Opaque dark burgundy. Nose dark fruited, some graphite. Palate silky black cherries, tannic finish, light herbal note. Young still, chugging along. 91 pts
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A lovely way to celebrate the Seahawks victory (sorry RGIII, that was grisly; please recover well). A mature WA wine is very fitting for the day.
Perfumed and floral, screaming of Ciel du Cheval. How much of the blend actually came from there? Even better than the bright aromatics is the utterly silky texture and very bright acidity. Nothing overdone here. Very Washington. Supple and lithe and very lively for a 11 year old wine. Well done Ben & Gaye!
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Nice aged wine drinking well at the moment. Smooth finish as the tannins are well in the background of the finish. Not a big nose probably due to the large % of Cabernet franc. However the flavor profile is very good with dark berry and earthy undertones. Nice smooth finish. Probably needs to be drunk over next 2 years
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Tobacco; Dark Mint; Great interest with a bit of a roller coaster development in the mouth when first poured as the very long finish developed (really great); As it developed in the glass it shifted to an explosive fruit and white pepper entry; Great body; Wonderful stuff
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Wow, this opened up amazingly well with dominant notes of tobacco intermingling with dancing acidity and a bit of wood spice. Screaming of Cab Franc, powerfully structured yet with a largely silken texture on the palate, chalky, mineral, almost salty on the finish. This is a baby but already turning into something special. Really enjoyable and a lot of upward potential.
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(Tasted at McCarthy & Schiering with Ben Smith 'pouring'.) A gorgeous nose, somewhat briary with licorice and a more medicinal edge, very complex and long. Wow, another stunner!
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11/24/2018 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Really nice; Light nose; Still very youthful; Bright red, cherry fruit; Very well integrated, Medium/long finish; Very enjoyable
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11/23/2018 - fred o. Likes this wine:
Opaque dark burgundy. Nose dark fruited, some graphite. Palate silky black cherries, tannic finish, light herbal note. Young still, chugging along. 91 pts
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1/6/2013 - Eric Likes this wine: 91 Points
A lovely way to celebrate the Seahawks victory (sorry RGIII, that was grisly; please recover well). A mature WA wine is very fitting for the day.
Perfumed and floral, screaming of Ciel du Cheval. How much of the blend actually came from there? Even better than the bright aromatics is the utterly silky texture and very bright acidity. Nothing overdone here. Very Washington. Supple and lithe and very lively for a 11 year old wine. Well done Ben & Gaye!
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4/11/2012 - GlenviewGSW wrote: 92 Points
Nice aged wine drinking well at the moment. Smooth finish as the tannins are well in the background of the finish. Not a big nose probably due to the large % of Cabernet franc. However the flavor profile is very good with dark berry and earthy undertones. Nice smooth finish. Probably needs to be drunk over next 2 years
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5/1/2011 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Big fruit; Improves with age
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9/15/2009 - EMichels wrote: 94 Points
Tobacco; Dark Mint; Great interest with a bit of a roller coaster development in the mouth when first poured as the very long finish developed (really great); As it developed in the glass it shifted to an explosive fruit and white pepper entry; Great body; Wonderful stuff
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1/28/2007 - Eric wrote:
A Cadence tasting (Seattle, WA): Licorice, piercing, definite tobacco. Gorgeous energy, super silky yet with sneaky length. Very exciting wine.
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2/10/2006 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
Wow, this opened up amazingly well with dominant notes of tobacco intermingling with dancing acidity and a bit of wood spice. Screaming of Cab Franc, powerfully structured yet with a largely silken texture on the palate, chalky, mineral, almost salty on the finish. This is a baby but already turning into something special. Really enjoyable and a lot of upward potential.
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11/15/2003 - Eric wrote: 92 Points
(Tasted at McCarthy & Schiering with Ben Smith 'pouring'.) A gorgeous nose, somewhat briary with licorice and a more medicinal edge, very complex and long. Wow, another stunner!
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