Drink now as this is on the edge of going bad. On the palette, one can taste what was once a very good wine, but is now past its prime. Will improve with some decanting/airing, but is on the downhill slide.
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Happy 4th of July. delicious, enjoyable cab. So happy I found this in my local liquor store. They had 3 bottles and I am happy with the purchase of them all.
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Wow, tiefdunkle rote Farbe, klar, keinerlei Alterserscheinungen. Duftende florale Nase, fein. Macht Lust auf mehr. Im Mund wieder florale Noten, Frucht, Tabak, etwas Cassis und Zimt, rund und harmonisch. Lecker
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C: Dark garnet red N: More complex than the 2005 Merlot, lots of cassis and baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon P:Moderate plus tannins (6.5) and moderate body. Lots of dark fruits and crème de cassis. Long lingering finish. O: Definitely does not seem 13 years old. Still packs a big punch. Drink till 2020
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Decanted for an hour. Very little fruit. Dark graphite on the nose and palate. Strong tannins and body. (7.5/10)
overall the body is dark fruit with a little heat and dark black fruits. Maybe leave these to 2018 before I taste again and decant for a few more hours.
I hope this integrates a bit more and it may well be a wine I really enjoy.
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Gorgeous, black fruit, modest nose, and mild tannins with a long finish make this a solid wine. I have one left and will enjoy shortly as I cannot imagine this will improve from today's pleasant drink
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Displays notes of ripe black cherry, cassis, loamy soil, and sweet tobacco. Polished mouthfeel and resolved tannins. But too flabby. I would drink this sooner than later.
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Popped and poured. Delicious black fruit and a slight madeira at first, then blew off into a terrific cherry and mint sensation. We really enjoyed this wine but its definitely at its peak.
surprised...generally a poor vintage..but this was delicious..wonderful nose,soft and still fruity but with ten year old dark and delicious smell and taste...have three more ..will drink them this year...might get better but don't think so..will enjoy it while at its peak..
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Very dark red-purple. Decanted for 2+ hrs, drank 2+ glasses over 3 hours. Started drinking this at about 30 minutes into the decant, and if was clear this needed more time. After 90 minutes this really began to show. The nose has earth, funk, black fruits of blackberry and cassis that develop a nice ripe character over time, dusty minerals and spiced oak. The palate is full bodied, inky, dark fruits, cassis, blackberry, licorice, glycerin, velvety on the front and mid palate, with spice, moderate oak, and dusty firm tannins. Medium plus finish. There was no heat noted after the initial tastes. There is bit more oak than ideal, but a longer decant makes a substantial difference.
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2 Hour decant. Sediment, but did not improve. Still reddish violet. Loads of dark fruit on nose with vanilla and a little smoke. Palate is soft and a little fat. Medium plus intensity fruit that is fresh and pure. Didn't note the etoh this time. Fairly unidimensional,
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Leslie visits Cleveland - Part 2: Perhaps a bit generic and not from the best vintage but still plenty to like about this. Cassis, some oak. There is a nice complexity and great texture. Interesting wine.
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Classic Cali cab. Wish I had another case. Deep blue/black color. Great cab nose of currant, forest, and leather. Delicious red currant fruit with a medium to long finish. Great QPR. Enjoy!!!
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Popped and poured. Very dark purple color to the rim, tending towards opaque. Subdued nose showing some blackberry, currant, sage and leather. Medium body, medium-low acidity. Slightly tart currant, menthol, leather and some spice notes. Pretty one dimensional and a touch hollow on the midpalate. Short-medium finish. Turns dry and leathery. A green herbal streak comes out as well.
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Well done, opened up about 2 hours before we ate, paired with beef and it was excellent - Black, full bodied with a nose of plum, black fruit, spice, cedar and vanilla, very well balanced, smooth, integrated and complex, strong tannins still, silky smooth on the palate with terrific length (92 Points).
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Dark red in color with the slightest of brown tinge on the edge. Bottle was opened but not poured for two hours. Served with BBQ rack of lamb. Aromas of smoke and swwet cedar. Flavors of sweet cherry, blackberry and a hint of menthol. Velvety smooth and really an enjoyable wine. I'm puzzled by the previous comments but maybe the lamb with garlic, olive oil, salt pepper and rosemary was the perfect compliment to the wine??
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Tight shut down herbal green you name it. A little hint of what is in there but either this is just not going anywhere or needs more time. On day two it opened up a little to review some nice dark fruit but with a lack of tannins and less than desirable acidity I don't think this wine is in it for the long hall. Perhaps an off bottle.
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Compared with 06 Caymus at dinner with friends. Most preferred the Caymus, which most described as sweeter and with a flowery nose. The Shafer was more dry and more nuanced complexity and while good with dinner would probably do better on it own compared to the Caymus.
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Way, way too earthy, almost farmey/barnyard for me. It calmed down after about an hour of decanting. However, the 2006 Caymus that we had next to this was twice as good!
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Rich dark red fruit, this bottle was good soon after open and continued to drink well for hours. Good balance with good fruit but a bit softer overall.
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Ordered two bottles at Giovanni's. First bottle was excellent - dense fruit with hint of oak, smooth tannins. Second bottle was not nearly as good, much more earthy and grainy - thought it was corked at first. First bottle 90, second bottle 84.
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PnP. Reddish violet. Plenty of dark fruit, spice, tobacco, oak and a little etoh on the nose. Full bodied fruit with a bit of greeness and firm tannins. Pretty nice.
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Opened not decanted. Served blind at an offline. Some heat on the nose with restrained fruit. On the palate:noticeable oak with a good structure of tannins and fruit. Good. Wine of the flight.
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Gotta get more, a nice blend of new and old, great nose with laid-back subtlety, long finish with complexity that took the night to unfold, excellently balanced fruit and a strong mid-palate
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Not as good as the last bottle we drank but still a good Shafer Cab. Mix of tobacco and spice with a rather short finish. Could have used more time in the decanter since the last glass was showing improvement.
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Tight at first but opened up nicely. Needs at least an hour in the decanter. Somewhat muted dark fruits on the nose and palate. I would give this a little time.
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Hmmmm, I thought on opening. Not giving up much, kind of short too, oh oh... Initial impressions can be deceiving and this a) needed to warm up from cellar temperature and b) needed some air.
This is a beautiful CA cab. Cedar, cassis and just a tad of graphite on the nose. The palate is rich, plush with some blackberry, more cassis and a decent dose of earthiness. Plenty of tannin and a long persistent finish.
I know that the Hillside Select is viewed as being a step down from it's highest heights, but if the regular cab is compass, I can't wait to crack open my first HSS.
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Tasted pretty green at first, and I was worried that the weakness of the vintage would prove true, but the winemaking at Shafer dominates with time and air. Very plush and velvety with currant, tobacco, and the spice that one gets from Hillside, minus the opulence, of course. Very approachable after an hour or two decanting, and nice acidity to give lift and freshness to the finish. Quite happy with this one.
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Needs time in the decanter to open up--at least an hour or two. Nice nose of cigar box and dark fruits. Palate confirms the nose. Medium finish with a touch of a tannic kick and decent acidity. Well balanced, nice wine, but probably should hold for a year or two.
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Alred poured this over the weekend at his home. He dacanted this for 2 hours. This wasn't giving much and Allred thought it was slightly corked. I'm not susceptible to TCA and have not had this wine before so I'll defer. Not a bad wine but lacking in fruit and not what you would expect. I would have scored it in the mid 80's.
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Had this previously at a tasting dinner. Consistent notes. A satisfying aroma of cherry, chocolate and plum. Food friendly acidity and resolved tannin. Overpriced.
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Took to dinner at Houston's with Robo-cop, Gerry and Youndy....also had 02 Blankiet and 04 Quilceda Creek....this was the winner of the night for its drinkability...very balanced, with no big oak poking thru (like the QC), nice fruit, and elegance from front to back....probably everyone's WOTN
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Had side by side with the 2002 Cliff Lede Stag's Leap Cabernet, both decanted for 1 - 1.5 hours). My wife greatly preferred the somewhat softer subtlety of the Lede over the Shafer (and there is indeed a lovely complexity, yet subtleness to the Lede, which I loved; it's an absolutely exquisite wine), but while I truly enjoyed the Lede, I also liked the "bite" that was inherent with the Shafer. To be honest, while there are distinct differences between the two, I enjoyed them both equally, though if "push came to shove" I would probably favor - just slightly - the Lede. Plus, I think the value is better with the Lede compared to the Shafer. That said, I plan on purchasing more of the '03 Shafer as it'll be interesting to see how it matures over the course of a year or more.
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Drank from a 375ml. Medium ruby color. Moderate legs. Nose of red berries. Definitely needs a little more time in the bottle. Still an approachable Napa cab.
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Really fantastic. Almost surprisingly so. From the cellar, this took about two hours to open up, but has great casis on the nose and impressive concentration of fruit and impressive soft tannins. The texture is all velvet ending with a bit of sandpaper.
Great juice!
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Ripe, full bodied and plush. This is rich and basically good wine but fails to impress. Not a clean or precise wine, muddled flavors and no where near the level of typicty, delineation or depth that I would expect or hope for at this price. Not a good QPR at all, many better wines are available at 1/2 the price.
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Cassis, plum, mocho and mild herbal finish. I actually prefer mountain cabs to SL, but a nice example of this area. Still has some edges and will improve with age but drinking well in its youth
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Not sure what RP and ST were tasting here, but this is a better wine than sub 90. The 02 was a puppy dog, wagging its tail and licking your face with its fruit and bravado. This 03 is a more serious wine; however, after 4 hours of air, it was open for business (didn't have a chance to taste it any earlier.) Good dark fruit, yet a very well structed wine. Tannic right now? Yes. But I believe these will resolve over time and the wine has what it takes to age wel and improve. These guys do a great job.
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Beautiful example of Stag's Leap District Cab. Elegant and refined. Dark purple color. Deep berry fruit, vanilla, cedar and dark cocoa. Well structured tannins and long, lingering finish.
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From a 375. Deep rich purple color. Expressive nose out of the bottle, sweet blackberries, cassis and currant city. Some anise and a touch of spiced oak, mild espresso and char. Medium bodied. Classic California Cabernet and underrated by the big man, IMHO. RMP suggests "aggressive tannin" in his note. I found a pleasant structure that was in no way overpowering with food. I think the heft and concentration in this wine will surpise you a bit for the regular bottling. If you aggressively swirl the wine in your mouth for 15+ seconds, you will find some real drying tannin. If you drink the wine (without a tremendous palate "hang time"), I do not think you will notice the tannin to be off putting as he suggests. The front and mid palates are fairly strong and you may well find the finish a little too drying. I found this more drinkable than the 02 now. It is not showing some of the clunkiness of the 02. For me the 02 needs a good but of air and the bottle dregs are always better day two than day one. Weighs in at a Broadbentian toe curling 14.8% alcohol.
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3/26/2023 - acheng wrote: 88 Points
Not evolved much.
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10/8/2022 - jedwilson wrote: 89 Points
Drink now as this is on the edge of going bad. On the palette, one can taste what was once a very good wine, but is now past its prime. Will improve with some decanting/airing, but is on the downhill slide.
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1/6/2022 - Nolch wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit, soft tannins, lingering finish. Very enjoyable wine. The drinkability should be extended from 2016 to perhaps 2024.
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7/4/2019 - schnurbie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Happy 4th of July. delicious, enjoyable cab. So happy I found this in my local liquor store. They had 3 bottles and I am happy with the purchase of them all.
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6/15/2019 - schnurbie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, very enjoyable wine
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12/31/2018 - dslaven wrote:
NYE with Savarese and Callahan
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2/5/2017 - jmayan wrote:
Drank during super bowl 2017
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10/22/2016 - Sir-Harrie wrote: 92 Points
Wow, tiefdunkle rote Farbe, klar, keinerlei Alterserscheinungen. Duftende florale Nase, fein. Macht Lust auf mehr. Im Mund wieder florale Noten, Frucht, Tabak, etwas Cassis und Zimt, rund und harmonisch. Lecker
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1/10/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
C: Dark garnet red
N: More complex than the 2005 Merlot, lots of cassis and baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon
P:Moderate plus tannins (6.5) and moderate body. Lots of dark fruits and crème de cassis. Long lingering finish.
O: Definitely does not seem 13 years old. Still packs a big punch.
Drink till 2020
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1/10/2016 - cab blends wrote: 90 Points
with potential to increase 2 or 3 points.
Decanted for an hour. Very little fruit. Dark graphite on the nose and palate. Strong tannins and body. (7.5/10)
overall the body is dark fruit with a little heat and dark black fruits. Maybe leave these to 2018 before I taste again and decant for a few more hours.
I hope this integrates a bit more and it may well be a wine I really enjoy.
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7/28/2015 - AlexHop wrote: 90 Points
nice for a 2003. Spicy and bold flavors. Well made.
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3/5/2014 - Tarpon222 wrote: 91 Points
Gorgeous, black fruit, modest nose, and mild tannins with a long finish make this a solid wine. I have one left and will enjoy shortly as I cannot imagine this will improve from today's pleasant drink
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2/12/2014 - Paul Lin wrote: 86 Points
Displays notes of ripe black cherry, cassis, loamy soil, and sweet tobacco. Polished mouthfeel and resolved tannins. But too flabby. I would drink this sooner than later.
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1/3/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Delicious black fruit and a slight madeira at first, then blew off into a terrific cherry and mint sensation. We really enjoyed this wine but its definitely at its peak.
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11/10/2013 - mijnamfauk Likes this wine: 94 Points
surprised...generally a poor vintage..but this was delicious..wonderful nose,soft and still fruity but with ten year old dark and delicious smell and taste...have three more ..will drink them this year...might get better but don't think so..will enjoy it while at its peak..
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5/21/2013 - Paul Lin wrote: flawed
Corked!
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1/3/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Very dark red-purple. Decanted for 2+ hrs, drank 2+ glasses over 3 hours. Started drinking this at about 30 minutes into the decant, and if was clear this needed more time. After 90 minutes this really began to show. The nose has earth, funk, black fruits of blackberry and cassis that develop a nice ripe character over time, dusty minerals and spiced oak. The palate is full bodied, inky, dark fruits, cassis, blackberry, licorice, glycerin, velvety on the front and mid palate, with spice, moderate oak, and dusty firm tannins. Medium plus finish. There was no heat noted after the initial tastes. There is bit more oak than ideal, but a longer decant makes a substantial difference.
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10/1/2012 - thomaskeil wrote: 89 Points
2 Hour decant. Sediment, but did not improve. Still reddish violet. Loads of dark fruit on nose with vanilla and a little smoke. Palate is soft and a little fat. Medium plus intensity fruit that is fresh and pure. Didn't note the etoh this time. Fairly unidimensional,
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8/13/2012 - jbrekke wrote:
Somewhat disappointing bottle. Lacked complexity. At its peak. A smokiness in the mid-palate that was somewhat off-putting.
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8/4/2012 - Tmurphrey wrote: 93 Points
Way better than I expected. Beat out Dancing Hares 03 and jones family 04. Perfect age right now.
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2/23/2012 - mmontejano wrote: 92 Points
Birthday wine!
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9/21/2011 - Hawaiimike wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic!
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8/8/2011 - jbrekke wrote:
Very good basic Cali Cab. Lacks depth and nuance, but what is there is quite enjoyable. Probably at its peak right now.
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8/7/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 89 Points
Leslie visits Cleveland - Part 2: Perhaps a bit generic and not from the best vintage but still plenty to like about this. Cassis, some oak. There is a nice complexity and great texture. Interesting wine.
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6/5/2011 - eSchrag wrote: 94 Points
Classic Cali cab. Wish I had another case. Deep blue/black color. Great cab nose of currant, forest, and leather. Delicious red currant fruit with a medium to long finish. Great QPR. Enjoy!!!
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5/15/2011 - huntinpagan wrote: 86 Points
Popped and poured. Very dark purple color to the rim, tending towards opaque. Subdued nose showing some blackberry, currant, sage and leather. Medium body, medium-low acidity. Slightly tart currant, menthol, leather and some spice notes. Pretty one dimensional and a touch hollow on the midpalate. Short-medium finish. Turns dry and leathery. A green herbal streak comes out as well.
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4/3/2011 - Vinomark wrote: 91 Points
Elegant & vivacious. Drank with David L. @ WWS
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1/9/2011 - mmontejano wrote: 93 Points
Wow. Soooo good. Finish lasts very, very long.
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10/11/2010 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
Well done, opened up about 2 hours before we ate, paired with beef and it was excellent - Black, full bodied with a nose of plum, black fruit, spice, cedar and vanilla, very well balanced, smooth, integrated and complex, strong tannins still, silky smooth on the palate with terrific length (92 Points).
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8/10/2010 - rwstorer wrote: 92 Points
Dark red in color with the slightest of brown tinge on the edge. Bottle was opened but not poured for two hours. Served with BBQ rack of lamb. Aromas of smoke and swwet cedar. Flavors of sweet cherry, blackberry and a hint of menthol. Velvety smooth and really an enjoyable wine. I'm puzzled by the previous comments but maybe the lamb with garlic, olive oil, salt pepper and rosemary was the perfect compliment to the wine??
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7/21/2010 - twelch wrote:
Tight shut down herbal green you name it. A little hint of what is in there but either this is just not going anywhere or needs more time. On day two it opened up a little to review some nice dark fruit but with a lack of tannins and less than desirable acidity I don't think this wine is in it for the long hall. Perhaps an off bottle.
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7/20/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 87 Points
Just another overblown, sweet, characterless Napa Cab. Disappointing for $27 on sale, horrible for the $50 average price.
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6/6/2010 - Double D wrote: 92 Points
Compared with 06 Caymus at dinner with friends. Most preferred the Caymus, which most described as sweeter and with a flowery nose. The Shafer was more dry and more nuanced complexity and while good with dinner would probably do better on it own compared to the Caymus.
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2/8/2010 - jbrekke wrote:
Good, but expected more. Ripe fruits without complexity. Wanted some more earth/tobacco, etc.
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12/6/2009 - ken-yyz wrote: 92 Points
Textbook wonderful Shafer cab. Opened the celebrate the receipt of the '05 Hillside Select
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11/26/2009 - sgtam wrote:
Ken's house
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11/2/2009 - Double D wrote: 92 Points
Rich, sweet cab, tannins seem under control and ready for drinking.
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8/30/2009 - pbjosh wrote:
Ripe, sweet, rich, round. A bit mute on the nose, sweet on the palate. Cocoa / vanilla / cassis, hint of cedar. Not my style but perfectly drinkable.
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7/4/2009 - rlleigh wrote: 94 Points
Excellent
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4/23/2009 - bigdomer wrote: 84 Points
Way, way too earthy, almost farmey/barnyard for me. It calmed down after about an hour of decanting. However, the 2006 Caymus that we had next to this was twice as good!
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3/14/2009 - Mark wrote: 90 Points
Rich dark red fruit, this bottle was good soon after open and continued to drink well for hours. Good balance with good fruit but a bit softer overall.
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1/12/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Lush dark red fruit. Balance and finesse. Feminine.
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12/6/2008 - spendergast wrote: 87 Points
Ordered two bottles at Giovanni's. First bottle was excellent - dense fruit with hint of oak, smooth tannins. Second bottle was not nearly as good, much more earthy and grainy - thought it was corked at first. First bottle 90, second bottle 84.
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11/25/2008 - thomaskeil wrote: 89 Points
PnP. Reddish violet. Plenty of dark fruit, spice, tobacco, oak and a little etoh on the nose. Full bodied fruit with a bit of greeness and firm tannins. Pretty nice.
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8/16/2008 - EyeDoc wrote: 90 Points
This was excellent and better than many 03s. Great fruit - needs up to an hour to blow off some alcohol.
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6/12/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Served blind at an offline. Some heat on the nose with restrained fruit. On the palate:noticeable oak with a good structure of tannins and fruit. Good. Wine of the flight.
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3/24/2008 - ptheimer wrote: 93 Points
Gotta get more, a nice blend of new and old, great nose with laid-back subtlety, long finish with complexity that took the night to unfold, excellently balanced fruit and a strong mid-palate
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2/14/2008 - tomsch wrote: 90 Points
Not as good as the last bottle we drank but still a good Shafer Cab. Mix of tobacco and spice with a rather short finish. Could have used more time in the decanter since the last glass was showing improvement.
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1/27/2008 - gr8r84u wrote: 92 Points
Tight at first but opened up nicely. Needs at least an hour in the decanter. Somewhat muted dark fruits on the nose and palate. I would give this a little time.
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12/26/2007 - chicagobagley wrote: 90 Points
Not as good as the 2002 Pride Merlot we also had with dinner, but a very nice wine. Probably could have been aged a bit longer, but it was very good.
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12/6/2007 - ken-yyz wrote: 92 Points
Hmmmm, I thought on opening. Not giving up much, kind of short too, oh oh... Initial impressions can be deceiving and this a) needed to warm up from cellar temperature and b) needed some air.
This is a beautiful CA cab. Cedar, cassis and just a tad of graphite on the nose. The palate is rich, plush with some blackberry, more cassis and a decent dose of earthiness. Plenty of tannin and a long persistent finish.
I know that the Hillside Select is viewed as being a step down from it's highest heights, but if the regular cab is compass, I can't wait to crack open my first HSS.
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11/29/2007 - johnphinney8 wrote: 91 Points
Tasted pretty green at first, and I was worried that the weakness of the vintage would prove true, but the winemaking at Shafer dominates with time and air. Very plush and velvety with currant, tobacco, and the spice that one gets from Hillside, minus the opulence, of course. Very approachable after an hour or two decanting, and nice acidity to give lift and freshness to the finish. Quite happy with this one.
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11/20/2007 - jhngo wrote: flawed
Slightly corked... threw off the flavors in this otherwise good wine.
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11/18/2007 - JDB wrote: 91 Points
certainly improving , I do not know how much better it will get but w/ an hour in the decanter ... very tasty
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9/25/2007 - drcbarroso wrote: 90 Points
Needs time in the decanter to open up--at least an hour or two. Nice nose of cigar box and dark fruits. Palate confirms the nose. Medium finish with a touch of a tannic kick and decent acidity. Well balanced, nice wine, but probably should hold for a year or two.
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9/8/2007 - Vino Me wrote: flawed
Alred poured this over the weekend at his home. He dacanted this for 2 hours. This wasn't giving much and Allred thought it was slightly corked. I'm not susceptible to TCA and have not had this wine before so I'll defer. Not a bad wine but lacking in fruit and not what you would expect. I would have scored it in the mid 80's.
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9/7/2007 - AllRed wrote: flawed
Corked, without a doubt.
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9/7/2007 - spacewrangler wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3+ hours. Seamless red currant with notes of pipe tobacco, spice and plush, structured fruit. Very pleasurable to drink.
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9/5/2007 - Surferdude wrote: 90 Points
Yummy as always, but gave me a ripping headache afterward.
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6/18/2007 - bluevespa wrote: 91 Points
Big dark rich cab. Can use some cellaring, but delicious now.
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6/17/2007 - acheng wrote: 89 Points
Had this previously at a tasting dinner. Consistent notes. A satisfying aroma of cherry, chocolate and plum. Food friendly acidity and resolved tannin. Overpriced.
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5/19/2007 - dwandrus wrote: 90 Points
BC-03392884; Deep Cabernet color, cassis and red currant, velvety but with good structure. OK finish.
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5/12/2007 - Colima74 wrote: 93 Points
Took to dinner at Houston's with Robo-cop, Gerry and Youndy....also had 02 Blankiet and 04 Quilceda Creek....this was the winner of the night for its drinkability...very balanced, with no big oak poking thru (like the QC), nice fruit, and elegance from front to back....probably everyone's WOTN
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4/12/2007 - gzim wrote: 90 Points
Inky dark dense wine, nose of dark berries. Great structure, nice body. Bottle was gone too quickly!
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4/9/2007 - gnihei wrote: 91 Points
Good Steak Wine. Big chewy fruit with a nice dry smooth finish.
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3/1/2007 - dsemmen wrote: 96 Points
Unreal! A Superb Napa CAB! This could easily be $100 plus!
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2/23/2007 - ancientvines wrote: 93 Points
Great wine.
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2/19/2007 - DuckfaninMT wrote: 92 Points
Had side by side with the 2002 Cliff Lede Stag's Leap Cabernet, both decanted for 1 - 1.5 hours). My wife greatly preferred the somewhat softer subtlety of the Lede over the Shafer (and there is indeed a lovely complexity, yet subtleness to the Lede, which I loved; it's an absolutely exquisite wine), but while I truly enjoyed the Lede, I also liked the "bite" that was inherent with the Shafer. To be honest, while there are distinct differences between the two, I enjoyed them both equally, though if "push came to shove" I would probably favor - just slightly - the Lede. Plus, I think the value is better with the Lede compared to the Shafer. That said, I plan on purchasing more of the '03 Shafer as it'll be interesting to see how it matures over the course of a year or more.
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1/23/2007 - beezer6 wrote: 87 Points
Drank from a 375ml.
Medium ruby color. Moderate legs.
Nose of red berries.
Definitely needs a little more time in the bottle.
Still an approachable Napa cab.
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1/20/2007 - ken-yyz wrote: 93 Points
Really fantastic. Almost surprisingly so. From the cellar, this took about two hours to open up, but has great casis on the nose and impressive concentration of fruit and impressive soft tannins. The texture is all velvet ending with a bit of sandpaper.
Great juice!
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12/25/2006 - Mike Kearn wrote: 95 Points
What a wondeful pairing with Chateuxbriand! Lush fruit with smooth and silky tannins.
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10/28/2006 - win wrote: 89 Points
Very fruit forward, in your face. Obviously, still young. Needs some time.
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10/13/2006 - pbjosh wrote: 88 Points
Ripe, full bodied and plush. This is rich and basically good wine but fails to impress. Not a clean or precise wine, muddled flavors and no where near the level of typicty, delineation or depth that I would expect or hope for at this price. Not a good QPR at all, many better wines are available at 1/2 the price.
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9/24/2006 - spacewrangler wrote: 94 Points
Delicious cab with mint, cassis and fruit on the nose - leading to a rich, long lasting finish
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9/3/2006 - aof wrote: 90 Points
Good all rounder; too fruity for my taste
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7/17/2006 - slippytoad wrote: 95 Points
Great nose, complex palate, rich cassis and chocolate. Really enjoyed it but pricey.
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6/6/2006 - 97mjr wrote: 90 Points
Cassis, plum, mocho and mild herbal finish. I actually prefer mountain cabs to SL, but a nice example of this area. Still has some edges and will improve with age but drinking well in its youth
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6/3/2006 - RJD wrote: 92 Points
Not sure what RP and ST were tasting here, but this is a better wine than sub 90. The 02 was a puppy dog, wagging its tail and licking your face with its fruit and bravado. This 03 is a more serious wine; however, after 4 hours of air, it was open for business (didn't have a chance to taste it any earlier.) Good dark fruit, yet a very well structed wine. Tannic right now? Yes. But I believe these will resolve over time and the wine has what it takes to age wel and improve. These guys do a great job.
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5/22/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful example of Stag's Leap District Cab. Elegant and refined. Dark purple color. Deep berry fruit, vanilla, cedar and dark cocoa. Well structured tannins and long, lingering finish.
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4/29/2006 - Hillbilly wrote: 92 Points
From a 375. Deep rich purple color. Expressive nose out of the bottle, sweet blackberries, cassis and currant city. Some anise and a touch of spiced oak, mild espresso and char. Medium bodied. Classic California Cabernet and underrated by the big man, IMHO. RMP suggests "aggressive tannin" in his note. I found a pleasant structure that was in no way overpowering with food. I think the heft and concentration in this wine will surpise you a bit for the regular bottling. If you aggressively swirl the wine in your mouth for 15+ seconds, you will find some real drying tannin. If you drink the wine (without a tremendous palate "hang time"), I do not think you will notice the tannin to be off putting as he suggests. The front and mid palates are fairly strong and you may well find the finish a little too drying. I found this more drinkable than the 02 now. It is not showing some of the clunkiness of the 02. For me the 02 needs a good but of air and the bottle dregs are always better day two than day one. Weighs in at a Broadbentian toe curling 14.8% alcohol.
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