I waited 10 years since my last bottle of this wine. Enjoyed it very much back then and even more so now. Out of magnum at Saucon Valley with Tom and Brent. In a great spot right now, balancing fading primary fruit with secondary cabernet facets of tobacco and leather. The finish is long and sexy. At peak now and for another 5-8 years (out of magnum). This is my last bottle and I am bummed about it.
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Roasted meat and tobacco on the nose. Somewhat light in the mouth but the flavors began to burst as we worked through the bottle. The flavors included both bright red fruit and cedar notes. The tannins, while short lived, are clearly still there.
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The bouquet is so wonderful on this wine, beautiful red, blue, and black fruit with a real perfume like quality. The palate is leaner than most Napa Cabs, I think it's in the drinking window, would not wait much longer. Beautiful mid palate and finish. Really drinking well. Just bought a few more bottles.
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This was a tad disjointed, angular minerality and oak at first, black plums. After it settled down it became, well, more boring. Two hours after opening the nose is muted mineral and oak, the palate is dominated by red black fruit, oak, mineral and acid. Don't get me wrong, this is a good CA cab, but I was expecting more! My last bottle.
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Opened to breathe for 1h, soft nose of herbs mint and berries, on the palate red cherries, raspberries, oak, leather, and a pronounced acid finish. This is a lighter expression of a CA cab, bright with acidity, easy to drink and well balanced.
This unwound somewhat overnight, still complex but the fruit receded and it is slightly more acidic and leathery. Best to drink this up in one go.
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Deep ruby appearance. The bouquet is infused with black raspberries, currants, and cassis over earthy elements of conifer, eucalyptus, and pencil shavings. Tightly wound but two hours in the decanter unfurls a complete and persistent wine. It's long and silky, savory and fruity, with a wonderful middle sweetness wreathed in youthful tannin. Black truffles and espresso flow on the finish. Classic.
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Opened to breathe for 2h. Hot nose of berries and mineral. The palate is graphite, slightly sweet blackberries, oak faint tannins and acid finish - again just like blackberries. An intense, juicy CA cab. Initially troubled and disjointed, this really needed 2h of quiet air time to settle down and integrate (slow ox). Tonight with pea soup and lamb.
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Nice medium indigo color. Floral nose. Typical, sophisticated, complex Quintessa. This bottle may have suffered by being overpowered by the bottle of O'Shaughnessy Howell Mtn. served with an earlier dinner. I certainly do not think this is on the way down but I would not expect any additional improvement.
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Fabulous floral bouquet. Still a touch tight after two-hour decant but quickly resolved. Thoroughly enjoyable but not outstanding compared to some other bottles I've tasted.
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Decanted 2 hours. Drank with friends over two hours. The nose of this wine is the most incredible experience. Dark fruit, tar, fresh cut tobacco, and leather. The palate was fresh, not what you'd expect of an 11 year old bottle of wine, lively fruit, subdued oak, and very well integrated at this point. Can't say enough about where this bottle is today.
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We patiently gave this a 2 1/2 hour decant before the first approach, and it was so worth it. A voluptuous nose with ripe stone fruit complimented by a complex bouquet of roasted veggies and ripe bananas. Well-rounded on the palate with a great balance of complexity, mouthfeel, and tannins. Far more evolved than the last bottle we drank 4 years ago.
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Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, smooth, elegant and polished with bright vibrant dark berry fruit flavors accented by huge floral bouquet, tones of violet, cola and hint of clove spice with tangy bright acidity on the smokey tannin laced finish.
Excellent transition wine from pre dinner whites to the heavier Napa cabs served with beef tenderloin. This was lighter than I remembered. Still the same characteristics though. A hint of clove and spice on the nose. Bright plum, cassis and a bit of cherry on the palate with a medium finish. This needs at least 30 minutes of air to reveal the fruit and complexity. Was a bit surprised that this did not have the same weight or body of the '04 Fantesca or Clark Claudon that followed.
Wonderful wine. Terrifically balanced mouthfeel of ripe red fruit, spices, toast and raisins. We decanted this bottle for about an hour before pouring. Unfortunately, it's the last 2005 in our cellar. Break out the '06 and '07's.
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We decanted this wine for almost two hours(couldn't wait any longer). Wonderful layers of fruit with balanced acidity and tannins. This is a wonderful wine and vintage.
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Yikes. This wine was "tight". We decanted for close to an hour and it was still not ready. This needs more time! It will be good, but this night it was not nearly up to its potential. :-(
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Melka made? Tastes like it. Starts off a bit grapey and forward but then melds into a beautifully aromatic and powerful wine. Black currant dominated but this stuff runs the whole wheel. Very excellent
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We decanted this wine for two hours. Deep burgundy red color. Very expressive notes of red figs, cherries, toast, licorice and vanilla. Very smooth tannins integrated with balanced acidity. Wonderful mouthfeel with layers of figs, black currant, vanilla, blueberries and coffee. Would have given this a higher score, but we wanted a little longer finish, but a really wonderful wine.
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Excellent wine with great depth and Mouthfeel. Deep black color, less fruit forward than I would have thought for this Rutherford location. The build up over time 1hour decant exposed the soft mid palate and lingering finish. Paired with Slow cooked Kobe beef and the spicy notes with black fruits came alive. Worth the price
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of tobacco, blackberry, black currant and oak. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of oak, blackberry, green beans and tobacco with a medium body. Round texture with a medium finish - Drank w/Sandy just cause. Had w/Chicken picita - it was very good. Wine worked ok with burnt butter, a bit sting for lemon/cappers.
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-- popped and poured -- -- tasted a couple glasses non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
Nice; high-toned; impressive, well-embedded acidity; moderate oak; not gloppy/heavy; sage sausage; very tight; 14.9%. Will greatly benefit from additional cellaring; maybe my favorite wine of the night, even if it’s not the one I’d necessarily choose as showing the best today.
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2 1/2 Years since my last bottle. 2 hour decant. This is a nice wine - except for the price. Many other wines that I would rate as good at 1/3 the price. Not sure will improve much so will plan to drink my remaining bottles over next couple of years.
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Disappointing to say the least, no depth or character at this point of its life. This bottle was open and poured over 2 hours, not gaining any weight with air.
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Exceptional bottle of wine. Dark indigo in color. Nose reveals fruit and a bit of clove and pepper. Needs a minimum of 60 minutes to open and reveal soft silky tannins with big robust flavors of blackberry, plum, cassis and chocolate. This was bigger than I expected and more reminiscent of a big Cab than the self characterized Bordeaux style blend. Thankfully, we had decided on a dry aged, prime strip steak for dinner. Anything less might have been overpowered by the wine. A real treat and drinking very well right now.
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Really drinking wonderfully right now. Agree w/ previous comments on balance and soft finish, disagree that the wine is drinking big. I think it's in the sweet spot now and will start to turn in 12-18 months. Great structure, just a hint of tannin and dust.
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A big cabernet that still needs more time. Drinkable now with an hour plus decant. We liked it, but for the price, very turned off. The wow factor definitely wasn't there. A heavy cabernet for pure Rutherford cab lovers.
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- Medium forming legs - Thanksgiving Dinner special wine choice pared ok with Turkey and the Trimmings, but it is a little heavier than I remembered and probably could have used a good piece of red meat Still one of my favorites
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Quintessa with Larry Stone M.S. (Moto Restaurant - Chicago): Rich black and red cherry. Elegant but nice extraction. Little plum too. Aromatic and pretty with lots of depth. Really full on the palate with weighty fruit on the mid palate. Really doing well at this stage. Going strong but settling in nicely. Last bottle may have been a bit of I suppose.
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Decanted. Relatively light in color but no rust or bricking. Reticent fruit and pepper. Comes across lean and a little green. Still, there's a nice softness and mouthfeel. If blind I would have guessed a $30 Sonoma cabernet.
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Tasted blind besides '05 Cakebread Cab and Opus. This bottling didn't come across nearly as feminine or elegant as I remembered or at least than other vintages. Black all day. Black fruit, charcoal, black olives. Big big wine. The finish was a bit disjointed. Big alcohol, big tannins. No acidity. Didn't love how this was showing. Definitely preferred the Cakebread to it as did most.
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This wine is in a very good place right now. Great primary cab nose and flavors upon opening. Opened for about 45 minutes and then enjoyed with beef tenderloin. Developed flavors of cedar, anise, tobacco, and black fruits. May very well be at its peak right now although I think that it has the goods to stay here for 3-5 years.
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Bright, medium light garnet color. Nice fruit nose showing fruit, cream, vanilla and herbs. Excellent, dark fruit and sweet leather flavors showcased in a well balanced wine. Long finish.
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Favorite of the group, but debatable for the reason. Nice, bold cab. I'd take the Hobbs in 5 years over this, but for now clearly the better wine. Tannicity (is that a word?) still persists, but not overwhelming. Matched great with the steaks. Loooong finish still. No complaints and would drink anytime someone buys it for me. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what I would rank/score more highly. Great all around wine for a business dinner. No way anyone could complain. I'm not drinking this price point, nor will I ever..... $250 at C&J.
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@Quintessa - 2004 - 2009 vertical The 05 is showing very well right now, but my notes weren't all that different than previous. Very masculine nose, musk, cigar box, and spicy cherry notes. The palate was much more intense than the other vintages in the vertical, but not all that different.
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Not impressed. Opened for about an hour. Alcohol, and strong black berries were overpowering. Expected more. Followed it with a 2006 Nickel & Nickel CC Ranch which made the Quin look even worse.
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This was hard to drink. Earthy and mushroomy nose with a little cherry vanilla. Mouthfeel was really light weight and thin, finish was a strange gritty and spicy cherry with vanilla. Not recommended. Tasted 2 bottles with consistent results.
I won't purchase again.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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PnP. Yup, PnP, although this needed at least 2 hours in a decanter, it was opened and served immediately - it's presence on the table ostensibly more important than the actual wine itself. No doubt there is plenty here to admire, but it's so tightly wound right now, without proper aeration, I really don't care to break it down further. Had this wine been served blind, I suspect I would have guessed Rutherford simply from the tell-tale dust component, but I also would have put this in the $50-60 club notwithstanding its polish, this is still fairly monolithic for me. Let this rest at least 5 more years.
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No decant. Let sit in glass for an hour. I would give this another couple of years to mature. Dark berries, licorice/mint, oak. Not all that complex, but great mouthfeel. Would not buy again though for the price.
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This wine did not disappoint and brought me back to the vineyard, which was a great experience. The wine shows a lot of dark fruit on the nose, is perfectly tannic, and finishes with vanilla. The wine is very complex, has a pretty long finish, and its blend of dark berries and vanilla goes fantastically with meat. We loved it and look forward to the other two bottles in the next few years. Curious to see what a little aging does.
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Anniversary dinner at Sullivans. Delicious juice. Decanted 2 hours prior to going to dinner. Dark berry flavors, some cocoa, smoke and mint as well. Smooth tannins. This bottle was much better than my last. I think this will continue to improve with more cellar time and has many good years left.
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Really nice wine with an excellent bouquet. Wine could have a little more finish, and perhaps under the right circumstances I would score it higher. Showing very nicely now, but time will be kind to it.
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Decanted two hours. Beautiful deep ruby in the glass. Aroma of cigar box/pipe tobacco and black fruit. It took awhile to give away any hints on the palate, but after sitting in the glass for another hour, there was a pleasant brambly fruit, silky smooth tannins, and very little, but existent, Rutheford dust. I really enjoyed this wine...the most enjoyable Quintessa in quite some time.
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An excellent wine. Lovely nose, not too fruity, with nice raspberry and chocolate flavors. Smooth finish. Paired nicely with flank steak florentine and Brussels sprouts, the saltiness of the cheese and spinach complimenting the spiceness of the wine.
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Deep crimson red color with ripe red berry scents and a slight minty note mixed in as well. On the palate the texture is rich and smooth with some cocoa and vanilla bits mixed with rich fruit. Finishes very smooth with velvety tannins giving it nice length. Overall a very nice wine but I don't know if the price ($98 at Costco) is totally justified. There are dozens of $100 wines out there and this one doesn't do much to set itself apart from the rest.
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Opened a bottle to go with the tasting menu at l'Atelier. Was the unremareakble note in an otherwise fantstic dinner. Though in fairness, the nose showed promise (mint and eucalyptus, according to the maitre-- I could not detect it) and it did not get proper time breathe.
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Poured two hours before and hit with the vinturi. Nose is fantastic, cherry, smoke, vanilla, and mint. Palate was completely different, would not have guessed the same wine. Amazing chocolate, coffee, cherry, Rutherford dust, and smoke. The finish is long. A very complex and layered wine. Too bad I can't afford more.
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The wine evolves with time and a quiet entry builds to a structured, solid mid-palate with dense black fruit. Its long finish unfolds with supple tannins and a caress of sweet fruit
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delicious. didn't decant, but opened and let sit for about 2 hours and even had a little left for next day. Very flavorful, spicy, rich. It was worth the wait holding it for a couple of years for a special occasion. agree with most notes here. fantastic with chocolate too.
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Doesn't need a lot of decanting, but does benefit from a good hour. Awesome nose. Very harmonious result in this wine, with balanced acidity, just the right amount of oak influence. Very good intensity of fruit. Nice, tall and ripe tannins, all in very good harmony. You can lay this wine to sleep for 8 to 10 years easily. Great and elegant length, which resourceful fruit and complexity throughout the whole passage.
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Did a vertical tasting at Quintessa of the '05, '06 and '07 paired with some interesting cheeses, a barrel tasting of a few different blocks (Bench and Cruz Del Sur) of '08 cabernet from within the property and then got to experiment blending the different barrel samples to see how flavors change. What a fun educational experience. This was my first time tasting Quintessa. The '05 had it all over the others but the '07 has a nice fruity start to it and shows lots of promise. A little on the high end of the price scale for what it is but nonetheless was a fun time. The powerful tannins had my mouth puckering on the ride home an hour later.
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Second bottle that had saturated cork. I think that Quintessa had bad corks sourced for the 2005 vintage. Ran through Vinturi. Dark fruit, blackberries. Light oak, silky tannins. Overpriced. There is much better juice for half what Q costs.
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A lovely wine after decanting for about 1 hour. Heavy dark fruit, blackberries, maybe a hint of cranberry even. Subtle black pepper and oak, very silky and velvety tannins. Slightly hot finish, but still a nice long finish. Bought this at BLT Steak restaurant and it paired perfectly with short ribs. Fantastic wine, but would have to think twice to spend the money on this again.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Strong, monstrous nose of cassis, dark cherries, pepper and fresh tobacco leaves. Explosive fruit in the mouth. Nice finish, although nothing spectacular.
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Had it at lunch as I needed to use up the quarterly minimum. It's amazing to me that I can buy this wine to consume at the Olympic Club for less than normal retail. No detailed notes. A little hot from the high alcohol. Probably won't buy again unless I need to use up the minimum again.
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Bouquet has lots of dark fruit, some oak, smoke and earthiness. The wine has nice fruit flavors of cherry, blackberry and even some strawberry that is followed by a decent but not overwhelming amount of tannin and a pleasant oaky finish that lasts for over 30 seconds. This wine is still a baby and could use another 3-5 years to gain complexity. That said, it is quite tasty now.
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next to the '03 unti syrah. 2 hour decant. much more rigid structure here. the oak notes while of compelling quantification, are much more harmonious with the rest of the wine here. the unti came across woody and here is shows as determined muscle. dark blackberry, stone and obvious herbaceousness. lead pencil. i'd wait 2 more years before a revisit.
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Nose: black olive , slight barnyard with air, more herbaceousness than 06. Similar on the palate, restrained style, but ripe California fruit evident, and oak becomes more apparent with time. Slightly tarter cherries compared to the 06. Some Paulliac-like character in the herby greenness (in a good way), as in less ripe vintages. Color was ruby-purple on both 05 and 06.
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Server tasting at Sullivan's Indy. Excellent rich dark cherry, espresso and leather on the nose. Creme de cassis on the palate with more dark cherries, dark roast coffee and leather. Excellent finish.
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Very average wine (hence the rating), tastes a bit mass-produced without a ton of identity. Not bad, but certainly not worth that sort of money. I'd rather buy 2 other napa starter bottles in the $30-$40 range like a Rombauer, Clos du Val, BV Tapestry - the Quintessa wasn't nearly as good as those in my view.
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First impression was how silky smooth, fruit fwd and refine the wine tasted. Flavor and aroma included dark berries trailing to merlot like fruitiness. Very well balance. Perhaps give 1-3 yrs more and other dimensions and layers will reveal themselves.
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I am in a rut. Had dinner with The Winer at Hannah's RSM CA. We enjoyed this after having tasted a 2005 Caymus Cab at the office. This was great and supported all of my earlier comments.
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Deep purple in color and concentrated with syrupy, peppery notes of blackcurrant, black plum and slightly briary tar aromas. Fruit forward, alcoholic but lush and quite fleshy on the palate with deep blackberry flavors, fine grain tannins and vanilla oriented oak flavors on the finish.
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I am glad to see the ratings on this wine escalate in recent months. I enjoyed this at Hannah’s in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA with a good friend and colleague. The color, be it not under the best observing conditions seemed dark but not the inky dark purple you might expect. My guest nailed the cherryish aroma and got that and some florals. Very Pleasant. It was smooth and had a nice balance of acid and earthiness. I really enjoyed it and might add a couple to my stash.
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classic bordeaux style wine. Very smooth for an 05. Tannins will break down in a few years. This should have a long shelf life. like this over some of the other quintessa post 2001.
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I was a little disappointed with this particular bottle. Had at a restaurant with a 2006 Caymus and 2006 Honig. The Quintessa was third out of the three. Could have been a bad bottle as the cork was a little more saturated than I would have expected.
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Really solid wine every time I have it. Has an old world feel that I really like. I like the 04 a little better that the 05 just because the 04 was a touch smoother. Dark purple on the color with brown around the fringes. Vanilla and plumb on the nose with a soft silky touch of burnt logs. This is an elegant wine that gives me the feel of a dark high end New York cigar wine bar. I love the wine but the 05 was borderline on the price. A couple years more and it will bring this wine to where it needs to be. Berries, plumb, chewy, velvety, and a lavish wine. Give it a try.
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Deep purple Fantastic nose - vanilla, currant, plum, blackberry, spices Still quite young to taste. Decant for over an hour. Firm tannins. Complex flavour, and long finish. Full but nto chewy. Good now. But age for 10 years would be better. Too young to be worth the price at the moment.
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Red Carpet: Beaut. cedar, swt oak, small berries, silky, super fine; coffee notes, swt blk berry, tasty tart fin. Best of the bunch. Char., bal, fine. Nice.
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No formal score or detailed notes as this was based on a 2oz tasting pour. The nose is fantastically full of vanilla, currant, plum, cedar, and spice. The color is deep purple and the legs on this just didn't quit. Taste is still pretty reticent, as this was the first pour out of a freshly opened bottle in addition to its youth. Even at this young stage, it still has quite a bit of complexity and depth to the flavors which hint at the greatness of this wine in the future. It's absolutely silky smooth and insanely elegant, with a finish that seemed to just go on and on. As good as it is, however, I am not sure that I think it is worth the $110 price point. I think around $70-$80 I could get behind it, but I'll pass at this point. If I had to score I'd say 91-93, with a tremendous up side with some age on it.
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Still early in it's life, it bursts with heavy cherry and ripe plum notes. Full in the mouth, but not at all chewy. Plush finish keeps going and going and going with the lightest of floral notes over smooth vanillla. Let it age another 3-6 years and it has potential to become extraordinary. Right now I'm not sure it's worth the cost ($129) but should age into a good value.
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I will not assign a point rating, because I had this at dinner over the weekend and this is from memory. This wine tasted disjointed to me. There was a clash among the ceder and dill elements, the tannins, and the fruit. The fruit was plush, ripe and lavish, deep and plummy with even maybe a little Rutherford loaminess, but the finish gave it a bitterly herbal edge. It may be that the wine simply needs more time, or needed more air, but I would be surprised if either made it more integrated.
The wine was decanted for an hour and half before serving. From memory, I would rate it 85-87.
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A Day at the Office (Crow's Nest): Stylistically this has gone down hill in the past few vintages. This is extremely youthful so it's fair to give 87-90. The tannins are bitter with an herbal note, dominating the underlying black fruits, asphalt, and cedar. The nose does employ a nice richness of smoked herbs and bold black fruits. I think this one will come around in the long run, just give a few years.
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1/21/2023 - meatbomb013 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I waited 10 years since my last bottle of this wine. Enjoyed it very much back then and even more so now. Out of magnum at Saucon Valley with Tom and Brent. In a great spot right now, balancing fading primary fruit with secondary cabernet facets of tobacco and leather. The finish is long and sexy.
At peak now and for another 5-8 years (out of magnum). This is my last bottle and I am bummed about it.
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9/10/2022 - Craigandreg Likes this wine:
Really nice at HB
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12/24/2020 - RACJacoby Likes this wine: 90 Points
Might have been slightly dated. Overall very good.
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8/30/2020 - FoxStreet55356 wrote:
- Crimsom color.
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4/12/2020 - nphase wrote: 87 Points
Perfectly drinkable, but over the hill. No more fruit to round out the tannins.
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4/10/2020 - andyw Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took some meaningful time to open up
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2/21/2020 - MLR Likes this wine: 89 Points
A bit subdued I’d have to say. Still some nice fruit and a passing glance of tannins. But this needs to be drunk.
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5/18/2019 - sylviap Likes this wine:
Dark red fruit, with hints of tobacco and cedar on the nose and the palate. Still great, with tannins and character on the palate and in the finish.
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3/27/2019 - JHH51 wrote: 91 Points
California fruit bomb. Still drinking nicely with a balance that appeared after 30 minutes.
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1/25/2019 - MLR Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still some wonderful fruit. A bit Smokey on the nose. Tannins virtually gone. Time to drink up.
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8/27/2018 - MLR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Roasted meat and tobacco on the nose. Somewhat light in the mouth but the flavors began to burst as we worked through the bottle. The flavors included both bright red fruit and cedar notes. The tannins, while short lived, are clearly still there.
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6/1/2018 - jimyeni wrote: 93 Points
Worth it for the nose, wow. On the palate it’s a little lean but good.
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11/19/2017 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 94 Points
The bouquet is so wonderful on this wine, beautiful red, blue, and black fruit with a real perfume like quality. The palate is leaner than most Napa Cabs, I think it's in the drinking window, would not wait much longer. Beautiful mid palate and finish. Really drinking well. Just bought a few more bottles.
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11/17/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was a tad disjointed, angular minerality and oak at first, black plums. After it settled down it became, well, more boring. Two hours after opening the nose is muted mineral and oak, the palate is dominated by red black fruit, oak, mineral and acid. Don't get me wrong, this is a good CA cab, but I was expecting more! My last bottle.
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10/1/2017 - cawineaux Likes this wine: 91 Points
The nose on this wine is amazing. It's bursting with fruit and baking spices, while the palate is a bit floral and soft.
If you hold these in your cellar, it's time to drink up. The fruit is holding up, but the backbone was missing from this bottle.
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8/16/2017 - timdrex wrote: 94 Points
Looking back on my previous note from January, 2016, this wine has blossomed beautifully. Hasn't peaked yet.
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3/16/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted at Oceanaire in San Diego. A beautiful CA wine, in its drinking window, consistent with previous notes. Paired with butterfish and risotto.
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2/17/2017 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
Similar to previous notes. Missing the wow factor big time. Great texture and sense of quality, but one dimensional.
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2/15/2017 - LASF wrote: 95 Points
Velvety smooth and elegant. Nice notes of blackberry and rasberry with a touches of cedar and rose. Beautiful finish. An outstanding wine!
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1/15/2017 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine, great time to drink it as it's open, has good fruit and you can taste and feel the age - the elegance is there.
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12/19/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened to breathe for 1h, soft nose of herbs mint and berries, on the palate red cherries, raspberries, oak, leather, and a pronounced acid finish. This is a lighter expression of a CA cab, bright with acidity, easy to drink and well balanced.
This unwound somewhat overnight, still complex but the fruit receded and it is slightly more acidic and leathery. Best to drink this up in one go.
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9/25/2016 - Baron Slick wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby appearance. The bouquet is infused with black raspberries, currants, and cassis over earthy elements of conifer, eucalyptus, and pencil shavings. Tightly wound but two hours in the decanter unfurls a complete and persistent wine. It's long and silky, savory and fruity, with a wonderful middle sweetness wreathed in youthful tannin. Black truffles and espresso flow on the finish. Classic.
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9/19/2016 - skurtz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened to breathe for 2h. Hot nose of berries and mineral. The palate is graphite, slightly sweet blackberries, oak faint tannins and acid finish - again just like blackberries. An intense, juicy CA cab. Initially troubled and disjointed, this really needed 2h of quiet air time to settle down and integrate (slow ox). Tonight with pea soup and lamb.
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8/20/2016 - TwistedArmadillo Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine was awesome, everything you would expect from Quintessa.
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7/23/2016 - Double D wrote: 94 Points
It took a long time but this is excellent now.
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6/15/2016 - Cortona5 wrote: 91 Points
It is drinking great. Still can sit my remaining bottles for 1-2 years but don't think I need to wait
A classic Quintessa
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3/28/2016 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice medium indigo color. Floral nose. Typical, sophisticated, complex Quintessa. This bottle may have suffered by being overpowered by the bottle of O'Shaughnessy Howell Mtn. served with an earlier dinner. I certainly do not think this is on the way down but I would not expect any additional improvement.
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3/1/2016 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fabulous floral bouquet. Still a touch tight after two-hour decant but quickly resolved. Thoroughly enjoyable but not outstanding compared to some other bottles I've tasted.
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2/12/2016 - cawineaux wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Drank with friends over two hours. The nose of this wine is the most incredible experience. Dark fruit, tar, fresh cut tobacco, and leather. The palate was fresh, not what you'd expect of an 11 year old bottle of wine, lively fruit, subdued oak, and very well integrated at this point. Can't say enough about where this bottle is today.
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1/4/2016 - timdrex Likes this wine: 94 Points
We patiently gave this a 2 1/2 hour decant before the first approach, and it was so worth it. A voluptuous nose with ripe stone fruit complimented by a complex bouquet of roasted veggies and ripe bananas. Well-rounded on the palate with a great balance of complexity, mouthfeel, and tannins. Far more evolved than the last bottle we drank 4 years ago.
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12/12/2015 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, smooth, elegant and polished with bright vibrant dark berry fruit flavors accented by huge floral bouquet, tones of violet, cola and hint of clove spice with tangy bright acidity on the smokey tannin laced finish.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/12/festive-holiday-dinner-showcases.html
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12/12/2015 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent transition wine from pre dinner whites to the heavier Napa cabs served with beef tenderloin. This was lighter than I remembered. Still the same characteristics though. A hint of clove and spice on the nose. Bright plum, cassis and a bit of cherry on the palate with a medium finish. This needs at least 30 minutes of air to reveal the fruit and complexity. Was a bit surprised that this did not have the same weight or body of the '04 Fantesca or Clark Claudon that followed.
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11/20/2015 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful wine. Terrifically balanced mouthfeel of ripe red fruit, spices, toast and raisins. We decanted this bottle for about an hour before pouring. Unfortunately, it's the last 2005 in our cellar. Break out the '06 and '07's.
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7/17/2015 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
We decanted this wine for almost two hours(couldn't wait any longer). Wonderful layers of fruit with balanced acidity and tannins. This is a wonderful wine and vintage.
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5/26/2015 - Vino2Vino wrote: 87 Points
Yikes. This wine was "tight". We decanted for close to an hour and it was still not ready. This needs more time! It will be good, but this night it was not nearly up to its potential. :-(
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5/26/2015 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice complexity and balance. Great layers of ripe red fruit. I decanted this for about 2 hours before pouring.
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5/10/2015 - Tonythefish wrote: 94 Points
Great mouth feel. Silky smooth yet enough brawn to handle beef tenderloin. Excellent
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5/7/2015 - mkoss Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great nose, long finish, perfect balance. Drink now!
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4/17/2015 - camben Likes this wine:
Melka made? Tastes like it. Starts off a bit grapey and forward but then melds into a beautifully aromatic and powerful wine. Black currant dominated but this stuff runs the whole wheel. Very excellent
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4/5/2015 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
We decanted this wine for two hours. Deep burgundy red color. Very expressive notes of red figs, cherries, toast, licorice and vanilla. Very smooth tannins integrated with balanced acidity. Wonderful mouthfeel with layers of figs, black currant, vanilla, blueberries and coffee. Would have given this a higher score, but we wanted a little longer finish, but a really wonderful wine.
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3/22/2015 - Cholera Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent wine with great depth and Mouthfeel. Deep black color, less fruit forward than I would have thought for this Rutherford location. The build up over time 1hour decant exposed the soft mid palate and lingering finish. Paired with Slow cooked Kobe beef and the spicy notes with black fruits came alive. Worth the price
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3/14/2015 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 90 Points
South Charlotte Wine Lovers - California Bordeaux Blends (Bob and Anita's Place on Lake Wylie): If drinking alone I probably would have scored it higher. But this just did not hold up on its own against the competition this night. This is why I love comparing wines side by side.
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2/28/2015 - Murf130 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still going strong. Balanced acid and tannins. Med+ finish.
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12/25/2014 - Billmewine wrote:
Still one of the best. Sweet spot for me is still around the 10 year mark. Great aroma, finish and taste.
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12/19/2014 - bruinboozer wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable but numerous wines that are same are better at 1/2 price
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10/25/2014 - Gator96 wrote: 92 Points
Super smooth
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5/26/2014 - Steve's Cellar wrote: 90 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of tobacco, blackberry, black currant and oak. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of oak, blackberry, green beans and tobacco with a medium body. Round texture with a medium finish - Drank w/Sandy just cause. Had w/Chicken picita - it was very good. Wine worked ok with burnt butter, a bit sting for lemon/cappers.
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5/5/2014 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple glasses non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
Nice; high-toned; impressive, well-embedded acidity; moderate oak; not gloppy/heavy; sage sausage; very tight; 14.9%. Will greatly benefit from additional cellaring; maybe my favorite wine of the night, even if it’s not the one I’d necessarily choose as showing the best today.
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1/24/2014 - TastesGoodToMe wrote: 91 Points
2 1/2 Years since my last bottle. 2 hour decant. This is a nice wine - except for the price. Many other wines that I would rate as good at 1/3 the price. Not sure will improve much so will plan to drink my remaining bottles over next couple of years.
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11/20/2013 - Smith32USA wrote:
- Brick color with medium forming legs.
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9/10/2013 - wino121 wrote: 90 Points
Disappointing to say the least, no depth or character at this point of its life.
This bottle was open and poured over 2 hours, not gaining any weight
with air.
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8/10/2013 - wconnolly Likes this wine: 93 Points
Exceptional bottle of wine. Dark indigo in color. Nose reveals fruit and a bit of clove and pepper. Needs a minimum of 60 minutes to open and reveal soft silky tannins with big robust flavors of blackberry, plum, cassis and chocolate. This was bigger than I expected and more reminiscent of a big Cab than the self characterized Bordeaux style blend. Thankfully, we had decided on a dry aged, prime strip steak for dinner. Anything less might have been overpowered by the wine. A real treat and drinking very well right now.
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6/23/2013 - bmartz1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really drinking wonderfully right now. Agree w/ previous comments on balance and soft finish, disagree that the wine is drinking big. I think it's in the sweet spot now and will start to turn in 12-18 months. Great structure, just a hint of tannin and dust.
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3/3/2013 - Tonythefish wrote:
See prior notes
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3/2/2013 - Tonythefish wrote: 92 Points
Really nice Rutherford Cab. Silky tannins a good round finish. Easy on the palate
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2/10/2013 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
A big cabernet that still needs more time. Drinkable now with an hour plus decant. We liked it, but for the price, very turned off. The wow factor definitely wasn't there. A heavy cabernet for pure Rutherford cab lovers.
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2/9/2013 - VinoPKM wrote:
Drank after an OCP4W event, don't remember a thing about this one. Damn you OCP4W. Luckily it was a gift or I would have been mad.
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1/13/2013 - handymom wrote: 94 Points
This was a beautiful wine. Heady, beautiful aromas of fruit and spice. Nice palate. Long, lingering finish.
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1/5/2013 - Trolson wrote: 95 Points
We had the treat of drinking a magnum. Super smooth with big nose.
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11/23/2012 - jjtarnow wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple..rich..liverish with a charcoal taste. Heavier alcohol than first expected...maybe worth waiting a bit longer to drink.
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11/22/2012 - daviddepoy wrote:
- Medium forming legs - Thanksgiving Dinner special wine choice
pared ok with Turkey and the Trimmings, but it is a little heavier than I remembered and probably could have used a good piece of red meat
Still one of my favorites
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10/3/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Quintessa with Larry Stone M.S. (Moto Restaurant - Chicago): Rich black and red cherry. Elegant but nice extraction. Little plum too.
Aromatic and pretty with lots of depth. Really full on the palate with weighty fruit on the mid palate. Really doing well at this stage.
Going strong but settling in nicely. Last bottle may have been a bit of I suppose.
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9/14/2012 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
Decanted. Relatively light in color but no rust or bricking. Reticent fruit and pepper. Comes across lean and a little green. Still, there's a nice softness and mouthfeel. If blind I would have guessed a $30 Sonoma cabernet.
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6/5/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 90 Points
Tasted blind besides '05 Cakebread Cab and Opus. This bottling didn't come across nearly as feminine or elegant as I remembered or at least than other vintages. Black all day. Black fruit, charcoal, black olives. Big big wine. The finish was a bit disjointed. Big alcohol, big tannins. No acidity. Didn't love how this was showing. Definitely preferred the Cakebread to it as did most.
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5/23/2012 - meatbomb013 wrote: 93 Points
This wine is in a very good place right now. Great primary cab nose and flavors upon opening. Opened for about 45 minutes and then enjoyed with beef tenderloin. Developed flavors of cedar, anise, tobacco, and black fruits. May very well be at its peak right now although I think that it has the goods to stay here for 3-5 years.
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5/2/2012 - Lee Fining wrote: 92 Points
Bright, medium light garnet color. Nice fruit nose showing fruit, cream, vanilla and herbs. Excellent, dark fruit and sweet leather flavors showcased in a well balanced wine. Long finish.
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4/20/2012 - eschwet wrote: 94 Points
Favorite of the group, but debatable for the reason. Nice, bold cab. I'd take the Hobbs in 5 years over this, but for now clearly the better wine. Tannicity (is that a word?) still persists, but not overwhelming. Matched great with the steaks. Loooong finish still. No complaints and would drink anytime someone buys it for me. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what I would rank/score more highly. Great all around wine for a business dinner. No way anyone could complain. I'm not drinking this price point, nor will I ever..... $250 at C&J.
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4/11/2012 - cawineaux wrote: 93 Points
@Quintessa - 2004 - 2009 vertical The 05 is showing very well right now, but my notes weren't all that different than previous. Very masculine nose, musk, cigar box, and spicy cherry notes. The palate was much more intense than the other vintages in the vertical, but not all that different.
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3/31/2012 - redwiner wrote: 86 Points
Not impressed. Opened for about an hour. Alcohol, and strong black berries were overpowering. Expected more. Followed it with a 2006 Nickel & Nickel CC Ranch which made the Quin look even worse.
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3/30/2012 - Watchster wrote: 94 Points
Excellent blend with lasting finish and well integrated blend.
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2/11/2012 - FriendsInTown wrote: 96 Points
Great wine
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1/16/2012 - Gestalted wrote: 85 Points
This was hard to drink. Earthy and mushroomy nose with a little cherry vanilla. Mouthfeel was really light weight and thin, finish was a strange gritty and spicy cherry with vanilla. Not recommended. Tasted 2 bottles with consistent results.
I won't purchase again.
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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1/14/2012 - timdrex wrote: 92 Points
Decanted one hour. Nose of pencil lead and dark cherry. On the tongue, well balanced tannins, integrated fruit, decent finish.
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11/26/2011 - Morryh wrote:
Best wine of the night...again.
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11/5/2011 - Tim Heaton wrote:
PnP. Yup, PnP, although this needed at least 2 hours in a decanter, it was opened and served immediately - it's presence on the table ostensibly more important than the actual wine itself. No doubt there is plenty here to admire, but it's so tightly wound right now, without proper aeration, I really don't care to break it down further. Had this wine been served blind, I suspect I would have guessed Rutherford simply from the tell-tale dust component, but I also would have put this in the $50-60 club notwithstanding its polish, this is still fairly monolithic for me. Let this rest at least 5 more years.
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11/5/2011 - drbdorfman wrote: 95 Points
Rutherford Dust!!
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8/27/2011 - scotty_b wrote: 91 Points
No decant. Let sit in glass for an hour. I would give this another couple of years to mature. Dark berries, licorice/mint, oak. Not all that complex, but great mouthfeel. Would not buy again though for the price.
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8/21/2011 - CounselorEp wrote: 92 Points
This wine did not disappoint and brought me back to the vineyard, which was a great experience. The wine shows a lot of dark fruit on the nose, is perfectly tannic, and finishes with vanilla. The wine is very complex, has a pretty long finish, and its blend of dark berries and vanilla goes fantastically with meat. We loved it and look forward to the other two bottles in the next few years. Curious to see what a little aging does.
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7/16/2011 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Anniversary dinner at Sullivans. Delicious juice. Decanted 2 hours prior to going to dinner. Dark berry flavors, some cocoa, smoke and mint as well. Smooth tannins. This bottle was much better than my last. I think this will continue to improve with more cellar time and has many good years left.
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7/3/2011 - ChinonRouge wrote: 91 Points
Really nice wine with an excellent bouquet. Wine could have a little more finish, and perhaps under the right circumstances I would score it higher. Showing very nicely now, but time will be kind to it.
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5/15/2011 - cawineaux wrote: 92 Points
Decanted two hours. Beautiful deep ruby in the glass. Aroma of cigar box/pipe tobacco and black fruit. It took awhile to give away any hints on the palate, but after sitting in the glass for another hour, there was a pleasant brambly fruit, silky smooth tannins, and very little, but existent, Rutheford dust. I really enjoyed this wine...the most enjoyable Quintessa in quite some time.
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5/11/2011 - cookiefiend wrote:
A beautiful wine, full and rich with dark fruits and hints of vanilla. Long silky finish, fine tannins.
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4/23/2011 - wineflyboy wrote: 94 Points
Simply amazing. Wish I had decanted it longer. This wine has 7-12 more years. Stunning CS
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4/5/2011 - joerazore wrote: 95 Points
fantastic, no decant.
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3/26/2011 - iwadasn wrote: 95 Points
An excellent wine. Lovely nose, not too fruity, with nice raspberry and chocolate flavors. Smooth finish. Paired nicely with flank steak florentine and Brussels sprouts, the saltiness of the cheese and spinach complimenting the spiceness of the wine.
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1/1/2011 - omars Likes this wine: 93 Points
peppery
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12/23/2010 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Deep crimson red color with ripe red berry scents and a slight minty note mixed in as well. On the palate the texture is rich and smooth with some cocoa and vanilla bits mixed with rich fruit. Finishes very smooth with velvety tannins giving it nice length. Overall a very nice wine but I don't know if the price ($98 at Costco) is totally justified. There are dozens of $100 wines out there and this one doesn't do much to set itself apart from the rest.
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12/13/2010 - jorge48 wrote: 88 Points
Opened a bottle to go with the tasting menu at l'Atelier. Was the unremareakble note in an otherwise fantstic dinner. Though in fairness, the nose showed promise (mint and eucalyptus, according to the maitre-- I could not detect it) and it did not get proper time breathe.
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10/30/2010 - dwmccoy wrote:
Always excellent. Drank with filets and risotto. Shared with Austen to celebrate brooks' first bike ride with no training wheels. Great night!
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10/10/2010 - meatbomb013 wrote: 92 Points
Still a bit closed. Wonderful concentration and acidity. Either decant for 4-5 hours or lay it down for another 5 years.
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10/2/2010 - Shiketadamaya wrote: 90 Points
basilico mil burn
Sasaki, Nakao, Yasui
Tad
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9/10/2010 - brigcampbell wrote: 93 Points
Poured two hours before and hit with the vinturi. Nose is fantastic, cherry, smoke, vanilla, and mint. Palate was completely different, would not have guessed the same wine. Amazing chocolate, coffee, cherry, Rutherford dust, and smoke. The finish is long. A very complex and layered wine. Too bad I can't afford more.
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7/29/2010 - shaunalynn wrote:
The wine evolves with time and a quiet entry builds to a structured, solid mid-palate with dense black fruit. Its long finish unfolds with supple tannins and a caress of sweet fruit
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7/5/2010 - CasaHernandez wrote:
delicious. didn't decant, but opened and let sit for about 2 hours and even had a little left for next day. Very flavorful, spicy, rich. It was worth the wait holding it for a couple of years for a special occasion. agree with most notes here. fantastic with chocolate too.
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6/20/2010 - Harrypotter wrote:
Aromatically - Red fruit, some spice. On the palate very nice tannin. Nice big density
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6/20/2010 - Capt M wrote: 94 Points
Doesn't need a lot of decanting, but does benefit from a good hour. Awesome nose. Very harmonious result in this wine, with balanced acidity, just the right amount of oak influence. Very good intensity of fruit. Nice, tall and ripe tannins, all in very good harmony. You can lay this wine to sleep for 8 to 10 years easily. Great and elegant length, which resourceful fruit and complexity throughout the whole passage.
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4/11/2010 - River Rat wrote:
Did a vertical tasting at Quintessa of the '05, '06 and '07 paired with some interesting cheeses, a barrel tasting of a few different blocks (Bench and Cruz Del Sur) of '08 cabernet from within the property and then got to experiment blending the different barrel samples to see how flavors change. What a fun educational experience. This was my first time tasting Quintessa. The '05 had it all over the others but the '07 has a nice fruity start to it and shows lots of promise. A little on the high end of the price scale for what it is but nonetheless was a fun time. The powerful tannins had my mouth puckering on the ride home an hour later.
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3/14/2010 - gnr wrote: 96 Points
Silky wonderful q flavor as it opened up got even better
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3/13/2010 - bigdomer wrote: 90 Points
Second bottle that had saturated cork. I think that Quintessa had bad corks sourced for the 2005 vintage. Ran through Vinturi. Dark fruit, blackberries. Light oak, silky tannins. Overpriced. There is much better juice for half what Q costs.
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2/12/2010 - marcw23 wrote: 94 Points
A lovely wine after decanting for about 1 hour. Heavy dark fruit, blackberries, maybe a hint of cranberry even. Subtle black pepper and oak, very silky and velvety tannins. Slightly hot finish, but still a nice long finish. Bought this at BLT Steak restaurant and it paired perfectly with short ribs. Fantastic wine, but would have to think twice to spend the money on this again.
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12/17/2009 - Michael6296 wrote: 91 Points
Thanks to Mr K for poppin this one!
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11/4/2009 - qhdeputy wrote: 85 Points
Flat, not much fruit or tannin.
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10/6/2009 - Arnaudh wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Strong, monstrous nose of cassis, dark cherries, pepper and fresh tobacco leaves. Explosive fruit in the mouth. Nice finish, although nothing spectacular.
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8/31/2009 - paulevd wrote: 91 Points
Had it at lunch as I needed to use up the quarterly minimum. It's amazing to me that I can buy this wine to consume at the Olympic Club for less than normal retail. No detailed notes. A little hot from the high alcohol. Probably won't buy again unless I need to use up the minimum again.
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8/29/2009 - Zinor wrote: 90 Points
Nose of pure cassis. Very focused and elegant, even discreet. In the mouth, some oak reveals itself. Not a huge wine but not without its charms.
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7/18/2009 - NY Wino wrote: 92 Points
Bouquet has lots of dark fruit, some oak, smoke and earthiness. The wine has nice fruit flavors of cherry, blackberry and even some strawberry that is followed by a decent but not overwhelming amount of tannin and a pleasant oaky finish that lasts for over 30 seconds. This wine is still a baby and could use another 3-5 years to gain complexity. That said, it is quite tasty now.
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7/5/2009 - nzinkgraf wrote:
next to the '03 unti syrah. 2 hour decant. much more rigid structure here. the oak notes while of compelling quantification, are much more harmonious with the rest of the wine here. the unti came across woody and here is shows as determined muscle. dark blackberry, stone and obvious herbaceousness. lead pencil. i'd wait 2 more years before a revisit.
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5/6/2009 - amateurwino wrote: 92 Points
Nose: black olive , slight barnyard with air, more herbaceousness than 06. Similar on the palate, restrained style, but ripe California fruit evident, and oak becomes more apparent with time. Slightly tarter cherries compared to the 06. Some Paulliac-like character in the herby greenness (in a good way), as in less ripe vintages. Color was ruby-purple on both 05 and 06.
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4/25/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
Server tasting at Sullivan's Indy.
Excellent rich dark cherry, espresso and leather on the nose.
Creme de cassis on the palate with more dark cherries, dark roast coffee and leather.
Excellent finish.
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4/16/2009 - Winebof wrote: 75 Points
Very average wine (hence the rating), tastes a bit mass-produced without a ton of identity. Not bad, but certainly not worth that sort of money. I'd rather buy 2 other napa starter bottles in the $30-$40 range like a Rombauer, Clos du Val, BV Tapestry - the Quintessa wasn't nearly as good as those in my view.
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4/11/2009 - KDutti wrote: 91 Points
First impression was how silky smooth, fruit fwd and refine the wine tasted. Flavor and aroma included dark berries trailing to merlot like fruitiness. Very well balance. Perhaps give 1-3 yrs more and other dimensions and layers will reveal themselves.
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4/6/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Sampled at winery after 2 hours in glass. Viva's notes are pretty much dead-on. Nice wine. Not for the $.
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3/24/2009 - Viva wrote: 94 Points
Opened up after 2 hour breathing. Milk chocolate, caramel, condensed milk. Silky texture and long finish. Lovely wine. I really enjoyed it.
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3/4/2009 - ewineguy wrote: 90 Points
I am in a rut. Had dinner with The Winer at Hannah's RSM CA. We enjoyed this after having tasted a 2005 Caymus Cab at the office. This was great and supported all of my earlier comments.
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3/4/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 91 Points
Deep purple in color and concentrated with syrupy, peppery notes of blackcurrant, black plum and slightly briary tar aromas. Fruit forward, alcoholic but lush and quite fleshy on the palate with deep blackberry flavors, fine grain tannins and vanilla oriented oak flavors on the finish.
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2/25/2009 - ewineguy wrote: 90 Points
I am glad to see the ratings on this wine escalate in recent months. I enjoyed this at Hannah’s in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA with a good friend and colleague. The color, be it not under the best observing conditions seemed dark but not the inky dark purple you might expect. My guest nailed the cherryish aroma and got that and some florals. Very Pleasant. It was smooth and had a nice balance of acid and earthiness. I really enjoyed it and might add a couple to my stash.
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2/14/2009 - cabguy99 wrote: 93 Points
classic bordeaux style wine. Very smooth for an 05. Tannins will break down in a few years. This should have a long shelf life. like this over some of the other quintessa post 2001.
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2/6/2009 - bigdomer wrote: 90 Points
I was a little disappointed with this particular bottle. Had at a restaurant with a 2006 Caymus and 2006 Honig. The Quintessa was third out of the three. Could have been a bad bottle as the cork was a little more saturated than I would have expected.
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12/7/2008 - bjohnson350 wrote: 90 Points
Really solid wine every time I have it. Has an old world feel that I really like. I like the 04 a little better that the 05 just because the 04 was a touch smoother. Dark purple on the color with brown around the fringes. Vanilla and plumb on the nose with a soft silky touch of burnt logs. This is an elegant wine that gives me the feel of a dark high end New York cigar wine bar. I love the wine but the 05 was borderline on the price. A couple years more and it will bring this wine to where it needs to be. Berries, plumb, chewy, velvety, and a lavish wine. Give it a try.
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11/29/2008 - mye wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple
Fantastic nose - vanilla, currant, plum, blackberry, spices
Still quite young to taste. Decant for over an hour. Firm tannins. Complex flavour, and long finish. Full but nto chewy.
Good now. But age for 10 years would be better. Too young to be worth the price at the moment.
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11/15/2008 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Red Carpet: Beaut. cedar, swt oak, small berries, silky, super fine; coffee notes, swt blk berry, tasty tart fin. Best of the bunch. Char., bal, fine. Nice.
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10/19/2008 - jhannah27 wrote:
No formal score or detailed notes as this was based on a 2oz tasting pour. The nose is fantastically full of vanilla, currant, plum, cedar, and spice. The color is deep purple and the legs on this just didn't quit. Taste is still pretty reticent, as this was the first pour out of a freshly opened bottle in addition to its youth. Even at this young stage, it still has quite a bit of complexity and depth to the flavors which hint at the greatness of this wine in the future. It's absolutely silky smooth and insanely elegant, with a finish that seemed to just go on and on. As good as it is, however, I am not sure that I think it is worth the $110 price point. I think around $70-$80 I could get behind it, but I'll pass at this point. If I had to score I'd say 91-93, with a tremendous up side with some age on it.
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10/16/2008 - annerk wrote: 92 Points
Still early in it's life, it bursts with heavy cherry and ripe plum notes. Full in the mouth, but not at all chewy. Plush finish keeps going and going and going with the lightest of floral notes over smooth vanillla. Let it age another 3-6 years and it has potential to become extraordinary. Right now I'm not sure it's worth the cost ($129) but should age into a good value.
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10/8/2008 - bigdogflow wrote: 92 Points
Very dark color. Wonderful taste and finish last for 10-15 seconds. Really enjoyed this, but it is not worth the price.
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9/23/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
Southern Wine and Spirits Fall Fest (Navy Pier - Chicago, IL): Tasted at the 2008 Southern Wine and Spirits Fall Fest at Navy Pier.
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8/11/2008 - FieldingYost wrote:
I will not assign a point rating, because I had this at dinner over the weekend and this is from memory. This wine tasted disjointed to me. There was a clash among the ceder and dill elements, the tannins, and the fruit. The fruit was plush, ripe and lavish, deep and plummy with even maybe a little Rutherford loaminess, but the finish gave it a bitterly herbal edge. It may be that the wine simply needs more time, or needed more air, but I would be surprised if either made it more integrated.
The wine was decanted for an hour and half before serving. From memory, I would rate it 85-87.
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7/11/2008 - jjclips2 wrote: 87 Points
A Day at the Office (Crow's Nest): Stylistically this has gone down hill in the past few vintages. This is extremely youthful so it's fair to give 87-90. The tannins are bitter with an herbal note, dominating the underlying black fruits, asphalt, and cedar. The nose does employ a nice richness of smoked herbs and bold black fruits. I think this one will come around in the long run, just give a few years.
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5/13/2008 - wino_tim wrote:
Very young, but with enough air time this forecasts its future as a beauty.
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