Still has some oomph after 20+ years. I decanted it about an hour before consuming. It accompanied grilled lamb chops which made for a delicious pairing. I still have a few bottles left in my cellar and will likely drink them over the next few months. I doubt this will will improve with further ageing but I was pleasantly surprised at how it has held up.
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After reading the past few notes, we decided to pull this one off the shelf to see if it really was past it's time. Well, this wine was outstanding. Full fruit - long lingering finish. Too bad it was our last one.
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Opened four hours before drinking. Upon opening, quite light with ripe and quite sweet fruit. A touch of plum and Christmas cake. This stuck out from hype 96 left bank clarets and seemed almost slightly southern Rhone-like in comparison. Pulls together to show a more fit bank character, not not but ripe and quite sweet fruited. Lacks some depth and complexity cf the others in the flight but a respectable showing and signs of it being really rather a nice wine, though possibly in slight decline now. ***
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Delicious and drinking very well. Obviously very soft, but still has beautiful fruit. It just brought me back to the way wines used to be before "overripe" and "extracted" were required adjectives.
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2008 Epcot F+ W Vertical tasting: Medium garnet in glass with bricking toward edges and loads of sediment. Nice nose of plum, spice, earth. Medium bodied with smooth soft well integrated tannins. Nice plum/prune fruitto cmplement the velvety mouthfeel. Slightly hot on the finish. Very nice wine, drinking very well. (B-).
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Nez aromatique, charmeur, fin et distingué. Viande, cèdre, fruits rouges presque confits et arômes tertiaires s'entremêlent. Bouche fondue et soyeuse, très équilibrée, sur la finesse. Ce vin est en quelque sorte un hybride entre la classe d'un bordeau et la finesse d'un bourgogne. Il pourrait battre des bourgognes et bordeaux vendus beaucoup plus chers.
À boire sans attendre. Fort recommandable!
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Last bottle gone. Bought several cases on the cheap (30 dollars) . A good QPR for Cali meritage. This is representative of the 96 vintage with some good tannin albeit a little bitter on the finish. 89 pts.
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Full bodied, fruit forward, medium long finish. Tannins were strong but not overpowering. The best score in a blind tasting party with Al and Diane. Tasted against a 2000 Matanzas Creek Merlot and a 1995 Ch. Meyney Bordeaux (St. Estephe)
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5/13/2018 - T.H.E. wrote: 90 Points
Still has some oomph after 20+ years. I decanted it about an hour before consuming. It accompanied grilled lamb chops which made for a delicious pairing. I still have a few bottles left in my cellar and will likely drink them over the next few months. I doubt this will will improve with further ageing but I was pleasantly surprised at how it has held up.
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11/18/2016 - kstackle Likes this wine: 92 Points
After reading the past few notes, we decided to pull this one off the shelf to see if it really was past it's time. Well, this wine was outstanding. Full fruit - long lingering finish. Too bad it was our last one.
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11/25/2014 - Coachron13 wrote: 88 Points
At the end of its life. Started a little earthy, then evolved into a soft muted wine. Not a lot of fruit left. Drink them now.
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6/29/2013 - SimonG wrote: 88 Points
Opened four hours before drinking. Upon opening, quite light with ripe and quite sweet fruit. A touch of plum and Christmas cake. This stuck out from hype 96 left bank clarets and seemed almost slightly southern Rhone-like in comparison. Pulls together to show a more fit bank character, not not but ripe and quite sweet fruited. Lacks some depth and complexity cf the others in the flight but a respectable showing and signs of it being really rather a nice wine, though possibly in slight decline now. ***
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2/27/2013 - howardn Likes this wine: 90 Points
Amazing at this age! Still lots of structure, taste and fruit. Nice!
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7/12/2012 - aimandel wrote:
This is listed as past it's prime, but it still has several years left in it. Black cherry, blackberry, granite, leather and a little cigarbox.
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11/15/2011 - BDofMSP wrote: 89 Points
Delicious and drinking very well. Obviously very soft, but still has beautiful fruit. It just brought me back to the way wines used to be before "overripe" and "extracted" were required adjectives.
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4/5/2009 - winemaker wrote: 90 Points
This was still drinking well on day two. Not bad for a 13 yo California Meritage.
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1/25/2009 - Partenaire wrote: flawed
C'était notre dernière bouteille de ce vin exceptionnel! Dommage!!!
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11/18/2008 - Salute wrote: 90 Points
Very good bottle - cork fell apart, so we decanted. Good thing as there was sediment, and this wine is much better after opening up a bit.
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10/26/2008 - Combee1 wrote: 89 Points
2008 Epcot F+ W Vertical tasting: Medium garnet in glass with bricking toward edges and loads of sediment. Nice nose of plum, spice, earth. Medium bodied with smooth soft well integrated tannins. Nice plum/prune fruitto cmplement the velvety mouthfeel. Slightly hot on the finish. Very nice wine, drinking very well. (B-).
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6/4/2008 - jrsobeck wrote: 89 Points
Drank on 5/30/08. Little earthy but opened up after 20 minutes. Lots of ripe fruit, smooth on the mid palate and finish.
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3/10/2007 - Partenaire wrote: 94 Points
Quel beau vin! De la classe!
Nez aromatique, charmeur, fin et distingué. Viande, cèdre, fruits rouges presque confits et arômes tertiaires s'entremêlent. Bouche fondue et soyeuse, très équilibrée, sur la finesse. Ce vin est en quelque sorte un hybride entre la classe d'un bordeau et la finesse d'un bourgogne. Il pourrait battre des bourgognes et bordeaux vendus beaucoup plus chers.
À boire sans attendre. Fort recommandable!
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12/31/2006 - SadEdjo wrote:
ruby red. cassis & lead pencil. subtle mouth feel. thinning ('receding fruit-line'): drink soon
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11/15/2006 - chris_3 wrote: 85 Points
Nicely light flavor and balance. Not great but nicely aged interesting flavor
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6/11/2006 - biegs wrote: 89 Points
We enjoyed this wine very much, was nice on the fnish.
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8/14/2005 - EyeDoc wrote:
Last bottle gone. Bought several cases on the cheap (30 dollars) . A good QPR for Cali meritage. This is representative of the 96 vintage with some good tannin albeit a little bitter on the finish. 89 pts.
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3/5/2005 - JWA wrote: 88 Points
Full bodied, fruit forward, medium long finish. Tannins were strong but not overpowering. The best score in a blind tasting party with Al and Diane. Tasted against a 2000 Matanzas Creek Merlot and a 1995 Ch. Meyney Bordeaux (St. Estephe)
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