Color: deep ruby with slight bricking Nose: Anise, plum, red fruit Taste: plum, anise, toasty oak An explosion of plum and currant with anise undertones finished by a toasty oak leaning toward almost caramel. The tannins are well integrated with a nice velvet finish. Drink now to catch the primary flavors.
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This was surprisingly good at the price point. Oakville nose of black cherry, blackberry, and plum with cigar box. Soft and round with a silkiness and nice mid palate acidity to pair with some Saturday night pizza. Violets rounded out a nose that was very
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Needs 30 to 60 minutes of open time. Dark red, nose of dark fruits, light smokiness. In balance throughout and begs for another taste. Cellared correctly since release.
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Decant 9 hours. Probably could have used less. Super soft tannins. Soft milk chocolate with very subtle cassis. Slightly short on finish Definitely drink now especially as this was cellar stored in Magnum.
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On the heels of the 2004 comes the big, rich, dramatic style that is 2005. Powerful and concentrated with ripe firm vibrant black cherry, currant and spicy toasted oak. Still needs time.
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Dark wine with nice balance of fruit, tannins and acidity. Dark profile in its flavors with some chocolate, spice and earthiness. Cassis flavor to the dry fruit. Long finish, decent complexity and nice nose. Held up well over two days. Good QPR
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We decanted this wine for over an hour before we poured a glass. Wonderful notes of blackberries, figs, toast, cherries and cinnamon. Soft tannins which provided a great base for layers of figs, spice, blackberries, licorice and toast. Nice acidic balance and a pleasant finish. This wine has another two good years before decline.
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Drinking beautifully now. Used aerator to pour first couples glasses but didn't require decanting. Smooth, silky and juicy but not over the top. Lovely bottle of cab.
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Didn't write notes immediately, so all I can say now that it was enjoyable, but do recall that it seemed like it could still use another year to hit its prime. Or this could be it, and it will be nondescript by then- a little hard to read this one, which surprised me. Acid is good, but finish had some watery moments but tannins are still there.
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Nice bottle of wine. Pleasant aromas, dark cherry and anise. Raspberry is the standout component on the very viscous palate. Sweet hazelnut finish, slightly overripe - which took away from this wine, in my view.
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6 months since last bottle. Still inky red. For the first time licorice dominates, but blackberry and expresso comingled. This is hitting its stride. Balanced fruit, acid, and enjoyable tannins with a prime rib.
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Not decanted. Day 1, drank over 2hrs. Remainder on 2nd day. Disappointing. The nose of sweet cherries and currant is overcome by a noticeable presence of oak. Ditto on the palate except that the oak is even stronger. Hints of quality fruit source and pedigree are there but are no match for the oak which grew stronger on the 2nd day.
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Wow this is starting to hit a sweet spot, still has huge in your face dark blue fruits. The tannins are sweet and soft at this point and finishes with a nice savory mocha/espresso blueberry pie fllavor. Really liked this again. The Ghost Blocks have been hit and miss but when they hit they are great. Can't wait to see where this bottle goes.
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Third bottle drank. Definitely needed the time. Leather on the nose still very bright although the tannins come through nicely where a year ago all I tasted was fruit. Worth the wait. Very suprised,
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Balanced and beautiful fruit and spice on the nose. Very fine berry fruit, cocoa, graphite and cedar, all well-balanced. Tannins are subtle, but give the wine a nice backbone for a long, graceful finish. Absolutely delicious. Served it with lamb chops. A fine Cab that is pop and pour ready now. Should last a few more years, but why wait?
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Stright, no frills cab. Currants and cassis on botht the nose and the palate. The fruit has a nice crescendo in the midpalate and resolves into some chewy tannins. Nothing particularly complex or beguiling but very pleasant to drink. Would be good as an introduction to cabs.
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Either this bottle was a bit off or the wine has declined significantly. Soft nose with red berries and a little vanilla. The palate is medium bodied with somewhat underripe raspberries. Simple but clean. Not the monster it was two years ago, but this fast? Something might have been amiss...
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This bottle was showing very well tonight. Very fragrant aromas with flavors that show some maturity but also maintain the vibrancy of youth with rich cassis, dark berry, iron and matchstick. Blunted finish is sweet and balanced with trace fine tannin and oak. Very delicious.
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Pretty, polished garnet color. Nice floral nose. A bit spoofy, as it really shows the winemakers hand - lots of sweet vanilla and malolactic butter. Strong on the finish though, emphasizing Vineyard characteristics of scorched cassis fruit and an earthy tannic grip. Good balance, easy to drink. Utillity over contemplation.
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Having another of the '05 cab.... I got to say....this is just a great wine to "drink"! It's not the most complex cab, not the most structured, has a lot of oak and sweet fruit.........but I got to tell ya.....it's a pretty darn tasty drink! What I like is the smoothness and richness of the dark fruits....the sweetness, the oak...is well balanced in a tasty way with cocoa powder/graphite/tobacco/mocha. Although the flavors are different...it kind of reminds me of Silver Oak. There is just something about it, by itself, just fun to crack a bottle and drink it! Great stuff!
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Beautiful cabernet aromas, dark ruby color, lush and plush tannins. Lots of depth and length. Finely balanced. Elegant, ripe, and smooth, drinking very nicely now.
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Had this after a 2000 Phelps Insignia, and the wines could not have been more different, despite both being Napa Cabs....Dark red/purple in the glass, the nose only gave up that there was bright dark fruit in the glass. The wine had huge dark fruit with earthy/minerally notes. The tannins were perfectly ripe, and the wood was appropriately balanced. This was quite good. 50+5+13+17+6
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Drinking very well right now. Nose of dark fruits and coffee. Smooth mouth feel and taste reconfirms the nose with wonderful ripe black berries, mocha, vanilla, and espresso. Good balance and nice finish.
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Popped and poured. Aromas of flowers, berries-both blue and red with blue being predominant. Not as dark with the mochas and chocolates as last time I opened one of these but those flavors are still there. Fruit coming out more as this has opened up a lot. Smooth tannins at this stage I think this is an early drinker. Started to fade at about hour 4, don't know if it was just closing down or if this wine just isn't built for the long haul. Overall drinking very well right now.
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A year has passed since I first tasted this at Pete's house-back then, the score during it's oh-so-virginal stage I gave was a hopeful 92, projecting that it would reach this level after it went through a short evolution while bottle aging for a while. I couldn't help but feel that the parts were there, it just needed some time. Had to share this with Pete to see how it had progressed, especially since he finished off his six pack by mid summer of last year. Major mistake on his part. It has done better than I had hoped-the battle of fruit, heat, and tightness has subsided, and what is left is a delicious, very smooth drinking cab, with good fruit, acidity, and length. It seems to have the stuffing for some more aging, and that it would probably reward those who can maintain patience, but it is quite good now.
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Tight and angular for the first two hours. In time, reveals subtle smoky coffee notes and red fruit. A vibrant, acidic beam makes this atypical of the vintage. I'd of guessed 06. Devoid of the oppulent cassis and sweet tannin typical of 05 oakvilles. Hot finish. Not enough fruit or fat to cellar, so give it a good decant. Better than declassified bulk wine, and a decent $29 napa cab, too bad I paid $79.
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This will benefit from a couple years of bottle age. Wonderful aromas of floral, berry, and anise. Flavors of mocha, espresso, cherry and blackberry have a moutfilling finish that is structured, yet the tannins are fine grained and well integrated. The finish of currant, blackberry, mocha and cherry are wonderful.
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I enjoyed the nose here quite a bit. At first I thought it may just be an oak shake but the bright red fruit combined with the oak to make something interesting. Plush mouth-feel. Bits of herbs but mainly ripe fruit and oak followed by unsweetened chocolate. I like the complexity and the finishing acid keeps it from turning in to mush. The tannins are smooth and sweet. Should age fine for the mid-term but I do not see much reason to wait.
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Strange experience with this one. Decanted for 2 hours. Wine had no fruit at all. Very muted. Almost didn't take it to an offline. At the end of the evening, we ran it through a vinoturi (sp?) and it actually woke up the wine. Bright fruit that accents a full bodied chocolate undertone. Excellent.
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Lovely and soft, this was beautiful right out of the bottle. It had aromas of cassis, sweet vanilla and maple, and subtle mocha. Palate was quintessential new world. Soft fruit dominated product, with cassis, sweet cinnimon apple, hints of sage, coffee, and blackberry jam. Finish was generous. A very nice wine.
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Very tight and more tannic than I remember the 2004 being at this point. Nose opened after about an hour and led to more fruit as time wore on. About an hour I tasted some chocolate, mocha and dark berries. Bottle was finished before I felt it could really open up. Will not open another for a while. I think all the tools are there just to early for this wine.
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Dark red. Tight, had to work to get the aromas of dark fruit and leather. This needs a few years. Rich fruit but strong tannins. This needs some time to develop.
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Some potential here, but will take a couple of years to develop. Fruit was evident, but the wine seemed dense and tight, not showing much. My initial impression is that it will take some time, not ready yet.
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Took this wine to Cetrella's in Half Moon Bay.....needed a few hours to open, but became smooth and rich with dark wild berry fruit, cocoa powder spice, well integrated toasted oak, slight green tobacco leaves as well. I like the creamy and polished fruit, would like a little more dried spice to tone down some of the sweetness....like the 2005 Caymus Cab, which I like better. I've had the 2004 Ghost Block right after release, and now the 2005....both a little too young. Will wait another year or so to see what age will do. I think the structure and sweet ripe fruit will let it age quite well. +pts
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Decanted about 1.5 hours before serving. Inky garnet color. Aromas of mint/menthol, blackberry, cassis, sage and meat. Flavors of blackberry, plum and black raspberry, with velvety tannins and spicy oak nuances on a long finish.
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Like others have said, way too tight to really judge this right now. Definately had potential but the fruit was closed up and the oak was taking the front seat. Even still, the oak wasnt overpowering and had a nice spicy char on it.
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Way too tight upon opening. With 3/4 of a bottle left corked for a day (no decant) the wine opened up with complex palate of flavors and long pleasant finish. Cellar for at least 1 - 2 years.
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I would rate this in the 92-94 range. Probably a 92 right now but it needs some time to settle down. If, and when, it does settle down it will be outstanding. In my opinion this is one of the best values in CA Cab.
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Pete brought this out to follow a Nickel and Nickel Bonfire 05. This is tight, even with 2 hours of decant time. It is definitely infanticide to open this up before the fall, even though it was enjoyable after some time. I'll give it a 92, hoping that it will develop into another 2004. I have two six packs of this juice which, based on this tasting, won't see the light of day for at least a year, barring any unforseeable lack of willpower!
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10/9/2020 - smahk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color: deep ruby with slight bricking
Nose: Anise, plum, red fruit
Taste: plum, anise, toasty oak
An explosion of plum and currant with anise undertones finished by a toasty oak leaning toward almost caramel. The tannins are well integrated with a nice velvet finish. Drink now to catch the primary flavors.
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9/24/2017 - sfbikeguy wrote: 90 Points
Lots of plum at this stage. Too much for my and my guest's preference. Could have used some more tanins. Probably held too long.
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4/29/2017 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was surprisingly good at the price point. Oakville nose of black cherry, blackberry, and plum with cigar box. Soft and round with a silkiness and nice mid palate acidity to pair with some Saturday night pizza. Violets rounded out a nose that was very
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4/15/2017 - RR47 wrote: 93 Points
Needs 30 to 60 minutes of open time. Dark red, nose of dark fruits, light smokiness. In balance throughout and begs for another taste. Cellared correctly since release.
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11/26/2016 - GZ3 wrote: 94 Points
Decant 9 hours. Probably could have used less. Super soft tannins. Soft milk chocolate with very subtle cassis. Slightly short on finish Definitely drink now especially as this was cellar stored in Magnum.
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6/7/2016 - avwineguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark Currant, smoky and a little dust.
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4/10/2016 - Adonisd1956 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruits, cassis, bright acid, smooth dusty tannins! A very good bottle.
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12/19/2015 - Pigslips wrote: 92 Points
On the heels of the 2004 comes the big, rich, dramatic style that is 2005. Powerful and concentrated with ripe firm vibrant black cherry, currant and spicy toasted oak. Still needs time.
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7/26/2015 - AAOTDMD wrote: 97 Points
It tastes like black currant (cassis), black pepper and oak.
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3/9/2015 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark wine with nice balance of fruit, tannins and acidity. Dark profile in its flavors with some chocolate, spice and earthiness. Cassis flavor to the dry fruit. Long finish, decent complexity and nice nose. Held up well over two days. Good QPR
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12/12/2014 - Snag One Likes this wine: 92 Points
We decanted this wine for over an hour before we poured a glass. Wonderful notes of blackberries, figs, toast, cherries and cinnamon. Soft tannins which provided a great base for layers of figs, spice, blackberries, licorice and toast. Nice acidic balance and a pleasant finish. This wine has another two good years before decline.
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8/27/2014 - Buckwheet wrote: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully now. Used aerator to pour first couples glasses but didn't require decanting. Smooth, silky and juicy but not over the top. Lovely bottle of cab.
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12/10/2013 - richardkim wrote: 93 Points
Rich mouthfeel, with blackberry, mocha and firm acidity. Can age at least another 5 years.
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10/1/2013 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
Maturing nicely, balanced fruit, integrating tannins, similar to 2012 notes. Years to go
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7/14/2013 - avwineguy wrote: 93 Points
Dark Fruit, very big on the pallet. Still a little tannic after a 20 minute breathe. A delicious nice long finish.
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7/14/2012 - sfowine wrote:
Didn't write notes immediately, so all I can say now that it was enjoyable, but do recall that it seemed like it could still use another year to hit its prime. Or this could be it, and it will be nondescript by then- a little hard to read this one, which surprised me. Acid is good, but finish had some watery moments but tannins are still there.
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4/5/2012 - eric42 wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle of wine. Pleasant aromas, dark cherry and anise. Raspberry is the standout component on the very viscous palate. Sweet hazelnut finish, slightly overripe - which took away from this wine, in my view.
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2/14/2012 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
6 months since last bottle. Still inky red. For the first time licorice dominates, but blackberry and expresso comingled. This is hitting its stride. Balanced fruit, acid, and enjoyable tannins with a prime rib.
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12/3/2011 - shank wrote: 90 Points
Nice nose and fully body with dark fruit. Could still use more time.
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10/31/2011 - Fishboy wrote: 90 Points
Great cab
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8/26/2011 - twelch wrote: 93 Points
Drinking as well as previous bottle.
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8/6/2011 - PerfectVintage wrote: 88 Points
Not decanted. Day 1, drank over 2hrs. Remainder on 2nd day. Disappointing. The nose of sweet cherries and currant is overcome by a noticeable presence of oak. Ditto on the palate except that the oak is even stronger. Hints of quality fruit source and pedigree are there but are no match for the oak which grew stronger on the 2nd day.
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7/20/2011 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
No notes, but similar toprevious tasting, a good Napa Cab
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6/5/2011 - twelch wrote: 93 Points
Wow this is starting to hit a sweet spot, still has huge in your face dark blue fruits. The tannins are sweet and soft at this point and finishes with a nice savory mocha/espresso blueberry pie fllavor. Really liked this again. The Ghost Blocks have been hit and miss but when they hit they are great. Can't wait to see where this bottle goes.
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5/27/2011 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 90 Points
Not a huge fan of this one but I can see why people like it...I liked it much more last time I drank it.
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5/21/2011 - ginfizz wrote: 93 Points
Dark, brooding, tight. Opened after an hour of air, currant, dust, forest air, oak, tannin, crisp acidity. Needs more time and will improve.
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4/29/2011 - drbdorfman wrote: 96 Points
Third bottle drank. Definitely needed the time. Leather on the nose still very bright although the tannins come through nicely where a year ago all I tasted was fruit. Worth the wait. Very suprised,
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4/22/2011 - The Vinsider wrote: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully. Plush and smooth with ample fruit supported by good structure and just enough acidity.
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2/27/2011 - RSTAR4 wrote: 94 Points
Balanced and beautiful fruit and spice on the nose. Very fine berry fruit, cocoa, graphite and cedar, all well-balanced. Tannins are subtle, but give the wine a nice backbone for a long, graceful finish. Absolutely delicious. Served it with lamb chops. A fine Cab that is pop and pour ready now. Should last a few more years, but why wait?
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1/23/2011 - cowtownguy wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Nice full cab opens nicely. Tannins softening. Perfect with grilled strip steak.
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12/26/2010 - avwineguy wrote: 94 Points
Blackberry and still a little oaky. Solid
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12/21/2010 - RR47 wrote: 92 Points
Really coming along. Great concentration. Blackberry, coffee, chocolate, and softening tannins. Years of life left.
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11/15/2010 - Uglypinga wrote:
Stright, no frills cab. Currants and cassis on botht the nose and the palate. The fruit has a nice crescendo in the midpalate and resolves into some chewy tannins. Nothing particularly complex or beguiling but very pleasant to drink. Would be good as an introduction to cabs.
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11/15/2010 - konadog wrote:
big blackberry/boysenberry nose, bright fruits dominate the pallate with moderate tannins on the finish 91pts
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9/10/2010 - Uglypinga wrote:
Either this bottle was a bit off or the wine has declined significantly. Soft nose with red berries and a little vanilla. The palate is medium bodied with somewhat underripe raspberries. Simple but clean. Not the monster it was two years ago, but this fast? Something might have been amiss...
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6/23/2010 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 94 Points
Great big nose and long sustained finish. Very solid after one hour decant.
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6/19/2010 - 6831 wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was showing very well tonight.
Very fragrant aromas with flavors that show some maturity but also maintain the vibrancy of youth
with rich cassis, dark berry, iron and matchstick.
Blunted finish is sweet and balanced with trace fine tannin and oak.
Very delicious.
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5/15/2010 - Fishboy wrote: 90 Points
Nice cab with dark fruit, vanilla, cassis, cedar, mocha and some pepper notes.
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5/15/2010 - cowtownguy wrote: 93 Points
Nice, straightforward Cali cab. Drinking nicely.
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4/16/2010 - Jody Smith wrote:
Pretty, polished garnet color. Nice floral nose. A bit spoofy, as it really shows the winemakers hand - lots of sweet vanilla and malolactic butter. Strong on the finish though, emphasizing Vineyard characteristics of scorched cassis fruit and an earthy tannic grip. Good balance, easy to drink. Utillity over contemplation.
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3/20/2010 - GZ3 wrote: 86 Points
good, but was nowhere close to the 200r Lyndenhurst. Maybe it's closed down at this piont?
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2/20/2010 - Mrbuzz wrote: 93 Points
Having another of the '05 cab.... I got to say....this is just a great wine to "drink"! It's not the most complex cab, not the most structured, has a lot of oak and sweet fruit.........but I got to tell ya.....it's a pretty darn tasty drink! What I like is the smoothness and richness of the dark fruits....the sweetness, the oak...is well balanced in a tasty way with cocoa powder/graphite/tobacco/mocha. Although the flavors are different...it kind of reminds me of Silver Oak. There is just something about it, by itself, just fun to crack a bottle and drink it! Great stuff!
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1/28/2010 - wineotim wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful cabernet aromas, dark ruby color, lush and plush tannins. Lots of depth and length. Finely balanced. Elegant, ripe, and smooth, drinking very nicely now.
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8/14/2009 - psirah wrote: 91 Points
Had this after a 2000 Phelps Insignia, and the wines could not have been more different, despite both being Napa Cabs....Dark red/purple in the glass, the nose only gave up that there was bright dark fruit in the glass. The wine had huge dark fruit with earthy/minerally notes. The tannins were perfectly ripe, and the wood was appropriately balanced. This was quite good.
50+5+13+17+6
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8/9/2009 - cenberra21 wrote:
Drinking very well right now. Nose of dark fruits and coffee. Smooth mouth feel and taste reconfirms the nose with wonderful ripe black berries, mocha, vanilla, and espresso. Good balance and nice finish.
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6/14/2009 - twelch wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Aromas of flowers, berries-both blue and red with blue being predominant. Not as dark with the mochas and chocolates as last time I opened one of these but those flavors are still there. Fruit coming out more as this has opened up a lot. Smooth tannins at this stage I think this is an early drinker. Started to fade at about hour 4, don't know if it was just closing down or if this wine just isn't built for the long haul. Overall drinking very well right now.
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6/1/2009 - greekwineaux wrote: 93 Points
A year has passed since I first tasted this at Pete's house-back then, the score during it's oh-so-virginal stage I gave was a hopeful 92, projecting that it would reach this level after it went through a short evolution while bottle aging for a while. I couldn't help but feel that the parts were there, it just needed some time. Had to share this with Pete to see how it had progressed, especially since he finished off his six pack by mid summer of last year. Major mistake on his part. It has done better than I had hoped-the battle of fruit, heat, and tightness has subsided, and what is left is a delicious, very smooth drinking cab, with good fruit, acidity, and length. It seems to have the stuffing for some more aging, and that it would probably reward those who can maintain patience, but it is quite good now.
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5/24/2009 - Mrbuzz wrote: 93 Points
Super!
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5/22/2009 - Jody Smith wrote: 88 Points
Tight and angular for the first two hours. In time, reveals subtle smoky coffee notes and red fruit. A vibrant, acidic beam makes this atypical of the vintage. I'd of guessed 06. Devoid of the oppulent cassis and sweet tannin typical of 05 oakvilles. Hot finish. Not enough fruit or fat to cellar, so give it a good decant. Better than declassified bulk wine, and a decent $29 napa cab, too bad I paid $79.
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4/24/2009 - oski wrote: 88 Points
Nothing spetacular about this one, smooth finish nice fruit, but nothing out of this world.
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4/11/2009 - cawineaux wrote:
Decanted for an hour, drank over 3 hours. Great bright fruit in the first hour turned into liquid smoke by the 3rd hour.
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2/8/2009 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
This has really come together since the last time I tasted it. The tannins have softened, making it very enjoyable right now. Great value. 92+ pts.
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1/14/2009 - matthen wrote: 92 Points
This will benefit from a couple years of bottle age. Wonderful aromas of floral, berry, and anise. Flavors of mocha, espresso, cherry and blackberry have a moutfilling finish that is structured, yet the tannins are fine grained and well integrated. The finish of currant, blackberry, mocha and cherry are wonderful.
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12/28/2008 - brewking wrote: 92 Points
this took a bit to open but it wa fabulous when it did, lots of earth and mocha
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12/27/2008 - Mrbuzz wrote: 93 Points
Getting better..........
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11/14/2008 - Terran23 wrote:
Smooth, spicy, pepper, and earthy. A jazzier version of Leviathan. Ghost Block hasn't disappointed yet.
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11/2/2008 - aharrover wrote: 92 Points
A very weird wine. Starts off with a floral nose but it is strong on the palate.
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10/7/2008 - jasonh wrote: 92 Points
I enjoyed the nose here quite a bit. At first I thought it may just be an oak shake but the bright red fruit combined with the oak to make something interesting. Plush mouth-feel. Bits of herbs but mainly ripe fruit and oak followed by unsweetened chocolate. I like the complexity and the finishing acid keeps it from turning in to mush. The tannins are smooth and sweet. Should age fine for the mid-term but I do not see much reason to wait.
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9/21/2008 - GZ3 wrote: 95 Points
Strange experience with this one. Decanted for 2 hours. Wine had no fruit at all. Very muted. Almost didn't take it to an offline. At the end of the evening, we ran it through a vinoturi (sp?) and it actually woke up the wine. Bright fruit that accents a full bodied chocolate undertone. Excellent.
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9/14/2008 - mmyette wrote: 93 Points
Lovely and soft, this was beautiful right out of the bottle. It had aromas of cassis, sweet vanilla and maple, and subtle mocha. Palate was quintessential new world. Soft fruit dominated product, with cassis, sweet cinnimon apple, hints of sage, coffee, and blackberry jam. Finish was generous. A very nice wine.
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9/7/2008 - GZ3 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 4 hours - super full bodied, dark chocolate, 40 secondfinish.
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9/2/2008 - twelch wrote: 90 Points
Very tight and more tannic than I remember the 2004 being at this point. Nose opened after about an hour and led to more fruit as time wore on. About an hour I tasted some chocolate, mocha and dark berries. Bottle was finished before I felt it could really open up. Will not open another for a while. I think all the tools are there just to early for this wine.
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8/13/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 91 Points
August 2008 Napa and Santa Cruz Mtn Trip; 8/9/2008-8/15/2008: Great value
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8/13/2008 - RR47 wrote: 90 Points
Dark red. Tight, had to work to get the aromas of dark fruit and leather. This needs a few years. Rich fruit but strong tannins. This needs some time to develop.
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8/1/2008 - cawineaux wrote:
Some potential here, but will take a couple of years to develop. Fruit was evident, but the wine seemed dense and tight, not showing much. My initial impression is that it will take some time, not ready yet.
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7/29/2008 - shiraz guy wrote: 93 Points
Seemed very similar to the 04 upon release. Very nice.
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7/17/2008 - aharrover wrote: 92 Points
Takes awhile to open up and it starts out with a crazy delicate floral nose. Great wine.
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6/13/2008 - Mrbuzz wrote: 91 Points
Took this wine to Cetrella's in Half Moon Bay.....needed a few hours to open, but became smooth and rich with dark wild berry fruit, cocoa powder spice, well integrated toasted oak, slight green tobacco leaves as well. I like the creamy and polished fruit, would like a little more dried spice to tone down some of the sweetness....like the 2005 Caymus Cab, which I like better. I've had the 2004 Ghost Block right after release, and now the 2005....both a little too young. Will wait another year or so to see what age will do. I think the structure and sweet ripe fruit will let it age quite well. +pts
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5/31/2008 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Decanted about 1.5 hours before serving. Inky garnet color. Aromas of mint/menthol, blackberry, cassis, sage and meat. Flavors of blackberry, plum and black raspberry, with velvety tannins and spicy oak nuances on a long finish.
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5/31/2008 - cowtownguy wrote: 94 Points
Very tight on opening but wonderful potential. Tasted over four hour period and better each time. Needs a little more time.
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5/31/2008 - Seo wrote: 90 Points
Like others have said, way too tight to really judge this right now. Definately had potential but the fruit was closed up and the oak was taking the front seat. Even still, the oak wasnt overpowering and had a nice spicy char on it.
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5/30/2008 - EMichels wrote: 90 Points
Red Carpet Tasting: Nice interest; Nice spice; Lacking a bit of secondary characteristics
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5/14/2008 - rogerr wrote: 94 Points
Way too tight upon opening. With 3/4 of a bottle left corked for a day (no decant) the wine opened up with complex palate of flavors and long pleasant finish. Cellar for at least 1 - 2 years.
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5/9/2008 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
I would rate this in the 92-94 range. Probably a 92 right now but it needs some time to settle down. If, and when, it does settle down it will be outstanding. In my opinion this is one of the best values in CA Cab.
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5/5/2008 - greekwineaux wrote: 92 Points
Pete brought this out to follow a Nickel and Nickel Bonfire 05. This is tight, even with 2 hours of decant time. It is definitely infanticide to open this up before the fall, even though it was enjoyable after some time. I'll give it a 92, hoping that it will develop into another 2004. I have two six packs of this juice which, based on this tasting, won't see the light of day for at least a year, barring any unforseeable lack of willpower!
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