Opened unexpectedly along with the same wine from the 2018 vintage. The 2015 showed well with nice layers of dark fruit, licorice and tar. We did not give it sufficient time to really show its stuff as we drank it within the first 40 minutes. As with most Chappellet signature cabs, this is a wine you can count on as a good value and consistent quality.
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This was really good. Middle of the fairway classic cab. Drank with Chris in Bayfield over 2.5 hours with minimal decant. Great flavors, not too tannic and long finish. My tongue wasn't exhausted at the end. Classic. Why aren't I scoring this higher?
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Decanted 2 hours. Beautiful fruit, purity and balance. Silky tannins. Red & black fruits, cedar & cassis on the palate. Med+ finish. Solid value for Napa.
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In a nice drinking window. Dark, dense red/purple color. Somewhat restrained on the nose. Silky tannins, lots of red fruit and a medium finish. Just a nice solid Napa valley cab, though not overly complex or nuanced
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Friday night. Wife wanted a cab with pizza. Had only one of these but remembered she liked one of these when I opened it in the past, not sure if same vintage.
Anyway, I wasn't sure the aging potential so it was right there and I grabbed it. On initial opening, a bit tight, but wife approved. Slow ox in the bottle for about 90 min or so. On pouring at that point, it was open and very nice. Dark color. Very elegant nose of black fruit, forest flowers, smoke and some spicy woody notes. Flavor profile very nice and concentrated without being syrupy or jammy. Wonderful wine with pizza. Seems like it could be at peak, but I don't know enough to comment on its potential for future development. Finish has grip and it does have a medium length finish and tannins seem mostly integrated but it seems less clearly a wine for the long run than some cabs, could be the vintage character and not the wine though. Anyway, it was a one and done and enjoyed. Some fine sediment requiring filter for the last glass or so. I felt it held up just fine for many hours so didn't have the experience of others who made notes recently with it fading. If you like Cali cabs that are not overextracted, oversweet, jammy and syrupy (the more elegant style which I prefer), you will like this wine and the price is pretty reasonable for a wine of this quality. 92
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We cellared this wine for the last 2 years. For a 2015 I think that this wine has rounded the apex of its peak. A year before we had this same wine and the balance was more leaning towards fruit. This bottle had a bouquet that is reminiscent of herbs ground over a wet stone. Subtle dark fruits on the nose but nothing too exciting. Where this wine shines best is in its balance. On the palate you can taste wet soil and balsamic tomato bruschetta. The finish is more on the side of tart that i would typically like. I would drink this wine at this age quickly as it didn’t open very well over time.
Keep Guzzlin
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I was surprised I didn't like this one better. After decanting and breathing for 45-minutes, the smell of berries and lilacs with a hint of dried grass drew me in. Unfortunately, I found the acidity overpowered everything else in the taste. After resting for 3 hours , it finally mellowed out but still held on to more tartness than I like.
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Nose of black berry, dusty gravel, and floral notes, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling, fruit forward, rich, fruity taste, intense concentration, blacker berry on the mid palate and on the long, lingering finish, photo uploaded.
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Agree with recent notes from others as for taste. Decanted for 1 1/2 hours. Beautiful at first, but by the end of dinner the alcohol was showing a bit too strongly. Felt disappointed that is started collapsing so quickly.
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Decanted/filtered out some fine sediment and let sit for almost 2 hours. This bottle was better than the last one, possibly due to some bottle variation. The wine had pronounced aromas of blackberries and blueberries. On the palate, ripe blackberries, cassis are predominant with a hint of oak. This full bodied wine had medium tannins and acidity and was a wonderful accompaniment to grilled lamb.
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Shocked about how gorgeous this wine showed. Beautiful currants, cedar notes jumped out of the class and the texture was plush Napa with elegant acid. Loved it
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Gorgeous, concentrated and highly aromatic loaded with blue and black fruits, plum and mocha. Silky tannins brings it to a flavory long finish. Decanted one hour and still evolving as I was drinking it. A deal at under $70. Per winemaker Philip Titus, the 2018 has potential to age gracefully for 20 years. I will get a few!! NI:4, FI:23, FC:9, B:4, L:4
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Coravin pour 2 glasses. Agreed with most TNs on taste and nose. Sediment for days but didn't feel grainy surprisingly. Excellent with cheese and salami. Even better with some dark chocolate. Ready to drink now. No need to wait. Tannins were well integrated at this point. For a 60+ dollar bottle, it is a decent QPR.
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Quite solid, met expectations. A bit one-dimensional, but very fine black fruit, good structure and depth and some dryness. Always one of my go-to quality cabs at a fair price.
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After a solid 2 hour decant, this really opened up and developed into a beauty. Loved the structure and exotic spice on the finish. The only knock on it is that it is still very primary. Nevertheless, this was better than my last tasting of this bottle vintage.
Cellared properly sine 2018. Opened 1 hr before consuming. Glass decanted in big ass wine glasses from restaurant. Intense aroma of black fruit and cigar box. Blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, cigar leaf on palate with intense, long finish. Love Chappellet cabs....pleases my palate!
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Excellent Napa Cab. In wine fridge for three years. Decanted for 3 hours. Evolved over time while drinking. Deep garnet in color. Smells amazing. Cherries. Herbs. Really long finish. Even better on day 2. Looking forward to the 2016!
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Not sure where some of the low scores are coming from on this wine but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought that this would need more time to rest to come together but it’s showing well right now and will get better with time. Wry well structured with great mouthfeel and just the right amount of tannins.
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Nose of black cherry, black berry, and earth, same on the palate, big body, rich fruit, juicy fruit, mouth filling fruit, young wine thst shows well, close to peak drinking time, and a long finish. Photo uploaded.
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This wine was very different from the one consumed earlier this year. Very faded without much complexity or finish. A little flabby. Good but far from great.
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Another bottle, another review. Nothing changed since 9/1/2020. This is a nice wine. Having said that, I don’t think it lives up to its “hype”. I’ve had much better Napa cabernet’s in the $60-70 price range.
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Young but drinking nicely. Typical Napa Cab nose. Black fruit, currant and oak on palate. While this could go for another 10+ years, this case won't last much longer as much as my wife likes it...
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Juicy black fruit, currants, and boysenberry, with pencil lead, a touch of cigar box, and a long, drying finish. Structured, full-bodied, with a distinctive purity of fruit. Delicious now with several hours of air, and well worth a hold. Noteworthy QPR.
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Nose of young wine, black berry, black cherry, and minerals, same on the palate, big body, needs 3 years to peak drinking but a one hour decant does the job, tasty, mouth filling Cabernet fruit, soft tannins hinted at on the long finish, with a earthy aftertaste. Photo uploaded.
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This was an 88 when I opened it and a 92 when I finished. Do yourself a favor and decant this bad boy. It will work wonders. Don't be lazy. This is your public service announcement.
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Wow! Tasted along with a 2015 Pritchard Hill. Amazingly good comparison. More fruit-forward; more berries; and slightly more acidic. Otherwise, deliciously comparable with deep dark fruit and a smooth finish. While we love the Pritchard Hill, this has a much better QPR.
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Nose of black berry, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling, fruit forward, one dimensional, no heat-just rich, fruity taste, intense concentration, lovely, easily last 12 years, black berry on the long, lingering finish and aftertaste. Photo/cork uploaded.
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First bottle since my review more than 2 years ago. Decanted, aerated for 1 1/2 hours, and drunk over the 3 hours. Nice color and nose. Some sediment. Good fruit and other notes on the palate. Decent finish. A good wine, but it lacks complexity and finesse. Nothing special and not worth $60-70/bottle IMHO. 90-91 points,
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Typical CS black fruit on the opening--blackberry, currant, some prune. A big, mouth-filling wine. Some woodiness. Some still serious tannin. An unfortunate bitterness way under the rear palate. Nice. pleasant aftertaste. Slight bitterness notwithstanding a very enjoyable wine.
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Inky dark. Black and red fruits, dark chocolate and graphite. Medium/full body. Lush with structure and smooth tannins. Excellent pairing with filet mignon. Good QPR at $55.
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Early in its drinking window, tart cherry fruit to start, subtle graphite, and a big finish. Plenty of structure to support additional aging but really nice now.
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Deep ruby red juice. Medium legs and body. Ticks all the boxes with bowls of berries, mint, leather, vanilla and cedar on the nose and tongue. Tannins and acidity abound. This is a big burly bottle that could (and should) get several years in the bottle to help settle it down and round off some pretty angular edges. Score 89-91, depending on development.
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Surprisingly good right now. Tasted next to a 2008 Pritchard Hill. This guy stood right up to its bigger and older brother. Full body, lush rich flavors - this is the real deal. Good QPR.
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Cherries. Cedar. Wood. Forest floor. Blueberry on the palate with hints of oak and strawberry. Tinge of graphite and violet. Young wine. Not bad for the price point. Could have used a few more years. Paired well with Thai basil chicken surprisingly
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Decanted for two hours. Great balance between fruit and the oak. Cherry with light oak maybe even a little vanilla. Beautiful nose and even still a little tight. Would be even better in a few years
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Decanted over an hour. Still a young wine, but all the elements are there for this to be outstanding. I get herbs and some mineral notes in the flavor profile along with some acid (all in a good way). The nose is jammy. Despite its youth, a very enjoyable drink.
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1 hr decant. Still a baby at this point and a bit of a muddle. Blueberry and blackberry with lead pencil and considerable tannin. Alchohol a bit hot. Needs several years bottle time.
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Yes, the community average of 91 is pretty accurate, maybe a little generous. It's a decent Cab with a nice nose and color, but it's still young so has some hard edges and a bit of alcoholic hotness. I expect it will smooth out in three or four years, but at the moment it's not worth the $60 price tag (discounted from $70). A clear sign that it needs a few years is the fact that it was quite a bit better after three hours, maybe 92-93. Air time is usually a stand-in for bottle age (although certainly imperfect). This will probably be pretty good juice in 2022 and later, but I will stand by my opinion that there are better ways to spend $60.
Tasted blind. Dark ruby, medium viscosity. Med+ intensity, ripe black fruit, violet, bell pepper, oak (sweet vanilla note). Dry, med+ acid, med tannin, med+ alcohol. Balanced, med complexity, med+ finish.
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Vinturied into decant, youthful at the moment, this really opened up after an hour, It was hard to pick this apart from the Syrah we had along side, very aromatic with toasted vanilla along with sweet ripe fruit, really good for such a young wine. Drink now thru 2024.
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Hennepin Lake Tasting: A small tasting pour. Chappellet is not a producer I enjoy, and this experience confirms that. The wine seems extracted and spoofy.
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P: Med body; NICE, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which loses the bulk of its astringency as it evolves into the LONG, still very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS into, poss through, '21, then should make its 10th. Serious stuff! My EXC-/EXC. 96 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 94 Int'l Wine Review, 93 ea WA & Vinous ("Outstanding": Galloni), 90 Decanter, and "Score around 9.5/10" vinography.com . [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
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A really nice wine, lacking the intensity of my some of favorites (Scarlett, Quivet, Lewis, Becklyn, Myriad and so forth) but a very nice, elegant and worthy Cabernet. Nice dark purple/ bluish color with a nice lavender floral nose, elegant and soft ripe blackberries, blue fruit, soft cassis. The herbal notes are suppressed when compared the last bottle. Decanting is a real benefit to this wine, it’s a vintage that has promise with time. 92-93+ points and for the money, it’s worth a shot in my opinion.
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This 2015 Chappellet Signature cab was aerated and drunk over a period of 4 hours. It is still young and tight, making it somewhat difficult to evaluate. On the positive side, it exhibits nice dark fruit flavors and is smoothly balanced. On the negative side, it seems somewhat simple and has a relatively short finish. Overall, I'd give it 90 points. It's good but, at this early stage, does not live up to the rave professional reviews (96 points from Jeb Dunnuck; 93 points from Wine Advocate, Vinous, and James Suckling). Maybe it will in a few years.
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This has the potential to be a 90-92, but right now it’s tight. Deep purple, strawberry, blackberry and some earth on the nose. Decanted for two hours, but still wasn’t ready. After about four hours it started to develop. Still seemed tight and a bit flat. Wine is balanced, just not super complex.
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Typical Chappellet Signature! Needs five more years to be best but even then, won't show much more than today. This wine has been so consistent over the years! Can never go wrong!
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Drank along side the 1978 Chappellet Cab on my 40th birthday. Sadly, the 78 had some very minor seepage on the cork and the wine was quite tired, but drinkable. Not clear how much of this was just its age and how much was this cork.
The 2015 was delicious, though. This was several days ago so my memory is hazy, but a fairly ripe and approachable napa cab. More fruit forward than a few Howell Mtn offerings (from 2012 and 2014) that we had the same night.
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P: LM, poss Med, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by a puckerish astringency which fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, balanced, VERY slightly tangy, finish with a swtness to the very, VERY few tannins. My EXC-, poss EXC. For now with food, but DESERVES another 12-18 mos, then drinking for 4 yrs more. 96 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 94 Int'l Wine Review, 93 ea WA & Vinous ("Outstanding"), and "Score around 9.5/10" vinography.com . [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
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Big, supple, rich. Notes of black fruits. On the palate big oak presence. A good value for Napa Cab! Not something I typically would gravitate towards but a well made wine nonetheless.
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We drank this on June 29 2018 and had pretty much the exact same experience as WINEBURROWINGWOMBAT also recently had. So no need to write it all out again.
Lovely floral nose upon first pour. and nice red fruit on the palate. Then it closed down.
Seems surprisingly accessible at first now, but may actually need quite a bit more time in the bottle to integrate and complexify.
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Nose: Initial floral burst of dark and red fruit with slight spice. The floral smell doesn't last though and quickly dissipates (a minus for me), then comes some mellow earth, slight dried stones/pebbles? With some sitting out, this smell of bark from a tree comes to mind.
Palate: Deep black fruit, really good fruit.. very subtle sweetness but in a really nice way (is this what ripe means?), slight spice and oak. Has some heat to it even after sitting out, though.
Very smooth and approachable with medium plus body, fine tannins. Deep garnet and rather opaque. Really enjoyable, the fruit is real good here (I'm trying hard to make sure I don't mistake the fruit for sweetness). Has a decent finish of about 3-4 seconds. I feel like it can be better, like it wants to really show off but it's not doing so. Either that or maybe its just holding back.. or is this the case of it being reserved or closed? Not quite sure myself but nonetheless enjoyable.
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Intense, juicy Cab with great freshness and even textured tannin. Should come into its own in 5 years or so. Not terrificly complex but good red and black fruit on the palate. Some cocoa and spiced plums too. I'm told it's a good value, HAH! only in Napa...
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This juicy but structured Cabernet-based blend is surprisingly accessible right now - there an earthy undertone, but the ripe fruit is front and center right now. Dark purple in color, full in body, nose of boysenberry, pencil lead, and gravel. Tastes of plum, mountain blueberry, cedar, and vanilla, with a little thinness on the mid-palate and a finish that is equally (and somewhat oddly) sugary and tannic. Blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, and 3% Malbec. 14.5% alcohol. Give at least 30 minutes in the decanter. Drink in next few years.
This isn't a waste of money, but it tastes like what it is: a well-made and open-knit Cabernet at a $50 price point. It has a bit too much juiciness - and not enough concentration - to be truly impressive, at least at the moment. That said, this was the happy go-lucky cousin to the 2013 I tasted last year, which was far more dark and brooding than the 2015 (obviously a reflection of the respective vintages). I won't rush to buy more, but it's likable enough.
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Powerful and forceful, yet paradoxically suave and elegant. The nose is of mocha, black cherry, red brick, currant and roasted garlic. Excellent length and depth, with velvety tannins and exciting concentration. So enjoyable and I see no reason to wait. Drink now - 2032.
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This is the "Signature Reserve". Very dark, saturated purple color. Nose of sweet creme de cassis, new oak and ripe purplish fruits. Unformed. Quite full-bodied and rich as well as moderately dense. Tannic, but they're engulfed in a swath of sweet boysenberry fruit, spice and velvety texture. This is VERY young and needs several years just to come together. While still unformed, there is an undeniable richness here and, I suspect, considerable complexity waiting to show itself. I'm not sure how great this will turn out to be. At present, I'm inclined towards 92-93, but only time will tell. Drink 2020-2030+ 91-94
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Sampled at the winery. Small vintage . 60% new oak, French and Hungarian. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon. Really nice concentration of ripe red fruit, baking spice, cinnamon , big mineral component, and finishes with ripe sour cherries.
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Tasted at Wally's Napa / Sonoma All-Stars 2018 event. This one packed a punch. One of the biggest wines of the night. Full of flavor. However, my friend and I both agreed that while it was strong there was nothing that really stood out about this wine.
Opened and let slow.ox for four hours. Initially very young and tight. Beautiful aromatics dominated by red and black fruits. Started to show very well after 5-6 hours. Beautiful structure.
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This 2015 has a little something going fit it. Striking dark purple color with hints of violets on the nose, ripe blackberries and blue fruit, cassis, and some herb notes. With some air, this wine showed better than I expected and has some promise with a little bottle age. 90+ points for now and with more than half a bottle remaining, I will probably have more to say about this wine.
Day 2: The flavors have come together and are showing really well now. Perhaps I was a bit stingy yesterday with the score and I really didn't allow the wine to breath properly, but this is a very good Cab. 93 Points.
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which seems to lose the lightly abrasive nature of its tannins as it evolves into a LONG, tangy/swt (40:60) finish. Approachable now with food, this DESERVES anothe 18 mos or so, then drinking for a min of 3 yrs more. My VG+/EXC-; 96 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 94 Int'l Wine Review, 93 ea WA & Vinous ("Outstanding": Galloni), 90 Decanter, and "Score around 9.5/10" vinography.com . [As of mid Mar '20, wine-searcher still shows 5 sources from $60-$75].
Addendum: Also tasted on 6/30 & 10/6/18, in both of which I detected > structure than I did today.
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An outstanding effort. I like it even more than the 2014. I believe it is because this is more open nit and ready to drink now vs. the 2014. Nevertheless, don't be fooled, this still could benefit from more age and definitely decanting.
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Christmas walk around wine store tasting. No careful tasting notes possible. This is consistent with previous vintages, smooth, complex, balanced excellent depth of fruit and plenty of structure for aging.
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3/2/2024 - Inforred Likes this wine: 89 Points
Opaque purple color, Soft and round. A nice enough cab but a bit one dimensional at this point. Past it’s peak
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2/11/2024 - der Schmecker wrote: 92 Points
Smooth. Deep. Drink now.
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6/29/2023 - bobt@teacherstax.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened unexpectedly along with the same wine from the 2018 vintage. The 2015 showed well with nice layers of dark fruit, licorice and tar. We did not give it sufficient time to really show its stuff as we drank it within the first 40 minutes. As with most Chappellet signature cabs, this is a wine you can count on as a good value and consistent quality.
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6/10/2023 - levinml wrote: 94 Points
This was really good. Middle of the fairway classic cab. Drank with Chris in Bayfield over 2.5 hours with minimal decant. Great flavors, not too tannic and long finish. My tongue wasn't exhausted at the end. Classic. Why aren't I scoring this higher?
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5/29/2023 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
W steak and burger next night. Pretty solid cab !
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5/29/2023 - rehulk wrote: 91 Points
great wine that has held up well
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5/19/2023 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Beautiful fruit, purity and balance. Silky tannins. Red & black fruits, cedar & cassis on the palate. Med+ finish. Solid value for Napa.
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5/10/2023 - Inforred Likes this wine: 90 Points
In a nice drinking window. Dark, dense red/purple color. Somewhat restrained on the nose. Silky tannins, lots of red fruit and a medium finish. Just a nice solid Napa valley cab, though not overly complex or nuanced
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3/25/2023 - Triforwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Friday night. Wife wanted a cab with pizza. Had only one of these but remembered she liked one of these when I opened it in the past, not sure if same vintage.
Anyway, I wasn't sure the aging potential so it was right there and I grabbed it. On initial opening, a bit tight, but wife approved. Slow ox in the bottle for about 90 min or so. On pouring at that point, it was open and very nice. Dark color. Very elegant nose of black fruit, forest flowers, smoke and some spicy woody notes. Flavor profile very nice and concentrated without being syrupy or jammy. Wonderful wine with pizza. Seems like it could be at peak, but I don't know enough to comment on its potential for future development. Finish has grip and it does have a medium length finish and tannins seem mostly integrated but it seems less clearly a wine for the long run than some cabs, could be the vintage character and not the wine though. Anyway, it was a one and done and enjoyed. Some fine sediment requiring filter for the last glass or so. I felt it held up just fine for many hours so didn't have the experience of others who made notes recently with it fading. If you like Cali cabs that are not overextracted, oversweet, jammy and syrupy (the more elegant style which I prefer), you will like this wine and the price is pretty reasonable for a wine of this quality. 92
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3/11/2023 - TheRhoneranger Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice balanced cab with some sweetness
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1/20/2023 - TheGrapeGuzzler Likes this wine: 87 Points
We cellared this wine for the last 2 years. For a 2015 I think that this wine has rounded the apex of its peak. A year before we had this same wine and the balance was more leaning towards fruit. This bottle had a bouquet that is reminiscent of herbs ground over a wet stone. Subtle dark fruits on the nose but nothing too exciting. Where this wine shines best is in its balance. On the palate you can taste wet soil and balsamic tomato bruschetta. The finish is more on the side of tart that i would typically like. I would drink this wine at this age quickly as it didn’t open very well over time.
Keep Guzzlin
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10/4/2022 - JessicaOurisman wrote: 85 Points
I was surprised I didn't like this one better. After decanting and breathing for 45-minutes, the smell of berries and lilacs with a hint of dried grass drew me in. Unfortunately, I found the acidity overpowered everything else in the taste. After resting for 3 hours , it finally mellowed out but still held on to more tartness than I like.
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5/17/2022 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of black berry, dusty gravel, and floral notes, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling, fruit forward, rich, fruity taste, intense concentration, blacker berry on the mid palate and on the long, lingering finish, photo uploaded.
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5/15/2022 - Napleswino Likes this wine:
Agree with recent notes from others as for taste. Decanted for 1 1/2 hours. Beautiful at first, but by the end of dinner the alcohol was showing a bit too strongly. Felt disappointed that is started collapsing so quickly.
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4/29/2022 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted/filtered out some fine sediment and let sit for almost 2 hours. This bottle was better than the last one, possibly due to some bottle variation. The wine had pronounced aromas of blackberries and blueberries. On the palate, ripe blackberries, cassis are predominant with a hint of oak. This full bodied wine had medium tannins and acidity and was a wonderful accompaniment to grilled lamb.
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4/1/2022 - larrybbaldwin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Shocked about how gorgeous this wine showed. Beautiful currants, cedar notes jumped out of the class and the texture was plush Napa with elegant acid. Loved it
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10/2/2021 - Dfortin9 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gorgeous, concentrated and highly aromatic loaded with blue and black fruits, plum and mocha. Silky tannins brings it to a flavory long finish. Decanted one hour and still evolving as I was drinking it. A deal at under $70. Per winemaker Philip Titus, the 2018 has potential to age gracefully for 20 years. I will get a few!! NI:4, FI:23, FC:9, B:4, L:4
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9/20/2021 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coravin pour 2 glasses. Agreed with most TNs on taste and nose. Sediment for days but didn't feel grainy surprisingly. Excellent with cheese and salami. Even better with some dark chocolate. Ready to drink now. No need to wait. Tannins were well integrated at this point. For a 60+ dollar bottle, it is a decent QPR.
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8/24/2021 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Quite solid, met expectations. A bit one-dimensional, but very fine black fruit, good structure and depth and some dryness. Always one of my go-to quality cabs at a fair price.
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6/13/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
After a solid 2 hour decant, this really opened up and developed into a beauty. Loved the structure and exotic spice on the finish. The only knock on it is that it is still very primary. Nevertheless, this was better than my last tasting of this bottle vintage.
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4/19/2021 - kcsteve Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cellared properly sine 2018. Opened 1 hr before consuming. Glass decanted in big ass wine glasses from restaurant. Intense aroma of black fruit and cigar box. Blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, cigar leaf on palate with intense, long finish. Love Chappellet cabs....pleases my palate!
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1/17/2021 - gatormikenews Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent Napa Cab. In wine fridge for three years. Decanted for 3 hours. Evolved over time while drinking. Deep garnet in color. Smells amazing. Cherries. Herbs. Really long finish. Even better on day 2. Looking forward to the 2016!
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1/13/2021 - MRonan83 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not sure where some of the low scores are coming from on this wine but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought that this would need more time to rest to come together but it’s showing well right now and will get better with time. Wry well structured with great mouthfeel and just the right amount of tannins.
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1/11/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of black cherry, black berry, and earth, same on the palate, big body, rich fruit, juicy fruit, mouth filling fruit, young wine thst shows well, close to peak drinking time, and a long finish. Photo uploaded.
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1/10/2021 - ThistleB wrote: 90 Points
Very good on night one after about 2 hours. Dark fruit and some cedar. Fell apart on night 2. I would drink this now as the drinking window is closing
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1/4/2021 - Plush05 wrote: 80 Points
Ok. Enjoyed but nothing special.
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1/4/2021 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 88 Points
This wine was very different from the one consumed earlier this year. Very faded without much complexity or finish. A little flabby. Good but far from great.
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12/25/2020 - WineDr. Likes this wine: 91 Points
Another bottle, another review. Nothing changed since 9/1/2020. This is a nice wine. Having said that, I don’t think it lives up to its “hype”. I’ve had much better Napa cabernet’s in the $60-70 price range.
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12/4/2020 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young but drinking nicely. Typical Napa Cab nose. Black fruit, currant and oak on palate. While this could go for another 10+ years, this case won't last much longer as much as my wife likes it...
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11/28/2020 - cgrobes Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black berries, very earthy. Opens nicely. Love the layers to it. Highly recommended comes from one of favorite vineyards.
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11/24/2020 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious cab
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10/10/2020 - Wine2372 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Juicy black fruit, currants, and boysenberry, with pencil lead, a touch of cigar box, and a long, drying finish. Structured, full-bodied, with a distinctive purity of fruit. Delicious now with several hours of air, and well worth a hold. Noteworthy QPR.
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10/5/2020 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of young wine, black berry, black cherry, and minerals, same on the palate, big body, needs 3 years to peak drinking but a one hour decant does the job, tasty, mouth filling Cabernet fruit, soft tannins hinted at on the long finish, with a earthy aftertaste. Photo uploaded.
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9/24/2020 - Kenny_Powers Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was an 88 when I opened it and a 92 when I finished. Do yourself a favor and decant this bad boy. It will work wonders. Don't be lazy. This is your public service announcement.
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9/21/2020 - VinoViking Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow! Tasted along with a 2015 Pritchard Hill. Amazingly good comparison. More fruit-forward; more berries; and slightly more acidic. Otherwise, deliciously comparable with deep dark fruit and a smooth finish. While we love the Pritchard Hill, this has a much better QPR.
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9/15/2020 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of black berry, same on the palate, big body, mouth filling, fruit forward, one dimensional, no heat-just rich, fruity taste, intense concentration, lovely, easily last 12 years, black berry on the long, lingering finish and aftertaste. Photo/cork uploaded.
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9/1/2020 - WineDr. Likes this wine: 91 Points
First bottle since my review more than 2 years ago. Decanted, aerated for 1 1/2 hours, and drunk over the 3 hours. Nice color and nose. Some sediment. Good fruit and other notes on the palate. Decent finish. A good wine, but it lacks complexity and finesse. Nothing special and not worth $60-70/bottle IMHO. 90-91 points,
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8/17/2020 - EMark Likes this wine:
Typical CS black fruit on the opening--blackberry, currant, some prune. A big, mouth-filling wine. Some woodiness. Some still serious tannin. An unfortunate bitterness way under the rear palate. Nice. pleasant aftertaste. Slight bitterness notwithstanding a very enjoyable wine.
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8/17/2020 - goonar182 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth- good color, good fruit. Solid wine
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8/3/2020 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Deep, dark, black fruit. Good concentration. Better on the 2nd day. 93+pts.
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6/21/2020 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 92 Points
A smooth yet complex easy drinking Cab. A crowd pleasing go-to wine. Vibrant fruit, smooth tannins. I may buy these by the case
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6/21/2020 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, vanilla, tobacco. Complex and bold with silky tannins. Nicely balanced
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4/27/2020 - mvande21 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Inky dark. Black and red fruits, dark chocolate and graphite. Medium/full body. Lush with structure and smooth tannins. Excellent pairing with filet mignon. Good QPR at $55.
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2/18/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Early in its drinking window, tart cherry fruit to start, subtle graphite, and a big finish. Plenty of structure to support additional aging but really nice now.
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1/1/2020 - WineKnut Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep ruby red juice. Medium legs and body. Ticks all the boxes with bowls of berries, mint, leather, vanilla and cedar on the nose and tongue. Tannins and acidity abound. This is a big burly bottle that could (and should) get several years in the bottle to help settle it down and round off some pretty angular edges. Score 89-91, depending on development.
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12/28/2019 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent balance and depth.
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12/16/2019 - ivsimler wrote: 89 Points
Quite good...as usual. Went well with beef tongue stew.
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12/1/2019 - VinoViking Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly good right now. Tasted next to a 2008 Pritchard Hill. This guy stood right up to its bigger and older brother. Full body, lush rich flavors - this is the real deal. Good QPR.
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11/5/2019 - ThistleB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Strawberry, raspberry, and a hint of vanilla. Needs about 2 hours to open up. Very enjoyable Cabernet
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9/7/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sweet cherry, strawberry, raspberry, red tea, cassis, baking spices, vanilla, great balance. Very nice and easy to drink, but not profound.
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5/25/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid for a value Cali Cab. Does not require too much intellect to appreciate this wine, however.
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4/19/2019 - Bellbx Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cherries. Cedar. Wood. Forest floor. Blueberry on the palate with hints of oak and strawberry. Tinge of graphite and violet. Young wine. Not bad for the price point. Could have used a few more years. Paired well with Thai basil chicken surprisingly
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3/24/2019 - OTTMJ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours. Great balance between fruit and the oak. Cherry with light oak maybe even a little vanilla. Beautiful nose and even still a little tight. Would be even better in a few years
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2/16/2019 - gtkunstman Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted over an hour. Still a young wine, but all the elements are there for this to be outstanding. I get herbs and some mineral notes in the flavor profile along with some acid (all in a good way). The nose is jammy. Despite its youth, a very enjoyable drink.
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2/15/2019 - jmuell9 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Very clean and easy to drink
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2/13/2019 - Niagara wrote: 89 Points
Very good for the price, but not very good
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2/11/2019 - R.Jos.Valent Likes this wine: 91 Points
1 hour open air decant. First impression a bit tight with decent amount muddled red fruit. Not a huge finish but still a very nice napa cab.
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1/3/2019 - mgstull Likes this wine: 89 Points
1 hr decant. Still a baby at this point and a bit of a muddle. Blueberry and blackberry with lead pencil and considerable tannin. Alchohol a bit hot. Needs several years bottle time.
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12/25/2018 - Blaine Marder Likes this wine: 86 Points
dry, smooth - blueberry, raspberry- slight alcohol residue on the pallet
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12/24/2018 - seijaro Likes this wine: 91 Points
Yes, the community average of 91 is pretty accurate, maybe a little generous. It's a decent Cab with a nice nose and color, but it's still young so has some hard edges and a bit of alcoholic hotness. I expect it will smooth out in three or four years, but at the moment it's not worth the $60 price tag (discounted from $70).
A clear sign that it needs a few years is the fact that it was quite a bit better after three hours, maybe 92-93. Air time is usually a stand-in for bottle age (although certainly imperfect). This will probably be pretty good juice in 2022 and later, but I will stand by my opinion that there are better ways to spend $60.
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11/21/2018 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice solid Napa cab at a good price point
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11/2/2018 - DSR wrote: 91 Points
Tasted blind. Dark ruby, medium viscosity. Med+ intensity, ripe black fruit, violet, bell pepper, oak (sweet vanilla note). Dry, med+ acid, med tannin, med+ alcohol. Balanced, med complexity, med+ finish.
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11/1/2018 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice solid California cab drinks above price point.
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10/30/2018 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 90 Points
A big California cab at a good price. Having 15 people over for dinner and this is a good choice.
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10/15/2018 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
Vinturied into decant, youthful at the moment, this really opened up after an hour,
It was hard to pick this apart from the Syrah we had along side, very aromatic with toasted vanilla along
with sweet ripe fruit, really good for such a young wine.
Drink now thru 2024.
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10/14/2018 - galewskj wrote: 86 Points
Hennepin Lake Tasting: A small tasting pour. Chappellet is not a producer I enjoy, and this experience confirms that. The wine seems extracted and spoofy.
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10/11/2018 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 87 Points
Hennepin Lake Tasting 2018; 10/11/2018-10/14/2018 (Minneapolis, MN): Really not very good for the price. Typical oak, vanilla and some fruit. Acidity is lacking and just not a fan of this for the money.
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10/6/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
'15 Napa Cabernet Sauvignons (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 79% C.S., 14% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, & 3% Malbec; 14.5% ABV, T.A. – .62g/100ml, & pH – 3.73
N: CLOSED, but seems ripe, poss smoky
P: Med body; NICE, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by an astringent pucker which loses the bulk of its astringency as it evolves into the LONG, still very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS into, poss through, '21, then should make its 10th. Serious stuff! My EXC-/EXC. 96 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 94 Int'l Wine Review, 93 ea WA & Vinous ("Outstanding": Galloni), 90 Decanter, and "Score around 9.5/10" vinography.com . [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
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9/27/2018 - Tequilla Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mia’s 10th grade encounter w mean girls
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9/7/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
A really nice wine, lacking the intensity of my some of favorites (Scarlett, Quivet, Lewis, Becklyn, Myriad and so forth) but a very nice, elegant and worthy Cabernet. Nice dark purple/ bluish color with a nice lavender floral nose, elegant and soft ripe blackberries, blue fruit, soft cassis. The herbal notes are suppressed when compared the last bottle. Decanting is a real benefit to this wine, it’s a vintage that has promise with time. 92-93+ points and for the money, it’s worth a shot in my opinion.
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7/30/2018 - WineDr. Likes this wine: 90 Points
This 2015 Chappellet Signature cab was aerated and drunk over a period of 4 hours. It is still young and tight, making it somewhat difficult to evaluate. On the positive side, it exhibits nice dark fruit flavors and is smoothly balanced. On the negative side, it seems somewhat simple and has a relatively short finish. Overall, I'd give it 90 points. It's good but, at this early stage, does not live up to the rave professional reviews (96 points from Jeb Dunnuck; 93 points from Wine Advocate, Vinous, and James Suckling). Maybe it will in a few years.
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7/15/2018 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 89 Points
This has the potential to be a 90-92, but right now it’s tight. Deep purple, strawberry, blackberry and some earth on the nose. Decanted for two hours, but still wasn’t ready. After about four hours it started to develop. Still seemed tight and a bit flat. Wine is balanced, just not super complex.
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7/15/2018 - Lakersguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical Chappellet Signature! Needs five more years to be best but even then, won't show much more than today. This wine has been so consistent over the years! Can never go wrong!
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7/6/2018 - DougSamuel Likes this wine:
Drank along side the 1978 Chappellet Cab on my 40th birthday. Sadly, the 78 had some very minor seepage on the cork and the wine was quite tired, but drinkable. Not clear how much of this was just its age and how much was this cork.
The 2015 was delicious, though. This was several days ago so my memory is hazy, but a fairly ripe and approachable napa cab. More fruit forward than a few Howell Mtn offerings (from 2012 and 2014) that we had the same night.
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6/30/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Napa Cabs & Blends (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 79% C.S., 14% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, & 3% Malbec; 14.5% ABV, T.A. – .62g/100ml, & pH – 3.73
N: Slightly closed; Ripe berries & vanilla
P: LM, poss Med, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by a puckerish astringency which fairly seamlessly transitions into a LONG, balanced, VERY slightly tangy, finish with a swtness to the very, VERY few tannins. My EXC-, poss EXC. For now with food, but DESERVES another 12-18 mos, then drinking for 4 yrs more. 96 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 94 Int'l Wine Review, 93 ea WA & Vinous ("Outstanding"), and "Score around 9.5/10" vinography.com . [Check with this vendor if interested in their *very* COMPETITIVE price.]
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6/29/2018 - Litt12 wrote: 91 Points
Big, supple, rich. Notes of black fruits. On the palate big oak presence. A good value for Napa Cab! Not something I typically would gravitate towards but a well made wine nonetheless.
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6/29/2018 - The Bugle Likes this wine: 90 Points
We drank this on June 29 2018 and had pretty much the exact same experience as WINEBURROWINGWOMBAT also recently had. So no need to write it all out again.
Lovely floral nose upon first pour. and nice red fruit on the palate. Then it closed down.
Seems surprisingly accessible at first now, but may actually need quite a bit more time in the bottle to integrate and complexify.
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6/17/2018 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose: Initial floral burst of dark and red fruit with slight spice. The floral smell doesn't last though and quickly dissipates (a minus for me), then comes some mellow earth, slight dried stones/pebbles? With some sitting out, this smell of bark from a tree comes to mind.
Palate: Deep black fruit, really good fruit.. very subtle sweetness but in a really nice way (is this what ripe means?), slight spice and oak. Has some heat to it even after sitting out, though.
Very smooth and approachable with medium plus body, fine tannins. Deep garnet and rather opaque. Really enjoyable, the fruit is real good here (I'm trying hard to make sure I don't mistake the fruit for sweetness). Has a decent finish of about 3-4 seconds. I feel like it can be better, like it wants to really show off but it's not doing so. Either that or maybe its just holding back.. or is this the case of it being reserved or closed? Not quite sure myself but nonetheless enjoyable.
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6/9/2018 - ex-sommelier wrote:
Intense, juicy Cab with great freshness and even textured tannin. Should come into its own in 5 years or so. Not terrificly complex but good red and black fruit on the palate. Some cocoa and spiced plums too. I'm told it's a good value, HAH! only in Napa...
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6/4/2018 - Kayecheg Likes this wine: 92 Points
velvet on the palate, dark fruits on the nose and palate. very full round, smooth body and long finish.
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5/20/2018 - msuwine wrote: 92 Points
This juicy but structured Cabernet-based blend is surprisingly accessible right now - there an earthy undertone, but the ripe fruit is front and center right now. Dark purple in color, full in body, nose of boysenberry, pencil lead, and gravel. Tastes of plum, mountain blueberry, cedar, and vanilla, with a little thinness on the mid-palate and a finish that is equally (and somewhat oddly) sugary and tannic. Blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, and 3% Malbec. 14.5% alcohol. Give at least 30 minutes in the decanter. Drink in next few years.
This isn't a waste of money, but it tastes like what it is: a well-made and open-knit Cabernet at a $50 price point. It has a bit too much juiciness - and not enough concentration - to be truly impressive, at least at the moment. That said, this was the happy go-lucky cousin to the 2013 I tasted last year, which was far more dark and brooding than the 2015 (obviously a reflection of the respective vintages). I won't rush to buy more, but it's likable enough.
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5/18/2018 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 94 Points
Powerful and forceful, yet paradoxically suave and elegant. The nose is of mocha, black cherry, red brick, currant and roasted garlic. Excellent length and depth, with velvety tannins and exciting concentration. So enjoyable and I see no reason to wait. Drink now - 2032.
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5/17/2018 - WineGuyX Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is the "Signature Reserve". Very dark, saturated purple color. Nose of sweet creme de cassis, new oak and ripe purplish fruits. Unformed. Quite full-bodied and rich as well as moderately dense. Tannic, but they're engulfed in a swath of sweet boysenberry fruit, spice and velvety texture. This is VERY young and needs several years just to come together. While still unformed, there is an undeniable richness here and, I suspect, considerable complexity waiting to show itself. I'm not sure how great this will turn out to be. At present, I'm inclined towards 92-93, but only time will tell. Drink 2020-2030+ 91-94
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5/13/2018 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Chocolate, darker fruit, espresso, blackberry, cocoa powder
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5/13/2018 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sampled at the winery. Small vintage . 60% new oak, French and Hungarian. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon. Really nice concentration of ripe red fruit, baking spice, cinnamon , big mineral component, and finishes with ripe sour cherries.
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4/17/2018 - Keeping It Real wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at Wally's Napa / Sonoma All-Stars 2018 event. This one packed a punch. One of the biggest wines of the night. Full of flavor. However, my friend and I both agreed that while it was strong there was nothing that really stood out about this wine.
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4/9/2018 - hawkeye54 wrote: 93 Points
Opened and let slow.ox for four hours. Initially very young and tight. Beautiful aromatics dominated by red and black fruits. Started to show very well after 5-6 hours. Beautiful structure.
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4/1/2018 - clingst Does not like this wine:
The alcohol taste was too strong. Probably would not buy again.
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3/30/2018 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Black fruit and spice aromas. Richer, but not all softness, to the palate.
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3/28/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
This 2015 has a little something going fit it. Striking dark purple color with hints of violets on the nose, ripe blackberries and blue fruit, cassis, and some herb notes. With some air, this wine showed better than I expected and has some promise with a little bottle age. 90+ points for now and with more than half a bottle remaining, I will probably have more to say about this wine.
Day 2: The flavors have come together and are showing really well now. Perhaps I was a bit stingy yesterday with the score and I really didn't allow the wine to breath properly, but this is a very good Cab.
93 Points.
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2/17/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [3 Whites & 8 Reds] from 2/16/18 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 79% C.S., 14% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, & 3% Malbec; 14.5% ABV, T.A. – .62g/100ml, & pH – 3.73
N: Vanilla/spice; Seems ripe; Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which seems to lose the lightly abrasive nature of its tannins as it evolves into a LONG, tangy/swt (40:60) finish. Approachable now with food, this DESERVES anothe 18 mos or so, then drinking for a min of 3 yrs more. My VG+/EXC-; 96 pts Jeb Dunnuck, 94 Int'l Wine Review, 93 ea WA & Vinous ("Outstanding": Galloni), 90 Decanter, and "Score around 9.5/10" vinography.com . [As of mid Mar '20, wine-searcher still shows 5 sources from $60-$75].
Addendum: Also tasted on 6/30 & 10/6/18, in both of which I detected > structure than I did today.
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2/12/2018 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An outstanding effort. I like it even more than the 2014. I believe it is because this is more open nit and ready to drink now vs. the 2014. Nevertheless, don't be fooled, this still could benefit from more age and definitely decanting.
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1/12/2018 - nzinkgraf wrote:
79% Cabernet Sauvignon. Vanilla and root beer aromas. Dry palate, medium tannin. Medium plus tannin. Very nice example of this wine again.
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12/31/2017 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs time...
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12/16/2017 - rustyRudy wrote: 94 Points
Christmas walk around wine store tasting. No careful tasting notes possible.
This is consistent with previous vintages, smooth, complex, balanced excellent depth of fruit and plenty of structure for aging.
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