This 28-year-old beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon is drinking beautifully. Deep, dark, brick, red, no visual signs of any aging… And on the nose, dark currents, spice, just a hint cedar… Barely perceptible… And on the palate The 19 $96 wine shows, incredible finesse, tannins, nearly completely resolved, and dark black fruit flavors, right through the finish, which is quite lengthy. This was my Christmas dinner bottle… And I guess I had low of medium expectations — but this could be the best I’ve had in the last five or six years, if you’ve got any of these, Que them up, because I don’t think they’re gonna get any better!
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Drinking brilliantly with about 80 minutes of air and some time in glass. Showed very young, quintessential napa in style but with some nice tertiary and herbal notes to round out the profile.
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An outstanding bottle with fill to mid-neck. Minimal amber rim. Dark fruit, herbal, spicy notes. Tasted at its peak with significant fruit, but more tertiary notes of cigar, cedar and a slight grass/bell pepper finish. A very nice Napa Cabernet at its peak.
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85% cabernet sauvignon, 12% cabernet franc, 3% merlot. Recent auction purchase, but this had a perfect cork with typical ullage for its age. Decanted 1 hr, this shows big lead pencil on the nose and some pleasant fruity acidity on the highly developed and soft palate that has no remaining primary fruit. This is fully mature and very enjoyable, with a lovely gentle sweetness. It doesn't have the level of non-fruit complexity I'd find in a similarly aged classified growth, so in that sense I'm slightly disappointed. It gives plenty of pleasure, though.
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Steak/potato/salad night at the Atsumi's. Perfect match to the NY Strip. Wonderful balance. It's all here. Sheer elegance. About a two hour decant, but the beautiful nose was there from the beginning. Sadly, last bottle, but it's been a great ride.
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7.5 years since my last bottle and this is still doing great. Everything is in place and the balance and finish are on point. Certainly in its prime but will drink well for the better part of a decade. I would recommend a 1 hour decant at this point.
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Poured relatively youthful - great color that did not look like other mid 90s Napa bottles I've seen.
After about 30-60 mins opened, Really nice menthol, cedar, spice, still nice red/black fruit characteristics. Really good length, surprisingly great wine!
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Drank last night as part of a mini-vertical of '96, '99 and '03 DV cabs, notes from memory so not detailed. This edged out the equally excellent '99 as my WOTN, but all 3 wines are drinking very well right now. This is entering its secondary development, and is more red-fruited in its profile than the other two vintages. Red plum, baking spice and a bit of cedar. Better than my last bottle from a few months ago by a good margin.
Tasted alongside the '99, this did not show nearly as well as my last bottle, and seemed a bit tired. The fill and cork were pristine, and the bottle was opened to "slow-ox" for ~3h before drinking. Could be that was the wrong approach, but treated the same way, the '99 was singing. A bit thin, more about elegance than power, with cassis and berry notes, finishing a bit raisiny. As they say, "no such thing as great wines, only great bottles."
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Terrific. Surely cedar & olive oil on the nose. Opulent with beautifully integrated tannins. Sweet fruit & very long on the finish. Fully mature but no rush to drink up. Very enjoyable!
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Just a terrific wine, and this coming from someone who is much more inclined to Bordeaux than California cab. Cassis and a bit of spice in the nose, sneaky richness, with notes of cedar and olive to complement the currant and red plum flavors. Has those ‘96 tannins but they are well integrated and the body has a pleasant sweetness to it that caresses the palate. Drinking very well now with plenty of life left.
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Drank by itself and with pepperoni pizza during the Super Bowl. Fruit has given way in prominence to savory earth, cedar, cigar box and spice that almost fools me into thinking this is Bordeaux, but the background sweet core of fruit is unmistakably California. Tannins are fully resolved but acidity is still hanging on. Not over the hill, but it feels like a wine that's reached its plateau. Cheers!
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It reminded me of an old French Bordeaux from the first smell. Barnyard, forrest floor on the nose. Cherry tart and red fruits on the palate and long and smooth finish. I am a big fan of recent Dalla(very fruit driven Cabs) and this was a really good surprise, wasn't expecting this at all! 30 min in the decanter and it was good to go.
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I'm afraid this bottle was past it - fruit dried out, partially oxidised. All tertiary leather and forest floor. Short and straightforward - disappointing.
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Well, no rough edges to me at all. In contrast to some others I found this to be a very harmonious wine. I also don't think it is fading - I think it's at the peak. That said given the fruit/acid/tannin balance, time to drink up. Nothing is overpowering in this one - which is distinctive for DV - and I mean that in a good way.
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Allowed to breathe in glass one hour. Clear dark garnet color. Lovely black fruit, sweet earth, forest floor, tobacco, anise, dark baking spices, mushrooms. Seamless, balanced, elegant, wonderful. My #3 out of 22 wines.
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Concur with Dream's comments. Decanting helped softened the rough tannin edges but only to a degree. Past its prime. Will be interesting an contrast to 1995 when we drink that vintage.
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Beautiful nose with notes of eucalyptus, cassis and dill. A really lovely silky texture with the Cab Franc really showing up in the flavors of green tobacco, dill, mint and still a bit of black fruit. The finish though is where this wine goes off-track as it is excessively dry and short with a vegetal component to go along with the jammy cassis. Something has always been off about the '96 in my opinion as compared to the great wines made here in the surrounding vintages of '95 and '97 as I find the tannins a bit astringent and overly vegetal. I am also thoroughly convinced that these mid-90's vintages are now past their best and need to be drunk soon. Purchased on release from the mailing list. 87-
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Decanted 30 minutes and drank over next 2 hours. Lots of life left to continue aging. Nicely balanced wine with typical Napa profile. Good concentration and acidity, with tannins still holding. Some secondary flavors, although I didn't find them as compelling as an aged Bordeaux. Overall for such a good vintage and producer I was left somewhat disappointed despite this being a well made wine.
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Served blind. An impressive showing, very Bordeaux like. The full nose has plum, cherry, cigar ash and tobacco leaf. Palate is youthful with sweet cherry fruit and minerals. In a prime drinking window at 20 years old.
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A stunner. Dark fruit, tobacco, and a finish that keeps going. So much life left that it saddens me that this is my last bottle. A perfectly grilled 24 oz. Rib steak elevated the enjoyment factor.
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Decanted 30 minutes. This was very good, showing ripe, dark fruit on the nose along with a concentrated, but balanced fruit profile on the palate. It went well with food, and started to show maybe a touch of drying tannin on the finish at the 2 hour mark - but overall very enjoyable. Drink up. A-
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Bottle 2 was better, but maybe these were in weird place. Cork crumbled again, rot and earthy mineral notes on initial nose. Licorice, tea, menthol some red acidic fruit. The pieces and parts seemed to be there, but never came together over 90 min.
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This bottle was popped and poured. Cork was pristine. Beautiful moderately aged Napa Cab. aromatics, with the same on the palate. For my preferences, this is in its prime drinking window; that said, this is nowhere near being dried-out. If you like your Napa Cabs "fully mature," then keep holding; otherwise, Drink Now. Gut impression score: 92 - 94.
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Nice up front fruit of black cherry and blackberry with some subtle earth to it. I agree with others, though, that it peaks fairly quickly and then loses its luster on the finish, very short with not much punch left here. Time to drink up, glad this was my last one, although still enjoyed it!
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Still going. In a good place right now. Well integrated and refined. Dont think there is a lot of upside left here so would say drink now and over the next few years.
1990's Cali Cabs vs Bordeaux tasting. WOTN for me. Terrific nose of cedar and cherry. Multiple layers of dark fruit, cherry, cassis, savory grilled herbs, impeccable balance and a long finish. In the vertical tasting we did earlier, the '96 bottle was off but this bottle redeemed the vintage.
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Purple color with an initial bouquet and flavor of sweet cassis, quickly changing to harsh tobacco after very little airing. Wine also marred by excess acidity. It has further deteriorated since my last tasting. I do not have to drink it up, as this was the last bottle.
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I echo the sentiments of TCOSGRIFF below. Had it last night. Out of bottle - stunner. I let it air. Bummer. I would suggest - Pop and pour. Drink fast. I held back half the bottle, but would be shocked if it pulled itself back together - my second glass was just flabby and loose (first glass was incredible, hence the rating).
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Purple color with an initial bouquet and flavor of cassis and eucalyptus, mixed with dusty tannins. Good balance and smooth texture. On the negative side, the wine fell apart rather quickly after airing, taking on a bullion flavor, with unbalanced acidity and alcohol. Drink it up, and once opened, drink it fast. The wine has clearly declined since I last tasted it.
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Dark red and looks young. Cedar,tobacco, graphite,and minerals on the nose. Tannins are fully integrated, lush ripe black cherry and currents that provide complexity. When we did a vertical of their 90's almost two years ago this came in last because the bottle was corked. This bottle was terrific.! These do age very well. I dropped off of the mailing list in 1999 because of price, shipping issues, and logistics. I continue to really enjoy the bottles that I do have.
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Floral, a bit plastic and rose petal, raspberry, and minerals on the nose. Quite a weird mix. A bit mineral, a bit medicinal. Acid is high. Enjoyable, but a tad bitter for my liking. Seems to be past it prime.
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Took some time to blow off a bit of the funk - nose smelled a bit off in the beginning but came together nicely with some air. Still tastes fresh and young, a lot of dark plums flavors and good weight on this one.
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There is a hint of brett on the nose with notes of cassis, black currants and a hint of prunes. Deep dark berry flavors with a strong and wonderful note of eucalyptus. Has a thick and velvety texture and the finish shows good intensity with notes of licorice and spices. Quite mature now and while very good, not quite up to the two surrounding vintages.
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Still deep ruby, some smokiness and ripe black fruits. The tartness has integrated and wonderful, pure black cherry, boysenberry. Popped and pured, mouth feel is excellent, emerging richness, just a touch short on the palate is holding it back.
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An interesting nose for a California Cab - a hint of game and toasted oak. Mature ready to drink but still has a backbone of soft tannins to support few more years of aging.
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initial out of the bottle and into the glass, a strong funk on the nose, almost pointing to a bad pop. Then it was gone and a mild but pleasant berry, honey, toast came through. Smooth and well finished.
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Still going strong (but not for much longer). Lovely old world California Cabernet. Full bodied, light oak, leather and cassis balanced with classic dark fruit. Medium plus finish.
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For me this was the best of the night against some very strong competitors. Great concentration of fruit, and a long finish - this wine has always surprised on the upside. Great tonight. A
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Epic. Huge, Complex cassis and dark loam nose. Round mouthfeel with a touch of berries, herbs, leather. Almost a touch of sweetness but in that classic aged cabernet way. Long finish. Was expecting alot but far exceeded the hype.
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California Cab Night during Bachelor Week: My first Dalla Valle and now I know what I was missing. Absolutely beautiful after a two hour decant. Dark coloring with a nose which just said come on in. A bit of earth in a full bodied fruit driven long finish. Well balanced and a long time to go.
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Much better than my last bottle. This was a classic CA Cab. Fruit which couldn't be Bordeaux, but was full and so well integrated with the still present tannins and strong acidity. A benchmark CA Cab for my taste. Plum, a touch of herb and a big mouth feel. This is in its drinking plateau but can go a lot longer. One of these days I'm going to try a Maya, but in the meantime this is delish.
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Popped and poured, and I only had a taste as I served this, but it was dark, concentrated, and drinking well given the circumstances. I would have liked to try it with some air and warmed up a bit, but this seems to be in a great place. A-/A
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Excellent but not outstanding or memorable. Christmas wine served after 4 hour decant. Out of the bottle, it was moderate red color with lots of fine, black sediment. Deepened in color with decanting and the acidity started to mesh with the red raspberry dominated fruit. Nose wasOK but not really expressive. Finish was shorter than hoped. Some tobacco and leather notes are in the background. Went well with filet.
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Low neck fill. Decanted for 1.5 hours and consumed over next hour. Amazingly fresh, no bricking, and very little sediment. A longer decant was probably needed, as this wine stayed a bit tight the entire time. Nonetheless, a nose of lush red fruit and pepper, and good persistence through the mid-palate and plenty of tannins to carry it down. My guess is a long life ahead of it.
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Red cherry, a little earth and a little hot on the nose. Clearly a new world cab, in a positive way. I don't know if it is the bottle, but it was a little bitter. Tannins are muted, but still present. Fruit muted also. All in all a disappointment.
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Popped and poured. Virtually opaque garnet-red color with hints of brown at the edges. Powerful, dense nose of underbrush, plums, clay, tobacco, baking spices, tar, and smoke. Richly fruited and balanced on the palate, with great savoriness. It just fills the mouth in a lovely, silky way. There are no hard edges here, the tannins have moved to the background, and what's left is opulent cabernet. Very nice in an overt, opulent, in-your-face way.
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Amazingly enough this was so much better than the 96 maya I drank a couple of weeks ago. This wine was fresh and vibrant, unlike the maya. I wish I had more...
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Red and black fruit on nose and palate. Very balanced from start-to-finish gave this a very classic, Left Bank Bordeaux-like feeling. Some earthy character just starting to emerge, perhaps that will give this wine some more nuance.
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Nose of dark black spicy fruits with anise edge. Palate is somewhat showy with smooth, soft dark blackberry fruits. Very nice balance and round mouthfeel. Comes accross al ost mo more Merlot like with an earthy Bordeaux edge. Fruit dominates still after almost 15 years. A very nice bottle.
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With an hour decant, this wine showed better than the last note. It really opened up over time to show the fruit that was missing in previous bottle. Really worked well with the meal and was the best wine of the night for me. Possible it is just opening up a bit more into a better drinking window - or that it just needed the decant. A-/A
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What a wonderful wine. Really in a perfect spot. Had that delicious, black currant, graphite flavor profile. Nearly as good as the '97 we recently had. The fruit is all there, tannins were still somewhat present at opening. Just a wonderful bottle.
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Very good, but not great. Dark color, full bodied, and plenty of structure, but I don't think this has the goods to balance out over time. Feels like the fruit is fading a bit, and better to drink now. Could be wrong, but not worth the risk for this particular vintage in my opinion. Give it some air first, but time to drink up based on this bottle. A-
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A nice wine, but nothing outstanding or extraordinary. I had much higher expectations based on Brad's personal assessment of the wine and that it is as good or better than the 99 Harlan we had. I have to say, these two wines are not in the same league and can't see how this wine compares to the 99 Harlan. The wine was a good wine, not a great wine. It took a while to open up and it eventually showed well and the tannin's smoothed out. This wine can live much longer and it should improve for a couple of more years at least, but I am not expecting a 95 pointer to come out of it.
The 94 Mondavi Reserve we had blew it away. Maybe bottle variation, but doubtful as this bottle of Dalla Valle had verifiable provenance and appeared to be in perfect shape. I liked it, I did not love it. I would rate it 91-92 at best. The best thing about this wine is that it's not a fruit bomb, it is the older style of wine making and I was able to appreciate that in the wine.
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After reading the other comments on this wine, I see huge bottle variation. This was decanted and then consumed over 2.5 hours with a chargrilled porterhouse, fries and brussel sprouts. At first this was very tarry in both nose and palate. This took the better part of an hour to blow off leaving a rich moutful of black friuts, a little earth, a touch of vanillin, some roasted herbs with a gorgeous, velvety mouthfeel. I had warned the servers and somms that I wouldn't be able to finish the whole bottle by myself but had to fight with myself to leave some for them!
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Perfect cork - very dark coloring with a floral (lavendar) nose. Pop and pour, consumed over 3.5 hours at home. Medium + weight, fine dusty tanins that leave mid-palate slightly dry. Raisins, earth, tobacco, faint smoke, black tea flavors all come through in this bordeaux-styled package. This wine was in great form
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I was disappointed in this bottle. Very funky - kind of bitter - when first opened. It improved after a little while and with the meal, but I have certainly had better wines with roughly the same age on the bottle.
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Dark color. Structured with somewhat gritty tannins. After breathing for 2 hours, it developed a lovely eucalyptic note on the finish. Still, this bottle was nowhere near the '95 I opened a few weeks ago.
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Have drank this wine now 3 separate times at Ben Benson's in NYC. This a beautiful deep, beautiful old cab. I just bought 3 bottles from BP. Drinking at its peak.
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Interestingly, it was hard to tell this wine had any age on it. The robe was dark red with absolutely no signs of bricking. Nose offered concentrated dark fruits, primarily prunes and raisins, with a trace of cigar left over in the empty glass. Even experienced a slight burn in my nostrils from all the alcohol vapors emanating from volatizing this wine, indicating this was likely a big bruiser in its youth. The palate was surprisingly refined with kirsch, raisins, prunes and a dusty cocoa powder note that emerged with air. Tannins were well integrated, and the mouth feel was full and borderline silky. Overall, not the most layered aged cabernet I've had, but still a very nicely refined wine that had retained depth and interest over the years.
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Bottle checked as baggage for restaurant dinner 3 nights later. Pop and pour, didn't decant out of fear that wine might fall apart during 3+hour dinner. Excellent bottle in fine condition; Dark color, aged fruits, dusty tanins all blend together for a great experience.
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Greatly enjoyed this wine last night at the monthly meeting of the Hickory Wine Club at Lake Hickory CC as part of a '92 - '97 vertical tasting, what a flight, my second favorite wine of the flight. Huge dark bouquet of oak, earth, dark fruit and blackberry. Very muscular and concentrated and definitely needed time if glass to open up. Inky black, very well balanced, very full bodied and complex with enough tannins and structure for years of cellaring. Primary flavors included cassis, strong dark fruit, well balanced oak with development of black tea, smoke and black pepper on a long aftertaste. Yowsers, highly recommend this wine.
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1996 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon, 85% CS, 12% CF and 3% Merlot, alc 13.5%...decanted briefly..kirsch and blueberry on the nose...velvety smooth on the palate with a variety of dark fruits...tannins have receded...drinking very well
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A real bruiser of a wine. Needed a good 2 hours of air. Dark, thick and still quite tannic. I can see those who prefer the modern winemaking style to love this but for me, the volume was just too loud to really hear all the nuances lurking underneath. Certainly drinkable now but will hold and should imporve. Maybe I will like it more once it mellows out.
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Lucky 7 Bottles With the Boys (Vancouver): A nose that announces we are in Napa...and this is Cabernet. Nice classic profile. Some green tobacco leaf and lead pencil, but still good ripeness and cassis that dominates the nose and palate. Good medium-to-full body. Strong tannins. Good weight. This wine matched well with the 1998 Quilceda.
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Wonderful, drinkin at its peak with nose of black syrphy fruit, cement and chocolate. Palate is full of black currants, fruits with mellow tannins and lush fat feel. Extremely long finish.
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From the Tri-Valley 1996 Cali Cabs Tasting: Cranberry with a hint of raisin on the nose. Bright cabernet fruit with a hint of spice and a nice touch of oak. Great wine. My #2 of the flight, group's #3
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Served at cellar temperature. Dark, young color. Very nice nose. Solid fruit, but maybe more to come. Tannins are still there to be noticed, but not in the way. This is a very good wine that can be enjoyed now, but will likely get a bit better with a year or two. May not have the fruit with the very best of them, but a really nice wine in the Dalla Valle style. A-/A
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Decanted 2 hours. Dark Ruby color with little signs of aging. Dark black cherry, shoe polish with oak and vanillan on the nose. Still holding on to it's tannins but they are integrated and the wine is balanced. Only 13.8% alcohol, the '96 is a blend of 85% cabernet, 12% cab franc and 3% merlot. On day 2 this settled down to reveal deeper aromatics and flavor. I'd guess this can last another 10 years.
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Every bit as good as WS said on its 10 year retrospective. Dark, grainy, extracted, full throttle with silky tanins, lots of blacberry, currant, good tar and complexity, lots of chewy sediment at bottom.
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This wine was terrific! Deep purple, it was great within 15 minutes of decanting. With plums and cassis on the nose it proved to be quite complex on the palate. The tannins were sweet and well integrated; acidity present but subdued. It carried through the meal effortlessly. Notes of black fruits including plums, currants were experienced with a hint of leather and spiciness. There was something else present that I am at a loss to describe just now. Well, I guess that I will have to drink another bottle. I have had the '98 Maya on a couple of occasions in the past but this proved more accessible and much more satisfying.
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Tasted July 14, 2006 at an offline. Opened, poured a glass and “glass and bottle” decanted about 1 hour before returning to the bottle for transport to the restaurant. Then served immediately in a Riedel Vinum Cabernet glass. Purple color in the glass, slightly opaque throughout. Nose of plums, black currants, dried herbs, black berries and saddle soap. Flavors of black cherries, red berries, maybe a hint of mint and some cedar? Medium acidity and tannins, well balanced and integrated. Still a little closed down in my opionion. I’d recommend holding another year or two before opening or plan on some “real” decanting time otherwise. No value recommendation.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Lushious dark fruits, cedar, and spice on the nose. Tannins are fully resolved. Fantastic balance of fruit asnd oak. This wine is at or near its peak, with no imminent danger of decline. Fantastic effort.
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This was excellent. Not as good as the ’97, but rich, deep and excellent balance. The only negative was the next night it seemed to have turned. So if you get more, don’t plan on drinking over several nights.
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decanted for 1 hour in a wide bottom decanter then re-bottled for the restaurant. consumed about 1 hour later (2 hrs total air time) out of riedel vinum bordeaux stems.
disclaimer...i am a certified dalla valle whore. i just love her wines, especially with the nice bit of cab franc that's in the mix.
the color shows no signs of age imo. a beautiful deep dark red with a slight bit of thinning at the edge. the nose of this wine is just gorgeous. great floral notes, which i assume is the cab franc, accompanied by creme de cassis, smoke, currant, burnt cinnamon, cocoa. the nose was almost sweet in a way i can't describe. on the palate it delivered the goods. great integration of oak is just starting to happen. great structure and a very nice toasty oak appeal. the tannins are still there in force, but so is the fruit and the acidity seems to be in perfect balance. the finish was fantastic. this wine still has one hell of a future ahead of it.
to date this has been my constant dalla valle favorite. although i still think the 97 will out pace the 96 in time. i hope to be proved wrong as i have more 96's then 97's and the 96 is a bit cheaper at auction.
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Decanted this for 5 hours on the memory of how long the 90 and 95 have taken to open up. Mistake on one end of the timeline, but not sure which. Dusty and very dry, but fruit had largely dissipated. This really shut down an hour after opening, and not sure how long it'll take to open. A quick pop 'n pour? Or a day of decant time? Unable to gauge shelf life from this experience.
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Having enjoyed the Dunn 96 Napa Cab twice in the last two weeks, I thought I would see how Dalla Valle is doing from the same vintage. Surprisingly, the Dalla Valle seems far less ready to drink than the powerhouse Dunns. This bottle was bought direct from the winery and cellared since. Bottle, fill, cork, etc all in fine shape. Color is deep reby red with just a tinge of orange brick showing through the edge. Nose is subdued, but what's there is heady with alcohol and black fruits. Medium-soft tannins, menthol and blackberry (?) on the palate, with a steady but drying finish. Well integrated and good structure, but seems a little closed down at the moment. Recommend hold for another 5-10 yrs.
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Tasting. Good black fruit, dense and powerful, but largely hidden today behind firm tannins. I can appreciate the quality and potential here, but frankly this wasn't providing much pleasure today. Hold to after 2007.
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Dan's Dalla Valle Vertical @ XXXX: Dark purple in hue. A bit more earth driven than the previous wines. Ripe black plums, mixed with hints of earth, cola and gravel. Quite complex and layered. Again, the tannins presented themselves, but in a rather user-friendly manner. Finishing in the middle of the pack in this tasting, this wine would do quite nicely by itself with a meal. Pleasant powdery finish. VERY GOOD.
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12/28/2023 - passion4wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
This 28-year-old beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon is drinking beautifully. Deep, dark, brick, red, no visual signs of any aging… And on the nose, dark currents, spice, just a hint cedar… Barely perceptible… And on the palate The 19 $96 wine shows, incredible finesse, tannins, nearly completely resolved, and dark black fruit flavors, right through the finish, which is quite lengthy. This was my Christmas dinner bottle… And I guess I had low of medium expectations — but this could be the best I’ve had in the last five or six years, if you’ve got any of these, Que them up, because I don’t think they’re gonna get any better!
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11/16/2023 - parkline_wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking brilliantly with about 80 minutes of air and some time in glass. Showed very young, quintessential napa in style but with some nice tertiary and herbal notes to round out the profile.
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8/5/2023 - RAB007 Likes this wine: 95 Points
An outstanding bottle with fill to mid-neck. Minimal amber rim. Dark fruit, herbal, spicy notes. Tasted at its peak with significant fruit, but more tertiary notes of cigar, cedar and a slight grass/bell pepper finish. A very nice Napa Cabernet at its peak.
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12/27/2022 - 5laton wrote:
85% cabernet sauvignon, 12% cabernet franc, 3% merlot. Recent auction purchase, but this had a perfect cork with typical ullage for its age. Decanted 1 hr, this shows big lead pencil on the nose and some pleasant fruity acidity on the highly developed and soft palate that has no remaining primary fruit. This is fully mature and very enjoyable, with a lovely gentle sweetness. It doesn't have the level of non-fruit complexity I'd find in a similarly aged classified growth, so in that sense I'm slightly disappointed. It gives plenty of pleasure, though.
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7/28/2022 - smctipton Likes this wine: 96 Points
Steak/potato/salad night at the Atsumi's. Perfect match to the NY Strip. Wonderful balance. It's all here. Sheer elegance. About a two hour decant, but the beautiful nose was there from the beginning. Sadly, last bottle, but it's been a great ride.
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3/25/2022 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
7.5 years since my last bottle and this is still doing great. Everything is in place and the balance and finish are on point. Certainly in its prime but will drink well for the better part of a decade. I would recommend a 1 hour decant at this point.
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2/15/2022 - parkline_wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
I really enjoyed this wine.
Poured relatively youthful - great color that did not look like other mid 90s Napa bottles I've seen.
After about 30-60 mins opened, Really nice menthol, cedar, spice, still nice red/black fruit characteristics. Really good length, surprisingly great wine!
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12/25/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
Drank last night as part of a mini-vertical of '96, '99 and '03 DV cabs, notes from memory so not detailed. This edged out the equally excellent '99 as my WOTN, but all 3 wines are drinking very well right now. This is entering its secondary development, and is more red-fruited in its profile than the other two vintages. Red plum, baking spice and a bit of cedar. Better than my last bottle from a few months ago by a good margin.
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11/18/2021 - levicn wrote: 92 Points
深石榴红色，闻香有一点点VA，醋栗，青椒一类的香气，入口酸度中高，单宁细腻如粉，收尾甜美，酒液咸鲜，黑李子一类果香，渐渐散出雪松的香气，后段香草巧克力，收尾甜美，醒酒时间短了点，余味没有完全展现，酒精度感觉不低。酒体并没有传统波尔多后段空洞之感，感觉很像一支美国赤霞珠，但是如此重的青椒味，似乎和纳帕的特点不太一样，但我觉得它肯定是一支新世界酒，盲品揭晓居然是一支纳帕酒，Maya的副牌，老年份确实非常的波尔多风格，要不是捕捉到那一丝甜美，真的非常旧世界，这也许是早期向波尔多风格致敬的作品，和现在的纳帕风格非常不同，很有代表性。
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8/7/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 88 Points
Tasted alongside the '99, this did not show nearly as well as my last bottle, and seemed a bit tired. The fill and cork were pristine, and the bottle was opened to "slow-ox" for ~3h before drinking. Could be that was the wrong approach, but treated the same way, the '99 was singing. A bit thin, more about elegance than power, with cassis and berry notes, finishing a bit raisiny. As they say, "no such thing as great wines, only great bottles."
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5/9/2021 - PJM0208 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific.
Surely cedar & olive oil on the nose.
Opulent with beautifully integrated tannins.
Sweet fruit & very long on the finish.
Fully mature but no rush to drink up.
Very enjoyable!
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4/2/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 94 Points
Just a terrific wine, and this coming from someone who is much more inclined to Bordeaux than California cab. Cassis and a bit of spice in the nose, sneaky richness, with notes of cedar and olive to complement the currant and red plum flavors. Has those ‘96 tannins but they are well integrated and the body has a pleasant sweetness to it that caresses the palate. Drinking very well now with plenty of life left.
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2/7/2021 - HoostineFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank by itself and with pepperoni pizza during the Super Bowl. Fruit has given way in prominence to savory earth, cedar, cigar box and spice that almost fools me into thinking this is Bordeaux, but the background sweet core of fruit is unmistakably California. Tannins are fully resolved but acidity is still hanging on. Not over the hill, but it feels like a wine that's reached its plateau. Cheers!
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1/17/2021 - Myman24 Likes this wine: 93 Points
It reminded me of an old French Bordeaux from the first smell. Barnyard, forrest floor on the nose. Cherry tart and red fruits on the palate and long and smooth finish. I am a big fan of recent Dalla(very fruit driven Cabs) and this was a really good surprise, wasn't expecting this at all! 30 min in the decanter and it was good to go.
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12/20/2020 - Philip67 Does not like this wine: 85 Points
I'm afraid this bottle was past it - fruit dried out, partially oxidised. All tertiary leather and forest floor. Short and straightforward - disappointing.
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9/14/2020 - LuxNapa.com wrote: 94 Points
This was a Vinfolio purchase. It had held up better than the 1996 Eisele tasted alongside it. The fruits were subdued, leaving a dominant minerality.
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8/29/2020 - KenK wrote: 85 Points
A touch oxidized on the nose, black chunky aromas.
Dry lean, a touch weedy, a black wet soil,element.
Not very good, yet drinkable.
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6/22/2020 - Old Joe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good balance and near its apex
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4/6/2020 - jbean007 wrote: 93 Points
Well, no rough edges to me at all. In contrast to some others I found this to be a very harmonious wine. I also don't think it is fading - I think it's at the peak. That said given the fruit/acid/tannin balance, time to drink up. Nothing is overpowering in this one - which is distinctive for DV - and I mean that in a good way.
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1/4/2019 - Javachip Likes this wine: 93 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass one hour. Clear dark garnet color. Lovely black fruit, sweet earth, forest floor, tobacco, anise, dark baking spices, mushrooms. Seamless, balanced, elegant, wonderful. My #3 out of 22 wines.
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12/7/2018 - bobvictor Likes this wine:
Faded. Drink up!
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3/23/2018 - MC wrote:
Better than the 97 but fading. B+
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2/27/2017 - Minnesota wrote: 86 Points
Concur with Dream's comments. Decanting helped softened the rough tannin edges but only to a degree. Past its prime. Will be interesting an contrast to 1995 when we drink that vintage.
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12/5/2016 - dream wrote: 87 Points
Beautiful nose with notes of eucalyptus, cassis and dill. A really lovely silky texture with the Cab Franc really showing up in the flavors of green tobacco, dill, mint and still a bit of black fruit. The finish though is where this wine goes off-track as it is excessively dry and short with a vegetal component to go along with the jammy cassis. Something has always been off about the '96 in my opinion as compared to the great wines made here in the surrounding vintages of '95 and '97 as I find the tannins a bit astringent and overly vegetal. I am also thoroughly convinced that these mid-90's vintages are now past their best and need to be drunk soon. Purchased on release from the mailing list. 87-
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10/14/2016 - djdaqm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 30 minutes and drank over next 2 hours. Lots of life left to continue aging. Nicely balanced wine with typical Napa profile. Good concentration and acidity, with tannins still holding. Some secondary flavors, although I didn't find them as compelling as an aged Bordeaux. Overall for such a good vintage and producer I was left somewhat disappointed despite this being a well made wine.
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9/30/2016 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Served blind. An impressive showing, very Bordeaux like. The full nose has plum, cherry, cigar ash and tobacco leaf. Palate is youthful with sweet cherry fruit and minerals. In a prime drinking window at 20 years old.
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9/17/2016 - Diane (LI) wrote:
A stunner. Dark fruit, tobacco, and a finish that keeps going. So much life left that it saddens me that this is my last bottle. A perfectly grilled 24 oz. Rib steak elevated the enjoyment factor.
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7/6/2016 - MC wrote:
Decanted 30 minutes. This was very good, showing ripe, dark fruit on the nose along with a concentrated, but balanced fruit profile on the palate. It went well with food, and started to show maybe a touch of drying tannin on the finish at the 2 hour mark - but overall very enjoyable. Drink up. A-
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5/4/2016 - budman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth tannins. Dark fruit. Yum.
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4/7/2016 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 90 Points
Bottle 2 was better, but maybe these were in weird place. Cork crumbled again, rot and earthy mineral notes on initial nose. Licorice, tea, menthol some red acidic fruit. The pieces and parts seemed to be there, but never came together over 90 min.
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3/26/2016 - Geaux Tigers Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Cork crumbled, but good color and texture. Initial notes of rot and old barn. Very acidic, sour cherries and not much else
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1/30/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Steak & Wine (House of Nanda - Chicago IL): Maturing black fruit with good spice, moderate density. Good textures and balance, moderate complexity. Very enjoyable now.
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12/25/2015 - grafstrb wrote:
This bottle was popped and poured. Cork was pristine. Beautiful moderately aged Napa Cab. aromatics, with the same on the palate. For my preferences, this is in its prime drinking window; that said, this is nowhere near being dried-out. If you like your Napa Cabs "fully mature," then keep holding; otherwise, Drink Now. Gut impression score: 92 - 94.
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12/25/2015 - brianofthevine wrote: 92 Points
Nice up front fruit of black cherry and blackberry with some subtle earth to it. I agree with others, though, that it peaks fairly quickly and then loses its luster on the finish, very short with not much punch left here. Time to drink up, glad this was my last one, although still enjoyed it!
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11/27/2015 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still going. In a good place right now. Well integrated and refined. Dont think there is a lot of upside left here so would say drink now and over the next few years.
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10/2/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 97 Points
1990's Cali Cabs vs Bordeaux tasting. WOTN for me. Terrific nose of cedar and cherry. Multiple layers of dark fruit, cherry, cassis, savory grilled herbs, impeccable balance and a long finish. In the vertical tasting we did earlier, the '96 bottle was off but this bottle redeemed the vintage.
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10/2/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Mid 90's Bordeaux vs. California Tasting: Bright red, herbs & spices, tart cherry/pomegranate. WOTN. Served blind @ Bordeaux vs. Cali Cab tasting
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9/26/2015 - tcosgriff wrote: 83 Points
Purple color with an initial bouquet and flavor of sweet cassis, quickly changing to harsh tobacco after very little airing. Wine also marred by excess acidity. It has further deteriorated since my last tasting. I do not have to drink it up, as this was the last bottle.
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4/15/2015 - mchrist wrote: 88 Points
I echo the sentiments of TCOSGRIFF below. Had it last night. Out of bottle - stunner. I let it air. Bummer. I would suggest - Pop and pour. Drink fast. I held back half the bottle, but would be shocked if it pulled itself back together - my second glass was just flabby and loose (first glass was incredible, hence the rating).
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2/27/2015 - ClubTerry Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a beautiful wine
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12/20/2014 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 89 Points
Purple color with an initial bouquet and flavor of cassis and eucalyptus, mixed with dusty tannins. Good balance and smooth texture. On the negative side, the wine fell apart rather quickly after airing, taking on a bullion flavor, with unbalanced acidity and alcohol. Drink it up, and once opened, drink it fast. The wine has clearly declined since I last tasted it.
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8/24/2014 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
This needs a 90 min decant minimum. Medium bodied- perfect balance- in prime-medium plus finish- no heat- good value
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7/19/2014 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Spicy red berry fragrance. Sumptuous dark fruit, good intensity, and a smooth velvety texture, with licorice on the end. Drinking superbly.
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6/21/2014 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark red and looks young. Cedar,tobacco, graphite,and minerals on the nose. Tannins are fully integrated, lush ripe black cherry and currents that provide complexity. When we did a vertical of their 90's almost two years ago this came in last because the bottle was corked. This bottle was terrific.! These do age very well. I dropped off of the mailing list in 1999 because of price, shipping issues, and logistics. I continue to really enjoy the bottles that I do have.
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6/15/2014 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Floral, a bit plastic and rose petal, raspberry, and minerals on the nose. Quite a weird mix. A bit mineral, a bit medicinal. Acid is high. Enjoyable, but a tad bitter for my liking. Seems to be past it prime.
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6/14/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 92 Points
Took some time to blow off a bit of the funk - nose smelled a bit off in the beginning but came together nicely with some air. Still tastes fresh and young, a lot of dark plums flavors and good weight on this one.
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6/1/2014 - dream Likes this wine: 90 Points
There is a hint of brett on the nose with notes of cassis, black currants and a hint of prunes. Deep dark berry flavors with a strong and wonderful note of eucalyptus. Has a thick and velvety texture and the finish shows good intensity with notes of licorice and spices. Quite mature now and while very good, not quite up to the two surrounding vintages.
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3/9/2014 - Margauxguy wrote: 94 Points
Still deep ruby, some smokiness and ripe black fruits. The tartness has integrated and wonderful, pure black cherry, boysenberry. Popped and pured, mouth feel is excellent, emerging richness, just a touch short on the palate is holding it back.
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3/8/2014 - Old Vino wrote: 94 Points
An interesting nose for a California Cab - a hint of game and toasted oak. Mature ready to drink but still has a backbone of soft tannins to support few more years of aging.
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11/18/2013 - bengti wrote: 92 Points
initial out of the bottle and into the glass, a strong funk on the nose, almost pointing to a bad pop. Then it was gone and a mild but pleasant berry, honey, toast came through. Smooth and well finished.
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8/31/2013 - Winepop7 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still going strong (but not for much longer). Lovely old world California Cabernet. Full bodied, light oak, leather and cassis balanced with classic dark fruit. Medium plus finish.
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6/22/2013 - MC wrote:
For me this was the best of the night against some very strong competitors. Great concentration of fruit, and a long finish - this wine has always surprised on the upside. Great tonight. A
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4/27/2013 - kirschke Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent old school california cabernet! Just a bit past it's prime but still lively and lush.
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4/27/2013 - AlexHop wrote: 96 Points
Epic. Huge, Complex cassis and dark loam nose. Round mouthfeel with a touch of berries, herbs, leather. Almost a touch of sweetness but in that classic aged cabernet way. Long finish. Was expecting alot but far exceeded the hype.
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4/18/2013 - AccaDacca Likes this wine: 94 Points
California Cab Night during Bachelor Week: My first Dalla Valle and now I know what I was missing. Absolutely beautiful after a two hour decant. Dark coloring with a nose which just said come on in. A bit of earth in a full bodied fruit driven long finish. Well balanced and a long time to go.
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1/26/2013 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better than my last bottle. This was a classic CA Cab. Fruit which couldn't be Bordeaux, but was full and so well integrated with the still present tannins and strong acidity. A benchmark CA Cab for my taste. Plum, a touch of herb and a big mouth feel. This is in its drinking plateau but can go a lot longer. One of these days I'm going to try a Maya, but in the meantime this is delish.
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1/1/2013 - MC wrote:
Popped and poured, and I only had a taste as I served this, but it was dark, concentrated, and drinking well given the circumstances. I would have liked to try it with some air and warmed up a bit, but this seems to be in a great place. A-/A
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12/26/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 91 Points
Excellent but not outstanding or memorable. Christmas wine served after 4 hour decant. Out of the bottle, it was moderate red color with lots of fine, black sediment. Deepened in color with decanting and the acidity started to mesh with the red raspberry dominated fruit. Nose wasOK but not really expressive. Finish was shorter than hoped. Some tobacco and leather notes are in the background. Went well with filet.
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12/15/2012 - maxfischer wrote: 91 Points
Low neck fill. Decanted for 1.5 hours and consumed over next hour. Amazingly fresh, no bricking, and very little sediment. A longer decant was probably needed, as this wine stayed a bit tight the entire time. Nonetheless, a nose of lush red fruit and pepper, and good persistence through the mid-palate and plenty of tannins to carry it down. My guess is a long life ahead of it.
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9/8/2012 - Winevestor wrote: 89 Points
Red cherry, a little earth and a little hot on the nose. Clearly a new world cab, in a positive way. I don't know if it is the bottle, but it was a little bitter. Tannins are muted, but still present. Fruit muted also. All in all a disappointment.
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9/1/2012 - tomandlu wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Virtually opaque garnet-red color with hints of brown at the edges. Powerful, dense nose of underbrush, plums, clay, tobacco, baking spices, tar, and smoke. Richly fruited and balanced on the palate, with great savoriness. It just fills the mouth in a lovely, silky way. There are no hard edges here, the tannins have moved to the background, and what's left is opulent cabernet. Very nice in an overt, opulent, in-your-face way.
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7/22/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Should have decanted a little longer. It took a while to open up in the glass. Wonderful when it did.
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5/19/2012 - webbaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really opened up after a 20 hour decant, berry fruits, field flowers, touches of tar and leather. Drinking very nicely, but could easily go longer.
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3/5/2012 - matro wrote: 92 Points
Amazingly enough this was so much better than the 96 maya I drank a couple of weeks ago. This wine was fresh and vibrant, unlike the maya. I wish I had more...
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10/29/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Red and black fruit on nose and palate. Very balanced from start-to-finish gave this a very classic, Left Bank Bordeaux-like feeling. Some earthy character just starting to emerge, perhaps that will give this wine some more nuance.
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10/29/2011 - KenK wrote: 93 Points
Nose of dark black spicy fruits with anise edge.
Palate is somewhat showy with smooth, soft dark blackberry fruits. Very nice balance and round mouthfeel. Comes accross al ost mo more Merlot like with an earthy Bordeaux edge. Fruit dominates still after almost 15 years. A very nice bottle.
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7/22/2011 - drycab wrote:
Last bottle and its too bad. This stuff is still singing!
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4/3/2011 - MC wrote:
With an hour decant, this wine showed better than the last note. It really opened up over time to show the fruit that was missing in previous bottle. Really worked well with the meal and was the best wine of the night for me. Possible it is just opening up a bit more into a better drinking window - or that it just needed the decant. A-/A
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3/14/2011 - kenthargis wrote: 95 Points
What a wonderful wine. Really in a perfect spot. Had that delicious, black currant, graphite flavor profile. Nearly as good as the '97 we recently had. The fruit is all there, tannins were still somewhat present at opening. Just a wonderful bottle.
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3/4/2011 - MC wrote:
Very good, but not great. Dark color, full bodied, and plenty of structure, but I don't think this has the goods to balance out over time. Feels like the fruit is fading a bit, and better to drink now. Could be wrong, but not worth the risk for this particular vintage in my opinion. Give it some air first, but time to drink up based on this bottle. A-
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2/23/2011 - wallstreet wrote:
A nice wine, but nothing outstanding or extraordinary. I had much higher expectations based on Brad's personal assessment of the wine and that it is as good or better than the 99 Harlan we had. I have to say, these two wines are not in the same league and can't see how this wine compares to the 99 Harlan. The wine was a good wine, not a great wine. It took a while to open up and it eventually showed well and the tannin's smoothed out. This wine can live much longer and it should improve for a couple of more years at least, but I am not expecting a 95 pointer to come out of it.
The 94 Mondavi Reserve we had blew it away. Maybe bottle variation, but doubtful as this bottle of Dalla Valle had verifiable provenance and appeared to be in perfect shape. I liked it, I did not love it. I would rate it 91-92 at best. The best thing about this wine is that it's not a fruit bomb, it is the older style of wine making and I was able to appreciate that in the wine.
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1/1/2011 - andrewdodd86 wrote: flawed
corked
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12/16/2010 - mnh wrote: 95 Points
Excellent
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12/14/2010 - drycab wrote:
After reading the other comments on this wine, I see huge bottle variation. This was decanted and then consumed over 2.5 hours with a chargrilled porterhouse, fries and brussel sprouts. At first this was very tarry in both nose and palate. This took the better part of an hour to blow off leaving a rich moutful of black friuts, a little earth, a touch of vanillin, some roasted herbs with a gorgeous, velvety mouthfeel. I had warned the servers and somms that I wouldn't be able to finish the whole bottle by myself but had to fight with myself to leave some for them!
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12/3/2010 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Perfect cork - very dark coloring with a floral (lavendar) nose. Pop and pour, consumed over 3.5 hours at home. Medium + weight, fine dusty tanins that leave mid-palate slightly dry. Raisins, earth, tobacco, faint smoke, black tea flavors all come through in this bordeaux-styled package. This wine was in great form
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11/6/2010 - pickhardt wrote: 88 Points
I was disappointed in this bottle. Very funky - kind of bitter - when first opened. It improved after a little while and with the meal, but I have certainly had better wines with roughly the same age on the bottle.
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10/18/2010 - dream wrote: 87 Points
Dark color. Structured with somewhat gritty tannins. After breathing for 2 hours, it developed a lovely eucalyptic note on the finish. Still, this bottle was nowhere near the '95 I opened a few weeks ago.
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3/2/2010 - jcuenco wrote: 94 Points
dark purple to the rim. wonderful nose of dark fruits, some green peppers, spices. Wonderfully smooth on the palate with a slightly hot finish.
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11/10/2009 - KHILL wrote: 96 Points
Have drank this wine now 3 separate times at Ben Benson's in NYC. This a beautiful deep, beautiful old cab. I just bought 3 bottles from BP. Drinking at its peak.
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10/26/2009 - wineaux2 wrote:
Interestingly, it was hard to tell this wine had any age on it. The robe was dark red with absolutely no signs of bricking. Nose offered concentrated dark fruits, primarily prunes and raisins, with a trace of cigar left over in the empty glass. Even experienced a slight burn in my nostrils from all the alcohol vapors emanating from volatizing this wine, indicating this was likely a big bruiser in its youth. The palate was surprisingly refined with kirsch, raisins, prunes and a dusty cocoa powder note that emerged with air. Tannins were well integrated, and the mouth feel was full and borderline silky. Overall, not the most layered aged cabernet I've had, but still a very nicely refined wine that had retained depth and interest over the years.
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5/8/2009 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Bottle checked as baggage for restaurant dinner 3 nights later. Pop and pour, didn't decant out of fear that wine might fall apart during 3+hour dinner. Excellent bottle in fine condition; Dark color, aged fruits, dusty tanins all blend together for a great experience.
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4/14/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 95 Points
Greatly enjoyed this wine last night at the monthly meeting of the Hickory Wine Club at Lake Hickory CC as part of a '92 - '97 vertical tasting, what a flight, my second favorite wine of the flight. Huge dark bouquet of oak, earth, dark fruit and blackberry. Very muscular and concentrated and definitely needed time if glass to open up. Inky black, very well balanced, very full bodied and complex with enough tannins and structure for years of cellaring. Primary flavors included cassis, strong dark fruit, well balanced oak with development of black tea, smoke and black pepper on a long aftertaste. Yowsers, highly recommend this wine.
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1/16/2009 - budman wrote: 94 Points
Seamless. Lovely nose and lush dark fruit on the palate.
There is still some grainy tannin here, so I doubt that it's going downhill any time soon.
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12/24/2008 - ssouth wrote: 94 Points
1996 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon, 85% CS, 12% CF and 3% Merlot, alc 13.5%...decanted briefly..kirsch and blueberry on the nose...velvety smooth on the palate with a variety of dark fruits...tannins have receded...drinking very well
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11/28/2008 - jaylew1 wrote: 94 Points
Just a mature and proper bottle of restrained cabernet. Wonderful. At the right moment. Can't see it getting a lot better.
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11/7/2008 - cortoncharlie wrote: 92 Points
A real bruiser of a wine. Needed a good 2 hours of air. Dark, thick and still quite tannic. I can see those who prefer the modern winemaking style to love this but for me, the volume was just too loud to really hear all the nuances lurking underneath. Certainly drinkable now but will hold and should imporve. Maybe I will like it more once it mellows out.
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11/4/2008 - Blair Curtis wrote: 94 Points
Lucky 7 Bottles With the Boys (Vancouver): A nose that announces we are in Napa...and this is Cabernet. Nice classic profile. Some green tobacco leaf and lead pencil, but still good ripeness and cassis that dominates the nose and palate. Good medium-to-full body. Strong tannins. Good weight. This wine matched well with the 1998 Quilceda.
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9/19/2008 - G Kapoor wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful, drinkin at its peak with nose of black syrphy fruit, cement and chocolate. Palate is full of black currants, fruits with mellow tannins and lush fat feel. Extremely long finish.
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9/1/2008 - agebob wrote: 96 Points
Big & bold, Blackberries, cassis & tobacco. Licorice undertones blend with savory tannins. A stunning wine.
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7/19/2008 - budman wrote: 93 Points
Possibly at its peak. Excellent balance of fruit and tannin.
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7/10/2008 - MC wrote:
Dark, solid nose and structure. Plenty left but very good right now. A-/A
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5/25/2008 - jflanagan wrote:
From the Tri-Valley 1996 Cali Cabs Tasting: Cranberry with a hint of raisin on the nose. Bright cabernet fruit with a hint of spice and a nice touch of oak. Great wine. My #2 of the flight, group's #3
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5/4/2008 - budman wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very well right now. No sign of any decline.
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12/27/2007 - WineForRob wrote: flawed
corked
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7/17/2007 - MC wrote:
Served at cellar temperature. Dark, young color. Very nice nose. Solid fruit, but maybe more to come. Tannins are still there to be noticed, but not in the way. This is a very good wine that can be enjoyed now, but will likely get a bit better with a year or two. May not have the fruit with the very best of them, but a really nice wine in the Dalla Valle style. A-/A
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7/2/2007 - Ki Punwar wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Dark Ruby color with little signs of aging. Dark black cherry, shoe polish with oak and vanillan on the nose. Still holding on to it's tannins but they are integrated and the wine is balanced. Only 13.8% alcohol, the '96 is a blend of 85% cabernet, 12% cab franc and 3% merlot.
On day 2 this settled down to reveal deeper aromatics and flavor. I'd guess this can last another 10 years.
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6/11/2007 - mnh wrote:
Quite wonderful. Very balanced. Great fruit and finish
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5/27/2007 - tonyo123 wrote: 94 Points
Floral with tabacco and cassis. Black berries, mild tannin, and very smoothy. This wine is in great shape for drinking NOW!
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5/12/2007 - tonyo123 wrote: 94 Points
Every bit as good as WS said on its 10 year retrospective. Dark, grainy, extracted, full throttle with silky tanins, lots of blacberry, currant, good tar and complexity, lots of chewy sediment at bottom.
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4/17/2007 - budman wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with the last 2 bottles. Long smooth finish, with dark fruit and soft tannins.
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2/18/2007 - sbeeks wrote: 93 Points
Drank on the plane, returning from Atlanta. No notes, very good, not excellent.
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12/2/2006 - KellyW wrote: 93 Points
Drinking at peak. Good rich dark fruit and secondary nuances.
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11/2/2006 - rcl1 wrote: 95 Points
This wine was terrific! Deep purple, it was great within 15 minutes of decanting. With plums and cassis on the nose it proved to be quite complex on the palate. The tannins were sweet and well integrated; acidity present but subdued. It carried through the meal effortlessly. Notes of black fruits including plums, currants were experienced with a hint of leather and spiciness. There was something else present that I am at a loss to describe just now. Well, I guess that I will have to drink another bottle.
I have had the '98 Maya on a couple of occasions in the past but this proved more accessible and much more satisfying.
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7/14/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
anthonyiezzi Pre-birthday Dinnner (Limestone Cafe, Peapack, NJ): WIML92,PURPLE92,WA93,WS95
Tasted July 14, 2006 at an offline. Opened, poured a glass and “glass and bottle” decanted about 1 hour before returning to the bottle for transport to the restaurant. Then served immediately in a Riedel Vinum Cabernet glass. Purple color in the glass, slightly opaque throughout. Nose of plums, black currants, dried herbs, black berries and saddle soap. Flavors of black cherries, red berries, maybe a hint of mint and some cedar? Medium acidity and tannins, well balanced and integrated. Still a little closed down in my opionion. I’d recommend holding another year or two before opening or plan on some “real” decanting time otherwise. No value recommendation.
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6/10/2006 - budman wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Lushious dark fruits, cedar, and spice on the nose. Tannins are fully resolved. Fantastic balance of fruit asnd oak. This wine is at or near its peak, with no imminent danger of decline. Fantastic effort.
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4/25/2006 - bdenuyl wrote: 94 Points
This was excellent. Not as good as the ’97, but rich, deep and excellent balance. The only negative was the next night it seemed to have turned. So if you get more, don’t plan on drinking over several nights.
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2/25/2006 - anthonyiez wrote: 95 Points
decanted for 1 hour in a wide bottom decanter then re-bottled for the restaurant. consumed about 1 hour later (2 hrs total air time) out of riedel vinum bordeaux stems.
disclaimer...i am a certified dalla valle whore. i just love her wines, especially with the nice bit of cab franc that's in the mix.
the color shows no signs of age imo. a beautiful deep dark red with a slight bit of thinning at the edge. the nose of this wine is just gorgeous. great floral notes, which i assume is the cab franc, accompanied by creme de cassis, smoke, currant, burnt cinnamon, cocoa. the nose was almost sweet in a way i can't describe. on the palate it delivered the goods. great integration of oak is just starting to happen. great structure and a very nice toasty oak appeal. the tannins are still there in force, but so is the fruit and the acidity seems to be in perfect balance. the finish was fantastic. this wine still has one hell of a future ahead of it.
to date this has been my constant dalla valle favorite. although i still think the 97 will out pace the 96 in time. i hope to be proved wrong as i have more 96's then 97's and the 96 is a bit cheaper at auction.
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2/10/2006 - budman wrote: 94 Points
Awesome wine showing no signs of being over the hill
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1/5/2005 - davidandrose wrote: 92 Points
Decanted this for 5 hours on the memory of how long the 90 and 95 have taken to open up. Mistake on one end of the timeline, but not sure which. Dusty and very dry, but fruit had largely dissipated. This really shut down an hour after opening, and not sure how long it'll take to open. A quick pop 'n pour? Or a day of decant time? Unable to gauge shelf life from this experience.
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6/13/2004 - JeffO wrote: 91 Points
Having enjoyed the Dunn 96 Napa Cab twice in the last two weeks, I thought I would see how Dalla Valle is doing from the same vintage. Surprisingly, the Dalla Valle seems far less ready to drink than the powerhouse Dunns. This bottle was bought direct from the winery and cellared since. Bottle, fill, cork, etc all in fine shape. Color is deep reby red with just a tinge of orange brick showing through the edge. Nose is subdued, but what's there is heady with alcohol and black fruits. Medium-soft tannins, menthol and blackberry (?) on the palate, with a steady but drying finish. Well integrated and good structure, but seems a little closed down at the moment. Recommend hold for another 5-10 yrs.
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12/3/2003 - mnh wrote:
deep color, beautiful nose. Very compelling and complex.
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6/3/2003 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Rareshides tasting at Maguire's: Great nose! Mineral blueberry and steel. Rich chocolate, balance. Blood. This rocks. Wow!
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11/15/2002 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Tasting. Good black fruit, dense and powerful, but largely hidden today behind firm tannins. I can appreciate the quality and potential here, but frankly this wasn't providing much pleasure today. Hold to after 2007.
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5/4/2001 - mdefreitas wrote: 89 Points
Dan's Dalla Valle Vertical @ XXXX: Dark purple in hue. A bit more earth driven than the previous wines. Ripe black plums, mixed with hints of earth, cola and gravel. Quite complex and layered. Again, the tannins presented themselves, but in a rather user-friendly manner. Finishing in the middle of the pack in this tasting, this wine would do quite nicely by itself with a meal. Pleasant powdery finish. VERY GOOD.
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