A wonderful wine!!! It has really improved over the last 5+ years. We did not decant, so (and as you might expect) the initial tastes where big and tannic. After 15-20 minutes, things changed, and the wine opened up and began to sing. The nose showed primarily dark fruit and was a bit muted, but the taste was lovely. It became the elegant wine with the beautiful sweetness that I know and love. To say that it was enjoyed by everyone at our table would be an understatement. This is still a big, tannic wine that will always benefit from a decant, but beware of the sediment. After the initial pours, you could see the "dark sediment" than ran down what had been the "resting" side of the bottle. I think that this wine will continue to improve for at least the next 5-10 years.
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Just so well integrated, offering array of red plum, cedar, vanilla and balsa wood tones in perfect harmony. A wine of great character and above all, balance.
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This is quality California wine without a hair out of place. My only complaint is that it was served too cold to really see what is under the hood. Comes across full of baking spices with a nice touch of vanilla. A one bottle wine..Drink
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Atypical Napa cabernet character with everything dialed up to 9...Really well balanced and well made with a nice long vanilla laden finish full of steeped red fruit swimming in graphite, with nuances of cedar from the wood treatment. Long, dry, semi sweet finish. At total peak. Drink
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Crimson in color. 14.1% ABV. Spellbinding nose of dark fruits, licorice, cedar and graphite. Concentrated and polished with great purity of fruit. The texture is sublime. Black currants, cassis, plums and tobacco on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long with the silkiest of tannins. No secondary characteristics stood out at 15 years of age. This should continue to age well. Glorious Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink over the next decade or so.
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Notes of plum, cassis, blackberries, chocolate, baking spice, cedar, savory herbs, licorice and tobacco. This wine was decanted a few hours before serving, the palate was still slightly tense but overall the dark fruits were expressive and showing well.
Barely shedding its baby fat, the secondary spice and earth notes are starting to trickle in. Makes for a nice balance from what usually feels like a heavier Napa Cab. Tannins are still strong, acidity is nice. Tasted better day 2, still a great wine.
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Strong in tannin and has the strength to carry a distance. Sultana, plum, dark cherry, with subtle hints of vanilla. I’m not too sure about all these 95+ wines. I would assume they haven’t tried Bordeaux Rothschild and latour... because I wouldn’t trade one of them for 20 of these.
Just like my notes last year. No better and no worse. Like a bit of Old World Bordeaux and Napa. Full bodied and big. Goes well with BBQ meats and afterward. Drinking beautifully. Sadly my last of this vintage as it has the stuffing to continue to please.
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After 13+ years since the harvest and a 90 minute decant, the 2006 Spottswoode is powerful and yet displays great balance between fruit, acid and tannin. Some secondary herbal notes, but more may emerge over the next few years. An exceptional wine, great now and probably better in the future.
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An exquisite wine. Tremendous depth after opening up. Lots of graphite and tanins. It has a wonderful umame of a wine that is just past it's peak. I would drink it now. It is starting to lose a little bit of it's structure and I don't think it will benefit from more aging. Just my opinion.
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In OCNJ, b-day celebration for Rowena. From magnum, decanted and rebottled, open for 2+ hours before drinking.
Deep ruby/red color. Nose showing dark fruits, floral and baking spice. Prior notes on palate: "dark cherry, blueberry pie, boysenberry, violets.." Smooth/luxurious texture. Savory notes through the finish. Medium/full bodied, long finish. Tannins still present
The magnum has aged nicely (sadly, my last of the vintage) has a good arc ahead of it. Decant is a must wit this wine, it was tight when first opened, not really showing for up to 2 hours. Elegant wine, not from a celebrated vintage so perhaps overlooked. Spottswoode does not disappoint (IMO), old world Bdx style with Calif fruit. A great wine - a big hit with this crowd
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Spottswoode Dinner with Molly Sheppard & Ray Kaufman (Amuse Bouche, 22/F Hennessey Centre, Wan Chai, Hong kong): Bright jeweled semi-transparent deep ruby colour. Nose is warm, welcoming cedar in the autumn, really mellow and Merlot-ish, but has lost the wow factor of younger vintages. Palate is slightly tart, cranberry and dark bitter black chocolate. Was better with 3-year aged Comte cheese. Very bitter. Needs a lot more time for the palate to catch up with the nose. Similar to when I drank it with Beth Novak in September 2018.
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Much better this time than 4 years ago, but definitely needs to breathe. But after about an hour+ in the glass this drank really well and was even better second day under pump. No rush here.
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Youthful, yet starting to show a bit of age. Nose is youthful blackberry with pepper.... not a lot of sign of age just by the nose alone. Entry is a black cherry that has been dusted in sweeter tobacco. Iodine. A hint of mint to the middle and finish. I am amazed at the amount of tannin that is still on this bottle. This is a very nice balance of old and young. In a very good spot. Top 3.
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After a one hour decant, the 2006 Spottswoode was smooth, rich, filled with powerful blue-black fruit, but entirely primary. The wine did not start to open up for several more hours. I’m going to try a longer decant with me next bottle.
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Fabulous wine! It really is the new world Margaux. 2006 not a spectacular vintage although I was pleased with it's range of complexity. Open air Decant for 3 to 4 hours no aeration device. Just pop decant and patiently wait. This Spottswoode displays big black cherry and well integrated rounded tannin structure. Forest floor , licorice, integrate for well made wine.
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Second Sunday Group: 2006 vs 2007 Napa Cabs/Blends (R&D's): Double blind. Deep inky crimson color. Aromas of chocolate, herbs, cassis and black fruit. Firm tannins. Cassis and black fruit with nice underlying acidity and a long finish. Develops a nice floral undertone as it opens in the glass. Terrific fruit on the palate with a floral liqueur quality as well. Balanced and pretty. I like this quite a bit. 94-95 pts.
Terrific spottswoode style nose of black currant, flowers. The palate is concentrated but has a wonderful elegance and balance. Flavors of black currant, plums, tobacco, earth unfold into a long finish. This should evolve gracefully over the coming years. It’s not a blockbuster but really a very pretty wine.
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Some nutmeg and cinnamon on the nose subtlety. In the mouth the wine is soft and delicate, with muddled plum and dark fruit and a bit of spice. The tannins are present but just dusty on the finish.
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Dinner with Beth Novak Milliken, Spottswoode Estate (The Library, Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Served blind amongst 13 mainly Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignons. Black-red in colour and totally opaque. Nose shows lovely signature Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon elegance but youth. Palate is more open than the nose...very fruity, soft and elegant. When revealed as the 2006, it shows what 12 years' age brings.....but also how much more time this will take to fully unfurl. But a pleasure to drink right now if you like your Napa Cabernet Sauvignons in that full flush of fruit dominance.
Provided by Beth direct from the winery along with 5 other vintages tonight.
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Dark purple in color. Modest nose. Rich dark red fruit with a hint of wood on the upper palate to taste. A little heat and alcohol detracts tracks slightly. A good long finish. Classic California Cab drinking in its prime.
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Lovely dark ruby color. Nose of beautiful raspberry jam, grapeseeds lingering, alderwood. Taste is huge, bold, yet balanced Cabernet - traces of green leaf, grapeseed, cold berries. Tannins still quite present, but oaks have entered second stage. Entering prime phase, but will easily drink well for the next 5 and mature over the next 10-15. Top notch.
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I love Spottswoode, and agree that it is the Margaux of Napa Valley. However, this bottle was definitely off. It was not corked or flawed; it came across as tannic, monolithic and lacking the fragrance and that beautiful sweetness one usually finds with Spottswoode. Hopefully my remaining bottles of the '06 will show more to form.
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Outstanding Napa Cab. Super concentration of mature ripe fruit but never sweet or jammy. Dark, rich and full bodied with a long savoury finish. Everything that's great about Napa. Clearly a ways to go but in a great place right now. Delicious on its own or with food.
Just as good on day two. Great stuff!
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Brought 2 bottles to Rowena and Bill's anniversary celebration...nice to check in on this at 10 years, Spottswoode consistently great in my experience...slow oxed for about 45 minutes, drank over 2 hours.
Deep ruby/garnet color. Nose of blue and red fruits, floral, baking spices. Palate of dark cherry, blueberry pie, boysenberry, violet. Unfortunately for this tasting, this started to really show about an hour in. Mid and back palate became rich and expressive. Incredible red fruit and spice on the back palate...after we were through half of this...Long and luxurious finish.
Like most Spottswoode (IMO) this is a "wow" wine. The 2006 Napa wines I have opened in the last year have all been spectacular... a less celebrated vintage that has shown well. Great wine that needs at least an hour to show - a healthy decant s a must...still has a good long arc ahead of it (15+ years), but great now
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Beautifully balanced. I think we caught this at the perfect time. Tertiary notes have started to develop, but there is still beautiful fruit. For me, this hits the sweet spot between cool Bordeaux and warmer, softer californian cabernet. Guessed this spot on, but some around the table thought this might have been Margaux from a warm year.
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deep dark fruit long lasting on the palate deep dark earth balancing out the fruit in a nice way this has entered or is in a really nice drinking window more integrated the second day with almost the same intensity a wonderful american wine to celebrate america's birthday drink or hold a little while longer
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this is one of my favorite Napa cabs; appeared to be bit shut down currently. The tannins just wouldn't let go, even after a couple of hours. Probably need to wait a couple of years before trying again
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Beautifully crafted with very complex notes of blue and black fruits, crushed rock and Forrest floor. Soft Tannins and a long finish. A wonderful California style Bordeaux.
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Tar, graphite, oak, black cherry and black currant with a hint of sweetness and mint; has some real complexity and old world character, but clearly a CA cab. Opened up nicely in the decanter after an hour or so, but then started to close down again after two hours, showing a lot more alcohol and tannin on the finish at that point. This is developing very nicely but still has a long life ahead of it.
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Agree with last tasting note. A little off compared to other recent Spottswoodes. Definitely seemed the tannins were a little pronounced, although the underlying fruit was still evident. Needs to come into balance, but I'd wait a couple years before trying again.
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opened and decanted for 30 minutes. Maybe should have let it open more but it seemed a little disjointed tonite. Not the usual seamless Spottswoode I am accustomed to. That being said, nice notes of black and blue fruit. Tannins aren't quite integrated and the midpalate was needing something. Not to say this wasn't delicious, but I am going to wait a couple of more years before opening the next 06
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This was a serious treat. The tannins have subsided and the wine in velvet soft for an incredible mouthfeel. Deep, dark purple in color. Dark fruit and subtle licorice bouquet. Multiple layers on the palate with flowers and dark fruit featuring currant and blackberry, coffee and spice. A nice long finish.
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Decanted for 2 hours prior to serving; still a little tight at the beginning, but what a great package of flavors; black fruits, a nice touch of cassis, cedar and a hint of vanilla. Very young still and much more to give. Wonderful wine.
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I would call this wine sophisticated polished, smooth, soft and elegant. Lite tannins, but missing in complexity and lite to my taste. I really expected more from a wine with such a pedigree (even in an off year). But I guess that I would be of the minority view on this forum. If you like a big cali cab with dark fruit, concentration and extraction, this is not your wine. Not bad, but not for me.
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Deep in color with plenty of purple left. Aromas of dark ripe fruit and licorice. Easy on the palate as the tannins have softened. Concentrated and layered, dark fruit, espresso and oak. Really a treat in every way.
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Black in color turning crimson at the rim with a profusely aromatic nose of St. Helena earth, leather, violets, and currant. The palate shows a full body, with a high-pitched character indicating vibrant acidity featuring flavors of dark cherry, currant, dark chocolate, espresso, smoke and toasty oak. Finishes long and earthy with hints of truffle and spice. Drink now with 45 minutes decanting until 2023.
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Nicely polished cab, goes down easy; alluring, perfumed, jammy nose, blackberry and savory flavors with fairly mild tannins; perhaps lacking ever so slightly in oomph and complexity, but still an outstanding example of a very plush Cali Cab.
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Spottswoode 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon realmente me sorprendio y me transporto a un lugar increible con su sabor a cereza y un toque picosito al final. Un aroma que te transporta a un campo lleno de un aroma floral y maravilloso. Esquisito!!
Chef Zoe Muller
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(at Harry Carry’s – Chicago) Plum fruit with surprisingly heavy oak treatment. Lacked both depth and texture. Disappointing as my limited past experience with this wine has been much more positive. (84)
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We had an hour to decant this young wine; there is great potential in this wine. Glad we opened one of our bottles. Youthful and a bit disjointed, but the elegance of this wine is obvious. Classic Spottswoode; more Bordeaux ish than big California type. Lots of youthful fruit with an elegant backbone of tannin to support the longevity of this wine. I think 3-5 years, this is a phenomenal wine.
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Wonderfull aromas and beautifull deep ruby color. On its own this wine was very dry, tannic, and restrained, with a juicy ribeye steak this wine excelled ! Allow plenty of decanter time.
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Decanted at 230pm, rebottled at 6pm and consumed at 8pm. Previous bottle I had was about 2 years ago and it was pretty well dominated by tannins. Much smoother this time around. The extended aeration helped a lot and made for a great showing. I'd certainly recommend decanting if you are going to get into one of these in the near term.
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Big, polished, balanced, and elegant. Decanted for 3+ hours, and it needed every minute of it. What a New Year's. Spottswoode, Lewis, Pahlmeyer, Mondavi Reserve, Peter Michael. Couldn't say no to any of them, and I'm suffering the consequences. But I digress. This wine is exceptional.
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Was hopeful for more but was concerned about opening this too early as well. Finish was not as long as I had hoped and the flavor profile seemed restrained. Will hold off on opening any more for a few years.
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Powerful, full bodied and concentrated with ripe, chewy, juicy, chewy Cabernet fruit, the wine offers ample licorice, cassis, smoke, espresso bean, blackberry, vanilla and earthy notes along with opulent, round textures and a deep, polished, ripe, dark fruit filled finish.
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dense and rich but balanced (nearly elegant) cab. blackberry and blueberry fruit but not just a fruit bomb with licorice and eucalyptus aromas and a long finish. impressive.
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This was really nice, (though not as mind blowing for me as the 05) dark purple, nose of oak tobacco and grape. Nice mouth feel with hint of stems and mint to keep things interesting. Went very well with steak at Lewnes in Annapolis.
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Very dark purple...Nose: Floral, Dark and blue fruit, cassis and smoke...Palate: Fresh dark and blue fruit, wood, dark chocalate..This is well balanced with the structure to last another 15 years easy...Tannins are big and need another few years to mellow out...I would not uncork another for at least 3 years..Cheers!!
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Decant 1 hour. I brought this to dinner for my birthday at Chops in Atl. Nice notes of blackberry, cedar and a hint of chocolate. In the mouth its full of dark fruits with a full bodied load of tannins. Everything is there this wine just needs some time for the tannins to intergrate.94+
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Clash of the Titans, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon tasting (Red Slate, Portland, Oregon): The nose reminds me of a blackberry pie dusted with brown sugar on the toasted crust. Some cherry scents are mixed in with the sweet blackberries too. This is fascinating on the palate. The tannins are big, and a dominant part of the experience, but they already have a mature feel to them and are somewhat gentle. The acidity is gentle and even as well, and it hits nicely on the corners of my mouth on the finish. Oak and some candied cherries linger late while the stems and tannins show more strength. Nice stuff, but still more tannin driven than I prefer.
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California Cab Tasting, USQ Wines; 11/10/2010-11/12/2010 (New York): Pretty nose, with a little more oak-rounded vanilla/talcum powder sense to it than the Shafer 1.5. Powerful, tannic, a little peppery - very early for this. Has a bit of red-fruitedness to the profile. Very good. 92+
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Taste at Elysian. This was my first taste of any Spottswoode Estate bottling - and it was love at first whiff. The color was a royal deep purple hue. The aromatics were soaring from the glass. Dark but really ripe black, blue and purple fruits - blackberries, plums, dark cherry and super creamy creme de cassis. The wine is stunning. It shows layer upon layer of depth. Fruit, earth, really exquisite and well defined burnt wood and rock - almost a volcanic rock play. There's some incense and deep purple flower notes as well that come across really nicely - add an element of elegance and purity that is hard to find in even world class vinos. A big and plump wine that is no doubtedly New World in style - but there is adequate acidity to cut through some of the fruit. Has that heady hedonistic styling, but I think anyone could appreciate the quality and precision this wine displays. Love it. Highly recommended. I think I'm going ot search out some past vintages to compare.
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Great black fruit and cherry nose. Violets and smoke add to the mix. Soft in the mouth with more dark fruits and some bitter chocolate overtones. Huge but elegant and sophisticated. Very nicely balanced.
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This was a very young wine that probably needs another 3 or 4 years before the tannins settle down. A very floral nose led to flavors of blueberry and blackberry flavors with an underlying minerality.
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Tannic and backward - needs time to really strut its stuff. Had a truly impressive finish, and you can tell the fruit is hiding in there, but really needs more time. Could be really great in a few years (will definitely surpass the 04 given time) but right now it's not at the level of the 04, 05 or 07.
Think some of the experts arent giving this wine it due. I do sense the floral note that defines Spottswoode. Sense some more red fruits and some licorice. This was tight but with air opened up nicely. Full bodied in the mouth with sweet but somewhat dry tannins. Think this will ultimatley be better than the 05.
Very dark red-purple color, nearly opaque. Tasty ripe fruit but quite a lot of tannin as well. Overall I see this as being a bit backwards. There's certainly lots of structure but the tannins dominate right now. Given enough time they should resolve quite nicely. I certainly preferred the 05 to this 06 but I think this one has lots of potential for improvement although it might take quite some time.
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Medium nose. Hints of mocha an dplum. Fairly complex tannins. Long Finish with hint of creme brule. Definitely not ready to drink yet, but it's all in there!. B
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1/5/2024 - MLR Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar comments to prior bottle and tasting note.
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11/26/2023 - Winedad53 wrote: 94 Points
Opened up nicely to expose nuances of ripe red-black fruit with an alluring bit of smokiness.
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10/14/2023 - ilcor wrote: 93 Points
Time to drink
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7/27/2023 - MLR Likes this wine: 95 Points
On the nose - some forest floor, chalk and maybe some truffle.
A full mouth feel with sweet dark fruit, some “dust” and a long simmering finish.
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7/16/2023 - JRockEsq Likes this wine:
Dark fruit, vanilla/new oak flavors, some graphite on the finish; fuller body; welcoming tannins; moderate acidity.
Pretty great (maybe 91 points), but not as good as I normally expect from Spottswoode.
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4/6/2023 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 93 Points
2006 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Mid garnet, brick edges, viscous (14.1 alc.); red fruit, cassis, mint, light oak, herbaceous Napa nose; low-mid acids; softening tannins; balanced; medium depth; long elegant refined finish. 17.5 UC Davis scale, 93 other scales.
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3/18/2023 - Labrador Likes this wine: 91 Points
A wonderful wine!!!
It has really improved over the last 5+ years. We did not decant, so (and as you might expect) the initial tastes where big and tannic.
After 15-20 minutes, things changed, and the wine opened up and began to sing. The nose showed primarily dark fruit and was a bit muted, but the taste was lovely. It became the elegant wine with the beautiful sweetness that I know and love. To say that it was enjoyed by everyone at our table would be an understatement.
This is still a big, tannic wine that will always benefit from a decant, but beware of the sediment. After the initial pours, you could see the "dark sediment" than ran down what had been the "resting" side of the bottle.
I think that this wine will continue to improve for at least the next 5-10 years.
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1/5/2023 - Winedad53 wrote: 95 Points
Just so well integrated, offering array of red plum, cedar, vanilla and balsa wood tones in perfect harmony. A wine of great character and above all, balance.
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9/21/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote: 94 Points
This is quality California wine without a hair out of place. My only complaint is that it was served too cold to really see what is under the hood. Comes across full of baking spices with a nice touch of vanilla. A one bottle wine..Drink
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4/8/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote: 95 Points
Atypical Napa cabernet character with everything dialed up to 9...Really well balanced and well made with a nice long vanilla laden finish full of steeped red fruit swimming in graphite, with nuances of cedar from the wood treatment. Long, dry, semi sweet finish. At total peak. Drink
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3/1/2022 - sdwineguru wrote: 94 Points
Napa star, 2006 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate ($125 in 2009). 25th anniversary, continues to evolve with style. Light-mid brick, amber edges, some viscosity (14.1 alc.); complex herbaceous, mint, cassis, black fruit, leather and smoke nose; mid-body; softening tannins; balanced; long, refined, complex finish. 18 UC Davis scale, 94 other scales.
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11/14/2021 - Bluethunder wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit, cassis and tobacco. Full bodied with a soft and smooth finish.
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10/15/2021 - MLR Likes this wine: 97 Points
Amazing wine. Soft at the start but structured dark fruit and integrated tannins. Believe this will go for a few more years for sure.
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5/30/2021 - tomlee wrote: 97 Points
Crimson in color. 14.1% ABV. Spellbinding nose of dark fruits, licorice, cedar and graphite. Concentrated and polished with great purity of fruit. The texture is sublime. Black currants, cassis, plums and tobacco on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long with the silkiest of tannins. No secondary characteristics stood out at 15 years of age. This should continue to age well. Glorious Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink over the next decade or so.
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1/26/2021 - pkouchu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Notes of plum, cassis, blackberries, chocolate, baking spice, cedar, savory herbs, licorice and tobacco. This wine was decanted a few hours before serving, the palate was still slightly tense but overall the dark fruits were expressive and showing well.
Barely shedding its baby fat, the secondary spice and earth notes are starting to trickle in. Makes for a nice balance from what usually feels like a heavier Napa Cab. Tannins are still strong, acidity is nice. Tasted better day 2, still a great wine.
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9/25/2020 - Mikeh89 wrote: 80 Points
Strong in tannin and has the strength to carry a distance. Sultana, plum, dark cherry, with subtle hints of vanilla. I’m not too sure about all these 95+ wines. I would assume they haven’t tried Bordeaux Rothschild and latour... because I wouldn’t trade one of them for 20 of these.
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9/1/2020 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just like my notes last year. No better and no worse. Like a bit of Old World Bordeaux and Napa. Full bodied and big. Goes well with BBQ meats and afterward. Drinking beautifully. Sadly my last of this vintage as it has the stuffing to continue to please.
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5/28/2020 - Fosgrove Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just a stunning wine. Perfect balance of elegant fruit and tannins. What more could one want?!
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4/25/2020 - Red Sox Fan wrote: 96 Points
After 13+ years since the harvest and a 90 minute decant, the 2006 Spottswoode is powerful and yet displays great balance between fruit, acid and tannin. Some secondary herbal notes, but more may emerge over the next few years. An exceptional wine, great now and probably better in the future.
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12/22/2019 - Justinwine wrote:
Soft wonderful tannins. Blueberry. Delicious.
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12/21/2019 - drc1235 Likes this wine: 94 Points
An exquisite wine. Tremendous depth after opening up. Lots of graphite and tanins. It has a wonderful umame of a wine that is just past it's peak. I would drink it now. It is starting to lose a little bit of it's structure and I don't think it will benefit from more aging. Just my opinion.
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7/31/2019 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tiefes purpur; tolles Bouquet von Brombeere, dunklen Waldbeeren, Johannisbeere, Zigarrenkiste, Veilchen und Graphit; weiches Mundgefühl, abgeschmolzene, leicht süßliche Tannine, sehr elegant, guter, eleganter Abgang! Hat noch Zeit.
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7/4/2019 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
In OCNJ, b-day celebration for Rowena. From magnum, decanted and rebottled, open for 2+ hours before drinking.
Deep ruby/red color. Nose showing dark fruits, floral and baking spice. Prior notes on palate: "dark cherry, blueberry pie, boysenberry, violets.." Smooth/luxurious texture. Savory notes through the finish. Medium/full bodied, long finish. Tannins still present
The magnum has aged nicely (sadly, my last of the vintage) has a good arc ahead of it. Decant is a must wit this wine, it was tight when first opened, not really showing for up to 2 hours. Elegant wine, not from a celebrated vintage so perhaps overlooked. Spottswoode does not disappoint (IMO), old world Bdx style with Calif fruit. A great wine - a big hit with this crowd
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6/11/2019 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 88 Points
Spottswoode Dinner with Molly Sheppard & Ray Kaufman (Amuse Bouche, 22/F Hennessey Centre, Wan Chai, Hong kong): Bright jeweled semi-transparent deep ruby colour. Nose is warm, welcoming cedar in the autumn, really mellow and Merlot-ish, but has lost the wow factor of younger vintages. Palate is slightly tart, cranberry and dark bitter black chocolate. Was better with 3-year aged Comte cheese. Very bitter. Needs a lot more time for the palate to catch up with the nose. Similar to when I drank it with Beth Novak in September 2018.
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4/3/2019 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exactly as MLR posted on 3-3-19. Like a bit of Old World Bordeaux and Napa. In a great spot right now.
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3/6/2019 - Bluethunder wrote: 94 Points
Drinking great. Dark blue and black fruit, rich, full bodied with tobacco, spice, floral overtones. An elegant, well balanced wine.
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3/3/2019 - MLR Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful nose of pencil lead, brush, and crushed grapes. In the mouth, a medium body of silky tannins, smokey tobacco and browned fruit.
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2/7/2019 - Bluethunder wrote: 95 Points
Decanted an hour. Excellent wine with dark fruit, rose pedals with a full bodied silky smooth finish. No sediment.
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12/29/2018 - levinml wrote: 94 Points
Much better this time than 4 years ago, but definitely needs to breathe. But after about an hour+ in the glass this drank really well and was even better second day under pump. No rush here.
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12/28/2018 - mflesh wrote: 95 Points
Youthful, yet starting to show a bit of age. Nose is youthful blackberry with pepper.... not a lot of sign of age just by the nose alone. Entry is a black cherry that has been dusted in sweeter tobacco. Iodine. A hint of mint to the middle and finish. I am amazed at the amount of tannin that is still on this bottle. This is a very nice balance of old and young. In a very good spot. Top 3.
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12/15/2018 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 93 Points
After a one hour decant, the 2006 Spottswoode was smooth, rich, filled with powerful blue-black fruit, but entirely primary. The wine did not start to open up for several more hours. I’m going to try a longer decant with me next bottle.
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11/3/2018 - R.Jos.Valent wrote: 94 Points
Fabulous wine! It really is the new world Margaux. 2006 not a spectacular vintage although I was pleased with it's range of complexity.
Open air Decant for 3 to 4 hours no aeration device. Just pop decant and patiently wait. This Spottswoode displays big black cherry and well integrated rounded tannin structure. Forest floor , licorice, integrate for well made wine.
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10/14/2018 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2006 vs 2007 Napa Cabs/Blends (R&D's): Double blind. Deep inky crimson color. Aromas of chocolate, herbs, cassis and black fruit. Firm tannins. Cassis and black fruit with nice underlying acidity and a long finish. Develops a nice floral undertone as it opens in the glass. Terrific fruit on the palate with a floral liqueur quality as well. Balanced and pretty. I like this quite a bit. 94-95 pts.
My #1, Domino's #3
Group #2, 55 pts
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9/30/2018 - mclanew Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific spottswoode style nose of black currant, flowers. The palate is concentrated but has a wonderful elegance and balance. Flavors of black currant, plums, tobacco, earth unfold into a long finish. This should evolve gracefully over the coming years. It’s not a blockbuster but really a very pretty wine.
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9/30/2018 - MLR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Some nutmeg and cinnamon on the nose subtlety. In the mouth the wine is soft and delicate, with muddled plum and dark fruit and a bit of spice. The tannins are present but just dusty on the finish.
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9/29/2018 - Goldstone wrote: 89 Points
Dinner with Beth Novak Milliken, Spottswoode Estate (The Library, Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Served blind amongst 13 mainly Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignons. Black-red in colour and totally opaque. Nose shows lovely signature Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon elegance but youth. Palate is more open than the nose...very fruity, soft and elegant. When revealed as the 2006, it shows what 12 years' age brings.....but also how much more time this will take to fully unfurl. But a pleasure to drink right now if you like your Napa Cabernet Sauvignons in that full flush of fruit dominance.
Provided by Beth direct from the winery along with 5 other vintages tonight.
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7/18/2018 - bobvictor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark purple in color. Modest nose. Rich dark red fruit with a hint of wood on the upper palate to taste. A little heat and alcohol detracts tracks slightly. A good long finish. Classic California Cab drinking in its prime.
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12/25/2017 - JasonG Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely dark ruby color. Nose of beautiful raspberry jam, grapeseeds lingering, alderwood. Taste is huge, bold, yet balanced Cabernet - traces of green leaf, grapeseed, cold berries. Tannins still quite present, but oaks have entered second stage. Entering prime phase, but will easily drink well for the next 5 and mature over the next 10-15. Top notch.
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12/15/2017 - Labrador Does not like this wine:
I love Spottswoode, and agree that it is the Margaux of Napa Valley.
However, this bottle was definitely off. It was not corked or flawed; it came across as tannic, monolithic and lacking the fragrance and that beautiful sweetness one usually finds with Spottswoode. Hopefully my remaining bottles of the '06 will show more to form.
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12/4/2017 - gouldcampbell77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding Napa Cab. Super concentration of mature ripe fruit but never sweet or jammy. Dark, rich and full bodied with a long savoury finish. Everything that's great about Napa. Clearly a ways to go but in a great place right now. Delicious on its own or with food.
Just as good on day two. Great stuff!
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11/12/2017 - Workbench wrote: 95 Points
Amazing
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9/2/2017 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 97 Points
deep dark purple, classic 100% cabernet.
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8/4/2017 - Sniffy-Sniff wrote: 94 Points
Everything I expected it to be and more. Give this about an hour of air.
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6/3/2017 - kgh wrote: 94 Points
Needed a little time to open up, but is showing well. Dark and rich, with lovely floral aroma, black fruit offset with hints of chocolate and tobacco.
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3/27/2017 - iwadasn wrote: 92 Points
Dark, rich and full bodied. A bit dusty, but overall quite nice.
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2/26/2017 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Really enjoyed this bottle, cherry, tar and oak profile with great uplifting structure, still going strong and in very good shape.
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2/4/2017 - patwjr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pnp, than drank over 2 hours. Soft mature blueberries, yet still shows some tannins on the finish. Enjoy with a decant.
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1/14/2017 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
Brought 2 bottles to Rowena and Bill's anniversary celebration...nice to check in on this at 10 years, Spottswoode consistently great in my experience...slow oxed for about 45 minutes, drank over 2 hours.
Deep ruby/garnet color. Nose of blue and red fruits, floral, baking spices. Palate of dark cherry, blueberry pie, boysenberry, violet. Unfortunately for this tasting, this started to really show about an hour in. Mid and back palate became rich and expressive. Incredible red fruit and spice on the back palate...after we were through half of this...Long and luxurious finish.
Like most Spottswoode (IMO) this is a "wow" wine. The 2006 Napa wines I have opened in the last year have all been spectacular... a less celebrated vintage that has shown well. Great wine that needs at least an hour to show - a healthy decant s a must...still has a good long arc ahead of it (15+ years), but great now
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7/8/2016 - patwjr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 30 min, rebottled & opened 2 hours later. Soft mature blueberries, drinking really nice now. Not sure more years will improve it.
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6/22/2016 - bobwire Likes this wine: 98 Points
Pretty perfect at the moment.
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3/15/2016 - Fosgrove Likes this wine: 95 Points
My first Spottswoode. A wow wine. Sleek elegant pure fruit, fine tannins. V classy Cali cab
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11/20/2015 - BilboBaggins Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully balanced. I think we caught this at the perfect time. Tertiary notes have started to develop, but there is still beautiful fruit. For me, this hits the sweet spot between cool Bordeaux and warmer, softer californian cabernet. Guessed this spot on, but some around the table thought this might have been Margaux from a warm year.
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7/6/2015 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 95 Points
deep dark fruit long lasting on the palate
deep dark earth balancing out the fruit in a nice way
this has entered or is in a really nice drinking window
more integrated the second day with almost the same intensity
a wonderful american wine to celebrate america's birthday
drink or hold a little while longer
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2/6/2015 - mactheknife Likes this wine: 92 Points
this is one of my favorite Napa cabs; appeared to be bit shut down currently. The tannins just wouldn't let go, even after a couple of hours. Probably need to wait a couple of years before trying again
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1/2/2015 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautifully crafted with very complex notes of blue and black fruits, crushed rock and Forrest floor. Soft Tannins and a long finish. A wonderful California style Bordeaux.
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11/14/2014 - winejnky wrote: 92 Points
Tar, graphite, oak, black cherry and black currant with a hint of sweetness and mint; has some real complexity and old world character, but clearly a CA cab. Opened up nicely in the decanter after an hour or so, but then started to close down again after two hours, showing a lot more alcohol and tannin on the finish at that point. This is developing very nicely but still has a long life ahead of it.
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7/16/2014 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 92 Points
What an exceptional Cab that has aged so well. This was an exceptional taste with a great nose. Buy it if you can find it.
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5/18/2014 - levinml wrote: 92 Points
Agree with last tasting note. A little off compared to other recent Spottswoodes. Definitely seemed the tannins were a little pronounced, although the underlying fruit was still evident. Needs to come into balance, but I'd wait a couple years before trying again.
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3/12/2014 - Wali183 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dunkellila. Geniale Cabernet Nase nach Cassis, zedernholz, Mokka, exotischen Gewürzen. Am Gaumen herrlich samtig, weich, rund, vollmundig, wunderbare Tiefe und Komplexität. Groß.
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1/5/2014 - mactheknife Likes this wine: 92 Points
opened and decanted for 30 minutes. Maybe should have let it open more but it seemed a little disjointed tonite. Not the usual seamless Spottswoode I am accustomed to. That being said, nice notes of black and blue fruit. Tannins aren't quite integrated and the midpalate was needing something. Not to say this wasn't delicious, but I am going to wait a couple of more years before opening the next 06
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12/26/2013 - tgang Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a serious treat. The tannins have subsided and the wine in velvet soft for an incredible mouthfeel. Deep, dark purple in color. Dark fruit and subtle licorice bouquet. Multiple layers on the palate with flowers and dark fruit featuring currant and blackberry, coffee and spice. A nice long finish.
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10/30/2013 - mactheknife wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours prior to serving; still a little tight at the beginning, but what a great package of flavors; black fruits, a nice touch of cassis, cedar and a hint of vanilla. Very young still and much more to give. Wonderful wine.
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8/28/2013 - Yack Man wrote: 88 Points
I would call this wine sophisticated polished, smooth, soft and elegant. Lite tannins, but missing in complexity and lite to my taste. I really expected more from a wine with such a pedigree (even in an off year). But I guess that I would be of the minority view on this forum. If you like a big cali cab with dark fruit, concentration and extraction, this is not your wine. Not bad, but not for me.
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6/11/2013 - winestlouis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep in color with plenty of purple left. Aromas of dark ripe fruit and licorice. Easy on the palate as the tannins have softened. Concentrated and layered, dark fruit, espresso and oak. Really a treat in every way.
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6/7/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 96 Points
Black in color turning crimson at the rim with a profusely aromatic nose of St. Helena earth, leather, violets, and currant. The palate shows a full body, with a high-pitched character indicating vibrant acidity featuring flavors of dark cherry, currant, dark chocolate, espresso, smoke and toasty oak. Finishes long and earthy with hints of truffle and spice. Drink now with 45 minutes decanting until 2023.
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5/12/2013 - winejnky wrote: 91 Points
Nicely polished cab, goes down easy; alluring, perfumed, jammy nose, blackberry and savory flavors with fairly mild tannins; perhaps lacking ever so slightly in oomph and complexity, but still an outstanding example of a very plush Cali Cab.
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3/10/2013 - Liberty wrote: 94 Points
Opened up beautifully after 45 minutes and kept getting better over steak dinner
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2/11/2013 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Spottswoode 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon realmente me sorprendio y me transporto a un lugar increible con su sabor a cereza y un toque picosito al final. Un aroma que te transporta a un campo lleno de un aroma floral y maravilloso. Esquisito!!
Chef Zoe Muller
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2/10/2013 - pepmi wrote: 92 Points
California wine making at its best. Decanted 45 minutes before serving. Deep dark blackberry color. Balanced. Lush. Long finish.
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1/14/2013 - Billiken wrote: 92 Points
- Brick color with a full body. Silky texture with a long finish.
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11/17/2012 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark purple; berries, chocolate, wood and cassis nose; mid-big body; deep fruity finish; tannins still tight; needs another five years. w/filet.
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11/3/2012 - Chains1966 wrote: 91 Points
Dark brooding juicy cabernet. Sweet tannins with a licorice taste on the mid palet.
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10/12/2012 - dbkitc wrote: 84 Points
(at Harry Carry’s – Chicago) Plum fruit with surprisingly heavy oak treatment. Lacked both depth and texture. Disappointing as my limited past experience with this wine has been much more positive. (84)
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7/1/2012 - JJB007 wrote: 97 Points
like it!!
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6/4/2012 - mactheknife wrote: 93 Points
We had an hour to decant this young wine; there is great potential in this wine. Glad we opened one of our bottles. Youthful and a bit disjointed, but the elegance of this wine is obvious. Classic Spottswoode; more Bordeaux ish than big California type. Lots of youthful fruit with an elegant backbone of tannin to support the longevity of this wine. I think 3-5 years, this is a phenomenal wine.
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4/17/2012 - Bluethunder wrote: 93 Points
Dark red/purple, full bodied, powerful with nice fruit and finish.
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3/9/2012 - wineotim wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfull aromas and beautifull deep ruby color. On its own this wine was very dry, tannic, and restrained, with a juicy ribeye steak this wine excelled ! Allow plenty of decanter time.
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2/14/2012 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Decanted at 230pm, rebottled at 6pm and consumed at 8pm. Previous bottle I had was about 2 years ago and it was pretty well dominated by tannins. Much smoother this time around. The extended aeration helped a lot and made for a great showing. I'd certainly recommend decanting if you are going to get into one of these in the near term.
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1/13/2012 - Share 67 wrote: 95 Points
Ths vintage is well worth decanting for at least 2 hours. I believe it will continue to improve with time.
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1/1/2012 - AGee wrote: 95 Points
Big, polished, balanced, and elegant. Decanted for 3+ hours, and it needed every minute of it. What a New Year's. Spottswoode, Lewis, Pahlmeyer, Mondavi Reserve, Peter Michael. Couldn't say no to any of them, and I'm suffering the consequences. But I digress. This wine is exceptional.
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12/27/2011 - JJB007 wrote: 99 Points
this is really good- i am glad that i put down a case several years ago- wow
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12/13/2011 - russdan60 wrote: 92 Points
Was hopeful for more but was concerned about opening this too early as well. Finish was not as long as I had hoped and the flavor profile seemed restrained. Will hold off on opening any more for a few years.
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11/26/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Powerful, full bodied and concentrated with ripe, chewy, juicy, chewy Cabernet fruit, the wine offers ample licorice, cassis, smoke, espresso bean, blackberry, vanilla and earthy notes along with opulent, round textures and a deep, polished, ripe, dark fruit filled finish.
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11/12/2011 - patwjr wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours, than drank over next 3 hours. Beautiful Cab, smooth tannins, subtle fruit. Drink now if long decant, or wait.
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9/16/2011 - il_diavolo wrote: 94 Points
dense and rich but balanced (nearly elegant) cab. blackberry and blueberry fruit but not just a fruit bomb with licorice and eucalyptus aromas and a long finish. impressive.
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5/15/2011 - winopops3 wrote: 92 Points
This was really nice, (though not as mind blowing for me as the 05) dark purple, nose of oak tobacco and grape. Nice mouth feel with hint of stems and mint to keep things interesting. Went very well with steak at Lewnes in Annapolis.
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4/25/2011 - vinopa wrote: 92 Points
Very dark purple...Nose: Floral, Dark and blue fruit, cassis and smoke...Palate: Fresh dark and blue fruit, wood, dark chocalate..This is well balanced with the structure to last another 15 years easy...Tannins are big and need another few years to mellow out...I would not uncork another for at least 3 years..Cheers!!
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2/3/2011 - Jack Cranley wrote: 92 Points
Very aromatic, very floral nose. Firm tannins. Beautiful luxurious finish.
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1/15/2011 - lsnider wrote: 94 Points
Decant 1 hour. I brought this to dinner for my birthday at Chops in Atl. Nice notes of blackberry, cedar and a hint of chocolate. In the mouth its full of dark fruits with a full bodied load of tannins. Everything is there this wine just needs some time for the tannins to intergrate.94+
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12/10/2010 - subtlet Likes this wine: 88 Points
Clash of the Titans, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon tasting (Red Slate, Portland, Oregon): The nose reminds me of a blackberry pie dusted with brown sugar on the toasted crust. Some cherry scents are mixed in with the sweet blackberries too. This is fascinating on the palate. The tannins are big, and a dominant part of the experience, but they already have a mature feel to them and are somewhat gentle. The acidity is gentle and even as well, and it hits nicely on the corners of my mouth on the finish. Oak and some candied cherries linger late while the stems and tannins show more strength. Nice stuff, but still more tannin driven than I prefer.
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11/11/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 92 Points
California Cab Tasting, USQ Wines; 11/10/2010-11/12/2010 (New York): Pretty nose, with a little more oak-rounded vanilla/talcum powder sense to it than the Shafer 1.5. Powerful, tannic, a little peppery - very early for this. Has a bit of red-fruitedness to the profile. Very good. 92+
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9/8/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 95 Points
Taste at Elysian.
This was my first taste of any Spottswoode Estate bottling - and it was love at first whiff. The color was a royal deep purple hue.
The aromatics were soaring from the glass. Dark but really ripe black, blue and purple fruits - blackberries, plums, dark cherry and super creamy creme de cassis.
The wine is stunning. It shows layer upon layer of depth. Fruit, earth, really exquisite and well defined burnt wood and rock - almost a volcanic rock play.
There's some incense and deep purple flower notes as well that come across really nicely - add an element of elegance and purity that is hard to find in even world class vinos.
A big and plump wine that is no doubtedly New World in style - but there is adequate acidity to cut through some of the fruit.
Has that heady hedonistic styling, but I think anyone could appreciate the quality and precision this wine displays. Love it. Highly recommended.
I think I'm going ot search out some past vintages to compare.
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7/15/2010 - Capt Cutlass wrote:
Decanted. Rich, concentrated nose. Blueberry, a hint of mint and strong tannins dominate the mouth. Tannic finish on a heavy body. Needs time...
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6/4/2010 - WineForRob wrote: 94 Points
Great black fruit and cherry nose. Violets and smoke add to the mix. Soft in the mouth with more dark fruits and some bitter chocolate overtones. Huge but elegant and sophisticated. Very nicely balanced.
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5/18/2010 - slywka7 wrote: 92 Points
This was a very young wine that probably needs another 3 or 4 years before the tannins settle down. A very floral nose led to flavors of blueberry and blackberry flavors with an underlying minerality.
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4/19/2010 - Clarkmeister wrote: 93 Points
Tannic and backward - needs time to really strut its stuff. Had a truly impressive finish, and you can tell the fruit is hiding in there, but really needs more time. Could be really great in a few years (will definitely surpass the 04 given time) but right now it's not at the level of the 04, 05 or 07.
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3/30/2010 - FoodMuse Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderfully oaky notes of caramel and vanilla with hints of dark plums. Lite hints of thai basil with a great finish. Ready to drink now.
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3/1/2010 - WineForRob wrote: 93 Points
Think some of the experts arent giving this wine it due. I do sense the floral note that defines Spottswoode. Sense some more red fruits and some licorice. This was tight but with air opened up nicely. Full bodied in the mouth with sweet but somewhat dry tannins. Think this will ultimatley be better than the 05.
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2/5/2010 - Meganruth1 wrote: 91 Points
Chocolate. Amazing with "lamb two ways". Todd likes a cab!!!!
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2/2/2010 - Highmountain wrote: 88 Points
Some flowers to the nose, still young but very promising. Good tannins and medium long after taste. Will be a fantastic wine few years form now.
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1/8/2010 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Very dark red-purple color, nearly opaque. Tasty ripe fruit but quite a lot of tannin as well. Overall I see this as being a bit backwards. There's certainly lots of structure but the tannins dominate right now. Given enough time they should resolve quite nicely. I certainly preferred the 05 to this 06 but I think this one has lots of potential for improvement although it might take quite some time.
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12/5/2009 - KVM wrote:
K&L Big California Cabernets (Redwood City, K&L wine store): dark red, black currant, eucalyptus, grippy, full body, medium long finish. very good
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12/5/2009 - europat55 wrote:
Medium nose. Hints of mocha an dplum. Fairly complex tannins. Long Finish with hint of creme brule. Definitely not ready to drink yet, but it's all in there!. B
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10/22/2009 - ews3 wrote: 90 Points
2009 Wine Spectator NYWE Grand Tasting (Marriott Marquis, Times Square, NYC): dark fruit profile. medium(-) finish shows some heat
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