price...ill wait 2 more years for my last bottle, but im not really confident of the nice-going of this one... i got so many cab from napa costing half of this that can surely compete with this one...have nice evening and hope your enjoy it
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red, almost black. But body is light, Spicy nose. Problem is the finish is too spicy too. Not a pleasant one. Tried again after 4 hours...still no good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great wine for the money. Nice left bank blend. Good on day 1, left for two days after sucking air out of the bottle and was still drinking great - maybe better than on day 1. Thanks to my friends at JJB for recommending this one to me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decent, straightforward Calif cab. Opened up meaningfully through the bottle (over two hours). Well balanced with good acidity, although the fruit was not that prominent. Tannins well in check.
I don't have a good sense of how Calif cabs age, so I cannot offer an opinion about this. I have another, and I am going to leave it for while just for the hell of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a fantastic value; smooth easy drinking Napa Cab with good fruit and enough tannin/structure to balance. This one is ready to go right away, no need to decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smooth and easy drinking, but plenty of stuff to make it interesting; chocolate, cherries and earth flavors; classic "old school" CA cab. From 375ml, great QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rich fruits and dry finish. Dark cherry and blackcurrant. Dry finish but not overly dry. Little to no oak, just a hint. Light on tannins but alcohol is spot on. Very good effort.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
green, Herbaceous notes on the nose with a heavy dose of oak. after 30 min it is starting to open with pepper, tannins coating the palate. blackberry and black cherry on the nose and palate. found on clearance for 10, killer QPR at that price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
had this wine at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Disney Hollywood Studio - we had salmon and tuna with it. It was a bit closed in at first. It did develop a nice finish and really tasted better with the food. This wine is too young to drink. Wait a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A nice Cab, but I would wait to drink it again. It was very tight upon opening, and even with decanting & waiting, the first glass was still tight, almost to the point of being undescribable and unremarkable. Second glass was much better, with the fruit coming through both in the nose and on the palate, but still not a lot of body or depth to the wine. Tannins were nil to non-existent on the nose, but there on the back end, but I did not think that the wine was "hot" by any measure. It was very drinkable & had a nice mouthfeel, not velvety, but the berry flavors were more pronounced in the mouth rather than on the nose. If I were to have another bottle in my cellar, I would definitely hold it for a year or so to see what develops. For an '05 Cab, I did expect more "umph" from the grapes & less taste of the oak -- it tasted young to me -- Hold & hope it balances better. It seems like a bit of waste to drink it now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Legit Napa Cab, but I think they overdid it with the oak (and I'm not one to make that complaint frequently). A little light on fruit and heavy on tannins at this stage, which made for a wine that wasn't quite as enjoyable as it otherwise could have been. That said, nice density and mouthfeel and many of the things I look for in this category (black currant/blackberries/savory components). Attractive label and I've been seeing available on the cheap lately (less than $25 sometimes).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for an hour. Nose of dark fruits, especially plum and cherry. Taste of tobacco leaf and dust. Finish was short. Paired with prime rib. Of the 4 drinkers at the table, no major compliments and no major complaints. It's a safe bet to serve to the masses.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A solid calif cab popped and poured at friends house. In glass it opened to some nice red fruit, hints of cinnamon with balanced tannis. For under 30 dollars this is a good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The most prominent feature is the tannins. They are taut and astringent. There is fruit, though, especially in the first few drinks. A very good wine, but not nearly as good as a Grgich Cab, if cheaper. (85.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured. Deep red/purple hue. Aromas of black fruits, red currant, fresh herbs, and an intriguing note of grain (whole wheat?). Medium-plus body. A nice core of fruit, with flavors of blackberry, plums, earth, a touch of mint, and restrained oak. Somewhat astringent tannins on the average finish. Could use a little bit more time in bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very generic cabernet. Followed over a three day period with little improvement. Dark purple/red, with crimson edges. Light typical Cali Cab aromas. Generic flavors, with a silky mouthfeel. A hint of green peeking through by day three adding complexity to an otherwise run-of-the-mill cabernet. A poor value, this wine does not deliver the goods at its price point.
Drink now, 87 -JRS
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big black and jammy fruits on the nose with hints of cinnamon, graphite and pepper spice .... but mostly fruit. The palate follows suit with tons of blackberry and plummy fruits up front and a decent alcohol kick in the back. A bit too new world in style, lacking any breadth or depth, and tons of over-extracted fruit. Much much different than the '02 Pontet-Canet we had with dinner. It was an okay bottle for after dinner and with the berries and cream. Glad I got these for under $20, any more would be too much.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Republic wines -- mostly CA cabs (Guild Office): Nose of coffee ground, roasted red fruit, and a touch of heat. There's fruit on the palate, but it seems a touch "green." Very tight and tart on the finish. With time this opens up and softens, and becomes pretty appealing in a classic Napa cab way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
taste: good full body with firm tannins and tones of bell peppers, cedar, dark red cherries and cranberry tones with some bits of leather
overall: a good cabernet done in a bordeaux style. Not for more fruit forward fans, this is lacking a bit of depth and expression that would really drive the wine. Comes more across as a sonoma cabernet then a napa cab, but in the end, while very good, there is a bit of wanting that this doesn't seem to provide
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark ruby. Medium nose of cassis and spice. Concentrated, "dusty" mouthfeel of oak, cassis and dark berries. Maybe too much oak? Will probably improve on day 2?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A transparent, medium crimson in the glass, this wine has a muted nose of black current, cherry, tobacco, bell pepper and oak. In the mouth it is medium bodied and very, very dry with mouth coating fine green tannins and little acidity. Over all, the wine is well balanced but lacks fruit and character. Give it another two to five years in the bottle for the tannins to fall out, but it dosen't have enough acidity or depth to last longer. Good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/11/2020 - 33Bob Likes this wine: 88 Points
I let this 2005 cab get way past prime. The corked bottle held up well, but tasted on the pruney side with dark brown rings on the edges. Still drinkable and enjoyed with a delicious lasagna dinner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2019 - Mdubnik wrote: 89 Points
Meh.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2017 - Thomas B wrote: 87 Points
Opened ~2 hrs before drinking. Bramble, Blueberry and dark fruit on the nose. Unfortunately the bramble overpowered everything else in the glass. I really wanted to be impressed with this wine... While structurally correct this seemed to lack the depth of fruit of a mid-priced Napa cab and replaced the fruit with briar, leather and forest floor. Not bad, just not my style.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2016 - John Nezlek wrote: 85 Points
Note: I use a rating scale for which 85 represents a very good wine.
Nothing too dramatic here. Decent, but not outstanding Calif cab. Benefited a little (but not a lot) from decanting. Fruit not that present, taste overall not that deep.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2016 - mhewitt wrote: 92 Points
This was the best out of my 14 bottles and my last. This wine gained weight and I think well stored bottles should last at least 5 more years. I wouldn't be surprised to see them drinking well in 10.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2015 - rmarkey Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent, classy, elegant and balanced
Colour: deep black berry
Bouquet: rich blackberry cassis, black cherry, ripe plum, tobacco leaf, spice and pepper
Palate: as bouquet, full bodied but soft tannins and velvety texture, savoury long clean very dry finish. Gorgeous luscious wine.
July 2015
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2014 - Thomas B wrote: 87 Points
PnP, seemed closed at first but opened nicely - but then seemed to fade quickly. Could be its age, but other than a brief period - about 2 hrs after opening - the fruit seemed lost.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2014 - Delli wrote: 88 Points
If you have this in your cellar (looks like there are 600+ bottles) you'll want to aggressively start working through it since the wine is certainly past its prime. The wine is opaque and purple in color. The nose is olives and cedar. The palate is green olives and graphite tannins that taste as if they've rounded and are becoming bitter. 5+11+15+7=88
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2013 - Kropsterapeut wrote: 90 Points
Blød, bløde tanniner savne en smule mere, så drikke vinduet passer ganske godt, drik den nu. Jord, "julestemning" mørk farin, moden frugt. Let syre
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2013 - mccaffery wrote: 90 Points
Lots of black licorice and a smoky flavor that made it very deep. Enjoyed the bottle but definitely a little past.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2013 - TonyHamlin wrote: 89 Points
A bit more fruit forward than expected for a Napa Cab, but that goes away quickly, leaving you with solid Nap Cab taste. To be technical, I would call this wine kinda delicious. Didn't slap me silly with how good it was, but the aroma during decanting made my mouth water and my belly rumble. We thoroughly enjoyed the bottle with some (humbly speaking) fantastically grilled steaks.
Dark color, full body, good finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2013 - lovanc@outlook.com wrote:
Dark fruit, well integrated tannins. Well made wine but too much oak for 4*
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2013 - vinus_operandi wrote: 89 Points
Once you get past the initial blast of alcohol to the face, a fruity rather than floral nose opens up nicely over the ensuing half hour. classic cabernet tastes on the front and mid-palette lead to a finish that was somewhat light, short, and thus disappointing. The wine at 8 years did not live up to prior bottles of the vintage. Tannins came across as soft and fine but the fruit somehow seemed past it's prime. I wondered how much merlot was in the blend if any as the cabernet seemed a bit soft and washed out for a 2005 napa bottling. finally, I'd say that the wine was a bit out of balance perhaps due to bottle variation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2013 - JumpAroundOnGrapes wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely singing. Currants, dark fruit, cocoa, still present tannins. Wow.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2012 - Mannm24 wrote: 79 Points
This wine was disappointing. No body no fruit just very average.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2012 - winejnky wrote: 88 Points
Very good +. Bold and fruity, perhaps a little lean, but quality is high given "value" pricing for a Napa Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2012 - mkparker wrote: 91 Points
Deep unctous quality. Not too tannic, but also not a lean wine. Very drinkable versus the last time we tasted this vintage when it was a little too "hot".
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2012 - Ariosto wrote:
Drank the 2005 right after a good bottle of the 2007, with a wonderful sirloin . Great to see 05 holding its own and still showing room for improvement.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2012 - mikev101 wrote: 89 Points
Really very good...dry, still some great tannins...chewy, rich, earthy...great steak wine...was concerned this could be peaking, but had much life remaining..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2012 - seamanship Does not like this wine: 86 Points
overpeak.
my third time to have this wine and believed the best period is passed.
the smell is integrated better than 2 years ago but the "heat" caused by alcohol pop out
overall is lopsided.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2012 - vine20 wrote: 90 Points
Purple color with a light cedar nose. Dark cherry, light cassis and cola with a bit of earth; solid balance, medium tannins and finish. Good, solid everyday wine. High QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2012 - JohnOnWine wrote: 89 Points
Excellent!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2011 - Jim.Hoover wrote: 88 Points
Color is rich - red/purple. Nose is oaky and little hot. Palate is weak - plenty of oak but not enough fruit. A little berry and acid but no meat or finish/persistence. I don't think more time will help it - the fruit will only fade more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2011 - Barry Notes wrote: 86 Points
PnP. Clear, very deep dark purple color. Usual nose. A nice everyday go-to-hell wine for a decent price. Proper balace, nothing off & in a good drinking window. $25
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2011 - EMTAME wrote: 89 Points
From 375ml, this needed more air than I would have suspected. Good medium to full bodied cab with some earth to complement the dark fruit. Fairly priced at $16 for the half-bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2011 - Frank&Steph wrote: 88 Points
bon cabernet sauvignon mais ne vaut certainement pas le prix
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2011 - Frank&Steph wrote: 87 Points
Somme toute un bon vin, ce fût un nez très prometteur, ce que je recherche sur le cabernet-sauvignon.. au nez ce fût très savoureux dans les premiers instant..même avant le décantage..l'agréable de ce vin s'estompe malheureusement très vite... au palais ce fût un peu désapointant, ne rendant pas ce que le nez promet, il est quand même agréable..il n'a pas la mâche que j'aime du cabernet, il est plutôt mince avec une finale qui ne perdure pas éternellement.. la finale est bien, mais pas aussi intense qu'e l'intensité de la robe et la force aromatique le laisse prétendre...la chaleur alcoolique est trop présente en final cachant tout ce qui à de bonbon dans le vin.. je ne dirais pas que c'est un vin décevant, mais pour la moitié du prix, j'aurais été servi à souhait....ma prochaine bouteille, je lui laisse 2 ans, mais je ne crois pas à son potentiel tant que cela....je lui laisse la chance de me surprendre...j'aurais beaucoup de cab de napa valley à vous conseiller avant celui là pour la fraction du prix!!! bonne soirée à vous et bonne dégustation
english try.... it is a nice wine... it is a promising nose..everything i like from cabernet-sauvignon...but the ''nice thing'' from this wine goes away faster then we think... on the palate, this wine dont show everything you can have on nose..its small on the palate, we dont have the grinding from cabernet and we dont have an eternal finish..this wine should have been really nice but from the half on the price...ill wait 2 more years for my last bottle, but im not really confident of the nice-going of this one... i got so many cab from napa costing half of this that can surely compete with this one...have nice evening and hope your enjoy it
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2011 - emkc wrote: 77 Points
Dark red, almost black. But body is light, Spicy nose. Problem is the finish is too spicy too. Not a pleasant one. Tried again after 4 hours...still no good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2011 - tpspoon wrote: 91 Points
Great wine for the money. Nice left bank blend. Good on day 1, left for two days after sucking air out of the bottle and was still drinking great - maybe better than on day 1. Thanks to my friends at JJB for recommending this one to me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2011 - bboomer wrote: 88 Points
Nice cab, actually needs more time for tannins to get more integrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2011 - Jordan7T wrote: 88 Points
Good oslid cabernet developing nicely - medium fruit and nice tannic finish but not overwhelming - drinkable now and evens out after an hour or so
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2011 - John Nezlek wrote: 87 Points
Decent, straightforward Calif cab. Opened up meaningfully through the bottle (over two hours). Well balanced with good acidity, although the fruit was not that prominent. Tannins well in check.
I don't have a good sense of how Calif cabs age, so I cannot offer an opinion about this. I have another, and I am going to leave it for while just for the hell of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2011 - winejnky wrote: 90 Points
This is a fantastic value; smooth easy drinking Napa Cab with good fruit and enough tannin/structure to balance. This one is ready to go right away, no need to decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2010 - Jordan7T wrote: 88 Points
Nice simple cabernet - could develop over next few years but not convinced. Light aroudn the tongue and light finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2010 - stevenc.rees@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Good cab. liked it inspite of the vanilla. can be held longer with ease. maybe 5 more years is ok
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2010 - 2loyal wrote: 90 Points
Surprisingly good bang for the buck.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2010 - Vinocrew wrote: 90 Points
The wine was delicious. Beautiful color. great nose. Was ready for a great cab after a weekend of wine tasting in the fingerlakes of NY.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2010 - Jordan7T wrote: 89 Points
With tremndous upside. Decanted for 2 plushours - started flat and simple but has great potential - probably best after 2 more years as it deepens
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2010 - n2wine wrote: 91 Points
Jammy, a little spice, long finish, and smooth.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2010 - winejnky wrote: 90 Points
Smooth and easy drinking, but plenty of stuff to make it interesting; chocolate, cherries and earth flavors; classic "old school" CA cab. From 375ml, great QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2010 - gkjrs wrote: 90 Points
Rich fruits and dry finish. Dark cherry and blackcurrant. Dry finish but not overly dry. Little to no oak, just a hint. Light on tannins but alcohol is spot on. Very good effort.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2010 - Jordan7T wrote: 86 Points
Still a little young - had it over two days. Blanced cabernet with medium lenght finish. Great every day cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2010 - bkarney wrote:
green, Herbaceous notes on the nose with a heavy dose of oak. after 30 min it is starting to open with pepper, tannins coating the palate. blackberry and black cherry on the nose and palate. found on clearance for 10, killer QPR at that price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2010 - doctoroflaws wrote: 79 Points
Average. Glad I received this as a gift. It tastes like wine. No real notes of any distinction or significance. Eh.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2010 - Zinlady wrote: 89 Points
had this wine at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Disney Hollywood Studio - we had salmon and tuna with it. It was a bit closed in at first. It did develop a nice finish and really tasted better with the food. This wine is too young to drink. Wait a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2010 - StarM wrote: 88 Points
A nice Cab, but I would wait to drink it again. It was very tight upon opening, and even with decanting & waiting, the first glass was still tight, almost to the point of being undescribable and unremarkable. Second glass was much better, with the fruit coming through both in the nose and on the palate, but still not a lot of body or depth to the wine. Tannins were nil to non-existent on the nose, but there on the back end, but I did not think that the wine was "hot" by any measure. It was very drinkable & had a nice mouthfeel, not velvety, but the berry flavors were more pronounced in the mouth rather than on the nose. If I were to have another bottle in my cellar, I would definitely hold it for a year or so to see what develops. For an '05 Cab, I did expect more "umph" from the grapes & less taste of the oak -- it tasted young to me -- Hold & hope it balances better. It seems like a bit of waste to drink it now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2010 - niwotcellar wrote: 87 Points
a bit disjointed, but a nice long finish. Didn't improve much with several hours in Decanter, which surprised.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2009 - RobertDwyer wrote: 88 Points
Legit Napa Cab, but I think they overdid it with the oak (and I'm not one to make that complaint frequently). A little light on fruit and heavy on tannins at this stage, which made for a wine that wasn't quite as enjoyable as it otherwise could have been. That said, nice density and mouthfeel and many of the things I look for in this category (black currant/blackberries/savory components). Attractive label and I've been seeing available on the cheap lately (less than $25 sometimes).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2009 - Millercg68 wrote: 88 Points
Very much a California Cab. Fruit forward with large oak on the back. I'm guessing this will get better with time, but it's very young now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2009 - scotty_b wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour. Nose of dark fruits, especially plum and cherry. Taste of tobacco leaf and dust. Finish was short. Paired with prime rib. Of the 4 drinkers at the table, no major compliments and no major complaints. It's a safe bet to serve to the masses.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2009 - redman77 wrote: 89 Points
At $25 this is a real crowd pleaser for the wallet!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2009 - blackmistressdiva wrote: 85 Points
Black cherry, plum and oak. Better cabs at this price point IMHO. Good, but not memorable at all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2009 - bigdomer wrote: 87 Points
Personally, I like the vanilla and oak in this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2009 - peeks13 wrote: 90 Points
A Night of Classic Cabernet (9/23/2009) (Wine Discount Center Barrington): High marks all around. Great QPR for Napa and when on sale in low/mid $20s jump on it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2009 - redman77 wrote: 89 Points
A solid calif cab popped and poured at friends house. In glass it opened to some nice red fruit, hints of cinnamon with balanced tannis. For under 30 dollars this is a good value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2009 - Ombibulous wrote: 85 Points
The most prominent feature is the tannins. They are taut and astringent. There is fruit, though, especially in the first few drinks. A very good wine, but not nearly as good as a Grgich Cab, if cheaper. (85.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2009 - scog wrote: 88 Points
Not overwhelming.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2009 - DTWOB wrote: 89 Points
Decent bottle of wine, although there are many out there with a better QRP. Typical cali-cab characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2009 - *Vine* wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. Deep red/purple hue. Aromas of black fruits, red currant, fresh herbs, and an intriguing note of grain (whole wheat?). Medium-plus body. A nice core of fruit, with flavors of blackberry, plums, earth, a touch of mint, and restrained oak. Somewhat astringent tannins on the average finish. Could use a little bit more time in bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2009 - CdP in NYC wrote: 87 Points
Very generic cabernet. Followed over a three day period with little improvement. Dark purple/red, with crimson edges. Light typical Cali Cab aromas. Generic flavors, with a silky mouthfeel. A hint of green peeking through by day three adding complexity to an otherwise run-of-the-mill cabernet. A poor value, this wine does not deliver the goods at its price point.
Drink now, 87 -JRS
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2009 - socidelvino Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep purple color. Aromas of berries, vanilla, spice. Medium bodied wine with juicy fruit in the mouth, long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2009 - BYOBrett wrote: 86 Points
Big black and jammy fruits on the nose with hints of cinnamon, graphite and pepper spice .... but mostly fruit. The palate follows suit with tons of blackberry and plummy fruits up front and a decent alcohol kick in the back. A bit too new world in style, lacking any breadth or depth, and tons of over-extracted fruit. Much much different than the '02 Pontet-Canet we had with dinner. It was an okay bottle for after dinner and with the berries and cream. Glad I got these for under $20, any more would be too much.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2009 - IrishAlum2002 wrote: 87 Points
Pretty good back in November
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2009 - jivey wrote: 87 Points
Nice can but the $50 killed it. Large frame with more red fruits soft mid pallete and refined tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2009 - LPskeleton wrote: 85 Points
consumed at trade tasting, no note taken
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2009 - Wine Guild of Charlottesville wrote: 89 Points
Republic wines -- mostly CA cabs (Guild Office): Nose of coffee ground, roasted red fruit, and a touch of heat. There's fruit on the palate, but it seems a touch "green." Very tight and tart on the finish. With time this opens up and softens, and becomes pretty appealing in a classic Napa cab way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 87 Points
Binny's Spring California Night (Binny's Highland Park, highland park IL): nose: interesting nose with some bell pepper tones, cedar, black currants, dark red cherries and cranberries. Fairly bordeaux-esque, but lacking a bit of depth
taste: good full body with firm tannins and tones of bell peppers, cedar, dark red cherries and cranberry tones with some bits of leather
overall: a good cabernet done in a bordeaux style. Not for more fruit forward fans, this is lacking a bit of depth and expression that would really drive the wine. Comes more across as a sonoma cabernet then a napa cab, but in the end, while very good, there is a bit of wanting that this doesn't seem to provide
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2008 - pmik wrote: 91 Points
Very dark ruby. Medium nose of cassis and spice. Concentrated, "dusty" mouthfeel of oak, cassis and dark berries. Maybe too much oak? Will probably improve on day 2?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2008 - kdsipe wrote:
A transparent, medium crimson in the glass, this wine has a muted nose of black current, cherry, tobacco, bell pepper and oak. In the mouth it is medium bodied and very, very dry with mouth coating fine green tannins and little acidity. Over all, the wine is well balanced but lacks fruit and character. Give it another two to five years in the bottle for the tannins to fall out, but it dosen't have enough acidity or depth to last longer. Good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2008 - RutherfordDust wrote: 82 Points
Great nose, but very hot and tannic. Leathery and taut, with rasberry and cherry hiding in the background
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment