Clear, dark purple with burgundy coloured rim, beautiful equidistant fast-moving tears Clean, med+ intensity, with aromas of blasts of blackcurrant, black pepper, cooked plums, and hints of beef jerky, espresso and hot tomato leaf. Dry, med body, med tannins, med- acidity, med alcohol, and further tastes of blackberries, fennel, stewed tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Still drinking beautifully and a lovely finish. One of the most underpriced stars of the Cabernet world.
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Clear, blackish purple with dark pink rim, widely dispersed even-flowing tears medium thickness. Plenty of fine sediment from the first glass onwards - don't look in the mirror!. Clean, med- intensity, aromas of ripe blackberries, cherries, slight anise, overwhelming fruit and alcohol. Dry, med+ body, need acidity, full tannins, full alcohol, this is a fruit-forward wine masked by bouts of alcohol, tannins and surprising acidity. Normally a hug fan of D'Arenberg wines, this was a little disappointing. Further tastes of pu'er tea, black pepper, beetroot, meaty, and dark black currants. Medium finish
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Clear, dark purple with maroon rim, many thick and fast tears. Clean, med + intensity, aromas of blueberries, blackcurrants, leather, dark cherries. Dry, med body, almost med acidity, lush tannins, ned alcohol, further tastes of violets, aniis seeds, stewed pork and cinnamon raisins. It has a finish but not the complexity I was hoping for.
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I've tasted this wine on two separate occasions, and it's just not drinking well right now. The nose is chemical and astringent, with reticent sour underripe cherry and black currant. Similar austere palate, underripe and green, some berry, bitter cherry, and black currant, but lacking fruit character and excitement. It's not unbalanced, it just has a poor flavor profile that lacks fruit concentration. If I had more bottles, I would let them sit for 2-3 years and see if time can work it out, but I'm quite happy to not have any more.
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Blackberry, black cherries, tea and alcohol on the nose. Tart cherries and tea on the palate. Tannins are still present but not overly strong - expect it will continue to evolve over the next few years.
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Dark ruby color with a full fruit and berry nose. Full on the mouth with good balance and a tight finish--slight tanins. Overall very drinkable and enjoyable
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Even more fruit driven than I expected. Jammy, sweet and almost confected. I'm sure there are some who would really enjoy this style, and maybe I would on occasion, but I was hoping for something more food friendly.
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This wine is in a good place now. If you decant and wait a few hours for the camphor, wintergreen, minty nose to appear, add another point to my score.
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Decanted for 45 minutes. Deep and rich black fruits on the nose. Black and red fruits with a touch of pepper of the palate. A little harsh with not much of a finish.
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A Deep ruby wine with a medium body. Black currant, raspberry, earth and smoke on the nose. Smooth in the mouth with tart raspberry and some black currant. Lots of acidity. Raspberry and oak on a short finish, mouth-coating tannins, will keep for awhile in the cellar 5+ yrs.
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Nice rich nose and big plummy flavors. Concentrated and highly extracted. I like these type of wines. This one finished a bit harsh though - maybe trying to get too much extraction. Perhaps some aging will smooth out the finish. Good value. All the elements are there but finish keeps this wine from the 90 point level.
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A fresh, thick nose. Black currant jam and a touch of greenness that I associate with Aussie cab. Somewhat jammy and a touch of green flavors. But it has nice balance between the tannins and the thick blackberry and black currant fruits.
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This time around I get a lot of anise and plumbs on the nose, good tight mouthfeel with fruit that isn't in your face like the nose suggests. Aging well, will sample again in 6 mo.
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Deep purple and blue fruit. Lots of blackberry, slight minerality. Lovely nose. The fruit isn't as sweet on the palate as the nose might let you think. Which is a good thing. Young need a bit of time to loosen up.
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Good, I don't know where the person referred to red cherry oak.. what the heck does that mean? For the price a good solid wine.. I really liked it better in one year..
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This one is a little young, and needs decanting if you drink it now. Lots of fruit and smoke, smooth on the taste. It is a little disjointed now, but should come together in a year or so to make a decent young drinker. D'Arenberg usually hits home runs at various price points, this ball is in the air, going, going... We'll have to wait and see if it can go the distance.
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I guess all good things come to an end - this was the first bottle from d'Arenberg that I have been disappointed with. Very odd to the nose, highly acidic and vinegar, bitter to the mouth and finish was just as disappointing. For the same or similar price go for the Custodian - you won't be disappointed!
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4/9/2017 - Rowchan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Clear, dark purple with burgundy coloured rim, beautiful equidistant fast-moving tears
Clean, med+ intensity, with aromas of blasts of blackcurrant, black pepper, cooked plums, and hints of beef jerky, espresso and hot tomato leaf.
Dry, med body, med tannins, med- acidity, med alcohol, and further tastes of blackberries, fennel, stewed tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Still drinking beautifully and a lovely finish. One of the most underpriced stars of the Cabernet world.
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12/12/2015 - Vmaster007 wrote: 86 Points
Dark cherries, plums, figues. Interesting nose with a touch of alcool that shows heat in the vintage.
Better after an hour in the decanter.
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6/12/2015 - Rowchan Likes this wine: 82 Points
Clear, blackish purple with dark pink rim, widely dispersed even-flowing tears medium thickness. Plenty of fine sediment from the first glass onwards - don't look in the mirror!.
Clean, med- intensity, aromas of ripe blackberries, cherries, slight anise, overwhelming fruit and alcohol.
Dry, med+ body, need acidity, full tannins, full alcohol, this is a fruit-forward wine masked by bouts of alcohol, tannins and surprising acidity. Normally a hug fan of D'Arenberg wines, this was a little disappointing. Further tastes of pu'er tea, black pepper, beetroot, meaty, and dark black currants. Medium finish
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9/22/2013 - Rowchan Likes this wine: 86 Points
Clear, dark purple with maroon rim, many thick and fast tears.
Clean, med + intensity, aromas of blueberries, blackcurrants, leather, dark cherries.
Dry, med body, almost med acidity, lush tannins, ned alcohol, further tastes of violets, aniis seeds, stewed pork and cinnamon raisins. It has a finish but not the complexity I was hoping for.
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4/8/2013 - Jenzen wrote:
decanting advised due to heavy sedementation.
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2/25/2013 - Giggs wrote: 84 Points
I've tasted this wine on two separate occasions, and it's just not drinking well right now. The nose is chemical and astringent, with reticent sour underripe cherry and black currant. Similar austere palate, underripe and green, some berry, bitter cherry, and black currant, but lacking fruit character and excitement. It's not unbalanced, it just has a poor flavor profile that lacks fruit concentration. If I had more bottles, I would let them sit for 2-3 years and see if time can work it out, but I'm quite happy to not have any more.
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1/22/2013 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine: 87 Points
Blackberry, black cherries, tea and alcohol on the nose. Tart cherries and tea on the palate. Tannins are still present but not overly strong - expect it will continue to evolve over the next few years.
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4/21/2012 - JDB4 wrote: 89 Points
Dark ruby color with a full fruit and berry nose. Full on the mouth with good balance and a tight finish--slight tanins. Overall very drinkable and enjoyable
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4/7/2012 - archambault wrote: 87 Points
Mériterait d'être décanter une bonne heure.....
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2/18/2012 - mjnickel wrote: 87 Points
Even more fruit driven than I expected. Jammy, sweet and almost confected. I'm sure there are some who would really enjoy this style, and maybe I would on occasion, but I was hoping for something more food friendly.
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2/12/2012 - mprosser wrote: 90 Points
Sweet clearance buy. Great little cab.
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8/13/2011 - ksde wrote: 90 Points
This wine is in a good place now. If you decant and wait a few hours for the camphor, wintergreen, minty nose to appear, add another point to my score.
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7/27/2011 - PSUSteve wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes. Deep and rich black fruits on the nose. Black and red fruits with a touch of pepper of the palate. A little harsh with not much of a finish.
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9/28/2010 - The Kokopelli wrote: 86 Points
A Deep ruby wine with a medium body. Black currant, raspberry, earth and smoke on the nose. Smooth in the mouth with tart raspberry and some black currant. Lots of acidity. Raspberry and oak on a short finish, mouth-coating tannins, will keep for awhile in the cellar 5+ yrs.
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7/6/2010 - pavel_p wrote: 87 Points
Rather ordinary Australian Cabernet. Fruity, oak and tannins well present. Would not buy again
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12/4/2009 - pkatz wrote: 88 Points
Nice rich nose and big plummy flavors. Concentrated and highly extracted. I like these type of wines. This one finished a bit harsh though - maybe trying to get too much extraction. Perhaps some aging will smooth out the finish. Good value. All the elements are there but finish keeps this wine from the 90 point level.
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11/27/2009 - wbaccus wrote: 89 Points
Tastes young. Slightly bitter aftertaste. More jammy than California cabs. Blackberry fruit.
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7/25/2009 - Beavis77 wrote:
A fresh, thick nose. Black currant jam and a touch of greenness that I associate with Aussie cab.
Somewhat jammy and a touch of green flavors. But it has nice balance between the tannins and the thick blackberry and black currant fruits.
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7/21/2009 - DQuinn wrote: 89 Points
This time around I get a lot of anise and plumbs on the nose, good tight mouthfeel with fruit that isn't in your face like the nose suggests. Aging well, will sample again in 6 mo.
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6/25/2009 - Phin wrote: 90 Points
Fleshy blackberry. Light in tannin but medium body and juicy.
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4/16/2009 - Matt T wrote: 87 Points
This needs some air. Lots of oak, but it opened after a bit with some cassis, prune, and cherry notes.
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3/19/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Deep purple and blue fruit. Lots of blackberry, slight minerality. Lovely nose. The fruit isn't as sweet on the palate as the nose might let you think. Which is a good thing. Young need a bit of time to loosen up.
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2/12/2009 - mrfroopy wrote: 89 Points
Good, I don't know where the person referred to red cherry oak.. what the heck does that mean? For the price a good solid wine.. I really liked it better in one year..
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12/14/2008 - Esteban wrote: 87 Points
Un beau vin de Cabernet-sauvignon. Très peu boisé, bonne acidité et un certain côté animal.
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10/26/2008 - gmbdds wrote: 87 Points
A black beauty in color. Big nose of blackberry. Generous acidic and sour fruit. A fun wine that has its time and place.
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10/20/2008 - DQuinn wrote: 89 Points
This one is a little young, and needs decanting if you drink it now. Lots of fruit and smoke, smooth on the taste. It is a little disjointed now, but should come together in a year or so to make a decent young drinker. D'Arenberg usually hits home runs at various price points, this ball is in the air, going, going... We'll have to wait and see if it can go the distance.
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8/20/2008 - jagangjee wrote: 82 Points
I guess all good things come to an end - this was the first bottle from d'Arenberg that I have been disappointed with. Very odd to the nose, highly acidic and vinegar, bitter to the mouth and finish was just as disappointing. For the same or similar price go for the Custodian - you won't be disappointed!
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