No detailed notes, but this was head and shoulders better than the last bottle. This was a beautiful cab walking the line between fruit and tertiary character.
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Very soft cork and signs of seepage. Had to rescue the cork with a Durand after it split in half with an ah so. Deep back fruit and cassis on the nose, some fruit and herbs on the palate. Definitely showed its best after a good 30 minutes of air. Missing some of the nuance I was expecting, and finished a bit austere. Probably not a fully representative bottle given the cork issue. 91 if rating.
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Slightly different experience than the last bottle, but in a very good way. About a 30 minute decant. Nose still somewhat modest, but incredible, with red and black fruit and a clear eucalyptus note. Perfectly integrated tannins. Didn't get the same sense of silkiness noted before. Slightly short on the finish. This was better early on; after about 2 hours some blackberry liquor emerged. A really nice bottle of aged cab. 93+
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Agree with the last taster that the nose on this is quite muted. I think "restrained" is the best description I can think of for the overall experience - this is the exact opposite of an over-extracted, jammy CA cab. Dark fruit and some earth on the palate. What really struck me was the mouth feel - this came the as close to literally being "silky" as I've had in a wine.
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Gets me excited to drink a 2002 Shafer Hillside. Really nice fruit flavor, big, bold and long. May be getting a little on the flabby side (definitely noticed 3rd night under pump) but fun to drink.
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Had this bottle with a Tomahawk steak at Ruth's Chris. This bottle was Awesome ! Still big with a long finish. I think it still has another 2-3 years to go.
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Needs time - still very tightly wound, tannins dominated the first night, despite double decanting, lots of dark fruit and much more rich mouthfeel the second.
Will easily carry another 5 years or so.
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This has improved significantly over the two years since my last bottle, and shows best with at least an hour of air. The nose lags a touch behind the palate, which is full of juicy black fruits, a pleasantly savory earthiness, and a healthy dash of spice. The tannins are still noticeable and suggest that there are plenty of good years ahead for this wine. In fact, I think it might still have another 1-2 years before it reaches peak. Well done!
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I figured the clock was ticking on this one but it is drinking wonderfully - so much so that I woudn't worry about rushing to the door if I had any more... Great Vintage + Great Vines + Great Producer = Great Experience in the typical Shafer style
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lacking the lush fruit and integration I had experienced in prior bottles, this wine was very good and held its own to a 14 oz ribeye at BLT steak nicely. Was a decent second choice as my first didnt open up nicely, but I was looking for a bit more, which is what kept it at 89.
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Opened and let it breath in bottle for 1 hr. Aromas of dark fruits and spice.....sweet aromas. Flavors of blueberries, currents, plums with a very smooth velvety mouthfeel. Medium acidity (maybe not enough to go with food). The tannins are polished and well integrated with the fruit. Long finish with dark chocolate tones. Long aftertaste of at least 1+ minutes.
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Always a great cab. Powerful but balanced, great dark fruit, dusty element, nice finish. Price hikes as of late are frustrating... this bottle at $50-55 was nice. $75 is too much for this wine.
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Deep red color, beautiful nose, light tannins, softened ever greater after a 30 minute decant, wine drank well with NY Strip. Nice fruit, not discernable as one fruit or another, but a nice Napa Cab flavor. I liked alot, makes we want to hold on to the one point fives I have for longer....
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black garnet. Nose was cassis galore. Taste was alcoholic, cassis, licorice. I think a hair imbalanced and what the HSS isn't in this year. Good, but hard to match with food.
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Wow was this just perfect -- had as a standalone bottle after dinner while sitting on deck and talking to neighbors. It was just delicious -- perfectly aged and ready to go. Could handle a fatty meat or just as a pure pleasure drinker! Loved it if you cannot tell.
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Final quaff from a 375, and a shame that this was my last. Poor stems from a Residence Inn, and as noted in a recent prior note, tannins are becoming sweeter than I prefer. Still, this wine is in its sweet spot. Can't discern a nose from these stems but this is a nicely-balanced wine that has solid structure, and a great balance between fruit and tannins. At $20 for a half-bottle, this is has been one of my best-valued wines to sample over the last 6 years, and is a great Napa cab. If I could find full bottles I'd continue to enjoy them over the coming 2-3 years.
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Pop and pour. Not much different than my March 2011 notes. Tannins are becoming a little too sweet for my liking, lacking some of the lushness and deep fruit that we tend to enjoy. Still a very nice wine, which put on some weight and saw some of the sweetness diminish with air-time in the bottle. Will drink my final 1/2 bottle in the coming weeks.
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Rich yet balanced, with dark fruit and some earthy/mineral elements that convey a sense of complexity. Full-bodied with a medium+ finish. Drinking at peak, but I expect this will hold there for another 5 years.
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Nicely aged Napa Cab. The spices of Stags Leap were right there on the nose and on the palate. Really interesting, balanced wine. The palate had red fruits mixed in. Sorry I only had one!
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Decanted 90 minutes. This is now hitting its stride (last note was '09). Dark violet. The nose has deep dark berries and cassis, with smokey vanilla, tobacco and whiff of mint chocolate. The palate still has medium+ fruit intensity, but the tannins are now softer, almost sweet, and serve to fill out the midpalate, giving a velvety texture. Nicely balanced. Good length. Surprisingly satisfying and a good match with Waygu ribeyes. Should hold here for several years.
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A good Napa Cab, but nothing to write home about. Though the fruit was still well concentrated, there was little complexity and a short finish. I would drink before it goes downhill any further.
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Decanted and immediately consumed. Tobacco, plum and faint oak on the nose. Black fruits are slightly dominated by Raspberry and dark cherry. See Aug '10 notes; this wine is in its peak and drinking fabulously.
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Very nice, too big actually, but you can't argue that it's really tasty - Black, full bodied with a nose of black fruit, plum, leather, cigar box and vanilla, huge, but balanced, sweet on the palate, smooth on the finish with terrific length, awesome! (93 Points).
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Decanted and consumed (without any waiting time in the decanter) over 3 hrs. Aroma of dark fruit and plum fills the cellar when pouring into the decanter. Although the wine starts out like a very young calicab, it doesn't take more than 45 mins for this to begin toning down significantly. While dark fruits, cedar and currants remain strong components, the incredibly-sweet tanins and an a little glycerin add a dimension and depth, along with a 45+ second finish. If you hold some of the wine in your mouth you can actually taste layers of wood - like grains - building over time. Solid wine with many years still ahead of it. While this started as a 91, it ended as a 94.
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Dennis, jimmy, BT and i drank this and truly enjoyed. Nice fruit, can go awhile. I really wanted to get on one as i have a few. You can enjoy this as a "baby hss". It's not though. It is more uniquely a bordeaux style flavor. goo dstuff. I'm thinking a holiday 2010 wine for sure and then beyond!!!!!
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Excellent compexity and depth. Paired nicely with quail. This bottle was in perfect storage and in my humble opinion, will not improve with further ageing...so enjoy now!
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Decanted 4 hours (initially closed and much sediment). Youthful reddish violet. Expressive aromas of dark berries, cassis, smokey chocolate and peppery spice. Good medium+ fruit intensity on entry which fades a bit midpalate. Firm bright texture from tannins and acid with chalky minerals, wouldn't call this veltety this time. Nicely balanced and terrific with grilled ribeyes.
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What a wine - some bottles have floored me, others bored me. This one was served with barbecued lamb - went down very nicely but given the price was really just "ok". Powerful oaky Cali Cab but probably needs a good couple of hours breating before being enjoyed.
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Not decanted. Opened up nicely in the glass over minutes. Nice dark cherry nose with some cassis, vanilla and light peppery spices. Palate bordering on thick and weighty, but is definitely shy of that. Soft tannins and light acidity and I agree with others characterizing this as velvety. Finishes with layered dark fruit. Perfect match for Memorial Day Kobeburghers
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Second bottle of this wine and far less enjoyable than the first (though by no means a bad wine) - drank post curry and in about an hour so no time to breathe which may explain the disparity...
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From 0.375 Decanted and immediately consumed. This is doing very well. Extremely approachable and enjoyable. Good fruit base, nice mouthfeel. This still has some time ahead of it, but its in great form today.
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Lots of cassis on the nose with a bit of cherry. Black cherry and blackberry really comes out on the mid-palate wrapping up with earth and spices. Very well balanced and a nice log finish. Great!
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Brought to a double blind offline, but this was bottle #10 for 6 people... so by the time we got to it I had some palate fatigue. On of the more experienced tasters was convinced this was Cali syrah. When I popped it it smelled of beautiful blueberries, framed in a touch of wood. Brought 1/3 of the bottle home and tonite it is lovely. Still a prominance of dark berries with a cool midpalate feel, with a bit of eucalyptus and cedar.
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Very good bottle of wine. Agree with most posts that this offered classic cab flavors with firm tannin. Currant, cherry, smokey oak flavors dominated. Very good.
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Terrific classic Napa Cab. The color was deep ruby red and looked lucious as we decanted the bottle for a New Years dinner with friends. The nose was of rich fruit, cinnamon and soft oak. The wine was open from the onset, as though the decanting was for aethstetic value alone. Firm tannins gave this a good mouthfeel, as the finish lingers as smooth as velvet, and not the "young Elvis painted on black velvet" either; this is truly smooth. Cherries, oak, spice and maybe a hint of leather on the taste. If I had another bottle, however, I don't think I'd wait much longer to open it up. This is at it's prime right now.
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No formal note. Classic Napa Cab profile. Yummy nose of currant, red fruit, and oak, although a bit tight at first. A little lean on the palette, with cherry, currant, and dusty tannins. Ever so slight hint of green on the mid-palate. Nice wine, but uninspiring. At this price, C/B-.
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I really like this tonight. my favorite vs 02 Plumpjack and 02 Don Melchor. an incredible nose of licorice and black fruits. nice mouth but not at the same level. a strong acid backbone with some good fruit.
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Aromas of cassis, some toasted oak, and spice. Full-bodied, with black currant,some pepper, and spiciness on the finish. Well-balanced. Drinking well now for the fruitiness but seems like it has the capacity to age and develop some complexity.
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This wine was a monolithic beast. It showed a wall of oak that never really dissapated. Hard to get a read for a few reasons. (Fifth of the night w/3+ drinkers). Needs a ton of time.
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From .375. When opened and immediately poured, this remained tight and unevolved during about 45 mins in glass. When the contents of the glass and balance of bttl were poured into a decanter and shaken up a bit this began showing some dark fruits and leather. About an hour after decanting this had opened significantly, with the early harsh edges gone and the tanins softened.
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Good stuff. All California. Dark deep, rich, high alcohol that sticks to the glass. Dark fruits with ink and oak. Will get better with time. Had with Filet Mignon with pink peppercorn cabernet butter, whipped potatos and asparagus.
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Tasted July 15, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Titan Cabernet glass. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of “green beans” (not in a “bad” way). Also some red cherries and red berries. Nose was a little closed to me. Flavors of red cherries, red berries and red currants. Light to medium acidity. Light to medium tannins. Medium bodied. Fairly well integrated and balanced overall. Drink over the short to mid term. No value recommendation.
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Dark rich purplish color with muted cabby nose of blueberries and tart black cherry. Nice and firm grip with a tannic structure that kicks in on the mid palate and gives a slow lingering finish with a light chocolate and coffee nuance. A tamed firmness that went well with a mixed grill of beef and lamb.
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.375 opened and consumed over 90 mins. Just a nice strip steak, myself playing bachelor for the night, and an enjoyable bottle! Soft black fruits and chocolate were the predominant flavors; this didn't strike me as a huge or tight wine, but was very balanced. It tasted MUCH BETTER than when I sampled this at the winery in the Fall; I'm sure the smaller format had something to do with its evolution.
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So glad I bought a case of this. Smooth from the get go. Just a very nice all around bottle. Nice finish, and over the next 3 hours, kept going strong.
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Very tight. I think the structure will ultimately serve me well but right now much of the pleasure is overwhelmed by a mouthful of tight dry tannins. Shoulda waited. Oops.
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Blind tasting follies - Bryant, Sloan, Pride, Abreu and Skyhawk(??): Blind: Big wine. Powerful, ripe and concentrated. Long finish. Outstanding wine! 200+ After reveal: group score 92.5. Everyone though it must be the Hillside Select, but it was definitely the "regular" Napa bottling. Great showing for the wine. This is getting embarrassing!
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Out at a restaurant for Valentines weekend. Dark Purple medium to full bodied. Very much fruit dominated at first, a bit of currant and chocholate. Long smooth finish. Well ballanced.
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Drank this side by side with the 2001 Shafer. This wine clearly had a bigger and more full bodied structure than the 01. Probably could stand another yr or two in the cellar. The 01 was more approachable and likely will not improve but didn't quite have the concentration or finish of the 02.
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Dark purple and a nose that quietly evolves with time starting with pungent and condensed berries to a backing of light licorice candy. Over time the aroma seemed to be muted a tad, but one thing that did hang on was a grip that, while not over bearing on entry, did last on the finish with a tannic structure that was very even, and indeed, helped give a pleasing and lasting finish.
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I'm not sure I was able to get a proper evaluation of this wine at the tasting last weekend. I tried it right after some St. Andre cheese. The wine was concentrated with notes of chocolate and licorice. However, it seemed overly bitter. 83 points.
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Opened rather thin but after an hour it came around. The best I can say is this wine is very correct. Medium to full body. Nice nose of fruit with some wood. On the palate full fruit with some vanilla. Nice wine not particularly inspiring.
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8/7/2021 - JCGuthrie wrote: 93 Points
No detailed notes, but this was head and shoulders better than the last bottle. This was a beautiful cab walking the line between fruit and tertiary character.
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7/10/2021 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Very soft cork and signs of seepage. Had to rescue the cork with a Durand after it split in half with an ah so. Deep back fruit and cassis on the nose, some fruit and herbs on the palate. Definitely showed its best after a good 30 minutes of air. Missing some of the nuance I was expecting, and finished a bit austere. Probably not a fully representative bottle given the cork issue. 91 if rating.
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4/8/2020 - JCGuthrie wrote: 93 Points
Slightly different experience than the last bottle, but in a very good way. About a 30 minute decant. Nose still somewhat modest, but incredible, with red and black fruit and a clear eucalyptus note. Perfectly integrated tannins. Didn't get the same sense of silkiness noted before. Slightly short on the finish. This was better early on; after about 2 hours some blackberry liquor emerged. A really nice bottle of aged cab. 93+
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12/9/2019 - Brad Tsai Likes this wine: 93 Points
The occasion and mood was perfect. Especially, The wine was perfect choice.
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11/15/2019 - JCGuthrie wrote: 92 Points
Agree with the last taster that the nose on this is quite muted. I think "restrained" is the best description I can think of for the overall experience - this is the exact opposite of an over-extracted, jammy CA cab. Dark fruit and some earth on the palate. What really struck me was the mouth feel - this came the as close to literally being "silky" as I've had in a wine.
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12/7/2018 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Muted nose gives way to currants, plums and berries. Nice and smooth. Finishes with a bit of mint.
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9/3/2018 - spectrumphoto Likes this wine: 95 Points
Its the latter half of 2018 and this wine is a rockin.... If you have, drink...if you want buy n drink but do not store
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8/7/2018 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
excellent
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4/21/2018 - B&PBaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Smooth soft fruit. Long silky finish. All the great Napa Cab flavors.
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4/11/2018 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
Gets me excited to drink a 2002 Shafer Hillside. Really nice fruit flavor, big, bold and long. May be getting a little on the flabby side (definitely noticed 3rd night under pump) but fun to drink.
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12/25/2016 - mlawren1 wrote: 91 Points
Nice but overpowered by some other wines. Good stone fruit but nothing spectacular
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12/25/2015 - cabernet5 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Had this bottle with a Tomahawk steak at Ruth's Chris. This bottle was Awesome ! Still big with a long finish. I think it still has another 2-3 years to go.
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8/9/2015 - fbrawley Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour. Great wine! Still fairly big to medium body with a smooth finish. Drinking great
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11/29/2014 - EMTAME wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle of mature Napa cab. I could drink this all day and never tire of it.
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5/19/2014 - brianofthevine wrote: 91 Points
Better than last time with ripe black cherry and chocolate notes, long finish, smooth tannins.
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2/22/2014 - EducatedDrunk wrote:
Needs time - still very tightly wound, tannins dominated the first night, despite double decanting, lots of dark fruit and much more rich mouthfeel the second.
Will easily carry another 5 years or so.
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10/7/2013 - EMTAME wrote: 93 Points
This has improved significantly over the two years since my last bottle, and shows best with at least an hour of air. The nose lags a touch behind the palate, which is full of juicy black fruits, a pleasantly savory earthiness, and a healthy dash of spice. The tannins are still noticeable and suggest that there are plenty of good years ahead for this wine. In fact, I think it might still have another 1-2 years before it reaches peak. Well done!
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9/9/2013 - norsktorsk wrote: 92 Points
This wine is very nice and drinking nicely. As expected.
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5/18/2013 - edjBoca wrote: 92 Points
Drinking great....
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4/5/2013 - sirswami wrote: 91 Points
I figured the clock was ticking on this one but it is drinking wonderfully - so much so that I woudn't worry about rushing to the door if I had any more... Great Vintage + Great Vines + Great Producer = Great Experience in the typical Shafer style
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1/12/2013 - jfkwines wrote: 89 Points
lacking the lush fruit and integration I had experienced in prior bottles, this wine was very good and held its own to a 14 oz ribeye at BLT steak nicely. Was a decent second choice as my first didnt open up nicely, but I was looking for a bit more, which is what kept it at 89.
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12/25/2012 - Matt_Vino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and let it breath in bottle for 1 hr. Aromas of dark fruits and spice.....sweet aromas. Flavors of blueberries, currents, plums with a very smooth velvety mouthfeel. Medium acidity (maybe not enough to go with food). The tannins are polished and well integrated with the fruit. Long finish with dark chocolate tones. Long aftertaste of at least 1+ minutes.
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11/5/2012 - Fookonson65 wrote: 94 Points
Always a great cab. Powerful but balanced, great dark fruit, dusty element, nice finish. Price hikes as of late are frustrating... this bottle at $50-55 was nice. $75 is too much for this wine.
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1/14/2012 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful.
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1/1/2012 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Deep red color, beautiful nose, light tannins, softened ever greater after a 30 minute decant, wine drank well with NY Strip. Nice fruit, not discernable as one fruit or another, but a nice Napa Cab flavor. I liked alot, makes we want to hold on to the one point fives I have for longer....
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10/13/2011 - brianofthevine wrote: 89 Points
Black cherry, chocolate, muted fruit, decent finish.
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10/6/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 91 Points
Really solid with nice classic Napa cab character. Nice fruit, smooth tannins, and a long finish. Perfect age for this wine.
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9/16/2011 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 90 Points
black garnet. Nose was cassis galore. Taste was alcoholic, cassis, licorice. I think a hair imbalanced and what the HSS isn't in this year. Good, but hard to match with food.
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9/11/2011 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 92 Points
Wow was this just perfect -- had as a standalone bottle after dinner while sitting on deck and talking to neighbors. It was just delicious -- perfectly aged and ready to go. Could handle a fatty meat or just as a pure pleasure drinker! Loved it if you cannot tell.
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8/23/2011 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Solid wine, plums and cherries with a bit of berry underneath. Long time to go for this one.
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8/13/2011 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Final quaff from a 375, and a shame that this was my last. Poor stems from a Residence Inn, and as noted in a recent prior note, tannins are becoming sweeter than I prefer. Still, this wine is in its sweet spot. Can't discern a nose from these stems but this is a nicely-balanced wine that has solid structure, and a great balance between fruit and tannins. At $20 for a half-bottle, this is has been one of my best-valued wines to sample over the last 6 years, and is a great Napa cab. If I could find full bottles I'd continue to enjoy them over the coming 2-3 years.
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8/7/2011 - RJandGB wrote: 89 Points
This is drinking well now. A solid balanced Stags Leap District Cab.
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6/19/2011 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. Not much different than my March 2011 notes. Tannins are becoming a little too sweet for my liking, lacking some of the lushness and deep fruit that we tend to enjoy. Still a very nice wine, which put on some weight and saw some of the sweetness diminish with air-time in the bottle. Will drink my final 1/2 bottle in the coming weeks.
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6/17/2011 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
Rich yet balanced, with dark fruit and some earthy/mineral elements that convey a sense of complexity. Full-bodied with a medium+ finish. Drinking at peak, but I expect this will hold there for another 5 years.
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4/23/2011 - iamandyc wrote: 93 Points
Nicely aged Napa Cab. The spices of Stags Leap were right there on the nose and on the palate. Really interesting, balanced wine. The palate had red fruits mixed in. Sorry I only had one!
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4/4/2011 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 90 minutes. This is now hitting its stride (last note was '09). Dark violet. The nose has deep dark berries and cassis, with smokey vanilla, tobacco and whiff of mint chocolate. The palate still has medium+ fruit intensity, but the tannins are now softer, almost sweet, and serve to fill out the midpalate, giving a velvety texture. Nicely balanced. Good length. Surprisingly satisfying and a good match with Waygu ribeyes. Should hold here for several years.
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4/3/2011 - mmontejano wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Very nice.
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3/27/2011 - WineGirlOne wrote: 89 Points
A good Napa Cab, but nothing to write home about. Though the fruit was still well concentrated, there was little complexity and a short finish. I would drink before it goes downhill any further.
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3/21/2011 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and immediately consumed. Tobacco, plum and faint oak on the nose. Black fruits are slightly dominated by Raspberry and dark cherry. See Aug '10 notes; this wine is in its peak and drinking fabulously.
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2/19/2011 - mmontejano wrote: 91 Points
Not ready yet.
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2/6/2011 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
rich cherries and plums finishes with a hint of vanilla.
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2/5/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 91 Points
Really nice- good fruit still, a bit of leather and spice. Very complex and a nice long finish. Still lots of life in this wine.
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12/12/2010 - John McCabe wrote: 91 Points
I generally like Shafer a lot, but found this to be just ok. 2nd day was about the same.
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11/25/2010 - pogy4 Likes this wine:
Thanksgiving
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10/2/2010 - Richard M wrote: 92 Points
Inky goodness, rich fruit, balanced w burnt embers. Still young, surprisingly good, should age well, will hold the rest for several years more.
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8/29/2010 - Tarrant wrote: 93 Points
Very nice, too big actually, but you can't argue that it's really tasty - Black, full bodied with a nose of black fruit, plum, leather, cigar box and vanilla, huge, but balanced, sweet on the palate, smooth on the finish with terrific length, awesome! (93 Points).
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8/20/2010 - mlawren1 wrote: 91 Points
Bit of vanilla over some cherries and currants.
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8/14/2010 - davidandrose wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and consumed (without any waiting time in the decanter) over 3 hrs. Aroma of dark fruit and plum fills the cellar when pouring into the decanter. Although the wine starts out like a very young calicab, it doesn't take more than 45 mins for this to begin toning down significantly. While dark fruits, cedar and currants remain strong components, the incredibly-sweet tanins and an a little glycerin add a dimension and depth, along with a 45+ second finish. If you hold some of the wine in your mouth you can actually taste layers of wood - like grains - building over time. Solid wine with many years still ahead of it. While this started as a 91, it ended as a 94.
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6/11/2010 - wfdeacon wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherry jam and cream of cassis, woody, rich mouth feel, still prominent tannins. No rush on this.
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6/11/2010 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Layers of currants, plums and cherries. Finish goes from licorice to cassis to a bit of cedar. Still has at least 10 years until it peaks.
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3/15/2010 - jfkwines wrote:
Dennis, jimmy, BT and i drank this and truly enjoyed. Nice fruit, can go awhile. I really wanted to get on one as i have a few. You can enjoy this as a "baby hss". It's not though. It is more uniquely a bordeaux style flavor. goo dstuff. I'm thinking a holiday 2010 wine for sure and then beyond!!!!!
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2/10/2010 - Al-Vino wrote: 92 Points
Excellent compexity and depth. Paired nicely with quail. This bottle was in perfect storage and in my humble opinion, will not improve with further ageing...so enjoy now!
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1/7/2010 - goofy Yno wrote: 91 Points
cassias, blackberry nose, nice round balanced mouth, not very complex but very drinkable.
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11/23/2009 - thomaskeil wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 4 hours (initially closed and much sediment). Youthful reddish violet. Expressive aromas of dark berries, cassis, smokey chocolate and peppery spice. Good medium+ fruit intensity on entry which fades a bit midpalate. Firm bright texture from tannins and acid with chalky minerals, wouldn't call this veltety this time. Nicely balanced and terrific with grilled ribeyes.
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11/15/2009 - S. Lorin wrote: 91 Points
this baby hillside is showing well - dark berries, cassis, medium bodied, smooth tannins and a substantial finish
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8/2/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour from a 375. Still drinking beautifully, and wish I had more than 1 bottle left. This is good for another 5-10 years.
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1/31/2009 - spotfin wrote: 90 Points
Decent cab, a bit simple.
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10/14/2008 - lozatron wrote: 92 Points
Yum Yum. Drunk from a half bottle over the course of an evening. Just a spot on version of what a Cali Cab should be.
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9/30/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 91 Points
smoky blackberry nose, nice balance with ripe fruit, very drinkable.
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7/30/2008 - lozatron wrote: 89 Points
What a wine - some bottles have floored me, others bored me. This one was served with barbecued lamb - went down very nicely but given the price was really just "ok". Powerful oaky Cali Cab but probably needs a good couple of hours breating before being enjoyed.
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5/28/2008 - thomaskeil wrote: 90 Points
Not decanted. Opened up nicely in the glass over minutes. Nice dark cherry nose with some cassis, vanilla and light peppery spices. Palate bordering on thick and weighty, but is definitely shy of that. Soft tannins and light acidity and I agree with others characterizing this as velvety. Finishes with layered dark fruit. Perfect match for Memorial Day Kobeburghers
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5/25/2008 - lozatron wrote: 88 Points
Second bottle of this wine and far less enjoyable than the first (though by no means a bad wine) - drank post curry and in about an hour so no time to breathe which may explain the disparity...
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5/20/2008 - lozatron wrote: 92 Points
Drunk over three nights with friends - chewy, powerful wine with depth and complexity.
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3/26/2008 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
From 0.375 Decanted and immediately consumed. This is doing very well. Extremely approachable and enjoyable. Good fruit base, nice mouthfeel. This still has some time ahead of it, but its in great form today.
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2/29/2008 - Mike Bates wrote: 91 Points
Lots of cassis on the nose with a bit of cherry. Black cherry and blackberry really comes out on the mid-palate wrapping up with earth and spices. Very well balanced and a nice log finish. Great!
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2/22/2008 - chicagobagley wrote: 91 Points
Really liked this one, lots of fruit flavor, not too tannic and well integrated.
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2/5/2008 - gzim wrote: 90 Points
Brought to a double blind offline, but this was bottle #10 for 6 people... so by the time we got to it I had some palate fatigue.
On of the more experienced tasters was convinced this was Cali syrah.
When I popped it it smelled of beautiful blueberries, framed in a touch of wood. Brought 1/3 of the bottle home and tonite it is lovely. Still a prominance of dark berries with a cool midpalate feel, with a bit of eucalyptus and cedar.
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1/12/2008 - jnanz wrote: 91 Points
Very good bottle of wine. Agree with most posts that this offered classic cab flavors with firm tannin. Currant, cherry, smokey oak flavors dominated. Very good.
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1/1/2008 - jrglm wrote: 93 Points
Terrific classic Napa Cab. The color was deep ruby red and looked lucious as we decanted the bottle for a New Years dinner with friends. The nose was of rich fruit, cinnamon and soft oak. The wine was open from the onset, as though the decanting was for aethstetic value alone. Firm tannins gave this a good mouthfeel, as the finish lingers as smooth as velvet, and not the "young Elvis painted on black velvet" either; this is truly smooth. Cherries, oak, spice and maybe a hint of leather on the taste. If I had another bottle, however, I don't think I'd wait much longer to open it up. This is at it's prime right now.
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12/21/2007 - Combee1 wrote: 89 Points
No formal note. Classic Napa Cab profile. Yummy nose of currant, red fruit, and oak, although a bit tight at first. A little lean on the palette, with cherry, currant, and dusty tannins. Ever so slight hint of green on the mid-palate. Nice wine, but uninspiring. At this price, C/B-.
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12/1/2007 - jctaylor wrote: 93 Points
Big bold wine, dark fruit palate, beautiful nose. Tight but opened with some air time. Drying tannins on the long finish. Excellent bottle.
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10/2/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 92 Points
I really like this tonight. my favorite vs 02 Plumpjack and 02 Don Melchor. an incredible nose of licorice and black fruits. nice mouth but not at the same level. a strong acid backbone with some good fruit.
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6/24/2007 - mas01950 wrote: 91 Points
Aromas of cassis, some toasted oak, and spice. Full-bodied, with black currant,some pepper, and spiciness on the finish. Well-balanced. Drinking well now for the fruitiness but seems like it has the capacity to age and develop some complexity.
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6/4/2007 - King Cab wrote:
This wine was a monolithic beast. It showed a wall of oak that never really dissapated. Hard to get a read for a few reasons. (Fifth of the night w/3+ drinkers). Needs a ton of time.
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2/12/2007 - Surferdude wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. For my money this is the best 50 dollar bottle out there. De-lish. "So choice, if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up".
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12/28/2006 - davidandrose wrote: 91 Points
From .375. When opened and immediately poured, this remained tight and unevolved during about 45 mins in glass. When the contents of the glass and balance of bttl were poured into a decanter and shaken up a bit this began showing some dark fruits and leather. About an hour after decanting this had opened significantly, with the early harsh edges gone and the tanins softened.
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12/15/2006 - Mike V wrote: 92 Points
Much better than 1 year ago.
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10/17/2006 - markswine wrote: 91 Points
Good stuff. All California. Dark deep, rich, high alcohol that sticks to the glass. Dark fruits with ink and oak. Will get better with time. Had with Filet Mignon with pink peppercorn cabernet butter, whipped potatos and asparagus.
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10/5/2006 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
Uncorked USA/OZ Tasting (Uncorked, London): Inky, very attractive, full blackcurren, quite big, a hint of oak with slateyness behind. Nice
X
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10/4/2006 - Paul D wrote:
Uncorked California and Australia Tasting (Uncorked, London EC2): Brambly black fruits on the nose, nice cool black fruit on the palate, some minerals, some chewy tannins on the slightly hot finish. VG.
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9/2/2006 - jameswm13 wrote: 90 Points
Always a nice "go-to" wine for my wife and I.
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7/15/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
anthonyiezzi Birthday Dinnner (Tre Vigne, Basking Ridge, NJ): WIML90,WA90,WS91
Tasted July 15, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Titan Cabernet glass. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of “green beans” (not in a “bad” way). Also some red cherries and red berries. Nose was a little closed to me. Flavors of red cherries, red berries and red currants. Light to medium acidity. Light to medium tannins. Medium bodied. Fairly well integrated and balanced overall. Drink over the short to mid term. No value recommendation.
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6/21/2006 - Tejano wrote: 90 Points
Dark rich purplish color with muted cabby nose of blueberries and tart black cherry. Nice and firm grip with a tannic structure that kicks in on the mid palate and gives a slow lingering finish with a light chocolate and coffee nuance. A tamed firmness that went well with a mixed grill of beef and lamb.
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5/15/2006 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
.375 opened and consumed over 90 mins. Just a nice strip steak, myself playing bachelor for the night, and an enjoyable bottle! Soft black fruits and chocolate were the predominant flavors; this didn't strike me as a huge or tight wine, but was very balanced. It tasted MUCH BETTER than when I sampled this at the winery in the Fall; I'm sure the smaller format had something to do with its evolution.
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5/13/2006 - jameswm13 wrote: 92 Points
So glad I bought a case of this. Smooth from the get go. Just a very nice all around bottle. Nice finish, and over the next 3 hours, kept going strong.
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5/3/2006 - johnnywebs wrote: 90 Points
Very tight. I think the structure will ultimately serve me well but right now much of the pleasure is overwhelmed by a mouthful of tight dry tannins. Shoulda waited. Oops.
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2/19/2006 - Greg W wrote: 95 Points
Blind tasting follies - Bryant, Sloan, Pride, Abreu and Skyhawk(??): Blind: Big wine. Powerful, ripe and concentrated. Long finish. Outstanding wine! 200+ After reveal: group score 92.5. Everyone though it must be the Hillside Select, but it was definitely the "regular" Napa bottling. Great showing for the wine. This is getting embarrassing!
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2/12/2006 - manpod wrote: 92 Points
Out at a restaurant for Valentines weekend. Dark Purple medium to full bodied. Very much fruit dominated at first, a bit of currant and chocholate. Long smooth finish. Well ballanced.
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2/7/2006 - Double-A Likes this wine: 90 Points
Aromatic with sweet oak and currant nose. Full and assertive, ripe, spicy and warming palate. Very long, toasty finish.
4/5
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11/27/2005 - EyeDoc wrote: 90 Points
Drank this side by side with the 2001 Shafer. This wine clearly had a bigger and more full bodied structure than the 01. Probably could stand another yr or two in the cellar. The 01 was more approachable and likely will not improve but didn't quite have the concentration or finish of the 02.
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10/10/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 88 Points
Dark inky, brooding nose of smoke, a hint of acidic sweat. Smooth midpalate, everyhting there but not doing it.
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9/24/2005 - Tejano wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple and a nose that quietly evolves with time starting with pungent and condensed berries to a backing of light licorice candy. Over time the aroma seemed to be muted a tad, but one thing that did hang on was a grip that, while not over bearing on entry, did last on the finish with a tannic structure that was very even, and indeed, helped give a pleasing and lasting finish.
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9/5/2005 - goofy Yno wrote: 91 Points
Royal purple, nose of blackberry, vanilla and licorice. chunky tannins with velvety feel in the mouth. will be good with some cellar time.
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7/5/2005 - espia wrote:
Very nice, easy drinking Cabernet
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4/27/2005 - Vino Me wrote: 83 Points
I'm not sure I was able to get a proper evaluation of this wine at the tasting last weekend. I tried it right after some St. Andre cheese. The wine was concentrated with notes of chocolate and licorice. However, it seemed overly bitter. 83 points.
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4/26/2005 - Mike V wrote: 91 Points
Opened rather thin but after an hour it came around. The best I can say is this wine is very correct. Medium to full body. Nice nose of fruit with some wood. On the palate full fruit with some vanilla. Nice wine not particularly inspiring.
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4/24/2005 - jmcmchi wrote:
Lovely nose; balance and great length
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