Big iodine at PnP. Mellowed into cedar cigar box, black olive, black tea, dry rose. Lots of life. Sadly finished within an hour, I'm sure it contains multitudes given some air.
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Another excellent purchase from the Benchmark Bin Sale. I love these 15-20 year Heitz Napa Cabernets…97 the rule, not the exception. It had perfect storage and is at its peak and will hold for another 1-2 years and diminish over the following 3-5 years.
The nose is floral dark cherry kirsch. Both plums, blackberries, black raspberries, pomegranate, strawberry liqueur notes, steeped tea, red & dark cola/licorice, dark rich earth, sharp, dry herbs, black pepper, dry twig with dark & red fresh & slightly withering florals.
The palate is ripe fruits well balanced with earth. Perfect evolution & integration. Soft, elegant w/ nothing bitty. Dark currents with ripe, leaner, juicy, slightly liqueured; blackberries, black raspberries, late spring dark cherries, both plums, orange rune, raspberries & poached strawberries. Heavy Asian & Indian, dark spices, black licorice/cola, pure anise, steeped, black tea, touch of black olive, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, dry tobacco, dry Provence herbs, barrel shavings, dry pipe tobacco/ash, some lead pencil, leathery, moist, grey, volcanic clay, crumbled limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry river stone, dry brush, grilled meats-Châteauneuf-du-Pape characteristics w/ ragging, withering florals that are dark, red, purple, rainfall acidity with excellent; structure, tension, balance, polished finish that does not end. Wire to wire consistency. Lucky to enjoy a well stored bottle of 97 with this age.
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Wish I had 1 more to drink! Vaccine’s give optimism of a return to a more normal life & this old gem reminds me that some things have been immune to what we’ve been going through. Quick sip out of bottle was nice. Decanted over an hour & it was a real treat with steak & lobster! It has mellowed over time, but to the old wine spectator notes hold true and it still had some currant, cherry & blackberry. Thrilled it held up! Cheers
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Opened a Coravin bottle. Was actually much better tonight than last time. PnP it was very polished and silky. Rich dark fruit with some spice. The finish was long with a hint of eucalyptus. The second glass (from the open bottle) about an hour or so later and lost some of its charm, more like the Coravin glass previously which actually sat for about a half hour. I think if you still have this wine it is now time.
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From a Coravin pour. 1/2 hour prior to drinking. This is still vibrant with raspberry in the forefront. There isn’t much in complexity going on, however. Pretty straightforward. Which isn’t all bad, but this is/was a Napa icon winery so would have expected a little more.
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Pop and pour and served with food and then followed on its own. (The food was a veal cutlet and then a pierogi, in case you were wondering.) Dark and rich maroon color; showing no real sign of bricking. Nose of mint/menthol and cedar. Tastes of black fruits with a little bit of licorice,menthol and a slight touch of eucalyptus. Shows a good dose of acidity that started leaning towards being astringent. A nice wine but perhaps a bit one dimensional. Showed more promise upon first opening but then the acidity move more towards the astringent side.
Stuck the cork back in and the wine sat for two days. Checked in again. The wine held up after two days, showing some good black fruits and cedar notes, with the acidity still providing lift.
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Still subtle nose, with moderatly flavors and medium to long finish. Silky smooth tannins balanced with dark fruit. Complexity still present but more refined almost to the point of fading.
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At Patty's. Really drinking well at the moment. All tannins have disappeared and what is left is a razor smooth mature cali cab. Not overly complex, but loving the 14 years of age in the mouth.
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Perfectly cellared for its life, the 1997 was still impressive. The fruits and tannins weren't as bold or as expressed as when it was developing in its youth but its underlying complexity, while somewhat muted, was evident. If I had another I would drink it now.
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This is the 2nd to last bottle of our case, and we have enjoyed them all. However, the past two seem to have had a barnyardy-type of funky smell to them, perhaps too much brett? It slowly dissipated, but never went totally away. The wine was excellent with the exception of that flaw. It reminds me of the past several Bordeaux's that I've had, and is the major reason my wife thinks they rot.
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Popped and sampled every ½ hour over a 2 hour decant. Very subtle nose, even in the early sampling, yet very powerful in flavor intensity and finish; suggesting that this one is at its peak and will only be declining going forward. So drink ‘em now if you got ‘em. Hits its prime drinking window between the 2 – 5 hour mark, from initial opening. Silky smooth tannins in perfect balance w/aged dark fruit and dark chocolate. This superstar’s performance will shine brightest when backed-up with the harmonious flavors of beef or lamb. With its weak nose, the judges give it 90 pts as a solo performer. With an ensemble of grilled meat, this baby is in its wheelhouse and just sings at an easy 94 pts. Final verdict; 92 pts total.
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This was another excellent bottle -- fantastic as a pre-meal glass and even better with our steak. One of the best aging 1997 Napa Cabs that I've seen.
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The was an excellent wine with very good integration of wood, tannin, acid and fruit. It is in it's prime and should be consumed within the next couple years. The fruit bomb style of "New" Napa will never, ever have the character of wines like these.
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This bottle was light. Expected a big nose and complex flavors but instead got a very smooth wine, light tannins and completely integrated. Was expecting moe, but was not disappinted with the final "mix". The finish was smooth and trailed off.
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We originally purchased 12 and tried one just about every year and found that each year it becomes better, more complex and well rounded. More in the style of a Bordeaux than a Napa fruit bomb (which I love), so it pairs excellently with food. I would have originally rated it about a 87 a few years ago, but the past two bottles we drank in 2010 deserved a 92 or so. Definitely got better with age. Highly recommended if you can find any.
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I LOVE aged wine. No, I REALLY love aged wine. This wine was beyond comparison. Fruit forward, open, smooth, and touch of sweet fruit, and still young. Very bordeaux-like. Awesome. On the nose, this had a kick-ass perfume. Grant and I could have sniffed for hours. I love the smell of an aged wine. Nothing compares. Thanks Grant for sharing from your cellar.
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Purchased 2 from Heitz on Napa tour 2000. Wow, this is holding up well. Slight off odor but blew off quickly, excellent aromas of cherry, plum, earth. Still nice red color, slight thinning on edges. Well structured, balanced, tannins blended in but still there in the finish. Clean flavors of red fruits, stone, mint, currant and dusty cherry. Day two nice aromas of wet stone, blueberry. The last bottle will be fun to open in a couple years.
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Dark red. Lots of perfumey, cabernet notes. Some light tannins and little acid. Some tasters noted it was pretty mediocre. I liked it a little more then most.
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Black fruit up front, then transitioning to tobacco and maybe a little cedar. Not particularly complex, but a nice balance of light acidity and a little tannin. More food friendly than I expected after the initial taste; it matched will with a lamb tangine. Cocktail friendly, for a Cab.
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13.5% alcohol. This was just superb, showing well, but still very youthful. Not showing age in its color, but perhaps ligthening just a touch. Deep, rich bouquet of black currant, cedar, tobacco, and a touch of eucalyptus. Concentrated and potent in the mouth, with an impressive core of black fruit and plenty of complexity. Good acidity. Long finish, which emphasized the earthy edge of the wine. Plenty of tannins still on the back end suggest further life, and it sure has the fruit to back it up. A-
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Beautiful pairing with lamb shanks, blue marlin and small plate dinner at La Cava. Slightly bricked, big nose and smooth mouthfeel. Wonderful wine that still has a good bit of time.
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Really wonderful Cab. Huge Creme de Cassis on the nose. Wonderful balance of dark fruit and integrated tannins on the palate. Subdued acidity but still very food friendly. Had with a steak and it fit the bill nicely. Suprisingly youthful in color with no bricking but the color has definitely started to extend to the rim.
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Decanted one hour before dinner of rib steaks and shitake/potato/tomato mixture. Fruit-driven, very smoothe tanins, and a long finish. However, it lacked layers and complexity, more for gulping than savouring. A good example of a fruit dominating experience.
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On a cold, rainy and blustery Eve, what could be better than meat loaf! Well, a fully matured cab couldn't hurt--and that is exactly what we got in this bottle. Lots of pipe tobacco, earth and melded fruit around a softened core of tannin. The only disappointment is my rec that you dive into these in the next 24 months as they are not going to mature further. The 97 vintage has proven to be one that the critics missed--early maturing and sadly lacking the power of 94 and others.
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Opened for a dinner with the in laws: a dish of chicken marbella from the silver palate--a great Sunday dinner, check it out sometime. Anyhow, the wine...
Very ripe and plush with sweet fruit and a mellowed finish. Hardly any tannin at all; I found this so easy to drink, I couldn't stop pouring and sipping during the Patriots/ Colts game. Reminicing, I recalled a 95 Phelps we had two weeks ago. A far more structured wine. I believe that most '97s I have had have drunk very easily without much tannic notes or heavy oak. While I have enjoyed this wine quite a bit, I would drink it up over the next 2 years.
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nice wine. needs an hour or more to open up. still has lots of tannins and should be as good or better for a few more years. dark reddish brown in color. almost smokey taste.
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This was an amazing bottle of wine. Received as a gift back in 2001 and laid it down until December. Opened and decanted for 45 min. The wine had a beautiul red/brown color and a complex earthy nose. The wine was equally complex in taste with balanced tannins and fruits. The most impressive quality was the long finish. What an excellent wine. Wish I had another bottle.
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Opulent with cassis and blackberry. strong somewhat pungent nose initially that smoothed out. Complex with somewhat unbalanced tanins. Long and sleek finish.
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This has rounded out nicely. Sweet red plum and blackcurrant fruit, integrated tannins, and a bit of vanilla on the respectably long finish. This is (a) actually a little better than I expected & (b) seems fully mature. I wouldn't hold long. Nice.
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Wow! Did this ever go well with filet mignon and Nathan's hot dogs! Am not sure why this wine has received <90 ratings from other reviewers. A full, fruit-forward (but not too much), long, smooth wine.
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This wine was better than I expected it to be. Beautiful color with rich fruit and a nice 20-25 second tail. Took about 30-45 minutes to fully open up. Interestingly, this wine had almost no nose. That being said, I'm glad I have another bottle.
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California Wines Offline (NYC): Ruby red with a typical cabernet nose of black currant fruit and some light toasted oak. Medium bodied and a descent, spicy finish. Slightly one dimensional.
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12/1/2023 - Ikesmith wrote: 94 Points
Big iodine at PnP. Mellowed into cedar cigar box, black olive, black tea, dry rose. Lots of life. Sadly finished within an hour, I'm sure it contains multitudes given some air.
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10/23/2023 - rawdealbuffy Likes this wine:
Incredible. Everything you want from a 26 year old Napa Cab. Could keep going but giving so much pleasure right now.
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10/21/2023 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another excellent purchase from the Benchmark Bin Sale. I love these 15-20 year Heitz Napa Cabernets…97 the rule, not the exception. It had perfect storage and is at its peak and will hold for another 1-2 years and diminish over the following 3-5 years.
The nose is floral dark cherry kirsch. Both plums, blackberries, black raspberries, pomegranate, strawberry liqueur notes, steeped tea, red & dark cola/licorice, dark rich earth, sharp, dry herbs, black pepper, dry twig with dark & red fresh & slightly withering florals.
The palate is ripe fruits well balanced with earth. Perfect evolution & integration. Soft, elegant w/ nothing bitty. Dark currents with ripe, leaner, juicy, slightly liqueured; blackberries, black raspberries, late spring dark cherries, both plums, orange rune, raspberries & poached strawberries. Heavy Asian & Indian, dark spices, black licorice/cola, pure anise, steeped, black tea, touch of black olive, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, dry tobacco, dry Provence herbs, barrel shavings, dry pipe tobacco/ash, some lead pencil, leathery, moist, grey, volcanic clay, crumbled limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry river stone, dry brush, grilled meats-Châteauneuf-du-Pape characteristics w/ ragging, withering florals that are dark, red, purple, rainfall acidity with excellent; structure, tension, balance, polished finish that does not end. Wire to wire consistency. Lucky to enjoy a well stored bottle of 97 with this age.
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7/5/2022 - Vineyard Boy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Direct from winery, beautiful bouquet! Could easily go another 5-10 years.
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1/14/2022 - Bouzaid wrote: 88 Points
This was great, on edge, lucky we didn’t hold for any longer
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3/28/2021 - sfcrushaz Likes this wine:
Wish I had 1 more to drink! Vaccine’s give optimism of a return to a more normal life & this old gem reminds me that some things have been immune to what we’ve been going through. Quick sip out of bottle was nice. Decanted over an hour & it was a real treat with steak & lobster! It has mellowed over time, but to the old wine spectator notes hold true and it still had some currant, cherry & blackberry. Thrilled it held up! Cheers
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6/27/2020 - JS1056 wrote: 90 Points
Opened a Coravin bottle. Was actually much better tonight than last time. PnP it was very polished and silky. Rich dark fruit with some spice. The finish was long with a hint of eucalyptus.
The second glass (from the open bottle) about an hour or so later and lost some of its charm, more like the Coravin glass previously which actually sat for about a half hour.
I think if you still have this wine it is now time.
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6/15/2020 - JS1056 wrote: 88 Points
From a Coravin pour. 1/2 hour prior to drinking.
This is still vibrant with raspberry in the forefront. There isn’t much in complexity going on, however. Pretty straightforward. Which isn’t all bad, but this is/was a Napa icon winery so would have expected a little more.
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11/21/2014 - rcg62 wrote: 90 Points
Anise (sambuca!) on the nose, once must blew away. Red raspberry palate with some tannin still. Very nice, but nothing special.
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2/27/2014 - t_moderne wrote: 88 Points
Pop and pour and served with food and then followed on its own. (The food was a veal cutlet and then a pierogi, in case you were wondering.)
Dark and rich maroon color; showing no real sign of bricking.
Nose of mint/menthol and cedar.
Tastes of black fruits with a little bit of licorice,menthol and a slight touch of eucalyptus. Shows a good dose of acidity that started leaning towards being astringent. A nice wine but perhaps a bit one dimensional. Showed more promise upon first opening but then the acidity move more towards the astringent side.
Stuck the cork back in and the wine sat for two days. Checked in again. The wine held up after two days, showing some good black fruits and cedar notes, with the acidity still providing lift.
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12/5/2013 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent, complex cab. Medium body, probably a bit past its peak, but still very nice.
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3/31/2012 - Old Course 72 wrote: 89 Points
Still subtle nose, with moderatly flavors and medium to long finish. Silky smooth tannins balanced with dark fruit. Complexity still present but more refined almost to the point of fading.
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1/29/2012 - Old Course 72 wrote: 90 Points
Subtle nose, intense flavors and medium to long finish. Silky smooth tannins balanced with dark fruit. Still needs a bit of time after opening.
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7/24/2011 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
At Patty's. Really drinking well at the moment. All tannins have disappeared and what is left is a razor smooth mature cali cab. Not overly complex, but loving the 14 years of age in the mouth.
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4/24/2011 - 3vines wrote: 90 Points
Perfectly cellared for its life, the 1997 was still impressive. The fruits and tannins weren't as bold or as expressed as when it was developing in its youth but its underlying complexity, while somewhat muted, was evident. If I had another I would drink it now.
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4/19/2011 - dstraub wrote: 92 Points
Sad day - this was our last bottle of the case. Still going strong.
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3/10/2011 - dstraub wrote: 90 Points
This is the 2nd to last bottle of our case, and we have enjoyed them all. However, the past two seem to have had a barnyardy-type of funky smell to them, perhaps too much brett? It slowly dissipated, but never went totally away. The wine was excellent with the exception of that flaw. It reminds me of the past several Bordeaux's that I've had, and is the major reason my wife thinks they rot.
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2/18/2011 - pinothoarder wrote: 92 Points
Popped and sampled every ½ hour over a 2 hour decant. Very subtle nose, even in the early sampling, yet very powerful in flavor intensity and finish; suggesting that this one is at its peak and will only be declining going forward. So drink ‘em now if you got ‘em. Hits its prime drinking window between the 2 – 5 hour mark, from initial opening. Silky smooth tannins in perfect balance w/aged dark fruit and dark chocolate. This superstar’s performance will shine brightest when backed-up with the harmonious flavors of beef or lamb. With its weak nose, the judges give it 90 pts as a solo performer. With an ensemble of grilled meat, this baby is in its wheelhouse and just sings at an easy 94 pts. Final verdict; 92 pts total.
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11/21/2010 - dstraub wrote: 94 Points
This was another excellent bottle -- fantastic as a pre-meal glass and even better with our steak. One of the best aging 1997 Napa Cabs that I've seen.
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10/4/2010 - cepageyakima wrote: 93 Points
The was an excellent wine with very good integration of wood, tannin, acid and fruit. It is in it's prime and should be consumed within the next couple years. The fruit bomb style of "New" Napa will never, ever have the character of wines like these.
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5/2/2010 - pbarnet wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was light. Expected a big nose and complex flavors but instead got a very smooth wine, light tannins and completely integrated. Was expecting moe, but was not disappinted with the final "mix". The finish was smooth and trailed off.
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2/18/2010 - dstraub wrote: 92 Points
We originally purchased 12 and tried one just about every year and found that each year it becomes better, more complex and well rounded. More in the style of a Bordeaux than a Napa fruit bomb (which I love), so it pairs excellently with food. I would have originally rated it about a 87 a few years ago, but the past two bottles we drank in 2010 deserved a 92 or so. Definitely got better with age. Highly recommended if you can find any.
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1/2/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Outstanding bottle of wine. French nose. Fruit integrated. Wish I had more.
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12/5/2009 - A&C wrote: 94 Points
I LOVE aged wine. No, I REALLY love aged wine. This wine was beyond comparison. Fruit forward, open, smooth, and touch of sweet fruit, and still young. Very bordeaux-like. Awesome. On the nose, this had a kick-ass perfume. Grant and I could have sniffed for hours. I love the smell of an aged wine. Nothing compares. Thanks Grant for sharing from your cellar.
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5/30/2009 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 93 Points
wow - awesome wne. A lot of structure.
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4/18/2009 - bryon m wrote: 90 Points
It needed 30 minutes to open up. The wine is lighter in body but the color is still good. Light fruit and oak. Over all a great value and age worthy.
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2/1/2009 - peteng wrote:
--
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11/29/2008 - Senso-beak wrote: 92 Points
Purchased 2 from Heitz on Napa tour 2000. Wow, this is holding up well. Slight off odor but blew off quickly, excellent aromas of cherry, plum, earth. Still nice red color, slight thinning on edges. Well structured, balanced, tannins blended in but still there in the finish. Clean flavors of red fruits, stone, mint, currant and dusty cherry. Day two nice aromas of wet stone, blueberry. The last bottle will be fun to open in a couple years.
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9/18/2008 - David J Cooper wrote:
Dark red. Lots of perfumey, cabernet notes. Some light tannins and little acid. Some tasters noted it was pretty mediocre. I liked it a little more then most.
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9/1/2008 - underwds wrote:
Black fruit up front, then transitioning to tobacco and maybe a little cedar. Not particularly complex, but a nice balance of light acidity and a little tannin. More food friendly than I expected after the initial taste; it matched will with a lamb tangine. Cocktail friendly, for a Cab.
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7/21/2008 - gutt22 wrote:
13.5% alcohol. This was just superb, showing well, but still very youthful. Not showing age in its color, but perhaps ligthening just a touch. Deep, rich bouquet of black currant, cedar, tobacco, and a touch of eucalyptus. Concentrated and potent in the mouth, with an impressive core of black fruit and plenty of complexity. Good acidity. Long finish, which emphasized the earthy edge of the wine. Plenty of tannins still on the back end suggest further life, and it sure has the fruit to back it up. A-
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7/20/2008 - orcharddude22 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful pairing with lamb shanks, blue marlin and small plate dinner at La Cava. Slightly bricked, big nose and smooth mouthfeel. Wonderful wine that still has a good bit of time.
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7/1/2008 - JSPuskar wrote: 90 Points
With leg of lamb. This was an excellent cab, smooth and silky. The nose was earthy, and the fruit and tobacco on the palate were wonderful.
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6/9/2008 - jmh st louis wrote: 91 Points
wonderful blend of blackberry, licorice, and tobacco on a medium finish.
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5/17/2008 - paulst wrote: 89 Points
Light blackberry with moderate finish.
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3/24/2008 - paulst wrote: 91 Points
Smooth with long finish.
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2/20/2008 - bwillia wrote: 93 Points
Really wonderful Cab. Huge Creme de Cassis on the nose. Wonderful balance of dark fruit and integrated tannins on the palate. Subdued acidity but still very food friendly. Had with a steak and it fit the bill nicely. Suprisingly youthful in color with no bricking but the color has definitely started to extend to the rim.
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1/3/2008 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Very nice dark fruit, tobacco, and earth flavors. Good structure and acid, drinking very nicely tonight.
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12/25/2007 - jdw2007 wrote: 91 Points
Great. Drank at Thanksgiving 2007
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11/19/2007 - holsti wrote: 89 Points
Decanted one hour before dinner of rib steaks and shitake/potato/tomato mixture. Fruit-driven, very smoothe tanins, and a long finish. However, it lacked layers and complexity, more for gulping than savouring. A good example of a fruit dominating experience.
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10/19/2007 - BradA wrote: 90 Points
On a cold, rainy and blustery Eve, what could be better than meat loaf! Well, a fully matured cab couldn't hurt--and that is exactly what we got in this bottle. Lots of pipe tobacco, earth and melded fruit around a softened core of tannin. The only disappointment is my rec that you dive into these in the next 24 months as they are not going to mature further. The 97 vintage has proven to be one that the critics missed--early maturing and sadly lacking the power of 94 and others.
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10/8/2007 - paulst wrote: 93 Points
Smooth thick jammy earthy blackberry.
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3/23/2007 - pepeelvis wrote:
good stuff, still has a few more years left in it
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1/21/2007 - BradA wrote: 91 Points
Opened for a dinner with the in laws: a dish of chicken marbella from the silver palate--a great Sunday dinner, check it out sometime. Anyhow, the wine...
Very ripe and plush with sweet fruit and a mellowed finish. Hardly any tannin at all; I found this so easy to drink, I couldn't stop pouring and sipping during the Patriots/ Colts game. Reminicing, I recalled a 95 Phelps we had two weeks ago. A far more structured wine. I believe that most '97s I have had have drunk very easily without much tannic notes or heavy oak.
While I have enjoyed this wine quite a bit, I would drink it up over the next 2 years.
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1/7/2007 - kas wrote: 93 Points
nice wine. needs an hour or more to open up. still has lots of tannins and should be as good or better for a few more years. dark reddish brown in color. almost smokey taste.
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12/2/2006 - dlo wrote: 94 Points
This was an amazing bottle of wine. Received as a gift back in 2001 and laid it down until December. Opened and decanted for 45 min. The wine had a beautiul red/brown color and a complex earthy nose. The wine was equally complex in taste with balanced tannins and fruits. The most impressive quality was the long finish. What an excellent wine. Wish I had another bottle.
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9/25/2006 - N2Vin wrote: flawed
just awful
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8/7/2006 - paulst wrote: 92 Points
Opulent with cassis and blackberry. strong somewhat pungent nose initially that smoothed out. Complex with somewhat unbalanced tanins. Long and sleek finish.
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6/19/2006 - DaleW wrote: 90 Points
This has rounded out nicely. Sweet red plum and blackcurrant fruit, integrated tannins, and a bit of vanilla on the respectably long finish. This is (a) actually a little better than I expected & (b) seems fully mature. I wouldn't hold long. Nice.
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4/29/2006 - TinMan wrote: 94 Points
Wow! Did this ever go well with filet mignon and Nathan's hot dogs! Am not sure why this wine has received <90 ratings from other reviewers. A full, fruit-forward (but not too much), long, smooth wine.
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2/23/2006 - BradA wrote: 91 Points
Not a bad bottle, ripe lush and a full tobacco flavor, very pleasant with our soup of white beans, thyme and sausage.
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3/13/2005 - wattsjr9 wrote: 85 Points
This wine was better than I expected it to be. Beautiful color with rich fruit and a nice 20-25 second tail. Took about 30-45 minutes to fully open up. Interestingly, this wine had almost no nose. That being said, I'm glad I have another bottle.
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12/13/2004 - jamiekutch wrote: 90 Points
California Wines Offline (NYC): Ruby red with a typical cabernet nose of black currant fruit and some light toasted oak. Medium bodied and a descent, spicy finish. Slightly one dimensional.
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