Decanted for about an hour and consumed over the next two hours. Lovely with a long finish. Should have decanted earlier. Drinking well with a few years left.
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Pop and pour into a decanter - not fair at all, but it was one of those days where I don't care, I'm treating myself. Deal with it. In the glass, dark saturated red, slight tint of auburn at the rim - same as 8+ years ago, it appears. On the nose, currants and potpourri. On the palate, more currants, herbal and spearmint notes, and tobacco, with assertive but not overbearing tannins on the midpalate and the long finish, overall a more integrated showing than our previous bottles. It seems clear in retrospect that these needed much more time than I gave them, but the good news for those of you that still have these in your cellar - the upslope is emerging.
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, currant, pencil lead, tobacco leaf and spice. Ripe black fruit, cedar, graphite and dried herbs on the palate. Excellent weight and depth on the very long finish. Full bodied. Drinking beautifully. Served with grilled ribeyes and blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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Decanted 2 hrs. Paired really well with Wagyu ribeye steaks on the grill. Notes of black cherry, raspberry, cedar, spice with well integrated tannins. Drinking very well but still young.
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Halloween in the Vice Versa Cave: A somewhat polarizing wine among a number of us in the group, with the majority (myself included) not convinced this is on a path worthy of especially high accolade. The black cherry and plum notes come off heavily muddled and overworked. There is seemingly decent texture and a nicely flowing delivery of flavor in terms of exhibiting medium energy and kinda complete follow-through, but the fruit flavors themselves are way over developed. Overall, this was plummy and almost rubbery, with a negatively advanced profile that needs to tighten-up its girdle. At best, this tastes like a base level Napa Cabernet. To me, it almost seems to belong among some of the cheap blasted “Red Wines” from Down Under or some funky $20 Syrah out of Washington.
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Lucid purple with clear rim Berry preserve and mint and earth on the nose palate is a wash of fruit that then cleanses into a clean grippy finish
5+13+18+7=93 I only had one of these and gave it 2-3 hours in the decanter. A glass left over was still pretty good the next day. I feel you could drink or hold but why wait?
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Delicious and drinking very well right now but with years to go. Definitely Napa in style with plenty of extraction to stand up to that name but good balance with acid. Dark fruits, cherry, chocolate.
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Drinking very well and great match to lamb chops. Deep red color, forest floor, jammy fruits. This fills the mouth with juicy acidity held together with notable tannins.
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There was disagreement at the table as to whether this was ready to drink. Decanted two hours, I found it in its early window with strong fruit standing up to the tannins and excellent structure. Others found it way too young. We'll hold the next bottle for 3-5 more years.
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First bottle from Harlan; the nose after about 1 hour open smells great; lovely dark fruits, floral, a hint of spice box, herbs, and just a whiff of vanilla. The palate however is super young, dense, and tight. The tannins are aggressive and teeth coating and it feels borderline hot. Elected to pour it back in and let it sit for 1-2 days and re-visit.
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Impressive nose with freshness, full of red and black fruit and more savoury aromas. Full bodied but not massive, with a solid tannic backbone, quite high alcohol but rounded mouthfeel. Masculine is a fitting adjective. A great wine which despite my prior intuition seems able age much further.
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Pop and pour. My last of four bottles and drinking beautifully. Tobacco nose, rich and earthy on the palate, medium+ finish. Well integrated and full bodied. Delicious.
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I strong wine, a producer Karen and I had not tasted in nearly 20 years. With rich and masculine in nature, the finish shows finish and a rounded opulent style with substantial alcohol. Perhaps more of a cocktail wine then main course? At 12 years, there is time left to full maturity. I may prefer to be on the early side of these Cali creatures— drink now to 2025.
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Dark maroon. Smooth, full bodied, lots of fruit, but somewhat mellowed after 10+ years in bottle. More drying tannins, less overt fruit and better with food after being re-corked and stored in fridge 24 hours.
My encounter of the third kind with this alien of a liquid substance was purely accidental for I never buy nor drink blends (even at 75%) as well as avoid highly hyped, expensive rich men's wines but I did because this 2006 vintage was screaming 'time to drink up!' and my friend knowingly wanted to push me out of my comfort zone. So we spent more than two hours sipping that Avatar of a wine which for me defied the law of gravity for I could not related it to a specific place, to terroir, to earth. The liquid was perfect and seamless with no major variations (tertiary flavors anyone?) but had density throughout like a spaceship made from a new composite as I never felt any alcohol nor tannins for everything was so well integrated. It was odd, unreal, an out-of-mind experience that I will remember. A perfect moment. Just what the doctor ordered. I tip my cap to the Harlan Team. And its their ......second wine!!!!
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The tannins overshadowed the fruit. Decanted then rebottled and had half the bottle second day. No different. One dimensional but enjoyable with Fillet mignon. It would be interesting to pop in the AM and leave opened all day, trying along the way.
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Decanted and served. Deep, full, aged Napa Cab that delights with each sip. Wet earth very present throughout. I don't see any reason to wait on these, drink up.
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Decanted over cocktails and served. Strong nose of sweet violets. On the palate, pure black fruit and fine tannins, licorice. Long finish. Just a beautiful second wine showing very well.
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Deep purple red color. Aromas of black cherries with a dash of bell pepper and oak. Ripe, well-balanced fruit in the mouth with very good depth and length and well-integrated tannins. Nicely sweet and lithe on the palate. Delicious with Miodrag's "forgotten roast lamb."
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This bottle never seemed to open up despite a four-hour decant. It tasted like a standard aged napa Cabernet, none of the charm of my last bottle. Entering a dumb phase?
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When first opened the alcohol hits you pretty hard. Decanted about 1.5 hours. I still thought the alcohol was pretty strong after decanting, especially for the age. This wine drinks much better paired with big food – think ribeye and mushrooms. It does mellow over time, but was hoping for something more complex. Maybe it needs more time in the bottle.
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3 years since my last bottle. No rush on these - 10+ years easy. A great balanced and nuanced wine. Got mostly red fruit - lots of cherry. Nice oak influence but not over the top.
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Very nice from the first pour, but still quite tannic with prevalent alcohol for the first hour. After that it became very graceful with plenty of fruit still evident and notes of cherry and cedar. Likely some time left, but don't hesitate to drink today.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, currant, black olives, espresso, spice and chocolate. Blackberry, cassis, espresso and licorice on the palate. Finishes with good persistence. Full bodied. Served with roast beef.
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Opened for Christmas dinner. Pulled out of cellar three hours before and popped cork an hour before dinner. Big red fruits on the nose. Dark inky look to it with some garnet looks to it. Starting to show some age. Taste was still full of raspberries, blackberries and cherries. There is a hint of leather and cedar character also. Tannins are fully integrated in this wine. Really nice finish lasting 45 seconds or longer. Great wine to drink now or let it cellar for many years to come!
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Very approachable now; opened about an hour before serving with dinner; very aromatic; even with a hour to breathe, the tannins were very noticeable; softened out over the next 30 minutes.
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No formal notes taken but I was surprised to see this wine perform lower than expected from previous tastings. Then I saw the label clearly and I realised it was the '06 and not the fabulous '05. Comparatively it was heavier, less well balanced with somewhat coarser tannins and more fruit forward rather than nuanced. Still a very good wine.
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90 minute decant left it still tight. After an hour in the glass blossomed into perfect balance. Bright primary fruit with long caramel finish and integrated tannin. This is the second wine?
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super dark and concentrated. didn't seem like it was 10yrs old. decanted for approx 1.5hrs, nice core of fruit with some cedar notes. exceptionally smooth
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Part of a three pack won from K&L, procured at a great price. Couldnt wait to open one.
Decanted for 90 minutes, then back in bottle to take to restaurant. Breathed in bottle an additional 30 minutes.
The nose is heavenly- I smelled four times before tasting. Hints of chocolate for sure. A very balanced wine that seems to be hitting its peak right now. The finish was a bit less robust that I was expecting, but still a great effort from Harlan's "B Wine". I can only imagine how tasty the regular Estate wine from this vintage is.
A great wine for the price point...
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Opened an hour before then aerated into glasses, drank over next three hours. Still pretty tannic, started calming down later in the evening. Paired well with ribeyes. Not our favorite, prefer a little more primary fruit. Reminded us of an older Insignia.
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Better the second night, still youthful. Cherry, chocolate, tannins on the sweet side, very good effort but not sure where this will go. A bit on the hot side.
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Hmm, what to say? Very dark; power, over-powered, just too much; would have liked to be able to "turn it down", then perhaps the nice ripe fruit underneath would have come to its right
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I paired with short ribs with a red wine reduction and a burger (back to back nights). Was better the first night with the ribs, delicious in fact. Second night with the burger the Maiden turned almost 'hot' on the pallet. Super strong and overpowered all the food. Still enjoyable, but didn't play well with others.
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Garnet red. Nose was rich, red and black fruits, sweetish. Taste was rich, mouthfilling, long lasting. At times I like this iteration better than Harlan
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An extremely generous friend opened, aerated, and decanted this for several hours prior to serving. This was still extremely tight. Elegant wine. Smooth with well-integrated tannins, but did not show much until it hit the four hour mark. At that point some secondary notes of dark chocolate and pepper started to emerge. I would recommend an extended decant or waiting another 3-5 years.
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Dark inky crimson. Very tasty blackberry, chocolate cedary aromas and flavors. Very easy to enjoy and the bottle went quickly. Not profound, but delivers early as a second wine should do (but unfortunately at a luxury price...).
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Nose of blackberry, currant, cedar, milk chocolate, spice and pencil lead. Blackberry, raspberry, red currant, coffee and red licorice integrated with smooth tannins on the palate. Leads to a long, smooth finish. Medium to full bodied. A fruit forward style. Paired with Greek tenderloin.
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Un vino que necesita airearse par mostrar todo su potencial. Por otra parte los aromas son magníficos frutos rojos principalmente cereza madura. En boca es potente, sedoso pero creo que necesitaba más años para moldear lo potente de sus taninos. Para finalizar debo reconocer que quizás los altos precios de los productos de esta bodega haga que mi crítica sea más fuerte. Es un gran vino, pero su precio si es desproporcionado a su producto. Ello no implica que el vino sea excelente.
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Did not show quite as well as last time. Still an excellent wine. I do have to agree with "1982" below that there are many other exceptional wines to be had this price (and a lot at even lower price points). I picked up these a couple of years ago for $139. When I was offered my allocation for the 2010's I had to pass. The price creepage has become too much for me - especially when this wine can be outclassed by lower priced competition. Still, 93 is not too shabby a score and an excellent wine. But I also scored a $60 bottle a 94 two nights earlier. Long way of saying there are much better QPR's out there.
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Opaque, with crimson rim. Nose starts with a light floral note and quickly becomes more brooding, with ripe blueberry, cedar and ash aromas, and a pervasive flinty or slate-like stone smell. The palate is round and full of fruit, with ripe tomato and blackberry flavors, with subtle woodsy accents. The tannins are softer better-integrated than when I first tried this, but still reasonably firm and tight. This drinks well now with aeration (I decanted for three hours and consumed over another three) but may benefit from 3-5 more years in the cellar.
I respect the professionals at Harlan Estate and think they run a top-class operation from a winemaking and customer service perspective. I am gratified to support their tireless pursuit of excellence with my custom. All that said, I'm not sure this wine is worth the price. As evinced above: I like this wine; however I'm not sure I like it $150 worth. You're at or above the high end of Deuxième Cru Bordeaux at that price point, and I think I'd rather have a Pichon Lalande or a Léoville-Barton. How to resolve this? The commerical director of a winery would know; I don't.
Decanted for two hours before service. In the glass, dark saturated red, tinted auburn at the rim. On the nose, a mix of crushed currants, a secondary note of mint, and a green herbal note. On the palate, pure cab fruit with a lot of secondary notes; minerals, cedar, mint, forest floor, waiting to come out once the substantial tannins resolve. This was drinkable now, and enjoyable, but it was still far too early. I probably won't heed my own advice, but waiting for another 5-7 years and checking in would be entirely reasonable.
Great match with roast beef tenderloin, honey-glazed root veg, and a spinach/apple/walnut/blue cheese salad. Happy holidays, wine friends!
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Not bad for a "second" wine. It went way too quickly but what I did note was a well-balanced Cab with black fruits, a touch of spice and underlying minerality. Extremely long finish.
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wow! just an amzing pkg of fruit,earth & spice. everything works here and had a very longggggg finish. In a great drinking window right now, prob last for another 5yrs
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Opened and poured into glass to sit for an hour before sipping. Lush with nice fruit. Structure is still there even after 7 years. This will last for another 5-7 years. Only quibble is that I'd prefer the nose be more sexy...but I guess after having a few Bordeaux and Abreu wines I've been spoiled.
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50+5+13+18+8 Very young but velvety texture on the palate. Incredible backbone, already well integrated. Black cherry, baking spices, hints of vanilla and something mineral or stone-ish. I won't open another for at least three years and it should be a real treat when I do.
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Deep purple with a strong nose of black fruit and spice. Incredibly balanced with strong acidity and tannins - would expect another 5 years or so before this reaches its peak. Very long finish.
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This was an absolute joy to drink. Refined, classy, and balanced. Needs a couple of hours decant at this point to really show it's stuff. But once it opened up - WOW!
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absolutely flawless... I don't understand why people buy the estate when you can essentially get the same wine in the Maiden. This is my 3rd bottle of the 06 and all three have been as good as can be.
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2 hour decant. No formal notes were taken as I took this along with a 08 Outpost True to a friends house. Finesse and great mouth feel. One of my favorite cabs that I have had. Great finish.
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Opened and noon and poured at 1:30, this was tasted along as part of a 13 vintage vertical. The aromatics show black currant and chocolate notes that are somewhat monolithic. It display a dark ruby to black color that is opaque. Full bodied and youthful, the palate shows density, good acidity and forceful tannins. At this stage the wine is youthful and monolithic. This should benefit from additional bottle age.
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Decanted for 6+ hours. Very rich nose of predominantly cherry and violet. On the palate, there are some berries (can't quite pinpoint before the tannins take over), a good bit of sweetness and some cigar box. The finish is black fruit and rubber mostly. Obviously very young but I didn't find this wine to be as complex as others have. Hold for another 3-5 years. Overall, this is a well made wine (esp for a 2nd) but is struggling in the QPR department. No rating given at this point but I expect it to end up in the 92-93 range.
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Wonderful wine, deep dark fruit, intense, and a bit chalky. Needs at least another year, probably 3 or 4. Felt lik I was doing a (very good) barrel tasting.
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12/15/2022 - The Cellar at 924 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for about an hour and consumed over the next two hours. Lovely with a long finish. Should have decanted earlier. Drinking well with a few years left.
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5/14/2022 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour into a decanter - not fair at all, but it was one of those days where I don't care, I'm treating myself. Deal with it. In the glass, dark saturated red, slight tint of auburn at the rim - same as 8+ years ago, it appears. On the nose, currants and potpourri. On the palate, more currants, herbal and spearmint notes, and tobacco, with assertive but not overbearing tannins on the midpalate and the long finish, overall a more integrated showing than our previous bottles. It seems clear in retrospect that these needed much more time than I gave them, but the good news for those of you that still have these in your cellar - the upslope is emerging.
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1/22/2022 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, currant, pencil lead, tobacco leaf and spice. Ripe black fruit, cedar, graphite and dried herbs on the palate. Excellent weight and depth on the very long finish. Full bodied. Drinking beautifully. Served with grilled ribeyes and blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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11/20/2021 - spendergast Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hrs. Paired really well with Wagyu ribeye steaks on the grill. Notes of black cherry, raspberry, cedar, spice with well integrated tannins. Drinking very well but still young.
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11/9/2021 - csimm wrote: 83 Points
Halloween in the Vice Versa Cave: A somewhat polarizing wine among a number of us in the group, with the majority (myself included) not convinced this is on a path worthy of especially high accolade. The black cherry and plum notes come off heavily muddled and overworked. There is seemingly decent texture and a nicely flowing delivery of flavor in terms of exhibiting medium energy and kinda complete follow-through, but the fruit flavors themselves are way over developed. Overall, this was plummy and almost rubbery, with a negatively advanced profile that needs to tighten-up its girdle. At best, this tastes like a base level Napa Cabernet. To me, it almost seems to belong among some of the cheap blasted “Red Wines” from Down Under or some funky $20 Syrah out of Washington.
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8/31/2021 - VoteferPedro Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lucid purple with clear rim
Berry preserve and mint and earth on the nose
palate is a wash of fruit that then cleanses into a clean grippy finish
5+13+18+7=93
I only had one of these and gave it 2-3 hours in the decanter. A glass left over was still pretty good the next day. I feel you could drink or hold but why wait?
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7/15/2021 - jhornung Likes this wine:
Great wine. Really solid and full bodied.
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3/6/2021 - BRSAustinTex Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious and drinking very well right now but with years to go. Definitely Napa in style with plenty of extraction to stand up to that name but good balance with acid. Dark fruits, cherry, chocolate.
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2/14/2021 - doug374 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well and great match to lamb chops. Deep red color, forest floor, jammy fruits. This fills the mouth with juicy acidity held together with notable tannins.
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11/27/2020 - Topper wrote: 92 Points
There was disagreement at the table as to whether this was ready to drink. Decanted two hours, I found it in its early window with strong fruit standing up to the tannins and excellent structure. Others found it way too young. We'll hold the next bottle for 3-5 more years.
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6/10/2020 - jnewman77 wrote:
First bottle from Harlan; the nose after about 1 hour open smells great; lovely dark fruits, floral, a hint of spice box, herbs, and just a whiff of vanilla. The palate however is super young, dense, and tight. The tannins are aggressive and teeth coating and it feels borderline hot. Elected to pour it back in and let it sit for 1-2 days and re-visit.
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1/28/2020 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Impressive nose with freshness, full of red and black fruit and more savoury aromas.
Full bodied but not massive, with a solid tannic backbone, quite high alcohol but rounded mouthfeel. Masculine is a fitting adjective.
A great wine which despite my prior intuition seems able age much further.
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5/30/2019 - LoganMcDougal wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely lovely. Decanted for 2 hours and had with strong food (short ribs) and was delicious.
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2/3/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pop and pour. My last of four bottles and drinking beautifully. Tobacco nose, rich and earthy on the palate, medium+ finish. Well integrated and full bodied. Delicious.
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12/22/2018 - BradA wrote: 92 Points
Brought by Ben
I strong wine, a producer Karen and I had not tasted in nearly 20 years. With rich and masculine in nature, the finish shows finish and a rounded opulent style with substantial alcohol. Perhaps more of a cocktail wine then main course? At 12 years, there is time left to full maturity. I may prefer to be on the early side of these Cali creatures— drink now to 2025.
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12/9/2018 - ArtF Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark maroon. Smooth, full bodied, lots of fruit, but somewhat mellowed after 10+ years in bottle. More drying tannins, less overt fruit and better with food after being re-corked and stored in fridge 24 hours.
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9/10/2018 - christianderivel Likes this wine: 98 Points
My encounter of the third kind with this alien of a liquid substance was purely accidental for I never buy nor drink blends (even at 75%) as well as avoid highly hyped, expensive rich men's wines but I did because this 2006 vintage was screaming 'time to drink up!' and my friend knowingly wanted to push me out of my comfort zone.
So we spent more than two hours sipping that Avatar of a wine which for me defied the law of gravity for I could not related it to a specific place, to terroir, to earth. The liquid was perfect and seamless with no major variations (tertiary flavors anyone?) but had density throughout like a spaceship made from a new composite as I never felt any alcohol nor tannins for everything was so well integrated. It was odd, unreal, an out-of-mind experience that I will remember.
A perfect moment. Just what the doctor ordered.
I tip my cap to the Harlan Team.
And its their ......second wine!!!!
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8/19/2018 - Elkcims wrote: 93 Points
The tannins overshadowed the fruit. Decanted then rebottled and had half the bottle second day. No different. One dimensional but enjoyable with Fillet mignon. It would be interesting to pop in the AM and leave opened all day, trying along the way.
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6/15/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted and served. Deep, full, aged Napa Cab that delights with each sip. Wet earth very present throughout. I don't see any reason to wait on these, drink up.
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2/1/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted over cocktails and served. Strong nose of sweet violets. On the palate, pure black fruit and fine tannins, licorice. Long finish. Just a beautiful second wine showing very well.
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12/23/2017 - hsacks Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep purple red color. Aromas of black cherries with a dash of bell pepper and oak. Ripe, well-balanced fruit in the mouth with very good depth and length and well-integrated tannins. Nicely sweet and lithe on the palate. Delicious with Miodrag's "forgotten roast lamb."
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10/2/2017 - Quiet Lion wrote: 93 Points
This bottle never seemed to open up despite a four-hour decant. It tasted like a standard aged napa Cabernet, none of the charm of my last bottle. Entering a dumb phase?
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4/22/2017 - Asmiller Likes this wine: 90 Points
When first opened the alcohol hits you pretty hard. Decanted about 1.5 hours. I still thought the alcohol was pretty strong after decanting, especially for the age. This wine drinks much better paired with big food – think ribeye and mushrooms. It does mellow over time, but was hoping for something more complex. Maybe it needs more time in the bottle.
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4/8/2017 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous tasting note - this hasn't budged in three years.
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4/1/2017 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
3 years since my last bottle. No rush on these - 10+ years easy. A great balanced and nuanced wine. Got mostly red fruit - lots of cherry. Nice oak influence but not over the top.
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3/30/2017 - mr.prickles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice from the first pour, but still quite tannic with prevalent alcohol for the first hour. After that it became very graceful with plenty of fruit still evident and notes of cherry and cedar. Likely some time left, but don't hesitate to drink today.
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2/4/2017 - hoservin wrote: 92 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, currant, black olives, espresso, spice and chocolate. Blackberry, cassis, espresso and licorice on the palate. Finishes with good persistence. Full bodied. Served with roast beef.
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12/25/2016 - Bcw1989 wrote: 93 Points
Opened for Christmas dinner. Pulled out of cellar three hours before and popped cork an hour before dinner. Big red fruits on the nose. Dark inky look to it with some garnet looks to it. Starting to show some age. Taste was still full of raspberries, blackberries and cherries. There is a hint of leather and cedar character also. Tannins are fully integrated in this wine. Really nice finish lasting 45 seconds or longer. Great wine to drink now or let it cellar for many years to come!
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12/17/2016 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very approachable now; opened about an hour before serving with dinner; very aromatic; even with a hour to breathe, the tannins were very noticeable; softened out over the next 30 minutes.
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8/13/2016 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 93 Points
No formal notes taken but I was surprised to see this wine perform lower than expected from previous tastings. Then I saw the label clearly and I realised it was the '06 and not the fabulous '05.
Comparatively it was heavier, less well balanced with somewhat coarser tannins and more fruit forward rather than nuanced.
Still a very good wine.
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8/4/2016 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 93 Points
a solid cally cab. drinking really well right now
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5/18/2016 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 96 Points
90 minute decant left it still tight. After an hour in the glass blossomed into perfect balance. Bright primary fruit with long caramel finish and integrated tannin. This is the second wine?
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5/9/2016 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 93 Points
super dark and concentrated. didn't seem like it was 10yrs old. decanted for approx 1.5hrs, nice core of fruit with some cedar notes. exceptionally smooth
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3/25/2016 - blarmston Likes this wine: 93 Points
Part of a three pack won from K&L, procured at a great price. Couldnt wait to open one.
Decanted for 90 minutes, then back in bottle to take to restaurant. Breathed in bottle an additional 30 minutes.
The nose is heavenly- I smelled four times before tasting. Hints of chocolate for sure. A very balanced wine that seems to be hitting its peak right now. The finish was a bit less robust that I was expecting, but still a great effort from Harlan's "B Wine". I can only imagine how tasty the regular Estate wine from this vintage is.
A great wine for the price point...
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3/1/2016 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened an hour before then aerated into glasses, drank over next three hours. Still pretty tannic, started calming down later in the evening. Paired well with ribeyes. Not our favorite, prefer a little more primary fruit. Reminded us of an older Insignia.
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11/15/2015 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
Better the second night, still youthful. Cherry, chocolate, tannins on the sweet side, very good effort but not sure where this will go. A bit on the hot side.
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8/21/2015 - Miceri wrote: 87 Points
Hmm, what to say? Very dark; power, over-powered, just too much; would have liked to be able to "turn it down", then perhaps the nice ripe fruit underneath would have come to its right
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7/6/2015 - matthewitz wrote: 92 Points
I paired with short ribs with a red wine reduction and a burger (back to back nights). Was better the first night with the ribs, delicious in fact. Second night with the burger the Maiden turned almost 'hot' on the pallet. Super strong and overpowered all the food. Still enjoyable, but didn't play well with others.
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3/22/2015 - mayoiv Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really showing well right now.
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12/25/2014 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Garnet red. Nose was rich, red and black fruits, sweetish. Taste was rich, mouthfilling, long lasting. At times I like this iteration better than Harlan
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12/13/2014 - sethboy23 wrote:
Solid. Worth it? Who knows. I would buy it again. Damn you Harlen
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11/27/2014 - MOCGator wrote: 94 Points
Just coming into its own. Great balance and acidity. Years to go.
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8/30/2014 - jljones wrote: 94 Points
Gave it about an hour of air in the bottle and was ready to go. Paired incredibly well with a rich, hearty tomato sauce.
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8/16/2014 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
An extremely generous friend opened, aerated, and decanted this for several hours prior to serving. This was still extremely tight. Elegant wine. Smooth with well-integrated tannins, but did not show much until it hit the four hour mark. At that point some secondary notes of dark chocolate and pepper started to emerge. I would recommend an extended decant or waiting another 3-5 years.
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6/7/2014 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Dark inky crimson. Very tasty blackberry, chocolate cedary aromas and flavors. Very easy to enjoy and the bottle went quickly. Not profound, but delivers early as a second wine should do (but unfortunately at a luxury price...).
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5/10/2014 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Nose of blackberry, currant, cedar, milk chocolate, spice and pencil lead. Blackberry, raspberry, red currant, coffee and red licorice integrated with smooth tannins on the palate. Leads to a long, smooth finish. Medium to full bodied. A fruit forward style. Paired with Greek tenderloin.
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1/19/2014 - Mfsb89 wrote: 90 Points
Un vino que necesita airearse par mostrar todo su potencial. Por otra parte los aromas son magníficos frutos rojos principalmente cereza madura. En boca es potente, sedoso pero creo que necesitaba más años para moldear lo potente de sus taninos. Para finalizar debo reconocer que quizás los altos precios de los productos de esta bodega haga que mi crítica sea más fuerte. Es un gran vino, pero su precio si es desproporcionado a su producto. Ello no implica que el vino sea excelente.
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12/29/2013 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Did not show quite as well as last time. Still an excellent wine. I do have to agree with "1982" below that there are many other exceptional wines to be had this price (and a lot at even lower price points). I picked up these a couple of years ago for $139. When I was offered my allocation for the 2010's I had to pass. The price creepage has become too much for me - especially when this wine can be outclassed by lower priced competition. Still, 93 is not too shabby a score and an excellent wine. But I also scored a $60 bottle a 94 two nights earlier. Long way of saying there are much better QPR's out there.
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12/29/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opaque, with crimson rim. Nose starts with a light floral note and quickly becomes more brooding, with ripe blueberry, cedar and ash aromas, and a pervasive flinty or slate-like stone smell. The palate is round and full of fruit, with ripe tomato and blackberry flavors, with subtle woodsy accents. The tannins are softer better-integrated than when I first tried this, but still reasonably firm and tight. This drinks well now with aeration (I decanted for three hours and consumed over another three) but may benefit from 3-5 more years in the cellar.
I respect the professionals at Harlan Estate and think they run a top-class operation from a winemaking and customer service perspective. I am gratified to support their tireless pursuit of excellence with my custom. All that said, I'm not sure this wine is worth the price. As evinced above: I like this wine; however I'm not sure I like it $150 worth. You're at or above the high end of Deuxième Cru Bordeaux at that price point, and I think I'd rather have a Pichon Lalande or a Léoville-Barton. How to resolve this? The commerical director of a winery would know; I don't.
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12/24/2013 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours before service. In the glass, dark saturated red, tinted auburn at the rim. On the nose, a mix of crushed currants, a secondary note of mint, and a green herbal note. On the palate, pure cab fruit with a lot of secondary notes; minerals, cedar, mint, forest floor, waiting to come out once the substantial tannins resolve. This was drinkable now, and enjoyable, but it was still far too early. I probably won't heed my own advice, but waiting for another 5-7 years and checking in would be entirely reasonable.
Great match with roast beef tenderloin, honey-glazed root veg, and a spinach/apple/walnut/blue cheese salad. Happy holidays, wine friends!
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12/7/2013 - facchair wrote: 91 Points
- Ruby color. It's somewhat balanced with a medium finish - Too soon for this wine.
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9/8/2013 - overspeed62 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not bad for a "second" wine. It went way too quickly but what I did note was a well-balanced Cab with black fruits, a touch of spice and underlying minerality. Extremely long finish.
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8/22/2013 - paulrc56 wrote: 95 Points
WOW!
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8/16/2013 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 94 Points
wow! just an amzing pkg of fruit,earth & spice. everything works here and had a very longggggg finish. In a great drinking window right now, prob last for another 5yrs
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1/12/2013 - B-Love wrote: 93 Points
Opened and poured into glass to sit for an hour before sipping. Lush with nice fruit. Structure is still there even after 7 years. This will last for another 5-7 years. Only quibble is that I'd prefer the nose be more sexy...but I guess after having a few Bordeaux and Abreu wines I've been spoiled.
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7/5/2012 - annerk wrote: 94 Points
50+5+13+18+8 Very young but velvety texture on the palate. Incredible backbone, already well integrated. Black cherry, baking spices, hints of vanilla and something mineral or stone-ish. I won't open another for at least three years and it should be a real treat when I do.
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4/15/2012 - tkim42 wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple with a strong nose of black fruit and spice. Incredibly balanced with strong acidity and tannins - would expect another 5 years or so before this reaches its peak. Very long finish.
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4/13/2012 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was an absolute joy to drink. Refined, classy, and balanced. Needs a couple of hours decant at this point to really show it's stuff. But once it opened up - WOW!
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4/7/2012 - jeffm_fla wrote: 92 Points
Nicely integrated now with good structure, pleasant fruit but tending to firmer flavors such as a hint of cedar and some earthiness.
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1/29/2012 - winelover206 wrote: 97 Points
absolutely flawless... I don't understand why people buy the estate when you can essentially get the same wine in the Maiden. This is my 3rd bottle of the 06 and all three have been as good as can be.
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10/14/2011 - lsnider wrote: 94 Points
2 hour decant. No formal notes were taken as I took this along with a 08 Outpost True to a friends house. Finesse and great mouth feel. One of my favorite cabs that I have had. Great finish.
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9/19/2011 - sehill wrote: 89 Points
Opened and noon and poured at 1:30, this was tasted along as part of a 13 vintage vertical. The aromatics show black currant and chocolate notes that are somewhat monolithic. It display a dark ruby to black color that is opaque. Full bodied and youthful, the palate shows density, good acidity and forceful tannins. At this stage the wine is youthful and monolithic. This should benefit from additional bottle age.
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9/19/2011 - danstrings wrote: 92 Points
A day at Harlan trying every vintage of the Maiden ever made (Harlan winery, Oakville, CA): Showing very flamboyantly with loads of bitter chocolate, chocolate covered cherry, Indian spices and almost a cola note here and there. A "slightly above average" vintage and showing youthfully well now.
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8/27/2011 - Friedo wrote: 93 Points
Velvety, refined cherry, blueberry and violet. Very long finish.
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5/9/2011 - harish wrote:
very good about 95 points
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4/16/2011 - floydtp wrote:
Decanted for 6+ hours. Very rich nose of predominantly cherry and violet. On the palate, there are some berries (can't quite pinpoint before the tannins take over), a good bit of sweetness and some cigar box. The finish is black fruit and rubber mostly. Obviously very young but I didn't find this wine to be as complex as others have. Hold for another 3-5 years. Overall, this is a well made wine (esp for a 2nd) but is struggling in the QPR department. No rating given at this point but I expect it to end up in the 92-93 range.
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2/22/2011 - St Paul wrote: 95 Points
Gorgeous wine
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10/15/2010 - vkcellars wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful wine, deep dark fruit, intense, and a bit chalky. Needs at least another year, probably 3 or 4. Felt lik I was doing a (very good) barrel tasting.
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9/4/2010 - jeffm_fla wrote: 90 Points
OK, but a little disappointing. Hot alcohol initially and seemed disjointed. Wait until next year...
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