No detailed notes taken. Company’s Christmas dinner. This one held its own among a decent collection of old-world dinner wines. Just hitting its stride. Dark red and black fruit driven nose with just a touch of oak. Palate is intense, balanced, complex with long finish. Not sure it is getting much better but will keep for a decade and likely more.
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This bottle not exactly corked but definitely oxidised like the bottle was opened the day before yesterday. However once past the nose, the palate is reasonable. There is nice dark fruit, plum, good acid and gentle tannin. Its just tasting much older than the 01 should, with old leather and dusty box wood. Next to some other Cabernets of the era this bottle is woeful. I am marking it down just to make the point - these wines need to last this sort of distance or suffer the consequences in points. We pay a lot of money and its very disappointing when they turn out like this.
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DM Vertical with Vanya Cullen @ 67PM. Tertiary nose showing leather and bush/bramble. Salinity prominent on the palate, accompanied by plums and soy sauce. Touch of heat from the hot vintage. Medium-bodied but still powerful and grippy. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot.
Pity the other bottle was corked, would have loved more of this. Third favourite wine of the vertical comprising '01, '11', '13, '14, '15, '16, '18, and '21.
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JB and SH for dinner: Cork. 14% alc. Decanted 3 hours. Still holding a deep colour. Black fruits, touch of cedar, very malty! Medium bodied with integrated tannins. Some dried herbs and tomato leaf. Opened out more in the glass and became less malty with time. Mocha and dark chocolate. Fully mature now.
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Company CNY dinner at One Farrer. Cork closure. Drank in Grassl Cru. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour with garnet rim. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of earth, integrated vanilla oak, grilled herbs, cedar, blackcurrant and some leafiness. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), integrated tannins, just about full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cedar, blackcurrant, black cherries, dark red plums, tobacco, leaf, earth. Long blackish soy earth finish. Very good quality. Acidity and fruit still strong. Drinking in a good spot already. No need for further ageing. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot.
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NobleRottersSydney - a fine finale (Fix, St James, Sydney): {screwcap, 14%} [Graeme] Double-decanted off minimal sediment four earlier, and then had an hour in an open decanter before drinking. This seemed to make all the difference, because it smelt quite stinky on initial opening at 4pm. Served blind, and despite following its 2006 sibling, no-one identified it; they were that different (it’s not just poor tasters!). This is developing, black-aroma-ed, even hinting at jammy-rich, and with a minty/dark chocolate sort of character. A tiny bit of herb also shows up on the consistent palate. Ticks all the ‘medium’ boxes; dusty tannins seem as much grape skin as oak. Quite a long and even finish too. In the end, not bad at all, even if it is a bit anonymous – it seems that some decent air exposure is key to this showing well. More cellaring time is no issue – at least for screwcap-sealed bottles.
Cork fell apart, some sediment on top of the cork. Deep and brooding nose. F***ing ENchanting aroma. Palate is fresh as a daisy. Medium minus tannin. Wow. Fresh blackberry fruit palate. The star of a fruit salad. Damn, this is fine. Chewy and on point. The depth of pomegranate fruit leather. Push the window to 2028 at least. Day 2. Palate really settles in. Last time day 3 was a little tired. But that was 9 years ago. Day 3…still going just fine, but was best on day 2. Heavy sediment.
Youthful reddish purple in color. Classy aromas of cassis, black raspberries, hint of coffee and earth, tobacco leaves. Medium bodied palate shows restrained and silky crushed blackish red small berries, mocha, hint of tobacco, medium acidity, fully absorbed oak, no tannins and a long perfumed finish. Wow! This has not aged one iota, reminds me of a mix of Napa valley Meritage/Bordeaux.
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Still dark garnet in color, not much bricking. Nose is not entirely clean for this bottle, hints of woods. Massive black fruits, ripe tannins and mostly resolved. ABV 14% with warmth at finish. Fresh acidity, good complexity and long. Drinking now and should continue to hold at this level for a while.
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Cork half soaked, but secure. 14% alc. Decanted and served. Black fruits, malt, touch of cedar. Palate is refined, has good intensity and carry. Tannins are fine.
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Really enjoyed this bottle. Surprisingly as it opened it became slightly more tannic. Slight bricking however the colour hides its 18 years of age. Stewed blackberry and strawberry on the nose carrying through to the palate. Some sweetness that I tend to associate with Australian wine, certainly not in a bad way. A little blueberry coming through on the back end. Very persistent finish. Will wait another 2-3 years before I open my remaining two bottles. I think this will probably drink well even past that. Great effort.
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Dario supper (My place, Kent Street): Served through an aerator. Leather, eucalyptus, muted black currant, earth, mushrooms, pretty much fully mature but there is a fragrant, perfumed blueberry note that opens with time. On the palate it's got chalky tannic grip that is drying and quite peppery with juicy acidity, the palate is generally muted with a little sweet black fruit. It does improve and soften with both food and wine.
{screwcap, 14%} Still a deep garnet, just a little colour lightening at the rim. Only the barest of development apparent on the nose; it's a bit malty, with currant and black olive aromas. The palate is medium-weight, quite intense, only medium-bodied, but with surprisingly low and fine tannins. Flavours per the nose. Medium acid. Only slightly along its development path, although I'm not sure the tannins will last. Still, likely better in another decade. Not a blockbuster though. Decanted just prior to service; moderate sediment.
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Unusual wine. Last 3 bottles consistent. Very tight and lean on opening even after 2 hr decant almost lacking fruit Alot of acidity. Night 2 opened more and gives me the confidence to keep cellaring the balance .....but let’s see what happens.
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Well-made, smooth and elegant Margaret River Cabernet. Well-delineated, loads of ripe dark cherries, some lemon-zest, tar and mocha. Great tension on the smooth palate between the dark fruits, some lemon-zest, good acidity and more secondary notes. Long lingering dark and ripe fruits and some Autumn notes in the finish with good (melted) tannin structure. Beautifully made, well-representing the top-class achievements of the region; a bottle to study and reflect on.
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An intense leafy blackcurrant and minty nose leads into a bright yet dark fruited palate with supportive acidity and deceptively grippy tannins. Certainly potential to improve, with room for the tannins to disperse further over maybe another decade, and the wine feels in good shape to hold it's form and offer further complexity over that period.
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Decanted and drank 1/2 a bottle over 4hrs. Looking young still. Very lean (green?) with alot of acid and tannin still evident. Fruit hidden and hopefully waiting to emerge and integrate. Not sure. The other 1/2 a bottle tomorrow night might provide more clues. 90 only tonight.
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Still great colour, hardly any browning, pretty impressive for a cork bottle. This particular bottle was far better on the palate than the nose. The latter had hints of stems and Vegemite . Palate was beautifully structured mid weight Bordeaux style red. Still quite primary with a mix of both red and black fruits with an underlying structural though ripe but firm tannin finish. Needs 5 years at least to gain more palate complexity though that nose is a worry.
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Under cork, the was stunningly fresh and young. This is excellent. Better at the 4 hour mark. Needs considerable more time, and I am glad I have several to follow. Hopefully, my grubby hands won't find next bottle for 5 years.
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Decanted an hour. Ripe red fruit, good concentration, nice finish. This seems to be in its sweet spot and a solid new world wine - in particular when you consider the price. Very enjoyable but I would be safe and drink now. A-
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pop n poured. Followed 2 glasses over 4 hours. This was from a screw capped closure bottling.
There is no way that this is 14 years old. The freshness of the fruit was shocking. (Refilled at some point with E&J??). Tight tannin. Lots of structure. No gloppy fruit here. Finish was medium + length. Wanted more subtlety and nuance tonight and I thought by pulling an adolescent I would get that.
Recent tasting note by Ian spot on...
I am not that familiar with aging wine under screw cap. If this is any representation, then it needs 5-10 more years and will last longer than that. I'm going to have to try a cork closure here soon while the data is still fresh.
Still dark and deep purple, barely a hint of age. Slightly syrupy black fruits on the nose, but with a pleasing green streak. Fruit is fresher/brighter on the palate reminding me a little of Wynns black label (not damning with faint praise as that may seem). Decent complexity emerging and a noticeably long finish. Tannins hiding behind the fruit but there does seem to be a touch of grip from them in addition to the acidity which is moderately refreshing. Seems nicely poised, but should still have a few years improvement ahead of it.
Well the palate is absolutely lovely. Black currant, tea, red cherries and utterly harmonious. But the nose has some weird tweaky green stuff going on. Like its corked? Too bad, my last 2001 too. Or maybe just many years in the bottle. I am hoping it will calm down...
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this was a base neck fill and the rest are higher fills. Splash decanted an hour, this showed ripe fruit and nice balance and was a bit more forward and full-bodied than expected - but very nice and looking forward to the next bottle. A-
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3110 and Friends: Thankfully a big improvement on a bottle I tried when this was younger. Floral, mulberry, light oak and blackberry. Still very tight and young, the acid and tannins are still forceful but they are starting to blend with the other components. Another 10 years would see this at a really good stage I feel.
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Decanted 30 minutes. Medium sediment in the bottle. Dark garnet, impenetrable black heart. Black currant, leather, light cedar spice, blueberry. Light mouthfeel, buoyant, sexy fruit- pure. Medium acidity mid palate, dances away to a light finish. Enjoyable. A wine that does not express power and punch as much as subtle, delicate, combinations of fruit, expression, character and purity.
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Aromas are of perfume, black fruits, hints of cedar. But they are subdued. In comparison, the palate is regal. Powerful but beautifully balanced. The tannins are finely honed, the oak is delightfully integrated. There's chocolate, mocha, cedar, mulberries, graphite. It's complex and finishes long. It's in a nice place right now, but could easily sit in a cool place for another decade it seems.
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This is really impressive, easily one of the best Australian wine tasted in a long long time. Much better than the 98' vintage opened a couple of year ago. Perfumed nose. Notes of dark plum, dark cherry, mocha and very light on oaks. Abundant fruits, fresh acidity with good complexity and balance. Label indicated 14% with slight warmth at finish. This wine does not have the hallmark of over-extraction and over-oak of so many Australian craps. Firm mid-palate and good balance, this should last for a while. Yum! 93-95 pts.
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Remains dark; spoilt by pronounced bottle stink, which eventually dissipated; supple, retains good fruit, lovely mouth feel; v. long & finishes so well.
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Post CNY dinner at home (Home): Liked this much better than the last bottle. Following an over-oaked Ilatraia this seemed very well balanced. Gave it only a brief decant and the wine was showing well even if it was not the most expressive Bordeaux blend. A noble, tightly wound wine, resembling a bit a Pauillac. This might drink even better in 3-4 years from now. 90-91.
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Still dark purple with no signs of age. Leafy/minty blackcurrant on the nose with violets coming through to add complexity and there is also a very faint low note (earthiness?). Quite juicy, almost spiky acidity keeps this very fresh, but it might be a little assertive for some people. It's dominant enough that the wine feel somewhat one-dimensional on the palate. Some background tannins. Try another in 3-4 years time?
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Opened after a 98 Tardieu Cote Rotie and the difference in color was striking. While I would describe both as garnet, the Tardieu was clearly leaning towards the orange / brown spectrum whereas this was on the purple side. Decanted half of a bottle for 30 min and drank it over the next 2h. Not sure it's me or the wines but just like the Tardieu I did not find this really satisfying either. Dark fruit, menthol/eucalyptus, and then lots of oak and spice give this wine at this point in time a sharpness I don't really care about and which I find in a lot of much cheaper Australian Cab Merlot. Fine to medium tannins and medium finish. I recall the 2000 Cullen as being much more balanced and pleasant. Will see how the rest of the bottle shows tomorrow but for the time being would say hold for another 3-4 years and hope for the best. 89+ After those couple moderately successful experiments recently, is it time again for a good Bordeaux perhaps...? PS: No concerns in terms of the wine not having the structure to last (as speculated below). Did not feel like finishing the wine and put my last glass of it (which had been decanted for about 3h by then) into the fridge and it showed no signs of decline whatsoever 12h later for lunch
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A Tale of Two Cabernet Blends (Bedrock Bar & Grill, Pan Pac Suites): A very good, very competently made wine; but at this stage of its development, just a bit soulless. It was clearly new world even in the nose, but not in an overblown way, showing typical Margaret River notes of capsicums and menthol, cassis and blackberries, all tossed up with some tobacco, earth and spice scents. Pretty nice. The palate had a certain sweet ripeness to it. But again, this was very controlled, with mouthfilling flavours of cassis and blackberries moving into a bit of sour plum on the midpalate. The flavours were a bit advanced I thought, with the fruit taking on a bit of a stewed character. The wine was still very youthfully structured though, showing fine, mouth-coating tannins and a lovely, juicy balance that lent the whole package a nice sense of purity. At first, I thought it may have passed its peak because of the developed fruit, but given the balance and freshness and the fine structure, this does seem to have the bones to age for awhile more. This may have suffered from being placed next to a brilliant bottle of 1989 Baron. It is quite yummy stuff - a good, even very good wine on all counts, but seemed just to lack that bit of complexity and nuance to be truly interesting.
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At initial pour, this was quite plum currants with lots of juicy wholesome vit c fruit, v Bordeaux probably like a right bank st emilion. In the decanter this actually became more pauillac with lots of green peppers and Limey red fruit. V classic and better than most 01 bord I had.
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I've drunk a few Cullens and most have been wonderful.
This was not.
I would say (in the words of Jancis Robinson about the 2012 Mouton, also in my cellar) it is 'correct' - good, well made, clearly a serious wine - but - yet - underwhelming. There is very little clarity of palate, no linger in the mouth, nothing much of what I look for in a fine cab sav.
Cullen is a 'name' wine, and when you are dealing with such a wine there is a danger of the hype overtaking the quality.
But I am not sure this is the case here. I suspect this wine has just shut down a bit. I feel it's still strong, punchy, tanniny, and has five, ten or even fifteen years ahead of it. So I will not touch my remaining bottles of this for at least the lustrum.
However, I would be a little wary of buying this vintage again; I am not quite sure if it has gone to sleep or is just past its best, and hence I will not give a score. So buyer beware.
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Really very classic Cabernet. Fairly dark purple color but the nose is definitely more on the red current side. Tons and tons of tannins and got more tannic and the night went on. Also, a lot of acid. This is one to put down.
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Drank at WClub. Muted nose. Starting to show some signs of age on the rim. Nice cab fruit but still tight with an unpleasant astringent aftertaste. Decanted for 1.5hrs. By the last sip it was losing its fruit and structure. Not sure if this will be improving at all. Underwhelming.
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Head to head with 2001 Mount Mary Quintet, came in second by a length. Decanted for one hour. No hint of ageing, dark ruby in colour with a red cherry rim. Expressive cherry cola nose. Light to medium body, lovely fruit, sweet and sour cherries, slight alcohol, fine dusty tannins. Finishes long, however, sour notes and reduced fruit at the end leaving me, well, a little unsatisfied.
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echt weer een verrassing, heerlijk geuren, eucalyptus, kersen, specerijen, licht boers, smaak is zacht en licht romig, veel inhoud, sterke wijn, nog helemaal in vorm, over 2 dagen gedronken, 2de dag nog mooier
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Rim shows no signs of age. Really quite the purple tint to the wine. Graham cracker, eucalyptus and black fruits. Body is med (+), tannin is medium. Acid is medium. Fruit concentration on the palate. Really strays into cola territory. This feels like it's on a rather glacial path of aging. Revisit in 2015 at the earliest.
Day 3 and starting to show some of it's age in the aromas, and now my lack of first day perception is showing that yes, indeed, this wine has some orange tint to the rim. Aromas of red fruit, Brown sugar, forest floor, getting tertiary. Follows to the palate.
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- Garnet color - Drank as part of a small wine tasting of 9 bottles of wine from France, Italy, Australia and USA. This accounted for itself beautifully with a sweetness to the fruit that hid the silky tannins although plenty of structure. Lovely wine.
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8.5/10 - Great for drinking now. Blackcurrant and plum, with some dark cherries on cream and chocolate. Tannins are smooth and well resolved. Good structure and length. Wife preferred this to the 2004... but I think the 2004 just barely edges this in the complexity department.
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Bought in California for a steal. Drank the bottle over two nights next to a '99 Heitz Trailside Cab Sauv. Medium body, and almost no sediment, in dramatic contrast to the Heitz. The classic M.R. dusty nose not evident. Quite complex and savoury. Feel like this would either have either have been better in its youth or if left for another 5-10 yrs?? Possibly had it tough standing up to the $150+ Napa cabs that I was tasting both days.
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Aroma of cedar and menthol. Firm tannins support a classic bordeaux style palate of cassis and leather. Plums and a bit of heat in the lingering finish. This still tastes young and vibrant, and is very well structured and balanced overall - though a few cracks do appear in the finish.
Day 2: Mellower, with rich (but not overripe) fruit. Better integration, and no heat, in the finish. Bodes well for the next few years.
I found this for $25 as an end of bin special, and it's an exceptional value at that price. The original tariff is north of $50,and for that price one could arguably do better. Nevertheless, this is a well made wine that is in its prime as it enters its tenth year.
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Wine Salon - November 2009 (Australia) (Chez Jahnke): By far my favorite wine in the first Cab flight. Lovely balance, elegance and finesse. Red fruited with great earthiness and freshness. I really liked this, although it seemed very advanced for a 2001.
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No sign of bricking or other notes of age to the color -- dark garnet. The most charming violet / green on the nose. Lively and full, with class and structure. Just coming into its drinking window in my opinion. A real beauty.
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Opaque. Damn opaque. Some separation at the rim. Purple. Youthful. Great nose. Cedar. Violets. Dark fruit. Medium bodied. Firm tannins. Spicy notes. Palate is fresh, young. Needs time. Great stuff, Bordeaux-like.
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Coco, sweet and sour cherry, incredible depth and structure. Very tight (just opened) with touches of pretty greeness. Hell of wine and I am looking forward to the ride.
After drinking this down over the course of eight hours I would still say it is an amzing wine. However, it never really opened up and my experiences with earlier vintages (say 1999) lead me to believe this will need much time. I would actually let this go for another five years before trying again.
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diep rood, geur is kers en ander donker rood fruit, iets aards met complexiteit, smaak is mooi rond en elegant met veel structuur en alles in de goede verhouding.
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diep donker rood, in de neus wat wild en kreupelhout, rijpe rood fruit en concentratie, smaak is vol met veel body en behoorlijke tannines, mooie balans ,goed gedoseerd. prima blend, iets klassiek van karakter.
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Diep rode kleur. Geur is in eerste instantie wat gesloten. Later komt de wijn los. Mooi fruit en behoorlijke houttoon.Smaak is elegant met wat lichtvoetigheid. Prettige zuren houden de wijn in een hele mooie conditie. Goede tannines die de wijn een lekkere bite geven. prachtig. kan nog zeker 10 jaar mee
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Alcoholic heat on the tight nose as well as some violet and cherry aromas. A tannic palate that culminates in a harsh acidic finish. Just a development phase or falling to pieces, I suspect probably the former.
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Outstanding. Bordeaux nose of graphite with some earthy green notes...think Leoville(s) or Pichon(s). Spicy as well. Good depth on the palate with noticeable tannins currently--wonderful fruit. This might qualify as a very nice ringer for a bordeaux tasting. I will wait probably 5+ to re-visit. Opened one because was offered more on close-out and bought based on this bottle's performance.
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WineLake I (Coniston): 14% Almost black appearance. A very open, very attractive nose: very elegant with dense black fruit. Sweet fruit on the palate. A bit overcooked for me and a bit straightforward and simple. Very Good.
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12/16/2023 - Milos Likes this wine: 92 Points
No detailed notes taken. Company’s Christmas dinner. This one held its own among a decent collection of old-world dinner wines. Just hitting its stride. Dark red and black fruit driven nose with just a touch of oak. Palate is intense, balanced, complex with long finish. Not sure it is getting much better but will keep for a decade and likely more.
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8/16/2023 - F1NUT wrote: 80 Points
This bottle not exactly corked but definitely oxidised like the bottle was opened the day before yesterday. However once past the nose, the palate is reasonable. There is nice dark fruit, plum, good acid and gentle tannin. Its just tasting much older than the 01 should, with old leather and dusty box wood. Next to some other Cabernets of the era this bottle is woeful. I am marking it down just to make the point - these wines need to last this sort of distance or suffer the consequences in points. We pay a lot of money and its very disappointing when they turn out like this.
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6/8/2023 - Isaac L Likes this wine: 93 Points
DM Vertical with Vanya Cullen @ 67PM. Tertiary nose showing leather and bush/bramble. Salinity prominent on the palate, accompanied by plums and soy sauce. Touch of heat from the hot vintage. Medium-bodied but still powerful and grippy. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot.
Pity the other bottle was corked, would have loved more of this. Third favourite wine of the vertical comprising '01, '11', '13, '14, '15, '16, '18, and '21.
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3/11/2023 - fizz wrote:
JB and SH for dinner: Cork. 14% alc.
Decanted 3 hours. Still holding a deep colour.
Black fruits, touch of cedar, very malty! Medium bodied with integrated tannins. Some dried herbs and tomato leaf. Opened out more in the glass and became less malty with time. Mocha and dark chocolate. Fully mature now.
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2/4/2023 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine: 92 Points
Company CNY dinner at One Farrer. Cork closure. Drank in Grassl Cru.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour with garnet rim. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of earth, integrated vanilla oak, grilled herbs, cedar, blackcurrant and some leafiness. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), integrated tannins, just about full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of cedar, blackcurrant, black cherries, dark red plums, tobacco, leaf, earth. Long blackish soy earth finish.
Very good quality. Acidity and fruit still strong. Drinking in a good spot already. No need for further ageing.
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot.
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11/5/2022 - salua wrote:
wine was corked. Very disappointing.
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12/8/2021 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - a fine finale (Fix, St James, Sydney): {screwcap, 14%} [Graeme] Double-decanted off minimal sediment four earlier, and then had an hour in an open decanter before drinking. This seemed to make all the difference, because it smelt quite stinky on initial opening at 4pm. Served blind, and despite following its 2006 sibling, no-one identified it; they were that different (it’s not just poor tasters!). This is developing, black-aroma-ed, even hinting at jammy-rich, and with a minty/dark chocolate sort of character. A tiny bit of herb also shows up on the consistent palate. Ticks all the ‘medium’ boxes; dusty tannins seem as much grape skin as oak. Quite a long and even finish too. In the end, not bad at all, even if it is a bit anonymous – it seems that some decent air exposure is key to this showing well. More cellaring time is no issue – at least for screwcap-sealed bottles.
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10/22/2021 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Cork fell apart, some sediment on top of the cork. Deep and brooding nose. F***ing ENchanting aroma. Palate is fresh as a daisy. Medium minus tannin. Wow. Fresh blackberry fruit palate. The star of a fruit salad. Damn, this is fine. Chewy and on point. The depth of pomegranate fruit leather. Push the window to 2028 at least.
Day 2. Palate really settles in. Last time day 3 was a little tired. But that was 9 years ago.
Day 3…still going just fine, but was best on day 2. Heavy sediment.
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4/23/2021 - hongjiu Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still drinking nicely. Ridiculous. Paired with a lamb merguez. Killer.
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1/15/2021 - devraj Likes this wine: 93 Points
Youthful reddish purple in color. Classy aromas of cassis, black raspberries, hint of coffee and earth, tobacco leaves. Medium bodied palate shows restrained and silky crushed blackish red small berries, mocha, hint of tobacco, medium acidity, fully absorbed oak, no tannins and a long perfumed finish. Wow! This has not aged one iota, reminds me of a mix of Napa valley Meritage/Bordeaux.
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10/7/2020 - robferguson1 wrote: 91 Points
Cork good , drinking well , very robust and aussie style red
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9/19/2020 - sgsh100 wrote:
Undrinkable...flawed
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6/17/2020 - arthrovine wrote: flawed
Badly flawed with secondary ferment.
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5/1/2020 - Hugh19 Likes this wine: 95 Points
A great vintage of this wine and still drinking well
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11/23/2019 - pclin wrote: 91 Points
Still dark garnet in color, not much bricking. Nose is not entirely clean for this bottle, hints of woods. Massive black fruits, ripe tannins and mostly resolved. ABV 14% with warmth at finish. Fresh acidity, good complexity and long. Drinking now and should continue to hold at this level for a while.
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11/15/2019 - fizz wrote:
Cork half soaked, but secure. 14% alc. Decanted and served.
Black fruits, malt, touch of cedar. Palate is refined, has good intensity and carry. Tannins are fine.
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8/9/2019 - cob Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this bottle. Surprisingly as it opened it became slightly more tannic. Slight bricking however the colour hides its 18 years of age. Stewed blackberry and strawberry on the nose carrying through to the palate. Some sweetness that I tend to associate with Australian wine, certainly not in a bad way. A little blueberry coming through on the back end. Very persistent finish. Will wait another 2-3 years before I open my remaining two bottles. I think this will probably drink well even past that. Great effort.
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6/1/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind Australian Wine (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): Very mature black fruit slightly past its peak and slightly muddy. I liked this much more when tasted just after release in 2003.
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2/21/2019 - chatters wrote:
Dario supper (My place, Kent Street): Served through an aerator. Leather, eucalyptus, muted black currant, earth, mushrooms, pretty much fully mature but there is a fragrant, perfumed blueberry note that opens with time. On the palate it's got chalky tannic grip that is drying and quite peppery with juicy acidity, the palate is generally muted with a little sweet black fruit. It does improve and soften with both food and wine.
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1/1/2019 - robferguson1 wrote: 90 Points
Cork gave trouble , wine was ok but maybe beyond peak.Could be the cab sav was overwhelming the merlot as it tasted a bit hard.
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12/15/2018 - robferguson1 wrote: 92 Points
Cork gave me trouble but I recovered.
Nicely aged , good fruit , not sensational but pleasant.Still more life.
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8/13/2018 - robferguson1 wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant , seemed still young via a touch of green so no hurry. Big , but that comes with the territory
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6/8/2018 - graemeg wrote:
{screwcap, 14%} Still a deep garnet, just a little colour lightening at the rim. Only the barest of development apparent on the nose; it's a bit malty, with currant and black olive aromas. The palate is medium-weight, quite intense, only medium-bodied, but with surprisingly low and fine tannins. Flavours per the nose. Medium acid. Only slightly along its development path, although I'm not sure the tannins will last. Still, likely better in another decade. Not a blockbuster though. Decanted just prior to service; moderate sediment.
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5/7/2018 - RN wrote: 90 Points
Unusual wine. Last 3 bottles consistent. Very tight and lean on opening even after 2 hr decant almost lacking fruit Alot of acidity. Night 2 opened more and gives me the confidence to keep cellaring the balance .....but let’s see what happens.
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12/24/2017 - Ary Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well-made, smooth and elegant Margaret River Cabernet. Well-delineated, loads of ripe dark cherries, some lemon-zest, tar and mocha. Great tension on the smooth palate between the dark fruits, some lemon-zest, good acidity and more secondary notes. Long lingering dark and ripe fruits and some Autumn notes in the finish with good (melted) tannin structure. Beautifully made, well-representing the top-class achievements of the region; a bottle to study and reflect on.
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4/22/2017 - Ian S wrote:
An intense leafy blackcurrant and minty nose leads into a bright yet dark fruited palate with supportive acidity and deceptively grippy tannins. Certainly potential to improve, with room for the tannins to disperse further over maybe another decade, and the wine feels in good shape to hold it's form and offer further complexity over that period.
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2/22/2017 - RN wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and drank 1/2 a bottle over 4hrs. Looking young still. Very lean (green?) with alot of acid and tannin still evident. Fruit hidden and hopefully waiting to emerge and integrate. Not sure. The other 1/2 a bottle tomorrow night might provide more clues. 90 only tonight.
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12/31/2016 - Pverd wrote: 91 Points
Still great colour, hardly any browning, pretty impressive for a cork bottle. This particular bottle was far better on the palate than the nose. The latter had hints of stems and Vegemite . Palate was beautifully structured mid weight Bordeaux style red. Still quite primary with a mix of both red and black fruits with an underlying structural though ripe but firm tannin finish. Needs 5 years at least to gain more palate complexity though that nose is a worry.
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10/13/2016 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
VA
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9/25/2016 - arthrovine wrote:
Under cork, the was stunningly fresh and young. This is excellent. Better at the 4 hour mark. Needs considerable more time, and I am glad I have several to follow. Hopefully, my grubby hands won't find next bottle for 5 years.
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11/30/2015 - Vertigo wrote: 92 Points
I was surprised how fresh the wine still was. It tasted significantly younger than 14 years. Dark fruit, present tannins and good length.
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11/21/2015 - MC wrote:
No decant and a little disjointed but still a nice wine. B+/A-
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11/3/2015 - B Quinn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking extremely well. Very typical Western Australian Cabernet. Still has a long way to go- could last up to another decade.
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9/24/2015 - MC wrote:
Decanted an hour. Ripe red fruit, good concentration, nice finish. This seems to be in its sweet spot and a solid new world wine - in particular when you consider the price. Very enjoyable but I would be safe and drink now. A-
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9/18/2015 - arthrovine wrote:
pop n poured. Followed 2 glasses over 4 hours. This was from a screw capped closure bottling.
There is no way that this is 14 years old. The freshness of the fruit was shocking. (Refilled at some point with E&J??). Tight tannin. Lots of structure. No gloppy fruit here. Finish was medium + length. Wanted more subtlety and nuance tonight and I thought by pulling an adolescent I would get that.
Recent tasting note by Ian spot on...
I am not that familiar with aging wine under screw cap. If this is any representation, then it needs 5-10 more years and will last longer than that. I'm going to have to try a cork closure here soon while the data is still fresh.
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9/16/2015 - Ian S wrote:
Still dark and deep purple, barely a hint of age.
Slightly syrupy black fruits on the nose, but with a pleasing green streak. Fruit is fresher/brighter on the palate reminding me a little of Wynns black label (not damning with faint praise as that may seem). Decent complexity emerging and a noticeably long finish. Tannins hiding behind the fruit but there does seem to be a touch of grip from them in addition to the acidity which is moderately refreshing. Seems nicely poised, but should still have a few years improvement ahead of it.
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1/23/2015 - astroman wrote:
Others complain it is corked but i do not think so. Pizza notes and still pretty lovely.
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1/23/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Well the palate is absolutely lovely. Black currant, tea, red cherries and utterly harmonious. But the nose has some weird tweaky green stuff going on. Like its corked? Too bad, my last 2001 too. Or maybe just many years in the bottle. I am hoping it will calm down...
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11/30/2014 - MC wrote:
this was a base neck fill and the rest are higher fills. Splash decanted an hour, this showed ripe fruit and nice balance and was a bit more forward and full-bodied than expected - but very nice and looking forward to the next bottle. A-
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10/3/2014 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
3110 and Friends: Thankfully a big improvement on a bottle I tried when this was younger. Floral, mulberry, light oak and blackberry. Still very tight and young, the acid and tannins are still forceful but they are starting to blend with the other components. Another 10 years would see this at a really good stage I feel.
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8/20/2014 - MyCellar01 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 30 minutes.
Medium sediment in the bottle.
Dark garnet, impenetrable black heart.
Black currant, leather, light cedar spice, blueberry.
Light mouthfeel, buoyant, sexy fruit- pure.
Medium acidity mid palate, dances away to a light finish. Enjoyable. A wine that does not express power and punch as much as subtle, delicate, combinations of fruit, expression, character and purity.
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4/9/2014 - fizz wrote: 94 Points
Aromas are of perfume, black fruits, hints of cedar. But they are subdued. In comparison, the palate is regal. Powerful but beautifully balanced. The tannins are finely honed, the oak is delightfully integrated. There's chocolate, mocha, cedar, mulberries, graphite. It's complex and finishes long. It's in a nice place right now, but could easily sit in a cool place for another decade it seems.
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4/1/2014 - pclin wrote: 94 Points
This is really impressive, easily one of the best Australian wine tasted in a long long time. Much better than the 98' vintage opened a couple of year ago. Perfumed nose. Notes of dark plum, dark cherry, mocha and very light on oaks. Abundant fruits, fresh acidity with good complexity and balance. Label indicated 14% with slight warmth at finish. This wine does not have the hallmark of over-extraction and over-oak of so many Australian craps. Firm mid-palate and good balance, this should last for a while. Yum! 93-95 pts.
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3/21/2014 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Remains dark; spoilt by pronounced bottle stink, which eventually dissipated; supple, retains good fruit, lovely mouth feel; v. long & finishes so well.
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1/31/2014 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 91 Points
Post CNY dinner at home (Home): Liked this much better than the last bottle. Following an over-oaked Ilatraia this seemed very well balanced. Gave it only a brief decant and the wine was showing well even if it was not the most expressive Bordeaux blend. A noble, tightly wound wine, resembling a bit a Pauillac. This might drink even better in 3-4 years from now. 90-91.
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12/20/2013 - Ian S wrote:
Still dark purple with no signs of age. Leafy/minty blackcurrant on the nose with violets coming through to add complexity and there is also a very faint low note (earthiness?).
Quite juicy, almost spiky acidity keeps this very fresh, but it might be a little assertive for some people. It's dominant enough that the wine feel somewhat one-dimensional on the palate. Some background tannins. Try another in 3-4 years time?
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12/6/2013 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Opened after a 98 Tardieu Cote Rotie and the difference in color was striking. While I would describe both as garnet, the Tardieu was clearly leaning towards the orange / brown spectrum whereas this was on the purple side.
Decanted half of a bottle for 30 min and drank it over the next 2h. Not sure it's me or the wines but just like the Tardieu I did not find this really satisfying either. Dark fruit, menthol/eucalyptus, and then lots of oak and spice give this wine at this point in time a sharpness I don't really care about and which I find in a lot of much cheaper Australian Cab Merlot. Fine to medium tannins and medium finish. I recall the 2000 Cullen as being much more balanced and pleasant. Will see how the rest of the bottle shows tomorrow but for the time being would say hold for another 3-4 years and hope for the best. 89+
After those couple moderately successful experiments recently, is it time again for a good Bordeaux perhaps...?
PS: No concerns in terms of the wine not having the structure to last (as speculated below). Did not feel like finishing the wine and put my last glass of it (which had been decanted for about 3h by then) into the fridge and it showed no signs of decline whatsoever 12h later for lunch
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11/29/2013 - lkatz wrote: 91 Points
great combination of cab and merlot
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8/16/2013 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
A Tale of Two Cabernet Blends (Bedrock Bar & Grill, Pan Pac Suites): A very good, very competently made wine; but at this stage of its development, just a bit soulless. It was clearly new world even in the nose, but not in an overblown way, showing typical Margaret River notes of capsicums and menthol, cassis and blackberries, all tossed up with some tobacco, earth and spice scents. Pretty nice. The palate had a certain sweet ripeness to it. But again, this was very controlled, with mouthfilling flavours of cassis and blackberries moving into a bit of sour plum on the midpalate. The flavours were a bit advanced I thought, with the fruit taking on a bit of a stewed character. The wine was still very youthfully structured though, showing fine, mouth-coating tannins and a lovely, juicy balance that lent the whole package a nice sense of purity. At first, I thought it may have passed its peak because of the developed fruit, but given the balance and freshness and the fine structure, this does seem to have the bones to age for awhile more. This may have suffered from being placed next to a brilliant bottle of 1989 Baron. It is quite yummy stuff - a good, even very good wine on all counts, but seemed just to lack that bit of complexity and nuance to be truly interesting.
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8/16/2013 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
At initial pour, this was quite plum currants with lots of juicy wholesome vit c fruit, v Bordeaux probably like a right bank st emilion. In the decanter this actually became more pauillac with lots of green peppers and Limey red fruit. V classic and better than most 01 bord I had.
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7/9/2013 - Biglama Likes this wine: 90 Points
nog prima, wel op gaan drinken binnenkort, wordt in alles wat minder overtuigend. klassiek gemaakte bordeaux blend met een nieuwe wereld toontje
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6/22/2013 - ChinaBounder wrote:
I've drunk a few Cullens and most have been wonderful.
This was not.
I would say (in the words of Jancis Robinson about the 2012 Mouton, also in my cellar) it is 'correct' - good, well made, clearly a serious wine - but - yet - underwhelming. There is very little clarity of palate, no linger in the mouth, nothing much of what I look for in a fine cab sav.
Cullen is a 'name' wine, and when you are dealing with such a wine there is a danger of the hype overtaking the quality.
But I am not sure this is the case here. I suspect this wine has just shut down a bit. I feel it's still strong, punchy, tanniny, and has five, ten or even fifteen years ahead of it. So I will not touch my remaining bottles of this for at least the lustrum.
However, I would be a little wary of buying this vintage again; I am not quite sure if it has gone to sleep or is just past its best, and hence I will not give a score. So buyer beware.
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6/17/2013 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 93 Points
Really very classic Cabernet. Fairly dark purple color but the nose is definitely more on the red current side. Tons and tons of tannins and got more tannic and the night went on. Also, a lot of acid. This is one to put down.
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5/16/2013 - RN wrote: 89 Points
Drank at WClub. Muted nose. Starting to show some signs of age on the rim. Nice cab fruit but still tight with an unpleasant astringent aftertaste. Decanted for 1.5hrs. By the last sip it was losing its fruit and structure. Not sure if this will be improving at all. Underwhelming.
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5/11/2013 - MyCellar01 wrote: 93 Points
Head to head with 2001 Mount Mary Quintet, came in second by a length. Decanted for one hour.
No hint of ageing, dark ruby in colour with a red cherry rim.
Expressive cherry cola nose. Light to medium body, lovely fruit, sweet and sour cherries, slight alcohol, fine dusty tannins.
Finishes long, however, sour notes and reduced fruit at the end leaving me, well, a little unsatisfied.
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4/23/2013 - Biglama Likes this wine: 91 Points
mooie wijn, prima drinkbaar, klassieke indruk, bordeaux stijl, niet te zwaar, prima in balans, kan nog wel 5 jaar mee
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12/30/2012 - dekay Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Blend of dark/red fruit notes, but faint. Light to medium body; faded fruit and tannins; is nice and has balance, but clearly past its prime.
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10/6/2012 - chodur wrote: 91 Points
Excellent wine, enjoyed it!
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5/21/2012 - Biglama wrote: 94 Points
echt weer een verrassing, heerlijk geuren, eucalyptus, kersen, specerijen, licht boers, smaak is zacht en licht romig, veel inhoud, sterke wijn, nog helemaal in vorm, over 2 dagen gedronken, 2de dag nog mooier
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5/5/2012 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Rim shows no signs of age. Really quite the purple tint to the wine. Graham cracker, eucalyptus and black fruits. Body is med (+), tannin is medium. Acid is medium. Fruit concentration on the palate. Really strays into cola territory. This feels like it's on a rather glacial path of aging. Revisit in 2015 at the earliest.
Day 3 and starting to show some of it's age in the aromas, and now my lack of first day perception is showing that yes, indeed, this wine has some orange tint to the rim. Aromas of red fruit, Brown sugar, forest floor, getting tertiary. Follows to the palate.
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4/14/2012 - Paco55 wrote: 95 Points
- Garnet color - Drank as part of a small wine tasting of 9 bottles of wine from France, Italy, Australia and USA. This accounted for itself beautifully with a sweetness to the fruit that hid the silky tannins although plenty of structure. Lovely wine.
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12/28/2011 - t-slow wrote: 89 Points
Highly extracted. Unimpressive nose. Good weight on palate. Reasonable length. Blueberries, plums and figs characterizes the flavors.
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8/10/2011 - fultonjf wrote: 91 Points
Very concentrated, but also quite refined. Herbal notes are quite lovely. Drinkable now, but I would hope it would continue to develop for a few years
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4/2/2011 - joshwoodward wrote: 91 Points
Churchill's: Customer Appreciation (Maumee, OH): High toned herb nose. Good structure, medium body, restrained body and oak. Acid, slighty acetic. Concentrated.
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2/19/2011 - darren81 wrote:
8.5/10 - Great for drinking now. Blackcurrant and plum, with some dark cherries on cream and chocolate. Tannins are smooth and well resolved. Good structure and length. Wife preferred this to the 2004... but I think the 2004 just barely edges this in the complexity department.
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12/16/2010 - G.M. wrote: 91 Points
Bought in California for a steal. Drank the bottle over two nights next to a '99 Heitz Trailside Cab Sauv. Medium body, and almost no sediment, in dramatic contrast to the Heitz. The classic M.R. dusty nose not evident. Quite complex and savoury. Feel like this would either have either have been better in its youth or if left for another 5-10 yrs?? Possibly had it tough standing up to the $150+ Napa cabs that I was tasting both days.
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10/29/2010 - wineshlub wrote: 90 Points
Aroma of cedar and menthol. Firm tannins support a classic bordeaux style palate of cassis and leather. Plums and a bit of heat in the lingering finish. This still tastes young and vibrant, and is very well structured and balanced overall - though a few cracks do appear in the finish.
Day 2: Mellower, with rich (but not overripe) fruit. Better integration, and no heat, in the finish. Bodes well for the next few years.
I found this for $25 as an end of bin special, and it's an exceptional value at that price. The original tariff is north of $50,and for that price one could arguably do better. Nevertheless, this is a well made wine that is in its prime as it enters its tenth year.
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1/7/2010 - jacktball wrote:
Had with steak. Good, not great. Very smooth. Not enogh tannins for the steak.
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11/15/2009 - steffenpelz wrote:
Wine Salon - November 2009 (Australia) (Chez Jahnke): By far my favorite wine in the first Cab flight. Lovely balance, elegance and finesse. Red fruited with great earthiness and freshness. I really liked this, although it seemed very advanced for a 2001.
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9/15/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Really richly fruited compared to yesterday. Fine, drying tannins. Second day open.
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9/14/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
No sign of bricking or other notes of age to the color -- dark garnet. The most charming violet / green on the nose. Lively and full, with class and structure. Just coming into its drinking window in my opinion. A real beauty.
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9/12/2009 - milwaukeewino wrote:
Opaque. Damn opaque. Some separation at the rim.
Purple. Youthful.
Great nose. Cedar. Violets. Dark fruit. Medium bodied. Firm tannins. Spicy notes.
Palate is fresh, young. Needs time. Great stuff, Bordeaux-like.
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11/28/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Coco, sweet and sour cherry, incredible depth and structure. Very tight (just opened) with touches of pretty greeness. Hell of wine and I am looking forward to the ride.
After drinking this down over the course of eight hours I would still say it is an amzing wine. However, it never really opened up and my experiences with earlier vintages (say 1999) lead me to believe this will need much time. I would actually let this go for another five years before trying again.
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12/20/2007 - Biglama wrote: 94 Points
diep rood, geur is kers en ander donker rood fruit, iets aards met complexiteit, smaak is mooi rond en elegant met veel structuur en alles in de goede verhouding.
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12/2/2007 - albeytw wrote: 92 Points
a bit slim body, elegant in aroma and palate. graphite and earthy notes. a bit closed. very long finish.
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9/20/2007 - MikeZ wrote:
should have checked my previous note prior to opening, this needs to be socked away for a while...solid future ahead.
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7/19/2007 - Biglama wrote: 93 Points
diep donker rood, in de neus wat wild en kreupelhout, rijpe rood fruit en concentratie, smaak is vol met veel body en behoorlijke tannines, mooie balans ,goed gedoseerd. prima blend, iets klassiek van karakter.
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10/2/2006 - Biglama wrote: 92 Points
Diep rode kleur. Geur is in eerste instantie wat gesloten. Later komt de wijn los. Mooi fruit en behoorlijke houttoon.Smaak is elegant met wat lichtvoetigheid. Prettige zuren houden de wijn in een hele mooie conditie. Goede tannines die de wijn een lekkere bite geven. prachtig. kan nog zeker 10 jaar mee
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9/9/2006 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Poured at a retailer tasting. Opaque, with blackberry and currant notes. Dark fruit on the palate, with drying tannins and blueberries.
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4/8/2006 - CamWheeler wrote: 87 Points
Alcoholic heat on the tight nose as well as some violet and cherry aromas. A tannic palate that culminates in a harsh acidic finish. Just a development phase or falling to pieces, I suspect probably the former.
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10/27/2005 - MikeZ wrote:
Outstanding. Bordeaux nose of graphite with some earthy green notes...think Leoville(s) or Pichon(s). Spicy as well. Good depth on the palate with noticeable tannins currently--wonderful fruit. This might qualify as a very nice ringer for a bordeaux tasting. I will wait probably 5+ to re-visit. Opened one because was offered more on close-out and bought based on this bottle's performance.
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9/17/2005 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 86 Points
WineLake I (Coniston): 14%
Almost black appearance. A very open, very attractive nose: very elegant with dense black fruit. Sweet fruit on the palate. A bit overcooked for me and a bit straightforward and simple. Very Good.
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10/5/2003 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Tasting. Bordeaux blend. Lots of black cherry and black currant with good spice. Powerful, yet refined tannic structure. Hold to 2007 or later.
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