Opened and decanted with seared NY strips. Good beam of red fruit mixed with deep, brambly black fruit and distinct savory notes of tobacco, soy, dried leather, and mixed herbs into a lengthy finish. Was not quite as memorable as our last tasting 16 months ago, but still in a great window. Drink 2022-2025. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 94.
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Paired with grilled fillet, pan-seared sea scallops, and other summer veggies and fixings. This is emerging into a powerhouse wine. Expansive, floral nose, broad, full, square, yet juicy palate brings deep concentrated black and blue fruits with increasingly savory and red currant accents. The finish is long and still jagged. Incredible QPR for what I paid for it (>$40). Drink 2020-2030. Technical score: 95. Enjoyment score: 95.
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An exceptional wine with fantastic concentration and verve. Consistent with previous notes, only more accessible now. Huckleberries, boysenberries, blueberries, mint, tobacco, and eucalyptus. Took about 2.5 hours in the decanter to fully open up and paired nicely with garlic pork loin. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 94.
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Opened and decanted 30-min ahead of pork loin and mixed veggies. Dark, crimson color with a ruby hue. The nose is extremely potent and could be mistaken for Cassis Liquor. It brings sweet candied raspberries and blackberries, gobs of blackcurrant, along with red roses, lavender, mint, eucalyptus, tobacco, grape hard candy, and cherry oak. The palate is full, square, juicy, and concentrated, bringing blackcurrant, blackberries, dark plums, blueberries, dried herbs, hints of soy, balsamic, and strawberry pie into the finish, which brings a sturdy frame with refined but potent tannins. Seems to be entering a nice window. Drink before 2026. Technical score: 93: Enjoyment score: 93.
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Very dark color. Big bouquet. Medium body. Dark Cherry, blackberry and other very dark fruits. Some nice of bramble and cedar. Still has nice integrated tannins. Very good balance. No hint of sweetness. Opened and decanted for 1 1/2 hours. Held up perfectly the whole time. This wine has really developed nicely in the last three years. It has lost its tannic harshness and the fruit has come to the fore. Nice wine. Time to drink but it seems tat there is no hurry.
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Cherry, vanilla, cola, Blackberry jam nose. Cassis, chili and pepper spice, and chocolate. Sage. A full mouth of flavor. So nice. Finished with a oak tart bite. Still had time.
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I have been holding and tasting yearly this wine. It is finally coming out of its tightness. It is still tannic but the tannins are more integrated now. Fruit coming alive. Lots of VERY dark fruit and bramble. Good finish. There may be more to come from this wine. Do not rush, I think it might get even better.
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Huge frame with a super compact core. No change from my last bottle in October 2014. Tasting notes the same after 5+ hours decanted, but the dark fruit stood out. Still went well with filets on V-Day - it needs food. Drink 2018-2030.
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Really, REALLY tight. This wine still has a long way to go, at least five years, I reckon. It opened up well after pouring and swirling. The fruit is ripe plums and it is very well-structured. Had this with a well marbled rib steak and the fat really helped contain the tannins.
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Opened and decanted 1 hour prior to dinner of seared filet, grilled pork chops and sweet potatoes, and mixed salad. Drank over following 4+ hours and the fruit increasingly emerged with more air. Dark, sappy purple color with a violet hue. The nose brings fresh cut violets, musty grape juice, blueberries, chocolate cherries, mocha, and hints of menthol and thyme. The palate is full-bodied and dense with a jagged acidic frame, bringing dark cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, black currant, milk chocolate, leather, tobacco, cedar, hints of black licorice, and concludes with some warm blackberry pie and waves of baking spices. The tannins are still firm, leaving a dusty, puckery, lingering tail of more dark cherries that lasts 30-45 seconds. This is a powerhouse wine that needs another 3-5 years to mature, so I would drink 2018-2030.
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ABV 14.1; black currant and earth nose; starts out a bit angular with black currant, some extract, and integrating tannins/oak; opens up nicely with mixed black fruit, nice acidity and structure; nice fruit density and length; plenty of upside
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Tight nose, ripe red berry, some capsicum, dusty. The palate was suprisingly more structured than most Cali Cabs I've had. Present but good tannins, some acidity. Some good berry fruit, but perhaps a touch young still in so far as the tannins are concerned. Med in length. To reveiw in a view years... if the fruit can bear it.
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1/1/2022 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and decanted with seared NY strips. Good beam of red fruit mixed with deep, brambly black fruit and distinct savory notes of tobacco, soy, dried leather, and mixed herbs into a lengthy finish. Was not quite as memorable as our last tasting 16 months ago, but still in a great window. Drink 2022-2025. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 94.
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11/17/2021 - wabi47 wrote: 88 Points
this has faded a bit; mixed dark, now more rustic fruit cannot hide the slightly bitter oak that is starting to win out. Good enough with pizza.
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3/28/2021 - wine4lux wrote: 91 Points
Still a solid and appealing cabernet. Modest sedimentation.
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8/2/2020 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 95 Points
Paired with grilled fillet, pan-seared sea scallops, and other summer veggies and fixings. This is emerging into a powerhouse wine. Expansive, floral nose, broad, full, square, yet juicy palate brings deep concentrated black and blue fruits with increasingly savory and red currant accents. The finish is long and still jagged. Incredible QPR for what I paid for it (>$40). Drink 2020-2030. Technical score: 95. Enjoyment score: 95.
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3/13/2019 - wabi47 Likes this wine: 91 Points
deep rich mixed wild berry, and garrigue; some structure on the finish (in a good way). A good version of a Napa Cab; Balanced and aging well.
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11/27/2018 - cupoverflowing1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
stunning nose and classic Howell Mountain depth; years of life left; 100% new French Oak
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5/20/2018 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
An exceptional wine with fantastic concentration and verve. Consistent with previous notes, only more accessible now. Huckleberries, boysenberries, blueberries, mint, tobacco, and eucalyptus. Took about 2.5 hours in the decanter to fully open up and paired nicely with garlic pork loin. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 94.
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5/9/2018 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
this remains young and firm out of the bottle with potent darker profile. Better on day 2 with some additional ripe strawberry notes.
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12/17/2016 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and decanted 30-min ahead of pork loin and mixed veggies. Dark, crimson color with a ruby hue. The nose is extremely potent and could be mistaken for Cassis Liquor. It brings sweet candied raspberries and blackberries, gobs of blackcurrant, along with red roses, lavender, mint, eucalyptus, tobacco, grape hard candy, and cherry oak. The palate is full, square, juicy, and concentrated, bringing blackcurrant, blackberries, dark plums, blueberries, dried herbs, hints of soy, balsamic, and strawberry pie into the finish, which brings a sturdy frame with refined but potent tannins. Seems to be entering a nice window. Drink before 2026. Technical score: 93: Enjoyment score: 93.
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10/14/2016 - NapaTom Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dark color. Big bouquet. Medium body. Dark Cherry, blackberry and other very dark fruits. Some nice of bramble and cedar. Still has nice integrated tannins. Very good balance. No hint of sweetness. Opened and decanted for 1 1/2 hours. Held up perfectly the whole time. This wine has really developed nicely in the last three years. It has lost its tannic harshness and the fruit has come to the fore. Nice wine. Time to drink but it seems tat there is no hurry.
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2/5/2016 - pugblanc wrote: 91 Points
Cherry, vanilla, cola, Blackberry jam nose. Cassis, chili and pepper spice, and chocolate. Sage. A full mouth of flavor. So nice. Finished with a oak tart bite. Still had time.
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1/4/2016 - NapaTom Likes this wine: 90 Points
I have been holding and tasting yearly this wine. It is finally coming out of its tightness. It is still tannic but the tannins are more integrated now. Fruit coming alive. Lots of VERY dark fruit and bramble. Good finish. There may be more to come from this wine. Do not rush, I think it might get even better.
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4/27/2015 - wabi47 wrote: 88 Points
Good dark currant; if anything, more chewy and tight than when tasted in 2013. Some heat on the finish; hold.
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2/14/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Huge frame with a super compact core. No change from my last bottle in October 2014. Tasting notes the same after 5+ hours decanted, but the dark fruit stood out. Still went well with filets on V-Day - it needs food. Drink 2018-2030.
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12/31/2014 - gavinesq Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really, REALLY tight. This wine still has a long way to go, at least five years, I reckon. It opened up well after pouring and swirling. The fruit is ripe plums and it is very well-structured. Had this with a well marbled rib steak and the fat really helped contain the tannins.
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10/19/2014 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and decanted 1 hour prior to dinner of seared filet, grilled pork chops and sweet potatoes, and mixed salad. Drank over following 4+ hours and the fruit increasingly emerged with more air. Dark, sappy purple color with a violet hue. The nose brings fresh cut violets, musty grape juice, blueberries, chocolate cherries, mocha, and hints of menthol and thyme. The palate is full-bodied and dense with a jagged acidic frame, bringing dark cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, black currant, milk chocolate, leather, tobacco, cedar, hints of black licorice, and concludes with some warm blackberry pie and waves of baking spices. The tannins are still firm, leaving a dusty, puckery, lingering tail of more dark cherries that lasts 30-45 seconds. This is a powerhouse wine that needs another 3-5 years to mature, so I would drink 2018-2030.
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12/27/2013 - wabi47 wrote: 90 Points
ABV 14.1; black currant and earth nose; starts out a bit angular with black currant, some extract, and integrating tannins/oak; opens up nicely with mixed black fruit, nice acidity and structure; nice fruit density and length; plenty of upside
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5/5/2013 - sqn19 wrote: 90 Points
Quite good, a nice pure expression of CS. Dark berry nose, round palate, tannins a bit dry on the exit. Enjoyable.
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7/12/2012 - jgresham wrote: 88 Points
Good flavor profile but not at prime time yet. The tannins and acidity promise much.
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4/30/2012 - Winekrupt wrote: 87 Points
Tight nose, ripe red berry, some capsicum, dusty. The palate was suprisingly more structured than most Cali Cabs I've had. Present but good tannins, some acidity. Some good berry fruit, but perhaps a touch young still in so far as the tannins are concerned. Med in length. To reveiw in a view years... if the fruit can bear it.
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8/4/2011 - Cantina Hill's wrote: 84 Points
Bitter, tanins overpower all else. A disapointing purchase. I will stick with their Orapas which has been very good in my experience.
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3/25/2011 - Cantina Hill's wrote: 87 Points
needs food and time to open up to get the layers of flavours. Smooth tanins but a lot of tanin.
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