Deep garnet. BlackBerry, pencil lead. Rich and almost unctuous. Mouth filling with a very long finish. Stood up to Greek style roast leg of lamb. Big for someone who prefers favours Burgundy, but still was a joy to drink!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful wine. Luxurious and silky on the palate. Very elegant wine. This seems to have lost some of the power I remember this wine having 10 years ago, but it has definitely gained a lot of complexity and nuance while still retaining plenty of primary fruit. Really enjoyed this. Can't see this improving much more but should hold for a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vertical tasting with 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013. For me, this finished in second to last place ahead of the 2005. Tannins still present. Likely in prime. Would benefit from a 3 hour decant still. Overshadowed by the 2007, better structure than 2011 and not as polished at 2013. Will drink well for another 5 years
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic example of CA juice at 16 years old. PNP and left on the counter to hang out. Dark purple with a tinge of crimson on the edge. Lots of young fruit still present with blueberry compote and a hint of cigar box behind to let you know it wasn't a baby. Very soft and succulent midway the expanded and took up a lot of space in your mouth. Tannins not intrusive but the wine was well structured. Excellent all around with a lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My WOTN against 1982 Palmer and 2013 Verite le Desir. All primary fruit flavors but in the best of windows: pure, balanced, rich and deep. If you have this, I heavily encourage drinking some now before it turns and becomes secondary. Its current phase is perhaps the peak of primary flavors. Delicious!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had to decant because the cork broke and I am glad that I did. A little menthol in the nose on opening but blew off pretty quick. An amazingly smooth and sumptuous wine. The finish lasted for minutes and had so many subtleties. Don’t see it getting any better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fresh Fruit bomb out of the bottle - wow! Blackberry nose with tons of red fruit and a touch of Tabasco or bbq smoke. Medium plus tannins that rounds out the wine. Beautiful long finish.
As it opens up you get beautiful notes of dried fruit as the tannins soften. It has less than stellar holding power over the couple hours we enjoyed the bottle. I think the marked drinking window on this wine is too far out. I’d drink sooner than later. That said, gorgeous wine and would gladly drink again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pnp dinner at Viale . Drank against a 2005 Vineyard 29 Cab. The Cardinale has a beautiful nose. Wood, cedar and berries with a slight bit of orange peel. Medium bodied but lacking somewhat in concentration ..( versus the vineyard 29). Time open helps this wine, a decant is appropriate. Still has enough tannin to age more but the question is what fades first, fruit or tannin given the lack of concentration. I’ve got 7 more bottles so time will tell
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Disappointing. Strangely subdued. Nose never really opened up, and overall just a lack of flavor and complexity. I am a big fan of Cardinale wine but this bottle had no real personality. Perfectly nice but nothing memorable for a "special" bottle I have been cellaring for some time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose bursting of red berries, barbequed meats and cedar smoke. Big, bold mouthfeel of bellpeppers. Earthy finish with a balanced dry end. Very drinkable but will improve over at least the next 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This integrated and polished Cabernet is wonderfully beautifully right now, with an incredible amount of fruit, structure, and life to it - impressive at half its age, and stunning at the 12-year mark. Compared to my other favorite Cardinales (e.g., 2008, 2012), this has a silkiness that is downright beguiling.
Garnet in color and full in body, the wine has an enticing nose of black cherry, peppercorn, charcoal, and fresh-baked pie (you choose the fruit, but the toasty warmth of it all comes through in spades). Lucious tastes of blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, anise, and vanilla, with a dusty and integrated finish that goes on and on. 14.8% alcohol. Blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot. Drink in next few years.
From a technical standpoint, the 2006 Cardinale stands out for its reliance on almost one-third of valley fruit, perhaps the source of the softness (along with the age). Only about two thirds of the vineyards (67.6%) came from the mountains (38% Veeder, 19% Howell, 10.6% Spring), while the remaining 32.3% came from the valley floor (7.5% To Kalon, 7.4% Stag's Leap, and 17.4% St. Helena). Regardless of the reason, the result is lovely: this has an ethereal quality that is truly unique. 95-96.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep color, minimal bricking. Moderate nose, less aromatic than when first had at release. Tastes of dark red/blue fruits. Mild notes of tobacco. Moderate silky texture. Would prefer a little more acidity. Tannin almost resolved.
This bottle was my first "splurge" bottle of wine (which is still fairly rare) when we first started getting into Napa cabs. When I eagerly anticipate something the actual experience can end up anti-climatic. In spite of that, I think this bottle exceeded my expectations.
Personally, I felt like the wine is at an awkward phase of early maturity, like a teenager. When the tannin is gone I feel like the fruit tastes simple and there's a line of simple sweetness/residual sugar that does not feel connected to the fruit.
We opened this bottle to celebrate my wife's birthday, and I know she prefers the wine to stay on the fruitier side (she is not interested in tertiary flavors). The reason why this wine exceeded expectations for me was because I was able to push my thoughts aside and just enjoy the wine for what it was and not ruin the fun for my dining companions. My wife really enjoyed the wine which automatically upgrades the wine for me. My friend's wife (who doesn't drink much red wine) perked up after the first sip, and it was a wine epiphany for her. That was really fun to experience. It was also fun to reminisce internally about the journey I've had so far in wine, and yet there is so much more to learn.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine was very special. Drank along side the 07 and this was a clear winner. Wine experiences like this don't come often, but when they do it's important to embrace them!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still outstanding. Dark cherry and vanilla permeate the total package. Paired with seared filet mignon, Brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes. Went beautifully together.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Christopher Carpenter produced wines (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Deep ruby with considerable tears. Medium plus intensity aromas of concentrated, but not jammy, black fruit - quite savoury in fact. Slight bacon fat/sulphur notes, some oak but under rather than over the fruit. In the mouth the wine is medium plus acid and pronounced tannin that have massive grip, ripe and chewy. Black fruits carry on the long finish. The fruit is nestled under the tannin for the duration, spice notes. Needs a long, long time...Glorious, absolutely wonderful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The most fruit forward of the big 4 we tasted (Harlan, Schrader, Colgin) - blueberry, sweet cherry, licorice, stone with zippy acidity. Seems a little young but everything is there.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
100 RP BYO Tasting (Restaurant AOC): Nose: Intense plums, oil, olives. Juicy plum flavors with a power structure but still cool fruit. Lovely long and complex aftertaste. Impressive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Let breathe in the bottle for about four hours. Lovely darker ruby color. Nose had culty qualities of Bordeaux-esque older leather, dark cherries, currant, cigar box and some dusty trail dirt on the back end. There was some abrasiveness on the finish that was only slightly off-putting. A little too much heat, acidity and tannins as a whole was over bearing; less would have been more.
I didn't know what to expect because reviews were completely across the board on this vintage of Cardinale; Enthusiast at 100 pts and no one else even close. I can see how this could have great potential to either improve with some age or be astounding in a solid vintage of Cali Cabernet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at Zupan's event for Chris Carpenter wines, along with 2008 Cardinale, 2007 and 2008 Lakoya, 2008 Mt. Brave. Coming along very well. Balanced now, but will improve with another 10+ years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Straight out of the bottle. Great dark ruby red color. Solid perfume of leather, cigar box and spice. No lingering finish or tannic play on the palate due to over-extraction but hints of dark cherry, mocha, plum and muddled blackberry are easily drawn from on this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/7/2024 - le_franc_de_pied wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet. BlackBerry, pencil lead. Rich and almost unctuous. Mouth filling with a very long finish. Stood up to Greek style roast leg of lamb. Big for someone who prefers favours Burgundy, but still was a joy to drink!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2023 - jonanator wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine. Luxurious and silky on the palate. Very elegant wine. This seems to have lost some of the power I remember this wine having 10 years ago, but it has definitely gained a lot of complexity and nuance while still retaining plenty of primary fruit. Really enjoyed this. Can't see this improving much more but should hold for a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2023 - Fftjr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pleasing, seductive nose. Delicious mixed berry and cherry blend. Drinking well. Wish I had more. Part of 3 vintage vertical. None were bad 5, 6 &7!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/9/2023 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 92 Points
Vertical tasting with 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013. For me, this finished in second to last place ahead of the 2005. Tannins still present. Likely in prime. Would benefit from a 3 hour decant still. Overshadowed by the 2007, better structure than 2011 and not as polished at 2013. Will drink well for another 5 years
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2022 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Fantastic example of CA juice at 16 years old. PNP and left on the counter to hang out. Dark purple with a tinge of crimson on the edge. Lots of young fruit still present with blueberry compote and a hint of cigar box behind to let you know it wasn't a baby. Very soft and succulent midway the expanded and took up a lot of space in your mouth. Tannins not intrusive but the wine was well structured. Excellent all around with a lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2021 - Markzittman wrote:
Liked but not as much as I hoped for the $
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2021 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 97 Points
My WOTN against 1982 Palmer and 2013 Verite le Desir. All primary fruit flavors but in the best of windows: pure, balanced, rich and deep. If you have this, I heavily encourage drinking some now before it turns and becomes secondary. Its current phase is perhaps the peak of primary flavors. Delicious!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2020 - golfhawk Likes this wine: 96 Points
Had to decant because the cork broke and I am glad that I did. A little menthol in the nose on opening but blew off pretty quick. An amazingly smooth and sumptuous wine. The finish lasted for minutes and had so many subtleties. Don’t see it getting any better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2019 - Markzittman wrote: 77 Points
Didn’t love this bottle
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2019 - jmtierney3rd wrote: 93 Points
Purchased from the vineyard in 2016.
Fresh Fruit bomb out of the bottle - wow! Blackberry nose with tons of red fruit and a touch of Tabasco or bbq smoke. Medium plus tannins that rounds out the wine. Beautiful long finish.
As it opens up you get beautiful notes of dried fruit as the tannins soften. It has less than stellar holding power over the couple hours we enjoyed the bottle. I think the marked drinking window on this wine is too far out. I’d drink sooner than later. That said, gorgeous wine and would gladly drink again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2019 - Kevnzworld wrote: 94 Points
Pnp dinner at Viale . Drank against a 2005 Vineyard 29 Cab.
The Cardinale has a beautiful nose. Wood, cedar and berries with a slight bit of orange peel.
Medium bodied but lacking somewhat in concentration ..( versus the vineyard 29).
Time open helps this wine, a decant is appropriate.
Still has enough tannin to age more but the question is what fades first, fruit or tannin given the lack of concentration.
I’ve got 7 more bottles so time will tell
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2018 - GJVines Likes this wine: 91 Points
Disappointing. Strangely subdued. Nose never really opened up, and overall just a lack of flavor and complexity. I am a big fan of Cardinale wine but this bottle had no real personality. Perfectly nice but nothing memorable for a "special" bottle I have been cellaring for some time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2018 - victorpb Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nose bursting of red berries, barbequed meats and cedar smoke. Big, bold mouthfeel of bellpeppers. Earthy finish with a balanced dry end. Very drinkable but will improve over at least the next 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2018 - Ramon Valvona Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very smooth although big!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2018 - msuwine wrote: 96 Points
This integrated and polished Cabernet is wonderfully beautifully right now, with an incredible amount of fruit, structure, and life to it - impressive at half its age, and stunning at the 12-year mark. Compared to my other favorite Cardinales (e.g., 2008, 2012), this has a silkiness that is downright beguiling.
Garnet in color and full in body, the wine has an enticing nose of black cherry, peppercorn, charcoal, and fresh-baked pie (you choose the fruit, but the toasty warmth of it all comes through in spades). Lucious tastes of blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, anise, and vanilla, with a dusty and integrated finish that goes on and on. 14.8% alcohol. Blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot. Drink in next few years.
From a technical standpoint, the 2006 Cardinale stands out for its reliance on almost one-third of valley fruit, perhaps the source of the softness (along with the age). Only about two thirds of the vineyards (67.6%) came from the mountains (38% Veeder, 19% Howell, 10.6% Spring), while the remaining 32.3% came from the valley floor (7.5% To Kalon, 7.4% Stag's Leap, and 17.4% St. Helena). Regardless of the reason, the result is lovely: this has an ethereal quality that is truly unique. 95-96.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2017 - Vietty Likes this wine:
Deep color, minimal bricking. Moderate nose, less aromatic than when first had at release. Tastes of dark red/blue fruits. Mild notes of tobacco. Moderate silky texture. Would prefer a little more acidity. Tannin almost resolved.
This bottle was my first "splurge" bottle of wine (which is still fairly rare) when we first started getting into Napa cabs. When I eagerly anticipate something the actual experience can end up anti-climatic. In spite of that, I think this bottle exceeded my expectations.
Personally, I felt like the wine is at an awkward phase of early maturity, like a teenager. When the tannin is gone I feel like the fruit tastes simple and there's a line of simple sweetness/residual sugar that does not feel connected to the fruit.
We opened this bottle to celebrate my wife's birthday, and I know she prefers the wine to stay on the fruitier side (she is not interested in tertiary flavors). The reason why this wine exceeded expectations for me was because I was able to push my thoughts aside and just enjoy the wine for what it was and not ruin the fun for my dining companions. My wife really enjoyed the wine which automatically upgrades the wine for me. My friend's wife (who doesn't drink much red wine) perked up after the first sip, and it was a wine epiphany for her. That was really fun to experience. It was also fun to reminisce internally about the journey I've had so far in wine, and yet there is so much more to learn.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2017 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine has a beautiful saturated purple appearance and does not look a decade or so old.
The nose surprisingly unevolved, but gives off plenty of classic aromas of black fruit, vanilla , spice and some tobacco.
Full bodied with medium plus tannin and medium acidity. Palate is lush and still has plenty of fruit characteristics. Very elegant with a long finish.
This wine appears to have at least another 10-15 years of life ahead of it in a cold cellar.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2017 - sethboy23 wrote: 99 Points
This wine was very special. Drank along side the 07 and this was a clear winner. Wine experiences like this don't come often, but when they do it's important to embrace them!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2017 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Rich, delicious, black cherry fruit with cedar and cassis flavors, touch of sweetness, excellent structure, ample tannins and finish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
1/30/2016 - ScubaSommelier wrote: 96 Points
Still outstanding. Dark cherry and vanilla permeate the total package. Paired with seared filet mignon, Brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes. Went beautifully together.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2014 - g289519 wrote: 96 Points
Incredible in magnum format
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2013 - JR_Boston wrote: 92 Points
Big fruit. Silky smooth. Very long finish but minimum tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2013 - chatters wrote:
Christopher Carpenter produced wines (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Deep ruby with considerable tears. Medium plus intensity aromas of concentrated, but not jammy, black fruit - quite savoury in fact. Slight bacon fat/sulphur notes, some oak but under rather than over the fruit. In the mouth the wine is medium plus acid and pronounced tannin that have massive grip, ripe and chewy. Black fruits carry on the long finish. The fruit is nestled under the tannin for the duration, spice notes. Needs a long, long time...Glorious, absolutely wonderful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
The most fruit forward of the big 4 we tasted (Harlan, Schrader, Colgin) - blueberry, sweet cherry, licorice, stone with zippy acidity. Seems a little young but everything is there.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2012 - canan wrote: 96 Points
100 RP BYO Tasting (Restaurant AOC): Nose: Intense plums, oil, olives.
Juicy plum flavors with a power structure but still cool fruit. Lovely long and complex aftertaste.
Impressive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2012 - jonanator wrote: 98 Points
Extremely well balanced yet complex. Rich silky and refined tannins. Dark cherries, old leather, cigar box.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2012 - g289519 wrote: 96 Points
Just had with a medium rare sirloin. Decanted for 30 minutes. Silky, refined, balanced medium-long finish. PURE BLISS
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2012 - ethralls wrote: 97 Points
Drank for my birthday. One of the best, most complex, smooth and well balanced wines I've had
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Let breathe in the bottle for about four hours. Lovely darker ruby color.
Nose had culty qualities of Bordeaux-esque older leather, dark cherries, currant, cigar box and some dusty trail dirt on the back end.
There was some abrasiveness on the finish that was only slightly off-putting. A little too much heat, acidity and tannins as a whole was over bearing; less would have been more.
I didn't know what to expect because reviews were completely across the board on this vintage of Cardinale; Enthusiast at 100 pts and no one else even close. I can see how this could have great potential to either improve with some age or be astounding in a solid vintage of Cali Cabernet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2011 - Vandenbr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted at Zupan's event for Chris Carpenter wines, along with 2008 Cardinale, 2007 and 2008 Lakoya, 2008 Mt. Brave. Coming along very well. Balanced now, but will improve with another 10+ years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2011 - timapalooza Likes this wine: 99 Points
Straight out of the bottle. Great dark ruby red color. Solid perfume of leather, cigar box and spice. No lingering finish or tannic play on the palate due to over-extraction but hints of dark cherry, mocha, plum and muddled blackberry are easily drawn from on this wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment