Popped and poured. 60/40 Merlot/Cab Franc This had a burnt rubber/skunky streak that I quite enjoyed. A lot going on here. Seemed very developed and firing on all cylinders. Fascinating.
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Clos Rougeard Dinner; 6/16/2014-6/17/2014 (Absinthe, San Francisco): Wonderful weedy green nose; rich full bodied palate, moderated fruit, nice structure throughout, fades a bit toward the finish; medium finish. Great example of traditional styled cab franc wine that has a bigger and smoother palate than the Peter Michael. 92-93
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Cabernet Franc Dinner (featuring Clos Rougeard) (Absinthe - San Francisco, CA): A really beautiful wine that was potentially the closest example to traditional Loire cabernet franc from the US that I've had lately. Wherever you looked there was funky red fruit, roses, and earth. Tannins were perfectly resolved, and the structure was in a great place.
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Cab Franc, Especially Rougeard (Absinthe Brasserie, SF): Brett on the nose, then red cherries. noticeable alcohol. tasted from bordeaux glasses not my usual pinot glasses which would have made the alcohol even more intense on the nose. With air opening up to wet dirty socks and olives. lingering dried herbs on the finish.
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Nice violet color. Nose of plums and blackberries. Lovely plum and blackberry notes with underlying blueberry and pencil lead. Beautiful tannins and a lovely finish that is alkaline enough to grip the tongue but not to curdle it with notes of pencil shavings and cedar. Good stuff, and still going strong.
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Cloudy garnet red with just the faintest initial hints of bricking. Cinnamon and other Christmas spices (spiced crabapple) on the nose with strong alcohol following. Notes of mincemeat pie, cinnamon and Christmas spices, clove, and tart raspberry. This wine is stellar and I would wager a great deal that in a blind testing at least 50% of tasters would mistake it for a Right-bank bordeaux - only the relatively strong alcohol gives the slightest hint of CA origin. The best wine I've had since trying the 2000 Leoville-Poyferrey a few months ago.
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Roby red color. Nose of persimmon, vanilla, pepper, and Christmas spices. Notes of Cinnamon, vanilla, strawberry, some black raspberry, cinnamon, and funk on the finish. I seem to recollect that previous bottles were better.
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Purple mixed with a slight hint of brown in color. Very mild, very integrated nose of distant spice and prunes with somewhat mildewed honey (I know that sounds strange). Silky, almost caressing mouth-feel that is out of this world texture-wise. Notes of chocolate, bitter coffee, honeyed sweetness, vanilla and prunes on the finish. Some cedar and lead pencil shavings as well, especially on the finish. Good acidity that balances well with the moderate tannins. A lingering finish that showcases the spice. I think that this wine is probably a year or three past its prime, but it is still excellent, incredibly well-integrated, and should offer another five-six years of drink-ability. Almost gave it a 93.
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Purple mixed with a slight hint of brown in color. Very mild, very integrated nose of distant spice and prunes with somewhat mildewed honey (I know that sounds strange). Silky, almost caressing mouth-feel that is out of this world texture-wise. Notes of chocolate, bitter coffee, honeyed sweetness, vanilla and prunes on the finish. Good acidity that balances well with the moderate tannins. A lingering finish that showcases the spice. I think that this wine is probably a year or three past its prime, but it is still excellent, incredibly well-integrated, and should offer another five-six years of drink-ability. Almost gave it a 93.
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Tart cherry, pencil lead, mushrooms, Asian spices and black pepper on the nose. Great fruit on the attack - red cherry and blackberry intermingled. Perfectly balanced between primary and secondary tannins, some significant softening, but still a lot of strucuture and no signs of decline. As it opened up, even more sweet black cherry fruit began to predominate. Outstanding. Drank side by side with the 97 - both were excellent.
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Pale garnet color. Nose had heavy barnyard at times, which I hadn't seen in this amount before. But, there was a lot more too, including red fruit, pencil lead, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, & cedar. Outstanding balance with huge fruity attack, white and black pepper, and some bite left on the finish. Certainly can sit beside many Bordeaux. Excellent stuff. Probably could cellar even longer, but it is in a nice spot now.
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Still quite dark, no signs of bricking. Dark blackberry fruit, shoe leather (italian loafers for some reason came to mind!),white pepper and dusty Napa earth on the nose. Good precise blackberry fruit on the palate, but the fruit really balanced with a strong backbone of acidity. Tannins have mellowed and give a little more structure, but melt into an elegant finish. Very, very good.
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Magnificent. No doubt I would call this Bordeaux in a blind tasting, and a terrific Bordeaux at that. Nose of dark cassis, a floral quality, smoke, cedar, and tar; a light to medium weight palate with ideal balance, meaning the tannins are resolved and the acidity is just right, with flavors of dark fruit, minerals and earth, and a more than decent finish. Fantastic. (After drinking our last bottle in July 2006, I sourced three more at a reasonable price... one down, two to go...)
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How good is this?!!! Silky smooth, very Bordeaux-like, dark fruit(plum/blackberry) that's ripe, yet mellow....big flavors of graphite, old leather, mocha powder, dried cherry, tobacco leaves, aged cedar. So so balanced, it's incredible! This wine is silky smooth, yet does have spice, and some acidity to keep it alive. Much so, that this wine can age a lot more years. Imagine the sweet ripe fruit of California, with the smoothness and structure of a Pomerol! This is an eye opener wine...need to check out Havens wines further!
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Found this final bottle in the cellar. Wonderful wine, with a complex,spicy, cab franc nose, and a smoothe, complex taste with a long, delightful finish.
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What a deal! This is really singing now. For $25 it's one of the best QPR's I've ever had. Was consumed over a dinner of veal marsala so detailed notes were not taken.
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Wow! This was my last of four bottles, the first one purchased in 1998. This wine was absolutely outstanding, one of the best QPR ratios ever. Blind, I would have called this Bordeaux. Bricking at the edges, and a nice dark red colorstarts things off. The nose soars with blackberries, dark red fruit, mocha, tobacco, and hints of cedar. Wow! In the mouth the feel is of a beautifully resolved, seamless wine, with a medium body, surprisingly sweet fruit, impeccable balance, and a very nice finish. After two hours (on a very warm evening, to be sure), the wine is changing for the worse, with a loss of the nose and a more alcoholic quality. But with dinner it was truly sublime. I've never had this wonderful a wine for $24.
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9/20/2016 - wDave Likes this wine: 89 Points
20 years on. Still serves well. All there, muted but fine and balanced.
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6/17/2014 - rsbeck wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. 60/40 Merlot/Cab Franc This had a burnt rubber/skunky streak that I quite enjoyed. A lot going on here. Seemed very developed and firing on all cylinders. Fascinating.
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6/17/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Clos Rougeard Dinner; 6/16/2014-6/17/2014 (Absinthe, San Francisco): Wonderful weedy green nose; rich full bodied palate, moderated fruit, nice structure throughout, fades a bit toward the finish; medium finish. Great example of traditional styled cab franc wine that has a bigger and smoother palate than the Peter Michael. 92-93
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6/16/2014 - tooch wrote: 92 Points
Cabernet Franc Dinner (featuring Clos Rougeard) (Absinthe - San Francisco, CA): A really beautiful wine that was potentially the closest example to traditional Loire cabernet franc from the US that I've had lately. Wherever you looked there was funky red fruit, roses, and earth. Tannins were perfectly resolved, and the structure was in a great place.
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6/16/2014 - pwillen1 wrote:
Cab Franc, Especially Rougeard (Absinthe Brasserie, SF): Brett on the nose, then red cherries. noticeable alcohol. tasted from bordeaux glasses not my usual pinot glasses which would have made the alcohol even more intense on the nose. With air opening up to wet dirty socks and olives. lingering dried herbs on the finish.
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6/8/2014 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2001 CA cabs (Anvil Club): Aromas of leather and dark fruit. Red fruit, currants and cherry on the palate along with leather and dried her qualities. 89-90 pts.
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5/6/2014 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 90 Points
It is past its prime but still drinking well.
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11/23/2013 - petermpls Likes this wine: 92 Points
Remarkably youthful given its age - will continue to last but I would drink now.
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2/4/2012 - TexasBob wrote: 92 Points
Nice violet color. Nose of plums and blackberries. Lovely plum and blackberry notes with underlying blueberry and pencil lead. Beautiful tannins and a lovely finish that is alkaline enough to grip the tongue but not to curdle it with notes of pencil shavings and cedar. Good stuff, and still going strong.
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10/14/2011 - TexasBob wrote: 91 Points
No detailed notes - drank late into the night.
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9/5/2011 - TexasBob wrote: 94 Points
Cloudy garnet red with just the faintest initial hints of bricking. Cinnamon and other Christmas spices (spiced crabapple) on the nose with strong alcohol following. Notes of mincemeat pie, cinnamon and Christmas spices, clove, and tart raspberry. This wine is stellar and I would wager a great deal that in a blind testing at least 50% of tasters would mistake it for a Right-bank bordeaux - only the relatively strong alcohol gives the slightest hint of CA origin. The best wine I've had since trying the 2000 Leoville-Poyferrey a few months ago.
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5/15/2011 - TexasBob wrote: 91 Points
Perfume reminds me of St. Julien. No time for notes as consumed at busy dinner party.
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4/23/2011 - TexasBob wrote: 90 Points
Roby red color. Nose of persimmon, vanilla, pepper, and Christmas spices. Notes of Cinnamon, vanilla, strawberry, some black raspberry, cinnamon, and funk on the finish. I seem to recollect that previous bottles were better.
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3/25/2011 - jreis wrote: flawed
Seriously corked.
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1/24/2011 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 87 Points
garnet. Nose of dried herbs, almost a garrigue. Smooth, aged red grape mix that is to be drunk now.
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1/17/2011 - TexasBob wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Bordeaux blend. The previous bottle I tasted was better.
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11/28/2010 - TexasBob wrote: 92 Points
Purple mixed with a slight hint of brown in color. Very mild, very integrated nose of distant spice and prunes with somewhat mildewed honey (I know that sounds strange). Silky, almost caressing mouth-feel that is out of this world texture-wise. Notes of chocolate, bitter coffee, honeyed sweetness, vanilla and prunes on the finish. Some cedar and lead pencil shavings as well, especially on the finish. Good acidity that balances well with the moderate tannins. A lingering finish that showcases the spice. I think that this wine is probably a year or three past its prime, but it is still excellent, incredibly well-integrated, and should offer another five-six years of drink-ability. Almost gave it a 93.
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11/28/2010 - TexasBob wrote: 92 Points
Purple mixed with a slight hint of brown in color. Very mild, very integrated nose of distant spice and prunes with somewhat mildewed honey (I know that sounds strange). Silky, almost caressing mouth-feel that is out of this world texture-wise. Notes of chocolate, bitter coffee, honeyed sweetness, vanilla and prunes on the finish. Good acidity that balances well with the moderate tannins. A lingering finish that showcases the spice. I think that this wine is probably a year or three past its prime, but it is still excellent, incredibly well-integrated, and should offer another five-six years of drink-ability. Almost gave it a 93.
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6/30/2009 - jreis wrote:
Tart cherry, pencil lead, mushrooms, Asian spices and black pepper on the nose. Great fruit on the attack - red cherry and blackberry intermingled. Perfectly balanced between primary and secondary tannins, some significant softening, but still a lot of strucuture and no signs of decline. As it opened up, even more sweet black cherry fruit began to predominate. Outstanding. Drank side by side with the 97 - both were excellent.
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11/25/2008 - joefouche wrote: 94 Points
Pale garnet color. Nose had heavy barnyard at times, which I hadn't seen in this amount before. But, there was a lot more too, including red fruit, pencil lead, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, & cedar. Outstanding balance with huge fruity attack, white and black pepper, and some bite left on the finish. Certainly can sit beside many Bordeaux. Excellent stuff. Probably could cellar even longer, but it is in a nice spot now.
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5/24/2008 - jreis wrote:
Still quite dark, no signs of bricking. Dark blackberry fruit, shoe leather (italian loafers for some reason came to mind!),white pepper and dusty Napa earth on the nose. Good precise blackberry fruit on the palate, but the fruit really balanced with a strong backbone of acidity. Tannins have mellowed and give a little more structure, but melt into an elegant finish. Very, very good.
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4/9/2008 - JScott wrote: 92 Points
Back on form. Very nice bottle, consistent with prior experiences.
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3/16/2008 - JScott wrote: flawed
I think this batch was cooked. Sh*t.
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2/17/2008 - JScott wrote: flawed
Much flatter and duller than prior experiences. Suspect mildly corked.
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1/27/2008 - Mrbuzz wrote: 95 Points
Another great bottle!
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12/16/2007 - g-man wrote: 93 Points
Best bottle yet. Beautifully integrated with complex flavors and a lingering finish.
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10/19/2007 - TheOtherPoster wrote: 92 Points
Magnificent. No doubt I would call this Bordeaux in a blind tasting, and a terrific Bordeaux at that. Nose of dark cassis, a floral quality, smoke, cedar, and tar; a light to medium weight palate with ideal balance, meaning the tannins are resolved and the acidity is just right, with flavors of dark fruit, minerals and earth, and a more than decent finish. Fantastic. (After drinking our last bottle in July 2006, I sourced three more at a reasonable price... one down, two to go...)
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10/17/2007 - Mrbuzz wrote: 95 Points
How good is this?!!! Silky smooth, very Bordeaux-like, dark fruit(plum/blackberry) that's ripe, yet mellow....big flavors of graphite, old leather, mocha powder, dried cherry, tobacco leaves, aged cedar. So so balanced, it's incredible! This wine is silky smooth, yet does have spice, and some acidity to keep it alive. Much so, that this wine can age a lot more years. Imagine the sweet ripe fruit of California, with the smoothness and structure of a Pomerol! This is an eye opener wine...need to check out Havens wines further!
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7/10/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 93 Points
Found this final bottle in the cellar. Wonderful wine, with a complex,spicy, cab franc nose, and a smoothe, complex taste with a long, delightful finish.
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10/11/2006 - g-man wrote: 93 Points
What a deal! This is really singing now. For $25 it's one of the best QPR's I've ever had. Was consumed over a dinner of veal marsala so detailed notes were not taken.
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8/5/2006 - Ibetian wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well now, smoothe, nice complexity, tremendous bargain.
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7/22/2006 - TheOtherPoster wrote: 94 Points
Wow! This was my last of four bottles, the first one purchased in 1998. This wine was absolutely outstanding, one of the best QPR ratios ever. Blind, I would have called this Bordeaux. Bricking at the edges, and a nice dark red colorstarts things off. The nose soars with blackberries, dark red fruit, mocha, tobacco, and hints of cedar. Wow! In the mouth the feel is of a beautifully resolved, seamless wine, with a medium body, surprisingly sweet fruit, impeccable balance, and a very nice finish. After two hours (on a very warm evening, to be sure), the wine is changing for the worse, with a loss of the nose and a more alcoholic quality. But with dinner it was truly sublime. I've never had this wonderful a wine for $24.
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5/8/2006 - JScott wrote: 93 Points
Underrated by a wide margin.
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