last of my early 90s Rubicons. after a one hour decant, it was singing. Velvet mouthfeel, soft, smokey, with ripe fruits and a lot of complexity but a little short on the finish. Started to fade after a couple of hours and was passed in the backstiretch by the 2002 LVB. still quite a showing.
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Dinner at Jims - An open that bottle night: Also pushing or past the window for drinking, this came across as a really nice claret, good weight and complex. Very resolved and very smooth. Good color and depth but very developed. I wished that I had opened it 3-4 years prior
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December Guy's Dinner (Our Farm in NJ): Purchased for $55 shortly after release in 1998 and in my cellar since. Decanted at 2:30pm and tasted through about 9pm. It is a light to medium garnet color with slight bricking. Nose is earthy, barnyard with some herbal/green notes, chocolate and sous bois. More red fruited than the other ‘94 Cabs (Napanook and Insignia) this evening showing raspberry, tart cherry, black raspberry along with some tarragon and lavender. Chewy yet “dusty” on the palate with a medium to long finish. Balanced and energetic, this was much better on the palate with a few hours of air than it was when first poured. So, this should definitely be decanted well before drinking, although the nose was quite attractive early on and got the barnyard (which I also like) more later. My second favorite of the three and the most unique. Better than most of the pro reviews would have you think.
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Lovely ruby color, with no bricking. Subtle, but not faded, nose of dark fruit leather, spice and cigar box, all translating onto the palate. Tannins and acid may be well integrated, but the power is still there, though more on the finish than the approach. Flavors are very Bordeaux. The wine is now a grande dame, unconcerned with it's loss of youthful vitality, well balanced and still sure of herself. Approach her with respect and appreciation for the craft and you will enjoy a sophisticated conversation, perhaps with a touch of seduction.
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Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. This bottle did not show especially well. The fruit was faded, mostly replaced by aromas and flavors of savory meat and soy. Oddly, it was best on the third day under vacuum stopper, worst on the second day, and intermediate on the first day.
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Plum and black cherry with background spice and vanilla hints on nose. Palate at a very good place right now, mostly still fruit driven with emerging earthy elements. Slightly simple, but very good Bordeaux-like balance.
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Deep dark purple to the rim almost showing NO age at all. Nose has herbacious notes but then strong vanilla, mocha and coffee notes. Dark black fruit. Initially expressing a good deal of wood tannin resolving into well integrated tannins solid fruit on the mid palate and finish. Pushing 91.
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Huge nose as soon as I pulled the cork. Decanted and let sit for an hour. Phenomenal youth in the color, appearing much more like a 4 year old wine than an 18 year old wine. Tremendous fruit present, highlighted by dark berries and stone fruit. Tannins are soft and velvety, and on the finish there are hints of dark chocolate and caramel. This grape juice has a long life ahead of it still.
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This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintages Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Diogo Belo. The robe is opaque red and the nose shows quite intense eucalyptus, with red fruit and earth playing second-fiddle. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, slightly coarse residual tannins and tame alcohol. The flavors are primarily those of red fruits and spice. The solid middle palate leads to a long, albeit somewhat dry finish. This is a very nice wine, but it just misses the mark for me. Despite being 17-years-old, it still seems a bit disjointed and "rough". I'm not sure that further time in the bottle will alter my impressions. Drink now-12/15.
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Served it with filet mignon and it was a great match. On opening had a taste and the wine was tight and earthy. After decanting for several hours it showed with a nice earthy, black fruits, spice and licorice nose. The wine's structure became much less tannic with a depth of black fruit on the mid palate.
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Pretty seamless, but didn't seem to have any ability to show any tertiary notes. An accomplished rather than enthralling bottle. Drinking now if you like 'em with more fruit.
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2/04 balanced on the attack and finish - berry currant flavor more elegant and finesseful than concentrated and intense - smooth thru the mid-palate - rounded finish with an oakey structured finish that can improve w/ a few more years of cellaring. 92 pts. 3/14 Bordeaux-like quality - drink now - beginning to fade. 91 pts.
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Had for our 8th year anniversary. Still very tannic with solid fruit base. Lot's of settlement and a dark cork. Rich, powerful nose of complex cabernet fruit. Opened up significantly throughout the meal to a longer, more fruity finish.
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12/5/2023 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby in color with a short brick rim.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry and fruit forward on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing blackberries, black currants, plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, vanilla, licorice, spices, vinaigrette, eucalyptus, wet leaves, herbs and black pepper.
Medium finish with soft tannins and raspberries.
This 29 year old is still drinking nicely now, but past it's peak. Still showing lots of fruits at this age.
I did not decant it, and let it open in the bottle. Needs 90 minutes to open up properly.
Rich and fruit forward with a soft mouthfeel. Delicious and elegant.
Good by itself as a sipping wine. Nice to drink these kind of older wines.
A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Aged in new French oak barrels for 24 months.
14.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$225 (current vintage).
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12/22/2022 - Eugenedinapoli Likes this wine:
last of my early 90s Rubicons. after a one hour decant, it was singing. Velvet mouthfeel, soft, smokey, with ripe fruits and a lot of complexity but a little short on the finish. Started to fade after a couple of hours and was passed in the backstiretch by the 2002 LVB. still quite a showing.
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7/10/2021 - Woodbridge Brad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dinner at Jims - An open that bottle night: Also pushing or past the window for drinking, this came across as a really nice claret, good weight and complex. Very resolved and very smooth. Good color and depth but very developed. I wished that I had opened it 3-4 years prior
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9/17/2020 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bordeaux Night with a Wonderful Mix of Friends New and Old (A suitably spaced tasting room in Los Olivos, CA): Another big "outperformer" on this lucky night. The cork was so pristine I thought it must be a late release, which was not the case. In prime form, with earthy red fruit, a touch dusty, and some herbal notes.
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12/25/2019 - Gr8penut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great nose and finish!
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12/15/2019 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
December Guy's Dinner (Our Farm in NJ): Purchased for $55 shortly after release in 1998 and in my cellar since. Decanted at 2:30pm and tasted through about 9pm. It is a light to medium garnet color with slight bricking. Nose is earthy, barnyard with some herbal/green notes, chocolate and sous bois. More red fruited than the other ‘94 Cabs (Napanook and Insignia) this evening showing raspberry, tart cherry, black raspberry along with some tarragon and lavender. Chewy yet “dusty” on the palate with a medium to long finish. Balanced and energetic, this was much better on the palate with a few hours of air than it was when first poured. So, this should definitely be decanted well before drinking, although the nose was quite attractive early on and got the barnyard (which I also like) more later. My second favorite of the three and the most unique. Better than most of the pro reviews would have you think.
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9/1/2017 - B&PBaker wrote: flawed
Gone bad
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9/19/2015 - VDLT Wine Does not like this wine:
Dinner (Tina's): Tannic and fruitless.
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5/26/2015 - Walkersj Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brick red, a little musty but opened nicely. Still impressive. European in style.
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3/22/2014 - bbakove wrote: 90 Points
Lovely ruby color, with no bricking. Subtle, but not faded, nose of dark fruit leather, spice and cigar box, all translating onto the palate. Tannins and acid may be well integrated, but the power is still there, though more on the finish than the approach. Flavors are very Bordeaux. The wine is now a grande dame, unconcerned with it's loss of youthful vitality, well balanced and still sure of herself. Approach her with respect and appreciation for the craft and you will enjoy a sophisticated conversation, perhaps with a touch of seduction.
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6/6/2013 - Javachip wrote: 87 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. This bottle did not show especially well. The fruit was faded, mostly replaced by aromas and flavors of savory meat and soy. Oddly, it was best on the third day under vacuum stopper, worst on the second day, and intermediate on the first day.
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3/10/2013 - H*3 wrote: flawed
Corked
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3/2/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Plum and black cherry with background spice and vanilla hints on nose. Palate at a very good place right now, mostly still fruit driven with emerging earthy elements. Slightly simple, but very good Bordeaux-like balance.
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8/27/2012 - BillyT wrote: 91 Points
Deep dark purple to the rim almost showing NO age at all. Nose has herbacious notes but then strong vanilla, mocha and coffee notes. Dark black fruit. Initially expressing a good deal of wood tannin resolving into well integrated tannins solid fruit on the mid palate and finish. Pushing 91.
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4/30/2012 - JBVino wrote:
Little redeeming quality
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3/1/2012 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 91 Points
Huge nose as soon as I pulled the cork. Decanted and let sit for an hour. Phenomenal youth in the color, appearing much more like a 4 year old wine than an 18 year old wine. Tremendous fruit present, highlighted by dark berries and stone fruit. Tannins are soft and velvety, and on the finish there are hints of dark chocolate and caramel. This grape juice has a long life ahead of it still.
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6/24/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 89 Points
This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintages Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Diogo Belo. The robe is opaque red and the nose shows quite intense eucalyptus, with red fruit and earth playing second-fiddle. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, slightly coarse residual tannins and tame alcohol. The flavors are primarily those of red fruits and spice. The solid middle palate leads to a long, albeit somewhat dry finish. This is a very nice wine, but it just misses the mark for me. Despite being 17-years-old, it still seems a bit disjointed and "rough". I'm not sure that further time in the bottle will alter my impressions. Drink now-12/15.
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4/25/2011 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still massive, slightly green, comparable to the last one. Had the same wine when Anne and I got engaged in Hawaii 1998!
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12/27/2010 - Winosnob wrote: 94 Points
Holding up very well. Drank with Christmas Dinner 2010
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1/10/2010 - TwistedArmadillo wrote: 89 Points
Served it with filet mignon and it was a great match. On opening had a taste and the wine was tight and earthy. After decanting for several hours it showed with a nice earthy, black fruits, spice and licorice nose. The wine's structure became much less tannic with a depth of black fruit on the mid palate.
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8/1/2009 - winemaker wrote: 90 Points
Not that impressive. Couldn't hold a candle to the 1992 Forman. Solid effort, just not special.
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2/7/2009 - ubercuvee wrote:
Pretty seamless, but didn't seem to have any ability to show any tertiary notes. An accomplished rather than enthralling bottle. Drinking now if you like 'em with more fruit.
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8/20/2007 - GA wrote: 92 Points
2/04 balanced on the attack and finish - berry currant flavor more elegant and finesseful than concentrated and intense - smooth thru the mid-palate - rounded finish with an oakey structured finish that can improve w/ a few more years of cellaring. 92 pts.
3/14 Bordeaux-like quality - drink now - beginning to fade. 91 pts.
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6/21/2007 - IlonaN wrote: 90 Points
Seamless and lovely, with ripe currant, toast, blackberry and herbs. I would say drink up soon if you have any.
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5/5/2007 - skery wrote: 95 Points
still a bit tannic - though fruit forward. velvety texture. drink now, but will last for a few more years. delicious! I wish I had more!
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4/11/2007 - dtirsell wrote: 90 Points
Had for our 8th year anniversary. Still very tannic with solid fruit base. Lot's of settlement and a dark cork. Rich, powerful nose of complex cabernet fruit. Opened up significantly throughout the meal to a longer, more fruity finish.
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