Drank my last bottle of this wonderful Cab. This wine has provided lots of pleasure over the years but may just now be reaching peak enjoyment. the flavors were concentrated with dark fruits, licorice, leather and earth. Integrated tannin and great balance. If you still have these you are fortunate indeed.
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Concentrated fruit in the nose and flavor, plums, blueberries, black cherries, blackberries and hints of floral. Full bodied, nice complexity, and a medium to long finish.
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I am down to my last three. A little tight upon opening. Tasted and then decanted. This wine had far longer legs than previous tastings. Aggressive tannins mellowed with air. Sweet cherry, eucalyptus, aged cedar. While this wine could probably cellar longer, I don’t think it will benefit. Drink up
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Dark red with heavy sediment. Sour cherry, red currant leather nose, and a little oxidative bottle stink. Medium body, tannin is apparent initially but fades as the cherry liqueur and sandElwood flavour takes over.
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My next to last bottle of this wine was drinking beautifully with secondary flavors of graphite, eucalyptus and spice along with a more muted fruit profile than in prior years.
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Wow. This is why you let wine sit. I have always loved this wine, but it's been 5 yrs since I last had a bottle and it's so much better! Graphite with sweetness. Fully integrated tannis. So good. Feels like it could go longer, but why wait. Definitely in the peek window.
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Drink up. The fruit is going or gone. My last bottle was pleasant enough after about 45 minutes of air but then no depth at all. OK but nothing you would come back to. Wish I hadn't waited. Too late I fear. Drink them if you've got them.
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Black currant and sage on the nose. Juicy, silky, with good concentration and balance on the palate and a very nice, sweet finish. Very good Cabernet. Last bottle I drank must have been flawed.
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Down to my last three bottles of this delicious over-achiever cab. Lots of fruit remaining, excellent balance and good complexity. Although this has been drinking beautifully for 10 years I plan to space my last two bottles between now and 2020 just to see how it holds up.
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W superb real venison. Superb meal and wine combination. Dark color still, very young nose and superb cab flavors on the palate with still miles to go. Yummy wine with 10 yrs left. Finish was gorgeousand just kept going WOTY so far.
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Fresh for a Napa cab. Really, another 12-18mo should put it in the zone. Fresh cherries, some stone fruit (apricot), and evenly balanced oak. Medium long.
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Getting down to the end of my stash of this wine and it continues to be simply amazing. This fruit and floral aromatics of this wine exploded out of the bottle upon opening. The palate is fruit, spice, some graphite, Great balance and complexity.
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Great Spring Mtn cabernet with minerals and some leafy herbs. Ripe fruit is balanced by full mouthfeel and settled tannins. This is now approaching maturity yet could still age one year more at least.
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Slightly bricking ruby/ dark red. Nose is starting to show some cedary aromas, with pleasant currant and cherry. Showing some mineral and cedar notes on the long and fruity finish. Enjoyed this very much. I think it will hold and drink very nicely for another 5 years.
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Another delicious bottle. This wine has really been a winner for me. After getting a great deal at the local wine shop I have have drank over 5 cases in the last 6 years. The wine has consistently been between 92-95 for my palate. After the last bottle I thought the wine might be in decline but it must have just been an off bottle because this one is singing. Pop and pour. Color is inky garnet with no bricking whatsoever. The nose is cherry, graphite, pepper, and fig. The palate reveals a mature cab with fully integrated tannins, dark fruits, pepper spice, and leather. there is just a tad bit of heat on the long finish. All in all a delicious mature cab and I would say with plenty of life left. Happy to have a few more bottles of this beauty.
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I bought a boatload of this wine in '06 at a really good price and have drank over 4 cases of the wine during the past 8 years. During that time we have derived a huge amount of enjoyment from this bottling. To me it has been consistently a 92-93 point cab. The bottle today was good but I will say not quite as sharp and defined as earlier bottles. If my bottle today is any indication I would recommend queuing them up if you have them.
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Classic mountain cabernet with cassis, minerals and some leafy herbs. Ripe fruit is balanced by dense gravel filled mouthfeel and firm tannins. This is now approaching maturiy and should remain at its peak for another couple of years at least.
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One of 3 amazing wines we had this evening, this was up against a 1996 Beringer Reserve and the distinctions between 'old' California and 'new' California were apparent, this of course was the latter and although very different this one stacked up very well - Dark, full bodied with a nose of intense blackfruit, currant, plum, cedar, mocha and vanilla, big, yet integrated, strong tannic structure, complex, sweet, velvety smooth on the palate with terrific length, awesome! (94 Points).
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Pop/pour. I was really surprised, in that this was very unforgiving and tight when first open/tasted. Surprised, because the '04 Keenan has always been soft and open, and likewise the 2002 vintage in general has struck me as soft and open across the board. Thankfully, all that passes with some time in the glass. Medium bodied, good fruit, somewhat traditional in styling. No rush on these. I think the WA "drink by 2020" is about right.
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As Black Bart would say, this one is open for business. Classic aged napa cab with great balance and structure. Black cherry fruit with plenty of cassis and tobacco / spice notes. Several more years to go.
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I just can''t say enough good things about this wine. I have now drunk 4 cases of this since release and have to say it never disappoints. In fact is as good or better than ever. Inky black color with no cloudiness or bricking. Delightful nose of dark fruit and berry, black cherry, cassis, and spice. the flavor profile continues to show complexity and beautiful balance. Yet the wine has the stuffing to go more years so I will be able to savor my remaining case of this wine. Dark fruits, soft tannin and nice tartness. Goes well with red meat. Long finish. Delicious.
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A very solid wine, drinking well now. The tannins have melted away leaving a red fruit driven profile. Still some backbone, with tobacco, licorice and cherry. Will do well for several more years, right in the window now.
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Nose of dill, wet earth, damp underbrush, and tobacco leaf, with a hint of red fruit. Palate is astringent and oaky, with bitter red fruit (cranberry?) and lots of alcohol heat and burn. Not enjoyable. Laube was a lot closer on this wine than was Parker.
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This bottle was a tragic victim of a very bad heat wave five years ago. We just opened it now. It was still drinkable with berry and cassis on the nose, but the heat brought out astringency and bitterness. Surprisingly, the next day, it was better but not by much.
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What a delightful wine. Still delivering the goods in spades. Deep garnet in color. Nose of cherry, licorice, spice and earth. The flavor profile here is classic cab. Cherry, dark fruit, smoke, spice. A little tart in a good way. Lots of complexity and depth to this wine. Beautiful balance. Long lingering finish. At least 3-5 more years of life here. Delicious! Finished the bottle on night two and even better.
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I am a real fan of this wine and have been drinking it fairly regularly since release (early '06). Pop and pour. Color blackish purple. Nose rich black cherry, fresh. The flavor profile is layered and complex, tart cherry, spice, with lots of fruit and still enough tannin to go more years. Long finish. Very pleasurable.
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Wine Club @ Maisha's (Bowling Green, OH): This wine is really singing. Perfect age, with a hint of the fruit but the secondaries starting to take over and give this a real complexity. Delicious.
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This wine was not too pleasant after opening, tart and very tannic. However, after 3 hours, it finally started to fill out and deliver some nice cherry and strawberry fruit. Still too tannic though, this wine needs several more years of bottle age. 87+
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This bottle showed extremely well tonight. Youthfull and robust with layers of flavors. Wonderfil structure and balance. The tannins are still evident but starting to meld with the fruit. Drink or hold for 2-3 yrs. 50+5+14+16+7=92
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I thought it was good, but definitely on the decline. Tannins had completely resolved, so not much backbone left. Good blackberry and cassis flavors at the outset, but was fairly quick to fade.
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Good, if not decent, califonia cabernet. The usual suspects arive at the table from a flavor perspective...what struck me the most was the chocolate notes along with deep dark fruits and a supporting cast of woodtones. This is a big boy and is somewhat astringent---- serve with fatty food e.g. ribeye steaks or short ribs. Probably could benefit from some additional aging.
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decanted and drank over 3 hours. ruby/purple in color and medium to full bodied. lots of dark fruits on the nose but not much else, maybe a few earthy notes buried under the fruit. black currant, plum and blackberry on the palate followed by a basement dust component. no real cedar or vanilla notes like i was expecting. tannins were firm but not stripping. medium length finish.
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I fear that I might be sorely under-rating this wine, as Michael Keenan makes his wines in such a huge style; add to that the Spring Mtn. source and it's really hard to evaluate these wines at less than 10 years of age. This wine was a dark, opaque purple tannic monster! (I have a few bottles of the '04, which is advised not to drink before 2010) and I'd have to say that this wine quite possibly should have been held for a couple more years. That said, it appeared to have the stuffing to last at least 5 more years and so, I'm wondering if driking it now wasn't infanticide. These wines are clearly "under the radar" but one would not discover that, unless they had extreme patientce and so, were willing to exercise the same in their buying strategy.
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Strong blackberry nose with an inky, purple color. Medium to full bodied and a bit tight out of the bottle with rich, dark berry flavors, good acidity and slightly harsh tannins. Tannins softened noticeably after about 1/2 to 1 hour, and a lot of oak emerged in the background. Medium finish. Not complex, but a good wine for the $.
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Starting to open up a little more since we drank the last bottle in December last year. Good fruit and structure with a bit of that cali cab cedar earthiness. Really a nice bottle of wine for the price. Should hold up well for at least 5 more years.
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Earthy with plum notes. Would have never pegged this as a cab had I tasted it blind. Still slightly tannic. Clipped finish. Not unpleasent but not much fruit.
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Thick, heady wine. Good value for the money. Lots of berry fruit. Subtle tannins, long finsh. Very enjoyable, but needs to open up for a few hours to enjoy.
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Excellent, quite elegant overall considering the perception of Cali Cabs from this vintage - Quite dark, well concentrated with note of dark plum, blackberry, mocha, chocolate and vanilla on the nose, didn't notice the 'typical' ceder notes of Napa Cabs on this one, well structured with noticeable tannins on the palate, yet smooth with a long finish, well done! (92 Points).
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Decanted for one hour; nose of blackberry, spice, pepper, and a hint of vanilla; full-bodied on the palate with medium acidity and soft tannins; a very nice medium-long finish.
A well-balanced wine that was a perfect fit for our meal (lamb). It has 2-3 more years of aging capability left, but is drinking very well right now. It should be a perfect fit for your 08 Summer barbecues.
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Inky in the glass, Cassis and toasted oak wsith floral undertones. Still pick up notes of band aid. Tannins still very prevalent. This likely need more time in the bottle and more time in the decanter. Not sure this has enouvh fruit to stand up to the tannins.
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Blind Night: Blackberry, mocha, coffee, charred oak, boysenberry, blueberry, leather and pepper. Rich and concentrated. Full bodied. Long finish. Firm tannins. Young and closed. 14.5% alcohol.
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Another wonderful bottle of this wine. Accompaniment for ribeye steaks. Beautiful dark red color. Wine was very aromatic with fruit and spice. The wine was simply delicious with excellent balance and sweet tannin. Still enough complexity to promise further development and nuances over time. For those that own this wine you should be drinking this beauty.
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Needs a little more time in the bottle or you should decant for an hour or so. Decent cab with dark fruit and firm tannins. Would go well with a big steak.
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Taste from Dan Cushin @ WF. Standard decent California Cabernet. Probably wouldn't pay almost $40 for it. Still quite young. Not displaying much complexity. May improve a bit with some time.
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Still too young. This is a heavy duty cab -- nose of currants and leather; palate of earthy and dense red and blue fruit. Too much for me at this stage, but should mellow out into something nice. Wait at least another year before trying again.
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Did hard bottle shake and let sit in bottle for a few minutes and poured, works better with this wine than decanting or not-decanting. Big Fruit, Big Nose, moderately firm tannins but not too dry. Fullbodied, smooth, fruit intensifies on the long finish. Cassis, blackberry, black currant, black cherry flood the palate with a gentle touch of herbs, charcoal, oak. A Great QPR!
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pop and pour with spicy pasta on a tuesday. liked this - not profound yet and it never probably will be but - next time we'll give it a bit more air before drinking and I look forward to holding our other bottles for a few years to see where they go.
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From a 375. Decanted for 1 hour. Deep Dark Garnet in the glass. Floral nose with some cassis and bandaid notes. Medium bodied with soft tannins and good acidity and some heat evident. Finish was anticeptic. Wanted to like this but really could not. The '02 Keenan Merlot is much better.
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Opened not decanted. Consumed over two hours, with the best glass the last. Still has tight tanins that slowly open up; lots of dark sweet fruit on the palate with a little bit of must and the finish ends on a peppery note with a slightly sour taste that's not unpleasant. Good.
Needs a good decant of at least 2 hours.
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I've gone through a case plus of this wine to date and it is a solid 90+ point bottle of cab every time. Dark in color, nice nose of fruit and spice. well integrated tannins but should continue to improve. Good complexity and just a joy to drink.
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This was a 'wow' wine for sure, very dark purple and extremely concentrated, heavy fruit and oak nose with clear coffee and chocolate notes on the palate, it was smooth but very tannic, with a long finish - Will be specatular in a few years (91 Points).
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Somewhat disappointed given other reviews, both amateur and professional. It was a fine bottle of cab, but didn't have the depth I would have expected. Seemed somewhat simple and straightforward to me. Not bad at all, but not a "wow" either.
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I'm not sure the point of using Cellartracker, if I don't read my own damn notes! This was in reach, so this is the one that I popped tonight. (Too lazy to move boxes around).
Starts out with a clean nose of dark fruit with touches of blackberry, cherry and raisin. The finish is somewhat peppery from alcohol and removes moisture from the mouth with it's tannins; leaves a powdery dry finish on the teeth and gums.
It's one of those wines that is sort of over the top, yet you keep going back to the bottle. I think it's very good, but can be a palate killer for some people.
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Decanted and waited to slice some edam cheese for tasting after an hour. Light on the nose however inviting. Tremendous tannin/taste balance. Finish is nice and appropriate. will set a few more bottles aside.....
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Interesting. Already starting to show some secondary characteristics of cedar and tobacco on the finish. Otherwise, same note as before with the addition of some dark chocolate on the nose. Not overpowering. Quite elegant.
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Slightly tart big fruity wine. These mountain wines are very tannic. Should let them rest a little longer. Opened up over three hour decant period. Rachel gives 94. She likes the young tannic wines. I think I prefer wines from the benchland.
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Decanted for 45 minutes & it tasted just as good as the first time I tried this at a tasting. Full bodied, well balanced & a very reasonable price for such high quality.
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Tasted this wine next to the 01 insignia, and not only did it stand up to the Insignia, I think it was slightly better, longer, and richer in texture. Berries, cassis, integrated cedar and oak, and strong, but not overwhelming tannin structure. Really an outstanding effort. I wil try to get my hands on some more.
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Man. I love this stuff. Consistent, high quality, well-priced cab. Another bottle of classic cab flavors, good complexity, and both power and balance. Well done!
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Opened not decanted. Purple red in color. Clean wine juice smell. Slightly tart, but not bitter, with drying tanins and a powdery finish. As it starts to open up, the smell of dark fruit comes out and it develops a fuller and more rounder taste, yet also becomes a drier finish. I have two bottles left, and I'm hoping not to open for another 1-2 years. This will be a very good wine at maturity.
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Classic cab with a beautiful nose and palate. Moderate length finish that is moderately drying... lot of tannins in the mix. Overall excellent, but young and tannic... should be better in a year or two. 89 for drinking now, 91+ for potential...
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Deep dark ruby color with purple at the edges -- almost a black wine. Fruit forward classic cabernet nose. Raspberry in the fruit, and fairly strong oak and tannins, which bodes well for its future. Very nice texture on the tongue. Fairly decent finish, although not particularly long. You can appreciate the skill used to make this wine. Very nice fruit balanced by some surprising depth -- a little chalk. Paired wonderfully with veal, wild mushrooms, corn on the cob, and papaya and pomegranate salad. A perfect compliment to a nice fall dinner at home following a perfect day in the autumn sunshine watching Utah beat UNLV at Rice-Eccles stadium. A perfect beginning to red wine season following a near perfect day of autumn bliss. I agree with prior reviews -- this will age very well. It's all here for a great future.
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Dust and red fruit on a muted nose. Fairly hard and tannic, but with a core of gorgeous dark red fruits. Nice mouthwatering acidity on the finish. The tannins are not overbearing, but I get the feeling there is a lot being held in reserve. There's a feeling of power along with finese with this wine.
Day 2: Those big cab fruits jump fromthe glass now. It's softer, but a little more tart, with the tannins still signifigant. It's still got that great fruit and tannins, but nothing else came out. No fullness, or the elegance that was promised the day before. All in all, a bit of a disapointment on day 2, but still a very nice cab, and I'm going to have and try one in a couple of years.
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Dinner at Melbees (Kansas City, MO): Really nice wine, but needed some time. The first night it was good, but was wound a bit tight. By the 2nd night, definitely opened up and was beginning to show its' stuff. Second night score would have been a 90.
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Decanted 1 hour. Drank fro Reidel stems. Inky and dark in the glass with a nose of plum and spices. Nice balance and acidity. A well made wine but I really did not suit my palate.
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The nose, considering the weight on this, was almost pretty with the dark red fruits. Not extremely complex, but drinking surprisingly well right now. It's a well done Cab, if not exceptional considering the hefty price tag.
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Dark opaque ruby color. Dusty aromas black fruits, sweet oak, and if I am not mistaken, something akin to melted butter. On the palate, this wine exhibits lush flavors of cassis and black cherry and finishes with some earthiness on the palate -- black olives perhaps. Medium body. Medium acidity. Moderate tannins. Very enjoyable to drink now, but I can see this one improving with some time in the cellar.
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A steal at napacabs for $30 and they got 10 more cases coming. Decanted 1 hour. Big Fruit, Big Nose, moderately firm tannins but not too dry. Fullbodied, smooth, fruit intensifies on the long finish. Cassis, blackberry, black currant, black cherry flood the palate with a gentle touch of oak. A Great QPR!
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I bought this bottle based on the cellartracker reviews, but I was not overwhelmed by this cab. It did take 30 minutes + to really open up, and when it did it was nice. Very mellow and soft overtones of dark fruits, cassis and plum, with a moderate to short finish. I even let a glass sit for 3 hours to really open up, however, it actually closed down and was not as vibrant as the first hour. I did not have any food with this wine, and believe that it would much more expressive when paired with a steak or pork.
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A Week in the Desert; 7/18/2006-7/21/2006: Another beautiful Cali cab with pencil shavings, and black current on the nose and a big, deep, rich palate with cedar, spice and lots pure black fruit. It had a big fruity finish with great integration of oak throughout and lots of pleasing tannic structure. This was even better the next morning. (Hey, I said we were on vacation.)
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Great bottle. Cassis, black fruit, and a touch of vanilla. Nice hearty and austere tannins characteristic of Spring Mtn will add years, fruit will balance for years to come.
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Had this for the first time tonight and ran out to buy more. Very nice bottle of CS. Very dark color. Nice aroma of cherry and spice, Good right from the first pour with excellent depth, strong fruit and enough tannin to keep on going. Improved as the evening progressed. We don't get a lot of good deals in AK but for some reason this one was priced right. Give this one a try.
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Dark opaque red/purple color in the glass. Huge mouthfeel fruit on front palate, but not overly fruity, road tar, earth, fleshy. Extremely tannic finish - this wine is huge, but balanced. Will be much better after 5 years in bottle. Overall impressive, but seems to lack the depth of a top notch cab, slightly monolithic. Going to wait before drinking more.
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Very serious wine, looked like a glass of ink. Heavy tannins mixed with licorice and black currant, great balance of dark fruits and a solid foundation but needs time. A bit more approachable on the second day. Has the characteristics of a very ageworthy wine. 92
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5/14/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank my last bottle of this wonderful Cab. This wine has provided lots of pleasure over the years but may just now be reaching peak enjoyment. the flavors were concentrated with dark fruits, licorice, leather and earth. Integrated tannin and great balance. If you still have these you are fortunate indeed.
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12/14/2018 - buckeye76 wrote: 91 Points
Concentrated fruit in the nose and flavor, plums, blueberries, black cherries, blackberries and hints of floral. Full bodied, nice complexity, and a medium to long finish.
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2/15/2018 - rloyot wrote: 95 Points
perfection. soft - beautiful fruit - fully integrated tannins - no visible signs of aging.
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12/24/2017 - Birddog29 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I am down to my last three. A little tight upon opening. Tasted and then decanted. This wine had far longer legs than previous tastings. Aggressive tannins mellowed with air. Sweet cherry, eucalyptus, aged cedar. While this wine could probably cellar longer, I don’t think it will benefit. Drink up
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8/24/2017 - KVM wrote:
Dark red with heavy sediment. Sour cherry, red currant leather nose, and a little oxidative bottle stink. Medium body, tannin is apparent initially but fades as the cherry liqueur and sandElwood flavour takes over.
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7/31/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
My next to last bottle of this wine was drinking beautifully with secondary flavors of graphite, eucalyptus and spice along with a more muted fruit profile than in prior years.
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6/6/2017 - rloyot wrote: 92 Points
perfect now
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2/9/2017 - redpine42 wrote: 88 Points
Not much fruit, lots of tannins. Overall not a well balanced Cab.
Second and third day it came together and taste much better.
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9/24/2016 - MattB72 wrote: 94 Points
Wow. This is why you let wine sit. I have always loved this wine, but it's been 5 yrs since I last had a bottle and it's so much better! Graphite with sweetness. Fully integrated tannis. So good. Feels like it could go longer, but why wait. Definitely in the peek window.
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6/17/2016 - rloyot wrote: 92 Points
drinking perfectly now
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4/6/2016 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drink up. The fruit is going or gone. My last bottle was pleasant enough after about 45 minutes of air but then no depth at all. OK but nothing you would come back to. Wish I hadn't waited. Too late I fear. Drink them if you've got them.
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3/21/2016 - rloyot wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous fruit, perfectly integrated tannins
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3/18/2016 - Kyle_Stewart wrote: 92 Points
Yum yum! Delicious wine! Decant for 2 hrs, very nice nose and palate. A lot of sediment. Will def buy this again, same year, at $50 price point max.
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1/6/2015 - davergny Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black currant and sage on the nose. Juicy, silky, with good concentration and balance on the palate and a very nice, sweet finish. Very good Cabernet. Last bottle I drank must have been flawed.
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12/30/2014 - TwoDogs wrote: 94 Points
Really enjoyed our last bottle and wished we had waited this long on the others. Why wait any longer? The fruit is pronounced with great balance.
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9/14/2014 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Down to my last three bottles of this delicious over-achiever cab. Lots of fruit remaining, excellent balance and good complexity. Although this has been drinking beautifully for 10 years I plan to space my last two bottles between now and 2020 just to see how it holds up.
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5/3/2014 - navybrat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very very nice now. Any rough edges gone day two.
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7/5/2013 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 91 Points
This bottling is still going strong.
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4/5/2013 - MichielV wrote: 92 Points
W superb real venison. Superb meal and wine combination. Dark color still, very young nose and superb cab flavors on the palate with still miles to go. Yummy wine with 10 yrs left. Finish was gorgeousand just kept going WOTY so far.
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3/23/2013 - KenYz wrote: 92 Points
Fresh for a Napa cab. Really, another 12-18mo should put it in the zone. Fresh cherries, some stone fruit (apricot), and evenly balanced oak. Medium long.
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3/15/2013 - dsimmons wrote: 94 Points
Getting down to the end of my stash of this wine and it continues to be simply amazing. This fruit and floral aromatics of this wine exploded out of the bottle upon opening. The palate is fruit, spice, some graphite, Great balance and complexity.
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12/31/2012 - CRUSHER wrote: 89 Points
black currant, nose a little light, past its prime
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11/23/2012 - Tonythefish wrote: 92 Points
Great Spring Mtn cabernet with minerals and some leafy herbs. Ripe fruit is balanced by full mouthfeel and settled tannins. This is now approaching maturity yet could still age one year more at least.
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11/5/2012 - nectar14 wrote: 92 Points
Slightly bricking ruby/ dark red. Nose is starting to show some cedary aromas, with pleasant currant and cherry. Showing some mineral and cedar notes on the long and fruity finish. Enjoyed this very much. I think it will hold and drink very nicely for another 5 years.
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9/22/2012 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another delicious bottle. This wine has really been a winner for me. After getting a great deal at the local wine shop I have have drank over 5 cases in the last 6 years. The wine has consistently been between 92-95 for my palate. After the last bottle I thought the wine might be in decline but it must have just been an off bottle because this one is singing. Pop and pour. Color is inky garnet with no bricking whatsoever. The nose is cherry, graphite, pepper, and fig. The palate reveals a mature cab with fully integrated tannins, dark fruits, pepper spice, and leather. there is just a tad bit of heat on the long finish. All in all a delicious mature cab and I would say with plenty of life left. Happy to have a few more bottles of this beauty.
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9/22/2012 - MattB72 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well right now. Maybe has two or three more years left.
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6/26/2012 - dsimmons wrote: 89 Points
I bought a boatload of this wine in '06 at a really good price and have drank over 4 cases of the wine during the past 8 years. During that time we have derived a huge amount of enjoyment from this bottling. To me it has been consistently a 92-93 point cab. The bottle today was good but I will say not quite as sharp and defined as earlier bottles. If my bottle today is any indication I would recommend queuing them up if you have them.
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4/16/2012 - rmodak wrote: 92 Points
Classic mountain cabernet with cassis, minerals and some leafy herbs. Ripe fruit is balanced by dense gravel filled mouthfeel and firm tannins. This is now approaching maturiy and should remain at its peak for another couple of years at least.
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3/11/2012 - zinfidel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep garnet in the glass. Rich mouthfeel. Still hasn't peaked, but starting to take on some complexity. Should be good for another 5+ years.
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1/28/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 94 Points
One of 3 amazing wines we had this evening, this was up against a 1996 Beringer Reserve and the distinctions between 'old' California and 'new' California were apparent, this of course was the latter and although very different this one stacked up very well - Dark, full bodied with a nose of intense blackfruit, currant, plum, cedar, mocha and vanilla, big, yet integrated, strong tannic structure, complex, sweet, velvety smooth on the palate with terrific length, awesome! (94 Points).
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1/4/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
Pop/pour. I was really surprised, in that this was very unforgiving and tight when first open/tasted. Surprised, because the '04 Keenan has always been soft and open, and likewise the 2002 vintage in general has struck me as soft and open across the board. Thankfully, all that passes with some time in the glass. Medium bodied, good fruit, somewhat traditional in styling. No rush on these. I think the WA "drink by 2020" is about right.
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11/19/2011 - TCKM wrote: 92 Points
As Black Bart would say, this one is open for business. Classic aged napa cab with great balance and structure. Black cherry fruit with plenty of cassis and tobacco / spice notes. Several more years to go.
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2/1/2011 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
I just can''t say enough good things about this wine. I have now drunk 4 cases of this since release and have to say it never disappoints. In fact is as good or better than ever. Inky black color with no cloudiness or bricking. Delightful nose of dark fruit and berry, black cherry, cassis, and spice. the flavor profile continues to show complexity and beautiful balance. Yet the wine has the stuffing to go more years so I will be able to savor my remaining case of this wine. Dark fruits, soft tannin and nice tartness. Goes well with red meat. Long finish. Delicious.
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12/4/2010 - toddjerry wrote: 91 Points
A very solid wine, drinking well now. The tannins have melted away leaving a red fruit driven profile. Still some backbone, with tobacco, licorice and cherry. Will do well for several more years, right in the window now.
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11/23/2010 - JOJ wrote: 83 Points
Nose of dill, wet earth, damp underbrush, and tobacco leaf, with a hint of red fruit. Palate is astringent and oaky, with bitter red fruit (cranberry?) and lots of alcohol heat and burn. Not enjoyable. Laube was a lot closer on this wine than was Parker.
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11/6/2010 - zinfidel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Now entering the start of its drinking window and showing quite nicely. The magnum disappeared quickly... Drink over the next 5 years or so.
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9/2/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is a consistent performer for me. Great with tenderloin. Beautifully balanced mature cab.
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8/14/2010 - klutchman wrote: flawed
This bottle was a tragic victim of a very bad heat wave five years ago. We just opened it now. It was still drinkable with berry and cassis on the nose, but the heat brought out astringency and bitterness. Surprisingly, the next day, it was better but not by much.
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7/26/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another delicious bottle consistent with past notes
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4/26/2010 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
What a delightful wine. Still delivering the goods in spades. Deep garnet in color. Nose of cherry, licorice, spice and earth. The flavor profile here is classic cab. Cherry, dark fruit, smoke, spice. A little tart in a good way. Lots of complexity and depth to this wine. Beautiful balance. Long lingering finish. At least 3-5 more years of life here. Delicious! Finished the bottle on night two and even better.
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11/28/2009 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
I am a real fan of this wine and have been drinking it fairly regularly since release (early '06). Pop and pour. Color blackish purple. Nose rich black cherry, fresh. The flavor profile is layered and complex, tart cherry, spice, with lots of fruit and still enough tannin to go more years. Long finish. Very pleasurable.
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6/13/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 94 Points
Wine Club @ Maisha's (Bowling Green, OH): This wine is really singing. Perfect age, with a hint of the fruit but the secondaries starting to take over and give this a real complexity. Delicious.
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6/12/2009 - davergny wrote: 87 Points
This wine was not too pleasant after opening, tart and very tannic. However, after 3 hours, it finally started to fill out and deliver some nice cherry and strawberry fruit. Still too tannic though, this wine needs several more years of bottle age. 87+
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3/5/2009 - ScottS wrote: 92 Points
This bottle showed extremely well tonight. Youthfull and robust with layers of flavors. Wonderfil structure and balance. The tannins are still evident but starting to meld with the fruit. Drink or hold for 2-3 yrs.
50+5+14+16+7=92
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2/23/2009 - Hoya Vinophile wrote: 89 Points
I thought it was good, but definitely on the decline. Tannins had completely resolved, so not much backbone left. Good blackberry and cassis flavors at the outset, but was fairly quick to fade.
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2/15/2009 - Claudio161 wrote: 89 Points
Good, if not decent, califonia cabernet. The usual suspects arive at the table from a flavor perspective...what struck me the most was the chocolate notes along with deep dark fruits and a supporting cast of woodtones. This is a big boy and is somewhat astringent---- serve with fatty food e.g. ribeye steaks or short ribs. Probably could benefit from some additional aging.
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2/11/2009 - WagesOfZin wrote: 89 Points
decanted and drank over 3 hours. ruby/purple in color and medium to full bodied. lots of dark fruits on the nose but not much else, maybe a few earthy notes buried under the fruit. black currant, plum and blackberry on the palate followed by a basement dust component. no real cedar or vanilla notes like i was expecting. tannins were firm but not stripping. medium length finish.
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1/11/2009 - golfwine wrote: 89 Points
I fear that I might be sorely under-rating this wine, as Michael Keenan makes his wines in such a huge style; add to that the Spring Mtn. source and it's really hard to evaluate these wines at less than 10 years of age. This wine was a dark, opaque purple tannic monster! (I have a few bottles of the '04, which is advised not to drink before 2010) and I'd have to say that this wine quite possibly should have been held for a couple more years. That said, it appeared to have the stuffing to last at least 5 more years and so, I'm wondering if driking it now wasn't infanticide. These wines are clearly "under the radar" but one would not discover that, unless they had extreme patientce and so, were willing to exercise the same in their buying strategy.
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12/29/2008 - KevinS wrote: 93 Points
Still absolutely rocking stuff
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12/18/2008 - pinotwinelover wrote: 93 Points
Great nose ridiculus QPR for mid 20' I paid. Enjoyed by many and could be one of my best value wines top 10.
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11/4/2008 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
Strong blackberry nose with an inky, purple color. Medium to full bodied and a bit tight out of the bottle with rich, dark berry flavors, good acidity and slightly harsh tannins. Tannins softened noticeably after about 1/2 to 1 hour, and a lot of oak emerged in the background. Medium finish. Not complex, but a good wine for the $.
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10/4/2008 - eSchrag wrote: 90 Points
Starting to open up a little more since we drank the last bottle in December last year. Good fruit and structure with a bit of that cali cab cedar earthiness. Really a nice bottle of wine for the price. Should hold up well for at least 5 more years.
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8/10/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 89 Points
Needs an hour and a half in the decanter to show well. Hold off if you can and drink after 2009...
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7/25/2008 - pitt71 wrote: 86 Points
Earthy with plum notes. Would have never pegged this as a cab had I tasted it blind. Still slightly tannic. Clipped finish. Not unpleasent but not much fruit.
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6/15/2008 - Lucky96 wrote: 88 Points
Thick, heady wine. Good value for the money. Lots of berry fruit. Subtle tannins, long finsh. Very enjoyable, but needs to open up for a few hours to enjoy.
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4/26/2008 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
Excellent, quite elegant overall considering the perception of Cali Cabs from this vintage - Quite dark, well concentrated with note of dark plum, blackberry, mocha, chocolate and vanilla on the nose, didn't notice the 'typical' ceder notes of Napa Cabs on this one, well structured with noticeable tannins on the palate, yet smooth with a long finish, well done! (92 Points).
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3/23/2008 - gigabit wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hour; nose of blackberry, spice, pepper, and a hint of vanilla; full-bodied on the palate with medium acidity and soft tannins; a very nice medium-long finish.
A well-balanced wine that was a perfect fit for our meal (lamb). It has 2-3 more years of aging capability left, but is drinking very well right now. It should be a perfect fit for your 08 Summer barbecues.
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3/10/2008 - dsimmons wrote: 92 Points
Another delicious bottle of this cab!!
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2/16/2008 - pitt71 wrote: 88 Points
Inky in the glass, Cassis and toasted oak wsith floral undertones. Still pick up notes of band aid. Tannins still very prevalent. This likely need more time in the bottle and more time in the decanter. Not sure this has enouvh fruit to stand up to the tannins.
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2/12/2008 - mattiasjansson wrote: 93 Points
Blind Night - Kevin's place (Kevin Stoddard's house): Sweet tannins. Intense, extracted fruit but not over the top. Vanilla, oak.
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2/12/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
plumb, herbs, blueberry nose. more plumb and blueberry in the mouth with some acidity. still tight.
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2/12/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 90 Points
Blind Night: Blackberry, mocha, coffee, charred oak, boysenberry, blueberry, leather and pepper. Rich and concentrated. Full bodied. Long finish. Firm tannins. Young and closed. 14.5% alcohol.
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12/24/2007 - dsimmons wrote: 95 Points
Another wonderful bottle of this wine. Accompaniment for ribeye steaks. Beautiful dark red color. Wine was very aromatic with fruit and spice. The wine was simply delicious with excellent balance and sweet tannin. Still enough complexity to promise further development and nuances over time. For those that own this wine you should be drinking this beauty.
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12/3/2007 - eSchrag wrote: 88 Points
Needs a little more time in the bottle or you should decant for an hour or so. Decent cab with dark fruit and firm tannins. Would go well with a big steak.
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9/22/2007 - beezer6 wrote: 87 Points
Taste from Dan Cushin @ WF.
Standard decent California Cabernet. Probably wouldn't pay almost $40 for it.
Still quite young. Not displaying much complexity. May improve a bit with some time.
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9/16/2007 - JOJ wrote: 88 Points
Still too young. This is a heavy duty cab -- nose of currants and leather; palate of earthy and dense red and blue fruit. Too much for me at this stage, but should mellow out into something nice. Wait at least another year before trying again.
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9/8/2007 - LACERS wrote: 92 Points
Did hard bottle shake and let sit in bottle for a few minutes and poured, works better with this wine than decanting or not-decanting. Big Fruit, Big Nose, moderately firm tannins but not too dry. Fullbodied, smooth, fruit intensifies on the long finish. Cassis, blackberry, black currant, black cherry flood the palate with a gentle touch of herbs, charcoal, oak. A Great QPR!
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8/21/2007 - grrrpor wrote: 86 Points
pop and pour with spicy pasta on a tuesday. liked this - not profound yet and it never probably will be but - next time we'll give it a bit more air before drinking and I look forward to holding our other bottles for a few years to see where they go.
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7/22/2007 - zimmy07 wrote: 87 Points
a bit hot. Good fruit but very one dimensional. Firm tannin.
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7/19/2007 - pitt71 wrote: 84 Points
From a 375. Decanted for 1 hour. Deep Dark Garnet in the glass. Floral nose with some cassis and bandaid notes. Medium bodied with soft tannins and good acidity and some heat evident. Finish was anticeptic. Wanted to like this but really could not. The '02 Keenan Merlot is much better.
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4/18/2007 - TUSCANPAPPY wrote: 87 Points
Drank my last one too early.... Looking for more////
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4/11/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Consumed over two hours, with the best glass the last. Still has tight tanins that slowly open up; lots of dark sweet fruit on the palate with a little bit of must and the finish ends on a peppery note with a slightly sour taste that's not unpleasant. Good.
Needs a good decant of at least 2 hours.
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2/23/2007 - Hollowleg wrote: 89 Points
Decanted , but was a bit tight, had most of it the next day & it opened up nicely. Best to have this wine with a nicely seasoned steak.
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2/20/2007 - TUSCANPAPPY wrote: 92 Points
FAntastic napa cab that begs to be let out to air for a while...
Enjoyed every drop
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1/31/2007 - dsimmons wrote: 92 Points
I've gone through a case plus of this wine to date and it is a solid 90+ point bottle of cab every time. Dark in color, nice nose of fruit and spice. well integrated tannins but should continue to improve. Good complexity and just a joy to drink.
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1/27/2007 - Tarrant wrote: 91 Points
This was a 'wow' wine for sure, very dark purple and extremely concentrated, heavy fruit and oak nose with clear coffee and chocolate notes on the palate, it was smooth but very tannic, with a long finish - Will be specatular in a few years (91 Points).
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1/27/2007 - bingedrinker wrote: 86 Points
Somewhat disappointed given other reviews, both amateur and professional. It was a fine bottle of cab, but didn't have the depth I would have expected. Seemed somewhat simple and straightforward to me. Not bad at all, but not a "wow" either.
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1/24/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
I'm not sure the point of using Cellartracker, if I don't read my own damn notes! This was in reach, so this is the one that I popped tonight. (Too lazy to move boxes around).
Starts out with a clean nose of dark fruit with touches of blackberry, cherry and raisin. The finish is somewhat peppery from alcohol and removes moisture from the mouth with it's tannins; leaves a powdery dry finish on the teeth and gums.
It's one of those wines that is sort of over the top, yet you keep going back to the bottle. I think it's very good, but can be a palate killer for some people.
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1/15/2007 - shadow wrote: 91 Points
Still alittle rough around the edges, will try again in 6 months, great cab at this price point
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1/12/2007 - TUSCANPAPPY wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and waited to slice some edam cheese for tasting after an hour. Light on the nose however inviting. Tremendous tannin/taste balance. Finish is nice and appropriate. will set a few more bottles aside.....
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1/5/2007 - samurai wrote: 88 Points
Didn't feel it lived up to it's Parker rating. Just not all that interesting.
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1/1/2007 - Arcturus wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet, oak, spice and blackberry nose- solid mouthfeel, heavy tannins but not over the top. 92
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12/20/2006 - Paul Lin wrote: 89 Points
Interesting. Already starting to show some secondary characteristics of cedar and tobacco on the finish. Otherwise, same note as before with the addition of some dark chocolate on the nose. Not overpowering. Quite elegant.
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12/7/2006 - WineForRob wrote: 90 Points
Slightly tart big fruity wine. These mountain wines are very tannic. Should let them rest a little longer. Opened up over three hour decant period. Rachel gives 94. She likes the young tannic wines. I think I prefer wines from the benchland.
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12/7/2006 - pinotwinelover wrote: 92 Points
Dark wonderful cassis with solid mouth feel. Very enjoyable and good value
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12/4/2006 - Hollowleg wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes & it tasted just as good as the first time I tried this at a tasting. Full bodied, well balanced & a very reasonable price for such high quality.
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11/27/2006 - mmyette wrote: 93 Points
Tasted this wine next to the 01 insignia, and not only did it stand up to the Insignia, I think it was slightly better, longer, and richer in texture. Berries, cassis, integrated cedar and oak, and strong, but not overwhelming tannin structure. Really an outstanding effort. I wil try to get my hands on some more.
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11/20/2006 - KevinS wrote: 92 Points
Man. I love this stuff. Consistent, high quality, well-priced cab. Another bottle of classic cab flavors, good complexity, and both power and balance. Well done!
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11/9/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Purple red in color. Clean wine juice smell. Slightly tart, but not bitter, with drying tanins and a powdery finish. As it starts to open up, the smell of dark fruit comes out and it develops a fuller and more rounder taste, yet also becomes a drier finish. I have two bottles left, and I'm hoping not to open for another 1-2 years. This will be a very good wine at maturity.
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11/8/2006 - mmyette wrote: 91 Points
Excellent, as good as I remember. Long carressing finish on this wine. Should age well also.
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10/31/2006 - cookie7 wrote: 92 Points
Nice wine!! Very silky sweet tannins - long finish, great balance. Buy more.
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10/30/2006 - pbjosh wrote: 90 Points
Classic cab with a beautiful nose and palate. Moderate length finish that is moderately drying... lot of tannins in the mix. Overall excellent, but young and tannic... should be better in a year or two. 89 for drinking now, 91+ for potential...
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10/28/2006 - A&C wrote: 91 Points
Deep dark ruby color with purple at the edges -- almost a black wine. Fruit forward classic cabernet nose. Raspberry in the fruit, and fairly strong oak and tannins, which bodes well for its future. Very nice texture on the tongue. Fairly decent finish, although not particularly long. You can appreciate the skill used to make this wine. Very nice fruit balanced by some surprising depth -- a little chalk. Paired wonderfully with veal, wild mushrooms, corn on the cob, and papaya and pomegranate salad. A perfect compliment to a nice fall dinner at home following a perfect day in the autumn sunshine watching Utah beat UNLV at Rice-Eccles stadium. A perfect beginning to red wine season following a near perfect day of autumn bliss. I agree with prior reviews -- this will age very well. It's all here for a great future.
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10/26/2006 - hutch wrote: 91 Points
Dust and red fruit on a muted nose. Fairly hard and tannic, but with a core of gorgeous dark red fruits. Nice mouthwatering acidity on the finish. The tannins are not overbearing, but I get the feeling there is a lot being held in reserve. There's a feeling of power along with finese with this wine.
Day 2: Those big cab fruits jump fromthe glass now. It's softer, but a little more tart, with the tannins still signifigant. It's still got that great fruit and tannins, but nothing else came out. No fullness, or the elegance that was promised the day before. All in all, a bit of a disapointment on day 2, but still a very nice cab, and I'm going to have and try one in a couple of years.
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10/16/2006 - tskrueger wrote: 88 Points
Dinner at Melbees (Kansas City, MO): Really nice wine, but needed some time. The first night it was good, but was wound a bit tight. By the 2nd night, definitely opened up and was beginning to show its' stuff. Second night score would have been a 90.
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10/15/2006 - ScottS wrote:
50+5+13+16+7=91
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10/14/2006 - wpl wrote: 88 Points
Good bottle. minerally, black fruit, a little green peper.
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10/12/2006 - jvalanti wrote: 91 Points
Very big wine, but fairly well balanced. Really nice cassis mid palate, long finish. No rush on this one, I think it will improve with 2-3 years...
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9/15/2006 - pitt71 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Drank fro Reidel stems. Inky and dark in the glass with a nose of plum and spices. Nice balance and acidity. A well made wine but I really did not suit my palate.
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9/7/2006 - hutch wrote: 91 Points
The nose, considering the weight on this, was almost pretty with the dark red fruits. Not extremely complex, but drinking surprisingly well right now. It's a well done Cab, if not exceptional considering the hefty price tag.
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9/2/2006 - redpine42 wrote: 94 Points
On a night of disappointing wines, this was a winner. Lots of fruit, nice balance and a good finish.
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8/25/2006 - Paul Lin wrote: 90 Points
Dark opaque ruby color. Dusty aromas black fruits, sweet oak, and if I am not mistaken, something akin to melted butter. On the palate, this wine exhibits lush flavors of cassis and black cherry and finishes with some earthiness on the palate -- black olives perhaps. Medium body. Medium acidity. Moderate tannins. Very enjoyable to drink now, but I can see this one improving with some time in the cellar.
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8/6/2006 - redpine42 wrote: 94 Points
Mouth full of fruit. Very fruit forward, with sweet silky tannins.
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8/6/2006 - LACERS wrote: 93 Points
A steal at napacabs for $30 and they got 10 more cases coming. Decanted 1 hour. Big Fruit, Big Nose, moderately firm tannins but not too dry. Fullbodied, smooth, fruit intensifies on the long finish. Cassis, blackberry, black currant, black cherry flood the palate with a gentle touch of oak. A Great QPR!
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8/6/2006 - napaJ6 wrote: 90 Points
I bought this bottle based on the cellartracker reviews, but I was not overwhelmed by this cab. It did take 30 minutes + to really open up, and when it did it was nice. Very mellow and soft overtones of dark fruits, cassis and plum, with a moderate to short finish. I even let a glass sit for 3 hours to really open up, however, it actually closed down and was not as vibrant as the first hour. I did not have any food with this wine, and believe that it would much more expressive when paired with a steak or pork.
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7/18/2006 - greenblanket wrote: 92 Points
A Week in the Desert; 7/18/2006-7/21/2006: Another beautiful Cali cab with pencil shavings, and black current on the nose and a big, deep, rich palate with cedar, spice and lots pure black fruit. It had a big fruity finish with great integration of oak throughout and lots of pleasing tannic structure. This was even better the next morning. (Hey, I said we were on vacation.)
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7/4/2006 - mmyette wrote: 91 Points
Great bottle. Cassis, black fruit, and a touch of vanilla. Nice hearty and austere tannins characteristic of Spring Mtn will add years, fruit will balance for years to come.
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5/16/2006 - rfodor wrote: 93 Points
This one is *very* age worthy. Lots of bold qualities that are going to integrate beautifully as it matures!
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4/28/2006 - dharri1 wrote:
Really good. Very smooth.
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4/18/2006 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
Had this for the first time tonight and ran out to buy more. Very nice bottle of CS. Very dark color. Nice aroma of cherry and spice, Good right from the first pour with excellent depth, strong fruit and enough tannin to keep on going. Improved as the evening progressed. We don't get a lot of good deals in AK but for some reason this one was priced right. Give this one a try.
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4/15/2006 - toddjerry wrote: 91 Points
Dark opaque red/purple color in the glass. Huge mouthfeel fruit on front palate, but not overly fruity, road tar, earth, fleshy. Extremely tannic finish - this wine is huge, but balanced. Will be much better after 5 years in bottle. Overall impressive, but seems to lack the depth of a top notch cab, slightly monolithic. Going to wait before drinking more.
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3/21/2006 - pinotwinelover wrote: 92 Points
Silky tannins that carry from start to finish, darker currant and black fruit nice mid priced cab.
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2/27/2006 - Arcturus wrote: 92 Points
Very serious wine, looked like a glass of ink. Heavy tannins mixed with licorice and black currant, great balance of dark fruits and a solid foundation but needs time. A bit more approachable on the second day. Has the characteristics of a very ageworthy wine. 92
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2/12/2006 - 47chinon wrote: 92 Points
Very impressed with this Napa Cab. Opened up after about an hour out of the bottle. Got better into the evening. Had it at Akbar
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12/30/2005 - Hoya Vinophile wrote: 92 Points
great mouthfeel, dark black fruits.
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12/4/2005 - Maxe wrote: 92 Points
Needed time to open up - decanted for approx 90 minutes. Another 30 minutes would have been great.
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