Held up very well, but nearing the end of its window I think. Spicy, red currant, vanilla and wood notes on the nose. Well put together and balanced. Nice QPR.
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I kept this bottle for almost 7-8 years in my cellar hoping it will show great someday. That didn't happen. Obnoxious amount of fake vanilla on the nose. Once you get past it, the taste profile is too sour for both me and my wife's taste. No depth or structure. Just over the top fruit and not delicious fruit. That said, some people might find it drinkable. We put it in the fridge for cooking with it later. Very disappointing for the stellar 2005 vintage in Napa. The 2005 Mondavi showed way better than this one and was cheaper.
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Solid though light-weight for a Napa Cab. Large format clearly extended drinking window because this bottle still had nice structure. More red fruit than blue fruit on palate (think currants), herbal notes as well. Not much depth. More of a pork medallion wine, rather than steak.
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Tannins nicely resolved, good cab character with tobacco, pencil lead, deep fruit; it is still new world, but close to straddling that line as it has matured fully. Drink up now +1 year.
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This bottle has held up well in a cool cellar, rich, dark and spicy. Blackberry, currants, herbaceous, spicy oak. Fully integrated, but based on this bottle (my last) no hurry to drink.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of dusty. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of dusty with a medium body. Satin-Like texture with a short finish.
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Consistent with previous drinking note. Deep purple in the glass with more "green" or vegetal aromas. Medium weight on the tongue and a slightly abbreviated finish. I recommend drinking this sooner rather than later if you have any bottles left.
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Nice garnet color in the glass with no noticeable "bricking" on the edge despite being 7+ years old. Nose was dominated by green vegetable aromas initially - then transitioned into more earthy and dark fruit as it became exposed to air. Weight on the palate was fairly thin from a Napa Valley Cabernet standpoint - and the finish was a little abbreviated. Overall a good wine - but not exceptional.
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Another drinker. The 05 is getting a little tired. Have a couple bottles left that need to be drunk. Fruit has softened and tannins are smooth. A good second bottle.
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I am a big Raymond fan, the 1999 Generations is one of the best bottles I have ever consumed. This one was a heinous departure and disappointment with or without cost considered. GV, WE, JR must have been drinking something else. Even my less picky better half was shunning this pour. Aromatics as expected, but no body or structure at all - Welche's tastes more like CS than this bottle. Finish was bland and uninteresting, no tannins, no alcohol, no nothing.
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Austere, old-school Napa cab. Medium body with a dominating acidity. Ripeness is kept in check. Green herb and slight vegetal aromas, with a backbone of red berries and cranberries. Good finish. Probably peaking now.
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Great after sitting for thirty minutes in decanter. Oaky and chocolatey with a hint of sweet cherries. Perfect timing to get maximum flavor from this cab. Drink now with a rare steak. The results are other-worldy.
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A bit tight up front, but opened very nicely after running through an aerator. Hints of chocolate and menthol with plums and very ripe cherries. Could easily spend another year or two in the bottle.
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PnP & re-corked throughout evening...this is drinking nicely now & just right. Nice aromatics of dark fruit, cassis, carob, herb, spice & earth. Likewise palate w/soft tannins, light:medium acidity, round & velvety mouthfeel & a medium+ finish. Pleasantly surprised by this one.
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Really enjoying this selection I have cellared for 6 years. With Montamore cheese from Sartori and a nice pear. Steaks and grilled veggies to come - hope the wine lasts until the main course.
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Candied apple, cherry notes. Fruit forward with a Creamy finish. I tried this one when it was first released (2009) and was disappointed. It has since aged very well in the bottle. No Decanting necessary.
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good dark currant and cherry, cocoa, unintegrated oak; adequate but slightly sharp acidity; richer than previous vintages that i recall but not (yet?) quite integrated.
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This was well balanced, sturdy structure and lovely ripe black and red fruit. Also notable spice on the mid-palate and had an incredibly lengthy smooth finish.
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considering the fact that we had one 11 months ago and rated it a 90, we were surprised to see that we felt that it was too early to drink. Maybe a funky point...
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A fairly good dark fruit and tanned leather cab. It is pleasant, but does not leave a memory. Smooth, and lighter on the tongue than the rich deep visuals would indicate
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Popped and poured, quite rich and concentrated, nice black fruit and vanilla on the nose. The black fruit shines on the palate, this bottle showed a cinnamon spicey note along with some vanilla. Tannins are more prominate and quite firm, suggesting room for improvement. 91+
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Un beau cab Californien qui ne m'a pas paru trop boisé. Eucalyptus au nez. Superbe concentration, beaucoup de fruits, pointe de graphite et légère présence animale. Aurait pu se faire passer pour une syrah en aveugle. Relativement cher.
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Opened 1 week ago, drank 1/3 bottle vacuvin the rest. Very rich and concentrated nose of blackberry pie, currants and sweet vanilla. Hurge amounts of sweet blackberry, currants, cassis, vannilla, and dark chocolate on the palate. Smooth sweet, yet still some tannins to shed, finnish. Impressive!
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Popped and poured, even smoother than the last bottle, with loads of blue fruit, boysenberry, sweet cassis, raspberry and undertones of chocolate and mint. Very smooth and quite ready to drink.
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Quite a bit better than the last bottle. Nice nose and pretty complex. The tannins and oak have mellowed out making this bottle more balanced than the last. Nice wine.
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Has a nose of oak and cherries. On the palate I get a bit of spice, oak, and some dark fruit. Has a creaminess from the oak and a medium finish of cherries and mabye blueberries. Nice wine but you can get this profile for half the money from many Chilean cabs.
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COLOR: deep magenta, moving to pink on the edges; NOSE: smells jump from the glass even when my nose is still a few inches away. From there, I get white chocolate covered cherries. Moving in closer there is tobacco, char, and definitely some heat. There's also an interesting crushed-pomegrante-meets-thyme aspect to the nose. PALATE: so much acidity I feel like I'm drinking straight lemon juice--it's wild! There's some black cherries here, and a little tea leaf component on the finish.
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Great QPR! Bright cherry and wood on the nose and the pallete. A bit one dimensional, but I really enjoyed the cherry/oak profile. At this price point I would absolutely buy again, very good stuff!
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Spicy with a dark berry medium long finish. Disconcerting alcohol aftertaste. Not wonderful, but not bad. It's one of those wines that it all depends on how much you paid for it and what your wine budget is. I got this one free in a gift bag. I'd say it's worth about $35 when compared with its peers.
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Overall, I enjoyed this wine. Nice nose of dark fruits and smoke. At first taste there's a bit too much alcohol for me. But over time in the glass, the alcohol subsides and in the mouth the fruits come through along with a bit of earth and a slight hint of mint. For a $25 Cali cab, the finish is longer than expected and quite pleasant. Not a great wine and doesn't compare to similarly priced '05 Bordeaux I've had, but for me it's one of the better Cali cabs at this price point. Update - second night. While still showing fruit, the mint is more pronounced and the finish is a bit more of a sour cherry taste. I guess this is one that should have been polished off in one night. While I gave it an 88 on night one, I'd have to say this is more of an 80-82 on the second night.
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On the nose and palate are dominant flavors of overextracted blueberries and vanilla. And to compound this, unlike many of the other tasters, I have failed to pick out any secondary or teriary notes on this wine. It is straightforward, rich, sweet wine, that only by the notes of currants suggests Cabernet Sauvignon. Though it is by all means not bad, for me it is a rather boring effort, and the lack of tannin and acidity renders this wine cloying and tiring. I remember reading Robert Parker in his wine guide calling Raymond's wines overoaked...
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Can't score this one yet. Pop and pour yielding some serious pepper and acidity. Still somewhat fruit forward but the fruit is lost in the pepper and spice. Need to let this one breath in decanter for a while before I make any final judgement.
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Short on time but suffice it to say I agree with much of what was said in previous notes. However, when compared to the 06 it lacks the fruitiness I liked about the 06.
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Decanted for 2+ hours. Cherry, and tobacco on the nose. A bit thin on the palate, with a slight soure note. The Ph is ever so slightly off? Black fruit/berry and vanilla. This is an ok medium bodied cab, but nowhere near the high rating it received from WE.
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Very drinkable wine right after opening, but got better with time. I drank the entire bottle myself (not bragging, just fact! LOL!) without getting drunk.....just a little buzz, so it's a very easy drinking and good wine for parties. Tight nose at the beginning with alcohol dominating. As time went by, dark fruits emerged and alcohol faded.....both in taste and nose. This is drinking well now with no reason to age. QPR is not that great....at about $25, there are better wines out there (Innisfree for one). This is more of a $13-15 wine to me, but very good.
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Blackberry and mint on the nose. In the mouth, blackberry mush and plum fruit. Chai tea. Dry tannins and acidity a bit much. Overall, a reasonable wine.
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Phil & Ena's (Phil & Ena's home): Decanted and tasted over 3 hrs. not a wine to lay down, however hard to believe any claret from any vintage could match the richness and concentration this cab has to offer. Lots of smoke, cedar, red and blue fruit in the nose. Blue fruit, currants, raspberry and a good dose of oak in the long tannic finish. I would put this up against any 05 $22 bordeaux, right now anyway! Better in 1-2 years 89+.
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Good color, This bottle was enjoyable... I got a nice chared blackberry with black current, some vanilla and toasted oak. High acid a little sharp in the corners not a long long wine but still has an ok finish. I think a little off balence. Drank and watched bottle shock
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We had this at a cabernet sauvignon tasting on 2/7/09. It had a very tight nose of blackberry, black currant, cherry, tobacco & cedar. The palate followed with blackberry, black currant, cherry, vanilla and tobacco flavors. It had a creamy mouth feel with some very moderate tannin. It was pretty decent.
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Nose of blackberry and raspberry, firm but not overwhelming tannins, vanilla on the finish. Overall, very good, but did not think it quite warranted the 93 points that Wine Enthusiast apparently gave it.
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I bought this untasted to lay down, yet opened one to give it a try. Unimpressed. Very thin mouthfeel, but still pleasant and drinking nicely for one so young. I will be consuming these now rather than waste my limited Eurocave space, but at low-$20s it is a good value, although a bit of a joke to use the word 'reserve' for a wine of this quality.
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I enjoyed this wine, although I'm sure there are many others like it between $15 and $20. It wasn't as heavy as I expected. I enjoyed the nose quite a bit with some dark fruits and some vanilla. It didn't jump out at me though...I had to work to enjoy the nose. Not as oaky as many other cali cabs so I appreciated that, but it was a typical lower end Napa Cab.
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Deep ruby, typical Cali Cab on the nose except way to much green. Call it green pepper (this is not a cab franc afterall) or mint, which I enjoy if there's a touch.. Well it dominated the fruit which isn't a good thing. At this price point there's better.
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Decanted for 2 hours. The nose leads with cherry, tobacco and mint. On the palate, a bit thin and lacking the structure of bigger cabs. Black fruit right off the bat, then some vanilla comes in at the tail. Not overly oaked. Finish was decent...not long, but decent. Very enjoyable, but I expected a bit more of a "Reserve". I paid about $22, and that seems about right. Not worth $30 as I've seen elsewhere. Drink now as I don't see this one having the backbone to go the distance.
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The nose opens with blackcurrant jelly, a lot of blackcurrant jelly, plus a bit of plum. After a few minutes some cigar box and a hint of mint come through the fruit.
The initial attack was black fruit and sour unripe plums. Alcohol was a little hot, the wine a little thinner than expected, medium rather than full bodied. The tannins were puckeringly dry. Finish was medium length.
Based on the sharpness and the super-dry tannins, I expect big changes from day one to day two.
SECOND NIGHT
What a difference a day makes.
The nose was still blackcurrant jelly, but now the sharpness and heat were down and some vanilla made an appearance. Secondary smells followed, cedar and lavendar, and even here for a sceond and gone again roses. Nobody would smell this and think anything other than "Napa Cab."
The firs tastes in this were, you guessed it, blackcurrant jelly, but instead of being joined by unripe plums like on night one, black cherries were the dance partner. Vanilla didn't actually cut in, just danced gently in the background, and vanilla and rose waltzed onto the floor for the second verse of the song. Tannins were soft and smooth. Wine was dry, but not puckering. Instead they just made a firm backbone, offering promise of cellar growth. Throughout night two the wine softened, getting a better more full-bodied mouth feel.
CONCLUSION
This was a good, not great but good, classic Napa Cab, all blackcurrants and vanilla. Raymond Vineyards avoided the temptation to over-oak this under-$30 wine, something I truly appreciate. Based upon the two day tasting, I think it will improve for a few years. Nobody will ever mistake it for a First Growth Bordeaux, but they will also not guess it came from the middle shelf at the grocery store. If you ev
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Thought this was a good wine, but not worth $28.00 to buy again. The nose was full of black current, oak and spice, and the middle had good tannins and structure right through the finish. I don't see it rating 93 as WE gave it however.
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This Cabernet though young is a dark purple red . The nose is strong with blackberry fruit with a strong earthy undertone. The flavor is quite good, sharp sweet fruit with a tannin structure and acidic finish. It remains on the palette for several minutes after tasting. This should go very well with red meats that have a good fat content or more heavy cheeses that will release the wines flavor. I you can wait for this wine you can cellar it all the way into the 2020's. I think I'll drink mine over the next few years. 93
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big cherry, tobacco nose. a bit of a fruit bomb, but delicious none the less. full of blackberries and cherries. pretty one dimensional with a short, shallow finish.
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Good quality Cab, very nice when first opened, blackberry on the nose that filled the room, smooth, very mild tannins, easy to drink, but kinda fell apart at the end, short finish. Went nicely with a grilled tenderloin steak.
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nice aromatics promise more than the palate delivers but this is still pretty tasty stuff. Smooth cherry and currant with a nice touch of chocolate and herbs. Medium bodied and smooth tannins.
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Gibby's Uncorked, Flight I (Gibby's Wine Den, Geneva, IL): Deep garnet color. Notes of plum, red currants and eucalyptus. The palate is loaded with fruit- currants, blackberries and cassis, with a little cedar tone coming in on the finish.
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1/23/2022 - Goofienewfy wrote: 86 Points
Still packing flavor but a bit past it’s prime. Cherry is dominant. Smooth and even a bit sweet tasting. All in all happy.
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8/16/2019 - Davidalan wrote: 84 Points
All the tannins are aged out and it doesn’t at this point have the Cabernet mantra. I guess I should’ve drank it a while ago.
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10/28/2017 - erekose Likes this wine: 89 Points
Held up very well, but nearing the end of its window I think. Spicy, red currant, vanilla and wood notes on the nose. Well put together and balanced. Nice QPR.
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6/10/2017 - alohaboys Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow. Last bottle. Integrated. Easy sipper. A bargain for $24
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4/13/2016 - fortheloveoflife Does not like this wine: 80 Points
I kept this bottle for almost 7-8 years in my cellar hoping it will show great someday. That didn't happen. Obnoxious amount of fake vanilla on the nose. Once you get past it, the taste profile is too sour for both me and my wife's taste. No depth or structure. Just over the top fruit and not delicious fruit. That said, some people might find it drinkable. We put it in the fridge for cooking with it later. Very disappointing for the stellar 2005 vintage in Napa. The 2005 Mondavi showed way better than this one and was cheaper.
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3/4/2016 - Packy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good. Maria says 'very good'.
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1/2/2016 - elevwine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Solid though light-weight for a Napa Cab. Large format clearly extended drinking window because this bottle still had nice structure. More red fruit than blue fruit on palate (think currants), herbal notes as well. Not much depth. More of a pork medallion wine, rather than steak.
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8/13/2015 - alohaboys Likes this wine: 90 Points
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3/20/2015 - Cholera wrote: 85 Points
Dark and loamy. Typical Cali cab. No depth or experience. Tuesday night wine, but drinkable
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3/17/2015 - PourSomeRed wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well. Well balanced. Dark ripe fruit with oak and earth. Not sure if this is peaking. I wish I had more.
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8/22/2014 - 4wdave wrote: 90 Points
OK; nothing special.
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8/20/2014 - Rossodio Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tannins nicely resolved, good cab character with tobacco, pencil lead, deep fruit; it is still new world, but close to straddling that line as it has matured fully. Drink up now +1 year.
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3/29/2014 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
This bottle has held up well in a cool cellar, rich, dark and spicy. Blackberry, currants, herbaceous, spicy oak. Fully integrated, but based on this bottle (my last) no hurry to drink.
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3/28/2014 - Duderino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wine is drinking wonderfully now. Beautiful nose, integrated tannins, and great fruit!
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11/21/2013 - ddgd Likes this wine: 87 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of dusty. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of dusty with a medium body. Satin-Like texture with a short finish.
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11/2/2013 - kuhawk88 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Consistent with previous drinking note. Deep purple in the glass with more "green" or vegetal aromas. Medium weight on the tongue and a slightly abbreviated finish. I recommend drinking this sooner rather than later if you have any bottles left.
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6/2/2013 - PourSomeRed wrote: 88 Points
This is a solid cab at this price point with some age to it. It won't blow you away but if you like other vintages of this wine you will like this.
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5/17/2013 - kuhawk88 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice garnet color in the glass with no noticeable "bricking" on the edge despite being 7+ years old. Nose was dominated by green vegetable aromas initially - then transitioned into more earthy and dark fruit as it became exposed to air. Weight on the palate was fairly thin from a Napa Valley Cabernet standpoint - and the finish was a little abbreviated. Overall a good wine - but not exceptional.
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4/13/2013 - ddgd Likes this wine: 88 Points
Deep garnet color, medium to big finish. Expected more. One more in the collection and hoping for more.
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3/19/2013 - awineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another drinker. The 05 is getting a little tired. Have a couple bottles left that need to be drunk.
Fruit has softened and tannins are smooth.
A good second bottle.
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2/28/2013 - Xfactor wrote: 70 Points
I am a big Raymond fan, the 1999 Generations is one of the best bottles I have ever consumed. This one was a heinous departure and disappointment with or without cost considered. GV, WE, JR must have been drinking something else. Even my less picky better half was shunning this pour. Aromatics as expected, but no body or structure at all - Welche's tastes more like CS than this bottle. Finish was bland and uninteresting, no tannins, no alcohol, no nothing.
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2/27/2013 - PourSomeRed wrote: 89 Points
Not sure what "Xfactor" was drinking, but this was really nice. Classic Napa nose. Balance was more Oak than fruit. Soft finish.
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12/31/2012 - djreme Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine always amazes me with how consistent it is from vintage to vintage. One of the best Napa Cabernet buys.
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12/27/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not really a "reserve" quality wine, but a darn good drinker for the price.
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12/6/2012 - Dacronboy1 wrote: 90 Points
Drinking very nicely right now. Drink 'em if you got 'em.
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11/23/2012 - wabi47 wrote: 87 Points
fading/dry red currant and cedar with some mineral good acidity; the fruit has lost out to the cedar
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11/21/2012 - awineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Always a great value. Hard to beat for the price. Good fruit and tannin balance.
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11/12/2012 - tenor12bucks wrote: 88 Points
Austere, old-school Napa cab. Medium body with a dominating acidity. Ripeness is kept in check. Green herb and slight vegetal aromas, with a backbone of red berries and cranberries. Good finish. Probably peaking now.
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10/14/2012 - Richroller wrote: 92 Points
Great after sitting for thirty minutes in decanter. Oaky and chocolatey with a hint of sweet cherries. Perfect timing to get maximum flavor from this cab. Drink now with a rare steak. The results are other-worldy.
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8/4/2012 - gavinesq wrote: 91 Points
A bit tight up front, but opened very nicely after running through an aerator. Hints of chocolate and menthol with plums and very ripe cherries. Could easily spend another year or two in the bottle.
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8/3/2012 - DRS-Inc wrote: 90 Points
PnP & re-corked throughout evening...this is drinking nicely now & just right. Nice aromatics of dark fruit, cassis, carob, herb, spice & earth. Likewise palate w/soft tannins, light:medium acidity, round & velvety mouthfeel & a medium+ finish. Pleasantly surprised by this one.
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7/4/2012 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Blackberries, currants, lots of oak, tannins are well intergated.
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5/10/2012 - David Bohnsack wrote: 91 Points
Really enjoying this selection I have cellared for 6 years. With Montamore cheese from Sartori and a nice pear. Steaks and grilled veggies to come - hope the wine lasts until the main course.
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4/29/2012 - rojoloco wrote: 91 Points
Lovely right out of the bottle. No hard edges. Not profound but very tasty and ready to go.
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4/17/2012 - wineshaman wrote: 88 Points
Holdingup well, good concentration, rich black fruit, lots of oak.
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12/11/2011 - brigcampbell wrote:
Decanted for 3 hours, I was concerned it might be a little rough otherwise. Probably a good move, wine is big with full throttle fruit and oak.
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12/5/2011 - Dacronboy1 wrote: 92 Points
Candied apple, cherry notes. Fruit forward with a Creamy finish. I tried this one when it was first released (2009) and was disappointed. It has since aged very well in the bottle. No Decanting necessary.
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10/30/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 85 Points
good dark currant and cherry, cocoa, unintegrated oak; adequate but slightly sharp acidity; richer than previous vintages that i recall but not (yet?) quite integrated.
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10/6/2011 - shank wrote: 84 Points
Lost some of its fruit since last time. Drink now
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9/18/2011 - Tx_Wino wrote: 89 Points
Smooth, fruity, great after taste.
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9/17/2011 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Tannic at first, opened up after an hour or so, very smooth and rich, with lots of dark fruit.
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7/11/2011 - 10izguy wrote:
With Napa cabs like this, why do I ever buy anything else? Drinking velvet.
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6/1/2011 - VinLancaster wrote: 90 Points
This was well balanced, sturdy structure and lovely ripe black and red fruit. Also notable spice on the mid-palate and had an incredibly lengthy smooth finish.
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3/28/2011 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Used some for lamb stew, drank the rest with stew, lots of red fruit, very smooth, sometimes I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to to the food.
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3/25/2011 - shank wrote: 89 Points
Improving nicely with age.
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2/25/2011 - Philly NQ King wrote: 88 Points
Generic but enjoyable
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2/20/2011 - mlabbee wrote: 89 Points
Started a bit flat, but opened up and smoothed out nicely after a couple of hour. I'd give it 2-3 more years before trying again.
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11/18/2010 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 87 Points
considering the fact that we had one 11 months ago and rated it a 90, we were surprised to see that we felt that it was too early to drink. Maybe a funky point...
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9/19/2010 - xsnrg Likes this wine: 88 Points
A fairly good dark fruit and tanned leather cab. It is pleasant, but does not leave a memory. Smooth, and lighter on the tongue than the rich deep visuals would indicate
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9/4/2010 - yeti575rider wrote: 88 Points
Dark fruit and a bit of cocoa powder on the nose. Medium bodied, primarily cherry palate. Oak a bit noticable but not too much.
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8/14/2010 - wineshaman wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured, quite rich and concentrated, nice black fruit and vanilla on the nose. The black fruit shines on the palate, this bottle showed a cinnamon spicey note along with some vanilla. Tannins are more prominate and quite firm, suggesting room for improvement. 91+
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7/1/2010 - Esteban wrote: 87 Points
Un beau cab Californien qui ne m'a pas paru trop boisé. Eucalyptus au nez. Superbe concentration, beaucoup de fruits, pointe de graphite et légère présence animale. Aurait pu se faire passer pour une syrah en aveugle. Relativement cher.
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5/1/2010 - Charlesaf3 wrote: 88 Points
unexceptional Napa Cab. No re-buy
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3/27/2010 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Opened 1 week ago, drank 1/3 bottle vacuvin the rest. Very rich and concentrated nose of blackberry pie, currants and sweet vanilla. Hurge amounts of sweet blackberry, currants, cassis, vannilla, and dark chocolate on the palate. Smooth sweet, yet still some tannins to shed, finnish. Impressive!
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3/27/2010 - PackerJon wrote: 88 Points
Good, but not great. A typical cab that was enjoyable.
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2/6/2010 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured, even smoother than the last bottle, with loads of blue fruit, boysenberry, sweet cassis, raspberry and undertones of chocolate and mint. Very smooth and quite ready to drink.
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1/23/2010 - Millercg68 wrote: 90 Points
Quite a bit better than the last bottle. Nice nose and pretty complex. The tannins and oak have mellowed out making this bottle more balanced than the last. Nice wine.
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1/5/2010 - redman77 wrote:
Bottle must have been flawed. I bought for 9.99 for 375ml bottle. Alcohol and tart. Wine was poured down drain.
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1/4/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: 88 Points
Solid Napa Cab at a favorable price-point. Would buy again, but wouldn't seek out aggressively.
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12/13/2009 - shank wrote: 84 Points
Just OK. Nose fades quickly as does the wine.
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11/8/2009 - wirelesswine wrote: 89 Points
Vibrant color, very nice rich red fruit profile, textbook cali cab but very enjoyable.
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9/12/2009 - 11mcraig wrote: 85 Points
Enticing color...ok on the nose. Overall, not a very good cab! Quite disappointed!!!
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8/5/2009 - Tuffdawg wrote: 87 Points
Has a nose of oak and cherries. On the palate I get a bit of spice, oak, and some dark fruit. Has a creaminess from the oak and a medium finish of cherries and mabye blueberries. Nice wine but you can get this profile for half the money from many Chilean cabs.
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8/1/2009 - Meembo wrote: 89 Points
COLOR: deep magenta, moving to pink on the edges; NOSE: smells jump from the glass even when my nose is still a few inches away. From there, I get white chocolate covered cherries. Moving in closer there is tobacco, char, and definitely some heat. There's also an interesting crushed-pomegrante-meets-thyme aspect to the nose. PALATE: so much acidity I feel like I'm drinking straight lemon juice--it's wild! There's some black cherries here, and a little tea leaf component on the finish.
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7/26/2009 - OTTnMIA wrote: 89 Points
Great QPR! Bright cherry and wood on the nose and the pallete. A bit one dimensional, but I really enjoyed the cherry/oak profile. At this price point I would absolutely buy again, very good stuff!
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7/23/2009 - shank wrote: 85 Points
Very good b ut a bit muted.
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7/6/2009 - rossnross wrote: 88 Points
Not bad but there are a many better wines at this price point. If you can buy it for under $20, it's a good deal.
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6/28/2009 - babnik wrote: 83 Points
Spicy with a dark berry medium long finish. Disconcerting alcohol aftertaste. Not wonderful, but not bad. It's one of those wines that it all depends on how much you paid for it and what your wine budget is. I got this one free in a gift bag. I'd say it's worth about $35 when compared with its peers.
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6/12/2009 - winewag wrote: 88 Points
Overall, I enjoyed this wine. Nice nose of dark fruits and smoke. At first taste there's a bit too much alcohol for me. But over time in the glass, the alcohol subsides and in the mouth the fruits come through along with a bit of earth and a slight hint of mint. For a $25 Cali cab, the finish is longer than expected and quite pleasant. Not a great wine and doesn't compare to similarly priced '05 Bordeaux I've had, but for me it's one of the better Cali cabs at this price point. Update - second night. While still showing fruit, the mint is more pronounced and the finish is a bit more of a sour cherry taste. I guess this is one that should have been polished off in one night. While I gave it an 88 on night one, I'd have to say this is more of an 80-82 on the second night.
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6/11/2009 - petrusncoke wrote: 85 Points
On the nose and palate are dominant flavors of overextracted blueberries and vanilla. And to compound this, unlike many of the other tasters, I have failed to pick out any secondary or teriary notes on this wine. It is straightforward, rich, sweet wine, that only by the notes of currants suggests Cabernet Sauvignon. Though it is by all means not bad, for me it is a rather boring effort, and the lack of tannin and acidity renders this wine cloying and tiring. I remember reading Robert Parker in his wine guide calling Raymond's wines overoaked...
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6/7/2009 - maxmanx wrote: 86 Points
OK, but not great. Might be past its prime. Poor QPR.
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6/4/2009 - BillyT wrote:
Can't score this one yet. Pop and pour yielding some serious pepper and acidity. Still somewhat fruit forward but the fruit is lost in the pepper and spice. Need to let this one breath in decanter for a while before I make any final judgement.
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5/28/2009 - BillyT wrote: 89 Points
Short on time but suffice it to say I agree with much of what was said in previous notes. However, when compared to the 06 it lacks the fruitiness I liked about the 06.
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5/18/2009 - Millercg68 wrote: 89 Points
Pretty well balanced but just a bit to oaky. BIG wine that could use a couple of years. Probably will mellow a bit.
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5/18/2009 - Lessthanzero wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours. Cherry, and tobacco on the nose. A bit thin on the palate, with a slight soure note. The Ph is ever so slightly off? Black fruit/berry and vanilla. This is an ok medium bodied cab, but nowhere near the high rating it received from WE.
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4/27/2009 - CooGAR wrote: 87 Points
Very drinkable wine right after opening, but got better with time. I drank the entire bottle myself (not bragging, just fact! LOL!) without getting drunk.....just a little buzz, so it's a very easy drinking and good wine for parties. Tight nose at the beginning with alcohol dominating. As time went by, dark fruits emerged and alcohol faded.....both in taste and nose. This is drinking well now with no reason to age. QPR is not that great....at about $25, there are better wines out there (Innisfree for one). This is more of a $13-15 wine to me, but very good.
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3/17/2009 - tairanosaurus wrote: 89 Points
Blackberry and mint on the nose. In the mouth, blackberry mush and plum fruit. Chai tea. Dry tannins and acidity a bit much. Overall, a reasonable wine.
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3/15/2009 - wineshaman wrote: 89 Points
Phil & Ena's (Phil & Ena's home): Decanted and tasted over 3 hrs. not a wine to lay down, however hard to believe any claret from any vintage could match the richness and concentration this cab has to offer. Lots of smoke, cedar, red and blue fruit in the nose. Blue fruit, currants, raspberry and a good dose of oak in the long tannic finish. I would put this up against any 05 $22 bordeaux, right now anyway! Better in 1-2 years 89+.
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3/1/2009 - tvmama wrote: 86 Points
very light
93pts... I dont know about RP anymore!
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2/13/2009 - moonmanvegas wrote: 88 Points
Good color, This bottle was enjoyable... I got a nice chared blackberry with black current, some vanilla and toasted oak. High acid a little sharp in the corners not a long long wine but still has an ok finish. I think a little off balence. Drank and watched bottle shock
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2/12/2009 - The Wine Guy wrote: 84 Points
Interesting black currant, cherry, oak, unbalanced tanins. wine while drinkable is not like some of the other vintages I have had.
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2/7/2009 - garambler wrote: 89 Points
We had this at a cabernet sauvignon tasting on 2/7/09. It had a very tight nose of blackberry, black currant, cherry, tobacco & cedar. The palate followed with blackberry, black currant, cherry, vanilla and tobacco flavors. It had a creamy mouth feel with some very moderate tannin. It was pretty decent.
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1/18/2009 - seattlefeaver wrote: 90 Points
Nose of blackberry and raspberry, firm but not overwhelming tannins, vanilla on the finish. Overall, very good, but did not think it quite warranted the 93 points that Wine Enthusiast apparently gave it.
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1/12/2009 - robertdtwo wrote: 88 Points
I bought this untasted to lay down, yet opened one to give it a try. Unimpressed. Very thin mouthfeel, but still pleasant and drinking nicely for one so young. I will be consuming these now rather than waste my limited Eurocave space, but at low-$20s it is a good value, although a bit of a joke to use the word 'reserve' for a wine of this quality.
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1/6/2009 - rhpeters wrote: 88 Points
I enjoyed this wine, although I'm sure there are many others like it between $15 and $20. It wasn't as heavy as I expected. I enjoyed the nose quite a bit with some dark fruits and some vanilla. It didn't jump out at me though...I had to work to enjoy the nose. Not as oaky as many other cali cabs so I appreciated that, but it was a typical lower end Napa Cab.
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1/2/2009 - PatrickinKW wrote: 87 Points
Deep ruby, typical Cali Cab on the nose except way to much green. Call it green pepper (this is not a cab franc afterall) or mint, which I enjoy if there's a touch.. Well it dominated the fruit which isn't a good thing. At this price point there's better.
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12/26/2008 - GoodToGrape wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. The nose leads with cherry, tobacco and mint. On the palate, a bit thin and lacking the structure of bigger cabs. Black fruit right off the bat, then some vanilla comes in at the tail. Not overly oaked. Finish was decent...not long, but decent. Very enjoyable, but I expected a bit more of a "Reserve". I paid about $22, and that seems about right. Not worth $30 as I've seen elsewhere. Drink now as I don't see this one having the backbone to go the distance.
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12/4/2008 - Salute wrote: 86 Points
Thoroughly one dimensional. Very simple wine - should be priced at $15. You will do better elsewhere.
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11/30/2008 - dhonig wrote: 89 Points
FIRST NIGHT
The nose opens with blackcurrant jelly, a lot of blackcurrant jelly, plus a bit of plum. After a few minutes some cigar box and a hint of mint come through the fruit.
The initial attack was black fruit and sour unripe plums. Alcohol was a little hot, the wine a little thinner than expected, medium rather than full bodied. The tannins were puckeringly dry. Finish was medium length.
Based on the sharpness and the super-dry tannins, I expect big changes from day one to day two.
SECOND NIGHT
What a difference a day makes.
The nose was still blackcurrant jelly, but now the sharpness and heat were down and some vanilla made an appearance. Secondary smells followed, cedar and lavendar, and even here for a sceond and gone again roses. Nobody would smell this and think anything other than "Napa Cab."
The firs tastes in this were, you guessed it, blackcurrant jelly, but instead of being joined by unripe plums like on night one, black cherries were the dance partner. Vanilla didn't actually cut in, just danced gently in the background, and vanilla and rose waltzed onto the floor for the second verse of the song. Tannins were soft and smooth. Wine was dry, but not puckering. Instead they just made a firm backbone, offering promise of cellar growth. Throughout night two the wine softened, getting a better more full-bodied mouth feel.
CONCLUSION
This was a good, not great but good, classic Napa Cab, all blackcurrants and vanilla. Raymond Vineyards avoided the temptation to over-oak this under-$30 wine, something I truly appreciate. Based upon the two day tasting, I think it will improve for a few years. Nobody will ever mistake it for a First Growth Bordeaux, but they will also not guess it came from the middle shelf at the grocery store. If you ev
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11/21/2008 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Gibby's Uncorked, Flight III (Gibby's Wine Den, Geneva IL): Inky garnet color. Decanted. Aromas of herbs, blackberry and mint. Full-bodied, with grainy, dusty tannins. Flavors of dark fruit, currants and spicy oak.
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11/4/2008 - mjsherwin68 wrote: 88 Points
Thought this was a good wine, but not worth $28.00 to buy again. The nose was full of black current, oak and spice, and the middle had good tannins and structure right through the finish. I don't see it rating 93 as WE gave it however.
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10/29/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Cherries and a lightness. Not the greatest of wines, but also some elegance here. Plus, once you have it older the wine reveals itself more.
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10/28/2008 - OregonWineGeeks wrote: 93 Points
This Cabernet though young is a dark purple red . The nose is strong with blackberry fruit with a strong earthy undertone. The flavor is quite good, sharp sweet fruit with a tannin structure and acidic finish. It remains on the palette for several minutes after tasting. This should go very well with red meats that have a good fat content or more heavy cheeses that will release the wines flavor. I you can wait for this wine you can cellar it all the way into the 2020's. I think I'll drink mine over the next few years. 93
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10/18/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
Very tight initially this opened to show very pretty, almost Port-like aroms of backberry, black cherry, and raspberry. Concentrated and full.
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10/18/2008 - CTwine wrote: 89 Points
Drink now! A solid wine with a nice nose and long finish but not complex.
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10/13/2008 - ihavezinned wrote: 89 Points
big cherry, tobacco nose. a bit of a fruit bomb, but delicious none the less. full of blackberries and cherries. pretty one dimensional with a short, shallow finish.
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9/30/2008 - CTwine wrote: 90 Points
Good QPR smooth no need to decant. Cherry on nose smooth tannins nice finish. Not as powerfull as the best but a great everyday wine.
Jim
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9/11/2008 - djreme wrote: 88 Points
Smooth right out of the bottle, and goes down well. Not very complex, but a great wine for the price.
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9/11/2008 - Noto Bene wrote: 88 Points
Good quality Cab, very nice when first opened, blackberry on the nose that filled the room, smooth, very mild tannins, easy to drink, but kinda fell apart at the end, short finish. Went nicely with a grilled tenderloin steak.
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8/12/2008 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Very Caby cab. Works at $28.
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6/22/2008 - texaswino wrote: 89 Points
nice aromatics promise more than the palate delivers but this is still pretty tasty stuff. Smooth cherry and currant with a nice touch of chocolate and herbs. Medium bodied and smooth tannins.
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6/12/2008 - jmcmchi wrote: 84 Points
In a comparison tasting, this came out as thin. Adequate, but uninspiring.
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4/18/2008 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Gibby's Uncorked, Flight I (Gibby's Wine Den, Geneva, IL): Deep garnet color. Notes of plum, red currants and eucalyptus. The palate is loaded with fruit- currants, blackberries and cassis, with a little cedar tone coming in on the finish.
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