Typical Montelena, robust, earthy, complex. Opens with notes of raspberry, sour cherry and plum. Additional earthy notes, chocolate and coffee on the mid palate. A lingering finish and moderate, nicely integrated tannins. The 2005 ( and this is my third bottle) is and always has been a bit subdued compared to other vintages but high quality none the less.
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Right medium ruby, slightly cloudy. Chocolate-covered coffee beans with sweet raspberries and significant alcohol on the nose. Really good mix of raspberries, blackberries, and mulberries on the front palate. Sweet bay leaf notes at the mid-palate. Gets sweeter and riper with air. Tasty stuff.
I am a big Bordeaux drinker, and haven't tasted a lot of California cabs, but this wine was stunning. Big and rich with black fruits and perfectly balanced.
Wonderful Napa cab! Pretty muted nose but amazing taste, plenty of acidity and fruit left and nicley balanced tanins. Drinking great now but will probably go several more years without issue.
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A touch different from the last bottle in 2019. Dark, full with a touch of dry brush in the mid-palate. Mushroom and black fruits. But still quite good.
Brought to a restaurant for corkage and decanted. Red currant and plum with something like cinnamon, but no sweetness. Fully integrated and seamless at this point though I think it has some years to go. Drink this for grace and class, not necessarily ten different notes. My last of three and dare I say the best.
The Montelena Estate Cab's do need to be aired out before drinking, even this 2005. Also, the Montelena's really need to be drank with food. Much more than other wines we drink, the Montelena's taste dramatically better with food. It is is not a wine to drink on its on, or with light hors d'oeuvres. The 2005, after decanting (which we did for 5 minutes with the VSpin) is marvelous right now. An absolute treat.
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Not a lot of change from last year. It is still a deep, opaque plum from core to rim. A harmonious symphony of plum, cassis, mint, leather, and cedar segue from bouquet to palate with almost seamless precision. The rich, weighty mouthfeel is nevertheless well balanced. The problem now is showing restraint and not drinking all right now. Maybe try another one in 2025. Some sediment. 14.2% alc. With grilled (beef) ribeyes. 02.24.23. Highly Recommended.
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Perfect balance - dark fruit in Bordeaux profile , perfect acidity, resolved but still present for texture tannin - nicely done, but I wouldn’t wait too much longer. Probably at apogee or near it.
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The 2005 is drinking beautifully now, gourgous grand wine from a great vintage. Lush fruit of crushed black current and plum, layered and textured, pencil shavings, violets and underbrush. Powerful but yet refined velvety tannins with bright balanced acidity. Will develop further for years to come.
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Very young still and almost a touch austere albeit overlaid with proper Napa fruit. The wine is good don't get us wrong but just we had that feeling that we rushed it and with time this would evolve into something so much more. The fruit is very much there but its even tighter than a 2005 Bordeaux now, has the power and all and the presence but would have loved some more complexity. a Solid 92-93 for now but we will wait quite a bit more for our next bottle.
My previous note on this wine from 750 enjoyed in 2019 told me not to open these mags until 2030. Ok so maybe I didn't listen to my own advice and opened one of these mags today. HOWEVER.... After an hour in the decanter, I cannot say that it was a bad decision! Immediately following cork pop this one was a bit strange. A little bit thin, kind of leggy, peculiar thin red brambly velvet fruit. After an hour, turned darker, more dense, yet still had a very good mixture of red and black fruit. Herbal tones. A bit of tobacco and black olives. Roasted figs. Finished pretty obtuse, with a hint of acidic character. And, leaving it in the decanter was a great choice because it was still changing even when I had to leave. It's my belief this one is going to continue growing and developing over the next 15 to 20 years. If you have this one in magnum, do not be afraid to hold for at least another decade. Or 2.
Nose: Gorgeous aromas of flowers, cedar plank and pencil lead. Fabulous! Palate: Very soft yet still has youthful tannins. Very slight bricking. Perfect provenance with cherries, leather and subtle spices. Last bottle of this (and signed by Bo Barrett). Drank at Capital Grille. Still 92+ points.
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A beautiful garnet color hints to the beautiful nose of blackberry, raspberry, pencil shavings and cedar. Elegantly balanced body and sculpted, granular tannins lead to a ripe berried finish. Reminiscent of Bordeaux with the beautiful intensity that only comes from Napa. One for the ages.
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Pas de joie ici. The nose offers a a promise of fruit, not delivered subsequently. The palate is forest floor, wood, mushroom. The finish is softer tannins with shoe polish. Which can be a nice accent in the right position and right quantity. Fails here on both tests.
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A deep, opaque plum from core to rim. An explosive nose of plum, cassis, mint, leather, and a touch of cedar. Palate tracks the nose with precision. While all fine and dandy, the real joy is the richness of the mouthfeel; opulent, yet balanced. Truly hitting its stride and with lots of life ahead of it. Some sediment. 14.2% alc. With leftover (beef) London broil and assorted cheeses. 05.02.22. Highly Recommended.
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Enjoyed at Hal's Steakhouse in Atlanta, GA - did not take any notes (and dinner was 2 weeks ago). This wine has aged beautifully and was very elegant in style - integrated tannins, good acidic lift and long finish. Currants, cassis and tobacco. 93+
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Delicious and elegant, with Bordeaux like structure and flavors. Roasted meat and olive flavors complement the dark fruit flavors and maybe a hint of coffee (?). Smooth and drinking well.
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Very smooth wine. Aged very well. Almost too long. Tannis soft and understated. A little but longing on the pallet but great balance of dark overripe berry with softened oak.
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I had a glass after only an hour of air and it was great though it seemed like more time, either via decant or time in the bottle, would maybe notch it up some. Was still somewhat tight within the hour then I had to go. But it was a memorable big mouthful.
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Drank after 7-8 hour decant. a lot of structure and was still opening up with the last glass. Wonderful expression of classic style (not fruit/alcohol bomb) California cab. Translucent ruby/jewel like appearance. Beautiful nose and lovely red fruit driven flavor. Still relatively youthful, with only hints of secondary flavors emerging. A joy to drink, but if I had more, I think I would hold ~5 more years to let this really mature. Feel like this might be in a bit of an in-between phase…no longer fully primary, but lacking some of the nuance and character of old age. Compared to an 11 monte bello we had at same time, this was Somewhat lacking on the mid palate, but I could see it really coming around with a few more years.
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Double decanted for 4 hours. This wine opened beautifully with a nose that was not overwhelming but pleasant and refined. Full bodied with a nice balance of oak, dark fruits and somewhat complex layering paired with a ground lamb pasta dish enjoyed with 4 other friends on a covid manageable dinner. The finish while not particularly long lasting was also elegant and begs for another sip. This wine -while in a beautiful drinking window-has, I believe 3-5 years of memorable drinking ahead (plenty of pleasant grip even after the decant). Outstanding!
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This was not bad with an hour splash decant. In a flight of other great 2005s, including Almaviva, Dominus, and Monte Bello, this was right there with the Monte Bello for me as the wine of the night. Ripe, dark fruit, nice concentration but in an elegant style that is a very nice mix of new and old world style. I think in the end I slightly preferred the Monte Bello but a close call and for the $, especially right now, I think well stored bottles of this wine are a great deal. A
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Bought this direct from the winery just recently. PNP although after an initial taste we decanted it and let it breathe for 45 minutes. Nice wine, but not a show-stopper. In a few weeks we will be tasting this vs. some other 2005 Cali Cabs and Bordeaux so will be interesting to see if I am just underrating this wine right now but based on a brief taste tonight i would say very good but not great. A-
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Nose that is nice and punches above its weight; the mouth is fully saturated and contains gobs of dark red fruit; the length is good, if a bit tannic and a tiny bit clipped.
Really firing on all cylinders, and well balanced. Great now, with some future old cab promise, but drinking quite well.
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This wine just continues to improve with time. Decanted 2 hours, could use more. Great aromatics with black cherry, pepper, some earthy, leather, smoke and graphite notes. The palate shows dark fruit, blackberry, spice, leather, earth, some tobacco beautifully coming together. The tannins have softened a lot leading to a long smooth finish. While it is drinking very well now, given my experience with older Montelenas, I don't think it is at its peak yet and has years to go.
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Now this is how a Napa Valley Cab should be made and it's aged quite well. Excellent freshness and vigor with lovely violet-tinged dark fruit and a touch of Napa dirt. Silky and fine with good balancing acidity and a complex finish with notes of dark spices and eucalyptus. Will continue to age well off it's balance but I loved it tonight.
Pulled this bottle to replace a 2002 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon that was corked. Medium ruby, nose opened after 20 minutes, rich compost and cedar. Mouth filling drink, fully mature for my taste but in no danger of going over the hill. Very long finish.
Aromatically this was wonderfully mature. Tobacco, cedar, black olive and dried cherry. Very Bordeaux-like, but the palate was a bit clipped and short in length. Probably best to drink now.
Used the wrong corkscrew and had to use a sieve to avoid bits of cork debris in my glass. Lovely color, medium bodied, very clean and lovely cab, clearly a different kind of winemaking than most Napa cabs. Much lighter and prettier than the non-estate version.
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Meaningfully better than last bottle a little less than a year ago.
Beautiful fresh and enticing nose of kir, pencil lead, anise, cedar, and chocolate. Palate is medium plus body end well balanced with mellow but quite fine structure, sweet mature tannins a by nice attractive acidity. Excellent finish++.
Still youthful and fantastic today but think it could improve more! One of the better montelena estates I’ve had recently! Nice
Strangest performance of the night award. Popped and tasted and this was a tad flat...no surprise, it needed time to breathe. About 45 minutes later, I tried it again and it was singing. Absolutely lived up to all the rave reviews. Dark fruit, black cherry, blueberry, coffee and maybe a hint of clove on the finish. Beautifully balanced and incredible depth. A finish that went on forever with slightly diminished tannins but great balance. Went back another 30 minutes later and this had closed up tight again. I have another bottle though so now I know to drink up when the drinking is good.
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From perfect looking bottle, absolutely delicious and punched above expectations. Dark chocolate & roasted coffee aromas with sweet blackberries. Dense fruit flavors with plush textures and a toasted richness. Unbelievable this is 15 years old.
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Part of a private party purchase (hard to calculate bottle prices, but about $80-90 as I remember) about 6 and a half years ago. Small taste, with potent acidity and tannins with some slightly tart red fruit, followed by 2+ hours of air. On the nose but less the palate, a definite plum note, and on both, red cherries and currants, leather, earth, smoke, a bit of tobacco and anise. Almost blackish purple, medium bodied, thick legs. Still vigorous tannins and acidity which smoothed over 3 days, no heat. Medium+ intensity, medium complexity and persistence. Subtle and elegant with structure in spades, I'd have bet at bad odds that this was a Bordeaux, and lost. Still, the less than effusive fruit had this wine heading for a low 90s rating and not great qpr until it met my rack of lamb, at which point it became a rock star, with the tannins and acidity working their magic with the delicious, fatty beast; although the match wasn't quite equal, it has continued to shine with spaghetti and meatballs on night 3, and if it hasn't gained any power, it certainly hasn't lost any. I note that this wine populates an unusual quadrant for me with cabs/Bordeaux blends as a wine far better with food than without (also in, but below this, the '96 Ducru and the '92 Montebello, which had even wanner fruit, perhaps because they were even older), as opposed to the '12 Ovid (brilliant with both), the better Mike Smith/TRB/Melka ahd Hourglass cabs (great as a standalone, at best a non-factor and at worst distracting with food), and the lower end M. Smith and Venge wines (not very good with either). I also note I've spent a lot of time hanging around Montelena's SF tasting room the past few years before it lamentably closed in March, a prime consideration for me in joining the wine club, and the newer estate cabs they've poured, the '13s-16s, have all been far more vibrant, if not something you're going to confuse with something of Mr. Venge's, and the winery considers this particular vintage to be one of its more "modern" ones. That said, with this seller who I bought this from, I've had some issues with washed out wines (most recently, a '05 Hall Katherine), so it's possible that the fault, Dear Brutus, lies not in this bottling, but in this seller's storage or provenance, and although, alas, I still have a '09 Dunn and a '07 Heitz Martha's of his, I won't darken his doorway anytime soon. Still, this wine hardly sucked and in fact, kept improving, so, at what I paid, it was more than respectable qpr and should have a long, happy life if stored decently. Looking forward to trying one of my '16s, with a lot of air, for an interesting contrast sometime soon. 94+
If you know Montelena, you know the notes. PnP - 30 min air in the bottle. Wow, now realize why KL is selling this tor $150. It’s good even at that inflated price.
2 hour slow ox. Nose: Tons of slate minerality with pencil lead. Much more secondary aromatics than previous bottles. Palate: So silky and mature w/ flavors of tobacco, pencil lead, and sweet cherries. Tannins still present at 15 years old but very soft and supple. I agree with a previous reviewer in that this is starting to head out to a beautiful sunset w/ perhaps another 1-3 years left. For me my last bottle (signed by Bo Barrett) will be drunk next spring or summer. Still 92+ points.
Well aged Cali Cab!! Dark burgundy in color, rich nose of black fruit: plums, cherries, blueberries, figs, plums, licorice, vanilla, chocolate, eucalyptus, tobacco and lavender. Palate is medium body, black fruits, juicy acidity, plums, cherries, licorice, coffee and secondary flavors. Tannins are balanced and quite delicious. Finish is long. Ready for prime drinking
Deep burgundy in color. Red and blackberries, tobacco, licorice, and spices on the nose and palate. Medium finish with mild tannins. This is in the optimal drinking window. Enjoy.
No decant and none needed. Sediment was also manageable. Lots of sweet spices, vanilla. A dark cherry and bramble berry fruit, initial aging notes of leather, but only at the margin. Eucalyptus and an array of other herbs. This wine is still very fresh, but in a mature and grown-up way. Structural tannin hold the palate firmly together. As is so often the case with Cali cabs that use French names or "Chateau", you can tell the less extracted, more classic old World style. Given rather modest critics scores initially this did not come out of the barrels with guns blazing. But with 15 years of age the Montelena estate has reached its optimal drinking window with lots to offer for the nose and gliding down your throat like warm milk. I found myself wondering what happened when all of the sudden the bottle was empty! I do suspect my wife sneakily snatching a bigger share than she was entitled to...
Opened for one hour. Nearly black in the glass, opaque. Oak, spice, raisin on the nose. Also chocolate. Plum, tobacco, dark cherries in the mouth. Smooth as well, medium tannins. Clean finish, leathery, lingers on the rear/sides of the tongue and cotton on roof of the mouth.
There is not much more to be said regarding this stalwart Napa Valley cabernet. Opened for an hour, decanted for two additional hours and consumed over the following two hours. Dark, almost black in the glass. Aromas of dark fruits predominated with only a slight hint of cherry. Flavors of dark fruit, earth, graphite, tobacco and nutmeg delivered on a fresh, integrated backbone with mellowing, dusty tannins. Sophisticated, appealing and just beginning to enter maturity, this wine finishes long and silky.
The color does not give aways its age. Decanted an hour, and it easily could have used 2. A great match with grilled steak. Great aromatics with black cherry, pepper, some earthy, leather, smoke and graphite notes. The palate shows dark fruit, blackberry, spice, leather, earth, some tobacco beautifully coming together. The tannins have softened a lot leading to a long smooth finish. While it is drinking very well now, probably not at its peak yet and years to go.
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Tons of smoke, leather, tobacco, dark cherries, and a hint of graphite. If there wasn't the more pronounced dark cherries on the nose, I'd probably guess Bordeaux.
Silky and elegant on the palate, juicy on the midpalate, and good length on the finish. Tannins have resolved nicely. Definitely has a more dark red fruit to its earthy components, which is a signature of Napa. This wine is balanced and drinking nicely. Very fresh. Would have guessed a more recent vintage, like 2010.
Deep garnet red. Finally a bit floral with some air as well as some dusted cherries and red plums. Medium tannins (6/10) with great acidity and a medium plus body. Does not seem like a 15 year old wine. Layered with cherries, leather, a bit of perfume and earthiness. Long finish. Drink till 2035.
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This was very interesting. Nose is very light but definitely chalk on the nose. Not clean white sa calcium chalk nose (tasting blind as usual) But a little darker. It has stony acidity in the finish which also started to trick me into sa.
I thought Rutherford but got that wrong as it is Calistoga.
After 2 hours. Cherry fruit on the nose. Hl3 fd 3. Fi3/5
Tannins 6/10
Light brown garnet colors starting but this looks younger than it is.
Nose 2/10
After an hour decanting this was smooth.
On the body
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Decanted 3 hours before hand. Deep ruby in colour, this has an intense but balanced and attractive nose of ripe blue and black fruit, still fresh at 15 years of age. The palate was somewhat savoury, with refreshing acidity and a black and blue fruit profile. Intense but not heavy, a hybrid between Napa and European in style, perhaps more to the European side. Very impressive.
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Give this wine at least 30 minutes of air before drinking. It had some sharp elbows straight out of the bottle but started to shine after some time in the glass. A respectable effort from Montelena. I think it’s in a good drinking window right now.
Slightly brooding big nose of dark fruit, blueberries, smoke, violet, tobacco, and slight astringency. Tight but muscular core body with waves of dark fruit, medium plus acidity, great backbone, and large weight. Finish is very lengthy, very minerally and downside is its somewhat hot.
I could see this being better in 5 years or even tomorrow.
Edit Day 2 last glass: a little more green on nose, still well structured, more sublime on palate with slightly more balance fruit on palate and long finish. 93-94
Solid Napa cab drinking really well at this time. Main story is dark plush cab, with tobacco notes and forest floor starting to come out. Good acidity and persistent finish. Still a long life left, drank best after two decant. Would be fun to blind vs a 2005 Bordeaux
A fully mature, well developed wine in its prime, yet has plenty of power left to last 5-7 more years. Deep garnet color. Powerful nose of cooked red fruit, dark chocolate, beef jerky, cedar and toast. On the palate: dry, medium acidity, medium, well integrated tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium plus flavor intensity of leather, figs, cooked plums, chocolate. Finish is medium plus with flavors lingering on the back of the palate for a long time. Very good now, or can be aged further.
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Sampled at the winery. Great, bright red fruit; tannins are fading but provide a dry finish back-palate with lots of elegant notes that linger for well over a minute. Will drink my remaining bottle during 2020-21
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Drank at dinner with Brendles and Suttons with aged prime. Decanted for at least an hour before dinner. Nice drinking, round and plush with good fruit. Drink anytime.
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Medium-bodied, and already surprisingly drinkable, the wine offers smoke, licorice, bay leaf and blackberries on the nose. The fruit is ripe, fresh and sweet, but the structure and concentration found in the best vintages of Montelena Estate are not there.
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Red fruit, spearmint, fresh cut oak tree, somewhat juicy blackberry mixed with eucalyptus, cassis and cedar. Good textures, youthful tannins but some apparent oak still present, grippy cling to the finish. Time.
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Poured blind. Damn, this tasted fresh and had me guessing something primary, like a recent vintage of something, say a 2014? Totally wrong here. Aromas of spice box and some modern touches to the fruit and texture but not totally Napa new world in tone, either. Pure, pushing some plushness, with some light tang, strong tones of blue fruit, a bit of coffee, currant and cedar into the finish. What a youthful showing wine, which is pushing 15 years old. Terrific.
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Drank with dinner. Nicely aged, tannin now subdued. Very dark and full. Tasted different than usual $100+ Cali cabs. Had a more distinctive unique flavor profile of dark fruits, mushroom and tobacco, and a very smooth midly vegetal finish. Different from previous bottles but very good nonetheless.
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A rerelease from the winery. Here relatively cool nights but heat during the day. Lots of super pretty aromatics here. Touch of menthol and savory. Rose petal and menthol. A bit of tobacco.
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(Blind tasting) Developed medium-fullish nose. Dark fruit, plum, black currant. Nuts, minerals, cloves and spices. Hints of bell pepper. Nice orange peel depth. Fullish, generous palate with sweet, dark fruit. Balanced, but a bit fiery as well. Clearly NW. Plum and black currant. In a balanced style. We liked it.
I've got 2 mags of this, and after experiencing this one tonight from 750 I think that the best years for the mag will be 2030-2045. This was a very astringent wine with medium body. Black cherry, tobacco leaf. Jagged finish. In hibernation right now, so if you have these, you're in for the long haul.
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Medium plus nose is gorgeous, sandalwood, smooth singed black fruit notes, dried herbs, earth or mushroom, violets. Palate is big style for this producer, spice, fruit layers, complexity, structure is still there, medium plus tannins, high alcohol, finish long does well there. Right time to drink this it seems, classic producer, toes the line between CA and Bordeaux quite well.
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Lovely wine. Decanted for sediment and frank about 30 minutes later, followed with steak course. Mature nose with secondary aromas. Fresh on the palate with dark red fruit and mushroom earthiness. Tannins seem well resolved. However, a bit of alcohol spice on the finish prevented a higher score for me.
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Decanted for one hour. Deep burgundy in color. Red and blackberries, tobacco, licorice and spices on the nose and palate. Medium finish with mild tannins.
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great dark mixed berry and earth; smooth with great texture; plenty of fruit left with some secondary characteristics of sous bois, earth, and tobacco. Kept going back for another taste. Just right with a Prime rib roast with friends while watching the superbowl.
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Decanted for over 3 hours. Medium to full bodied with a wonderful nose of blueberry/blackberry jam and mild earthy notes. Very yummy. Way better than when I had this 3 years ago. I will save my last bottle to see where this goes in the next 2-4 years. This wine has a lot of life left in it.
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Nose has coffee, cocoa powder, blueberries and graphite. Palate is medium + with dusty, integrated tannins, blackberry and cherry compote, balsamic reduction that lends acid, seared meat, pencil shavings, and cocoa powder. Restrained, neither jammy nor hot. Much better with food between sips (we paired with balsamic/port reduction with figs over foie gras) and it elevated the wine to 95-96 pt. territory. For whatever reason, consecutive sips without food offered diminishing returns; I don't recall experiencing this in a wine.
Overall, classic Montelena and so much finesse and compelling flavors.
Popped and poured, dark red with no bricking yet. Wine is hitting its peak right now. Nose is stunning, dark fruit and earth. Palate isn’t quite up to the nose but still pretty good. With a nice balance all the way around. One of the best California cabs I have had in a while.
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Vinituri-decanter-vinituri-glass. The air helped mellow the tannin and this was best with food (teriyaki steak). Dark fruit and a bit green. Had us thinking Bordeaux or maybe merlot more than Napa cab.
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We got a great deal on some bottles. It's near the end of it's peak. A little tight upon opening. We decanted it for a couple of hours and it was perfect.
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The 6th Quinquennial Wine and Food Extravaganza (New Jersey, USA): In my cellar since release, we double decanted my last 8 bottles around noon and served them around 9pm with no bottle variation to speak of. I thought this was fantastic, if a more medium weight and forward version of Montelena Estate Cab than usual. Medium to dark garnet in color, this had moderate tannin and bright acidity. The nose was earthy but not "bretty" along with pencil lead and black fruit. On the palate there was blackberry, graphite, black plum and chocolate with a long 45-60 second finish. This was delicious with all the dishes served with it but especially good with the spicy smoked boar ribs and bacon jam where it was an interesting contrast.
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1 hr decant and this hit on every cylinder. Primary notes of cherries, iron, charcoal, blood, red fruit without being acidic. Really good stuff. Color starting to fade but no significant bricking on the edges.
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Decanted for sediment. Youthful, dark color. Beautiful at age 13. Black cherry and currant fruit. Starting to see some leather and mature notes. This is not so deep, but more graceful without losing power. Better than five years ago. Will hold one more to see how it is closer to 20 years old.
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Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of dark ruby color, a purplish tinge, fading rims and legs. Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit of ripe blackberry and blackcurrant, oak notes of smoke and cedar, kernel notes of chocolate, pungent spice of licorice, sweet spice of nutmeg, maturity notes of tobacco. The wine is developing. Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium (+) tannin of ripe and fully integrated texture, medium (+) alcohol, full body and medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit of blackberry and black cherry, oak notes of cedar, kernel notes of coffee, pungent spice of anise. The wine has a medium (+) finish. Conclusion: Very good quality Napa Cabernet with an elegant nose of good intensity and complexity, though not just on the ripe black fruit but also having good cedar and rich spice notes, with good development in line. The wine is of good balance, with nice acidity to support the tannin which is very smooth and integrated, with also good concentrated flavors and a fairly long finish. It is ready to drink now and can maintain for another 7-9 years.
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Decanted for one hour. Deep burgundy in color. Red and blackberries, tobacco, licorice and spices on the nose and palate. Medium finish with mild tannins. Drinking very nicely.
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I love this wine. I feel like the 07s, while more balanced, are starting to fade a touch, but not necessarily fall. The 05s still seem to have plenty of time and potential for longevity.
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A lovely bottle of wine. A bit off at the start, but that blew off. Seemed a touch thin, with some bricking on the edges, but after an hour, it opened up, filled out, and had a long finish. Was concerned that it ddn’t have much life ahead, but after it turned around, I am happy to have a few more bottles.
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Pop and pour, no decanter available and followed over 2 hrs. Needed 30 mins to open up and for its initial mustiness to blow off.
Dark aged fruit, tar and port-like fruit on the nose. Similar profile on the palate with tobacco leaf at the forefront. In the far end of its drinking window but still good for several more years.
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We both enjoyed upon opening. Good acid and tannin remain. Dark fruit with mineral and some herbs. Was happy I'd held on to after last bottle. However, within hour or two, the herbs really came to the forefront and the balance that had been present at the beginning seemed to go haywire. I will not be saving my remaining bottle much longer. Doesn't seem like there will be much of a pay off.
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Tasted blind and I guessed drinking an aged Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 2h+ in the decanter. Herbal aromas are at the forefront, with some nice darker red fruits underneath. Medium+ body, velvety tannins, no hard edges, very harmonic. Got more intense and herbal by the minute. Not as deep and intellectually appealing as other wines we had that night but highly enjoyable. 94+ points, papa loves his herbs.
Napa/Sonoma Trip With Some Exceptional Gems; 11/1/2017-11/5/2017 (1800ft Up Cavedale Road, Glen Ellen, CA): Mini Vertical of '05-'08 at Chateau Montelena. Very dark red color. Drank 1 glass over 75 minutes. CS98, CF2, 18 mos 100% Fr Oak, 28% new. We went younger to older for this tasting. My and largely the groups second favorite, a few had this first. Probably the most ready to drink though there's still lots of grip on the back end. Though still youthful, this just seemed more evolved and quite pretty, dusty, deep, cassis, good acid, long and complex. 92+pts.
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Three hour decant. Black fruits, good balance and structure. Medium length finish. Tasted alongside 07 Jordan and 09 Beau Vigne Juliet cabs. Montelena was our guests pick overall and I think the best wine to consume with steaks. I'd go with the more concentrated and fruitier Juliet if drinking without food.
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This begins bold and brash; obviously Californian, cassis, blackberry, a touch hot but not overly jammy. With air, this mellows into a more harmonious profile, picking up mineral notes. The oak is well integrated. Ripe on the palate. Good clarity and purity here. Drinking very well now; may improve a bit with another few years yet.
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Family Winemaker's 27th Annual Tasting San Francisco, nose of black cherry, black berry, boysenberry, and plum, same on the palate, surprised this wine was poured today, big body, very tasty, small amount of slightly harsh tannins present, lovely and rich fruit, needs 3 more years to peak, has a surprising rather than the usual elegant Chateau Montelena quality on the mid palate, medium/long finish.
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Better than the last bottle...despite traveling over 2 days to Cape Cod and drinking after only a day of rest. Double decanted at 3:30 and consumed thru about 8:30. Medium to dark garnet with no bricking. Nice nose of red and black berries, tobacco, licorice and spices. Very velvety smooth on the palate with a lighter than normal (for Montelena) mouth feel and flavor profile. Definitely an early drinker as Ch Montelena Estate Cabs go but it still needs a fairly long 3 hour+ decant to be at its best. Last bottle about a week ago didn't have as much air and it made a difference this time.
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The nose on this wine was amazing. The palate didn't quite match the smells going on. While it was really good California cab it never seemed to hit its stride. Wine is holding up well with no bricking on the edges in the glass.
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Not my favorite Montelena Estate cab and very atypical in weight and flavor. This was decanted only for a short time, maybe an hour and the wine never seemed to really get going. it was light to medium weight in color and mouth feel with plenty os spices and more red fruit on the nose. Flavors included cardamom, black cherry, red plum, and cinnamon. the finish wasn't super long and had a flavor I will call "apple butter" that reminded me of the jelly I sometimes had as a child. Interesting for its differences but this is certainly not the typical Montelena estate cab profile.
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I must say expectations are high when you open a bottle of THE first growth of the new world and that too on a special occasion ! When the cork came away soft and soggy I despaired but a quick sniff and swirl reassured that the wine was fine ! This is a very backward style wine which I decanted for close to 3 hrs after a Venturi pour and then double decanted back to the bottle. It still needed another hour to really sing - but then it really did sing - black tea , dark fruits and herbs especially mint dominated the experience with some nice coffee notes coming through / the wine gained considerable weight and developed well with time - it made a very enjoyable drinking with food. I would let my other bottles be for a few more years - but if you want and you must, be warned this genie needs all the airtime you can give !
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4th Saturday Group brown bagger (Our house): Double blind. Notes of blue fruit and lavender turning to black currants and dark fruit as it sits in the glass. Somewhat firm tannins with flavors of dark fruit- cassis and plum- along with hints of vanilla, earth and spice. Lengthy finish. Guessed CA Cab.
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Opened 2 hours ahead. Pretty aromas of cassis and crushed stone. Still young with upside but more approachable than I expected. Cool black fruits, earth and a nice minerality on the palate with a solid finish. 15+ year window based on my experience with this producer. 92+ points
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Vertical tasting of the 05,06,07,08 estate cab at the winery. Going off memory cannot find my notes. This is not really my style of wine (elegant versus big and rich)but I found the 2007 and 2008 pretty good. I did not care for the 2005 and 2006 especially at this price point. Drank with 7 other people and they all had the 2007, first and 2008, second. I enjoy 2005's so I was a bit disappointed. In the last year I have drank a 2005 Far Niente and 2005 BV George Latour that are made in this similar style that I found much more appealing.
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What two years will do ... Outstanding. Supple, refined, elegant, delicious. All of edges have smoothed out, still retaining ample body and complexity. Enjoy now or for another 5 years.
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We bought this bottle at the winery in 2009. Dont't wait until 2023. This wine is drinking great right now. Not as dense and dark as I was anticipating but very round with great mouth feel. The color is already getting that faded dusty look of aged wine.
Not as fat as many napa cabs, but still California style, or at least a mixture between Bordeaux and Napa. 14.2 alc. Vanilla and black berries, a bit spicy. Medium bodied and smooth with a 2 hour decant. Enjoyed it.
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Well balanced, good nose and finish. Pleasure to drink. Only complaint is core mid-palate flavors lack the wow I expect from a higher scoring wine. Drink anytime.
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Uncorked and allowed to breathe for 90 mins, but not decanted. Initial glasses (Somm stems) were also poured and allowed to breathe. Nose shows Monty's typical old-world approach of aged dark fruit, tobacco and woodsy-brambles. Wine holds a nice grip on the stems. Medium+ in weight, the wine clearly shows nice age, and crosses the palate with a polished finish that's really pleasing. Mature dark fruit are well-integrated, and there's clearly enough fruit and tannic structure and to continue aging. While this doesn't have the depth to last for 20+ years and I'd guess is in/near its ideal window, this is a fine example of a calicab in an old-world style that's drinking quite well.
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Decanted 90 min and drank over next 90. Beautiful wine. Some tannins left to resolve. Metallic and red fruit notes on the nose, graphite, red cherries, bloody iron on the palate. Rich without being over the top, old school deliciousness. Really good, far more ready for drinking than notes would indicate. Great surprise. Would not hesitate to crack another one soon.
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At 50th. (From memory) Deep dark and profound. Cassis, vanillin, and smooth oak. Great length. Impressive, drinking well now but will last another 5 to 10 years.
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Decanted at 4:30 and drunk through about 9pm. This bottle seemed better than the one I tasted at the winery last week. Medium to dark garnet, still looks fresh and young. On palate there are rose petal aromas, vanilla, cardamom, plum and lavender all in a fairly subtle nose. Light to medium weight in the mouth with soft velvety tannins mostly integrated. Lots of layers of flavor like wet stones, black currant, blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, licorice...truffle and lavender on the finish. Lovely wine, though light bodied by Montelena Estate Cab standards and in need of less breathing, though it was good throughout the evening tonight. I'll be drinking mine over the next year or so...
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Dark ruby red. Tobacco, blackberry and vanilla on nose. Lots of complexity on palate - blackberry, cherry, spice and methanol. Drinks nicely now, but the substance to last.
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Tasted at the winery...Opaque dark garnet. Nice nose but not effusive. I get blackberry, pine needles and fennel flavors. Very low tannin for this wine. I think the vintage is early drinking. Beautiful now but probably should be drunk over the next few years. Probably needs less breathing time than most Montelena Estate Cabs.
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Popped and poured, did not decant. Not as bold as I'd hoped but still very nice. Improved gradually over an hour or so in the glass. I agree that this tastes more like a Bordeaux blend.
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Extremely young and primary. Plenty of blackberry and other dark fruits, very lively colour, aggressive tannins. Wondering where it will be 10 years from now...
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Gave this a four hour decant.Evolving just barely, still dark purple wine with minimal bricking, Montelena continues to do what it has done for decades, making its wine and not someone else's. Clearly new world, big, ample but not excessive fruit, complex, with black cherry, vanilla and chocolate, tobacco, lengthy, with a finish that hints of better to come. I'm not buying most Napa. wines by the case anymore, partly because I want variety, and because I have found many not to reward patience. But Montelena along with Togni make great ageworthy wines that reward year after year. And they are relatively sane on pricing. This is every bit as good as the $400+ Napa boutiques that are worth that only because they are rare. I just now went back to view my old notes and I learn two things - the wine makes a consistent impression, and we have had far too many in a short time.
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2 years ago I got tons of dusty tannins; tannins really integrated right now... super smooth drinking.. if I had any left, i'd be looking to drink <2 yrs
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Very effervescent nose with white pepper and cumin. Dark cherry, blackberry, earthy. Just opulent and voluptuous; natural silkiness with balanced tannins. Tasted at the Chateau from an Imperial (6.0L). Drink now or hold.
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Roasted coffee beans, blackberries, dark cherries, boysenberry, mocha espresso, smoke and anise. Medium bodied with acidity and tannic backbone with a long finish. Decanted 2h and that opened up the aromatics and softened what were gritty tannins.
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Great example of a Napa cab. Putting the hype from the name aside since the movie came/went, this cab was crafted with care and it shows. I need to seek out more. PnP through a Venturi. Smooth and silky but plenty of staying power.
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Patience is the operative word when evaluating this wine. And by patience I mean NOT jumping feet first into this wine seconds after popping the cork. Unfortunately I made this mistake 2 days ago when I opened this baby up. I poured a glass and immediately thought "why does everyone make a big fuss about Montelena?"
Two days later and this wine has transformed from an intolerable Amy Winehouse to a classy Diane Lane. All of the sharp edges I tasted 2 days ago have mellowed out. There is now a great balance of acidity, tannin and fruit. Note to self - patience is a virtue! Take the time to decant this wine well ahead of time.
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Delicious. My last bottle. Popped and poured. Great nose of dark fruits, pencil lead, with a touch of leather. Taste was excellent with blackberries, cherries, and a touch of earth. Tannin are well rounded and the finish is long and sweet.
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EWG 10 Years On Tasting at Conrad's: Black-purple color; intriguing nose of earthy tobacco and leather with typical blackberry/cassis, but so pure, delineated, great character and balance. Very structured but not heavy, this was the Pauillac to Araujo's Margaux. This will go the distance. EWG 10 years on tasting.
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Our house): Aromas of chocolate, dill and blackberry. Medium- to full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of red and black fruits, vanilla and herbs. Lengthy finish; nicely balanced. Good Cab, but young. Did not pick it out as the Montelena.
This had about two hours in a decanter before the flight. Give it another 5 years or so.
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This wine is really coming into it's own. It is drinking quite nicely. I would guess it will be still drinking nicely for the next 5 years. A very nice old world style of Cabernet.
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Hitting its stride, this is a chewy wine, with a good feel on the palate. Bit of stew, chocolate, leather, dark cherry, other fruit, not good enough to pick them apart, honestly give myself up to a stream of consciousness on all these flavors anyways. More to the point, this is a complex, distinct, wine, seems built the way the winemaker liked it, not to please the entire valley. Has decades to go.
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19th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Chez Lyon in Eugene, OR): Fascinating to see the evolution of this (and my notes). In this blind tasting it did better than my last three bottles in a fairly clear progression. We got some minty cassis, blackberry, oak and earth notes, all sitting on a glycerin laden palate with tannins more integrated than everything so far. Stood out as a New World'er in the flight for playing nice on the palate. 94 on day 2.
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Bright red fruit with distinct cassis flavor. Soft tannins and medium finish. Good wine but I think it lacks the structure for any further aging potential. And, while it is a nice wine, I don't think it's worth the high tariff.
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Dinner with Friends featuring '90 Veuve LGD Jeroboam (Anvil Club): Another of TLV's contributions to dinner, opening with notes of vanilla, black fruit, currants, earth and forest floor...starting to show some complexity. Tannins are integrating nicely, though this has a way to go, but the red plum, black cherry, vanilla and earth flavors are very enjoyable. What tannins are left begin to clamp down a bit on the finish.
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Opened at Anvil. No decant, but opened at least an hour prior to being served. Notes of graphite with red and black fruits. Well balanced with lengthy finish. Liked it enough to order two more while at the table.
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Just coming out of its slumber. Decanted 3 hours and it needed it. The color is a beautiful inky garnet. As usual, the color does not show its age. Black cherry, pepper, some earthy, leather notes. The palate shows dark fruit, blackberry, spice, leather, earth beautifully coming together. The tannins are present, but softening leading ot a long smooth finish. as most Montelena Estates, this is still an infant and will easily go 20 years. Drinking nicely now, but its best years are still ahead. Glad I have another 8.
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Nice. Our first of these and it is quite a nice wine. pop and pour but went really slow for the first hour. The color is a beautiful inky garnet. No cloudiness or bricking at all. On the nose graphite, black cherry, pepper, some earthy/barnyardy notes. On the palate dark fruit, blackberry, sweet tannin, spice all in an elegantly balanced package. The wine has a medium finish. Really happy to have 5 of these left. They should go at least another 5-10 years.
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Great structure, not much forward fruit but good flavors of an older Bordeaux (tobacco, wood, some spice). Still has tannins but ready to drink now, wouldn't age more than another year or so.
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Decanted partial bottle and allowed it to breathe for 2.5 hours, followed for another 90 mins. Black fruit, forest floor, currants on the nose; approach is fruit-driven, with blackberry and red cherry compote in the forefront. Nicely balanced, the components are well-integrated and "getting along" well in the bottle. In its drinking window now, glad to have half a case of this.
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From Montelena Estate Cab vertical tasting. Darker in color. Cherry nose with blackberry flavors. Still tannic and young. More approachable, but less graceful than '04.
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WCC 2005 California Cabernet Blind (Home of Chef Andy Plummer, East Greenbush, NY): [Decanted for 3.5 hours.] Muted woodsy, red and black fruit nose. Old world character. Some think its a Bordeaux ringer. Tight and complex. 92-?? Day 2: Brought home one glass in the bottle. Showing more flamboyance today. Terrific wine with a great future, but didn't show well on day 1. 95 points today.
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Deep Medium Ruby. Red Currants and Dark Plums fill the glass with lead pencil and graphite closing out the nose. Good juicy acidity on the palate lifts the camphor and saddle leather to a drying tannic finish. This is an excellent pour that is drinkable now but will continue to offer pleasure over the next 15-20 years.
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Popped and poured. Tremendous nose with currants, anise, pencil shavings, tobacco, mocha, smoked meats. On the palate, black cherry, currants, mint, tobacco, and long mineral streak. Long finish with plenty of tannic grip. Lots of structure, tremendous now and it only gets better from here.
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From 375. I absolutely loved this wine. Perfect symbiosis of Bordeaux and Napa. Cassis interwoven with graphite, tobacco, a hint of underbrush, and white flowers on the nose. Perfect balance of acidity (a bit higher than usual for Napa), tannins and fruit. Simply a joy to drink. Took about an hour in the decanter to fully open up. Enjoyable now but probably a lot better in 5 years. This was my only bottle. Looking to purchase more.
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Wine night with Joe and Kyla (Joe's Bar and Grill): After a 6 hour decant, this is a notch better again than the last one in 2010. Really feels like this is nearing plateau with 5 years of great drinking and 10yrs before it falls off. Wonderful balance of black fruit, earth notes, acid, and tannins. A tiny hit of eucalyptus is classic.
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Very nice, but not the complex cab I remember from the tasting at the winery. It's another reminder that there are no great wines, just great bottles of wine.
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Not getting a lot of fruit right now. What was there was dark. Good tannins and acid. Moderate alcohol for Napa. Very earthy wine. Like slapshot I didn't decant long before drinking. That was a mistake. Seems very young.
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Very nice! Licorice, currant, fig maybe. Lush and lasting. Two words: Dee Lish! A little too much alcohol to the nose at first, but that's probably because it's still young and I couldn't decant as long as I would have liked.
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750ml; PnP; popped for steak dinner; red and dark fruits with medium tannins, and decent acidity present. In a good place although suspect could go at least another 5 years. Enjoyable wine.
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Decanted for one hour. Muted aroma of dark fruit and must. Black and red fruit flavors with some leather and coco. Nicely balanced with full body and lengthy finish. For some reason seem to lack a little complexity tonight.
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Impressively structured, with equal parts red and black fruits against a frame of very fine, ripe tannins and abundant acids. Sadly this did not have the aeration it needed (for my palate, anyway). I'd recommend 2 hours in decanter, and/or wait 3-4 more years as the upside is pretty obvious here. recommended
Served non-blind.
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Was afraid this might be too young but it's in a good place place with plenty of stuffing for the long haul. Wonderful nose full of dark fruit and a touch of alcohol, great mouthfeel and balance with blackberry fruit, violets (?), slightly grippy tannins (in a good way) and a clean, balanced, long (60 second) acid laced (not fat) finish. My first of a six pack, it will be interesting to see how this develops over the next 10-15 years.
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Bursting with blueberries upon first opening the bottle, and after about an hour, it definitely got more complex. The tannins were smooth and I got some chocolate notes on the mid palate. Finish is medium. Just a beautifully drafted wine. Not sure if it's worth the high price tag, despite the fact that it's so good. This paired perfectly with the rib eye we made.
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Nice nose. A little green pepper, nose is typical of Cabernet Franc. Nice smoke. Round mouthfeel but still good tannins. Was far outclassed by the 2004 we tasted with it. Tasted at the winery.
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Very deep, rich, and complex. Much more so than I anticipated, given the vintage. Dark plums, black cherry, sweet licorice, and very smooth tannins (almost no grip, actually). Some have noted a "greenness," but to me that's not evident. I drank this over two days, with day 2 being a bit richer. Drink now, or hold 5+ yrs.
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Great classic Napa cab. This wine was very enjoyable and is in perfect balance with layers of deep dark berry fruit. Long finish. This wine should easily age for many years to come but it did not taste too young nor would I say it has reached its peak.
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Consumed over two nights. First thing, this excellent wine showed some opening ON, but on second night clearly could have lived another day. Great structure, great texture, still young, can drink now but can last a long longtime. I get the licorice, with some dark berries and leather. Montelena a has been? Absurd. Its a major classic, and in this country where we live with fads, one hopes us winos have a different perspective. If I was locked in a cave with this and Togni, I could survive
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Poured in the decanter about 30 minutes before having with grilled flank and hangar steak. Drank over the follow 2.5 hours. Aroma is blackberry and blueberry, with a hint of mint or pine to it. Taste is very consistent, having the blackberry on the front part of the palate, but not heavy at all. Once it gets near the back of the tongue, the pine flavor hits to combine with the fruit. I'm not a fan of "green" in wines, but this has an amount that is just at the level of not being too much to work well with the fruit. I don't love this quite as much as when I had it a year and a half ago, but it's still very nice juice.
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I had one bottle in 2010, one in 2011 and one today, June 8, 2014. This wine is still young, it needs at least another 4 to 5 year in the bottle to mature fully. It is dark, almost opaque, with a lot of sediment left in the bottle and in the last glass. Unlike the other drinkers, I didn't taste any "pencil lead, or pencil shavings", to me, the predominate taste was of the dark licorice. There is still plenty of fruit and some tannins on the palate, but the fruit is refined, not your typical "fruit bomb." I think it will be great in another five years. Still have a six-pack left.
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Deep dark color. Currant, pencil shaving, dried leaves, a bit of mocha. Everything is just where it is supposed to be. Fruit is pure but not extracted. Excellent balance, long length, fantastic bottle of wine.
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Nose: Cherries in abundance with pencil lead shavings and subtle herbs. After air an almost perfumy quality is present. Palate: Fresh Bing cherries with still fresh tannins and an elegant medium length finish. So classy and refined. Typical of Montelena Estate. Plenty of life ahead for this. 92+ points.
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This was a real surprise and pleasure. Montelena now seems at best one of the pack and more commonly (among the reviewers) as a "has-been." But this was delicious and middle of the fairway cab. Reminder of why cab is king. When it's like this, there's no beating good cab. Just deep, balanced, good flavors, long finish and easy to like. Don't need to be sophisticated to like this. Good now, but no rush.
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Opened it for a Friday night dinner at home. Dark, very purple dark. Almost dark blue. Small taste for Pnp... very good, but felt a bit close. So, pour to two glasses and left it for 30 minutes. Then- dark and berry fruits (currant is well noted, a bit of strawberry), dry fruits on the nose, a hint of cedar and oak (the oak developed with more time in the glass), a little vanilla, and secondary- dry herbs and some little spice on the background that got stronger as the wine 'opened' up. (especially the spicy background, very 'pepperish'). It worked very well with our dinner (different meats, mainly lamb and rice based, small steak). We did notice little presence of sediment in the bottle. We assume it needs more decanting before drinking and we have little less than 1/4 bottle left to test this evening (stayed overnight in the cellar)
Postscript day 2 testing: little taste, 30 minutes in the glass, as good or even better than day 1. After 60+ minutes it started fading a bit. Overall conclusion, some decanting time is needed if you open a bottle now. Two more bottles left, (according to the list)
(93-94. Maybe more 93? maybe more 94?)
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Compared to the last bottle from two years ago, the fruit was more reserved and had a stronger green/pyrazine note. Leaner and more fresh as well. Definitely an improvement overall.
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Served blind. Opened about 90 minutes prior to the tasting. What a deliciously balanced Cabernet. Dark fruit, a bit of mocha, some warm, dried herbs and a hint of finishing spice (wood spie?) made this interesting from first sip to last. I went back to it a couple of hours later, and it had fleshed out even more. There is tannin present, but it is in the background and quite suave. Fantastic.
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Drinking exceptionally well. Glad I waited to open this one. Full body on the lighter side, smooth, dark fruits that are well integrated with chocolate and licorice and remarkably smooth tannins on the finish. Like drinking mildly dark chocolate flavored liquid with black cherries. Very nice mouth feel. Quite refined, not heavy Drank next to an aged Shaeffer Cab and this had it beat by a mile.
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Not my favorite Montelena Estate but still an enjoyable drink. Flavors of black fruits, tobacco, herbs and a touch of vegatable. A more open style of Montelena with a little fatness and not as much focus and structure. Think I will wait a year or two to open the next bottle.
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It had been a long time since I had a Montelena, so I wasn't sure what to expect, especially being an 05. Surprisingly, this bottle (decanted for 3+ hours), struck me as exceedingly Bordeaux-like, medium bodied, with fine tannins, and much less emphasis on fruit. Our speculation was this wine would be hard to taste blind and identify as Napa. Lots of structure with an above average finish. Very tasty.
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I am with Bob in NC on this one. After a couple of hours in a decanter, this wine really explodes on the nose and palate.This is a wonderful expression of Napa Cab! Full throttle, yet exquisitely balanced.
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An absolutely beautiful cab in early part of its optimal drinking window. Intoxicating nose of cherry licorice and cedar; silky smooth & harmonious palate of dark cherry, licorice, cedar with a hint of black pepper, that all meld together on a lingering magic carpet ride finish.
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Rich red, pretty and feminine style fruit on the nose. Sweet red berries fill the aromas in addition to nice floral notes. Fruit forward in style as age has relaxed the tannin and acid a bit. Luscious and rich, dominated by red fruit. Raspberry, currant and cherry flavors with nice vanilla influence. Soft, rounded tannins. It's in a lovely drinking window right now.
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Decanted 1/2 hour. Enjoyable nose and without a doubt a top cab with nose of sour cherry, black fruit, menthol, spicy oak, and hints of currants. On the palate, stern at this point, fruit is just starting to peek through with red and black currant, sour cherry, hints of mint and tobacco with spicy oak. Long finish with lots of grip and mouth watering acidity. This only gets better from here.
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Brought to a restaurant for corkage and decanted. Dark and tight with plenty of grip and grit. Sublte notes of blueberry, currant, licorice and smoke with solid structure. Really young for eight years old with plenty of life left. The best might be still to come.
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Great bottle of wine--classical Montelena with nice fruit balanced out by solid tannins (which are now mellowing a little) and good acidity. Drank over the course of 2 hrs and was great to see how the wine developed and smoothed out the rough edges over the time the bottle was open. Plenty of time left on this--will leave my other bottle for a while.
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Decanted for 3 hours before having with burgers, then drank over the next 4+ hours. Aroma bit closed at first, but developed into plum, light oak and tobacco. Also get a bit of clove. Taste is really interesting in that it has plum and blackberry, yet is very light and has some oak. This was still going very strong after the 4 hour mark, so I think this has a lot of life left.
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Tasted from a half bottle. I had high expectations for this wine, which is maybe why I scored it this low - thought this wine would be richer and more complex. Opened and poured it through a vinturi a few times. Maybe could have benefited from a longer slow-ox decant? Loved the nose of ripe dark berries, leather, and eucalyptus. Very bright wine with notes of cassis, blackberry, and hints of tobacco on the palate. A medium bodied wine with silky tannins. Medium finish. Very well structured and balanced with good acidity. Definitely wan't to try this one again from a 750.
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The wine looks Inky colored. It smells like Cranberry, Strawberry, Blackberry, and Black currant (cassis). It tastes like Blackberry, Cranberry, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Bright texture. The wine finishes Medium. I did try the wine, lol, but just wanted to use the tasting note assistant Eric developed.
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Aerated and decanted for an hour plus. Medium to full body. mushroom, dark fruits and tobacco, with dry tannins and earthy finish. Well structured. Good with steak. Tastes like a left bank Bordeaux. However, a bit dissappointed for the price point. Fine buy at $35 but at $70+ its overpriced. It may need another couple of years to peak and show its true colors.
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Decanted 3-4 hours. Garnet color with slight haze. Powerful nose of fresh picked ripe, highly concentrated berries. Full bodied with medium, round tannins. Intense flavored layers of menthol, eucalyptus, new leather, dried tobacco & ripe black cherry & raspberry. Perfectly balanced tannins & smooth acidity. Paired exceptionally well with beef briscuit. Hit of party!
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Didnt let this breathe enough. It could gave been lots better with our steak if i would have. The half glass that was left next evening was great. Sediment present
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Decanted thru vinturi then back in the bottle for 3 hours. Dark purple with slightly maroon rim. Generous nose of dark fruit and earth. Moderate funk at first mostly blew off. Dark flesh and berry fruit on the palate with earth/mushroom, tobacco, and cedar. Resolved tannins. Medium finish. Excellent.
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A more restrained Bordeaux style - which I prefer and have noticed in other vintages - but not so much that the California fruit isn't obvious. Will see if it fades into the background in a few years. Though pretty solid, it's a bit fruit-heavy for me at this point (says the guy who doesn't often drink Napa cabs).
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Dark purple so you know the fruits are coming! Big nose of black cherry, black berry and spice. This is a bold wine and doing very well in the bottle. On the palate the wine does not disappoint…
Well integrated fruits, spice and hints of earth round this out. A bit jammy up front but the tannin structure is there to handle the acids and fruit.
This should continue to cellar well for several years. Pared with a juicy NY steak and what a paring!
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Binny's welcomes Bo Barrett (Binny's, Linclon Park): Crimson color. Aromas of red currants and cherry, along with evergreen, clay and mineral. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and flavors of licorice, red currants, spice, black cherry and cassis. Finishes well. 93-94 pts.
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Pop and pour into Sommelier stems. Impressive wine; started off a little tight and slightly green, but within 45 mins I couldn't pull either from the profile of the wine. Dark coloring, nose throws off a young and full aroma of black cherry and young oak. Medium-heavy in weight, the wine remains tight and youthful, yet approachable. The wine shows a finesse and elegance that you expect from this price-point, without the mouth-coating tannins that bring Parker's points and have driven much of the market. Don't get me wrong, I love many of those wines (and have found Monty's that I don't much enjoy) but this Bordeaux-structured wine is what I expect and appreciate from Montelena.
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This wine was opened and poured with a Nuance aerator and delivered beautifully. Would have likely been a little better with an hour or so decant but was excellent right out of the bottle.
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The 2005 Chateau Montelena Estate is such a beautiful and elegant Cabernet. It shows gorgeous aromas and flavors of black cherry, tobacco, smoke and mineral. This is well made, structured and focused with a seamless finish, but its the elegance and freshness that I really love here. A stunning wine from Montelena and drinking perfect right now. (Drink now) - JD
94 POINTS
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Opaque dark ruby color, soft nose with hint of fruit such as plum, full bodied round wine, good acid level, moderate tannin, taste most pronounced in upper palate, 12 second finish
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Decanted about 2 hours and poured each glass through a vinturi. Still tight, but amazing nonetheless. Gorgeous silky texture, so polished. Last glass was the best. This needed another 4 hours of decant, or another few years in the cellar before the fruit really shines. Fantastic pairing with grilled rib-eye steaks. Wish I had another bottle...
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I was impressed with how sweet the nose was on this one. Caramel and ripe fruits. Loads of blueberry. The nose was slightly tight and somewhat subdued. So soft on the palate. A slight spice. Roasted grains on the long dark finish.
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The color was a beautiful dark purple red. On the nose i got dark cherry and red cherry with a sweet candied strawberry. There was a noticeable buttery vanilla oak followed by a strong alcohol finish. On the palate there was the same fruit on the initial palate followed by oak and finishing with alcohol. I definitely think this wine was young. I allowed it to breath for quite some time to let some of the alcohol to calm down and the fruit to bloom but it didnt improve a whole lot. Over all I was not that impressed with this wine. At the price I paid Ive had much better wines at a quarter of the price. Dont get me wrong it was good but it was too young and i dont think it would have matured much more if at all over the next couple of years. This wine is more subtle and Bordeaux like compared to other Cali Cabs. Im glad I gave it a try and can now say Ive had a true Cali rockstar of a wine.
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Clash of the Titans, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon tasting (Red Slate, Portland, Oregon): Deep blackberries dominate the nose, while a faint musty note mingles with cherries, brown sugar, and some roast beef. Lovely juicy apples and blackberries show immediately on the palate. The wine bursts in to a full mouth feel with great acidity on the mid palate. A green note runs down the center of my mouth, and sour cherries and blackberries run down the sides. Gentle tannins let the acidity do the work of drying out the palate. Everything lingers enjoyably on the finish.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks - The Great Gathering (aka: Steak porn/Wine Orgy); 11/5/2010-11/6/2010 (The Home of Steve Treu): Notable for a much darker flavor profile than the other Napa wines. Lots of spice and mocha on the nose with a hint of saline along with cherry and cassis fruit notes. Ripe slightly candied fruit palate with toast and mocha and strong vanilla on a lengthy finish. Interesting flavor profile, but the oak wasn’t well integrated on this showing, overshadowing the fruit some. Complex and would expect to improve with time.
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Not much to complain about. everything was in perfect harmony and well structured. My only complaint was that I expected a long finish and it was not there. All and All though, this was a great cabernet.
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Purchased and consumed with dinner at Gaylord National Harbour - Moon Bay Coastal Cuisine. At $98, quite a decent price. Nose of cassis and dark fruit, with notes of cedar spice. Rich and decadent in the mouth with more dark sour cherry, licorice and leather. A bit hot on the finish, but should have been decanted.
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Had before dinner with a cheese plate on a recent getaway. This needs time to open; tough to do in a restaurant Nose showed cassis, cocoa, a bit of coffee, and spicy undertones. This is nicely balanced with dark black fruits, leather, licorice up front with a nice bit of acid. Seamless transitions with very firm tannins on the finish. Yes this probably needs 3 more years of aging but it was so enjoyable.
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Had this at Capital Grille with porterhouse steak. Decanted for about an hour. Nice nose of oak, some mineral and fruit on the palate. Not a stunner, though. Perhaps overshadowed by the Far Niente chardonnay, served earlier.
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PA Wine Festival - Pittsburgh: Integrated nose of dark berries, currant and smoke. Palate of more rich dark berries, dark currants and chocolate. Impressive finish showing many more years in the cellar. Outstanding.
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Popped and poured. Beautiful, complex bouquet evoking chocolate, coffee, parafin. Palate did not accomplish quite the same heights only because, I suspect, did not give it enough time to open up. Still, intense rich flavors of oak and vanilla. Quite impressed overall.
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Drank against an 05 Lancaster and preferred the Montelena. Decanted for three hours, right out of the bottle had some nice fruit notes. After three hours nicely integrated, if a little thin on the palate. Reminded me of a Corison.
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I have no idea how this compares to its peers since I don’t drink a lot of Napa luxury cabernet. After two hours the aroma is open with cassis, dark cherry fruit and also a soil/stone element that adds interest. Great aroma already. Similar flavor with slight brown sugar, cedar and a hint of smoke from oak. In the mouth, intense, good bright structure, moderate soft tannin, not caressing but well knit and in need of time. I tried this with the ’04 which has riper tannins, more intensity, and is more flamboyant overall. I know these age but I think this will start to show well in about 5 years. Not ready for the table but lovely wine. Aroma ahead of the palate.
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A real treat, the guy who sent it to us as a gift insisted that we drink it now, even though everyone but he thought it was too young. We were basically right. I thought it was on the very end of it's "dumb" stage where it is too tight to really taste. And tight it was. The nose would not give us much, so we decanted, swirled, and rolled the glass on the edge of the table, and forced those flavors and aromas to surrender. There is a lot going on here. The nose has a mineral, minty, menthol behind some tight, but obvious black and red fruits. But there is more, there is a smokey, spicy undertone with tobacco. The color is very dark. The palate is dominated by the still considerable tannins that need a few more years to integrate. The alcohol and acid have settled down waiting for the tannins to come around for a real solid combination that is as much Bordeaux in style as Napa. Long solid textbook high end cabernet finish.l
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Better than the first one I tried 8 mos ago, it's starting to reveal the Calistoga fruit and touch of mint after a few hours. Very structured: wait, decant, and wait some more!
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A nice nose that isn't too dominated by alcohol, even at this point. I get black cherries and black currant early in the mouth. The taste is still dominated by tannins. Looking forward to my nextbottle in a couple of years.
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Decanted for about 3 hours and started the Christmas meal with it. Went really well with the Crown Roast of Lamb - great finish; blew everyone away and held its own amongst the other we drank that day including a 2000 Mondavi Reserve, 2002 Lancaster Estate Cab and a 2003 Hewitt. Very smooth - typical Montelana classic; great nose, long finish; not a lot of complexity here - underated for sure.
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Beautiful nose upon opening, only gets better over time. Hard to call on the taste, good but not outstanding. Will have another glass tomorrow and hope it gets better
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holy smokes! this wine is flat out awful. i seriously can't believe they served it in a winery controlled vertical. it's not spoofilated, it's just a muddled mess. undrinkable.
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Chateau Montelena Tasting (Sportsman's): Dark ruby color. Dark fruit nose. Tastes of blackberry and charred oak. Overly extracted. Bitter tannic finish. Completely out of balance. Hopefully time will be kind to this wine. Not rated.
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Really nice, subtle, a bit acerbic, very understated, not wuite right with the brisket, chicken, and hot sauce, perhaps a more gourmet meal would showcase the wine better. Some earth, light fruit.
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Tour - Napa / Sonoma 2009; 8/25/2009-8/29/2009 (Napa / Sonoma, CA): This is one of the best wines we tasted on this trip! Bouquet complex, earthy, cinnamon, vanilla, violets, dark cherry, warm leather. Taste complex, rich and velvety, with black currant, building to mouth filling cherry, nice acid balance, nice smooth finish of dried fruits, apple, and hints of clove. Very good, but still overpriced at $135. Tasted at Chateau Montelena Winery on Napa trip. $20 for tastings. (See Tasting Story notes about this famous winery.)
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August 2009 Too Much Wine (Lake Elmo): Scored for future potential. Impeccably balanced. Cassis and perfumed fruit on the nose. On the palate, the highlight is a bit of bright cherry. Pretty tight at this point, but good structure with both balanced acidity and a fair if not overwhelming tannic presence on the finish. Another 5 years and this should be drinking very, very well. My only concern is whether or not the fruit will come to play a more dominant role down the line. Update: continues to get better with time open / in the glass. A very elegant wine.
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I was pleasantly surprised by the 2005 Montelena. My past experiences have been wines that are more terroir-driven and herbaceous with rough tannins. This Montelena was definitely different. Purple/black color. Initial bouquet of lavender, blackberries and brown sugar. This is a more feminine style wine than the generally more masculine Montelenas. It tastes like a hypothetical cross between a Colgin, a Ducru Beaucaillou and a Cos D'Estournel (irony?). Black fruits, plums, dark cherry, saddle leather, briar, sagebrush, licorice, lead pencil and anise. Pretty well-balanced with a core acidity that will require a few years to burn off. The primary area that this wine lacks is the finish. The flavors hang on the tongue for only 10-15 seconds and then fall off sharply. This will not be as long-lived as other Montelenas but will drink better earlier. Best to try again in 3 years.
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K&L Charity Event. Nose of blackberry tart, currants, and dust, more of the same on the palate, fairly fruit forward for this winery, very nice showing today with terrific cabernet flavors, big body, long finish.
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Bo Barrett visits Minneapolis (Surdyk's): Nose: Subtle aromas of stone fruits, mineral and cherry. Palate: Much like the 2001 bright red fruits (cherry) with a very solid acid profile. Tannins were surprisingly soft and approachable given it's youth. This wine has all the components to be like the 2001 in time given the extrordinary balance. It is very good today, but I feel that it has real 93+ point potential in time. Great stuff.
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Is this a somewhat more approachable Montelena? It's aromatically closed, but there's grater richness on the palate than I am used to. It very well balanced, but I am almost tempted to use the word plush, except for the comfortingly forbidding tannins that follow the initial wave of dark, rich fruit.
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Tasted a while ago, so doing only general notes from memory. This wine was done in a very backward style - austere dark fruits, tons of structure, a little rock, a little earth. This wine may well turn out to be a godsend for those who prefer California cab the way it was made in the 70s, etc. (and I am one of those people). A bit tough to know whether I think there's enough fruit here for this to really round out in maturity, but I respect that the Barretts seem to be making their cab the same way they always have. I didn't love it on this day, but I would love to taste it in ten years. 89-93, leaving a wide range for future development here.
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Classic bordeaux taste, subtle, understated, not hugely tannic, cherries, thick, deep rich red color. Some smoke and earth, had it with beef borgogne,was perfect. A real treat.
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Really enjoyed this. Forward, but well integrated tannins underlie a palate of dark fruit, chocolate, and forest. There is some plum, and also blackberry and black cherry. Long finish shows this has quite a life ahead of it.
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Deep red; anise, earth, game and light pepper on the nose; herbal with some modest, soft plum fruit and game; becomes silky smooth with no rough edges and a lasting finish; a tad light in the body--tastes almost diluted. Will this get better? Not sure.
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Just got case this week and had to try. Very tight and astringent in the beginning and was worried. After1-2 hours in decanter tannins soften. 3-4 hours later smooth, but a little thin. Fruit there, leather, and little earth. Think needs more time to sit. Will try next bottle in 3 months.
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really astringent and liquorish. Almost bitter plum. Very tight but silky red plum flavors asian spice on the palate interesting. Tastes young and almost light. Not to tannic but I bet that will change. Wines goes into dumb phase at 18 months.
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Served at a tasting at the Wine Club in SF. Opened one hour. Quick notes: dark fruit on the nose and palate; chocolate and some flowers; ends with a dry, citrus fnish with some tannins. Very good.
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Chateau Montelena Tasting (The Peninsula Hotel (Chicago)): The food pairing was braised beef short ribs on cheddar grits with a tomato jam. This is made from mostly 30+ year old estate Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cab Franc in the blend. This barrel sample was a dark reddish purple color. Thick texture with firm tannins. Rather earthy and woody at present with the tannins hiding much of the fruit. Some chocolatey black fruit on the finish though. Full bodied. Scoring this on future expectations mostly. 92+ points.
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4/28/2024 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical Montelena, robust, earthy, complex. Opens with notes of raspberry, sour cherry and plum. Additional earthy notes, chocolate and coffee on the mid palate. A lingering finish and moderate, nicely integrated tannins. The 2005 ( and this is my third bottle) is and always has been a bit subdued compared to other vintages but high quality none the less.
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12/20/2023 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 93 Points
Right medium ruby, slightly cloudy. Chocolate-covered coffee beans with sweet raspberries and significant alcohol on the nose. Really good mix of raspberries, blackberries, and mulberries on the front palate. Sweet bay leaf notes at the mid-palate. Gets sweeter and riper with air. Tasty stuff.
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7/31/2023 - carl.cornaglia@gmai.com wrote: 95 Points
I am a big Bordeaux drinker, and haven't tasted a lot of California cabs, but this wine was stunning. Big and rich with black fruits and perfectly balanced.
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7/28/2023 - pdebree Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wonderful Napa cab! Pretty muted nose but amazing taste, plenty of acidity and fruit left and nicley balanced tanins. Drinking great now but will probably go several more years without issue.
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6/21/2023 - Kentw Likes this wine: 91 Points
A touch different from the last bottle in 2019. Dark, full with a touch of dry brush in the mid-palate. Mushroom and black fruits. But still quite good.
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4/15/2023 - gmbdds wrote: 94 Points
Brought to a restaurant for corkage and decanted. Red currant and plum with something like cinnamon, but no sweetness. Fully integrated and seamless at this point though I think it has some years to go. Drink this for grace and class, not necessarily ten different notes. My last of three and dare I say the best.
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4/10/2023 - Fuel55 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very youthful. Some mature fruit notes but structure still needs to give way.
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3/6/2023 - Justinwine wrote: 94 Points
Truly what NAPA cab can / should be.
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2/25/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine: 94 Points
The Montelena Estate Cab's do need to be aired out before drinking, even this 2005.
Also, the Montelena's really need to be drank with food. Much more than other wines we drink, the Montelena's taste dramatically better with food. It is is not a wine to drink on its on, or with light hors d'oeuvres.
The 2005, after decanting (which we did for 5 minutes with the VSpin) is marvelous right now. An absolute treat.
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2/24/2023 - timewithwine Likes this wine:
Not a lot of change from last year. It is still a deep, opaque plum from core to rim. A harmonious symphony of plum, cassis, mint, leather, and cedar segue from bouquet to palate with almost seamless precision. The rich, weighty mouthfeel is nevertheless well balanced. The problem now is showing restraint and not drinking all right now. Maybe try another one in 2025. Some sediment. 14.2% alc. With grilled (beef) ribeyes. 02.24.23. Highly Recommended.
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2/11/2023 - jzebrack Does not like this wine:
corked
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2/4/2023 - Sonoma Duck Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful wine, decanted for just 30 minutes. Dark ruby, earthy nose, balanced, tannins mostly resolved. Enjoy and will probably hold for 3+/- years.
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2/3/2023 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect balance - dark fruit in Bordeaux profile , perfect acidity, resolved but still present for texture tannin - nicely done, but I wouldn’t wait too much longer. Probably at apogee or near it.
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1/27/2023 - Dave D Likes this wine: 95 Points
Good at opening and just got better
Definitely drink now
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1/2/2023 - Stags Likes this wine: 97 Points
The 2005 is drinking beautifully now, gourgous grand wine from a great vintage. Lush fruit of crushed black current and plum, layered and textured, pencil shavings, violets and underbrush. Powerful but yet refined velvety tannins with bright balanced acidity. Will develop further for years to come.
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11/28/2022 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Very young still and almost a touch austere albeit overlaid with proper Napa fruit. The wine is good don't get us wrong but just we had that feeling that we rushed it and with time this would evolve into something so much more. The fruit is very much there but its even tighter than a 2005 Bordeaux now, has the power and all and the presence but would have loved some more complexity. a Solid 92-93 for now but we will wait quite a bit more for our next bottle.
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11/7/2022 - spacewrangler wrote: flawed
Cork on two Winebid bottles were fine but must have seen heat damage. Blech.
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11/7/2022 - spacewrangler wrote:
Pop n pour nose not offering a lot and palate is foursquare. Let’s see how a decant helps. Will revisit my note if this improves.
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10/21/2022 - mflesh wrote: 95 Points
My previous note on this wine from 750 enjoyed in 2019 told me not to open these mags until 2030. Ok so maybe I didn't listen to my own advice and opened one of these mags today. HOWEVER.... After an hour in the decanter, I cannot say that it was a bad decision! Immediately following cork pop this one was a bit strange. A little bit thin, kind of leggy, peculiar thin red brambly velvet fruit. After an hour, turned darker, more dense, yet still had a very good mixture of red and black fruit. Herbal tones. A bit of tobacco and black olives. Roasted figs. Finished pretty obtuse, with a hint of acidic character. And, leaving it in the decanter was a great choice because it was still changing even when I had to leave. It's my belief this one is going to continue growing and developing over the next 15 to 20 years. If you have this one in magnum, do not be afraid to hold for at least another decade. Or 2.
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7/16/2022 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Gorgeous aromas of flowers, cedar plank and pencil lead. Fabulous! Palate: Very soft yet still has youthful tannins. Very slight bricking. Perfect provenance with cherries, leather and subtle spices. Last bottle of this (and signed by Bo Barrett). Drank at Capital Grille. Still 92+ points.
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7/15/2022 - Rwyatt2649 wrote: 94 Points
A beautiful garnet color hints to the beautiful nose of blackberry, raspberry, pencil shavings and cedar. Elegantly balanced body and sculpted, granular tannins lead to a ripe berried finish. Reminiscent of Bordeaux with the beautiful intensity that only comes from Napa. One for the ages.
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7/2/2022 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good weight and interesting nose. Fruit somewhat drying but still good for now. I would think this needs to be drunk sooner rather than later.
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5/24/2022 - oncocyte wrote: 87 Points
Pas de joie ici. The nose offers a a promise of fruit, not delivered subsequently. The palate is forest floor, wood, mushroom. The finish is softer tannins with shoe polish. Which can be a nice accent in the right position and right quantity. Fails here on both tests.
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5/8/2022 - MC wrote:
Splash decanted 30 minutes. This is drinking so well right now. Dark red fruits, great concentration and long finish. A-/A
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5/2/2022 - timewithwine Likes this wine:
A deep, opaque plum from core to rim. An explosive nose of plum, cassis, mint, leather, and a touch of cedar. Palate tracks the nose with precision. While all fine and dandy, the real joy is the richness of the mouthfeel; opulent, yet balanced. Truly hitting its stride and with lots of life ahead of it. Some sediment. 14.2% alc. With leftover (beef) London broil and assorted cheeses. 05.02.22. Highly Recommended.
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4/16/2022 - jbaron wrote: 93 Points
Still very young.
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4/12/2022 - Doc Blinet Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank this after a similarly aged Bordeaux. This cab had a bit more fruit and less the austere elegance present in an aged Bordeaux.
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3/15/2022 - CWilliam wrote:
Enjoyed at Hal's Steakhouse in Atlanta, GA - did not take any notes (and dinner was 2 weeks ago). This wine has aged beautifully and was very elegant in style - integrated tannins, good acidic lift and long finish. Currants, cassis and tobacco. 93+
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2/26/2022 - no leashes wrote: 92 Points
Delicious and elegant, with Bordeaux like structure and flavors. Roasted meat and olive flavors complement the dark fruit flavors and maybe a hint of coffee (?). Smooth and drinking well.
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2/5/2022 - G_H wrote: 90 Points
Red and blue berries, nice wine, but lacking that Napa generosity.
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2/4/2022 - OhioFan07 wrote: 92 Points
Very smooth wine. Aged very well. Almost too long. Tannis soft and understated. A little but longing on the pallet but great balance of dark overripe berry with softened oak.
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2/4/2022 - jpwines wrote:
definitely corked--this is the only Montelena I have ever had that was corked.--a rarirty
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1/13/2022 - Winokdub wrote: 93 Points
I had a glass after only an hour of air and it was great though it seemed like more time, either via decant or time in the bottle, would maybe notch it up some. Was still somewhat tight within the hour then I had to go. But it was a memorable big mouthful.
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1/1/2022 - wino121 wrote: 93 Points
It was tasty, and still has some up front fruit, fully integrated.
Drink it now thru 2024/6
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12/26/2021 - WhineEnthusiast Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank after 7-8 hour decant. a lot of structure and was still opening up with the last glass. Wonderful expression of classic style (not fruit/alcohol bomb) California cab. Translucent ruby/jewel like appearance. Beautiful nose and lovely red fruit driven flavor. Still relatively youthful, with only hints of secondary flavors emerging. A joy to drink, but if I had more, I think I would hold ~5 more years to let this really mature. Feel like this might be in a bit of an in-between phase…no longer fully primary, but lacking some of the nuance and character of old age. Compared to an 11 monte bello we had at same time, this was Somewhat lacking on the mid palate, but I could see it really coming around with a few more years.
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12/19/2021 - Dflawless Likes this wine: 94 Points
Double decanted for 4 hours. This wine opened beautifully with a nose that was not overwhelming but pleasant and refined. Full bodied with a nice balance of oak, dark fruits and somewhat complex layering paired with a ground lamb pasta dish enjoyed with 4 other friends on a covid manageable dinner. The finish while not particularly long lasting was also elegant and begs for another sip. This wine -while in a beautiful drinking window-has, I believe 3-5 years of memorable drinking ahead (plenty of pleasant grip even after the decant). Outstanding!
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12/17/2021 - MC wrote:
This was not bad with an hour splash decant. In a flight of other great 2005s, including Almaviva, Dominus, and Monte Bello, this was right there with the Monte Bello for me as the wine of the night. Ripe, dark fruit, nice concentration but in an elegant style that is a very nice mix of new and old world style. I think in the end I slightly preferred the Monte Bello but a close call and for the $, especially right now, I think well stored bottles of this wine are a great deal. A
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12/5/2021 - MC wrote:
Bought this direct from the winery just recently. PNP although after an initial taste we decanted it and let it breathe for 45 minutes. Nice wine, but not a show-stopper. In a few weeks we will be tasting this vs. some other 2005 Cali Cabs and Bordeaux so will be interesting to see if I am just underrating this wine right now but based on a brief taste tonight i would say very good but not great. A-
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11/7/2021 - jbaron wrote: 94 Points
Nose that is nice and punches above its weight; the mouth is fully saturated and contains gobs of dark red fruit; the length is good, if a bit tannic and a tiny bit clipped.
Really firing on all cylinders, and well balanced. Great now, with some future old cab promise, but drinking quite well.
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11/7/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine just continues to improve with time. Decanted 2 hours, could use more. Great aromatics with black cherry, pepper, some earthy, leather, smoke and graphite notes. The palate shows dark fruit, blackberry, spice, leather, earth, some tobacco beautifully coming together. The tannins have softened a lot leading to a long smooth finish. While it is drinking very well now, given my experience with older Montelenas, I don't think it is at its peak yet and has years to go.
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8/12/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Now this is how a Napa Valley Cab should be made and it's aged quite well. Excellent freshness and vigor with lovely violet-tinged dark fruit and a touch of Napa dirt. Silky and fine with good balancing acidity and a complex finish with notes of dark spices and eucalyptus. Will continue to age well off it's balance but I loved it tonight.
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7/17/2021 - Sonoma Duck Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pulled this bottle to replace a 2002 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon that was corked. Medium ruby, nose opened after 20 minutes, rich compost and cedar. Mouth filling drink, fully mature for my taste but in no danger of going over the hill. Very long finish.
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7/4/2021 - DangerMouse81 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aromatically this was wonderfully mature. Tobacco, cedar, black olive and dried cherry. Very Bordeaux-like, but the palate was a bit clipped and short in length. Probably best to drink now.
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3/27/2021 - lovemycab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Enjoyed with beef short ribs. Cork broke about 2/3rd way out, but no impact as wine is drinking nicely.
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3/26/2021 - Policarpio Cellars wrote:
Liftu
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2/13/2021 - colima wrote: 93 Points
Still going strong. Great color and nose - not bricky at all. Decanted for one hour, but continued to improve with more time and some animal fan.
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12/28/2020 - daved Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredible with Beef Wellington on Christmas. Yummy!
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12/26/2020 - Quarked wrote: 93 Points
Used the wrong corkscrew and had to use a sieve to avoid bits of cork debris in my glass. Lovely color, medium bodied, very clean and lovely cab, clearly a different kind of winemaking than most Napa cabs. Much lighter and prettier than the non-estate version.
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12/26/2020 - mchern02 Likes this wine: 94 Points
3 hour decant
Meaningfully better than last bottle a little less than a year ago.
Beautiful fresh and enticing nose of kir, pencil lead, anise, cedar, and chocolate. Palate is medium plus body end well balanced with mellow but quite fine structure, sweet mature tannins a by nice attractive acidity. Excellent finish++.
Still youthful and fantastic today but think it could improve more! One of the better montelena estates I’ve had recently! Nice
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12/24/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice mature Cab with concentrated flavors and years ahead of it. Drink or hold.
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12/23/2020 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 88 Points
Strangest performance of the night award. Popped and tasted and this was a tad flat...no surprise, it needed time to breathe. About 45 minutes later, I tried it again and it was singing. Absolutely lived up to all the rave reviews. Dark fruit, black cherry, blueberry, coffee and maybe a hint of clove on the finish. Beautifully balanced and incredible depth. A finish that went on forever with slightly diminished tannins but great balance. Went back another 30 minutes later and this had closed up tight again. I have another bottle though so now I know to drink up when the drinking is good.
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11/23/2020 - KenK Likes this wine: 94 Points
From perfect looking bottle, absolutely delicious and punched above expectations. Dark chocolate & roasted coffee aromas with sweet blackberries. Dense fruit flavors with plush textures and a toasted richness. Unbelievable this is 15 years old.
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11/14/2020 - davidspieker wrote: 90 Points
Murky dark red color. Musty cellar aromas. Earthy dark cherry and raspberry flavors with a juicy and lengthy high octane finish. Nice finish.
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10/23/2020 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Part of a private party purchase (hard to calculate bottle prices, but about $80-90 as I remember) about 6 and a half years ago. Small taste, with potent acidity and tannins with some slightly tart red fruit, followed by 2+ hours of air. On the nose but less the palate, a definite plum note, and on both, red cherries and currants, leather, earth, smoke, a bit of tobacco and anise. Almost blackish purple, medium bodied, thick legs. Still vigorous tannins and acidity which smoothed over 3 days, no heat. Medium+ intensity, medium complexity and persistence. Subtle and elegant with structure in spades, I'd have bet at bad odds that this was a Bordeaux, and lost. Still, the less than effusive fruit had this wine heading for a low 90s rating and not great qpr until it met my rack of lamb, at which point it became a rock star, with the tannins and acidity working their magic with the delicious, fatty beast; although the match wasn't quite equal, it has continued to shine with spaghetti and meatballs on night 3, and if it hasn't gained any power, it certainly hasn't lost any. I note that this wine populates an unusual quadrant for me with cabs/Bordeaux blends as a wine far better with food than without (also in, but below this, the '96 Ducru and the '92 Montebello, which had even wanner fruit, perhaps because they were even older), as opposed to the '12 Ovid (brilliant with both), the better Mike Smith/TRB/Melka ahd Hourglass cabs (great as a standalone, at best a non-factor and at worst distracting with food), and the lower end M. Smith and Venge wines (not very good with either). I also note I've spent a lot of time hanging around Montelena's SF tasting room the past few years before it lamentably closed in March, a prime consideration for me in joining the wine club, and the newer estate cabs they've poured, the '13s-16s, have all been far more vibrant, if not something you're going to confuse with something of Mr. Venge's, and the winery considers this particular vintage to be one of its more "modern" ones. That said, with this seller who I bought this from, I've had some issues with washed out wines (most recently, a '05 Hall Katherine), so it's possible that the fault, Dear Brutus, lies not in this bottling, but in this seller's storage or provenance, and although, alas, I still have a '09 Dunn and a '07 Heitz Martha's of his, I won't darken his doorway anytime soon. Still, this wine hardly sucked and in fact, kept improving, so, at what I paid, it was more than respectable qpr and should have a long, happy life if stored decently. Looking forward to trying one of my '16s, with a lot of air, for an interesting contrast sometime soon. 94+
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10/10/2020 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 94 Points
If you know Montelena, you know the notes. PnP - 30 min air in the bottle. Wow, now realize why KL is selling this tor $150. It’s good even at that inflated price.
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10/2/2020 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
consistent with notes of 11/4/2015 - still holding strong
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9/28/2020 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
2 hour slow ox. Nose: Tons of slate minerality with pencil lead. Much more secondary aromatics than previous bottles. Palate: So silky and mature w/ flavors of tobacco, pencil lead, and sweet cherries. Tannins still present at 15 years old but very soft and supple. I agree with a previous reviewer in that this is starting to head out to a beautiful sunset w/ perhaps another 1-3 years left. For me my last bottle (signed by Bo Barrett) will be drunk next spring or summer. Still 92+ points.
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9/27/2020 - advinm41 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well aged Cali Cab!! Dark burgundy in color, rich nose of black fruit: plums, cherries, blueberries, figs, plums, licorice, vanilla, chocolate, eucalyptus, tobacco and lavender. Palate is medium body, black fruits, juicy acidity, plums, cherries, licorice, coffee and secondary flavors. Tannins are balanced and quite delicious. Finish is long. Ready for prime drinking
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9/4/2020 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Deep burgundy in color. Red and blackberries, tobacco, licorice, and spices on the nose and palate. Medium finish with mild tannins. This is in the optimal drinking window. Enjoy.
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8/29/2020 - sirpat00 wrote: 94 Points
No decant and none needed. Sediment was also manageable. Lots of sweet spices, vanilla. A dark cherry and bramble berry fruit, initial aging notes of leather, but only at the margin. Eucalyptus and an array of other herbs. This wine is still very fresh, but in a mature and grown-up way. Structural tannin hold the palate firmly together. As is so often the case with Cali cabs that use French names or "Chateau", you can tell the less extracted, more classic old World style. Given rather modest critics scores initially this did not come out of the barrels with guns blazing. But with 15 years of age the Montelena estate has reached its optimal drinking window with lots to offer for the nose and gliding down your throat like warm milk. I found myself wondering what happened when all of the sudden the bottle was empty! I do suspect my wife sneakily snatching a bigger share than she was entitled to...
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8/28/2020 - CHarder wrote: 92 Points
Really nice and excellent example of napa cab. Not overly complex but smooth and very pleasing
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8/28/2020 - danielsjones01 wrote:
Opened for one hour. Nearly black in the glass, opaque. Oak, spice, raisin on the nose. Also chocolate. Plum, tobacco, dark cherries in the mouth. Smooth as well, medium tannins. Clean finish, leathery, lingers on the rear/sides of the tongue and cotton on roof of the mouth.
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7/16/2020 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 93 Points
There is not much more to be said regarding this stalwart Napa Valley cabernet. Opened for an hour, decanted for two additional hours and consumed over the following two hours. Dark, almost black in the glass. Aromas of dark fruits predominated with only a slight hint of cherry. Flavors of dark fruit, earth, graphite, tobacco and nutmeg delivered on a fresh, integrated backbone with mellowing, dusty tannins. Sophisticated, appealing and just beginning to enter maturity, this wine finishes long and silky.
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7/4/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
The color does not give aways its age. Decanted an hour, and it easily could have used 2. A great match with grilled steak. Great aromatics with black cherry, pepper, some earthy, leather, smoke and graphite notes. The palate shows dark fruit, blackberry, spice, leather, earth, some tobacco beautifully coming together. The tannins have softened a lot leading to a long smooth finish. While it is drinking very well now, probably not at its peak yet and years to go.
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7/1/2020 - Satoshi Nakamoto wrote: 90 Points
Tons of smoke, leather, tobacco, dark cherries, and a hint of graphite. If there wasn't the more pronounced dark cherries on the nose, I'd probably guess Bordeaux.
Silky and elegant on the palate, juicy on the midpalate, and good length on the finish. Tannins have resolved nicely. Definitely has a more dark red fruit to its earthy components, which is a signature of Napa. This wine is balanced and drinking nicely. Very fresh. Would have guessed a more recent vintage, like 2010.
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6/21/2020 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 93 Points
Deep garnet red. Finally a bit floral with some air as well as some dusted cherries and red plums. Medium tannins (6/10) with great acidity and a medium plus body. Does not seem like a 15 year old wine. Layered with cherries, leather, a bit of perfume and earthiness. Long finish. Drink till 2035.
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6/21/2020 - cab blends wrote: 94 Points
This was very interesting. Nose is very light but definitely chalk on the nose. Not clean white sa calcium chalk nose (tasting blind as usual) But a little darker. It has stony acidity in the finish which also started to trick me into sa.
I thought Rutherford but got that wrong as it is Calistoga.
After 2 hours. Cherry fruit on the nose. Hl3 fd 3. Fi3/5
Tannins 6/10
Light brown garnet colors starting but this looks younger than it is.
Nose 2/10
After an hour decanting this was smooth.
On the body
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6/13/2020 - mikeybhk Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 3 hours before hand. Deep ruby in colour, this has an intense but balanced and attractive nose of ripe blue and black fruit, still fresh at 15 years of age. The palate was somewhat savoury, with refreshing acidity and a black and blue fruit profile. Intense but not heavy, a hybrid between Napa and European in style, perhaps more to the European side. Very impressive.
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5/14/2020 - wythes Likes this wine: 90 Points
Give this wine at least 30 minutes of air before drinking. It had some sharp elbows straight out of the bottle but started to shine after some time in the glass. A respectable effort from Montelena. I think it’s in a good drinking window right now.
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4/18/2020 - mchern02 wrote: 92 Points
3 hour decant
Slightly brooding big nose of dark fruit, blueberries, smoke, violet, tobacco, and slight astringency. Tight but muscular core body with waves of dark fruit, medium plus acidity, great backbone, and large weight. Finish is very lengthy, very minerally and downside is its somewhat hot.
I could see this being better in 5 years or even tomorrow.
Edit Day 2 last glass: a little more green on nose, still well structured, more sublime on palate with slightly more balance fruit on palate and long finish. 93-94
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4/13/2020 - Sonoma Duck wrote: flawed
Brett
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4/7/2020 - Dave D Likes this wine: 93 Points
needs at least 4 hour decant
left over next morning was even better
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3/11/2020 - Vietty Likes this wine:
Solid Napa cab drinking really well at this time. Main story is dark plush cab, with tobacco notes and forest floor starting to come out. Good acidity and persistent finish. Still a long life left, drank best after two decant. Would be fun to blind vs a 2005 Bordeaux
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2/23/2020 - vpoms wrote: 93 Points
A fully mature, well developed wine in its prime, yet has plenty of power left to last 5-7 more years. Deep garnet color. Powerful nose of cooked red fruit, dark chocolate, beef jerky, cedar and toast. On the palate: dry, medium acidity, medium, well integrated tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium plus flavor intensity of leather, figs, cooked plums, chocolate. Finish is medium plus with flavors lingering on the back of the palate for a long time. Very good now, or can be aged further.
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2/9/2020 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sampled at the winery. Great, bright red fruit; tannins are fading but provide a dry finish back-palate with lots of elegant notes that linger for well over a minute. Will drink my remaining bottle during 2020-21
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1/18/2020 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
Drank at dinner with Brendles and Suttons with aged prime. Decanted for at least an hour before dinner. Nice drinking, round and plush with good fruit. Drink anytime.
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11/29/2019 - daved Likes this wine: 94 Points
Even better the second day. Lots of life ahead for this one.
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11/15/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Medium-bodied, and already surprisingly drinkable, the wine offers smoke, licorice, bay leaf and blackberries on the nose. The fruit is ripe, fresh and sweet, but the structure and concentration found in the best vintages of Montelena Estate are not there.
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11/14/2019 - 83Vintage wrote: 92 Points
Red fruit, spearmint, fresh cut oak tree, somewhat juicy blackberry mixed with eucalyptus, cassis and cedar. Good textures, youthful tannins but some apparent oak still present, grippy cling to the finish. Time.
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11/12/2019 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Poured blind. Damn, this tasted fresh and had me guessing something primary, like a recent vintage of something, say a 2014? Totally wrong here. Aromas of spice box and some modern touches to the fruit and texture but not totally Napa new world in tone, either. Pure, pushing some plushness, with some light tang, strong tones of blue fruit, a bit of coffee, currant and cedar into the finish. What a youthful showing wine, which is pushing 15 years old. Terrific.
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10/27/2019 - Kentw Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with dinner. Nicely aged, tannin now subdued. Very dark and full. Tasted different than usual $100+ Cali cabs. Had a more distinctive unique flavor profile of dark fruits, mushroom and tobacco, and a very smooth midly vegetal finish. Different from previous bottles but very good nonetheless.
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10/16/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
A rerelease from the winery. Here relatively cool nights but heat during the day. Lots of super pretty aromatics here. Touch of menthol and savory. Rose petal and menthol. A bit of tobacco.
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10/12/2019 - Argrath wrote: 93 Points
(Blind tasting)
Developed medium-fullish nose. Dark fruit, plum, black currant. Nuts, minerals, cloves and spices. Hints of bell pepper. Nice orange peel depth.
Fullish, generous palate with sweet, dark fruit. Balanced, but a bit fiery as well. Clearly NW. Plum and black currant. In a balanced style. We liked it.
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9/27/2019 - mflesh wrote:
I've got 2 mags of this, and after experiencing this one tonight from 750 I think that the best years for the mag will be 2030-2045. This was a very astringent wine with medium body. Black cherry, tobacco leaf. Jagged finish. In hibernation right now, so if you have these, you're in for the long haul.
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9/25/2019 - GTFreek wrote:
Medium plus nose is gorgeous, sandalwood, smooth singed black fruit notes, dried herbs, earth or mushroom, violets. Palate is big style for this producer, spice, fruit layers, complexity, structure is still there, medium plus tannins, high alcohol, finish long does well there. Right time to drink this it seems, classic producer, toes the line between CA and Bordeaux quite well.
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8/9/2019 - Justin S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely wine. Decanted for sediment and frank about 30 minutes later, followed with steak course. Mature nose with secondary aromas. Fresh on the palate with dark red fruit and mushroom earthiness. Tannins seem well resolved. However, a bit of alcohol spice on the finish prevented a higher score for me.
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5/25/2019 - CHarder wrote: 91 Points
This is for sure a nice wine. Still has some tannins so will leave for a couple of years
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5/16/2019 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hour. Deep burgundy in color. Red and blackberries, tobacco, licorice and spices on the nose and palate. Medium finish with mild tannins.
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5/14/2019 - Mike V wrote: 93 Points
Really showing well at this point. Great dark fruit
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2/3/2019 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 94 Points
great dark mixed berry and earth; smooth with great texture; plenty of fruit left with some secondary characteristics of sous bois, earth, and tobacco. Kept going back for another taste. Just right with a Prime rib roast with friends while watching the superbowl.
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1/19/2019 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for over 3 hours. Medium to full bodied with a wonderful nose of blueberry/blackberry jam and mild earthy notes. Very yummy. Way better than when I had this 3 years ago. I will save my last bottle to see where this goes in the next 2-4 years. This wine has a lot of life left in it.
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12/25/2018 - FLI Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bright slightly tangy fruit. Tannins smoothed out. Lacking complexity and depth, but a pleasant glass.
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12/18/2018 - CheviotCellar Likes this wine: 93 Points
***RATING #200***
Nose has coffee, cocoa powder, blueberries and graphite. Palate is medium + with dusty, integrated tannins, blackberry and cherry compote, balsamic reduction that lends acid, seared meat, pencil shavings, and cocoa powder. Restrained, neither jammy nor hot. Much better with food between sips (we paired with balsamic/port reduction with figs over foie gras) and it elevated the wine to 95-96 pt. territory. For whatever reason, consecutive sips without food offered diminishing returns; I don't recall experiencing this in a wine.
Overall, classic Montelena and so much finesse and compelling flavors.
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11/22/2018 - SkeBum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured, dark red with no bricking yet. Wine is hitting its peak right now. Nose is stunning, dark fruit and earth. Palate isn’t quite up to the nose but still pretty good. With a nice balance all the way around. One of the best California cabs I have had in a while.
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11/11/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
Vinituri-decanter-vinituri-glass. The air helped mellow the tannin and this was best with food (teriyaki steak). Dark fruit and a bit green. Had us thinking Bordeaux or maybe merlot more than Napa cab.
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11/4/2018 - vegastom2 Likes this wine: 94 Points
We got a great deal on some bottles. It's near the end of it's peak. A little tight upon opening. We decanted it for a couple of hours and it was perfect.
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11/4/2018 - docdavid Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still lots of body and tannins. Dark blackberry and cherries with long finish
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10/20/2018 - Barnaby33 wrote:
Drinking beautifully now. I personally love 2005 in Napa. This will never be a heavyweight, which is why it works.
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10/7/2018 - n2wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fantastic cab. Drinking well right now.
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9/29/2018 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 6th Quinquennial Wine and Food Extravaganza (New Jersey, USA): In my cellar since release, we double decanted my last 8 bottles around noon and served them around 9pm with no bottle variation to speak of. I thought this was fantastic, if a more medium weight and forward version of Montelena Estate Cab than usual. Medium to dark garnet in color, this had moderate tannin and bright acidity. The nose was earthy but not "bretty" along with pencil lead and black fruit. On the palate there was blackberry, graphite, black plum and chocolate with a long 45-60 second finish. This was delicious with all the dishes served with it but especially good with the spicy smoked boar ribs and bacon jam where it was an interesting contrast.
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8/25/2018 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 96 Points
1 hr decant and this hit on every cylinder. Primary notes of cherries, iron, charcoal, blood, red fruit without being acidic. Really good stuff. Color starting to fade but no significant bricking on the edges.
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8/15/2018 - gmbdds wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for sediment. Youthful, dark color. Beautiful at age 13. Black cherry and currant fruit. Starting to see some leather and mature notes. This is not so deep, but more graceful without losing power. Better than five years ago. Will hold one more to see how it is closer to 20 years old.
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7/22/2018 - peterchoy wrote: 92 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of dark ruby color, a purplish tinge, fading rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit of ripe blackberry and blackcurrant, oak notes of smoke and cedar, kernel notes of chocolate, pungent spice of licorice, sweet spice of nutmeg, maturity notes of tobacco. The wine is developing.
Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium (+) tannin of ripe and fully integrated texture, medium (+) alcohol, full body and medium (+) intensity flavors of black fruit of blackberry and black cherry, oak notes of cedar, kernel notes of coffee, pungent spice of anise. The wine has a medium (+) finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality Napa Cabernet with an elegant nose of good intensity and complexity, though not just on the ripe black fruit but also having good cedar and rich spice notes, with good development in line. The wine is of good balance, with nice acidity to support the tannin which is very smooth and integrated, with also good concentrated flavors and a fairly long finish. It is ready to drink now and can maintain for another 7-9 years.
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6/30/2018 - gtilley wrote:
A warm year. Plummier, with grippier tannins. Not at all the dried fruit bomb I was expecting given the description of the vintage.
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4/3/2018 - SeaSmoke wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hour. Deep burgundy in color. Red and blackberries, tobacco, licorice and spices on the nose and palate. Medium finish with mild tannins. Drinking very nicely.
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3/1/2018 - mbo1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I love this wine. I feel like the 07s, while more balanced, are starting to fade a touch, but not necessarily fall. The 05s still seem to have plenty of time and potential for longevity.
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1/8/2018 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 93 Points
A lovely bottle of wine. A bit off at the start, but that blew off. Seemed a touch thin, with some bricking on the edges, but after an hour, it opened up, filled out, and had a long finish. Was concerned that it ddn’t have much life ahead, but after it turned around, I am happy to have a few more bottles.
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1/3/2018 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pop and pour, no decanter available and followed over 2 hrs. Needed 30 mins to open up and for its initial mustiness to blow off.
Dark aged fruit, tar and port-like fruit on the nose. Similar profile on the palate with tobacco leaf at the forefront. In the far end of its drinking window but still good for several more years.
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1/2/2018 - ciesel wrote: 88 Points
We both enjoyed upon opening. Good acid and tannin remain. Dark fruit with mineral and some herbs. Was happy I'd held on to after last bottle. However, within hour or two, the herbs really came to the forefront and the balance that had been present at the beginning seemed to go haywire. I will not be saving my remaining bottle much longer. Doesn't seem like there will be much of a pay off.
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12/3/2017 - RMundell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking really great right now.
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11/18/2017 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind and I guessed drinking an aged Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 2h+ in the decanter. Herbal aromas are at the forefront, with some nice darker red fruits underneath. Medium+ body, velvety tannins, no hard edges, very harmonic. Got more intense and herbal by the minute. Not as deep and intellectually appealing as other wines we had that night but highly enjoyable. 94+ points, papa loves his herbs.
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11/8/2017 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Half bottle that was surprisingly unexpressive. Prior experiences have been better.
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11/5/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Napa/Sonoma Trip With Some Exceptional Gems; 11/1/2017-11/5/2017 (1800ft Up Cavedale Road, Glen Ellen, CA): Mini Vertical of '05-'08 at Chateau Montelena. Very dark red color. Drank 1 glass over 75 minutes. CS98, CF2, 18 mos 100% Fr Oak, 28% new. We went younger to older for this tasting. My and largely the groups second favorite, a few had this first. Probably the most ready to drink though there's still lots of grip on the back end. Though still youthful, this just seemed more evolved and quite pretty, dusty, deep, cassis, good acid, long and complex. 92+pts.
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11/5/2017 - mvande21 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Three hour decant. Black fruits, good balance and structure. Medium length finish. Tasted alongside 07 Jordan and 09 Beau Vigne Juliet cabs. Montelena was our guests pick overall and I think the best wine to consume with steaks. I'd go with the more concentrated and fruitier Juliet if drinking without food.
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10/31/2017 - englishman's claret wrote: 92 Points
This begins bold and brash; obviously Californian, cassis, blackberry, a touch hot but not overly jammy. With air, this mellows into a more harmonious profile, picking up mineral notes. The oak is well integrated. Ripe on the palate. Good clarity and purity here. Drinking very well now; may improve a bit with another few years yet.
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10/11/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Estate Vertical (Plum Market - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. One of my favorites of the vertical. Very ripe and powerful, but with plenty of structure and depth to match. Long, finessed finish.
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10/7/2017 - FLI Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark and a bit restrained on the palate. Some odd volatile qualities on the nose on open, but blew off after 10 minutes. Smooth and pleasant finish.
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8/20/2017 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Family Winemaker's 27th Annual Tasting San Francisco, nose of black cherry, black berry, boysenberry, and plum, same on the palate, surprised this wine was poured today, big body, very tasty, small amount of slightly harsh tannins present, lovely and rich fruit, needs 3 more years to peak, has a surprising rather than the usual elegant Chateau Montelena quality on the mid palate, medium/long finish.
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7/2/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than the last bottle...despite traveling over 2 days to Cape Cod and drinking after only a day of rest. Double decanted at 3:30 and consumed thru about 8:30. Medium to dark garnet with no bricking. Nice nose of red and black berries, tobacco, licorice and spices. Very velvety smooth on the palate with a lighter than normal (for Montelena) mouth feel and flavor profile. Definitely an early drinker as Ch Montelena Estate Cabs go but it still needs a fairly long 3 hour+ decant to be at its best. Last bottle about a week ago didn't have as much air and it made a difference this time.
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6/29/2017 - SkeBum Likes this wine: 90 Points
The nose on this wine was amazing. The palate didn't quite match the smells going on. While it was really good California cab it never seemed to hit its stride. Wine is holding up well with no bricking on the edges in the glass.
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6/28/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not my favorite Montelena Estate cab and very atypical in weight and flavor. This was decanted only for a short time, maybe an hour and the wine never seemed to really get going. it was light to medium weight in color and mouth feel with plenty os spices and more red fruit on the nose. Flavors included cardamom, black cherry, red plum, and cinnamon. the finish wasn't super long and had a flavor I will call "apple butter" that reminded me of the jelly I sometimes had as a child. Interesting for its differences but this is certainly not the typical Montelena estate cab profile.
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4/26/2017 - boses Likes this wine: 93 Points
I must say expectations are high when you open a bottle of THE first growth of the new world and that too on a special occasion ! When the cork came away soft and soggy I despaired but a quick sniff and swirl reassured that the wine was fine ! This is a very backward style wine which I decanted for close to 3 hrs after a Venturi pour and then double decanted back to the bottle. It still needed another hour to really sing - but then it really did sing - black tea , dark fruits and herbs especially mint dominated the experience with some nice coffee notes coming through / the wine gained considerable weight and developed well with time - it made a very enjoyable drinking with food. I would let my other bottles be for a few more years - but if you want and you must, be warned this genie needs all the airtime you can give !
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4/22/2017 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Group brown bagger (Our house): Double blind. Notes of blue fruit and lavender turning to black currants and dark fruit as it sits in the glass. Somewhat firm tannins with flavors of dark fruit- cassis and plum- along with hints of vanilla, earth and spice. Lengthy finish. Guessed CA Cab.
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4/19/2017 - sastewart wrote: 92 Points
Opened 2 hours ahead. Pretty aromas of cassis and crushed stone. Still young with upside but more approachable than I expected. Cool black fruits, earth and a nice minerality on the palate with a solid finish. 15+ year window based on my experience with this producer. 92+ points
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4/15/2017 - John O' Likes this wine:
spectacular
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4/7/2017 - RayT Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Vertical tasting of the 05,06,07,08 estate cab at the winery. Going off memory cannot find my notes. This is not really my style of wine (elegant versus big and rich)but I found the 2007 and 2008 pretty good. I did not care for the 2005 and 2006 especially at this price point. Drank with 7 other people and they all had the 2007, first and 2008, second. I enjoy 2005's so I was a bit disappointed. In the last year I have drank a 2005 Far Niente and 2005 BV George Latour that are made in this similar style that I found much more appealing.
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3/26/2017 - bluedog Likes this wine: 95 Points
What two years will do ... Outstanding. Supple, refined, elegant, delicious. All of edges have smoothed out, still retaining ample body and complexity. Enjoy now or for another 5 years.
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2/27/2017 - JHalvorson Likes this wine: 95 Points
We bought this bottle at the winery in 2009. Dont't wait until 2023. This wine is drinking great right now. Not as dense and dark as I was anticipating but very round with great mouth feel. The color is already getting that faded dusty look of aged wine.
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1/31/2017 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not as fat as many napa cabs, but still California style, or at least a mixture between Bordeaux and Napa. 14.2 alc. Vanilla and black berries, a bit spicy. Medium bodied and smooth with a 2 hour decant. Enjoyed it.
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1/23/2017 - SC OLY Likes this wine: 93 Points
Such a mature Cab. Extremely smooth, great berries on the nose, and the finish is excellent. Wish I had more of the 05.
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12/26/2016 - levinml wrote: 92 Points
Well balanced, good nose and finish. Pleasure to drink. Only complaint is core mid-palate flavors lack the wow I expect from a higher scoring wine. Drink anytime.
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12/9/2016 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last tasted in 2012 and I am sticking with 93 points.
More resolved than in 2012 but drinking amazingly well! Great red & black fruits, layers of leather, spices and pretty nice finish!
A great bottle!
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12/9/2016 - MLR Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bacon fat, lavender and pine needles on the nose. Cocoa, cola and dark mushrooms on the palate. A wonderfully pleasing aged cab.
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10/1/2016 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Uncorked and allowed to breathe for 90 mins, but not decanted. Initial glasses (Somm stems) were also poured and allowed to breathe. Nose shows Monty's typical old-world approach of aged dark fruit, tobacco and woodsy-brambles. Wine holds a nice grip on the stems. Medium+ in weight, the wine clearly shows nice age, and crosses the palate with a polished finish that's really pleasing. Mature dark fruit are well-integrated, and there's clearly enough fruit and tannic structure and to continue aging. While this doesn't have the depth to last for 20+ years and I'd guess is in/near its ideal window, this is a fine example of a calicab in an old-world style that's drinking quite well.
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9/30/2016 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 90 min and drank over next 90. Beautiful wine. Some tannins left to resolve. Metallic and red fruit notes on the nose, graphite, red cherries, bloody iron on the palate. Rich without being over the top, old school deliciousness. Really good, far more ready for drinking than notes would indicate. Great surprise. Would not hesitate to crack another one soon.
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9/19/2016 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 94 Points
At 50th. (From memory)
Deep dark and profound. Cassis, vanillin, and smooth oak. Great length.
Impressive, drinking well now but will last another 5 to 10 years.
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9/18/2016 - John O' Likes this wine: 96 Points
decanted 45 minutes. Just spectacular
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9/18/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted at 4:30 and drunk through about 9pm. This bottle seemed better than the one I tasted at the winery last week. Medium to dark garnet, still looks fresh and young. On palate there are rose petal aromas, vanilla, cardamom, plum and lavender all in a fairly subtle nose. Light to medium weight in the mouth with soft velvety tannins mostly integrated. Lots of layers of flavor like wet stones, black currant, blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, licorice...truffle and lavender on the finish. Lovely wine, though light bodied by Montelena Estate Cab standards and in need of less breathing, though it was good throughout the evening tonight. I'll be drinking mine over the next year or so...
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9/17/2016 - KSWinegeek wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby red. Tobacco, blackberry and vanilla on nose. Lots of complexity on palate - blackberry, cherry, spice and methanol. Drinks nicely now, but the substance to last.
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9/9/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at the winery...Opaque dark garnet. Nice nose but not effusive. I get blackberry, pine needles and fennel flavors. Very low tannin for this wine. I think the vintage is early drinking. Beautiful now but probably should be drunk over the next few years. Probably needs less breathing time than most Montelena Estate Cabs.
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9/8/2016 - Dmack318 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank at Coles Steak house in Napa. Celebrating our 2nd Wedding Anniversary.
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8/26/2016 - Mattjcrawford Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured, did not decant. Not as bold as I'd hoped but still very nice. Improved gradually over an hour or so in the glass. I agree that this tastes more like a Bordeaux blend.
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6/16/2016 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Seems like it could use a bit more time. Very classic in style, more Bordeaux than Napa.
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6/11/2016 - cbforever1 wrote: 93 Points
Extremely young and primary. Plenty of blackberry and other dark fruits, very lively colour, aggressive tannins. Wondering where it will be 10 years from now...
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5/29/2016 - capacious Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gave this a four hour decant.Evolving just barely, still dark purple wine with minimal bricking, Montelena continues to do what it has done for decades, making its wine and not someone else's. Clearly new world, big, ample but not excessive fruit, complex, with black cherry, vanilla and chocolate, tobacco, lengthy, with a finish that hints of better to come. I'm not buying most Napa. wines by the case anymore, partly because I want variety, and because I have found many not to reward patience. But Montelena along with Togni make great ageworthy wines
that reward year after year. And they are relatively sane on pricing. This is every bit as good as the $400+ Napa boutiques that are worth that only because they are rare. I just now went back to view my old notes and I learn two things - the wine makes a consistent impression, and we have had far too many in a short time.
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5/28/2016 - gf2182 Likes this wine: 91 Points
2 years ago I got tons of dusty tannins; tannins really integrated right now... super smooth drinking.. if I had any left, i'd be looking to drink <2 yrs
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5/7/2016 - jpwines wrote: 94 Points
98% Cab; 2% Franc give it some air and enjoy
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4/23/2016 - CameronSumpter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very effervescent nose with white pepper and cumin. Dark cherry, blackberry, earthy. Just opulent and voluptuous; natural silkiness with balanced tannins. Tasted at the Chateau from an Imperial (6.0L). Drink now or hold.
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4/16/2016 - DBunk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Roasted coffee beans, blackberries, dark cherries, boysenberry, mocha espresso, smoke and anise. Medium bodied with acidity and tannic backbone with a long finish. Decanted 2h and that opened up the aromatics and softened what were gritty tannins.
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3/31/2016 - TSTEW22 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great example of a Napa cab. Putting the hype from the name aside since the movie came/went, this cab was crafted with care and it shows. I need to seek out more. PnP through a Venturi. Smooth and silky but plenty of staying power.
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3/13/2016 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with previous note. Drink or hold. No hurry.
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2/24/2016 - Sixchips600 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe rich dark California fruit, with some earth and spice. In a good spot.
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2/11/2016 - wythes Likes this wine: 94 Points
Patience is the operative word when evaluating this wine. And by patience I mean NOT jumping feet first into this wine seconds after popping the cork. Unfortunately I made this mistake 2 days ago when I opened this baby up. I poured a glass and immediately thought "why does everyone make a big fuss about Montelena?"
Two days later and this wine has transformed from an intolerable Amy Winehouse to a classy Diane Lane. All of the sharp edges I tasted 2 days ago have mellowed out. There is now a great balance of acidity, tannin and fruit. Note to self - patience is a virtue! Take the time to decant this wine well ahead of time.
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2/7/2016 - Blue Shorts Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious. My last bottle. Popped and poured. Great nose of dark fruits, pencil lead, with a touch of leather. Taste was excellent with blackberries, cherries, and a touch of earth. Tannin are well rounded and the finish is long and sweet.
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1/23/2016 - PJHaveron Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very classy
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1/17/2016 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another great bottle at Rose's 50th party. No detailed notes but was very good and well-balanced within 30 mins of uncorking.
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12/27/2015 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
A really good Montelena, ready, but will be more to come. Big but not in your face, well integrated, complex, lengthy. A winner.
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12/6/2015 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
EWG 10 Years On Tasting at Conrad's: Black-purple color; intriguing nose of earthy tobacco and leather with typical blackberry/cassis, but so pure, delineated, great character and balance. Very structured but not heavy, this was the Pauillac to Araujo's Margaux. This will go the distance. EWG 10 years on tasting.
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12/6/2015 - Chris D Likes this wine:
Drinking well, a richer Montelena vintage. Tannins resolving but this wine has plenty of life ahead of it yet.
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11/28/2015 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Our house): Aromas of chocolate, dill and blackberry. Medium- to full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of red and black fruits, vanilla and herbs. Lengthy finish; nicely balanced. Good Cab, but young. Did not pick it out as the Montelena.
This had about two hours in a decanter before the flight. Give it another 5 years or so.
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11/26/2015 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had most assuredly expected more. Certainly not worth the price paid.
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11/21/2015 - BigRedKT Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is really coming into it's own. It is drinking quite nicely. I would guess it will be still drinking nicely for the next 5 years. A very nice old world style of Cabernet.
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11/17/2015 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
Hitting its stride, this is a chewy wine, with a good feel on the palate. Bit of stew, chocolate, leather, dark cherry, other fruit, not good enough to pick them apart, honestly give myself up to a stream of consciousness on all these flavors anyways. More to the point, this is a complex, distinct, wine, seems built the way the winemaker liked it, not to please the entire valley. Has decades to go.
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11/6/2015 - Justinwine wrote: 95 Points
Delicious
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11/4/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich with earthy tones and currant notes, this is a old school style.
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11/1/2015 - Grinner wrote: 94 Points
19th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective (Chez Lyon in Eugene, OR): Fascinating to see the evolution of this (and my notes). In this blind tasting it did better than my last three bottles in a fairly clear progression. We got some minty cassis, blackberry, oak and earth notes, all sitting on a glycerin laden palate with tannins more integrated than everything so far. Stood out as a New World'er in the flight for playing nice on the palate. 94 on day 2.
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11/1/2015 - Surfdoc wrote: 90 Points
Bright red fruit with distinct cassis flavor. Soft tannins and medium finish. Good wine but I think it lacks the structure for any further aging potential. And, while it is a nice wine, I don't think it's worth the high tariff.
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10/19/2015 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Probably should have let sit for a while as everything wasn't connected like it should. Nice though..
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10/2/2015 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with Friends featuring '90 Veuve LGD Jeroboam (Anvil Club): Another of TLV's contributions to dinner, opening with notes of vanilla, black fruit, currants, earth and forest floor...starting to show some complexity. Tannins are integrating nicely, though this has a way to go, but the red plum, black cherry, vanilla and earth flavors are very enjoyable. What tannins are left begin to clamp down a bit on the finish.
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10/2/2015 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Opened at Anvil. No decant, but opened at least an hour prior to being served. Notes of graphite with red and black fruits. Well balanced with lengthy finish. Liked it enough to order two more while at the table.
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9/30/2015 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just coming out of its slumber. Decanted 3 hours and it needed it. The color is a beautiful inky garnet. As usual, the color does not show its age. Black cherry, pepper, some earthy, leather notes. The palate shows dark fruit, blackberry, spice, leather, earth beautifully coming together. The tannins are present, but softening leading ot a long smooth finish. as most Montelena Estates, this is still an infant and will easily go 20 years. Drinking nicely now, but its best years are still ahead. Glad I have another 8.
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9/26/2015 - FLI wrote: 87 Points
hints of complex fruit, but comes off a bit hot/out of balance.
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7/11/2015 - mzmijewski wrote: 92 Points
Nice balance. Starting to turn brown. Still good fruit and some leather.
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6/25/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice. Our first of these and it is quite a nice wine. pop and pour but went really slow for the first hour. The color is a beautiful inky garnet. No cloudiness or bricking at all. On the nose graphite, black cherry, pepper, some earthy/barnyardy notes. On the palate dark fruit, blackberry, sweet tannin, spice all in an elegantly balanced package. The wine has a medium finish. Really happy to have 5 of these left. They should go at least another 5-10 years.
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6/24/2015 - bluedog Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened, decanted, poured -- funky, slight vinegar, pungent. One hour later, it blossomed. Smooth, delicate, light tannins, light blackberry, with some toast. Delicious.
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6/21/2015 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
Entering its time, this is classic Montelena. Well integrated cedar, tobacco, leather, dark chocolate,
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5/30/2015 - listeyn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great structure, not much forward fruit but good flavors of an older Bordeaux (tobacco, wood, some spice). Still has tannins but ready to drink now, wouldn't age more than another year or so.
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5/24/2015 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted partial bottle and allowed it to breathe for 2.5 hours, followed for another 90 mins. Black fruit, forest floor, currants on the nose; approach is fruit-driven, with blackberry and red cherry compote in the forefront. Nicely balanced, the components are well-integrated and "getting along" well in the bottle. In its drinking window now, glad to have half a case of this.
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4/29/2015 - KSWinegeek wrote: 88 Points
From Montelena Estate Cab vertical tasting. Darker in color. Cherry nose with blackberry flavors. Still tannic and young. More approachable, but less graceful than '04.
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4/16/2015 - kenv Likes this wine: 95 Points
WCC 2005 California Cabernet Blind (Home of Chef Andy Plummer, East Greenbush, NY): [Decanted for 3.5 hours.] Muted woodsy, red and black fruit nose. Old world character. Some think its a Bordeaux ringer. Tight and complex. 92-??
Day 2: Brought home one glass in the bottle. Showing more flamboyance today. Terrific wine with a great future, but didn't show well on day 1. 95 points today.
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4/9/2015 - juicejammer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep Medium Ruby. Red Currants and Dark Plums fill the glass with lead pencil and graphite closing out the nose. Good juicy acidity on the palate lifts the camphor and saddle leather to a drying tannic finish. This is an excellent pour that is drinkable now but will continue to offer pleasure over the next 15-20 years.
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3/28/2015 - JBoyBest Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perfect special occasion wine
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3/14/2015 - cawineaux wrote: 92 Points
PnP - dark chocolate, tobacco, the fruit there but more in the background. Enjoyed this, but will wait a few years before opening others.
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3/12/2015 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Tremendous nose with currants, anise, pencil shavings, tobacco, mocha, smoked meats. On the palate, black cherry, currants, mint, tobacco, and long mineral streak. Long finish with plenty of tannic grip. Lots of structure, tremendous now and it only gets better from here.
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2/8/2015 - Leoville_2012 Likes this wine: 96 Points
From 375. I absolutely loved this wine. Perfect symbiosis of Bordeaux and Napa. Cassis interwoven with graphite, tobacco, a hint of underbrush, and white flowers on the nose. Perfect balance of acidity (a bit higher than usual for Napa), tannins and fruit. Simply a joy to drink. Took about an hour in the decanter to fully open up. Enjoyable now but probably a lot better in 5 years. This was my only bottle. Looking to purchase more.
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2/7/2015 - Grinner wrote: 92 Points
Wine night with Joe and Kyla (Joe's Bar and Grill): After a 6 hour decant, this is a notch better again than the last one in 2010. Really feels like this is nearing plateau with 5 years of great drinking and 10yrs before it falls off. Wonderful balance of black fruit, earth notes, acid, and tannins. A tiny hit of eucalyptus is classic.
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2/6/2015 - ctjared Likes this wine:
excellent
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1/29/2015 - JJN Likes this wine: 91 Points
as part of a vertical tasting with the '04 and '05. Still young but good fruit and lots of potential.
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1/27/2015 - Magnum Bill Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice, but not the complex cab I remember from the tasting at the winery. It's another reminder that there are no great wines, just great bottles of wine.
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1/26/2015 - ciesel wrote: 89 Points
Not getting a lot of fruit right now. What was there was dark. Good tannins and acid. Moderate alcohol for Napa. Very earthy wine. Like slapshot I didn't decant long before drinking. That was a mistake. Seems very young.
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1/15/2015 - slapsht007 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice! Licorice, currant, fig maybe. Lush and lasting. Two words: Dee Lish! A little too much alcohol to the nose at first, but that's probably because it's still young and I couldn't decant as long as I would have liked.
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12/30/2014 - BornToRhone Likes this wine: 92 Points
750ml; PnP; popped for steak dinner; red and dark fruits with medium tannins, and decent acidity present. In a good place although suspect could go at least another 5 years. Enjoyable wine.
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12/23/2014 - Corrie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking great right now--wouldn't wait too much longer, unless you like the taste of old wine. Still has fruit flavor and very balanced.
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12/20/2014 - gaileyb wrote: 91 Points
Jamie and john
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12/12/2014 - gf2182 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Super drinking cab right now. I'll drink my last one within a couple years but drinking window is probably several years. qpr ok
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12/8/2014 - ASW wrote: 92 Points
Just perfect. Ready to drink right now.
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12/5/2014 - davidspieker wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for one hour. Muted aroma of dark fruit and must. Black and red fruit flavors with some leather and coco. Nicely balanced with full body and lengthy finish. For some reason seem to lack a little complexity tonight.
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12/4/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow oxed for 3 hours prior to drinking. Nice structure and impressive length. Tannins fine and well integrated. Drinking well at present.
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11/27/2014 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Impressively structured, with equal parts red and black fruits against a frame of very fine, ripe tannins and abundant acids. Sadly this did not have the aeration it needed (for my palate, anyway). I'd recommend 2 hours in decanter, and/or wait 3-4 more years as the upside is pretty obvious here. recommended
Served non-blind.
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11/10/2014 - G8tor80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Was afraid this might be too young but it's in a good place place with plenty of stuffing for the long haul. Wonderful nose full of dark fruit and a touch of alcohol, great mouthfeel and balance with blackberry fruit, violets (?), slightly grippy tannins (in a good way) and a clean, balanced, long (60 second) acid laced (not fat) finish. My first of a six pack, it will be interesting to see how this develops over the next 10-15 years.
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10/24/2014 - WineTime10 wrote: 91 Points
Bursting with blueberries upon first opening the bottle, and after about an hour, it definitely got more complex. The tannins were smooth and I got some chocolate notes on the mid palate. Finish is medium. Just a beautifully drafted wine. Not sure if it's worth the high price tag, despite the fact that it's so good. This paired perfectly with the rib eye we made.
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10/19/2014 - AlexHop wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose. A little green pepper, nose is typical of Cabernet Franc. Nice smoke. Round mouthfeel but still good tannins. Was far outclassed by the 2004 we tasted with it. Tasted at the winery.
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10/19/2014 - Haggis Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very deep, rich, and complex. Much more so than I anticipated, given the vintage. Dark plums, black cherry, sweet licorice, and very smooth tannins (almost no grip, actually). Some have noted a "greenness," but to me that's not evident. I drank this over two days, with day 2 being a bit richer. Drink now, or hold 5+ yrs.
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10/3/2014 - LaFemNikita Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice chocolate notes!
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9/28/2014 - aaronwine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great classic Napa cab. This wine was very enjoyable and is in perfect balance with layers of deep dark berry fruit. Long finish. This wine should easily age for many years to come but it did not taste too young nor would I say it has reached its peak.
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9/5/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed over two nights. First thing, this excellent wine showed some opening ON, but on second night clearly could have lived another day. Great structure, great texture, still young, can drink now but can last a long longtime. I get the licorice, with some dark berries and leather. Montelena a has been? Absurd. Its a major classic, and in this country where we live with fads, one hopes us winos have a different perspective. If I was locked in a cave with this and Togni, I could survive
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9/4/2014 - Wine Sparty wrote: 93 Points
Poured in the decanter about 30 minutes before having with grilled flank and hangar steak. Drank over the follow 2.5 hours. Aroma is blackberry and blueberry, with a hint of mint or pine to it. Taste is very consistent, having the blackberry on the front part of the palate, but not heavy at all. Once it gets near the back of the tongue, the pine flavor hits to combine with the fruit. I'm not a fan of "green" in wines, but this has an amount that is just at the level of not being too much to work well with the fruit. I don't love this quite as much as when I had it a year and a half ago, but it's still very nice juice.
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7/8/2014 - vpoms wrote: 94 Points
I had one bottle in 2010, one in 2011 and one today, June 8, 2014. This wine is still young, it needs at least another 4 to 5 year in the bottle to mature fully. It is dark, almost opaque, with a lot of sediment left in the bottle and in the last glass. Unlike the other drinkers, I didn't taste any "pencil lead, or pencil shavings", to me, the predominate taste was of the dark licorice. There is still plenty of fruit and some tannins on the palate, but the fruit is refined, not your typical "fruit bomb." I think it will be great in another five years. Still have a six-pack left.
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7/4/2014 - Bellissimo wrote:
Deep dark color. Currant, pencil shaving, dried leaves, a bit of mocha. Everything is just where it is supposed to be. Fruit is pure but not extracted. Excellent balance, long length, fantastic bottle of wine.
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6/21/2014 - Mattshank wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Cherries in abundance with pencil lead shavings and subtle herbs. After air an almost perfumy quality is present. Palate: Fresh Bing cherries with still fresh tannins and an elegant medium length finish. So classy and refined. Typical of Montelena Estate. Plenty of life ahead for this. 92+ points.
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5/30/2014 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
This was a real surprise and pleasure. Montelena now seems at best one of the pack and more commonly (among the reviewers) as a "has-been." But this was delicious and middle of the fairway cab. Reminder of why cab is king. When it's like this, there's no beating good cab. Just deep, balanced, good flavors, long finish and easy to like. Don't need to be sophisticated to like this. Good now, but no rush.
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5/9/2014 - odds Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened it for a Friday night dinner at home. Dark, very purple dark. Almost dark blue. Small taste for Pnp... very good, but felt a bit close. So, pour to two glasses and left it for 30 minutes. Then- dark and berry fruits (currant is well noted, a bit of strawberry), dry fruits on the nose, a hint of cedar and oak (the oak developed with more time in the glass), a little vanilla, and secondary- dry herbs and some little spice on the background that got stronger as the wine 'opened' up. (especially the spicy background, very 'pepperish'). It worked very well with our dinner (different meats, mainly lamb and rice based, small steak). We did notice little presence of sediment in the bottle.
We assume it needs more decanting before drinking and we have little less than 1/4 bottle left to test this evening (stayed overnight in the cellar)
Postscript day 2 testing: little taste, 30 minutes in the glass, as good or even better than day 1. After 60+ minutes it started fading a bit. Overall conclusion, some decanting time is needed if you open a bottle now. Two more bottles left, (according to the list)
(93-94. Maybe more 93? maybe more 94?)
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4/27/2014 - rhit Likes this wine:
Compared to the last bottle from two years ago, the fruit was more reserved and had a stronger green/pyrazine note. Leaner and more fresh as well. Definitely an improvement overall.
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4/4/2014 - Rieslingfan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Served blind. Opened about 90 minutes prior to the tasting. What a deliciously balanced Cabernet. Dark fruit, a bit of mocha, some warm, dried herbs and a hint of finishing spice (wood spie?) made this interesting from first sip to last. I went back to it a couple of hours later, and it had fleshed out even more. There is tannin present, but it is in the background and quite suave. Fantastic.
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3/16/2014 - SC OLY Likes this wine: 93 Points
A big bold Cab. Great chocolate and berry nose, equally nice berry flavor. A smooth drinking Cab with a long finish.
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3/8/2014 - Kentw Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking exceptionally well. Glad I waited to open this one. Full body on the lighter side, smooth, dark fruits that are well integrated with chocolate and licorice and remarkably smooth tannins on the finish. Like drinking mildly dark chocolate flavored liquid with black cherries. Very nice mouth feel. Quite refined, not heavy Drank next to an aged Shaeffer Cab and this had it beat by a mile.
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2/14/2014 - mclanew wrote: 90 Points
Not my favorite Montelena Estate but still an enjoyable drink. Flavors of black fruits, tobacco, herbs and a touch of vegatable. A more open style of Montelena with a little fatness and not as much focus and structure. Think I will wait a year or two to open the next bottle.
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12/21/2013 - ghobby wrote: 92 Points
Great wine, in peak condition, berry aroma, fruity flavors
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11/23/2013 - Mmulle wrote: 95 Points
Wow amazing year aged very well. Deep flavors. Happy 22nd Anniversary!
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10/19/2013 - jjou Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark, restrained. dark berries and and cherry and a little leathery, balanced with great tannins. Very pleasant, but never reaches out and grabs you.
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10/13/2013 - BBinSC wrote: 93 Points
It had been a long time since I had a Montelena, so I wasn't sure what to expect, especially being an 05. Surprisingly, this bottle (decanted for 3+ hours), struck me as exceedingly Bordeaux-like, medium bodied, with fine tannins, and much less emphasis on fruit. Our speculation was this wine would be hard to taste blind and identify as Napa. Lots of structure with an above average finish. Very tasty.
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9/2/2013 - rmarcus wrote: 93 Points
This tasted great, lingered in the mouth for 20+ seconds.
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7/6/2013 - ksde wrote: 95 Points
I am with Bob in NC on this one. After a couple of hours in a decanter, this wine really explodes on the nose and palate.This is a wonderful expression of Napa Cab! Full throttle, yet exquisitely balanced.
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7/5/2013 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 95 Points
An absolutely beautiful cab in early part of its optimal drinking window. Intoxicating nose of cherry licorice and cedar; silky smooth & harmonious palate of dark cherry, licorice, cedar with a hint of black pepper, that all meld together on a lingering magic carpet ride finish.
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5/14/2013 - Justinwine wrote: 93 Points
Delicious
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5/9/2013 - vegasoenophile Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich red, pretty and feminine style fruit on the nose. Sweet red berries fill the aromas in addition to nice floral notes. Fruit forward in style as age has relaxed the tannin and acid a bit. Luscious and rich, dominated by red fruit. Raspberry, currant and cherry flavors with nice vanilla influence. Soft, rounded tannins. It's in a lovely drinking window right now.
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4/7/2013 - GalvezGuy wrote:
Decanted 1/2 hour. Enjoyable nose and without a doubt a top cab with nose of sour cherry, black fruit, menthol, spicy oak, and hints of currants. On the palate, stern at this point, fruit is just starting to peek through with red and black currant, sour cherry, hints of mint and tobacco with spicy oak. Long finish with lots of grip and mouth watering acidity. This only gets better from here.
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3/17/2013 - Bob in NC Likes this wine:
Had to honor Jim Barrett. Big wine with many more years left.
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3/16/2013 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Brought to a restaurant for corkage and decanted. Dark and tight with plenty of grip and grit. Sublte notes of blueberry, currant, licorice and smoke with solid structure. Really young for eight years old with plenty of life left. The best might be still to come.
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2/27/2013 - mlunt wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle of wine--classical Montelena with nice fruit balanced out by solid tannins (which are now mellowing a little) and good acidity. Drank over the course of 2 hrs and was great to see how the wine developed and smoothed out the rough edges over the time the bottle was open. Plenty of time left on this--will leave my other bottle for a while.
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2/20/2013 - km5 wrote:
awesome at la sirene...thanks john
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1/29/2013 - Wine Sparty wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 3 hours before having with burgers, then drank over the next 4+ hours. Aroma bit closed at first, but developed into plum, light oak and tobacco. Also get a bit of clove. Taste is really interesting in that it has plum and blackberry, yet is very light and has some oak. This was still going very strong after the 4 hour mark, so I think this has a lot of life left.
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1/26/2013 - jonanator wrote: 89 Points
Tasted from a half bottle. I had high expectations for this wine, which is maybe why I scored it this low - thought this wine would be richer and more complex. Opened and poured it through a vinturi a few times. Maybe could have benefited from a longer slow-ox decant? Loved the nose of ripe dark berries, leather, and eucalyptus. Very bright wine with notes of cassis, blackberry, and hints of tobacco on the palate. A medium bodied wine with silky tannins. Medium finish. Very well structured and balanced with good acidity. Definitely wan't to try this one again from a 750.
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1/13/2013 - RDHudak wrote: 90 Points
The wine looks Inky colored. It smells like Cranberry, Strawberry, Blackberry, and Black currant (cassis). It tastes like Blackberry, Cranberry, and Black currant (cassis). The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Bright texture. The wine finishes Medium. I did try the wine, lol, but just wanted to use the tasting note assistant Eric developed.
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11/18/2012 - lesz wrote: 90 Points
still young tasting hws
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10/26/2012 - Kentw wrote: 90 Points
Aerated and decanted for an hour plus. Medium to full body. mushroom, dark fruits and tobacco, with dry tannins and earthy finish. Well structured. Good with steak. Tastes like a left bank Bordeaux. However, a bit dissappointed for the price point. Fine buy at $35 but at $70+ its overpriced. It may need another couple of years to peak and show its true colors.
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9/16/2012 - raydawgone Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 3-4 hours. Garnet color with slight haze. Powerful nose of fresh picked ripe, highly concentrated berries. Full bodied with medium, round tannins. Intense flavored layers of menthol, eucalyptus, new leather, dried tobacco & ripe black cherry & raspberry. Perfectly balanced tannins & smooth acidity. Paired exceptionally well with beef briscuit. Hit of party!
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9/15/2012 - JasonA wrote: 90 Points
Didnt let this breathe enough. It could gave been lots better with our steak if i would have. The half glass that was left next evening was great. Sediment present
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8/19/2012 - Empirate wrote: 92 Points
Decanted thru vinturi then back in the bottle for 3 hours. Dark purple with slightly maroon rim. Generous nose of dark fruit and earth. Moderate funk at first mostly blew off. Dark flesh and berry fruit on the palate with earth/mushroom, tobacco, and cedar. Resolved tannins. Medium finish. Excellent.
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8/17/2012 - BigRedYYZ wrote: 94 Points
Exceptional cabernet. Deep, rich flavours. Leather and tobacco, and still wonderful fruit. Wonderful pairing with rib eye steak.
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8/11/2012 - rhit wrote:
A more restrained Bordeaux style - which I prefer and have noticed in other vintages - but not so much that the California fruit isn't obvious. Will see if it fades into the background in a few years. Though pretty solid, it's a bit fruit-heavy for me at this point (says the guy who doesn't often drink Napa cabs).
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6/9/2012 - brouigu1 wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple so you know the fruits are coming! Big nose of black cherry, black berry and spice. This is a bold wine and doing very well in the bottle. On the palate the wine does not disappoint…
Well integrated fruits, spice and hints of earth round this out. A bit jammy up front but the tannin structure is there to handle the acids and fruit.
This should continue to cellar well for several years. Pared with a juicy NY steak and what a paring!
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5/2/2012 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Binny's welcomes Bo Barrett (Binny's, Linclon Park): Crimson color. Aromas of red currants and cherry, along with evergreen, clay and mineral. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and flavors of licorice, red currants, spice, black cherry and cassis. Finishes well. 93-94 pts.
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4/29/2012 - eschuldt wrote: 90 Points
Nice oak and fruit, needs a while to open still however.
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4/17/2012 - dgandor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Exceptionally smooth, decanted for 30 minutes prior to drinking. Low/no tanins but smooth and fruitful, not expected for a cab, but great!
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4/6/2012 - Dnjhansen wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours, great balance with bright cherry, vanilla, cocoa and structured tannins. Will hold other bottles for two or three more years
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3/11/2012 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour into Sommelier stems. Impressive wine; started off a little tight and slightly green, but within 45 mins I couldn't pull either from the profile of the wine. Dark coloring, nose throws off a young and full aroma of black cherry and young oak. Medium-heavy in weight, the wine remains tight and youthful, yet approachable. The wine shows a finesse and elegance that you expect from this price-point, without the mouth-coating tannins that bring Parker's points and have driven much of the market. Don't get me wrong, I love many of those wines (and have found Monty's that I don't much enjoy) but this Bordeaux-structured wine is what I expect and appreciate from Montelena.
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2/17/2012 - mdkraft99 wrote: 92 Points
Didn't take formal notes, but consistent with previous notes, very nice and drinking well now!
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2/12/2012 - Soche wrote: 91 Points
Drinking perfectly right now!
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1/14/2012 - Aydin&Melissa wrote:
Fruity with pepper on finish
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12/31/2011 - eteyemd wrote: 93 Points
This wine was opened and poured with a Nuance aerator and delivered beautifully. Would have likely been a little better with an hour or so decant but was excellent right out of the bottle.
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12/30/2011 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 94 Points
The 2005 Chateau Montelena Estate is such a beautiful and elegant Cabernet. It shows gorgeous aromas and flavors of black cherry, tobacco, smoke and mineral. This is well made, structured and focused with a seamless finish, but its the elegance and freshness that I really love here. A stunning wine from Montelena and drinking perfect right now. (Drink now) - JD
94 POINTS
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12/16/2011 - RMundell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine. Drank with no decant and was drinking perfectly.
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11/3/2011 - heidoanddave Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyed at a California event. Nose of black fruit and herb. Structured black fruit taste. Good but not great.
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11/2/2011 - Blue Shorts wrote: 92 Points
Excelent at this point, but could use some more time. Great nose, full-bodied. A wonderful example of a napa cab.
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10/23/2011 - mike1234 wrote: 87 Points
Opaque dark ruby color, soft nose with hint of fruit such as plum, full bodied round wine, good acid level, moderate tannin, taste most pronounced in upper palate, 12 second finish
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9/10/2011 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 2 hours and poured each glass through a vinturi. Still tight, but amazing nonetheless. Gorgeous silky texture, so polished. Last glass was the best. This needed another 4 hours of decant, or another few years in the cellar before the fruit really shines. Fantastic pairing with grilled rib-eye steaks. Wish I had another bottle...
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8/19/2011 - dcasper wrote: 90 Points
a great nose - bright fruit dominated by cherry. still extremely tight; this wine is not at all ready to drink, but it is going to be quite good...
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6/6/2011 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
Nice fruit and tannins sweet and not too aggressive. Still seems a little tight but has alot of upside.
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5/1/2011 - Timwells34747 wrote: flawed
corked
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4/12/2011 - poptart_nyc wrote: 90 Points
As usual good performance. Hubby loves!!!
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4/8/2011 - poptart_nyc wrote: 90 Points
go to steak wine. super smooth, classic cab, but with out being too jammy.
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3/5/2011 - jtcseventysix wrote: 91 Points
A nose of mild coffee, cocoa and rich syrupy plum/currant; bright, with vibrant fruit; long and complex; very interesting profile.
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2/17/2011 - BinVA wrote: 90 Points
First sniffy sniff, reminds me of our summer 09 Napa trip and lunch on the lake at Montelena. Nice bottle of wine. Not outstanding, but quality wine.
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2/3/2011 - Jack Cranley wrote: 92 Points
I was impressed with how sweet the nose was on this one. Caramel and ripe fruits. Loads of blueberry. The nose was slightly tight and somewhat subdued. So soft on the palate. A slight spice. Roasted grains on the long dark finish.
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1/29/2011 - Briangray77 wrote: 93 Points
The color was a beautiful dark purple red. On the nose i got dark cherry and red cherry with a sweet candied strawberry. There was a noticeable buttery vanilla oak followed by a strong alcohol finish. On the palate there was the same fruit on the initial palate followed by oak and finishing with alcohol. I definitely think this wine was young. I allowed it to breath for quite some time to let some of the alcohol to calm down and the fruit to bloom but it didnt improve a whole lot. Over all I was not that impressed with this wine. At the price I paid Ive had much better wines at a quarter of the price. Dont get me wrong it was good but it was too young and i dont think it would have matured much more if at all over the next couple of years. This wine is more subtle and Bordeaux like compared to other Cali Cabs. Im glad I gave it a try and can now say Ive had a true Cali rockstar of a wine.
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12/10/2010 - subtlet Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clash of the Titans, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon tasting (Red Slate, Portland, Oregon): Deep blackberries dominate the nose, while a faint musty note mingles with cherries, brown sugar, and some roast beef. Lovely juicy apples and blackberries show immediately on the palate. The wine bursts in to a full mouth feel with great acidity on the mid palate. A green note runs down the center of my mouth, and sour cherries and blackberries run down the sides. Gentle tannins let the acidity do the work of drying out the palate. Everything lingers enjoyably on the finish.
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12/1/2010 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Smoother than I expected. Took quite a few hours to settle in but once it did it was very enjoyable.
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11/6/2010 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks - The Great Gathering (aka: Steak porn/Wine Orgy); 11/5/2010-11/6/2010 (The Home of Steve Treu): Notable for a much darker flavor profile than the other Napa wines. Lots of spice and mocha on the nose with a hint of saline along with cherry and cassis fruit notes. Ripe slightly candied fruit palate with toast and mocha and strong vanilla on a lengthy finish. Interesting flavor profile, but the oak wasn’t well integrated on this showing, overshadowing the fruit some. Complex and would expect to improve with time.
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10/3/2010 - merlot78 wrote: 93 Points
Not much to complain about. everything was in perfect harmony and well structured. My only complaint was that I expected a long finish and it was not there. All and All though, this was a great cabernet.
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9/23/2010 - MadTownWine wrote: 93 Points
Really good. Much better than the 02. Big. Long finish. Classic.
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7/25/2010 - dontime wrote: 91 Points
Purchased and consumed with dinner at Gaylord National Harbour - Moon Bay Coastal Cuisine. At $98, quite a decent price. Nose of cassis and dark fruit, with notes of cedar spice. Rich and decadent in the mouth with more dark sour cherry, licorice and leather. A bit hot on the finish, but should have been decanted.
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7/11/2010 - Bellissimo wrote: 93 Points
Had before dinner with a cheese plate on a recent getaway. This needs time to open; tough to do in a restaurant Nose showed cassis, cocoa, a bit of coffee, and spicy undertones. This is nicely balanced with dark black fruits, leather, licorice up front with a nice bit of acid. Seamless transitions with very firm tannins on the finish. Yes this probably needs 3 more years of aging but it was so enjoyable.
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5/23/2010 - Blue Shorts wrote: 90 Points
50+5+11+15+9
Needs a LOT of time or a lot of air.
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5/21/2010 - jorge48 wrote: 91 Points
Had this at Capital Grille with porterhouse steak. Decanted for about an hour. Nice nose of oak, some mineral and fruit on the palate. Not a stunner, though. Perhaps overshadowed by the Far Niente chardonnay, served earlier.
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5/6/2010 - dontime wrote: 93 Points
PA Wine Festival - Pittsburgh: Integrated nose of dark berries, currant and smoke. Palate of more rich dark berries, dark currants and chocolate. Impressive finish showing many more years in the cellar. Outstanding.
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4/18/2010 - nadwop Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hrs. Excellent, balanced, complex, silky, chocolate, tobacco, cherry. Not too heavy.
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4/9/2010 - NomadicEntrepreneur wrote: 92 Points
yummy
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4/8/2010 - jorge48 wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Beautiful, complex bouquet evoking chocolate, coffee, parafin. Palate did not accomplish quite the same heights only because, I suspect, did not give it enough time to open up. Still, intense rich flavors of oak and vanilla. Quite impressed overall.
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4/2/2010 - eschuldt wrote: 91 Points
Drank against an 05 Lancaster and preferred the Montelena. Decanted for three hours, right out of the bottle had some nice fruit notes. After three hours nicely integrated, if a little thin on the palate. Reminded me of a Corison.
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3/29/2010 - esb wrote: 91 Points
I have no idea how this compares to its peers since I don’t drink a lot of Napa luxury cabernet. After two hours the aroma is open with cassis, dark cherry fruit and also a soil/stone element that adds interest. Great aroma already. Similar flavor with slight brown sugar, cedar and a hint of smoke from oak. In the mouth, intense, good bright structure, moderate soft tannin, not caressing but well knit and in need of time. I tried this with the ’04 which has riper tannins, more intensity, and is more flamboyant overall. I know these age but I think this will start to show well in about 5 years. Not ready for the table but lovely wine. Aroma ahead of the palate.
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3/13/2010 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 92 Points
A real treat, the guy who sent it to us as a gift insisted that we drink it now, even though everyone but he thought it was too young. We were basically right. I thought it was on the very end of it's "dumb" stage where it is too tight to really taste. And tight it was. The nose would not give us much, so we decanted, swirled, and rolled the glass on the edge of the table, and forced those flavors and aromas to surrender. There is a lot going on here. The nose has a mineral, minty, menthol behind some tight, but obvious black and red fruits. But there is more, there is a smokey, spicy undertone with tobacco. The color is very dark. The palate is dominated by the still considerable tannins that need a few more years to integrate. The alcohol and acid have settled down waiting for the tannins to come around for a real solid combination that is as much Bordeaux in style as Napa. Long solid textbook high end cabernet finish.l
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2/21/2010 - Grinner wrote: 91 Points
Better than the first one I tried 8 mos ago, it's starting to reveal the Calistoga fruit and touch of mint after a few hours. Very structured: wait, decant, and wait some more!
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1/27/2010 - KHILL wrote: 91 Points
not great yet, but ok. needs some time
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1/18/2010 - GUTuna wrote: 89 Points
A nice nose that isn't too dominated by alcohol, even at this point. I get black cherries and black currant early in the mouth. The taste is still dominated by tannins. Looking forward to my nextbottle in a couple of years.
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12/25/2009 - sswine wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for about 3 hours and started the Christmas meal with it. Went really well with the Crown Roast of Lamb - great finish; blew everyone away and held its own amongst the other we drank that day including a 2000 Mondavi Reserve, 2002 Lancaster Estate Cab and a 2003 Hewitt. Very smooth - typical Montelana classic; great nose, long finish; not a lot of complexity here - underated for sure.
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11/21/2009 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple. Nose has lots of red fruit but a bit disappointing for the reputation.
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11/20/2009 - BinVA wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful nose upon opening, only gets better over time. Hard to call on the taste, good but not outstanding. Will have another glass tomorrow and hope it gets better
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10/20/2009 - jeff nowak wrote:
holy smokes! this wine is flat out awful. i seriously can't believe they served it in a winery controlled vertical. it's not spoofilated, it's just a muddled mess. undrinkable.
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10/20/2009 - kstoddard wrote:
Chateau Montelena Tasting (Sportsman's): Dark ruby color. Dark fruit nose. Tastes of blackberry and charred oak. Overly extracted. Bitter tannic finish. Completely out of balance. Hopefully time will be kind to this wine. Not rated.
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10/16/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote:
Seems like you can smell the little bit of Cab Franc with a little bell pepper. Some mint on the palate. Tight. Big tannins. Pent up black fruits.
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9/23/2009 - ASW wrote: 88 Points
Really nice, subtle, a bit acerbic, very understated, not wuite right with the brisket, chicken, and hot sauce, perhaps a more gourmet meal would showcase the wine better. Some earth, light fruit.
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9/14/2009 - hutch wrote: 91 Points
Walker Trade Show (Providence): This is just a monster right now. Needs time. But the structure and fruit are fantastic. 90-93
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9/5/2009 - Wonder wrote: 88 Points
still way too young. needs 4-5 years, and needs to be decanted. could prove to be better with age.
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8/28/2009 - Wine Gent Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tour - Napa / Sonoma 2009; 8/25/2009-8/29/2009 (Napa / Sonoma, CA): This is one of the best wines we tasted on this trip! Bouquet complex, earthy, cinnamon, vanilla, violets, dark cherry, warm leather. Taste complex, rich and velvety, with black currant, building to mouth filling cherry, nice acid balance, nice smooth finish of dried fruits, apple, and hints of clove. Very good, but still overpriced at $135. Tasted at Chateau Montelena Winery on Napa trip. $20 for tastings. (See Tasting Story notes about this famous winery.)
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8/25/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
August 2009 Too Much Wine (Lake Elmo): Scored for future potential. Impeccably balanced. Cassis and perfumed fruit on the nose. On the palate, the highlight is a bit of bright cherry. Pretty tight at this point, but good structure with both balanced acidity and a fair if not overwhelming tannic presence on the finish. Another 5 years and this should be drinking very, very well. My only concern is whether or not the fruit will come to play a more dominant role down the line. Update: continues to get better with time open / in the glass. A very elegant wine.
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8/4/2009 - rthun wrote: 94 Points
I was pleasantly surprised by the 2005 Montelena. My past experiences have been wines that are more terroir-driven and herbaceous with rough tannins. This Montelena was definitely different. Purple/black color. Initial bouquet of lavender, blackberries and brown sugar. This is a more feminine style wine than the generally more masculine Montelenas. It tastes like a hypothetical cross between a Colgin, a Ducru Beaucaillou and a Cos D'Estournel (irony?). Black fruits, plums, dark cherry, saddle leather, briar, sagebrush, licorice, lead pencil and anise. Pretty well-balanced with a core acidity that will require a few years to burn off. The primary area that this wine lacks is the finish. The flavors hang on the tongue for only 10-15 seconds and then fall off sharply. This will not be as long-lived as other Montelenas but will drink better earlier. Best to try again in 3 years.
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6/28/2009 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
K&L Charity Event. Nose of blackberry tart, currants, and dust, more of the same on the palate, fairly fruit forward for this winery, very nice showing today with terrific cabernet flavors, big body, long finish.
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6/8/2009 - Mike V wrote: 92 Points
This wine shows very well at this young age
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6/7/2009 - Grinner wrote: 90 Points
Tight and tannic still; improves over a couple hours. I'm hopeful the fruit wins the battle over the next 6-7 years.
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5/5/2009 - Mattshank wrote: 91 Points
Bo Barrett visits Minneapolis (Surdyk's): Nose: Subtle aromas of stone fruits, mineral and cherry. Palate: Much like the 2001 bright red fruits (cherry) with a very solid acid profile. Tannins were surprisingly soft and approachable given it's youth. This wine has all the components to be like the 2001 in time given the extrordinary balance. It is very good today, but I feel that it has real 93+ point potential in time. Great stuff.
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5/2/2009 - bigdomer wrote: 90 Points
Personally, I think that this needs some more time in the cellar. The tannins are barely approachable.
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4/30/2009 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Is this a somewhat more approachable Montelena? It's aromatically closed, but there's grater richness on the palate than I am used to. It very well balanced, but I am almost tempted to use the word plush, except for the comfortingly forbidding tannins that follow the initial wave of dark, rich fruit.
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4/25/2009 - amateurwino wrote:
Tasted a while ago, so doing only general notes from memory. This wine was done in a very backward style - austere dark fruits, tons of structure, a little rock, a little earth. This wine may well turn out to be a godsend for those who prefer California cab the way it was made in the 70s, etc. (and I am one of those people). A bit tough to know whether I think there's enough fruit here for this to really round out in maturity, but I respect that the Barretts seem to be making their cab the same way they always have. I didn't love it on this day, but I would love to taste it in ten years. 89-93, leaving a wide range for future development here.
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4/11/2009 - markcvino wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux blend with lead pencil nose and mild coffee mocha on the palate. Not thick, moderately long finish.
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4/4/2009 - jivey wrote: 93 Points
Best in recept memory, classic nosed on isplays of lovely perfume of fresh herbs, loamy soil, black cherries, and black currants.
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3/29/2009 - ASW wrote: 91 Points
Classic bordeaux taste, subtle, understated, not hugely tannic, cherries, thick, deep rich red color. Some smoke and earth, had it with beef borgogne,was perfect. A real treat.
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3/2/2009 - ews3 wrote: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this. Forward, but well integrated tannins underlie a palate of dark fruit, chocolate, and forest. There is some plum, and also blackberry and black cherry. Long finish shows this has quite a life ahead of it.
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3/1/2009 - jtcseventysix wrote: 89 Points
Deep red; anise, earth, game and light pepper on the nose; herbal with some modest, soft plum fruit and game; becomes silky smooth with no rough edges and a lasting finish; a tad light in the body--tastes almost diluted. Will this get better? Not sure.
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2/20/2009 - KHILL wrote: 92 Points
Just got case this week and had to try. Very tight and astringent in the beginning and was worried. After1-2 hours in decanter tannins soften. 3-4 hours later smooth, but a little thin. Fruit there, leather, and little earth. Think needs more time to sit. Will try next bottle in 3 months.
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2/18/2009 - ToniJ wrote:
really astringent and liquorish. Almost bitter plum. Very tight but silky red plum flavors asian spice on the palate interesting. Tastes young and almost light. Not to tannic but I bet that will change. Wines goes into dumb phase at 18 months.
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3/8/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Served at a tasting at the Wine Club in SF. Opened one hour. Quick notes: dark fruit on the nose and palate; chocolate and some flowers; ends with a dry, citrus fnish with some tannins. Very good.
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2/6/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Chateau Montelena Tasting (The Peninsula Hotel (Chicago)): The food pairing was braised beef short ribs on cheddar grits with a tomato jam. This is made from mostly 30+ year old estate Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cab Franc in the blend. This barrel sample was a dark reddish purple color. Thick texture with firm tannins. Rather earthy and woody at present with the tannins hiding much of the fruit. Some chocolatey black fruit on the finish though. Full bodied. Scoring this on future expectations mostly. 92+ points.
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