Decanted 1.5 hr; Ruby red; Soft, smooth tannins; cherry/berry oriented; finish was clearly more fruity/simplistic, but also more youthful/ refreshing than a 2000 Bdx served along side, finish began to dry after 3+ hrs. Lovely but would not look for further development
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Wow, what a treat this old girl provided! Decanted an hour ahead, slight browning and tons of sediment, but solid nose. Continued to open up, reached 94 with the food and finally faded a tick or two as dinner ended. A big, strong old Napa Cab that was a delight.
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It's the '95 Leoville Barton, no, wait, it's just Cali Cab without the glycerine saturated richness and picked at a reasonable ripeness. Tobacco, currant, capsicum, mint. Lots of interest here.
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This still looks darkly opaque with barely any bricking. Classic dusty Napa Cab nose. Some pipe tobacco and cedar complicate. Still fleshy up front showing classic secondary Cab characteristics. More tobacco and old tree trunk. Fine grip. Plenty of acidity though the overall robustness fades faster than you'd really want. It leaves the wine on the tart side. This is still damn good with aging potential to spare up front. It just might get shorter in the mean time. Very classic.
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Forman hit it out of the park with his 1993. This bottle is in its prime right now. Featuring bay leaf, tobacco, and red and black fruits. Tart finish. This was still old-school Napa, but much better than the 1985 I had a couple weeks before.
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Gosh, Forman crushed it in 1993. When does he not crush it? Really lovely tar and tobacco perfume. Moderately rich and maturing plum fruit that is laced with classic cab notes of tobacco, cedar and bell pepper. Still fresh and rich with good balancing structure. Perfectly mature and in what should be a long plateau of drinking.
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Deep ruby with slight bricking, as would be expected. Intensely aromatic, initially with lots of of green notes: mint, pyrazines, and forest floor. After couple hours in decanter, cayenne pepper, tobacco, and cassis notes appeared. The palate was initially tight but filled with bright red fruit, savory, and citrus notes: orange, asparagus, cranberry, and crunchy red currants. After couple hours, the palate rounded out nicely to bring forward more red currants and red cherry notes, never getting over-ripe or sweet. Drinking great now with a short (1 hour) decant and although this still felt youthful, I'm not sure if it will improve much as the fruit concentration has started to decline a bit. An excellent, classically-styled California cab but, as others have noted, this was also truly a wonderful Bordeaux-like experience as well.
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BV Georges de Latour Vertical from 4 Decades: '64, '80, '84, '89, '98 (St. Paul, MN): Dark red color, 5mm transitional margin. Splash decanted, drank a glass over 45 minutes. Pretty nose, perfumed, pencil, darker fruit. On the palate a little thinner, but still medium body and well balanced, cherry, dried wood, pencil, fine tannins. Showing well. 92+pts.
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Pop n poured, the wine gained complexity and intensity as it sat in the glass. I'd advise decanting bottles. Soaring secondary aromatics of tobacco, leather and red berries, there's no rush to drink sound bottles as this tasted as if it were 10 years old rather than 25. Plenty of tannin and fruit, just beautiful.
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Part of our No Wine Under 25 (Yr.) tasting. Poured to a fairly dark, coloring with a hint of bricking. Evolved constantly for the first 20 minutes with cedar, plum, cherry notes before the violets appeared. This wine eventually has a wonderful nose of violets and this one didn't disappoint.
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Some great wines with the boy Scouts - Year 2 (BSA Fundraiser): After drinking the 92 and being quite impressed, I tried this. I did not expect it to also be on, but you know what, this was just a bit better than the 92. Thank you to Chad for both bottles. Very similar. Ruby in color. The nose has dust, cassis and slight earthiness. On the palate, this is just a bit fresher and more in balance than the 92. The acidity is not as strong. slight tannins. Complex and layered. Still on the downside of peak but this bottle anyway is a bit younger (I know it is one year younger). Great showing.
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Drinking so youthfully fresh. Concentrated plush cherry and plum fruit. Loaded with spice, tobacco leaf and cedar. Suave tannin and juicy acidity. The full package and drinking much younger than 22 years.
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Birthyear wine for my son. This was the first chance to open a bottle with him after his 21st birthday. Pop 'n pour, but should have opened or decanted earlier. This started to sing at about the hour mark. Black fruits, violet and lavender on the nose and similar palate. Drinking remarkably well with no end in sight. 94+
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Effusive nose with pronounced tobacco leaf, cigar, earth, flowers, merde and pencil shavings with dark red fruit underneath. Palate has medium-rich fruit that shows youthfully fresh and vibrant for 3+ hours before fading slightly. Suave tannin provides grip and balance. This has evolved nicely into a complex and balanced mature Cab. Will hold, but don't see it getting better from here. Excellent with a beef stew on a cold evening.
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Tasted at R&D's caroling party. Opened by Allred. This was my favorite wine of the night. Liquid velvet with black fruits and florals developing. This was sublime.
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What I love about Forman cabs with some age on them. Double decanted off its sediment an hour before the tasting. Black cherry, red currants, plum and sandalwood aromas. Develops floral and leather nuances with air. Medium-bodied with nicely integrated tannins and flavors of sandalwood, plum, black currants and violets. Long, balanced finish. Drink now - 2020.
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Deeper red-purple; blackberry, blackcurrant, slight green-minty; full bodied, rich, still tannic, very approachable. Could go longer, very nice excellent balanced california cab. 92-93
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- Ruby color with slow forming legs and aromas of bell pepper, blackberry, black currant, oak and dusty. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of tobacco, licorice anise, menthol and vanilla with a medium body. Satin-Like texture with a short finish - Overall a decent bottle of wine but I fear it is over the hill heading down. Not to say it is still good but more on the side of consume now, with food to bring out all that is left. I would not recommend decanting.
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Well made, fully mature, chocked full of bottle aged flavors but lossing the fruit. Very enjoyable flavors for those who like cougar wine (old and beautifully feminine). I would drink in the next 12 months.
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12.9% ABV. Fairly saturated appearance with a hint of clearing and tawny near the rim. Waxy red currant nose. Sappy red fruit and some cedar. Showing pretty good fruit with fairly soft tannins. Very pleasant. I was not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised.
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Decanted for sediment and returned to the bottle for serving. Plum color, just beginning to lighten at the edge. The first of my '93s to be opened. Aromas of cedar, plum and sour cherries, without the violet/floral quality I find in Forman cabs. Flavors of dark, slightly sour fruit and a bit thin across the midpalate. Needed a bit more air than I had given it.
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($35) Bordeaux like nose, probably from Cabernet Franc. Silky tannins in the finish. Tastes like it could continue to age effortlessly and improve if more fruit reveals itself. Label indicates lower alcohol content as if a choice was made to keep the wine restrained…that's Ric Forman's style I'm told.
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5/18/2023 - Jd6725 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fun to try. This bottle is maybe slightly past peak with a bit of prune. Good complexity. Decent color but a bit of browning.
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1/21/2023 - vinojones wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 1.5 hr; Ruby red; Soft, smooth tannins; cherry/berry oriented; finish was clearly more fruity/simplistic, but also more youthful/ refreshing than a 2000 Bdx served along side, finish began to dry after 3+ hrs.
Lovely but would not look for further development
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1/8/2023 - seijaro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, what a treat this old girl provided! Decanted an hour ahead, slight browning and tons of sediment, but solid nose. Continued to open up, reached 94 with the food and finally faded a tick or two as dinner ended. A big, strong old Napa Cab that was a delight.
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3/12/2022 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
It's the '95 Leoville Barton, no, wait, it's just Cali Cab without the glycerine saturated richness and picked at a reasonable ripeness. Tobacco, currant, capsicum, mint. Lots of interest here.
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2/28/2022 - doctornoah Likes this wine: 94 Points
Memorable - classic notes of dark cassis and earth, a bit of green pepper. Long finish
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1/5/2022 - WetRock wrote:
This still looks darkly opaque with barely any bricking. Classic dusty Napa Cab nose. Some pipe tobacco and cedar complicate. Still fleshy up front showing classic secondary Cab characteristics. More tobacco and old tree trunk. Fine grip. Plenty of acidity though the overall robustness fades faster than you'd really want. It leaves the wine on the tart side. This is still damn good with aging potential to spare up front. It just might get shorter in the mean time. Very classic.
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3/21/2020 - jgreco Likes this wine: 93 Points
Forman hit it out of the park with his 1993. This bottle is in its prime right now. Featuring bay leaf, tobacco, and red and black fruits. Tart finish. This was still old-school Napa, but much better than the 1985 I had a couple weeks before.
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7/27/2019 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Gosh, Forman crushed it in 1993. When does he not crush it? Really lovely tar and tobacco perfume. Moderately rich and maturing plum fruit that is laced with classic cab notes of tobacco, cedar and bell pepper. Still fresh and rich with good balancing structure. Perfectly mature and in what should be a long plateau of drinking.
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7/3/2019 - Eye Drink Reds Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby with slight bricking, as would be expected. Intensely aromatic, initially with lots of of green notes: mint, pyrazines, and forest floor. After couple hours in decanter, cayenne pepper, tobacco, and cassis notes appeared.
The palate was initially tight but filled with bright red fruit, savory, and citrus notes: orange, asparagus, cranberry, and crunchy red currants. After couple hours, the palate rounded out nicely to bring forward more red currants and red cherry notes, never getting over-ripe or sweet. Drinking great now with a short (1 hour) decant and although this still felt youthful, I'm not sure if it will improve much as the fruit concentration has started to decline a bit.
An excellent, classically-styled California cab but, as others have noted, this was also truly a wonderful Bordeaux-like experience as well.
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5/10/2019 - spacewrangler wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous aromatics of dusty currant, earth and graphite - fruit starting to fade a bit but an elegant Napa cabernet.
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4/22/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
BV Georges de Latour Vertical from 4 Decades: '64, '80, '84, '89, '98 (St. Paul, MN): Dark red color, 5mm transitional margin. Splash decanted, drank a glass over 45 minutes. Pretty nose, perfumed, pencil, darker fruit. On the palate a little thinner, but still medium body and well balanced, cherry, dried wood, pencil, fine tannins. Showing well. 92+pts.
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1/6/2019 - spacewrangler wrote: 95 Points
Pop n poured, the wine gained complexity and intensity as it sat in the glass. I'd advise decanting bottles. Soaring secondary aromatics of tobacco, leather and red berries, there's no rush to drink sound bottles as this tasted as if it were 10 years old rather than 25. Plenty of tannin and fruit, just beautiful.
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1/27/2018 - vinolovers wrote: 93 Points
Part of our No Wine Under 25 (Yr.) tasting. Poured to a fairly dark, coloring with a hint of bricking. Evolved constantly for the first 20 minutes with cedar, plum, cherry notes before the violets appeared. This wine eventually has a wonderful nose of violets and this one didn't disappoint.
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3/24/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Some great wines with the boy Scouts - Year 2 (BSA Fundraiser): After drinking the 92 and being quite impressed, I tried this. I did not expect it to also be on, but you know what, this was just a bit better than the 92. Thank you to Chad for both bottles. Very similar. Ruby in color. The nose has dust, cassis and slight earthiness. On the palate, this is just a bit fresher and more in balance than the 92. The acidity is not as strong. slight tannins. Complex and layered. Still on the downside of peak but this bottle anyway is a bit younger (I know it is one year younger). Great showing.
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9/17/2015 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
Drinking so youthfully fresh. Concentrated plush cherry and plum fruit. Loaded with spice, tobacco leaf and cedar. Suave tannin and juicy acidity. The full package and drinking much younger than 22 years.
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9/7/2015 - thelostverse wrote: 94 Points
Opened at home with the kids. Similar profile as previous bottle with black fruits, violet, lavender and some graphite as well. Still holding well.
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3/22/2015 - fine137 wrote: 86 Points
This bottle was lifeless
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12/14/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 94 Points
Birthyear wine for my son. This was the first chance to open a bottle with him after his 21st birthday. Pop 'n pour, but should have opened or decanted earlier. This started to sing at about the hour mark. Black fruits, violet and lavender on the nose and similar palate. Drinking remarkably well with no end in sight. 94+
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12/6/2014 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Effusive nose with pronounced tobacco leaf, cigar, earth, flowers, merde and pencil shavings with dark red fruit underneath. Palate has medium-rich fruit that shows youthfully fresh and vibrant for 3+ hours before fading slightly. Suave tannin provides grip and balance. This has evolved nicely into a complex and balanced mature Cab. Will hold, but don't see it getting better from here. Excellent with a beef stew on a cold evening.
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12/14/2013 - thelostverse wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at R&D's caroling party. Opened by Allred. This was my favorite wine of the night. Liquid velvet with black fruits and florals developing. This was sublime.
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12/14/2013 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
What I love about Forman cabs with some age on them. Double decanted off its sediment an hour before the tasting. Black cherry, red currants, plum and sandalwood aromas. Develops floral and leather nuances with air. Medium-bodied with nicely integrated tannins and flavors of sandalwood, plum, black currants and violets. Long, balanced finish. Drink now - 2020.
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9/7/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Deeper red-purple; blackberry, blackcurrant, slight green-minty; full bodied, rich, still tannic, very approachable. Could go longer, very nice excellent balanced california cab. 92-93
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4/24/2013 - EMichels wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful dark cherry and tar nose; Tight; More acidic profile; Thinner; Starts out strong and falls back; Strong fruit
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11/23/2011 - SoCal wrote:
Consistent notes. This is drinking well now and the holidays seemed like a good a time as any.
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7/26/2011 - SoCal wrote:
- Ruby color with slow forming legs and aromas of bell pepper, blackberry, black currant, oak and dusty. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of tobacco, licorice anise, menthol and vanilla with a medium body. Satin-Like texture with a short finish - Overall a decent bottle of wine but I fear it is over the hill heading down. Not to say it is still good but more on the side of consume now, with food to bring out all that is left. I would not recommend decanting.
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6/18/2011 - SoCal wrote:
Well made, fully mature, chocked full of bottle aged flavors but lossing the fruit. Very enjoyable flavors for those who like cougar wine (old and beautifully feminine). I would drink in the next 12 months.
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7/6/2010 - LoireFan wrote: 90 Points
Good but not much personality. Hmmm.
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2/1/2010 - edjBoca wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied cherry and currant flavors. Tannins resolved. Mature and smooth with a medium finish. Drink em up....
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8/11/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 90 Points
12.9% ABV. Fairly saturated appearance with a hint of clearing and tawny near the rim. Waxy red currant nose. Sappy red fruit and some cedar. Showing pretty good fruit with fairly soft tannins. Very pleasant. I was not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised.
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10/9/2008 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Blood red. A somewhat sweet bouquet with mint. The wine is very full bodied, very elegant and still youthful. A real pleaser with a good complexity.
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4/11/2008 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for sediment and returned to the bottle for serving. Plum color, just beginning to lighten at the edge. The first of my '93s to be opened. Aromas of cedar, plum and sour cherries, without the violet/floral quality I find in Forman cabs. Flavors of dark, slightly sour fruit and a bit thin across the midpalate. Needed a bit more air than I had given it.
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1/7/2007 - Eric wrote:
Overindulgence after the Madeira (Seattle, WA): A nice, structured Cabernet. Pretty lovely actually.
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5/25/2006 - jmd60611 wrote: 89 Points
Big nose, nice fruit, but too acidic...Not sure if it was alchohol, but too much heat on the finish
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8/21/2005 - AlexHop wrote: 92 Points
Very nice, drinking great now.
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4/1/2000 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($35) Bordeaux like nose, probably from Cabernet Franc. Silky tannins in the finish. Tastes like it could continue to age effortlessly and improve if more fruit reveals itself. Label indicates lower alcohol content as if a choice was made to keep the wine restrained…that's Ric Forman's style I'm told.
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