Currently at a great place but needs some air in the glass or decanter to blow off the initial big whiff of oak that will assault your senses when initially opened. For me the wine comes off as a very old school classic napa cab with richness that is not too over done. The wine was actually younger than I thought it would be and in my opinion should hold easily for 3-5 more years. Regardless i think it is at a great place to drink atm.
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Similar to the bottle drink 4 years ago. Fully mature and in great shape. Tanins fully resolved and silken texture. Fruit remains and delicious. I wish recent Napa wines were made in this style.
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I really enjoyed this, more than I thought I would. Nice and elegant, not a big wine, but complex and sophisticated. Nice nose, great mouth feel and long complex finish. Tasted younger than I expected. At its peak, but will hold up for a few more years easily.
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S&E Wine Club - Battle of the AVAs: Howell Mountain vs Stags Leap District (S&E): Last wine of the evening and the third from Stags Leap District. Deep garnet red with browning on the edges. Soft and elegant nose with light fruit and floral notes, very light. Smooth with a slight vegetal nose as well. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and low to moderate body. Great fruit on the palate, very well integrated and smooth. Light vegetal notes near the moderate plus finish. Drink till 2019.
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I had decided not to decant this for the blind tasting as I tasted a sip 2 hours before and recorked it.
This has moderate tannins - was very similar to the second to last wine (which was the Neal 2005) Especially after the Bevan this was more french in style but with good body holding up.
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Great wine. Very slow evolution. Thought this was much younger. Ripe red fruits, cassis, a slight peppery note, fairly rich. No real signs of aging. Really enjoyed this one. A great SL cab with years to go.
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Popped and poured. Really hitting well right now. Much more fruit than expected. Everyone guessed it was 5-10 years younger than its true age. Holding up well.
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Consumed with 2001 Clerc Milon... identical TN to before... in all honesty I think the wines from Fay are way more impressive young and lose that pretty floral aroma with age.
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Deeply colored, some bricking at the rim. On the nose earthy, oaky, and fruit aromas in equal amounts... has mushrooms, cedar/must, blackberry/raspberry. On the palate moderately high acidity, a firm midpalate, ripe but still firm tannins, moderate alcohol. Balanced wine, good length, very good intensity and complexity. Wine has decent finesse, a very fine texture, very good expression of place. Very enjoyable wine that I believe is at its peak so drink up!
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Muted nose, a little berry, some mushroom and a whiff of alcohol. Palate is plush, hidden tannins behind the plush velvet front. Decent finish, fades but lingers.
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Had this wine blind with Seven Hour lamb and a 2001 Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Wine had a good nose. It was really dark and thick bodied. I picked it as a young wine and as a California Cabernet. It was the favorite of 5 of the 7 people at event.
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This was a very solid bottle nicely aged cab, much better than the recent 01 SLV I had. Great color, expressive nose of cigar box, leather, bit of mint. On the palate, impeccably balanced, moderate alcohol, plenty of fruit. Balanced all around. Moderate finish. Well-made. No hurry, but I don't know that it's going to get a whole lot better, no reason to wait. Went very well with the Xmas Eve prime rib.
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Fine but not stellar. This wine is quite typical for the region. The fruit is in the back seat with some secondary flavors emerging. The wine needs a big rich fatty steak to really bring it into it's own.
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Red flowers, red cherry, sweet loaminess, also coffee, on a splendid, vivacious nose. This has fresh and bright flavors of red plum, black cherry, red raspberry, and a finish that has ripe and burnished tannins, and a hint of milk chocolate. Ripe, refined, and a really very lovely purity of fruit. This is floral, feminine, and probably at the peak of its powers.
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OUTSTANDING bottle of wine, right in my wheel house. Nose was quite fragrant with floral tones at the beginning with plumb and vanilla making an appearance with more time in the decanter. Well balanced acidity while the silky wine absolutely coats the palate. Gorgeous lively fruit with layers of black cherry, black currant, sweet oak and hint of graphite. Long, lasting finish enhanced this great bottle of wine
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4th Chicago Steak Out (Otis' house): Tasted blind at the 4th Chicago Steak Out. Tied for last among the 18 wines. Nothing stood out about this wine. Medium bodied with some sharpness on the finish. 87-88 points.
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Steak Out (Otis'): Label: lynx. I thought for sure this was a Bordeaux. Aromas of earthy red & dark fruit, with what I describe as a roasted red bell pepper quality that I find in St. Julien. Well-balanced with nice old world style fruit on the palate with a slight herbal edge. 93-94 pts. Tied for my #2 overall WOTN and in my top 7 SWOTN.
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Had been looking forward to this as I'd bought it from the winery on first release. Rather disappointing. Nice deep blackcurrant colour and very thick on the sides of the glass. Mint chocolate and berries on the nose but nothing complex. Typical Cabernet red berries on the palate with an interesting note of cherries and chocolate but rather spoiled by too much extacted fruit and some over-sweet marshmallow. Further marred by a dry, woodish unpleasant aftertaste. A bit of length but nothing multidimensional about this wine and it is very disjointed.
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Tasted at Tannins. Terrificly smooth for a "big gulp" Cabernet. Stag's Leap rep says "Ready to drink now." but I think this $90 bottle would be better served to lay it down for awhile.
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Deep, plum coloured velvet appearance. High toned nose, eucalyptus, menthol and a touch of the floral along with some blackberry fruit. Big fruit on the palate and another very chewy wine but manages to retain some elegance with an appealingly sappy style to the finish.
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12/3/2022 - Alexander-Killien Likes this wine:
Lovely!
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10/30/2022 - Wrighty wrote:
Tasted alongside 3 other cabs and unfortunately did not shine. Is past it’s best and never really came alive.
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12/30/2020 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 96 Points
Really my favorite offering from this important Stag's Leap company! It has a gentler quality over the Cask or SLV.
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1/3/2020 - sung251 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Currently at a great place but needs some air in the glass or decanter to blow off the initial big whiff of oak that will assault your senses when initially opened. For me the wine comes off as a very old school classic napa cab with richness that is not too over done. The wine was actually younger than I thought it would be and in my opinion should hold easily for 3-5 more years. Regardless i think it is at a great place to drink atm.
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11/23/2019 - SonnyChiba wrote:
Similar reaction to the last time tried 4 years ago. An elegant Napa cab, plenty of fruit left, some subtle complexity.
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11/23/2019 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to the bottle drink 4 years ago. Fully mature and in great shape. Tanins fully resolved and silken texture. Fruit remains and delicious. I wish recent Napa wines were made in this style.
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4/4/2018 - louisl wrote: 95 Points
I really enjoyed this, more than I thought I would. Nice and elegant, not a big wine, but complex and sophisticated. Nice nose, great mouth feel and long complex finish. Tasted younger than I expected. At its peak, but will hold up for a few more years easily.
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10/3/2016 - Big Red 1 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Outstanding big red with complex dark fruit
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4/22/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
S&E Wine Club - Battle of the AVAs: Howell Mountain vs Stags Leap District (S&E): Last wine of the evening and the third from Stags Leap District. Deep garnet red with browning on the edges. Soft and elegant nose with light fruit and floral notes, very light. Smooth with a slight vegetal nose as well. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and low to moderate body. Great fruit on the palate, very well integrated and smooth. Light vegetal notes near the moderate plus finish. Drink till 2019.
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4/22/2016 - cab blends Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had decided not to decant this for the blind tasting as I tasted a sip 2 hours before and recorked it.
This has moderate tannins - was very similar to the second to last wine (which was the Neal 2005) Especially after the Bevan this was more french in style but with good body holding up.
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9/21/2015 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
Great wine. Very slow evolution. Thought this was much younger. Ripe red fruits, cassis, a slight peppery note, fairly rich. No real signs of aging. Really enjoyed this one. A great SL cab with years to go.
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9/20/2015 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Really hitting well right now. Much more fruit than expected. Everyone guessed it was 5-10 years younger than its true age. Holding up well.
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7/1/2015 - packinmn Likes this wine: 90 Points
Probably past its prime but still a very nice bottle of wine shared on a nice occasion. The last one...
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12/26/2014 - Casimir61 wrote:
Soft and fully mature Cab.
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5/16/2013 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big wine. Ripe, dry, dark fruit/sweet fruit. Bit of mint.
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2/24/2013 - Lwelfley wrote: 92 Points
Delicous. Had with delectus 1999. Not as much fruit as delectus but good choice to have with delectus.
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7/23/2012 - markjanes wrote: 89 Points
Consumed with 2001 Clerc Milon... identical TN to before... in all honesty I think the wines from Fay are way more impressive young and lose that pretty floral aroma with age.
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4/20/2012 - markjanes wrote: 88 Points
Deeply colored, some bricking at the rim. On the nose earthy, oaky, and fruit aromas in equal amounts... has mushrooms, cedar/must, blackberry/raspberry. On the palate moderately high acidity, a firm midpalate, ripe but still firm tannins, moderate alcohol. Balanced wine, good length, very good intensity and complexity. Wine has decent finesse, a very fine texture, very good expression of place. Very enjoyable wine that I believe is at its peak so drink up!
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8/21/2011 - Wrighty wrote: 92 Points
Muted nose, a little berry, some mushroom and a whiff of alcohol. Palate is plush, hidden tannins behind the plush velvet front. Decent finish, fades but lingers.
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2/21/2011 - Zinlady wrote: 92 Points
Had this wine blind with Seven Hour lamb and a 2001 Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Wine had a good nose. It was really dark and thick bodied. I picked it as a young wine and as a California Cabernet. It was the favorite of 5 of the 7 people at event.
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12/27/2010 - blaine wrote: 92 Points
This was a very solid bottle nicely aged cab, much better than the recent 01 SLV I had. Great color, expressive nose of cigar box, leather, bit of mint. On the palate, impeccably balanced, moderate alcohol, plenty of fruit. Balanced all around. Moderate finish. Well-made. No hurry, but I don't know that it's going to get a whole lot better, no reason to wait. Went very well with the Xmas Eve prime rib.
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12/18/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 86 Points
Disappointing. Angular, tannic and over oak dominated some nice fruit behind it. I needed a help pulling the wood from my teeth.
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5/31/2010 - bonedocnine wrote: 90 Points
Fine but not stellar. This wine is quite typical for the region. The fruit is in the back seat with some secondary flavors emerging. The wine needs a big rich fatty steak to really bring it into it's own.
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4/25/2010 - FieldingYost wrote: 94 Points
Red flowers, red cherry, sweet loaminess, also coffee, on a splendid, vivacious nose. This has fresh and bright flavors of red plum, black cherry, red raspberry, and a finish that has ripe and burnished tannins, and a hint of milk chocolate. Ripe, refined, and a really very lovely purity of fruit. This is floral, feminine, and probably at the peak of its powers.
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2/21/2010 - cabdrinker wrote:
OUTSTANDING bottle of wine, right in my wheel house. Nose was quite fragrant with floral tones at the beginning with plumb and vanilla making an appearance with more time in the decanter. Well balanced acidity while the silky wine absolutely coats the palate. Gorgeous lively fruit with layers of black cherry, black currant, sweet oak and hint of graphite. Long, lasting finish enhanced this great bottle of wine
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7/6/2009 - Vino Me wrote: 87 Points
4th Chicago Steak Out (Otis' house): Tasted blind at the 4th Chicago Steak Out. Tied for last among the 18 wines. Nothing stood out about this wine. Medium bodied with some sharpness on the finish. 87-88 points.
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7/3/2009 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Steak Out (Otis'): Label: lynx. I thought for sure this was a Bordeaux. Aromas of earthy red & dark fruit, with what I describe as a roasted red bell pepper quality that I find in St. Julien. Well-balanced with nice old world style fruit on the palate with a slight herbal edge. 93-94 pts. Tied for my #2 overall WOTN and in my top 7 SWOTN.
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5/11/2008 - cmack wrote: 96 Points
Impeccable smooth taste, currant and blackberries. Should still be good for quite some time. Tannins are finally opening up.
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1/29/2008 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Deep black cherry fruit, tobacco, cedar, and lead pencil. Steadily improved with air. Unusually elegant and well balanced. Very impressive.
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8/20/2007 - Goldstone wrote: 86 Points
Had been looking forward to this as I'd bought it from the winery on first release. Rather disappointing. Nice deep blackcurrant colour and very thick on the sides of the glass. Mint chocolate and berries on the nose but nothing complex. Typical Cabernet red berries on the palate with an interesting note of cherries and chocolate but rather spoiled by too much extacted fruit and some over-sweet marshmallow. Further marred by a dry, woodish unpleasant aftertaste. A bit of length but nothing multidimensional about this wine and it is very disjointed.
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11/17/2006 - Wrighty wrote: 92 Points
Birthday dinner (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Seemed a little volatile. Mint and euycalyptus
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1/27/2005 - dfitzg2 wrote:
Tasted at Tannins. Terrificly smooth for a "big gulp" Cabernet. Stag's Leap rep says "Ready to drink now." but I think this $90 bottle would be better served to lay it down for awhile.
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11/21/2004 - TGHaddon wrote:
Deep, plum coloured velvet appearance. High toned nose, eucalyptus, menthol and a touch of the floral along with some blackberry fruit. Big fruit on the palate and another very chewy wine but manages to retain some elegance with an appealingly sappy style to the finish.
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