deep young red color, ponderous nose of dark fruits, black plum, a hint of game, on the palate mature with slightly exotic notes of blackberry and plum, exceptional depth and power despite its largely civilized presentation and on the middle it seems a bit closed and in need of just a bit more time in the cellar, fine finish with hints of chalk and cocoa on the back end, almost there, a wonderful wine- and a welcomely unique one.
****, now to 2034+
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To me this was stellar. Mature deep mountain fruit, spice, eucalyptus, mile leathers. Wonderful mouthfeel and acidity. It continues getting better and better in the glass, and maintained its edge into the third night. There is a classy elegance to it at this stage as well.
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Love Mark Neal's wines and this one is a sweet spot right about now. Red/black cherry and blackberry fruit. Nice core of dusty earth, mocha, dark chocolate, graphite, and a subtle savory note. Great balance of flavors throughout with soft tannins on the long finish.
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Drank with friends. Next to last bottle of case.Pop and pour. This wine is still a delight. I think this is my favorite vintage of Neal. Nice fruit but still plenty of backbone to go some more years. I would say drinking at peak now.
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Delicious mature Cab and an amazing QPR wine. Inky dark color. On the nose black cherry, earth, graphite and earth. On the palate dark fruits, eucalyptus, spice, chocolate, graphite, iron and licorice. Still some tannin in the long finish. Drink now or within 5 years.
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Pretty lite-medium red color. Red raspberries and heavy dust on the nose with chocolate and an unidentified deliciousness as well. This wine is delicious. Red berries, blueberries, chocolate, lasts a long time. Delicious finish.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind Tasting, $30-$50 (Bin 75): Dark color. Big and rich on the palate, plenty of fruit. A little tannin, but also some New World character (a hint of oak?). In a good spot right now though, very enjoyable.
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Drinking very well, decanted for 45 minutes. Delicious Cab at a reasonable price. Tannins well integrated, incredible balance, Think this should be good to go for another 5 years!
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Dark, cloudy garnet color with crimson tones. The sweet nose brings a mature, rustic bouquet of wet soil, fresh-cut violets, garden herbs, and strawberries intermixed with dark cherry liquor, mocha, and pure milk chocolate. The palate is medium-full, silky, smooth, elegant, and deeply textured, bringing chocolate cherries, cassis, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, along with some dry leather, tobacco, soy sauce, and subtle hints of olives and lavender. The finish lingers for 30+ seconds and brings more rich chocolate and red fruit. For me, this wine is at peak as the acidity seems soft and the tannins are well-integrated. Drink now or over the next few years.
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out of magnum. purchased at winery in '08. shy at first and by glass 1 the rest was singing CA cab without the heavy hand. excellent wine tannins resolved great mouthfeel and very pleasureable. not terrifically complex and a short-ish finish but that's fine. I enjoyed this bottle quite well. yum!
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I echo the 2013 notes with this bottle, except this wine was a little more mellow than that one in 2013. Nice bottle but not quite the powerhouse of the one lane bridge or fifteen-forty. Probably has another 5- 7 years -- done in 2020.
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Pop and pour. Incredibly dark and showing no visible signs of aging. Nose had notes of cedar, black fruits and mocha. Similar palate with a bit of oak and soft tannins. Very nice.
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Fully mature, but probably four to five years to go. Went beautifully with a big porterhouse. Sometimes a steak covers up some but the Neal needed no help
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At first this seemed almost over the hill, disorganized with little structure. Set it down came back half hour later. It had firmed up, structure apparent, abundant fruit, typical California. We have a lot of this one and will open another in a few weeks to check out bottle to bottle.
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Tis wine is drinking well at this moment. Give it an hour to open up then enjoy a balanced and complex aged cab. Loads of fruit and spice with a satisfying medium length finish.
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- Crimsom color with slow forming legs and aromas of raisin, hay/straw, tea, tobacco and fig. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry, raisin, tobacco and prune with a full body. Fleshy texture with a long finish - Black current, fig, and dried tea leaves on the nose. On the palate you get sweet cherry, raisin and tobacco. Smooth and balanced with a long finish. Moderate complexity, but would expect more for the price tag. Overall, solid effort.
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Tell tale musty corked aromas on the nose, faint but definitely there. Palate was not really that noticeable, so this was drinkable, but you got that whiff of TCA everytime you brought it up for a sip, which made it far less enjoyable. Disappointing as it was my last bottle, and my previous one drank so well, so I had been looking forward to it.
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This beautiful Cab is currently performing well above its pay grade, outdistancing cabs that cost two or three times as much. Beautiful balance with layers of complex flavors. Fruit, spice, smoke. Love this wine and am happy to have more.
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A very very good wine. Uncorked to a BLACK stain on the cork with about 1-2mm of bleed all the way around. Cork broke at about 75 percent out. The wine was decanted since there were a couple of cork bits. The wine had a lot of sediment all around the neck - very uniform. Sat for 30 minutes. Not passed through a Vinturi. This wine was BEAUTIFULLY aged by Neal Vineyards. The initial smell was smoked meats, a hint of plum, aged blackberry, and mountain fruit. It wasn't as full bodied as I thought by the nose. The taste was aged mountain blackberry, leather, SATIN smooth. The ambience of grilled pork on a cedar plank started to creep in. Finished darker, with dark chocolate, WELL done and very integrated tannin, and a spice that came on board just as the wine finished. I want to say that this one was earthy in the finish, but I believe this is just beautiful tannin showing up. Low acidity. 15 second finish, but I would say it's on the medium side of a full bodied wine. This was actually very devoid of spice until it was enjoyed with the spicy chicken black bean salsa verde casserole. This wine is at its height right now, drank well. This is not all mountain fruit, but it certainly peers through. Drink now with 30 min. decant, or hold for another 3-4 years.
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Tasted double blind. Earth, dark fruit and spice on the nose. The palate was bold but not overtly fruity with a nice amount of dark fruit. Solid finish with plenty of grip. This turned out to be a very good showing of Neal's regular bottling.
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Cork crumbled as it was being removed so i had to pour the wine into the decanter through a strainer. No big deal. Deep ruby color with narrow light rim. Aromas of leather, smoke, mint, black pepper and black fruit waft from the glass. On the palate, more black fruit slathered in bittersweet chocolate and a touch of mint. Full body, medium(-) acidity, medium ripe tannins, long finish. Excellent.
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Very dark yet clear color, nose of fruit and licorice. This wine feels very smooth in the mouth with very mild, almost undetectable tannins, it will pair up well with milder meat and even fish dishes. Very pleasant, long finish. This wine is in its prime now. Can probably last another 3 to 5 years.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, currants, berries and plums. Flavors of berries, plums and raspberries. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink now.
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Inky complexion, muscular but not overpowering nose and same initial impressions on the palate. Very interesting throughout with some unique personality. In my opinion, this wine represents high quality at its price point.
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Delicious. Dark, dark inky color in the glass. Decanted about 30 minutes, and was very smooth with a long finish. Paired beautifully with filet mignon. Neal is a great value, and this is ready to drink.
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From Magnum. Opened 2 hours ahead of time with one glass poured upon opening. Very well Balanced and just a delicious CA Cabernet. These are always worth the price and sit on them five years or so before opening.
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This is our 5th from our case and dare say the best yet. This is a solid bottle of California cab that is fairly priced. The color is a beautiful inky black-purple. The nose is expressive strong red fruit and black cherry, lead pencil, leather, licorice, spice. Some floral aromas. the flavors are well integrated with pepper, spice, ripe fruit, figs, and earth. This wine is just now entering its prime. Lots of stuffing to evolve over the ears ahead. Just an outstanding effort at this pricepoint.
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Delicious chewy cab with notes of blackberry and tobacco. Held its own with a spicy tomato, mozzarella and red chili pepper appetizer. Slightly tannic, but manageable. Drinks well now, but will age nicely for the next 5-10 years.
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This wine was popped and poured and drank over the course of the evening. The color of the wine is a nice garnet with a slight bit of browning. The nose is plum, cherry, graphite, light floral and a bit of spice. The wine is nicely balanced with integrated tannins and good acidity. the flavors are dark fruits, pepper spice, with a really long lingering finish. I would say this wine is certainly drinkable now but will continue to develop.
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Not ready or in between being ready in the past and waiting to be ready. Soft tannis for sure, but really not fruit or any noticeable flavors. Very muted. I would strongly suggest keeping this down for a while and seeing if it opens up in the next couple years.
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It feels as if it's almost there. Dark cherries and tobacco on the nose. It starts out the same way on the palate, but it is cut short. The finish is overtaken by the tannins.
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For the life of me, I thought I only had one more bottle of this wine, but turns out, as I looked up the wine to write this note, that I have one more bottle. Now, all I need to do is try and find it...
Was first introduced to Neal by Joel Gott a few years back and have never looked back. Not only is it a beautiful winery and setting (visit if you have the chance - they're in Napa), they also are making incredible wines. I'm not going to get too deep into the tasting notes here as I think the Neal wines are very typical of California / Napa wines. The Cabernet is a big wine and deserves a big red piece of meat. So, if that's not for you, then either is this wine. But, if that suits your palate, this is a wine to pursue. The price point is really good for a CA Cab ($45 for the 2006 version of this wine) and they don't have a current release wine over $80. That may seem expensive, but when Napa is still releasing wines in the $200+ category (with names like Harlan in the $500+ category), this is still a value wine, as odd as that sounds. Neal will always be on my list of "go-to" California wines...
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After two hours open, this wine emerges with a rich nose of tobacco, coffee, and dark fruits, and a rich mouthfeel with flavor profiles of cassis, graphite, and black cherry. Big tannic structure, but large rounded tannins, even enjoyable on its own. In a very early secondary stage, and quite good.
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Getting better. Huge mouthfull of wine. Chewy. Nose was a bit muted which improved over time. Includes spicebox, black fruits and maybe some leather. Very balanced with a lot of muscle left.
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Decanted about 1 hour, consumed over about 3 hours. Dark ruby to almost purple colored. Obvious black currant, along with other dark fruits on the nose, complemented by some spicy oak. Black currant dominates the palate, with blackberry, black cherry and some chocolate notes underneath the fruit. Begin to get some cedar tones after a few hours. Long finish. This was really hitting its stride around the 3 hour mark. This can still be held for quite a while.
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Decanted for an hour. Very good Napa Cabernet, had with NY Strips. Continued to get better as the night progressed. Was a bit tannic, and could probably benefit from more cellaring. We enjoyed it, and are glad we have another left in the cellar.
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Just so much oak, this is not my style anymore... Since the year has so much fruit this is drinkable, but for my tastes, not really enjoyable. I'm sure others will like it better than I.
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Nice nose, not as expressive as I remember from maybe 6-8 months ago IIrc. Still, the nose makes this promising, but on the palate, not quite ready to deliver, still too tannic and monolithic. I’m starting to have doubts about the Neal style for me, but I like the value.
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beautiful nose of dark fruit. palate was monolithic as others have stated. dark fruit with very drying tannins. muscular style, almost but not quite to a fault. would be a good pair to a thick steak, but on its own it falters. nice, but probably wouldn't buy again at the price i paid.
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Impression only but I liked this. It's quite monolithic and not very layered but there was a lot of rich flavor and (unlike some Neals I've had in the last year or two) there seemed to be a decent amount of acid to support it. Quite tannic but it didn't offend. Have tapered off this style in the last few years but this one made me look forward to another...
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from magnum. nothing but a giant blob of an overextracted piece of junk. hold if you wish, but no amount of aging or decanting is gonna rescue this. my advice is sell it on winebid.
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GOLV brought this over to try out of a 500ml. This was only opened briefly before consuming so this wine was still very tight and tannic. This wine has a nice flavor profile underneath layers of tannin that a pretty punishing at this point. Half the bottle is left and will update if there is any change on day 2. I see a 90-92 potential here.
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Very much enjoyed this wine among a mixed-flight tasting of Rhones, Brunelli and some Portuguese wines. Very distinct nose that characterized this wine very much, though I can't recall exactly what it smelled like (I did like it; new leather perhaps?). Very rich and flamboyant flavors, velvet-smooth tannin and lovely licorice and cassis flavors. Deft use of oak gave this a nice vanilla lift near the mid-palate and the finish was decent and pure. I would drop $25-30 on this again, but probably not again at a higher price point.
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Still young, but a fantastic, big-bodied, cab. We paired it with a nice prime rib, which was able to tame this wine and bring out its beautiful dark fruits, licorice, tar, and tanned leather. Wonderful gum-drying tannins turned round when paired with the meat, and the finish was rather long, with dark berries and just a touch of oak.
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Nose of dark currant and sweet oak. Not much classic napa fruit is left on this wine, red currant, oak, spice and earth are all present on the palate, but there is nothing special. Above average wine overall, but not great.
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Decanted for about two hours. Aromas of cassis, blackberry, black cherry and licorice. Flavors of cassis and blackberry, with caramel and vanilla tones on the finish. The tannins are dense, and slightly aggressive yet, leaving a bitter quality on the palate.
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Deep garnet color, no edge variation. Nose: sweet oak and red fruit. On the palate: loads of glycerin, ripe tannin, vanilla, and good fruit. Acidity balance: alcohol, but mellows with some cheese on the side.
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No formal notes. Purchased from the wine list at the Old Homestead in NYC for a slightly offensive $120.00 a bottle. Opened and splash decanted right before serving. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose and palate were fairly tight which was to be expected showing fairly primary notes of black berries and black cherries with perhaps some notes of plums and later some currant. Opened a bit with more air time. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Drink with a decant or hold.
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Black fruits but more spice and oak. Solid tannins and I would guess that is coming from the oak. A cab drinkers cab. Shows good body, power and balance. Some leather and sweat on the nose. Grippy finish, just opened so I would assume this is going to show something as it broadens. Apperently there is nothing that makes this wine unique. A touch over priced at $53.
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Solid cab, fruit forward style, seemed tight despite decanting, this cab could use more time to develop. Good fruit on the front, blackberry, dark cherry and maybe plum, midpalate had a good balance of chocolate and hints of sweet vanilla, finish was a bit short but probably needs time to develop.
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I was more wowed by this wine than Jen was. the fruit was a little bit restrained / tight, but I thought it had promise. Jen didn't want any more bottles of it. We might regret that. From a 500 ml at $28.
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Decanted for two hours in glass. Blueberry cobbler, black currant, cocoa, instant coffee and saw dust on nose. Cocoa, oak and dark fruits excite sides of palate with nice medium finish. Little sharpness to the tannins but very nice. Very good to excellent.
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A very nice bottle. Much better than I expected with a fruit forward profile. This was a very enjoyable wine with a ribeye and complimented the steaks very well. HOWEVER, the wine did not last into the second day. I was very disappointed that the structure did not hold, but my rating is based off of the first night and I will hold to it. I will be buying more if I can find it for $40 a bottle like last time.
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Deep ruby purple in color. A very floral / strawberry scent on the nose. Very brown sugar / red berry/ cinnamon tasting with an hint of vanilla on the finish. Amazingly drinking so well for a 2004. With my taste, I'm not sure I'd let this age much longer. WONDERFUL.
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Thick and beefy. Lots of black, mountain fruit and drying tannins. Still needs some time to settle all those tannins. Enjoyed with avacado and tomato salad + killer brownie. Enjoyable for the price!
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Decanted 30 minutes. Dark ruby/garnet in color. On the nose was dark red fruits, toast and notes of earth or leather that I couldn't quite pin down. On the palate the wine was mouth coating with flavors of blueberry, chocolate, and a bit of spice. The alcohol showed through in the form of heat. The finish was of medium length. This was a very nuanced and pleasurable wine that will get better with a few years on it.
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This is fantastic. Popped, aerated and poured. Good right from the start, although a little simple without sufficient air. Well... after about an hour and a half, this wine is great. It totally opens up. Raspberry candies with some oak, and plenty of mouth coating tannins. If your sitting on multiple bottles, don't be shy, I really recommend popping one. Believe me I understand the hesitancy, but do it!
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Howell Mountain Cabernet (One Particular House, Tustin, CA): To quote Brittany Spears, "Oops, I did it again!" This wine did not deserve to be opened yet, as it is still quite infantile. As it was, it is pretty much an oak milkshake, with some blue and red fruits thrown into the blender. A hard one to judge, as I know it was not ready for primetime. 89-90 points.
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Blackberry, dried cherry, chocolate, blackcurrant and earth. Smooth finish but lacking any elegance or complexity to make it outstanding. Some noticeable heat but not overly distracting. This wine is showing much better than the last time I had it.
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Opaque ruby/black colour. Aromas of black licorice, vanilla, black plums, and alcohol. Medium-full bodied, very firm tannins, with black plums, black licorice, cassis notes on the palate. Moderate finish, ~35s, with black fruit and black licorice.
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David Bowler Fall 2007 Portfolio Tasting (NYC): Deep ruby color. Nose of jammy fruit that may be almost overripe; black pepper and cinnamon. On the palate a touch of sweetness on the attack, deep fruit flavors of plum and sweet blackberries. High tannins dry the mouth -- this needs time. Powerful Cali Cab.
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very young. Decanted and served. needed much longer air time. After a few hours in the glass the nose started to improve a great deal. Red and black fruits dominate the nose with a bit of spice and maybe some earthy components. Solid mouthfeel and strong tannins with a medium finish This wine needs more time IMO.
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Deep opaque purple to the rim with medium thick legs in the glass. Heady black fruit aromas of currant, blackberry, licorice, toasted oak, and mineral overtones. There are high toned flavors of blackberry, cherry, and loads of gripping yet sweet tannin. Very dry and a perfect pairing for a thick charred steak. Potentially outstanding. Triple decanted for 2 hours; note taken after the wine sat in glass another 3 hours.
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First time with this wine as well so I was grateful that Otis opened it for his CDP. This biggest of the 4 vintages poured and the most youthful. Powerful tannins and a concentrated texture. Notes of chocolate, coffee and dark fruit. Needs time. 88+ points.
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nice nose of blackberry, cassias, chocolate but with alittle heat. good powerful mouth with a ton of fruit, tanins and acidity.a touch of heat but with long fruity finish.
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Not decanted enough. I did do the shake thing after pouring a couple of glasses because it clearyly was taking a bit to open up. Nose was reticent at first and then opened to dark cherry and and oaky spice. Nice mouthfeel, more stuffing thatn the 03, and medium finish. We just didn't give it enough time to show it's stuff.
I will either wait a year on my remaining bottles or decant for an hour or so next time. maybe both. hahah.
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92 now on its way to better things. Needs decanting at this point. Best sip was the last sip. Big nose of fruit and spice. Cherry and raspberry flavors with nice spice overtones. Glad I have a bunch more!!
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Decanted for 2 hr. This wine exhibited a rich dark purple color. On the nose, aromas of black cherries and blackberries were prominent with hints of chocolate, oak, and spice. On the palate, flavors of black cherries, black berries and plum were met with hints of spice and oak. Tasted again the following two days and the oak and tannins would soften, but the fruit really stood up and remained prominent fixtures in the flavor profile. A nice cabernet and a solid buy at the price point. HS92
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opened a 500- did the Neal shake-still took about 1/2 hour but was rather drinkable. nose of blackberry, cassias, licorice. nice full feel in the mouth. tannin are surpisingly in check. loads of fruit. strong mid palate. this particular bottle is definatly the most balanced Neal I've had. good long finish.
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Had no problems with this cab... decanted for 90 minutes and the tanins were fairly mellow, at least given what I was expecting from the notes below. Great bottle, especially at the pricepoint.
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I agree with another taster's comments that this wine shows more elegance in its youth compared to recent vintages of Neal CS. Beautiful dark color. Rich full mouthfeel. Flavors of raspberry, currant, earth, and oak. Significant tannins had smoothed by day two. Also by day two spicy bell pepper and grilled meat character came forward -- not at all unpleasant and in fact made the wine far more interesting -- as well as liquorice and pencil. Excellent wine that should be cellared for 2-3 years.
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Decanted 4 hr’s. Nice, polished nose of red currants, blackberry and light vanilla notes that deliver on the silky palate along with faint anise and graphite. Consistent palate with a touch of acidity leading to a nice finish. This has very refined, but significant tannins and is more elegant in style compared to the previous vintages. However, this lacks some of their depth and complexity.
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Notes of cedar box, vanilla, cassis and a bit of spice. Good mouthfeel, loads of sour cherry, coffee and tea. Fine tannins are in good balance with the fruit. If the oak was toned down a bit this would be better, but in 5 years that just might happen.
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Nose: The nose is really bold with cherry, dust and warm oak and raspberry coming through. Palate: Initially this was a very tight wine the tanins were hard and upfront, but as they slowly opened it softened into something much mroe approachable. The entry was classic california cab, and had a juicier midpalate than many recent cabs I have had, however the longer finish was beautiful with Lamb, and Beef.
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Had to try one of these ... Arrived a week ago ... I opened a 500ml bottle and decanted for about an hour. Deep purple in color; almost opaque. Reticent nose with hints of blackberry and cassis. Rich black fruit flavors, along with a touch of spice and dust. Nicely balanced with noticable tannins. Potential for a few more points ... I look forward to revisiting this wine over the next several years.
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A bit young but still a powerful example of good fruit. Balanced with some tannins but smoothed out after 1 hour + of opening. Good value, black cherry and earthy notes. Nice cabernet and will get better.
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Very deep color and aromas of cocoa, spice, and black fruits. A little disjointed at this stage, but appears to have the stuffing to improve over the next couple of years. Not as silky as the 02, but solid year from Neal.
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Just arrived today and poured without decanting, as I was at lunch at my wine locker with a buddy and had no time. I will post additional notes on the same bottle, as there is well over half left.
Very dark purple, bordering black, with a slightly closed nose of cocoa, earth, and black fruits. Very concentrated in the mouth with the nose following through on the palate. The finish was nice, but this wine needs so air to really assess its potential, but I can tell it will be another nice bottle from Neal. I just need to gauge where it stands relative to the 2002, which is one of my favorite $40 Cabs.
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3/16/2023 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
deep young red color, ponderous nose of dark fruits, black plum, a hint of game, on the palate mature with slightly exotic notes of blackberry and plum, exceptional depth and power despite its largely civilized presentation and on the middle it seems a bit closed and in need of just a bit more time in the cellar, fine finish with hints of chalk and cocoa on the back end, almost there, a wonderful wine- and a welcomely unique one.
****, now to 2034+
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11/18/2022 - capacious Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Over the hill. Disjointed, feh.
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7/3/2021 - Rex66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
From magnum, soft cork. May be a little past it’s prime, but still showing pretty well. Drink up.
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9/20/2019 - Robwild wrote: 91 Points
Big. Full bodied. Well balanced. Oak, licorice and plums.
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8/1/2019 - asteff Likes this wine: 93 Points
To me this was stellar. Mature deep mountain fruit, spice, eucalyptus, mile leathers. Wonderful mouthfeel and acidity. It continues getting better and better in the glass, and maintained its edge into the third night. There is a classy elegance to it at this stage as well.
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11/25/2018 - quagland wrote:
Mature mountain fruit. Good length. Cork was soft. From magnum. Drink now.
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9/3/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 90 Points
My last bottle of a case. Though still drinking well I do believe it was better a few years back. Seems like the flavors are less intense.
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4/30/2018 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love Mark Neal's wines and this one is a sweet spot right about now. Red/black cherry and blackberry fruit. Nice core of dusty earth, mocha, dark chocolate, graphite, and a subtle savory note. Great balance of flavors throughout with soft tannins on the long finish.
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2/3/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank with friends. Next to last bottle of case.Pop and pour. This wine is still a delight. I think this is my favorite vintage of Neal. Nice fruit but still plenty of backbone to go some more years. I would say drinking at peak now.
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1/10/2018 - McLeland wrote:
Beyond prime time to drink
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12/2/2017 - smotley99 wrote: 92 Points
Amazingly smooth....classic Napa cab
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3/1/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious mature Cab and an amazing QPR wine. Inky dark color. On the nose black cherry, earth, graphite and earth. On the palate dark fruits, eucalyptus, spice, chocolate, graphite, iron and licorice. Still some tannin in the long finish. Drink now or within 5 years.
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12/16/2016 - spectrumphoto wrote: 92 Points
Showing a bit of age, but not a bad thing....
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11/26/2016 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pretty lite-medium red color. Red raspberries and heavy dust on the nose with chocolate and an unidentified deliciousness as well. This wine is delicious. Red berries, blueberries, chocolate, lasts a long time. Delicious finish.
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11/11/2016 - mntebolt wrote: 90 Points
excellent
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11/11/2016 - mntebolt wrote: 85 Points
v good
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8/23/2016 - lgeeker Likes this wine:
Tuesday Night Double Blind Tasting, $30-$50 (Bin 75): Dark color. Big and rich on the palate, plenty of fruit. A little tannin, but also some New World character (a hint of oak?). In a good spot right now though, very enjoyable.
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2/6/2016 - Xian24 Likes this wine: 90 Points
earthy, Black fruit, cooked fruit on the nose. same on pallet plus caramel. very nice but drink soon
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1/23/2016 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as before with black cherry, blackberry fruit with dark chocolate notes. Nice balance, long finish, smooth tannins.
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12/30/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
No change from my April note. Seems to be in an optimal window. Wish I had a few more.
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12/29/2015 - samalexis wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well, decanted for 45 minutes. Delicious Cab at a reasonable price. Tannins well integrated, incredible balance, Think this should be good to go for another 5 years!
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11/29/2015 - Deryl wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well, but don't hold
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9/29/2015 - brianofthevine wrote: 91 Points
Thick black cherry, blackberry, and dark chocolate notes. Nice long finish with firm tannins on the end. This still has a few years to go.
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4/19/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, cloudy garnet color with crimson tones. The sweet nose brings a mature, rustic bouquet of wet soil, fresh-cut violets, garden herbs, and strawberries intermixed with dark cherry liquor, mocha, and pure milk chocolate. The palate is medium-full, silky, smooth, elegant, and deeply textured, bringing chocolate cherries, cassis, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, along with some dry leather, tobacco, soy sauce, and subtle hints of olives and lavender. The finish lingers for 30+ seconds and brings more rich chocolate and red fruit. For me, this wine is at peak as the acidity seems soft and the tannins are well-integrated. Drink now or over the next few years.
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4/4/2015 - Deryl Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent as always. Fully ready to drink.
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2/15/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious cab at an extremely fair price. Bravo Mark Neal! Everything well integrated and seamless. Still plenty of fruit... tannins integrated.
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2/13/2015 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Still very tannic upon opening. Came around after about an hour, showing similar notes as prior bottles.
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12/23/2014 - TXRhoneRanger wrote: 94 Points
out of magnum. purchased at winery in '08. shy at first and by glass 1 the rest was singing CA cab without the heavy hand. excellent wine tannins resolved great mouthfeel and very pleasureable. not terrifically complex and a short-ish finish but that's fine. I enjoyed this bottle quite well. yum!
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12/18/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 90 Points
Should have decanted or opened. Fruity and somewhat closed off for an hour, then opened. A good Napa cab as Neal almost always is.
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11/28/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking well, good balance, still young, should go another 7-10
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9/27/2014 - mflesh wrote:
I echo the 2013 notes with this bottle, except this wine was a little more mellow than that one in 2013. Nice bottle but not quite the powerhouse of the one lane bridge or fifteen-forty. Probably has another 5- 7 years -- done in 2020.
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4/12/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Incredibly dark and showing no visible signs of aging. Nose had notes of cedar, black fruits and mocha. Similar palate with a bit of oak and soft tannins. Very nice.
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3/5/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fully mature, but probably four to five years to go. Went beautifully with a big porterhouse. Sometimes a steak covers up some but the Neal needed no help
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2/13/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 89 Points
At first this seemed almost over the hill, disorganized with little structure. Set it down came back half hour later. It had firmed up, structure apparent, abundant fruit, typical California. We have a lot of this one and will open another in a few weeks to check out bottle to bottle.
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1/27/2014 - Double D Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich and dark Napa cab, great drinking.
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1/13/2014 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tis wine is drinking well at this moment. Give it an hour to open up then enjoy a balanced and complex aged cab. Loads of fruit and spice with a satisfying medium length finish.
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6/2/2013 - fine137 wrote: 93 Points
excellent, still a baby but some nice secondary flavors showing up.
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6/1/2013 - Raja wrote: 93 Points
Agree with the reviews here. Extraordinary cab that tastes as good as the big napa cabs.
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5/26/2013 - Dskoorb wrote: 91 Points
- Crimsom color with slow forming legs and aromas of raisin, hay/straw, tea, tobacco and fig. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry, raisin, tobacco and prune with a full body. Fleshy texture with a long finish - Black current, fig, and dried tea leaves on the nose. On the palate you get sweet cherry, raisin and tobacco. Smooth and balanced with a long finish. Moderate complexity, but would expect more for the price tag. Overall, solid effort.
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5/15/2013 - budman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid effort. Tannins were present but not obtrusive. Good dark fruit profile. Medium to long finish.
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4/8/2013 - Grape_ape wrote: flawed
Tell tale musty corked aromas on the nose, faint but definitely there. Palate was not really that noticeable, so this was drinkable, but you got that whiff of TCA everytime you brought it up for a sip, which made it far less enjoyable. Disappointing as it was my last bottle, and my previous one drank so well, so I had been looking forward to it.
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2/10/2013 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 95 Points
This beautiful Cab is currently performing well above its pay grade, outdistancing cabs that cost two or three times as much. Beautiful balance with layers of complex flavors. Fruit, spice, smoke. Love this wine and am happy to have more.
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2/1/2013 - mflesh wrote: 94 Points
A very very good wine. Uncorked to a BLACK stain on the cork with about 1-2mm of bleed all the way around. Cork broke at about 75 percent out. The wine was decanted since there were a couple of cork bits. The wine had a lot of sediment all around the neck - very uniform. Sat for 30 minutes. Not passed through a Vinturi. This wine was BEAUTIFULLY aged by Neal Vineyards. The initial smell was smoked meats, a hint of plum, aged blackberry, and mountain fruit. It wasn't as full bodied as I thought by the nose. The taste was aged mountain blackberry, leather, SATIN smooth. The ambience of grilled pork on a cedar plank started to creep in. Finished darker, with dark chocolate, WELL done and very integrated tannin, and a spice that came on board just as the wine finished. I want to say that this one was earthy in the finish, but I believe this is just beautiful tannin showing up. Low acidity. 15 second finish, but I would say it's on the medium side of a full bodied wine. This was actually very devoid of spice until it was enjoyed with the spicy chicken black bean salsa verde casserole. This wine is at its height right now, drank well. This is not all mountain fruit, but it certainly peers through. Drink now with 30 min. decant, or hold for another 3-4 years.
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1/10/2013 - brianofthevine wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry and chocolate
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12/31/2012 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
Tasted double blind. Earth, dark fruit and spice on the nose. The palate was bold but not overtly fruity with a nice amount of dark fruit. Solid finish with plenty of grip. This turned out to be a very good showing of Neal's regular bottling.
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12/2/2012 - konadog wrote: 91 Points
black cherry fruit with underlying spice and some stone notes, tannins are still present. probably can go for another 3-4 yrs
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9/2/2012 - Julius. wrote:
Cork crumbled as it was being removed so i had to pour the wine into the decanter through a strainer. No big deal. Deep ruby color with narrow light rim. Aromas of leather, smoke, mint, black pepper and black fruit waft from the glass. On the palate, more black fruit slathered in bittersweet chocolate and a touch of mint. Full body, medium(-) acidity, medium ripe tannins, long finish. Excellent.
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8/22/2012 - vpoms wrote: 90 Points
Very dark yet clear color, nose of fruit and licorice. This wine feels very smooth in the mouth with very mild, almost undetectable tannins, it will pair up well with milder meat and even fish dishes. Very pleasant, long finish. This wine is in its prime now. Can probably last another 3 to 5 years.
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7/26/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, currants, berries and plums. Flavors of berries, plums and raspberries. Medium acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink now.
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7/25/2012 - goofy Yno wrote: 92 Points
drinking nice tonight. very much cab like, not too much etoh.
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7/10/2012 - EMichels wrote: 89 Points
Better nose than '02 or '03; Juicy
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6/3/2012 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 92 Points
Still very solid...probably has a few more years.
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5/17/2012 - sirswami wrote: 92 Points
Inky complexion, muscular but not overpowering nose and same initial impressions on the palate. Very interesting throughout with some unique personality. In my opinion, this wine represents high quality at its price point.
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4/30/2012 - Grape_ape wrote: 92 Points
Really nice bottle, with an hour of air this was drinking really well....
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4/12/2012 - shapida wrote:
In a very good place right now.
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1/22/2012 - denisontb wrote: 91 Points
Delicious. Dark, dark inky color in the glass. Decanted about 30 minutes, and was very smooth with a long finish. Paired beautifully with filet mignon. Neal is a great value, and this is ready to drink.
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1/8/2012 - rjayson wrote: 89 Points
Drank very well over 2-3 days.
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12/26/2011 - Lakersguy wrote: 92 Points
From Magnum. Opened 2 hours ahead of time with one glass poured upon opening. Very well Balanced and just a delicious CA Cabernet. These are always worth the price and sit on them five years or so before opening.
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12/17/2011 - jhngo wrote: 91 Points
big oaky spicy bold
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12/10/2011 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Much darker fruit profile than the 2003, but with similar floral overtones. Flavors of dark fruit, blackberry and licorice. Finishes well.
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12/6/2011 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is our 5th from our case and dare say the best yet. This is a solid bottle of California cab that is fairly priced. The color is a beautiful inky black-purple. The nose is expressive strong red fruit and black cherry, lead pencil, leather, licorice, spice. Some floral aromas. the flavors are well integrated with pepper, spice, ripe fruit, figs, and earth. This wine is just now entering its prime. Lots of stuffing to evolve over the ears ahead. Just an outstanding effort at this pricepoint.
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7/25/2011 - Neil H wrote: 91 Points
Getting better over the last several months. Tannins have softened. Dark fruit... cherry, raspberry.
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7/10/2011 - AndrewK36 wrote: 92 Points
Delicious chewy cab with notes of blackberry and tobacco. Held its own with a spicy tomato, mozzarella and red chili pepper appetizer. Slightly tannic, but manageable. Drinks well now, but will age nicely for the next 5-10 years.
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3/14/2011 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine was popped and poured and drank over the course of the evening. The color of the wine is a nice garnet with a slight bit of browning. The nose is plum, cherry, graphite, light floral and a bit of spice. The wine is nicely balanced with integrated tannins and good acidity. the flavors are dark fruits, pepper spice, with a really long lingering finish. I would say this wine is certainly drinkable now but will continue to develop.
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2/6/2011 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Really lacking fruit. Not any pleasure in this.
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11/23/2010 - Neil H wrote: 90 Points
Not ready or in between being ready in the past and waiting to be ready. Soft tannis for sure, but really not fruit or any noticeable flavors. Very muted. I would strongly suggest keeping this down for a while and seeing if it opens up in the next couple years.
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10/29/2010 - Diane (LI) wrote:
It feels as if it's almost there. Dark cherries and tobacco on the nose. It starts out the same way on the palate, but it is cut short. The finish is overtaken by the tannins.
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10/17/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
For the life of me, I thought I only had one more bottle of this wine, but turns out, as I looked up the wine to write this note, that I have one more bottle. Now, all I need to do is try and find it...
Was first introduced to Neal by Joel Gott a few years back and have never looked back. Not only is it a beautiful winery and setting (visit if you have the chance - they're in Napa), they also are making incredible wines. I'm not going to get too deep into the tasting notes here as I think the Neal wines are very typical of California / Napa wines. The Cabernet is a big wine and deserves a big red piece of meat. So, if that's not for you, then either is this wine. But, if that suits your palate, this is a wine to pursue. The price point is really good for a CA Cab ($45 for the 2006 version of this wine) and they don't have a current release wine over $80. That may seem expensive, but when Napa is still releasing wines in the $200+ category (with names like Harlan in the $500+ category), this is still a value wine, as odd as that sounds. Neal will always be on my list of "go-to" California wines...
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10/8/2010 - Todd French wrote: 91 Points
After two hours open, this wine emerges with a rich nose of tobacco, coffee, and dark fruits, and a rich mouthfeel with flavor profiles of cassis, graphite, and black cherry. Big tannic structure, but large rounded tannins, even enjoyable on its own. In a very early secondary stage, and quite good.
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9/25/2010 - dsimmons wrote: 91 Points
This wine is coming around nicely. Soft tannins and rounded flavors. Plenty of fruit. If you have multiple bottles it is time to start drinking these.
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5/22/2010 - Slipknot wrote: 91 Points
Getting better. Huge mouthfull of wine. Chewy. Nose was a bit muted which improved over time. Includes spicebox, black fruits and maybe some leather. Very balanced with a lot of muscle left.
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5/16/2010 - deltacop wrote: 90 Points
Just read the review from Grape-ape. I'd put these off another 3 years still. This was my last bottle. Enjoy!
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3/29/2010 - Grape_ape wrote: 90 Points
Decanted about 1 hour, consumed over about 3 hours. Dark ruby to almost purple colored. Obvious black currant, along with other dark fruits on the nose, complemented by some spicy oak. Black currant dominates the palate, with blackberry, black cherry and some chocolate notes underneath the fruit. Begin to get some cedar tones after a few hours. Long finish. This was really hitting its stride around the 3 hour mark. This can still be held for quite a while.
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2/8/2010 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
30 minute decant. Chocolate and mocha on the palate. Sweet tannins. Very enjoyable.
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2/6/2010 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Juicy, chocolate and cherry - a good steak wine - nothing more.
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12/19/2009 - denisontb wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour. Very good Napa Cabernet, had with NY Strips. Continued to get better as the night progressed. Was a bit tannic, and could probably benefit from more cellaring. We enjoyed it, and are glad we have another left in the cellar.
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10/20/2009 - elamasters wrote: 84 Points
Over-ripe for my tastes. A bit hollow on the mid-palate as well. Not bad, just not a style I enjoy.
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10/10/2009 - WineBulldog wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful wine. Nose of rich caramel and ripe barries.
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10/6/2009 - pakabear wrote: 85 Points
Just so much oak, this is not my style anymore... Since the year has so much fruit this is drinkable, but for my tastes, not really enjoyable. I'm sure others will like it better than I.
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8/14/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 92 Points
From a magnum. Wine of the night. This is your classic Napa cab, with an emphasis on the pencil lead thing I'm a sucker for. Drinking very well.
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8/11/2009 - Squirreljam wrote:
Nice nose, not as expressive as I remember from maybe 6-8 months ago IIrc. Still, the nose makes this promising, but on the palate, not quite ready to deliver, still too tannic and monolithic. I’m starting to have doubts about the Neal style for me, but I like the value.
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7/19/2009 - lano wrote: 90 Points
beautiful nose of dark fruit. palate was monolithic as others have stated. dark fruit with very drying tannins. muscular style, almost but not quite to a fault. would be a good pair to a thick steak, but on its own it falters. nice, but probably wouldn't buy again at the price i paid.
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3/8/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Neal - Lewelling Dinner Sunday March 8th, Twist in Campbell (Campbell, CA): Opened not decanted. Served and tasted over 3-4 hours. Quick notes: round, plush dark fruit with dry bramble notes on the finish. Good to Very Good.
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2/13/2009 - Squirreljam wrote:
Impression only but I liked this. It's quite monolithic and not very layered but there was a lot of rich flavor and (unlike some Neals I've had in the last year or two) there seemed to be a decent amount of acid to support it. Quite tannic but it didn't offend. Have tapered off this style in the last few years but this one made me look forward to another...
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2/1/2009 - jeff nowak wrote:
from magnum. nothing but a giant blob of an overextracted piece of junk. hold if you wish, but no amount of aging or decanting is gonna rescue this. my advice is sell it on winebid.
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1/26/2009 - budman wrote: 90 Points
Very young and tannic. If the fruit holds up, this is going to be an excellent wine in 5 years.
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1/25/2009 - skm95t wrote:
GOLV brought this over to try out of a 500ml. This was only opened briefly before consuming so this wine was still very tight and tannic. This wine has a nice flavor profile underneath layers of tannin that a pretty punishing at this point. Half the bottle is left and will update if there is any change on day 2. I see a 90-92 potential here.
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1/25/2009 - good old ludwig van wrote:
Didn't decant, but opened about an hour beforehand.
This wine is not ready. It has potential to be good, but is tight and tannic at this point.
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12/26/2008 - jvogel wrote:
Very much enjoyed this wine among a mixed-flight tasting of Rhones, Brunelli and some Portuguese wines. Very distinct nose that characterized this wine very much, though I can't recall exactly what it smelled like (I did like it; new leather perhaps?). Very rich and flamboyant flavors, velvet-smooth tannin and lovely licorice and cassis flavors. Deft use of oak gave this a nice vanilla lift near the mid-palate and the finish was decent and pure. I would drop $25-30 on this again, but probably not again at a higher price point.
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11/14/2008 - gmbdds wrote:
Opened near the end of a wine party. Too late to focus on notes and a score. I will simply say this was a very nice wine.
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10/26/2008 - dsimmons wrote:
This wine is not ready yet. Recommend a long decant or wait longer to drink this wine.
great potential
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10/21/2008 - Phin wrote: 93 Points
Solid cab for the money. Decent body and dark fruit. Enjoy it young with a bit of decant.
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10/10/2008 - Todd French wrote: 92 Points
Still young, but a fantastic, big-bodied, cab. We paired it with a nice prime rib, which was able to tame this wine and bring out its beautiful dark fruits, licorice, tar, and tanned leather. Wonderful gum-drying tannins turned round when paired with the meat, and the finish was rather long, with dark berries and just a touch of oak.
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9/20/2008 - kanab ram wrote:
2 hour decant. Similar notes as others. Dry and dusty on the palate with medium finish.
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9/17/2008 - pakabear wrote: 88 Points
Nose of dark currant and sweet oak. Not much classic napa fruit is left on this wine, red currant, oak, spice and earth are all present on the palate, but there is nothing special. Above average wine overall, but not great.
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9/2/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
nose of blueberry, cedar. tight mouth with fruit, tannins and a bit of heat
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8/15/2008 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for about two hours. Aromas of cassis, blackberry, black cherry and licorice. Flavors of cassis and blackberry, with caramel and vanilla tones on the finish. The tannins are dense, and slightly aggressive yet, leaving a bitter quality on the palate.
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8/4/2008 - Colia wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet color, no edge variation. Nose: sweet oak and red fruit. On the palate: loads of glycerin, ripe tannin, vanilla, and good fruit. Acidity balance: alcohol, but mellows with some cheese on the side.
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7/27/2008 - vpoms wrote: 91 Points
Very good with mouthfull of fruit, light tannins, medium finish.
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7/24/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90?
Tasted July 24, 2008.
No formal notes. Purchased from the wine list at the Old Homestead in NYC for a slightly offensive $120.00 a bottle. Opened and splash decanted right before serving. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose and palate were fairly tight which was to be expected showing fairly primary notes of black berries and black cherries with perhaps some notes of plums and later some currant. Opened a bit with more air time. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Drink with a decant or hold.
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7/24/2008 - Rex66 wrote: 91 Points
good, not great cab. still tannic, needs time.
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6/30/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Black fruits but more spice and oak. Solid tannins and I would guess that is coming from the oak. A cab drinkers cab. Shows good body, power and balance. Some leather and sweat on the nose. Grippy finish, just opened so I would assume this is going to show something as it broadens. Apperently there is nothing that makes this wine unique. A touch over priced at $53.
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4/23/2008 - sasvino wrote: 90 Points
Solid cab, fruit forward style, seemed tight despite decanting, this cab could use more time to develop. Good fruit on the front, blackberry, dark cherry and maybe plum, midpalate had a good balance of chocolate and hints of sweet vanilla, finish was a bit short but probably needs time to develop.
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4/20/2008 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
I was more wowed by this wine than Jen was. the fruit was a little bit restrained / tight, but I thought it had promise.
Jen didn't want any more bottles of it. We might regret that. From a 500 ml at $28.
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4/16/2008 - kanab ram wrote:
Decanted for two hours in glass. Blueberry cobbler, black currant, cocoa, instant coffee and saw dust on nose. Cocoa, oak and dark fruits excite sides of palate with nice medium finish. Little sharpness to the tannins but very nice. Very good to excellent.
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4/1/2008 - 60secondfinish wrote: 90 Points
A very nice bottle. Much better than I expected with a fruit forward profile. This was a very enjoyable wine with a ribeye and complimented the steaks very well. HOWEVER, the wine did not last into the second day. I was very disappointed that the structure did not hold, but my rating is based off of the first night and I will hold to it. I will be buying more if I can find it for $40 a bottle like last time.
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3/31/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
smokey, blueberry nose with some herbs. nice mouth with alittle heat. blueberry, vanilla
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3/26/2008 - OTWineMan wrote: 93 Points
Deep ruby purple in color. A very floral / strawberry scent on the nose. Very brown sugar / red berry/ cinnamon tasting with an hint of vanilla on the finish. Amazingly drinking so well for a 2004. With my taste, I'm not sure I'd let this age much longer. WONDERFUL.
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2/6/2008 - scooter260 wrote: 92 Points
Thick and beefy. Lots of black, mountain fruit and drying tannins. Still needs some time to settle all those tannins. Enjoyed with avacado and tomato salad + killer brownie. Enjoyable for the price!
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2/4/2008 - CMCLR wrote: 91 Points
Great Napa Cab- always look forward to drinking Mark Neal's wines.
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1/27/2008 - good old ludwig van wrote: 89 Points
As others have said, this is probably a little young, as I tasted the alcohol present. Mixed berries on the palate.
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1/14/2008 - deltacop wrote:
I'll hold off on a score. Its not ready yet, I just wanted to try.
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12/20/2007 - snipes wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. Dark ruby/garnet in color. On the nose was dark red fruits, toast and notes of earth or leather that I couldn't quite pin down. On the palate the wine was mouth coating with flavors of blueberry, chocolate, and a bit of spice. The alcohol showed through in the form of heat. The finish was of medium length. This was a very nuanced and pleasurable wine that will get better with a few years on it.
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12/12/2007 - CMorris wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1.5 hrs and served with dinner. Full bodied, nice wine. Not drinking young. Drink or Hold.
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12/5/2007 - pkbackman wrote: 91 Points
This is fantastic. Popped, aerated and poured. Good right from the start, although a little simple without sufficient air. Well... after about an hour and a half, this wine is great. It totally opens up. Raspberry candies with some oak, and plenty of mouth coating tannins. If your sitting on multiple bottles, don't be shy, I really recommend popping one. Believe me I understand the hesitancy, but do it!
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11/24/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 89 Points
Howell Mountain Cabernet (One Particular House, Tustin, CA): To quote Brittany Spears, "Oops, I did it again!" This wine did not deserve to be opened yet, as it is still quite infantile. As it was, it is pretty much an oak milkshake, with some blue and red fruits thrown into the blender. A hard one to judge, as I know it was not ready for primetime. 89-90 points.
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11/24/2007 - sperkins wrote: 92 Points
Had this at Thanksgiving dinner. very smooth tannins
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11/13/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry, dried cherry, chocolate, blackcurrant and earth. Smooth finish but lacking any elegance or complexity to make it outstanding. Some noticeable heat but not overly distracting. This wine is showing much better than the last time I had it.
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10/27/2007 - futronic wrote: 91 Points
Opaque ruby/black colour. Aromas of black licorice, vanilla, black plums, and alcohol. Medium-full bodied, very firm tannins, with black plums, black licorice, cassis notes on the palate. Moderate finish, ~35s, with black fruit and black licorice.
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9/25/2007 - dougsmith wrote: 91 Points
David Bowler Fall 2007 Portfolio Tasting (NYC): Deep ruby color. Nose of jammy fruit that may be almost overripe; black pepper and cinnamon. On the palate a touch of sweetness on the attack, deep fruit flavors of plum and sweet blackberries. High tannins dry the mouth -- this needs time. Powerful Cali Cab.
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9/21/2007 - Slipknot wrote: 90 Points
very young. Decanted and served. needed much longer air time. After a few hours in the glass the nose started to improve a great deal. Red and black fruits dominate the nose with a bit of spice and maybe some earthy components. Solid mouthfeel and strong tannins with a medium finish This wine needs more time IMO.
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9/15/2007 - WineForRob wrote: 92 Points
Very strong nose of dark and red fruits. Medium bodied with a hint of oak and mocha midpalate. Very nice finish with ripe building tannins.
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9/13/2007 - Badfish wrote: 91 Points
Deep opaque purple to the rim with medium thick legs in the glass. Heady black fruit aromas of currant, blackberry, licorice, toasted oak, and mineral overtones. There are high toned flavors of blackberry, cherry, and loads of gripping yet sweet tannin. Very dry and a perfect pairing for a thick charred steak. Potentially outstanding. Triple decanted for 2 hours; note taken after the wine sat in glass another 3 hours.
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8/27/2007 - brianofthevine wrote: 92 Points
Black cherry and chocolate, nice finish.
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8/14/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 88 Points
First time with this wine as well so I was grateful that Otis opened it for his CDP. This biggest of the 4 vintages poured and the most youthful. Powerful tannins and a concentrated texture. Notes of chocolate, coffee and dark fruit. Needs time. 88+ points.
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8/7/2007 - vinole wrote: 90 Points
Napa Winery Tour (Larkmead, Cliff Lede, Neal, Ladera, Etude & more): Nice flavors of blackberry and raspberry with some light oak. A medium to full bodied wine with some elegance and a nice finish of 30 sec.
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7/10/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 90 Points
nice nose of blackberry, cassias, chocolate but with alittle heat. good powerful mouth with a ton of fruit, tanins and acidity.a touch of heat but with long fruity finish.
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7/5/2007 - DukeDrew wrote:
No formal note.
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7/1/2007 - AlexRed wrote: 90 Points
Not decanted enough. I did do the shake thing after pouring a couple of glasses because it clearyly was taking a bit to open up.
Nose was reticent at first and then opened to dark cherry and and oaky spice. Nice mouthfeel, more stuffing thatn the 03, and medium finish. We just didn't give it enough time to show it's stuff.
I will either wait a year on my remaining bottles or decant for an hour or so next time. maybe both. hahah.
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6/12/2007 - DukeDrew wrote: 90 Points
Showing much better than the 03 right now, still a little early. Should have done the Neal shake with the decanter...
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6/6/2007 - dsimmons wrote: 92 Points
92 now on its way to better things. Needs decanting at this point. Best sip was the last sip. Big nose of fruit and spice. Cherry and raspberry flavors with nice spice overtones. Glad I have a bunch more!!
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5/29/2007 - HurrahSyrah wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hr. This wine exhibited a rich dark purple color. On the nose, aromas of black cherries and blackberries were prominent with hints of chocolate, oak, and spice. On the palate, flavors of black cherries, black berries and plum were met with hints of spice and oak. Tasted again the following two days and the oak and tannins would soften, but the fruit really stood up and remained prominent fixtures in the flavor profile. A nice cabernet and a solid buy at the price point. HS92
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5/17/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 92 Points
opened a 500- did the Neal shake-still took about 1/2 hour but was rather drinkable. nose of blackberry, cassias, licorice. nice full feel in the mouth. tannin are surpisingly in check. loads of fruit. strong mid palate. this particular bottle is definatly the most balanced Neal I've had. good long finish.
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5/17/2007 - DukeDrew wrote: 91 Points
Had no problems with this cab... decanted for 90 minutes and the tanins were fairly mellow, at least given what I was expecting from the notes below. Great bottle, especially at the pricepoint.
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5/9/2007 - babnik wrote:
I agree with another taster's comments that this wine shows more elegance in its youth compared to recent vintages of Neal CS. Beautiful dark color. Rich full mouthfeel. Flavors of raspberry, currant, earth, and oak. Significant tannins had smoothed by day two. Also by day two spicy bell pepper and grilled meat character came forward -- not at all unpleasant and in fact made the wine far more interesting -- as well as liquorice and pencil. Excellent wine that should be cellared for 2-3 years.
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5/5/2007 - GreenDrazi wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 4 hr’s. Nice, polished nose of red currants, blackberry and light vanilla notes that deliver on the silky palate along with faint anise and graphite. Consistent palate with a touch of acidity leading to a nice finish. This has very refined, but significant tannins and is more elegant in style compared to the previous vintages. However, this lacks some of their depth and complexity.
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5/3/2007 - pakabear wrote: 91 Points
Notes of cedar box, vanilla, cassis and a bit of spice. Good mouthfeel, loads of sour cherry, coffee and tea. Fine tannins are in good balance with the fruit. If the oak was toned down a bit this would be better, but in 5 years that just might happen.
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4/5/2007 - RockinCabs wrote:
Nose: The nose is really bold with cherry, dust and warm oak and raspberry coming through. Palate: Initially this was a very tight wine the tanins were hard and upfront, but as they slowly opened it softened into something much mroe approachable. The entry was classic california cab, and had a juicier midpalate than many recent cabs I have had, however the longer finish was beautiful with Lamb, and Beef.
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3/28/2007 - scottj wrote: 89 Points
Had to try one of these ... Arrived a week ago ... I opened a 500ml bottle and decanted for about an hour. Deep purple in color; almost opaque. Reticent nose with hints of blackberry and cassis. Rich black fruit flavors, along with a touch of spice and dust. Nicely balanced with noticable tannins. Potential for a few more points ... I look forward to revisiting this wine over the next several years.
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3/7/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 87 Points
Backstreet - California Cabernets (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix, AZ): Oaky and earthy. Started out well, but fell apart after some time in the glass.
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3/7/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 83 Points
Phoenix eRP Offline - California Cabernet Sauvignon (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Floral perfumed nose. Very noticeable alcohol on the finish. Unbalanced. Very young. Not showing very well at all.
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2/24/2007 - JCaress wrote: 92 Points
A bit young but still a powerful example of good fruit. Balanced with some tannins but smoothed out after 1 hour + of opening. Good value, black cherry and earthy notes. Nice cabernet and will get better.
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2/24/2007 - Bryan wrote: 91 Points
love this!
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2/11/2007 - EMichels wrote: 88 Points
Earthy; Quiet; Soft
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2/10/2007 - brianofthevine wrote: 90 Points
Very tight right now, shows some blackberry and chocolate. Definitely needs some time to sit, but should be nice over the years.
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2/5/2007 - drinkwinedaily wrote: 90 Points
Very deep color and aromas of cocoa, spice, and black fruits. A little disjointed at this stage, but appears to have the stuffing to improve over the next couple of years. Not as silky as the 02, but solid year from Neal.
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2/2/2007 - drinkwinedaily wrote: 91 Points
Just arrived today and poured without decanting, as I was at lunch at my wine locker with a buddy and had no time. I will post additional notes on the same bottle, as there is well over half left.
Very dark purple, bordering black, with a slightly closed nose of cocoa, earth, and black fruits. Very concentrated in the mouth with the nose following through on the palate. The finish was nice, but this wine needs so air to really assess its potential, but I can tell it will be another nice bottle from Neal. I just need to gauge where it stands relative to the 2002, which is one of my favorite $40 Cabs.
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