A wine of unclear provenance. Prune color--somewhat murky. Something of a barnyard nose. Light hit of tart blueberry (?) on the tip of the tongue. As the wine passes back I get a menthol or minty suggestion, A full-bodied wine with a surprisingly short finish. An enjoyable wine, but this particular bottle is past its peak.
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Tasted with family to celebrate a promotion. Served with pizza.
Very smooth! Almost people will like this wine, and with most foods. Tannins are still present but really integrated into the wine. Still has cherry/blackberry notes, leather, medium finish.
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After a string of disappointing early 2000's Calif Cabs, this one surprised me. Very good, needed to open for about an hour. Always fun to drink large format bottles.
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The drink by date was right. This one had lost its structure but we had just purchased from the winery this winter. It was a "bonus" offering that we had not tasted.
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A dark, almost syrah like appearance. Sensual aromas of chocolate, loamy earth, and black cherries gives way to a soft, supple feel on the mouth with dark berry and cherry flavors and a chocolate like feel. Sensationally smooth tannins and silky acidity just makes this wine a bit hard to put down. Long, satisfying finish. A great take on a California Cabernet that is really ready to drink now.
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Charcoal, chocolate nose, with faded leather. Slight white pepper leads to plum and blueberry. Fantastic wine. True essence of cabernet from beginning of the century. Enjoy.
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Christmas (and birthday) party (Our house): From magnum - slow oxed 4 hours. Deep purple color leads to classic nose of cassis, a hint of tobacco and vanilla. Medium full body shows beautiful dark fruit with good amount of secondary flavors. Nice tannins at finish. I really enjoyed this and suspect it is drinking at peak.
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Decanted for about an hour. Not as much baking spice as I remember in previous bottles. Well balanced and good backbone. Cassis with some plum. Medium body, almost silky. May be slightly past fruit's peak. Typical nose.
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Still has that loamy, spicy nose. The taste is balanced and harmonious. Supple tannins round it out. Definitely no mid life crisis, though on the downside.
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Smells of macerated dark fruits and black licorice. Silky on the palate. Tannins have come around. Delicious. Still has a few years left but decant for a couple hours and enjoy now.
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Cork showed seepage and was clearly corked. After giving the Saran treatment and leaving for a few hours, it started to show what was there. Dark fruit with some earthiness and chocolate. Very integrated tannins and acid. Probably would have been outstanding.
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outstanding, drank this wine after decanting for about 10 minutes. Great fruit, subtle tannins and nice finish. Glad I havea few more. Might drink one sooner than later and see what the other does.
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Opened not decanted. A little watery with some noticeable alcohol on opening. After about 45 minutes it starts to take on a darker, richer profile with classic Cabernet with mocha and dusty chocolate tannins. There is also a touch of green on the palate and mint on the nose. Pairs well with a burger. Good.
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Deep ruby color leads to a nose of currant, black cherry and a hint of tobacco. The palate is pure velvet with flavors of currant, cherry, vanilla, spice box, and a hint of cedar. The finish lasts 45 seconds. I'm always amazed how much better the Cliff Lede cabs are after a few years in the bottle. Really good bottle of wine!
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Drank after a 1992 Beringer Reserve Cab and came off as dark, powerful food wine. Excellent tannins provide grip to a fruit forward cabernet. Nice strong nose of dark fruit and a long finish. Obviously not as refined and balanced as the Beringer but a very nice wine.
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I purchased a magnum of the 2002 Stag's Leap District Cab at the winery a year ago. I opened it at 3:00pm for a 7:30pm dinner and just prior to dinner I ran it though a filter and decanted. The wine was so full of sediment it clogged the filter! I cleaned out the filter and bottle and returned the wine to the bottle to take to the restaurant. The initial taste by several people was this wine is excellent and it continued to get better for the next hour. The 4 to 5 hours of breathing made a HUGE difference with this wine.
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Decanted between 1 and 2 hours before consumption. Big forward beautiful fruits of multiple berries. Still some solid tannins so will try and let the remaining bottle rest a few more years but is a very good drinker now. Many comments on this wine from the group as most did not know the producer and there were some heavy hitters at this Cab tasting. Most placed it among their top 3 out of about 20.
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Opened not decanted. A clean wild grape flavor, a cherry fig nose, with a spicy back palate attack and a mid palate finish. Kind of bounces around in your mouth. Good!
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Dark , almost opaque purple red with ruby rim. Intense nose of cassis with a little bit of pencil shaving, I think; this wine smells great. The fruit is voluptuous with dark fruit flavors of cassis, blackberry and what I call blueberry pie (but then again I am not a trained taster) and some wood-influenced vanilla. The tannins are firm with a slightly accretive astringency. The acids are crisp and clean and bring the wine to a nice balancing point. The finish is long and pleasing. This seems to be an unashamedly American style of wine. I like it and will probably pick up some more to sit on for maybe another 2-7 years if I can still find it.
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10 people chose this cabernet over 3 others (SWC Artemis, Robert Mondavi, Baldacci) in a blind tasting in my home, and raved about its concentration and length of finish. I decnted for over 2 hours, and would suggest anyone drinking soon (Oct 2005) to do the same as it is still in need of time to unwind
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Dark ruby/burgundy colour. Aromas of blackcurrant, peach, and vanilla. Full-bodied, lush, and soft, but shows good structure. Sweet tannins, with blackcurrant, black plum, black licorice, and purple flowers. Long finish, 45s, with black berry fruit.
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4/10/2022 - EMark Likes this wine:
A wine of unclear provenance. Prune color--somewhat murky. Something of a barnyard nose. Light hit of tart blueberry (?) on the tip of the tongue. As the wine passes back I get a menthol or minty suggestion, A full-bodied wine with a surprisingly short finish. An enjoyable wine, but this particular bottle is past its peak.
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3/18/2022 - orange boy Likes this wine: 94 Points
beautiful mild age great with steak or just ...
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10/5/2019 - charlie190 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted with family to celebrate a promotion. Served with pizza.
Very smooth! Almost people will like this wine, and with most foods. Tannins are still present but really integrated into the wine. Still has cherry/blackberry notes, leather, medium finish.
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6/11/2016 - ejca Likes this wine:
After a string of disappointing early 2000's Calif Cabs, this one surprised me. Very good, needed to open for about an hour. Always fun to drink large format bottles.
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5/29/2016 - catlady Does not like this wine:
The drink by date was right. This one had lost its structure but we had just purchased from the winery this winter. It was a "bonus" offering that we had not tasted.
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4/2/2016 - MarkWhite Likes this wine: 94 Points
A dark, almost syrah like appearance. Sensual aromas of chocolate, loamy earth, and black cherries gives way to a soft, supple feel on the mouth with dark berry and cherry flavors and a chocolate like feel. Sensationally smooth tannins and silky acidity just makes this wine a bit hard to put down. Long, satisfying finish. A great take on a California Cabernet that is really ready to drink now.
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11/10/2015 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 95 Points
Charcoal, chocolate nose, with faded leather. Slight white pepper leads to plum and blueberry. Fantastic wine. True essence of cabernet from beginning of the century. Enjoy.
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5/8/2014 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just keeps getting better. Still has that loamy, eucalyptus nose. The tannins are seamless throughout the dark berry flavor.
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12/20/2013 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Christmas (and birthday) party (Our house): From magnum - slow oxed 4 hours. Deep purple color leads to classic nose of cassis, a hint of tobacco and vanilla. Medium full body shows beautiful dark fruit with good amount of secondary flavors. Nice tannins at finish. I really enjoyed this and suspect it is drinking at peak.
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10/27/2013 - iamandyc wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for about an hour. Not as much baking spice as I remember in previous bottles. Well balanced and good backbone. Cassis with some plum. Medium body, almost silky. May be slightly past fruit's peak. Typical nose.
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8/8/2013 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Still drinking great.
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5/28/2013 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still has that loamy, spicy nose. The taste is balanced and harmonious. Supple tannins round it out. Definitely no mid life crisis, though on the downside.
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2/16/2013 - rfras Likes this wine: 92 Points
similar to last tasting note.
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2/3/2013 - pearlsdad wrote: 90 Points
Tired but tasty. Not gone but may be past prime.
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12/24/2012 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Smells of macerated dark fruits and black licorice. Silky on the palate. Tannins have come around. Delicious. Still has a few years left but decant for a couple hours and enjoy now.
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8/27/2012 - Two Lunatics wrote: 91 Points
A wonderful Napa Cab, but nearing it's peak.
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8/17/2012 - rfras wrote: 92 Points
Mature cab that. Has held up well. Well integrated cherry flavors mixed with a little vanilla. Smooth finish. Drink up.
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6/22/2012 - dehbach wrote:
Drank wonderfully. Really in good shape now.
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12/24/2011 - iamandyc wrote: flawed
Cork showed seepage and was clearly corked. After giving the Saran treatment and leaving for a few hours, it started to show what was there. Dark fruit with some earthiness and chocolate. Very integrated tannins and acid. Probably would have been outstanding.
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11/9/2011 - pearlsdad wrote: 91 Points
Good. But needs to be consumed.
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10/16/2011 - jad1964 wrote: 92 Points
my last one of these. still really really good. no decant. drank it down pretty quickly with lamb. but still nice balance, & fruit present for sure.
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3/6/2011 - Serge Likes this wine: 93 Points
Strong note of cassis. Subtle tannins. Long finish.
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2/20/2011 - magic2coop Likes this wine: 93 Points
Age has given this wine more depth and layers. Still well balanced, but not the fruit bomb it used to be. Finish lingers for 30+ seconds.
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11/21/2010 - ejca wrote:
Really enjoyed this wine, outstanding, wish I had more.
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10/10/2010 - cvidano wrote: 92 Points
great - silky smooth.
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9/25/2010 - cvidano wrote: 92 Points
Great - very enjoyable. Ready to drink now.
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5/16/2010 - ejca wrote:
outstanding, drank this wine after decanting for about 10 minutes. Great fruit, subtle tannins and nice finish. Glad I havea few more. Might drink one sooner than later and see what the other does.
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5/7/2010 - jad1964 wrote: 91 Points
very solid, monster cab. should drink well...looking forward.
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4/5/2010 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. A little watery with some noticeable alcohol on opening. After about 45 minutes it starts to take on a darker, richer profile with classic Cabernet with mocha and dusty chocolate tannins. There is also a touch of green on the palate and mint on the nose. Pairs well with a burger. Good.
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10/31/2009 - flashvictor wrote: 93 Points
Deep ruby color leads to a nose of currant, black cherry and a hint of tobacco. The palate is pure velvet with flavors of currant, cherry, vanilla, spice box, and a hint of cedar. The finish lasts 45 seconds. I'm always amazed how much better the Cliff Lede cabs are after a few years in the bottle. Really good bottle of wine!
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4/6/2008 - hifiwine wrote: 93 Points
showing really well right now
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10/18/2007 - RWilkinson wrote:
well balanced and with a few more years should add some weight. Good wine at the price point.
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9/17/2007 - iamandyc wrote: 93 Points
Drank after a 1992 Beringer Reserve Cab and came off as dark, powerful food wine. Excellent tannins provide grip to a fruit forward cabernet. Nice strong nose of dark fruit and a long finish. Obviously not as refined and balanced as the Beringer but a very nice wine.
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8/5/2007 - CarloVino wrote: 90 Points
I purchased a magnum of the 2002 Stag's Leap District Cab at the winery a year ago. I opened it at 3:00pm for a 7:30pm dinner and just prior to dinner I ran it though a filter and decanted. The wine was so full of sediment it clogged the filter! I cleaned out the filter and bottle and returned the wine to the bottle to take to the restaurant. The initial taste by several people was this wine is excellent and it continued to get better for the next hour. The 4 to 5 hours of breathing made a HUGE difference with this wine.
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4/14/2007 - WetRock wrote:
Decanted between 1 and 2 hours before consumption. Big forward beautiful fruits of multiple berries. Still some solid tannins so will try and let the remaining bottle rest a few more years but is a very good drinker now. Many comments on this wine from the group as most did not know the producer and there were some heavy hitters at this Cab tasting. Most placed it among their top 3 out of about 20.
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3/12/2007 - Steiner wrote: 95 Points
Great wine. One of my favorites, great balance.
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3/2/2007 - hifiwine wrote: 93 Points
almost as good as the 03'
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2/19/2006 - ejca wrote:
Winery openned a magum at a private tasting, very good, only got better. Probably will lay down for a 5 or more years.
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1/11/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. A clean wild grape flavor, a cherry fig nose, with a spicy back palate attack and a mid palate finish. Kind of bounces around in your mouth. Good!
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1/4/2006 - Calistoga wrote: 92 Points
Dark , almost opaque purple red with ruby rim. Intense nose of cassis with a little bit of pencil shaving, I think; this wine smells great. The fruit is voluptuous with dark fruit flavors of cassis, blackberry and what I call blueberry pie (but then again I am not a trained taster) and some wood-influenced vanilla. The tannins are firm with a slightly accretive astringency. The acids are crisp and clean and bring the wine to a nice balancing point. The finish is long and pleasing. This seems to be an unashamedly American style of wine. I like it and will probably pick up some more to sit on for maybe another 2-7 years if I can still find it.
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10/29/2005 - Iguanasneeze wrote: 94 Points
10 people chose this cabernet over 3 others (SWC Artemis, Robert Mondavi, Baldacci) in a blind tasting in my home, and raved about its concentration and length of finish. I decnted for over 2 hours, and would suggest anyone drinking soon (Oct 2005) to do the same as it is still in need of time to unwind
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10/27/2005 - futronic wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby/burgundy colour. Aromas of blackcurrant, peach, and vanilla. Full-bodied, lush, and soft, but shows good structure. Sweet tannins, with blackcurrant, black plum, black licorice, and purple flowers. Long finish, 45s, with black berry fruit.
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