In a good spot. Decanted for 3 hrs. Drank over 90 mins with flank steak. A touch of (enjoyable) funk. Notes of pine needles/eucalyptus. Fine tannins. Good acidity. Red fruited.
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The cork completely disintegrated. Had to bust out the decanter and filter.
The color is definitely softening up. The nose is fresh cut cedar and classic California Cabernet fruit. This has definitely matured well and there's no reason not to open these now and enjoy them. I wish I had more. Mature cassis and very strong redwood shavings. This was a crowd pleaser as everybody enjoyed it.
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Very nice red fruit, elegant, complex. Seemed quite ready, maybe even a bit oxidized and on the way down. Very tasty, integrated fruits. More interesting than the prototypical St Emilion we opened alongside. but as others have said, drink up.
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Surprisingly still closed at age 12. Dark fruit, a touch of savory/earthiness and solid acidity. Tannins still quite stiff even on the second day. I believe this has some upside but I will have take others word for it as this was my only bottle.
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This bottle is further advanced than the summer's previous bottle, pencil shavings and currant on the nose, followed by a somewhat hollow midpalate with flavors of red fruit, and finishing more powerfully with bright cherry fruit.
Don't wait, drink up.
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Wine Tasting Group: Five from '05 (Peter and Fran's): This was the biggest disappointment of the tasting for me, once the wines were revealed. The nose was very muted. The wine was pretty big with good fruit intensity, but there were some subtle raisiny notes in comparison to the others, as well as some heat when this warmed up a bit. My #4, group's #4. I though this was the Mitolo Reiver Shiraz. Not nearly as good as the '03s I've had in the past. My only bottle so not so sad about that.
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A cedary spicy nose with juicy currant and blackberry fruit and leather. A nice mouthful of rich, integrated fruit lifted by nice acidity. Good, persistent finish. Probably at peak or on the downslope. Drink within two years.
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Well balanced with medium bodied fruit mingling with leather and earth notes. Fine well integrated tannins on smooth, smooth finish. Probably near peak...
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Sturdy and very Bordeaux profile; showing graphite, smoke, cedar and black currant flavors; dry with a medium-short finish. It's a fine wine, but not a style that speaks to us.
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Decanted and venturi one hour before drinking. Deep dark purple color. Exceptional aroma, open and expansive, strongly reminded me of berry cobbler fresh from the oven. Rich deep flavor with long finish. Dark fruits, leather and hint of cassis on the palate; well balanced and suppported by good acid and tannic structure. Complemented roast duck breast and prime rib equally well. Wonderful wine; wish I had more.
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Dark purple with big saturated fruit character to the nose. Palate is ripe and fruity but with a strong acidic backbone to it. Also, all of the dark smoky oak (or at least dark) that I get on new Andrew Wills has integrated down into the wine. If you like primary fruit character with oak this wine is simply sensational now, and, nicely enough, exceptionally well balanced by the acidity.
For me the finish was a touch short, and I have to believe that means it just needs more time there. For how long I did have it open (five hours) it never really quite got into gear and released all the potential I feel it has. And then, unfortunately, mid-way through my session, my wife through out the remainder of the bottle.
So the short answer, for me at least, is hold a while longer. Two years, and it should be smashing.
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30 minute decant. Beautifully integrated bordeaux blend, Notes of cedar, predominantly blackberries and cherries on the palate with just a bit of bell pepper coming from the Cab Franc component. Silky refined tannins. Could be the best wine I had in 2013.
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PnP - Shared with the wife's aunt, uncle, and one of their friends. Inky black in color. Nose was mute at first, but quickly opened to floral notes followed by black fruit and a hint of cedar. Palate was, again, mute at first, but opened up to blackberries, cocoa, and a hint of cedar. Well balanced, silky mouthfeel. tannins were well integrated. Fruit appeared to be fading so I recommend drink up now.
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I had my last bottle with a grilled Ribeye on 7/27/13. It had a powerful, brooding bouquet of cassis, blackberry, tar, coffee, licorice, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was structured, powerful and dry with flavors of black currant, blackberry, coffee, cocoa, pepper, licorice and spice. 91+
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SPlash decanted and drank over an hour. Didn't get enough time to come together. ROugh around the edges. Definately tasted like a blend that was well made but not completely harmonious. Very dark fruit driven with ample tannins and acid -- screamed for food or chocolate. Long finish
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This wine is fabulous. Deep dark purple color which just bursts in the glass filling the senses with blackberry, coffee, cocoa, black pepper and beechwood. It explodes on the palate filling the mouth with a dense core of blueberry, tar, sage and cream and provides wonderful luscious tannins while finishing strong. I believe this wine is entering its peak period and will continue to deliver for another 5 years anyway. Lovely!
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The 2005 Champoux continues to improve. It has smoothed out so nicely, while still retaining some tannins for future improvement. Definite blueberry and cedar.
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Don't waste this wine by popping and pouring. It really opens as it decants. Needs a minimum of an hour, but more is better. It is quite remarkable how the wine changes as it airs out. Very good if you have a little patience.
The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like and Cedar. It tastes like and Black currant (cassis). The body is Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Long.
The 03 & 07 Champoux's are some of my favorite wines. I recently found the 00, 01, 02, 04 & 05. The 05 lived up to the billing of the others. It started a little light, but with some time on the glass this came around to be much more powerful. Very concentrated. The Petite Verdot really shows on this. Very happy I know where to find more..
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Really Beautiful Brdx style blend. Crimson Red in the glass. Good Shine. Strong profile, with fresh game, meat essense, cherry, and oak on the nose. Flavors leap from the glass, more black cherry to me, with strong meaty notes, and some cedar wood on the back end. I really enjoyed this bottle, and was impressed like many others from Andrew Will. Wash Brdx at it's best!
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Dark purple. Nose of musk, fertilizer, machine oil, backberry, bits of cedar. Drenching black currants on the palate with tampenade, plum, and licorice notes. Very satisfying with a bit of air. Lower acidity and filed-off tannins. Long, luxuriant finish. Niice.
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’07 & ’05 vertical. Decanted 1 hour and drank them side-by-side over the course of over 6 hours. Whereas the ’07 showed its best in the 1 – 3 hour window, the ’05 didn’t come out of its shell until after hour 3. In fact, the ’05 kept improving from hours 4 – 6. Compared to the ’07 which was a perfect balance of new-world fruit and old-world terroir, the ’05 was a little more on the earthy/dusty/minerally side of the spectrum, with the blackberry fruit taking a bit of a backseat. Doesn’t cover as broad of spectrum as the magnificent ’07 (95 pts), but the “dirty, old-world style of the ’05 (94 pts) is every bit as good as the new-world, fruit cobbler style of the ’03 (94 pts). Drink now if you only have 1, but this will likely still be drinking fantastically in 2017.
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Decanted 1 hour. This wine was a bit flat and uninspiring. Not obviously flawed but the bland fruit profile led me to believe this was slightly corked. No rating.
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Still nice but on it's way down...past peak I'd say from my memory/notes of past years. Fruit is muted, and not as expressive. Still smooth, but unbalanced.
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We had this with grilled petit steak on 9/11/11. It had a very earthy bouquet of tobacco, leather, blueberry, plum, black currant, mocha and spice aromas. The palate was powerful and well integrated with flavors of tobacco, leather, blueberry, plum, black currant, mocha, black cherry and spice. It was terrific and continued to evolve for the 3+ hours it took to drink it. I think it will continue to improve with additional bottle age.
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Solid display of quality available in Washington. Nose, like the palate has a mixture of blueberries, acidity, forest floor and sweet oak. Herbaceous notes of a youngester but no green or harsh edges. Keeps evolving in the glass and drinkable now but certainly on the right path to improve in the cellar and move up a notch or two.
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Very strict and Bordeaux like actually. Black currant with a very green tone added. Gorgeous tannins but maybe this wine is a bit young still. Viola viola viola. Love!
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Truly a lovely Brdx Blend from the great State of Washington, and a great vineyard! This has all the great aspects. Wonderful dark color, but not opaque. Crush berry fruit, cedar, and leather on the nose. Maybe a hit of fine cigar. The fruit on the palate is crushed red raspberries to start, then evolves to some farker blueberry for days. This bottle has taken off the tannic edges, and is coming into it's own. Will hold my second bottle for at least another year as this has the finesse and power to go the distance. Brilliant!
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Raspberries and leather on this nose. Big blueberry fruit on the palate but balanced well with acidity, oak and nice tannins. There is a lot going on here - quite herbaceous and charred as well, but too classy and sophisticated to be a New World OTT fruit bomb. Medium bodied with gorgeous velvety mouth feel. Big structure, still a teeny weeny little baby. Prob needs 10 years to mature.
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(Tasted in a flight with 2002, 2003 and 2004 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard.) The 2005 vintage needs more time in the cellar, high concentration but still elegant. Though youthful in its appearance it drinks nicely now as well. Probably it will turn into a beauty in a few years. Recommended.
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Drinking great. Deep ruby color. Black cheery nose with hints of menthol. Sweet cherry fruit on the palate, with maybe a little sweet tobacco providing depth. Fully resolved tannins -- this is drinking great and I doubt further age will improve. Well done...
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Had at El Gaucho for my mom's birthday. This was decanted for 90 minutes. Really starting to come together. A much more rustic version of the Sorella, with the cab franc really shinning through on this vintage. Blue berry, bing cherry, slight vanilla, velvet mouth feel, and no signs of oak. Very balanced wine that is getting close to peaking and should drink well for another 5-7 years.
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Dark ruby and violet colors, medium body in the glass; clean currant and cedar aromas; incredible balance of fruit, herbs, a touch of oak, and a pleasant tannic bite that keeps a structure in place. Delicious! Ready now, but can also wait for a few years or use a decant if you prefer a softer "attack."
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Chocolate & blackberry on the nose, black fruit, touch of black cherry, on the palate. Not great acidity, but the tannins have got room to settle a little more. Drink over the next few years.
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This wine has aged nicely. Its been at leats 2 years since I drank it the first time. Back then I thought it was a little harsh and unbalanced. I enjoyed last night's bottle so much more. It was smooth and had a great balance of fruit flavors. Long finish with no bitterness. Blueberries and plums, mostly.
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Taste at Elysian. Blue fruit. Plush and in balance. Not overdone but still came across as powerful and assertive with its aromas and flavors. Plums, blue and blackberries, some dark licorice, minty pine and fresh sea breeze. The palate shows more dark blue stone fruit, dark rock and some black flowers as well. Touches of blackberry liquor come out on the back end. The finish lends a beautiful mouth feel with moderate acidity, moderate high tannins and moderate high alcohol. A great wine. Recommended.
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Popped and poured drank over 3.5 hours with some steaks done on the grill. This is drinking beautifully currently. Lots of fruit very balanced with an awesome finish that keeps going. I had a couple of these previously and was not overly impressed. I think this is really coming into its own. Unfortunately this was my last bottle. I am noticing that the 2005 big 3 from Andrew Will: the sorella, champoux, and ciel du cheval are all drinking beautifully now. Unfortunately this was my last bottle of the champoux. I will buy more if I can find any.
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Dark, blood red in color; floral notes with mild game and tart raspberry on the nose; light to medium-bodied, fleshy, well-balanced and elegant style with good acidity; not powerful or rich.
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A slightly off-putting element to this nose, slightly acrid, some smoke and pepper. Mmm, the palate is spicy with bright notes of raspberry and pomegranate, pretty nice.
Decanted for just over an hour. At first the alcohol dominated the nose, but after about 10 more minutes it was all fruit. There were tons of fruit and the flavor had a long, long finish. This lived up to my expectations.
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I'm going to agree with Wine Spectator on this one. I tasted this with the '05 Quilceda Creek and it stood its ground. It's soft and approachable (by comparison). Well integrated.
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The wine has an inky core fading to a thin, bright purple rim. On the nose there is a big dose of tobacco, cassis, and black cherry. There is also a green herb note of thyme and mint. The palate is full of lush, spicy red and black fruit--stewed red plum, crushed blackberries, dried cherry, and black cherry. There is a good dose of green pepper up front and a bit of heat behind the initial ripe flavours. Medium finish.
This is a terrific wine and I hope I have the patience to let the last bottle evolve for a long time to see what becomes of it.
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Decanted for an hour before pouring; still young and has a bit of a tannic shell, but an excellent and elegant wine that matches traditional pairings brilliantly. Seamless blending and incredible texture
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Decanted for about 3 hours. Getting black olive and loamy earth on the nose. A rich nose with black raspberry syrup and a touch of herbs. Big, upfront tannins. Young tannins. Fresh blackberry juice. Great structure. Not backward or off, but just so young yet.
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An Big wine with elegace. Layers of ripe currant, plum, dark chocolate, pencil lead, floral and black cherry, all flowing rather seamlessly. Tightly focused, this is rich without being heavy, ending with a long, persistent finish. Needs time. Best After 2011. -JD93
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Opened at a restaurant and let sit for 30 min before pouring...no decant. Great fruit, smooth tannins...should be a consistent winner for years to come.
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Floral fruity nose. Lush dark fruit on the palate with notes of chocolate. Very yummy but still somewhat tannic -- I think it would benefit from more cellar time.
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I have one bottle left of this and I will let it cellar for 2-3 years at least before drinking. I love Andrew Will's wines and this is by far the favorite in my collection. It's silky, slightly tannic and "unfruitiness" give it an almost French-like terroir in the flavor but it's still a Washington wine with the deep dark currant, plum and cherry flavors balanced gracefully and subtlely against the earthy tobacco and smoked wood.
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Less of a brooding, structured beast than I imagined, this was open, round and generous, with vanilla and milk chocolate on the nose, with cherry fruit and currant notes. Though I know it sees only French oak, my first impression was that it showed American oak. Very plush, finishing with macaroon cookies and a bit of spicy cedar. Like this. Not among the most structured wines in the Andrew Will stable, but it certainly is delicious. 92-93
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After a seven month wait time to give it another go (and using Cullen's Diana Madeline 2001 as a back drop). Sweet rich fruit on the nose, flecks of cabernet franc showing through (herb and mineral to me) and with a stunning cherry liquor finish. Balanced, fresh and great Claret. Why don't I drink more of this?
After drinking it down over the course of seven hours my reflections are thus: this is a great wine. It needs more time to fully let its fruit out and shine however. I would wait at least another nine months before trying again and I would guess this would be better after two more years.
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Not as good as the first bottle I tried -- maybe this was just an off night? I couldn't get over a certain faint sour bitterness to the wine. Still had a decent finish, but lacked a little of the depth and complexity I remember. Thought it might need more time to decant, but several hours in the glass did not really improve things.
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I served this with duck risotto at a dinner party on 10/26/08. It was great. There were strong aromas of cassis, black cherry, chocolate, mocha and spice. It was tannic, but very approachable with flavors of cassis, black cherry, chocolate, mocha & spice. This was very good, but needs more time.
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** Color: Deep Plum Aroma: Tobacco, Tar, almost floral Flavor: Cherry, carmel with leather and tobacco. Lingering tannins. While I detect layers in the wine, It lacks the depth of a bordeaux. All the other TN are similiar to mine - but WS and WA are so in love with this - what do they taste they we don't? Maybe it will evolve over time? (50+5+11+14+8)
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Dark purple. Nose has a pronounced aroma of lavender, cassis. leather. Pot-pourri? Powerful, with concentrated fruit, hints of tobacco. Medium-long finish. Quite impressive... could pass for a good Bordeaux. Best after 2010
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After reading the reviews here, I think I might have a bad bottle. Opened and decanted for 5 hours. Nice color but still closed on the nose. I did get a hint of mint. I found the wine boring and practically tasteless. It had no mid, and even less of a finish. After all of the hype, I could not be more disappointed. Two days later, it's even worse. Now has a sour vinegar taste. I will try another in a few months and post a follow-up.
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The Jug's Washington Tasting (The Cook's Basement): This seemed like the best bet to be better in five years. Bristling with power, the Will wasn't busting at the seems like the woodward. Almost refined right now, but plenty enjoyable. 91-94
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In the glass, deep dark purple, rich and dense yet lighter glass cling. On the nose, inviting smoke, leather and a bit of mint. On the palate, just as thick and juicy as the glass and nose alluded. Chewy and complex. Tannins are on the agressive side but will integrate. Overall, an outstanding wine with great potential.
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The best of the tasting today, but still disappointed. Unlike the Ciel, it was more balanced. However, I did detect a bit of greeness, but not enough to put me off. I may buy a bottle to continue a vertical on this, but something tells me to just pass.
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7/20/2023 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 91 Points
In a good spot. Decanted for 3 hrs. Drank over 90 mins with flank steak. A touch of (enjoyable) funk. Notes of pine needles/eucalyptus. Fine tannins. Good acidity. Red fruited.
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7/2/2023 - brigcampbell wrote:
The cork completely disintegrated. Had to bust out the decanter and filter.
The color is definitely softening up. The nose is fresh cut cedar and classic California Cabernet fruit. This has definitely matured well and there's no reason not to open these now and enjoy them. I wish I had more. Mature cassis and very strong redwood shavings. This was a crowd pleaser as everybody enjoyed it.
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3/18/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Off the cork pull that smells amazing. Wow that is just awesome. And so silky smooth. That is great wine.
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12/25/2021 - Myman24 wrote:
Covid... no taste :(
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5/1/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Just opened but darn does that smell good. Still with some tension on the palate.
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3/19/2019 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Plum and blackberry compote. Smooth and silky with some fine tannins on the finish. The best bottle yet- a terrific bottle now.
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2/8/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Gorgeous fruit. That is really gorgeous.
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10/23/2018 - The Bugle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice red fruit, elegant, complex. Seemed quite ready, maybe even a bit oxidized and on the way down. Very tasty, integrated fruits. More interesting than the prototypical St Emilion we opened alongside. but as others have said, drink up.
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12/27/2017 - SonnyChiba wrote: 90 Points
Dark color on this one. Lots of dark fruits on the nose and palate. Quite rich and concentrated.
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12/18/2017 - SICILIAN-SOLE Likes this wine: 92 Points
Surprisingly still closed at age 12. Dark fruit, a touch of savory/earthiness and solid acidity. Tannins still quite stiff even on the second day. I believe this has some upside but I will have take others word for it as this was my only bottle.
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1/22/2017 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 89 Points
Brambly blackberry and licorice notes. Fairly ripe and fruit forward- the tannins are fully integrated. At peak.
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5/9/2016 - 818wines Likes this wine: 91 Points
In a very good place right now.
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11/29/2015 - pgm wrote: 88 Points
This bottle is further advanced than the summer's previous bottle, pencil shavings and currant on the nose, followed by a somewhat hollow midpalate with flavors of red fruit, and finishing more powerfully with bright cherry fruit.
Don't wait, drink up.
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9/25/2015 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wine Tasting Group: Five from '05 (Peter and Fran's): This was the biggest disappointment of the tasting for me, once the wines were revealed. The nose was very muted. The wine was pretty big with good fruit intensity, but there were some subtle raisiny notes in comparison to the others, as well as some heat when this warmed up a bit. My #4, group's #4. I though this was the Mitolo Reiver Shiraz. Not nearly as good as the '03s I've had in the past. My only bottle so not so sad about that.
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6/20/2015 - pgm wrote: 90 Points
A cedary spicy nose with juicy currant and blackberry fruit and leather. A nice mouthful of rich, integrated fruit lifted by nice acidity. Good, persistent finish. Probably at peak or on the downslope. Drink within two years.
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5/8/2015 - 818wines Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep purple. Blue fruits, sage. Drinking well right now.
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1/24/2015 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 90 Points
Well balanced with medium bodied fruit mingling with leather and earth notes. Fine well integrated tannins on smooth, smooth finish. Probably near peak...
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12/23/2014 - winejnky wrote: 88 Points
Sturdy and very Bordeaux profile; showing graphite, smoke, cedar and black currant flavors; dry with a medium-short finish. It's a fine wine, but not a style that speaks to us.
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5/14/2014 - Tad GW Likes this wine: 92 Points
50+5+12+17+8=92
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4/29/2014 - 422dbowlsby Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted and venturi one hour before drinking. Deep dark purple color. Exceptional aroma, open and expansive, strongly reminded me of berry cobbler fresh from the oven. Rich deep flavor with long finish. Dark fruits, leather and hint of cassis on the palate; well balanced and suppported by good acid and tannic structure. Complemented roast duck breast and prime rib equally well. Wonderful wine; wish I had more.
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1/3/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Dark purple with big saturated fruit character to the nose. Palate is ripe and fruity but with a strong acidic backbone to it. Also, all of the dark smoky oak (or at least dark) that I get on new Andrew Wills has integrated down into the wine. If you like primary fruit character with oak this wine is simply sensational now, and, nicely enough, exceptionally well balanced by the acidity.
For me the finish was a touch short, and I have to believe that means it just needs more time there. For how long I did have it open (five hours) it never really quite got into gear and released all the potential I feel it has. And then, unfortunately, mid-way through my session, my wife through out the remainder of the bottle.
So the short answer, for me at least, is hold a while longer. Two years, and it should be smashing.
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12/25/2013 - Zonk wrote: 94 Points
30 minute decant. Beautifully integrated bordeaux blend, Notes of cedar, predominantly blackberries and cherries on the palate with just a bit of bell pepper coming from the Cab Franc component. Silky refined tannins. Could be the best wine I had in 2013.
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12/14/2013 - bablues wrote: 92 Points
2013 Christmas Wine Dinner (Naperville, IL): Fourth of a six bottle vertical. Right down the middle compared to the others
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11/29/2013 - memphishusky Likes this wine:
Great wine and still going strong
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11/19/2013 - memphishusky Likes this wine:
Great wine. AW is just fantastic.
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8/1/2013 - f22nickell Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP - Shared with the wife's aunt, uncle, and one of their friends.
Inky black in color.
Nose was mute at first, but quickly opened to floral notes followed by black fruit and a hint of cedar.
Palate was, again, mute at first, but opened up to blackberries, cocoa, and a hint of cedar.
Well balanced, silky mouthfeel. tannins were well integrated. Fruit appeared to be fading so I recommend drink up now.
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7/27/2013 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
I had my last bottle with a grilled Ribeye on 7/27/13. It had a powerful, brooding bouquet of cassis, blackberry, tar, coffee, licorice, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was structured, powerful and dry with flavors of black currant, blackberry, coffee, cocoa, pepper, licorice and spice. 91+
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7/15/2013 - iamandyc wrote: 89 Points
SPlash decanted and drank over an hour. Didn't get enough time to come together. ROugh around the edges. Definately tasted like a blend that was well made but not completely harmonious. Very dark fruit driven with ample tannins and acid -- screamed for food or chocolate. Long finish
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3/25/2013 - zzub wrote:
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs with a light/medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Drank was ok just past prim
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3/10/2013 - mjf@ulkner wrote: flawed
corked
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3/6/2013 - Wine Nut Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is fabulous. Deep dark purple color which just bursts in the glass filling the senses with blackberry, coffee, cocoa, black pepper and beechwood. It explodes on the palate filling the mouth with a dense core of blueberry, tar, sage and cream and provides wonderful luscious tannins while finishing strong. I believe this wine is entering its peak period and will continue to deliver for another 5 years anyway. Lovely!
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3/4/2013 - NPBWineGuy wrote: 94 Points
The 2005 Champoux continues to improve. It has smoothed out so nicely, while still retaining some tannins for future improvement. Definite blueberry and cedar.
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2/23/2013 - zzub wrote:
Up stairsn
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2/3/2013 - Deutsch Likes this wine: 92 Points
Don't waste this wine by popping and pouring. It really opens as it decants. Needs a minimum of an hour, but more is better. It is quite remarkable how the wine changes as it airs out. Very good if you have a little patience.
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1/29/2013 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
The wine looks Garnet colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like and Cedar. It tastes like and Black currant (cassis). The body is Full. The wine has Silky texture. The wine finishes Long.
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12/31/2012 - bablues wrote: 93 Points
The 03 & 07 Champoux's are some of my favorite wines. I recently found the 00, 01, 02, 04 & 05. The 05 lived up to the billing of the others. It started a little light, but with some time on the glass this came around to be much more powerful. Very concentrated. The Petite Verdot really shows on this. Very happy I know where to find more..
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12/29/2012 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Really Beautiful Brdx style blend. Crimson Red in the glass. Good Shine. Strong profile, with fresh game, meat essense, cherry, and oak on the nose. Flavors leap from the glass, more black cherry to me, with strong meaty notes, and some cedar wood on the back end. I really enjoyed this bottle, and was impressed like many others from Andrew Will. Wash Brdx at it's best!
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12/25/2012 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple. Nose of musk, fertilizer, machine oil, backberry, bits of cedar. Drenching black currants on the palate with tampenade, plum, and licorice notes. Very satisfying with a bit of air. Lower acidity and filed-off tannins. Long, luxuriant finish. Niice.
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12/9/2012 - pinothoarder wrote: 94 Points
’07 & ’05 vertical. Decanted 1 hour and drank them side-by-side over the course of over 6 hours. Whereas the ’07 showed its best in the 1 – 3 hour window, the ’05 didn’t come out of its shell until after hour 3. In fact, the ’05 kept improving from hours 4 – 6. Compared to the ’07 which was a perfect balance of new-world fruit and old-world terroir, the ’05 was a little more on the earthy/dusty/minerally side of the spectrum, with the blackberry fruit taking a bit of a backseat. Doesn’t cover as broad of spectrum as the magnificent ’07 (95 pts), but the “dirty, old-world style of the ’05 (94 pts) is every bit as good as the new-world, fruit cobbler style of the ’03 (94 pts). Drink now if you only have 1, but this will likely still be drinking fantastically in 2017.
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8/19/2012 - emdub wrote: 91 Points
This still has another 7-10 years in it and will continue to get better.
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7/25/2012 - Yamadori wrote: flawed
Decanted 1 hour. This wine was a bit flat and uninspiring. Not obviously flawed but the bland fruit profile led me to believe this was slightly corked. No rating.
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7/22/2012 - bugdoced wrote: 91 Points
some tannins remain so this can be a hold ,but it sure tasted good tonite with salmon and pasta
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4/25/2012 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 90 Points
Still nice but on it's way down...past peak I'd say from my memory/notes of past years. Fruit is muted, and not as expressive. Still smooth, but unbalanced.
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1/11/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
From the cork pull just bursting with complex aromas. The palate is deep and luxourious. Glad I waited. Whew. What a wine.
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9/12/2011 - bwilfond wrote: 90 Points
almost no fruit accesable. Very structured and tannic. when tasted with steak, after decanted an hour, was great
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9/11/2011 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
We had this with grilled petit steak on 9/11/11. It had a very earthy bouquet of tobacco, leather, blueberry, plum, black currant, mocha and spice aromas. The palate was powerful and well integrated with flavors of tobacco, leather, blueberry, plum, black currant, mocha, black cherry and spice. It was terrific and continued to evolve for the 3+ hours it took to drink it. I think it will continue to improve with additional bottle age.
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8/6/2011 - PerfectVintage wrote: 92 Points
Solid display of quality available in Washington. Nose, like the palate has a mixture of blueberries, acidity, forest floor and sweet oak. Herbaceous notes of a youngester but no green or harsh edges. Keeps evolving in the glass and drinkable now but certainly on the right path to improve in the cellar and move up a notch or two.
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6/23/2011 - St Paul wrote: 92 Points
Very strict and Bordeaux like actually. Black currant with a very green tone added. Gorgeous tannins but maybe this wine is a bit young still. Viola viola viola. Love!
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6/19/2011 - mpricher wrote: 93 Points
Truly a lovely Brdx Blend from the great State of Washington, and a great vineyard! This has all the great aspects. Wonderful dark color, but not opaque. Crush berry fruit, cedar, and leather on the nose. Maybe a hit of fine cigar. The fruit on the palate is crushed red raspberries to start, then evolves to some farker blueberry for days. This bottle has taken off the tannic edges, and is coming into it's own. Will hold my second bottle for at least another year as this has the finesse and power to go the distance. Brilliant!
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3/30/2011 - Will Devize wrote: 93 Points
Raspberries and leather on this nose. Big blueberry fruit on the palate but balanced well with acidity, oak and nice tannins. There is a lot going on here - quite herbaceous and charred as well, but too classy and sophisticated to be a New World OTT fruit bomb. Medium bodied with gorgeous velvety mouth feel. Big structure, still a teeny weeny little baby. Prob needs 10 years to mature.
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3/17/2011 - Christoffer78 wrote: 95 Points
(Tasted in a flight with 2002, 2003 and 2004 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard.) The 2005 vintage needs more time in the cellar, high concentration but still elegant. Though youthful in its appearance it drinks nicely now as well. Probably it will turn into a beauty in a few years. Recommended.
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3/13/2011 - nogohawk wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple color with lots of berry going on and on; an excellent Bordeaux style blend. Drinking real well now.
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3/1/2011 - KevinS wrote: 92 Points
Drinking great. Deep ruby color. Black cheery nose with hints of menthol. Sweet cherry fruit on the palate, with maybe a little sweet tobacco providing depth. Fully resolved tannins -- this is drinking great and I doubt further age will improve. Well done...
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2/16/2011 - emdub wrote: 92 Points
Had at El Gaucho for my mom's birthday. This was decanted for 90 minutes. Really starting to come together. A much more rustic version of the Sorella, with the cab franc really shinning through on this vintage. Blue berry, bing cherry, slight vanilla, velvet mouth feel, and no signs of oak. Very balanced wine that is getting close to peaking and should drink well for another 5-7 years.
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2/13/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby and violet colors, medium body in the glass; clean currant and cedar aromas; incredible balance of fruit, herbs, a touch of oak, and a pleasant tannic bite that keeps a structure in place. Delicious! Ready now, but can also wait for a few years or use a decant if you prefer a softer "attack."
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1/18/2011 - PaulHig wrote: 90 Points
Chocolate & blackberry on the nose, black fruit, touch of black cherry, on the palate. Not great acidity, but the tannins have got room to settle a little more. Drink over the next few years.
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1/16/2011 - NPBWineGuy wrote: 92 Points
This wine has aged nicely. Its been at leats 2 years since I drank it the first time. Back then I thought it was a little harsh and unbalanced. I enjoyed last night's bottle so much more. It was smooth and had a great balance of fruit flavors. Long finish with no bitterness. Blueberries and plums, mostly.
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12/1/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Taste at Elysian.
Blue fruit. Plush and in balance. Not overdone but still came across as powerful and assertive with its aromas and flavors.
Plums, blue and blackberries, some dark licorice, minty pine and fresh sea breeze. The palate shows more dark blue stone fruit, dark rock and some black flowers as well.
Touches of blackberry liquor come out on the back end. The finish lends a beautiful mouth feel with moderate acidity, moderate high tannins and moderate high alcohol. A great wine. Recommended.
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11/14/2010 - WaWineFan in TX wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured drank over 3.5 hours with some steaks done on the grill. This is drinking beautifully currently. Lots of fruit very balanced with an awesome finish that keeps going. I had a couple of these previously and was not overly impressed. I think this is really coming into its own. Unfortunately this was my last bottle. I am noticing that the 2005 big 3 from Andrew Will: the sorella, champoux, and ciel du cheval are all drinking beautifully now. Unfortunately this was my last bottle of the champoux. I will buy more if I can find any.
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6/20/2010 - jtcseventysix wrote: 88 Points
Dark, blood red in color; floral notes with mild game and tart raspberry on the nose; light to medium-bodied, fleshy, well-balanced and elegant style with good acidity; not powerful or rich.
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6/16/2010 - Eric wrote:
A slightly off-putting element to this nose, slightly acrid, some smoke and pepper. Mmm, the palate is spicy with bright notes of raspberry and pomegranate, pretty nice.
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5/29/2010 - memphishusky wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for just over an hour. At first the alcohol dominated the nose, but after about 10 more minutes it was all fruit. There were tons of fruit and the flavor had a long, long finish.
This lived up to my expectations.
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2/21/2010 - mdodd wrote: 94 Points
drank too young. needs another 5yrs. firm tannins w/ pure fruit
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2/17/2010 - jcbrand wrote: 94 Points
I'm going to agree with Wine Spectator on this one. I tasted this with the '05 Quilceda Creek and it stood its ground. It's soft and approachable (by comparison). Well integrated.
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1/6/2010 - SevenDayMile wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours and drank over the next 2.
The wine has an inky core fading to a thin, bright purple rim. On the nose there is a big dose of tobacco, cassis, and black cherry. There is also a green herb note of thyme and mint. The palate is full of lush, spicy red and black fruit--stewed red plum, crushed blackberries, dried cherry, and black cherry. There is a good dose of green pepper up front and a bit of heat behind the initial ripe flavours. Medium finish.
This is a terrific wine and I hope I have the patience to let the last bottle evolve for a long time to see what becomes of it.
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11/21/2009 - sdatl wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour before pouring; still young and has a bit of a tannic shell, but an excellent and elegant wine that matches traditional pairings brilliantly. Seamless blending and incredible texture
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11/13/2009 - Beavis77 wrote:
Decanted for about 3 hours.
Getting black olive and loamy earth on the nose. A rich nose with black raspberry syrup and a touch of herbs.
Big, upfront tannins. Young tannins. Fresh blackberry juice. Great structure. Not backward or off, but just so young yet.
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10/9/2009 - raydawgone wrote: 92 Points
Smooth, velvety tannins, drinking really nice. Cocoa on the back end. Serious WA bordeaux.
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8/10/2009 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 93 Points
An Big wine with elegace. Layers of ripe currant, plum, dark chocolate, pencil lead, floral and black cherry, all flowing rather seamlessly. Tightly focused, this is rich without being heavy, ending with a long, persistent finish. Needs time. Best After 2011. -JD93
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4/25/2009 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 93 Points
Opened at a restaurant and let sit for 30 min before pouring...no decant. Great fruit, smooth tannins...should be a consistent winner for years to come.
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3/17/2009 - JJK32 wrote:
needs more time
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3/1/2009 - Clarkmeister wrote: 87 Points
Good, reasonably well balanced. Lighter fruit and a distinct bell pepper finish that came out of left field. Needs to integrate a bit?
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2/28/2009 - mreinitz wrote: 92 Points
Floral fruity nose. Lush dark fruit on the palate with notes of chocolate. Very yummy but still somewhat tannic -- I think it would benefit from more cellar time.
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1/2/2009 - jjarrard wrote:
I have one bottle left of this and I will let it cellar for 2-3 years at least before drinking. I love Andrew Will's wines and this is by far the favorite in my collection. It's silky, slightly tannic and "unfruitiness" give it an almost French-like terroir in the flavor but it's still a Washington wine with the deep dark currant, plum and cherry flavors balanced gracefully and subtlely against the earthy tobacco and smoked wood.
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12/15/2008 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
Less of a brooding, structured beast than I imagined, this was open, round and generous, with vanilla and milk chocolate on the nose, with cherry fruit and currant notes. Though I know it sees only French oak, my first impression was that it showed American oak. Very plush, finishing with macaroon cookies and a bit of spicy cedar. Like this. Not among the most structured wines in the Andrew Will stable, but it certainly is delicious. 92-93
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11/28/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
After a seven month wait time to give it another go (and using Cullen's Diana Madeline 2001 as a back drop). Sweet rich fruit on the nose, flecks of cabernet franc showing through (herb and mineral to me) and with a stunning cherry liquor finish. Balanced, fresh and great Claret. Why don't I drink more of this?
After drinking it down over the course of seven hours my reflections are thus: this is a great wine. It needs more time to fully let its fruit out and shine however. I would wait at least another nine months before trying again and I would guess this would be better after two more years.
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11/7/2008 - dionysis wrote: 88 Points
Not as good as the first bottle I tried -- maybe this was just an off night? I couldn't get over a certain faint sour bitterness to the wine. Still had a decent finish, but lacked a little of the depth and complexity I remember. Thought it might need more time to decant, but several hours in the glass did not really improve things.
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10/27/2008 - garambler wrote: 92 Points
I served this with duck risotto at a dinner party on 10/26/08. It was great. There were strong aromas of cassis, black cherry, chocolate, mocha and spice. It was tannic, but very approachable with flavors of cassis, black cherry, chocolate, mocha & spice. This was very good, but needs more time.
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9/28/2008 - Ivin wrote:
A friend brought this to dinner. I thought it was from Austrailia - heat from the high alcohol and overripe.
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9/27/2008 - smahk wrote: 89 Points
**
Color: Deep Plum
Aroma: Tobacco, Tar, almost floral
Flavor: Cherry, carmel with leather and tobacco.
Lingering tannins. While I detect layers in the wine, It lacks the depth of a bordeaux.
All the other TN are similiar to mine - but WS and WA are so in love with this - what do they taste they we don't? Maybe it will evolve over time?
(50+5+11+14+8)
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9/19/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 88 Points
Violet color. Complex with aromas of chocolate covered raspberries and menthol. Very soft, very supple with flavors that echo the nose. Full bodied.
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8/17/2008 - KPB wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple. Nose has a pronounced aroma of lavender, cassis. leather. Pot-pourri? Powerful, with concentrated fruit, hints of tobacco. Medium-long finish. Quite impressive... could pass for a good Bordeaux. Best after 2010
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7/29/2008 - RJurman wrote: 82 Points
After reading the reviews here, I think I might have a bad bottle. Opened and decanted for 5 hours. Nice color but still closed on the nose. I did get a hint of mint. I found the wine boring and practically tasteless. It had no mid, and even less of a finish. After all of the hype, I could not be more disappointed. Two days later, it's even worse. Now has a sour vinegar taste. I will try another in a few months and post a follow-up.
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6/8/2008 - dionysis wrote: 93 Points
Very solid bottle of cab. Wonderful flavors and aroma; great balance. Great value.
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4/4/2008 - jmh st louis wrote: 94 Points
Drank this at Spence's mountain home with Careys and Schlegels. It soared! The wine of the nite. Perfect balance. Returned to buy 2 more.
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3/1/2008 - hutch wrote: 92 Points
The Jug's Washington Tasting (The Cook's Basement): This seemed like the best bet to be better in five years. Bristling with power, the Will wasn't busting at the seems like the woodward. Almost refined right now, but plenty enjoyable. 91-94
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1/22/2008 - 16% wrote: 89 Points
In the glass, deep dark purple, rich and dense yet lighter glass cling. On the nose, inviting smoke, leather and a bit of mint. On the palate, just as thick and juicy as the glass and nose alluded. Chewy and complex. Tannins are on the agressive side but will integrate. Overall, an outstanding wine with great potential.
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12/7/2007 - jjarrard wrote: 89 Points
Very nice, smooth. Dark berries on the nose finish with plum and smoke. Silky finish. Not quite good enough to get a 90 but the guests loved it.
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9/22/2007 - Red Mountain Man wrote: 89 Points
The best of the tasting today, but still disappointed. Unlike the Ciel, it was more balanced. However, I did detect a bit of greeness, but not enough to put me off. I may buy a bottle to continue a vertical on this, but something tells me to just pass.
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