Opened and poured from wine cooler. Tight and needs to warm up.....Solid ruby with no bricking. Bright bing cherry, and the tomato leaf/herbal qualities notes below are on point. Lean in the palate, needs air, but very smooth and lithe. Will update as this evolves. With air, the secondar5ies emerging....dusty, leathery notes, cedar, some licorice, darker cherry. Day two very acidic spine and cherry dominated core - lively and comes across on the lighter side of the spectrum - more red than blue or purple. Excellent example of the height of Napa cab evolution in the 90s, which to me is the best decade in the history of California cabernets and much better IMO than today's corpulent and overpriced offerings. Final observations with last glass on day 3, fleshed out much more....more full bodied, less acidic, more brawny and deeper reds. Quite nice with 3 days of air - perhaps this bottle was stored so well that it was still a sleeping baby.
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Out of Magnum...absolutely incredible! Still has some up front fruit but the tertiary notes have come through in full. Tremendous depth of flavor and balance that will easily go several more years.
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Wasn’t sure it would be drinkable but it was really nice. Light in tannins and legs were showing a little age but very balanced. Probably should have saved it for a vertical tasting with the 09 and 19 vintages I have.
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Restrained style relative to today’s standards in Napa, this wine is sort of in between the mid-12% alcohol wines of the 70s/80s and the 14.5-15% alcohol wines typically produced in Napa today. What stands out to me is the tomato leaf aroma that made this feel a little bit like a Cabernet Franc. Calling out green notes on Napa cabs can have a negative connotation, but in this instance, it was enjoyable and provided a differentiated experience.
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Big change from my last bottle of this 5 years ago. This time, the color was perfect and did not seem that much different from a 2014 Estate. Nose was ebullient, entrance clean and full mouthfeel. Plenty of complexity with Blueberry, cherry, black cherry , graphite and leather notes. Medium finish. Rounded and balanced.
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Expected this to be shot, but it is delicious and drinking extremely well right now. I expect I can probably get another 2-3 years (or more) out of my remaining bottles.
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Color was perfect, no bricking whatsoever - rich purple. Can’t criticize this bottle in any way - tannins, acid and mineral/graphite were in near-perfect balance.
Lacks the flavor, finish and wow factor to score higher, but this was a great bottle of wine. I suspect it might be a few years past it’s prime, but would still grab more if I could find it, especially for a vertical night.
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Cork on this was perfectly sealed; still very dark in color and quite primary on the nose; cassis, blueberry, a bit of vanilla and oak spice, just a hint of mocha with some developing underbrush and earth as it gets more air. The palate is very good with good balance and good concentration; the tannins are resolved and quite suave with good acidity and a lovely finish. Overall this was quite nice and very good with prime rib. This particular bottle could easily have aged another 5-10 years, so the wine is still good and at this point its down to the cork and the storage.
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My last two bottles should have drunk them earlier Bottle 1 was nice but was clearly past its prime Raisiny nose and taste what structure that was left overpowered the fruit so it wasn’t tannic but slightly sharp with very mild dark fruit
Hints of cedar and minerals Bottle 2 was better fresher nose and more fruit than tannins complex and interesting wine cedar and minerals
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Decanted 30 minutes and then drank. What a magnificent wine!
You can smell this wine across the room! Notes of very pleasant soft vanilla, cherries, licorice, graphite, leather, cedar. The list goes on and on. It is just so pleasant.
On the palate this is perfectly balanced. The tannins are still present - but they are so well integrated now. This wine is 18 years old today - but it still tastes youthful and shows its age also. Perfect acidity, long finish, layers of complexity. This must have been a massive wine years ago, but feels like it is just entering its prime drinking point right now. Its 13.5% alcohol is perfect, it feels like an "old world" Napa.
If you have this wine - please drink it now - it is in a perfect place. You will really enjoy it and reward you!
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Drinking well now, black cherries, black currants, chocolate, licorice, leather, and tobacco. An elegant wine with a long finish, well balanced, and medium to full body.
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Opened tonight, this wine was IMMEDIATELY approachable and the first wine of 16+ that was completely wiped out. If tasted blind, I would have guessed a 2009-2010 Napa floor cab. Youthful fruit, this wine had a very silky mouthfeel. Acidity is nearly zero. Tannin resolved and fully integrated. Wine has youthful blackberry. Middle is elegant, structured; finish is soft, rounded, fruit rich. This wine has integrated nicely, and I still feel that this wine is on its way up or at least right at the top. Although IMO not the best wine on the table, it was certainly the wine that impressed with "youth maintenance." Glad to have opened it for this great crowd.
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Lovely nose of that classic valley floor Napa Cab. Very inviting and heady if a bit forward. The fruit is less than forward at this stage but it is in that realm of sweeter than more savory and you would expect from valley fruit. Probably a better 5 years back. This is on the downward slope but a nice example of a more fruit driven than structural Napa Cab.
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well made wine big dark lots of structure fruit was present in the nose but less so on tounge bit austere earthy flinty not sure if the tannis will fall away befer the fruit dies ill try again in a year
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nose of cherry...and more cherry. Then some blackberry and plum. very similar on palate. This is what you want in an aged California Cab. Fruit, integrated and softened tannins. Medium mouthfeel and finish.
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Aromas of grilled anise and melted licorice. Lush initial attack featuring ripe red raspberries, underbrush and milk chocolate. Holds fine focus towards the dramatic oak shaded and dried sage finish. Very long. 99 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Challenge Lisa's Bday!
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Lots of structure, lots of earthiness, a bit of dark fruit, but the tannins are so big, they pretty much obscure all else. Needs time, but worked quite well with our steaks at The Palm on Christmas Eve.
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Opened weekend dinner @ home, and drank over about 3 hours (got an hour or so in decanter). It was nice from PnP, especially on the nose (from the other side of the living room). Beautiful earthy and spicy smell with the right amount of fruit. oak spice is noted, cedar and tabbaco. I also noted leather (second taster not certain), and hints of graphite, like an old style Bordeaux (similar to the notes of other tasters from the last 6-12 months). On the fruit- black currant, berries and cassis. Very enjoyable. Medium-long finish that got longer over the course of the evening. Excellent match to the dinner (veggies and cheese for appetizers, medium rare steak, and good company :-) )
I am not certain anymore how one score captures all, but I would note: Excellent, enjoyable, old fashion Cab. If you have one in good storage, open and enjoy though it has more years ahead of it, IMHO (have one more and playing with the idea of keeping it for few more years). Legitimate candidate for a memorable cab of 2015, or even WOTY. ~94
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Wine was really closed when I initially decanted and evolved over the first hour, from fairly undrinkable to a really interesting point. The fruit is gone and the secondary elements are now there; graphite and some tar. Great mouthfeel and a wonderful compliment to the steak kabobs we had. I think you can drink this one now, as I believe it is starting a slow decline.
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Deep red color. Aromas of black currants, licorice and wood spices. Medium-bodied, well-structured, high-toned fruit in the mouth with excellent grip and very good depth and a long finish. Ample but well-integrated ripe tannins. Nicely detailed and somewhat elegant and suave on the palate. Still at very beginning of its peak drinking period.
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Medium dark red color, hint of garnet edge. Terrifically vivacious nose, almost a Graves (Château Pape Clément):pencil box, medicinal-minerality, black pepper, pipe tobacco, black cherry, hint of alcohol (kirsch liqueur), and an earthiness suggesting mushroom. On arrival, fine tannin and low-medium acidity; straddling both structure camps (youthful and mature.) In the mouth, ample cherry-cassis fruit and oak spice (vanilla, cinnamon, allspice) right up front, with only slight hints of bottle development following: leather, menthol. Strong finish. Stood up well to early dinner while watching The Masters, of grilled flatiron steaks, garlic spinach and corn-pasilla chile pepper muffins.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Surprisingly dark in color. 13.5% ABV. Bordeaux like nose of graphite, leather and currants. Rich and powerful on the palate with super silky tannins. Flavors of plums, cassis, cherries and pencil. The finish is exceptional. The wine is in a great spot right now and I would be inclined to drink over the next year or so. Everything I look for in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Bravo!
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Strongly corked on the nose, but not undrinkable. Mostly herbal and mint notes, which is probably characteristic of the wine, but I'm guessing the fruit was being suppressed by TCA.
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Very bordeaux like. Currant, fruit there but restrained, ends in a sort of mineral, tobacco tinged finish. Not tannic and relatively smooth but did seem to get better over the course of our anniversary dinner at SeerSucker (which was excellent btw).
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Popped and poured; perfect cork, so sign of seepage. Dark red with a slight lightening on the edge. Nose of green olive, vanilla, definitely to the herbaceous rather than chocolate end of the Cabernet ripeness spectrum. This contrasts with lovely ripe flavors on the palate and a finish which has resolved the tannins noted last time; drinking very well at age 14.
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Dark color and even after several hours of decanting it did not change. A little gritty on the tannins still with too much green pepper, veggies and Oak and not enough fruit. Perhaps the fruit is falling off at this point. Finish is pinched. Not a particularly good Spottswoode and it is so disjointed that more time will likely only enhance the shortcomings.
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An outstanding wine. Oak and tannins have fully integrated but the fruit, acidity and balance all remains perfectly intact. Based on my experience, 12-15 years of age seems to be the perfect amount of time for Spottswoode.
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Tasted this with Beth Novak, Spottswoode CEO, during a wine tasting event. Medium purple color with a nose of black currant, flowers and graphite. This is a very elegant wine, and one that paid-off with ageing. The palate is smoothly textured with hints of black currant, cranberry, raspberry, licorice, tobacco, and leather. Medium length finish with ultra refined sweet tannin. Drink now.
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Decanted for an hour. Started off a bit rustic and a touch on tannin. Then the fruit started to come out. After 3 hours it started to become more dry and rounded. Not sure where this one is going, but very good at this stage. Not jammy or overly fruity at all. A bit of bordeaux character; more than most California Cabs.
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Still a deep garnet color, brick edges; herbaceous Napa Valley Cabernet nose; hints of mint, tobacco, light oak; mid-body, balanced, good fruit, smooth silky finish. Decanted to open up the nose right away. w/rack of lamb.
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Tonight I did not decant and think that was the wise move. It smelled great at 4PM and never stopped. I opened at 4 PM and slow oxed till leaving for the restaurant at 5:15. Drank around 7PM. Showed wonderfully focused fruit, cedar, tobacco,minerallity and spice. Fresh and vibrant. As good as you could hope for. My last btl.
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Domestics 10 Years Old and Older (Pittsburgh Blue, Edina, MN): Small pour. I wish I had more detailed notes on this wine. What I can say is that it was very good, drinking side by side with the '95 Montelena this had more character and nuance. Very velvety, full body, cassis, blueberry, cedar, with some florals on the nose also. Long finish.
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Others at the table liked this a lot more than I did. Dusty and earthy, showing its age. More Bordeaux in style than I was expecting. Drank from a magnum.
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continues to be a very good wine. remains consistent with other bottles. deep colour still, no browning. very nice weight on the palate with some chocolate undertones.
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Opened for an hour prior to drinking but not decanted. Drank alongside an '01 Mondavi Reserve and this was the consensus preferred wine. Definitely more on the subtle side with fully resolved tannins but still some fruit and a nice finish. Drink up.
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this was a very interesting bottle of wine. decanted for one hour. first pour there was a very strong medicinal/vegetal note, to the point that i was going to throw it out. waited two hours and viola totally different. gone was the medicinal taste and now there was a very enjoyable aged napa cab. good structure and depth. probably would have scored higher but for that first taste.
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amazingly dark colour still, no signs of browning on the edges. The nose was fresh and a good amount of fruit was present. The initial taste was a bit harsh but after approx 30min of decanting it really opened up and was enjoyable. I think it was drinking better 2 yrs ago
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Popped and poured thru a Nuance. Although it did improve a bit during dinner I was a bit disappointed with the overall impact. I'll give the last bottle more time in a decanter before serving. This one was served with prime ribeye and salmon. No complaints...smooth tannin, perfect acid balance, really nice although I would have liked a bit more fruit. Perhaps my palate has become accustomed too much to Shiraz.
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First off I say give this 3 hours in the decantor as the tanins never seemed as smooth as I expect them to be over the 2 hours+ we drank this. I decanted but could have used another hour before we started to drink it. Nose showed a combination of led pencil / cedar on the nose topped off with some smokiness. The palate was not overely fruity but still seemed kind of bold with a hint of bitter dark chocolate. Darn nice cab but not awsome.... tonight. Perhaps this '99 is fully mature and never destined for greatness? One left and I'll wait 3yrs just for kicks.
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I'm not going to score this because the cork was almost completly saturated. It wasn't bad...it just wasn't great like this winery usually is. There was a lot of heat on the finish and it just felt disjointed. I'll soon see where the other two bottles are.
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Decanted an hour and a half. Nose ranges from sweet blackberry and acacia to cassis and pencil shavings. Tart and oaky concentrated fruit jam on the palate. Softening tannins. Balanced with a long warm cassis finish.
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Wonderful wine in such a great spot. Had with parents after a 2004 Winston Hill from Frank Family. The Winston Hill was a 97 point wine. Everything you would want in a Bordeaux blend. Tannins on the Spottswoode were still present, but tamer. Fruit was lush, secondary characteristics present. Had those black currant and graphite notes.
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Gentle nose of dark fruit, oak, earth, spices. Good structure but a little hot on the finish. Dark berries, coffee, oak. Long, fruity finish. (Doris -too acidic)
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Mid-dark garnet; complex mint, Cabernet, light oak nose; balanced, mid body, good structure, soft tannins; great finish. Some years left. Served with tri-tip, mushroom sauce. Good combination.
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13.5% alcohol. judas priest, the scores for this wine are...perplexing. after the recent disasterous 97, i wanted to try another vintage. not decanted. weird initial heat on the finish, and a strong spice component; but then the wine just went south, quickly. bitter, prunish, thin midpalate, bleh tannins. so, let's see, bad storage? no. purchased on release from the mailing list, professional refridgerated transport, and a cold (54 degrees) home cellar. yet, undrinkable. looks like i better get at my 01-05s.
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1999 Spottswoode from Napa Valley. This appeared dark garnet with an inviting aroma of blackberries, and flora. Popped and poured to enjoy with tri-tip and an evening around the pool. This Napa Valley Cab was silky smooth with subtle and enjoyable fruit flavors of blackberry, current, and hints of coffee. Amazing balance and enjoyable tannins to keep you on your toes. The finish was consistent, flavorful and everlasting.
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Suprisingly fresh and delicous with a bountiful full fruit mouth feel smothered with blackberrys and blueberries. Very balanced and seemless. Has long life left.
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Popped and poured. Clear dark red, no signs of browning. Initially on the nose quite complex, notes of leather and spice. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, perhaps more Old World than New in taste profile. Definitely a chocolatey note on the palate, which evolves into something almost like truffles. Tannins are present but well submerged in the fruit. Lovely wine which may become more seamless with further aging but no need to wait.
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Elegant and mature. Tannins still present. Time to drink up. Taste profile surprisingly Bordeaux-like, which is, in my view, quite atypical for this winery. I would have hoped for a bit more power and fruit.
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Decanted for an hour, very well balanced and structured - blueberry on the nose, cherry and a hint of cedar on the palate. Tannins are quite well balanced now.
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An exquisite wine. Not big but perfectly balanced. Drink now! Didn't even have to decant. Blackberry jam on the nose. Smells like when you first walk into an IHOP... In a good way.
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Wow--what a bottle. This was a significant improvement over the last bottle as it showed way more fruit in addition to the subtle secondary characteristics of tea, leather, hints of tobacco, and some pencil lead. The fruit was in the red range, with red currant and strawberry predominant. I think this wine, based on this bottle, could be even better in 3-5 years (note to self: read your own notes before opening bottles).
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Decanted for about an hour before being served with grilled prime ribeye steaks. Showed a fair amount of sediment. Deep, bright violet in color. Reticent nose offering hints of blackberry and cassis. Initially, still a little tight with dominant cassis flavors. Blossomed over the next hour or so, adding great black fruit to the palate. Medium-full bodied with evident tannins still to be resolved. Great structure, and lengthy finish. This should continue drinking well for a number of years, or currently with at least a few hours in the decanter.
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Dark purple color; aromas of coffee, smoke and cassis; full body with firm tannins that overshadow the fruit; with some coaxing the palate displays rich dark berry fruit; minerals, expresso and tar; finishes long; this wine will improve with some additional bottle age; at the very least at this point I would decant the wine for several hours.
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This bottle was all over the place. Decanted for an hour. First, very tannic and hard. After another hour, wonderful rich flavors.A fantastic palate from beginning til the end- lots of berry and a touch of vegetal (but not bad). Then it got a bit heavier during the 4th and 5th. Between second and 4th hour, super good. Wait a few years for the last one.
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Compared to the Groth we had, this was stellar. In an absolute sense, it was definitely outstanding. Showed much younger, but was definitely on the leather/tobacco/licorice/tar end of the flavor spectrum vs. all fruit. There were dark, ripe fruits underneath, but the leather and tobacco seemed to be taking center stage. Structure was good, and I'd imagine this wine will continue to positively evolve (split infinitive!) for the next 3-5 years. One of the underrated producers in Napa in my opinion, this is a wine worth seeking year in and year out.
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Wow - excellent. Tannin has softened and the fruit is right up front. As other reviews have noted, blueberry, cassis, blackberry. The oak is there, but is sweet and plays second chair to the fruit. Simply awesome. Opening second bottle for the evening... the first was so good that it was consumed before food was served. Can;t wait to have this one with prime, grilled beef.
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Opened the magnum after a father son golf outing and let it sit for a while. It had softer tones of fruit and only got better in the glass. Next time open a lot earlier and decant. Wonderful and one of my dad's favorites.
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Decanted for sediment and poured back into bottle. Drinking very well right now. Loaded with dark fruits, cassis, licorice and chocolate on the palate. Perfectly balanced. Tannins have integrated beautifully and it drinking really smoothly. Full bodied and very rich, this is right in my wheelhouse as far as napa cabs go.
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showing much better than the 98 (which suffers from the character of that vintage); the '99 is a cab i would expect of the winery : at this point a bit restrained, dark fruits, rich, soft vanilla oak in the far background. great well rounded cabernet. looking forward to the rest of my case.
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Consumed over two days. Initially decanted for 90 minutes. Nose of tar and dark fruit. Unusually stong palate of mocha and cocao which was quite appealing. On day two there was no oxidation and the wine had really opened up and was stretching its' legs with a longer, lingering finish. This is still a baby and don't plan on touching my 01' & 02's for a few years based on this.
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Very smooth and rich with typical Spottswoode dark plum, cassis, and licorice. It needed a few hours in the decantur and I drank this baby way too soon.
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Much better than the last bottle. There's plenty of fruit here, so this is no shy wine, but there's always something feminine and elegant about Spottswoode that I really love. One of the better '99's out there.
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A very nice Spottswoode, but it lacks the depth and richness of the great ones. It has excellent balance and it mirrors the vintage with a little roughness.
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I feel like I just got punched in the mouth with a giant blueberry. This wine really wowed me. First off, the color is pitch black with just the slightest hint of bluish purple. The nose is simply fantastic. Huge bouquet of crushed blueberry, blackberry, espresso, dark chocolate, liquid smoke, and cassis. Just wonderful. Palate coating with luscious waves of blueberry that coarse over the tongue and last for over a minute. The sweet tannins and acidity are completely integrated and the wine comes through as a perfectly seamless whole. It has a texture of fine cashmere and is so smooth on the attack that you don't even realize how powerful it is until you realize the wealth of flavors coursing across your tongue. This wine is simply outstanding. I wish I had another bottle. I think it will drink exceptionally well for another 8-10 years or more. I think that a lot of people who are fans of Shiraz would like this wine, as well. I haven't had a Spottswoode Cab in quite a while, but if this is a representative sample, then I need to search out some more bottles. Excellent!
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Initially this was a bit thin on the nose and the palate (although the color was a very nice shade of purple). However, after 45 minutes of warming up and exposure to air, it started to really come around. Fairly focused nose - menthol, red fruit, rich blueberry. On the palate this showed the blueberry, along with cassis, strawberry pie, and some capuccino, along witha medium-length finish. My guess is that it'll stay at this stage for a couple more years.
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10/20/2023 - Senso-beak wrote: 92 Points
Opened and poured from wine cooler. Tight and needs to warm up.....Solid ruby with no bricking. Bright bing cherry, and the tomato leaf/herbal qualities notes below are on point. Lean in the palate, needs air, but very smooth and lithe. Will update as this evolves. With air, the secondar5ies emerging....dusty, leathery notes, cedar, some licorice, darker cherry. Day two very acidic spine and cherry dominated core - lively and comes across on the lighter side of the spectrum - more red than blue or purple. Excellent example of the height of Napa cab evolution in the 90s, which to me is the best decade in the history of California cabernets and much better IMO than today's corpulent and overpriced offerings. Final observations with last glass on day 3, fleshed out much more....more full bodied, less acidic, more brawny and deeper reds. Quite nice with 3 days of air - perhaps this bottle was stored so well that it was still a sleeping baby.
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10/30/2022 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Out of Magnum...absolutely incredible! Still has some up front fruit but the tertiary notes have come through in full. Tremendous depth of flavor and balance that will easily go several more years.
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7/9/2022 - msmallsr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wasn’t sure it would be drinkable but it was really nice. Light in tannins and legs were showing a little age but very balanced. Probably should have saved it for a vertical tasting with the 09 and 19 vintages I have.
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12/31/2021 - Ready Red wrote: 93 Points
Very well suited for the Macdaddy steak we prepared for NYE.
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7/12/2021 - jondrinkswine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Restrained style relative to today’s standards in Napa, this wine is sort of in between the mid-12% alcohol wines of the 70s/80s and the 14.5-15% alcohol wines typically produced in Napa today. What stands out to me is the tomato leaf aroma that made this feel a little bit like a Cabernet Franc. Calling out green notes on Napa cabs can have a negative connotation, but in this instance, it was enjoyable and provided a differentiated experience.
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6/5/2021 - Barakahn Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big change from my last bottle of this 5 years ago. This time, the color was perfect and did not seem that much different from a 2014 Estate. Nose was ebullient, entrance clean and full mouthfeel. Plenty of complexity with Blueberry, cherry, black cherry , graphite and leather notes. Medium finish. Rounded and balanced.
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3/25/2021 - Buddy318 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Expected this to be shot, but it is delicious and drinking extremely well right now. I expect I can probably get another 2-3 years (or more) out of my remaining bottles.
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1/31/2021 - Esmags7 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Got the bottle at auction, flawless condition.
Color was perfect, no bricking whatsoever - rich purple. Can’t criticize this bottle in any way - tannins, acid and mineral/graphite were in near-perfect balance.
Lacks the flavor, finish and wow factor to score higher, but this was a great bottle of wine. I suspect it might be a few years past it’s prime, but would still grab more if I could find it, especially for a vertical night.
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9/23/2020 - ejmwine wrote:
Can't give this a high rating. Seemed to have an off taste but the Venturi seemed to tae care of it. Still not what I would have hoped.
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12/25/2018 - Abanker Likes this wine:
still drinking well, soft tannins, very enjoyable with x-mas dinner
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12/25/2018 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Cork on this was perfectly sealed; still very dark in color and quite primary on the nose; cassis, blueberry, a bit of vanilla and oak spice, just a hint of mocha with some developing underbrush and earth as it gets more air. The palate is very good with good balance and good concentration; the tannins are resolved and quite suave with good acidity and a lovely finish. Overall this was quite nice and very good with prime rib. This particular bottle could easily have aged another 5-10 years, so the wine is still good and at this point its down to the cork and the storage.
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9/5/2018 - jww Likes this wine: 90 Points
My last two bottles should have drunk them earlier
Bottle 1 was nice but was clearly past its prime
Raisiny nose and taste what structure that was left overpowered the fruit so it wasn’t tannic but slightly sharp with very mild dark fruit
Hints of cedar and minerals
Bottle 2 was better fresher nose and more fruit than tannins complex and interesting wine cedar and minerals
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5/26/2018 - sung251 Likes this wine: 91 Points
delicious but doesn't really inspire me. Softened but still quite lively.
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4/17/2018 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Now in sweet spot of maturity and a touch more integrated and complex than the 7/24/15 bottle.
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2/12/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar notes as previous tastings
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1/5/2018 - 1964vintage wrote: 93 Points
Still lively and tasty after 17+ years. Very nice, well-rounded wine.
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12/23/2017 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 30 minutes and then drank. What a magnificent wine!
You can smell this wine across the room! Notes of very pleasant soft vanilla, cherries, licorice, graphite, leather, cedar. The list goes on and on. It is just so pleasant.
On the palate this is perfectly balanced. The tannins are still present - but they are so well integrated now. This wine is 18 years old today - but it still tastes youthful and shows its age also. Perfect acidity, long finish, layers of complexity. This must have been a massive wine years ago, but feels like it is just entering its prime drinking point right now. Its 13.5% alcohol is perfect, it feels like an "old world" Napa.
If you have this wine - please drink it now - it is in a perfect place. You will really enjoy it and reward you!
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12/10/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well now, black cherries, black currants, chocolate, licorice, leather, and tobacco. An elegant wine with a long finish, well balanced, and medium to full body.
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11/18/2017 - cruzio32 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Jeff, Caleb and I. Had to open up awhile. Good, not great
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7/28/2017 - mflesh wrote: 92 Points
Opened tonight, this wine was IMMEDIATELY approachable and the first wine of 16+ that was completely wiped out. If tasted blind, I would have guessed a 2009-2010 Napa floor cab. Youthful fruit, this wine had a very silky mouthfeel. Acidity is nearly zero. Tannin resolved and fully integrated. Wine has youthful blackberry. Middle is elegant, structured; finish is soft, rounded, fruit rich. This wine has integrated nicely, and I still feel that this wine is on its way up or at least right at the top. Although IMO not the best wine on the table, it was certainly the wine that impressed with "youth maintenance." Glad to have opened it for this great crowd.
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6/18/2017 - WetRock wrote:
Lovely nose of that classic valley floor Napa Cab. Very inviting and heady if a bit forward. The fruit is less than forward at this stage but it is in that realm of sweeter than more savory and you would expect from valley fruit. Probably a better 5 years back. This is on the downward slope but a nice example of a more fruit driven than structural Napa Cab.
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2/25/2017 - MrMoose Likes this wine: 93 Points
beautiful cab with plenty of structure, ripe fruit and soft tannins
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2/19/2017 - NorCal1849 wrote: 95 Points
Excellent. Subtle nose, the flavors open quickly over 15-30 min. Forest floor, leguminous flavors. Paired with rack of lamb...perfect.
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2/5/2017 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Excellent with good structure, dark fruit and tobacco flavors and a long finish. Still time left but no need to wait.
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12/10/2016 - jww Likes this wine: 92 Points
well made wine big dark lots of structure
fruit was present in the nose but less so on tounge
bit austere earthy flinty not sure if the tannis will fall away befer the fruit dies
ill try again in a year
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11/29/2016 - Barakahn Likes this wine: 93 Points
nose of cherry...and more cherry. Then some blackberry and plum. very similar on palate. This is what you want in an aged California Cab. Fruit, integrated and softened tannins. Medium mouthfeel and finish.
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4/30/2016 - bh4buffs Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic Cabernet Sauvignon... great fruit, complexity, & finish. Paired wonderfully w/ rib-eye, baked potato, and grilled asparagus.
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4/16/2016 - wine maestro wrote: 94 Points
Aromas of grilled anise and melted licorice. Lush initial attack featuring ripe red raspberries, underbrush and milk chocolate. Holds fine focus towards the dramatic oak shaded and dried sage finish. Very long. 99 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Challenge
Lisa's Bday!
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4/16/2016 - GolferNJ wrote:
Great, Keith loved it, soft good finish
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1/15/2016 - redwiner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking fine right now. Although I do believe it does not have a long life ahead of it.
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1/11/2016 - pkatz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mature but still vibrant. Best bottle of the 3 I've had from this vintage. An hour or two of breathing helped.
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12/24/2015 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Lots of structure, lots of earthiness, a bit of dark fruit, but the tannins are so big, they pretty much obscure all else. Needs time, but worked quite well with our steaks at The Palm on Christmas Eve.
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8/1/2015 - odds Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened weekend dinner @ home, and drank over about 3 hours (got an hour or so in decanter). It was nice from PnP, especially on the nose (from the other side of the living room). Beautiful earthy and spicy smell with the right amount of fruit. oak spice is noted, cedar and tabbaco. I also noted leather (second taster not certain), and hints of graphite, like an old style Bordeaux (similar to the notes of other tasters from the last 6-12 months). On the fruit- black currant, berries and cassis. Very enjoyable. Medium-long finish that got longer over the course of the evening. Excellent match to the dinner (veggies and cheese for appetizers, medium rare steak, and good company :-) )
I am not certain anymore how one score captures all, but I would note: Excellent, enjoyable, old fashion Cab. If you have one in good storage, open and enjoy though it has more years ahead of it, IMHO (have one more and playing with the idea of keeping it for few more years). Legitimate candidate for a memorable cab of 2015, or even WOTY. ~94
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7/27/2015 - mactheknife Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wine was really closed when I initially decanted and evolved over the first hour, from fairly undrinkable to a really interesting point. The fruit is gone and the secondary elements are now there; graphite and some tar. Great mouthfeel and a wonderful compliment to the steak kabobs we had. I think you can drink this one now, as I believe it is starting a slow decline.
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7/24/2015 - hsacks Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep red color. Aromas of black currants, licorice and wood spices. Medium-bodied, well-structured, high-toned fruit in the mouth with excellent grip and very good depth and a long finish. Ample but well-integrated ripe tannins. Nicely detailed and somewhat elegant and suave on the palate. Still at very beginning of its peak drinking period.
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4/25/2015 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Chewy, very concentrated, slightly over-ripe, needs 1-2 hours to breathe and open up
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4/12/2015 - Hodby wrote: 93 Points
Medium dark red color, hint of garnet edge. Terrifically vivacious nose, almost a Graves (Château Pape Clément):pencil box, medicinal-minerality, black pepper, pipe tobacco, black cherry, hint of alcohol (kirsch liqueur), and an earthiness suggesting mushroom. On arrival, fine tannin and low-medium acidity; straddling both structure camps (youthful and mature.) In the mouth, ample cherry-cassis fruit and oak spice (vanilla, cinnamon, allspice) right up front, with only slight hints of bottle development following: leather, menthol. Strong finish. Stood up well to early dinner while watching The Masters, of grilled flatiron steaks, garlic spinach and corn-pasilla chile pepper muffins.
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1/12/2015 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Surprisingly dark in color. 13.5% ABV. Bordeaux like nose of graphite, leather and currants. Rich and powerful on the palate with super silky tannins. Flavors of plums, cassis, cherries and pencil. The finish is exceptional. The wine is in a great spot right now and I would be inclined to drink over the next year or so. Everything I look for in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Bravo!
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4/27/2014 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fruit still holding up well. Some leather and tobacco. Great structure and acidity that's typical of Spottswoode Cabs.
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3/31/2014 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Well aged, delicious. Tannins totally resolved, soft. Bordeaux-like, dark fruits, mature, tobacco, leather, earth. Elegant, silky, smooth.
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2/1/2014 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Elegant black fruit, tobacco and pencil lead flavors, medium bodied, good acidity, smooth and delicious. Drinking beautifully but no need to rush.
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1/3/2014 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mid-garnet; older Cabernet nose; berries; wood; smoke; balanced, nice style/structure; some tannins left; round fruity finish; fine food wine.
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1/1/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. Powerful yet everything fit together. Really nice
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10/10/2013 - stevenjstein wrote: flawed
Strongly corked on the nose, but not undrinkable. Mostly herbal and mint notes, which is probably characteristic of the wine, but I'm guessing the fruit was being suppressed by TCA.
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10/1/2013 - yeti575rider wrote: 91 Points
Very bordeaux like. Currant, fruit there but restrained, ends in a sort of mineral, tobacco tinged finish. Not tannic and relatively smooth but did seem to get better over the course of our anniversary dinner at SeerSucker (which was excellent btw).
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9/2/2013 - rosenst1 wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured; perfect cork, so sign of seepage. Dark red with a slight lightening on the edge. Nose of green olive, vanilla, definitely to the herbaceous rather than chocolate end of the Cabernet ripeness spectrum. This contrasts with lovely ripe flavors on the palate and a finish which has resolved the tannins noted last time; drinking very well at age 14.
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7/2/2013 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent. Still has a waytogo
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6/20/2013 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent
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4/26/2013 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 92 Points
really great, still very dark in colour, fruit was very present. maybe just a bit tart on the finish
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12/10/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Not decanted.
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12/6/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 88 Points
Dark color and even after several hours of decanting it did not change. A little gritty on the tannins still with too much green pepper, veggies and Oak and not enough fruit. Perhaps the fruit is falling off at this point. Finish is pinched. Not a particularly good Spottswoode and it is so disjointed that more time will likely only enhance the shortcomings.
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11/17/2012 - Rob MacKay wrote: flawed
First time I've had a corked Spottswoode. :(
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10/26/2012 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
An outstanding wine. Oak and tannins have fully integrated but the fruit, acidity and balance all remains perfectly intact. Based on my experience, 12-15 years of age seems to be the perfect amount of time for Spottswoode.
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6/21/2012 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 94 Points
Tasted this with Beth Novak, Spottswoode CEO, during a wine tasting event. Medium purple color with a nose of black currant, flowers and graphite. This is a very elegant wine, and one that paid-off with ageing. The palate is smoothly textured with hints of black currant, cranberry, raspberry, licorice, tobacco, and leather. Medium length finish with ultra refined sweet tannin. Drink now.
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6/17/2012 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
35th Anniversary Party Cellar Tasting; 6/16/2012-6/17/2012 (Rich & Dana's): Wow, much better tonight. Black fruit aromas with terrific floral qualities too- violets and potpourri. Balanced, with red and black fruits mixed in on the palate. Long finish- fruit dominates; velvety texture.
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6/16/2012 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
35th Anniversary Party Cellar Tasting; 6/16/2012-6/17/2012 (Rich & Dana's): Aromas of espresso, black fruit and Asian spices. Full-bodied, with firm tannin and flavors of black fruit, oak spice and vanilla.
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5/26/2012 - dougie wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour. Started off a bit rustic and a touch on tannin. Then the fruit started to come out. After 3 hours it started to become more dry and rounded. Not sure where this one is going, but very good at this stage. Not jammy or overly fruity at all. A bit of bordeaux character; more than most California Cabs.
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5/19/2012 - clarktoews wrote: 93 Points
a great wine. still had a nice dark colour and decent fruit on the nose. a very well rounded wine
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5/12/2012 - sdwineguru wrote: 93 Points
Still a deep garnet color, brick edges; herbaceous Napa Valley Cabernet nose; hints of mint, tobacco, light oak; mid-body, balanced, good fruit, smooth silky finish. Decanted to open up the nose right away. w/rack of lamb.
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4/22/2012 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Tonight I did not decant and think that was the wise move. It smelled great at 4PM and never stopped. I opened at 4 PM and slow oxed till leaving for the restaurant at 5:15. Drank around 7PM. Showed wonderfully focused fruit, cedar, tobacco,minerallity and spice. Fresh and vibrant. As good as you could hope for. My last btl.
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4/22/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Domestics 10 Years Old and Older (Pittsburgh Blue, Edina, MN): Small pour. I wish I had more detailed notes on this wine. What I can say is that it was very good, drinking side by side with the '95 Montelena this had more character and nuance. Very velvety, full body, cassis, blueberry, cedar, with some florals on the nose also. Long finish.
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3/12/2012 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
consistent with my previous bottles
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3/10/2012 - BinVA wrote: 88 Points
Others at the table liked this a lot more than I did. Dusty and earthy, showing its age. More Bordeaux in style than I was expecting. Drank from a magnum.
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2/20/2012 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
continues to be a very good wine. remains consistent with other bottles. deep colour still, no browning. very nice weight on the palate with some chocolate undertones.
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1/9/2012 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
consistent with my previous review
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12/31/2011 - nittanyjack wrote: 91 Points
Opened for an hour prior to drinking but not decanted. Drank alongside an '01 Mondavi Reserve and this was the consensus preferred wine. Definitely more on the subtle side with fully resolved tannins but still some fruit and a nice finish. Drink up.
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12/23/2011 - sedation (yellowgas) wrote: 91 Points
this was a very interesting bottle of wine. decanted for one hour. first pour there was a very strong medicinal/vegetal note, to the point that i was going to throw it out. waited two hours and viola totally different. gone was the medicinal taste and now there was a very enjoyable aged napa cab. good structure and depth. probably would have scored higher but for that first taste.
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12/19/2011 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
amazingly dark colour still, no signs of browning on the edges. The nose was fresh and a good amount of fruit was present. The initial taste was a bit harsh but after approx 30min of decanting it really opened up and was enjoyable. I think it was drinking better 2 yrs ago
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12/3/2011 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 93 Points
Very nice wine but still needs time to decant -- was really drinking well after about 2 hours open.
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11/28/2011 - syrahz wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured thru a Nuance. Although it did improve a bit during dinner I was a bit disappointed with the overall impact. I'll give the last bottle more time in a decanter before serving.
This one was served with prime ribeye and salmon. No complaints...smooth tannin, perfect acid balance, really nice although I would have liked a bit more fruit. Perhaps my palate has become accustomed too much to Shiraz.
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10/1/2011 - gmat5497 wrote: 94 Points
This was just outstanding. Everthing just fit perfectly. Long finish.
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6/11/2011 - psmith wrote:
Ripe dark fruits. Full bodied and still very young. Medium grain tannins; really well integrated for the vintage. Graphite. Very nice.
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6/1/2011 - DJSeiler wrote: 93 Points
Still amazing... unfortunatly... this is my last bottle.
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5/13/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
First off I say give this 3 hours in the decantor as the tanins never seemed as smooth as I expect them to be over the 2 hours+ we drank this. I decanted but could have used another hour before we started to drink it. Nose showed a combination of led pencil / cedar on the nose topped off with some smokiness. The palate was not overely fruity but still seemed kind of bold with a hint of bitter dark chocolate. Darn nice cab but not awsome.... tonight. Perhaps this '99 is fully mature and never destined for greatness? One left and I'll wait 3yrs just for kicks.
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4/29/2011 - PASimon wrote:
I'm not going to score this because the cork was almost completly saturated. It wasn't bad...it just wasn't great like this winery usually is. There was a lot of heat on the finish and it just felt disjointed. I'll soon see where the other two bottles are.
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3/26/2011 - gmat5497 wrote: 92 Points
Served with beef tenderloin. Was spectacular. Some tannins still present so feel like it will last for a number of years. Very well balanced.
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2/14/2011 - jdbcolumbus wrote: 92 Points
Decanted an hour and a half. Nose ranges from sweet blackberry and acacia to cassis and pencil shavings. Tart and oaky concentrated fruit jam on the palate. Softening tannins. Balanced with a long warm cassis finish.
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1/15/2011 - DJSeiler wrote: 93 Points
Still amazing. Soft, sliky, blackberry, and a full finish. Paired withj lamb.. Awesome.
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12/31/2010 - kenthargis wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful wine in such a great spot. Had with parents after a 2004 Winston Hill from Frank Family. The Winston Hill was a 97 point wine. Everything you would want in a Bordeaux blend. Tannins on the Spottswoode were still present, but tamer. Fruit was lush, secondary characteristics present. Had those black currant and graphite notes.
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12/10/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 91 Points
Gentle nose of dark fruit, oak, earth, spices. Good structure but a little hot on the finish. Dark berries, coffee, oak. Long, fruity finish. (Doris -too acidic)
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11/3/2010 - DJSeiler wrote: 96 Points
Still amazing....... Smooth... Flaverful... Everlasting.
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10/31/2010 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Very soft and very ready to drink, elegant wine
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9/23/2010 - cdmofwa wrote: 95 Points
we should have decanted - way too tight.
Extraordinary two days later
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8/2/2010 - kenthargis wrote: 93 Points
Delicious, as always.
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7/31/2010 - pkatz wrote: 91 Points
Good, mature, nicely balanced Cab. Better than previous bottle but still poor qpr. Drink up - no where to go but down.
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7/25/2010 - sdwineguru wrote: 92 Points
Mid-dark garnet; complex mint, Cabernet, light oak nose; balanced, mid body, good structure, soft tannins; great finish. Some years left. Served with tri-tip, mushroom sauce. Good combination.
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7/8/2010 - jeff nowak wrote:
13.5% alcohol. judas priest, the scores for this wine are...perplexing. after the recent disasterous 97, i wanted to try another vintage. not decanted. weird initial heat on the finish, and a strong spice component; but then the wine just went south, quickly. bitter, prunish, thin midpalate, bleh tannins. so, let's see, bad storage? no. purchased on release from the mailing list, professional refridgerated transport, and a cold (54 degrees) home cellar. yet, undrinkable. looks like i better get at my 01-05s.
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7/4/2010 - DJSeiler wrote: 96 Points
1999 Spottswoode from Napa Valley. This appeared dark garnet with an inviting aroma of blackberries, and flora. Popped and poured to enjoy with tri-tip and an evening around the pool. This Napa Valley Cab was silky smooth with subtle and enjoyable fruit flavors of blackberry, current, and hints of coffee. Amazing balance and enjoyable tannins to keep you on your toes. The finish was consistent, flavorful and everlasting.
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6/26/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious mature cab. Drinking well. Wish I had more.
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4/25/2010 - shiel wrote: 94 Points
Suprisingly fresh and delicous with a bountiful full fruit mouth feel smothered with blackberrys and blueberries. Very balanced and seemless. Has long life left.
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12/31/2009 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Soft, rich, full-bodied black cherry fruit with cassis flavors, terrific Spottswoode wine
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12/22/2009 - rosenst1 wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Clear dark red, no signs of browning. Initially on the nose quite complex, notes of leather and spice. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, perhaps more Old World than New in taste profile. Definitely a chocolatey note on the palate, which evolves into something almost like truffles. Tannins are present but well submerged in the fruit. Lovely wine which may become more seamless with further aging but no need to wait.
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12/19/2009 - pkatz wrote: 89 Points
Elegant and mature. Tannins still present. Time to drink up. Taste profile surprisingly Bordeaux-like, which is, in my view, quite atypical for this winery. I would have hoped for a bit more power and fruit.
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11/16/2009 - keithgg wrote: 87 Points
not a good bottle- tasted old and tired.
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7/15/2009 - BLSausTX wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for an hour, very well balanced and structured - blueberry on the nose, cherry and a hint of cedar on the palate. Tannins are quite well balanced now.
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5/24/2009 - vinoballo wrote: 94 Points
An exquisite wine. Not big but perfectly balanced. Drink now! Didn't even have to decant. Blackberry jam on the nose. Smells like when you first walk into an IHOP... In a good way.
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2/22/2009 - MarkC wrote: 94 Points
Wow--what a bottle. This was a significant improvement over the last bottle as it showed way more fruit in addition to the subtle secondary characteristics of tea, leather, hints of tobacco, and some pencil lead. The fruit was in the red range, with red currant and strawberry predominant. I think this wine, based on this bottle, could be even better in 3-5 years (note to self: read your own notes before opening bottles).
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2/13/2009 - beecavewino wrote: 94 Points
Drank with Bruce & Rena
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2/13/2009 - scottj wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for about an hour before being served with grilled prime ribeye steaks. Showed a fair amount of sediment. Deep, bright violet in color. Reticent nose offering hints of blackberry and cassis. Initially, still a little tight with dominant cassis flavors. Blossomed over the next hour or so, adding great black fruit to the palate. Medium-full bodied with evident tannins still to be resolved. Great structure, and lengthy finish. This should continue drinking well for a number of years, or currently with at least a few hours in the decanter.
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2/5/2009 - knelsfk wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple color; aromas of coffee, smoke and cassis; full body with firm tannins that overshadow the fruit; with some coaxing the palate displays rich dark berry fruit; minerals, expresso and tar; finishes long; this wine will improve with some additional bottle age; at the very least at this point I would decant the wine for several hours.
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1/29/2009 - shapida wrote:
Brought to Pratt's Lugeresque. Profile of dark fruits and cassis. Drinking wonderfully. Won its flight and for many was WOTD.
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1/25/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
Peter Pratt's 2009 Cali Cab Table (Yorktown, NY): This won the flight against the Dalla Valle 10-0. I found it to have a spicy nose. Nice.
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1/1/2009 - jsebiri wrote:
great fruit , nice nose very smooth and easy drinking opened next to the 1997 both were excellent ........
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12/27/2008 - dougie wrote: 93 Points
This bottle was all over the place. Decanted for an hour. First, very tannic and hard. After another hour, wonderful rich flavors.A fantastic palate from beginning til the end- lots of berry and a touch of vegetal (but not bad). Then it got a bit heavier during the 4th and 5th. Between second and 4th hour, super good. Wait a few years for the last one.
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10/18/2008 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Rich, chewy blueberry fruit with currant and cassis flavors, very good structure, tannins still need to soften
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9/3/2008 - MarkC wrote: 91 Points
Compared to the Groth we had, this was stellar. In an absolute sense, it was definitely outstanding. Showed much younger, but was definitely on the leather/tobacco/licorice/tar end of the flavor spectrum vs. all fruit. There were dark, ripe fruits underneath, but the leather and tobacco seemed to be taking center stage. Structure was good, and I'd imagine this wine will continue to positively evolve (split infinitive!) for the next 3-5 years. One of the underrated producers in Napa in my opinion, this is a wine worth seeking year in and year out.
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8/29/2008 - TRS-Wine wrote: 96 Points
Wow - excellent. Tannin has softened and the fruit is right up front. As other reviews have noted, blueberry, cassis, blackberry. The oak is there, but is sweet and plays second chair to the fruit. Simply awesome. Opening second bottle for the evening... the first was so good that it was consumed before food was served. Can;t wait to have this one with prime, grilled beef.
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8/14/2008 - jlgnml wrote: 94 Points
Opened the magnum after a father son golf outing and let it sit for a while. It had softer tones of fruit and only got better in the glass. Next time open a lot earlier and decant. Wonderful and one of my dad's favorites.
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8/14/2008 - shapida wrote:
Decanted for sediment and poured back into bottle. Drinking very well right now. Loaded with dark fruits, cassis, licorice and chocolate on the palate. Perfectly balanced. Tannins have integrated beautifully and it drinking really smoothly. Full bodied and very rich, this is right in my wheelhouse as far as napa cabs go.
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2/15/2008 - Phin wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1-1/2 hours. Deep red color. Medium body. Plum fruit, medium bright. Fell very short on depth and finish. The 04 is much stronger.
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12/25/2007 - Dr_Bob wrote: 93 Points
showing much better than the 98 (which suffers from the character of that vintage); the '99 is a cab i would expect of the winery : at this point a bit restrained, dark fruits, rich, soft vanilla oak in the far background. great well rounded cabernet. looking forward to the rest of my case.
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10/21/2007 - g-man wrote: 94 Points
Consumed over two days. Initially decanted for 90 minutes. Nose of tar and dark fruit. Unusually stong palate of mocha and cocao which was quite appealing. On day two there was no oxidation and the wine had really opened up and was stretching its' legs with a longer, lingering finish. This is still a baby and don't plan on touching my 01' & 02's for a few years based on this.
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9/5/2007 - napaJ6 wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth and rich with typical Spottswoode dark plum, cassis, and licorice. It needed a few hours in the decantur and I drank this baby way too soon.
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2/17/2007 - JScott wrote: 93 Points
Much better than the last bottle. There's plenty of fruit here, so this is no shy wine, but there's always something feminine and elegant about Spottswoode that I really love. One of the better '99's out there.
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11/19/2006 - bdenuyl wrote: 92 Points
A very nice Spottswoode, but it lacks the depth and richness of the great ones. It has excellent balance and it mirrors the vintage with a little roughness.
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11/4/2006 - JScott wrote: flawed
Going to call this one flawed; there was something very funky/sweaty about it I've not found in other bottles.
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10/11/2006 - JScott wrote: 94 Points
Very Margaux. Impeccable balance.
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8/3/2006 - Jester wrote: 95 Points
I feel like I just got punched in the mouth with a giant blueberry. This wine really wowed me. First off, the color is pitch black with just the slightest hint of bluish purple. The nose is simply fantastic. Huge bouquet of crushed blueberry, blackberry, espresso, dark chocolate, liquid smoke, and cassis. Just wonderful. Palate coating with luscious waves of blueberry that coarse over the tongue and last for over a minute. The sweet tannins and acidity are completely integrated and the wine comes through as a perfectly seamless whole. It has a texture of fine cashmere and is so smooth on the attack that you don't even realize how powerful it is until you realize the wealth of flavors coursing across your tongue. This wine is simply outstanding. I wish I had another bottle. I think it will drink exceptionally well for another 8-10 years or more. I think that a lot of people who are fans of Shiraz would like this wine, as well. I haven't had a Spottswoode Cab in quite a while, but if this is a representative sample, then I need to search out some more bottles. Excellent!
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2/7/2006 - MarkC wrote: 91 Points
Initially this was a bit thin on the nose and the palate (although the color was a very nice shade of purple). However, after 45 minutes of warming up and exposure to air, it started to really come around. Fairly focused nose - menthol, red fruit, rich blueberry. On the palate this showed the blueberry, along with cassis, strawberry pie, and some capuccino, along witha medium-length finish. My guess is that it'll stay at this stage for a couple more years.
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1/28/2006 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
soft and supple, silky tannins, but no guts. good fruit and balance saves the day
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