SLO-ox 90 minutes, saving half in a slit - drank over 2 days. Medium bodied, weak acidity and energy. Round tannins. Ripe black/purple fruits with an opulent mid-palate and 10 second finish. First of 3 bottles - try the next one after a splash decant and drink within the next 12 months.
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Not sure what everyone else is drinking, but opened the last bottle we had of this one and wow did it sing! Wonderful bouquet of dark fruit on opening closed a bit after a few hrs decant, but what a stunning complexity and depth of flavor after that. Graphite, deep dark fruits, very soft tannins, and a surprising acid profile keeps this one going. Was fantastic with great filets, though I wish they had even more fat to match up with the supple tannins. Loved it.
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Slow oxed for three hours. This has a terrific nose of black currant, licorice and tobacco. The palate is relatively open knit - I felt it lacked a bit of tension and focus - but shows ripe concentrated flavors of black and red fruits, chocolate and a little tobacco rolling into a long finish. This certainly can age longer but it’s unclear to me how much it’s going to truly evolve. I actually liked this a bit better when it was younger.
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High price point but smooth flavorful wine. Great color and holding well. Aging nicely and can be kept longer. Not sure how much time it still has but can easily be drank now and you won't be disappointed.
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Drank at Darren's (Manhattan Beach) after an 08 Dancing Hares. Very short decant. This was a big robust bottle. Licorice, big tannin, hint of cherry. Amazing bottle; probably good for more years.
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Do decant this one and wait...it took 2 hours to open up and reveal its character. Silky tannins, big but restrained fruit, juicy in the mouth. Unlike a typical big Napa cab, it didn't exhibit heavy charcoal flavors that can choke its enjoyment near the end of the bottle. Instead, it remained graceful until nearly the last sip. Well done.
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Ready for business :) 1 hour of decant time and it was singing. Wine is being tamed compared to a few years ago...integrating nicely, should be a long lived wine.
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Excellent wine. Decanted one hour before starting and consumed over next two hours; one glass before dinner and the rest paired with a rib eye with blue cheese butter sauce. Excellent fruit flavors without being over the top. Nice layers of raspberry and cherry, smooth and a lingering finish.
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Served blind. Showing well. Dark red-purple color. Fragrant nose of ripe berries, black currant, and earth. In the mouth, black currant, oak, and dried herbs. Smooth mouth feel, but there is a bit of a lack of acidity and tannin that doesn't bode well for aging. Hard to imagine it getting too much better. B+
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Popped and slow oxed for 5 hours then circumstances forced me to recork and put in the fridge overnight. Next day, took to a dinner with friends where it was decanted for 3 hours before drinking as it had to come up to a good temp to drink. Unanimously the WOTN. Great depth of black fruits, a little cedar, some smoke and minerality with a touch of cocoa on the 45 second finish. Worth the wait but I didn't get enough!!
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This wine blew me away. Combined with an extravagant dinner made at home with my valentine, it was the star of the evening. Nose of blackberry, pencil lead, autumn leaves, peach, and asparagus. On the palate it has big dark fruit, charcoal, and chocolate. The tannins were right on, with a long 25 second finish. Congrats to Phillipe Melka for a job well done!
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With four hours of air, this wine delivered a lush, full bodied Cab. For those who like big fruity wines this is right up you alley. This wine still needs time in the bottle. Everyone loved it.
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Shared with dear friends who love wine. All of us said wow. And savored it. Rich, full nose of dark fruit (cherry/blueberry), and maybe a little coffee. Palate is smooth. Dark fruit. Then it gives you a finish that keeps going....lingering fruit/chocolate. Wow.
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Excellent bottle of wine. Young wine, yes, will it get better, I wont wait 7-10 years, but I will let them sit for about 3-5 more years. Nose was a bouquet of fruit, not overbearing, but pleasnt. I enjoyed the tannin's and the very long finish. The palate was very silky
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The wine is for the long dinner and even longer decanting. Nose which fills the room and stays. The first sip was considerably worst than the last one, which tells me one thing: in 5-8 years the wine will be a blockbuster. I wouldn't mind to have a couple in my cellar in 2017.
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BIG BIG BIG wine. I've been collecting these for a couple of years now, and the first one I had was a 2004 at the Napa Rose restaurant out here near Disneyland. It was an amazing wine and reminded me a lot of Araujo. So I was excited to check one of these out at home and last night was as good a night as ever. Popped and poured. Deep plum with lots of viscosity. Rich and brooding nose of black and red fruit. But on the palate, this is much more Hundred Acre (which is a compliment) than Araujo (which would have been a compliment as well). That is, it doesn't have the structure and acidity that I experienced with the 2004. What it does have, in spades, is a ton of fruit. Blueberries, and raspberries, with some chocolate there as well. Not as "heavy" feeling as the Blankiet I recently had, but it's definitely a BIG BIG fruit bomb and those that don't want that style might be put off. I'm feeling like an Araujo to change up the style...maybe one of these days soon!
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One of the biggest wines I've ever had. Chewy and full with heavy tannins smoothed out after breathing. Absolutely amazing wine. A couple of years in the cellar and this is a 100 point wine.
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massive fruit with chocolate, vanilla and dominated by blueberry syrup. I like V29 wines, although big and fruity young, have a better balance than many of the other high end cali cabs. This wine will be very good in the years to come
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Dark, flashy, modern Napa styling. Super sweet in the mouth - heavy, glycerol laden mouthfeel. Structure largely masked by forward fruit density. Not my style.
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We had this dinner on Valentine's day and brought it with us to Arturo's Restaurant in Boca Raton, Fl. We decanted the wine using an aerator and let it decant for 1 hour prior to re-bottling and heading to the restaurant. The wine was very approachable considering its young age. After about another 1/2 hour, the wine started to really shine. It went very well with the veal and black truffle main course I had. The finish went on forever. This was very reminiscent to the 2003 Harlan Estate I had last year. That velvety smooth taste. Complex and very deep. Very well balanced One of the best wines I had this year. Very age worthy and will get better with time for sure. Really a star from Napa and my wife and I loved every drop of it during the course of the meal.
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Nose: Coffee, Black Cherry, Cedar, Dried strawberrys, plum, tobacco and toffee. Hints of leather as well. Palate: Spicy entry. Cherry, Black pepper and cola. The oak on this is very seductive. Well integrated. Smooth tannins and nice acidity. Very elegant wine in the mouth. Classy stuff!
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11/25/2023 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 94 Points
SLO-ox 90 minutes, saving half in a slit - drank over 2 days. Medium bodied, weak acidity and energy. Round tannins. Ripe black/purple fruits with an opulent mid-palate and 10 second finish. First of 3 bottles - try the next one after a splash decant and drink within the next 12 months.
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9/28/2023 - Abanker Likes this wine:
Excellent after ! hr. and 15 minute decant
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6/11/2023 - bhrubin Likes this wine: 97 Points
Not sure what everyone else is drinking, but opened the last bottle we had of this one and wow did it sing! Wonderful bouquet of dark fruit on opening closed a bit after a few hrs decant, but what a stunning complexity and depth of flavor after that. Graphite, deep dark fruits, very soft tannins, and a surprising acid profile keeps this one going. Was fantastic with great filets, though I wish they had even more fat to match up with the supple tannins. Loved it.
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10/18/2022 - LauzonVineyards wrote:
Drink 2025
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6/24/2020 - mclanew wrote: 93 Points
Slow oxed for three hours. This has a terrific nose of black currant, licorice and tobacco. The palate is relatively open knit - I felt it lacked a bit of tension and focus - but shows ripe concentrated flavors of black and red fruits, chocolate and a little tobacco rolling into a long finish. This certainly can age longer but it’s unclear to me how much it’s going to truly evolve. I actually liked this a bit better when it was younger.
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6/8/2019 - Kevnzworld wrote: 94 Points
A good balance of fruit, acidity with smooth tannin
A complex mix of blueberries, oak and oregano with a spicy tobacco finish and an aroma of cedar
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11/10/2017 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exceptionally good napa cab. Silky, great fruit concentration, long finish. This one checks all the boxes.
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5/13/2017 - chuckos77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
High price point but smooth flavorful wine. Great color and holding well. Aging nicely and can be kept longer. Not sure how much time it still has but can easily be drank now and you won't be disappointed.
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4/25/2016 - convex Likes this wine:
drunk at RH dinner
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10/10/2015 - WineSnob7 wrote: 96 Points
Omg - killer
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8/28/2014 - AdamGoldston Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at Darren's (Manhattan Beach) after an 08 Dancing Hares. Very short decant. This was a big robust bottle. Licorice, big tannin, hint of cherry. Amazing bottle; probably good for more years.
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5/24/2014 - buckeye76 wrote: 94 Points
BLACK CHERRIES, LICORICE, CHOCOLATE, AND BLACKBERRIES IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. ELEGANT WINE WITH NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH.
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5/24/2014 - timdrex Likes this wine: 95 Points
Do decant this one and wait...it took 2 hours to open up and reveal its character. Silky tannins, big but restrained fruit, juicy in the mouth.
Unlike a typical big Napa cab, it didn't exhibit heavy charcoal flavors that can choke its enjoyment near the end of the bottle. Instead, it remained graceful until nearly the last sip. Well done.
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2/22/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine: 92 Points
A fine wine, fleshy, fruity, typical 05 bigness... but I like it with the right meal. Had it next to an Opus One 04. The Opus won out.
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7/30/2013 - wallstreet wrote: 94 Points
Ready for business :) 1 hour of decant time and it was singing. Wine is being tamed compared to a few years ago...integrating nicely, should be a long lived wine.
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7/27/2013 - Cadby wrote: flawed
2005 Vineyard 29 Cabernet St Helena ++ $100
$175 of Corkish disappointment. Huge potential flamed out.
http://8wordsonwine.blogspot.com/2013/07/2005-vineyard-29-cabernet-st-helena-175.html
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2/17/2013 - yovinny Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. Melka does it again.
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12/28/2012 - Crunge Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Decanted one hour before starting and consumed over next two hours; one glass before dinner and the rest paired with a rib eye with blue cheese butter sauce. Excellent fruit flavors without being over the top. Nice layers of raspberry and cherry, smooth and a lingering finish.
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11/11/2012 - Acohen wrote: 95 Points
Everything I love in a big cab, with big dark fruit, great structure, nice tones of cedar and coffee and a tremendous finish
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8/4/2012 - WineHawkeye wrote:
Aging nicely. 91+
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5/16/2012 - gutt22 wrote:
Served blind. Showing well. Dark red-purple color. Fragrant nose of ripe berries, black currant, and earth. In the mouth, black currant, oak, and dried herbs. Smooth mouth feel, but there is a bit of a lack of acidity and tannin that doesn't bode well for aging. Hard to imagine it getting too much better. B+
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4/27/2012 - drycab wrote:
Popped and slow oxed for 5 hours then circumstances forced me to recork and put in the fridge overnight. Next day, took to a dinner with friends where it was decanted for 3 hours before drinking as it had to come up to a good temp to drink. Unanimously the WOTN. Great depth of black fruits, a little cedar, some smoke and minerality with a touch of cocoa on the 45 second finish. Worth the wait but I didn't get enough!!
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4/15/2012 - Cadby wrote: 93 Points
A beautiful, fruit driven gem. Vibrato finish, juvenescence
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2/14/2012 - timdrex wrote: 97 Points
This wine blew me away. Combined with an extravagant dinner made at home with my valentine, it was the star of the evening. Nose of blackberry, pencil lead, autumn leaves, peach, and asparagus. On the palate it has big dark fruit, charcoal, and chocolate. The tannins were right on, with a long 25 second finish. Congrats to Phillipe Melka for a job well done!
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9/18/2011 - wallstreet wrote:
With four hours of air, this wine delivered a lush, full bodied Cab. For those who like big fruity wines this is right up you alley. This wine still needs time in the bottle. Everyone loved it.
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4/21/2011 - Harms wrote: 91 Points
ditto fishboy, ditto
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1/13/2011 - Fishboy wrote: 93 Points
Great cab!
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11/1/2010 - Mel-o-Vino wrote: 95 Points
Shared with dear friends who love wine. All of us said wow. And savored it. Rich, full nose of dark fruit (cherry/blueberry), and maybe a little coffee. Palate is smooth. Dark fruit. Then it gives you a finish that keeps going....lingering fruit/chocolate. Wow.
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2/15/2010 - wallstreet wrote: 96 Points
Excellent bottle of wine. Young wine, yes, will it get better, I wont wait 7-10 years, but I will let them sit for about 3-5 more years. Nose was a bouquet of fruit, not overbearing, but pleasnt. I enjoyed the tannin's and the very long finish. The palate was very silky
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2/15/2010 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
The wine is for the long dinner and even longer decanting. Nose which fills the room and stays. The first sip was considerably worst than the last one, which tells me one thing:
in 5-8 years the wine will be a blockbuster. I wouldn't mind to have a couple in my cellar in 2017.
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2/4/2010 - nvandyk wrote: 94 Points
BIG BIG BIG wine. I've been collecting these for a couple of years now, and the first one I had was a 2004 at the Napa Rose restaurant out here near Disneyland. It was an amazing wine and reminded me a lot of Araujo. So I was excited to check one of these out at home and last night was as good a night as ever. Popped and poured. Deep plum with lots of viscosity. Rich and brooding nose of black and red fruit. But on the palate, this is much more Hundred Acre (which is a compliment) than Araujo (which would have been a compliment as well). That is, it doesn't have the structure and acidity that I experienced with the 2004. What it does have, in spades, is a ton of fruit. Blueberries, and raspberries, with some chocolate there as well. Not as "heavy" feeling as the Blankiet I recently had, but it's definitely a BIG BIG fruit bomb and those that don't want that style might be put off. I'm feeling like an Araujo to change up the style...maybe one of these days soon!
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3/29/2009 - toehring wrote: 98 Points
One of the biggest wines I've ever had. Chewy and full with heavy tannins smoothed out after breathing. Absolutely amazing wine. A couple of years in the cellar and this is a 100 point wine.
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3/21/2009 - zimmy07 wrote: 92 Points
massive fruit with chocolate, vanilla and dominated by blueberry syrup. I like V29 wines, although big and fruity young, have a better balance than many of the other high end cali cabs. This wine will be very good in the years to come
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3/7/2009 - psmith wrote:
Dark, flashy, modern Napa styling. Super sweet in the mouth - heavy, glycerol laden mouthfeel. Structure largely masked by forward fruit density. Not my style.
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3/1/2009 - mcneil7 wrote: 95 Points
Dark fruits on the nose, dark choclate and espresso notes. Taste is balanced and heavy loads of spice tannins and long linger. Excellent wine.
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2/15/2009 - wallstreet wrote: 96 Points
We had this dinner on Valentine's day and brought it with us to Arturo's Restaurant in Boca Raton, Fl. We decanted the wine using an aerator and let it decant for 1 hour prior to re-bottling and heading to the restaurant. The wine was very approachable considering its young age. After about another 1/2 hour, the wine started to really shine. It went very well with the veal and black truffle main course I had. The finish went on forever. This was very reminiscent to the 2003 Harlan Estate I had last year. That velvety smooth taste. Complex and very deep. Very well balanced One of the best wines I had this year. Very age worthy and will get better with time for sure. Really a star from Napa and my wife and I loved every drop of it during the course of the meal.
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11/22/2008 - mike l. wrote: 89 Points
some chocolate covered cherries and some tannins. fair.
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11/7/2008 - Clarkmeister wrote: 90 Points
November 2008 Napa Trip; 11/7/2008-11/10/2008 (Napa): Great wine. Super subtle for being so young. Surprised at how drinkable and balanced it was at this age.
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7/11/2008 - NapaJustin wrote:
Nose: Coffee, Black Cherry, Cedar, Dried strawberrys, plum, tobacco and toffee. Hints of leather as well.
Palate: Spicy entry. Cherry, Black pepper and cola. The oak on this is very seductive. Well integrated. Smooth tannins and nice acidity. Very elegant wine in the mouth. Classy stuff!
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