Popped and poured; enjoyed over several hours. The 1994 Chateau Souverain, Cabernet Sauvignon pours a deep ruby fading to maroon via garnet, toward the rim. Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous. The fruit is mostly red in profile and desiccated: cherries, strawberries, currants, green bell pepper, tobacco, leather, coffee, cocoa and warm spices. Tannins are still pretty firm. Acid is medium. Full of life yet and quite charming! Just goes to show that good winemaking, decent fruit and great provenance can allow even some of the more humble wines to age well (given proper cellar conditions). Drink now.
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Quite smooth about 1/2 of the double magnum was with sediment but the first 1/2 a bottle baby button smooth, all the good things with little fruit and nothing bad its excellent bottle just not as bright for a higher score.
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Hitting the spot tonight. Dark fruit, baker's chocolate, cigar box, saddle leather, good acidity, dusty dark tannins that linger on the finish. I've had highly respected left bank Bordeaux that didn't come close to this. I'm giving it a extra point for over achieving.
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Didn't know what to expect from this case bought at auction on a whim, but it's considerably better than a 21 year old $15 bottle of Cali Cab has any right to be. Positives: the fruit is still lively, and it's nicely balanced between tart red berries, plum, cigar box, saddle leather, mocha and a bit of bell pepper on the longish finish. Detractors: it's relatively light bodied, and despite the flavours I listed above, it's a little simple and soft.
But hey, who's complaining?! Not me.
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3 Liter star of the evening! So fun to open - purpose of the party with lots of ceremony. Took 3 pours out into magnum decanter before the bottle was empty.
Fresh and vibrant aroma, slightest bricking. Flavor was still tart berry with the slightest hint of pepper. Good mocha finish.
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3 Liter star of the vertical. Really fresh although the tannins were long ago integrated. Too much fun to open and poured 3 times in a magnum decanter before the bottle was empty.
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The cork broke on opening, but I decanted and filtered. This is obviously an old cab that is in its decline, but still drinkable. I enjoyed it but not everyone at the table agreed. If you have any left, drink up now.
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Amazed that this bottle had held up so well. The nose was very nice when I first opened the bottle. The wine was a little tight when first tasted, but 15 minutes in the glass and it came to life. Wonderful dark ruby color, cherry, leather and some tanin on the palate. All in all a very nice bottle to enjoy . . . and a complete surprise to be able to enjoy it after nearly 18 years.
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I loved reading the reviews of this wine/winery on this vintage. I feel the same nostalgia for the good value wines of the 90's, especially this bottle. I should have drank it 2 years ago but last night, I drank my last Souverain. Dark ruby color, close to full bodied, a great nose of leather, spice, slaughter house-meaty notes. Envelopes the palate and activates the sides of the tongue that bode well but fell slightly short in the clipped but pleasant finish. Still, the mouthfeel and balance (and plummy smokey earthy flavors with some dark berry fruits) brought back wonderful memories on the life this well made wine. Drink up, you won't be disappointed unless you keep it any longer.
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Dark cherry, currant, and smoky plum notes, with oak, leather, and dust. Medium body, medium finish. Nice showing of a very reasonably priced 1994 Cabernet.
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For a while in the 90's, Souverain was my go to wine for world class price value. '90, '91 and '94 were all outstanding and then some dark side event occurred (as happened so often in California during this period) and they lost their footing. This is the last bottle of '94 I have and I think I paid $9.99 or $10.99. I kept it more for the memories than because I harbored any illusions of its drinkability in 2010. Mostly well stored for about 13 years.
Retains a nice ruby red with some bricking. On the nose, there's coffee, tobacco, blackberry and dusty minerals. Maybe a little alcohol peeking through, but hey, I'm not complaining. The mouthfeel and texture are terrific for a wine of this modest upbringing, soft, smooth with curves in the right places. The fruit lingers, but it evokes in me a certain sadness, like goldengrove unleaving. I have one bottle of the '91 Souverain left, which I think was $7.99. I can't wait to spring it on a friend in the near future.
Northwoods New Year 2010; 12/27/2009-1/3/2010 (Boulder Junction, Wisconsin): Opened a bit thin and funky on the nose initially. After 6-7 hours opened (not decanted), the funk blew off and palate added some weight / elegance. A nice example of what a somewhat "traditional" California wine shows with some age.
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Moderate color, fairly youthful looking. Fresh fruit, cedar nose, but lord, the palate was dominated beginning to end by a huge oaky base that gave it a toasted, astringent finish. The label made a point of saying that this was barrel aged; I would never have known otherwise.
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Ahhhhh, classic Souverain wine! I miss the 90's......Dark plum, currant, tart cherry fruit....dusty cedar spice, anise, leather, I TOTALLY get the beef bouillon in the previous note! Rich and dusty, well integrated with age, but still has power.....and this is just the "regular" cab???? The new "Reserve" is the old "Regular"???......this is a testament of how great and pure winemaking was in the recent past.....and all for what...$12-15 bucks?!?!?!? Long way to go with this wine.....
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92 pts initially. Coincidentally, I picked up a couple of these on auction without realizing that I had already had a bottle (gift). A bit punky on the nose with mature fruit, sweaty cedar, and a bit of beef bouillon. The beauty of this wine is on the palate, which is quite rich and full. Cassis with a chalky minerality. Some light tannins on the finish that could be a result of not standing it up prior to serving (e.g. sediment). Loses some luster (90 points) after being open 90 minutes or so.
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What a nice surprise from this old Alexander Valley cab. Full bodies, rich complex nose and still has some cherry or barry notes with the fresh plum notes as well. Good long finish with a smokey edge. It has fresh feel about that makes it feel younger than it is. Nice long finish.
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Fully mature if not over the hill, this wine lacks the structure to age for over 10 years. Nonetheless the fruit is full, round, and mature. The sweet fruit is still there, but it is beginning to turn a little with some bitterness. Not terribly complex, but pleasant with a fairly long finish. Warm and easy drinking with notes of tobacco and leather. B-
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Another pleasant surprise from Mom's cellar. Had with Jeff for the U of Mich / Ohio State football game. This is drinking extremely well, with strong cherry-like fruit on the palate, well integrated (and still present) tannins. A smooth and pleasant mid-length finish. A pleasure to drink a mature Cab, as I have so few in my cellar. I would rate this one higher, but have not because I think my palate is biased by the near perfect maturity of this wine.
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10/23/2023 - thesternowl wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured; enjoyed over several hours. The 1994 Chateau Souverain, Cabernet Sauvignon pours a deep ruby fading to maroon via garnet, toward the rim. Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous. The fruit is mostly red in profile and desiccated: cherries, strawberries, currants, green bell pepper, tobacco, leather, coffee, cocoa and warm spices. Tannins are still pretty firm. Acid is medium. Full of life yet and quite charming! Just goes to show that good winemaking, decent fruit and great provenance can allow even some of the more humble wines to age well (given proper cellar conditions). Drink now.
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5/27/2023 - mercurius wrote:
Good but nowhere close to the 1991. Still a great bottle of wine that is drinking great at nearly 30 years of age.
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1/15/2023 - Kozakofthewest Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite smooth about 1/2 of the double magnum was with sediment but the first 1/2 a bottle baby button smooth, all the good things with little fruit and nothing bad its excellent bottle just not as bright for a higher score.
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1/13/2021 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
This is quite tasty! Gorgeous nose (A-). Rich palate (B++/A-).
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12/17/2016 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Hitting the spot tonight. Dark fruit, baker's chocolate, cigar box, saddle leather, good acidity, dusty dark tannins that linger on the finish. I've had highly respected left bank Bordeaux that didn't come close to this. I'm giving it a extra point for over achieving.
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3/12/2016 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lots of red fruit and cigar box. Resolved tannins, good acidity. Short finish, but can't complain at the price point ($16 at auction).
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10/13/2015 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Didn't know what to expect from this case bought at auction on a whim, but it's considerably better than a 21 year old $15 bottle of Cali Cab has any right to be. Positives: the fruit is still lively, and it's nicely balanced between tart red berries, plum, cigar box, saddle leather, mocha and a bit of bell pepper on the longish finish. Detractors: it's relatively light bodied, and despite the flavours I listed above, it's a little simple and soft.
But hey, who's complaining?! Not me.
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5/26/2014 - magic2coop wrote: 94 Points
3 Liter star of the evening! So fun to open - purpose of the party with lots of ceremony. Took 3 pours out into magnum decanter before the bottle was empty.
Fresh and vibrant aroma, slightest bricking. Flavor was still tart berry with the slightest hint of pepper. Good mocha finish.
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5/26/2014 - magic2coop wrote: 94 Points
3 Liter star of the vertical. Really fresh although the tannins were long ago integrated. Too much fun to open and poured 3 times in a magnum decanter before the bottle was empty.
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8/7/2013 - toontune wrote: 92 Points
Powerful and balanced...showing nice aging...perfect to drink now but can sit in the bottle even longer.
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8/2/2013 - Nike-Raider wrote:
The cork broke on opening, but I decanted and filtered. This is obviously an old cab that is in its decline, but still drinkable. I enjoyed it but not everyone at the table agreed. If you have any left, drink up now.
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1/16/2012 - Tchelistcheff wrote: 89 Points
Amazed that this bottle had held up so well. The nose was very nice when I first opened the bottle. The wine was a little tight when first tasted, but 15 minutes in the glass and it came to life. Wonderful dark ruby color, cherry, leather and some tanin on the palate. All in all a very nice bottle to enjoy . . . and a complete surprise to be able to enjoy it after nearly 18 years.
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1/14/2012 - dino_mike wrote: 88 Points
I loved reading the reviews of this wine/winery on this vintage. I feel the same nostalgia for the good value wines of the 90's, especially this bottle. I should have drank it 2 years ago but last night, I drank my last Souverain. Dark ruby color, close to full bodied, a great nose of leather, spice, slaughter house-meaty notes. Envelopes the palate and activates the sides of the tongue that bode well but fell slightly short in the clipped but pleasant finish. Still, the mouthfeel and balance (and plummy smokey earthy flavors with some dark berry fruits) brought back wonderful memories on the life this well made wine. Drink up, you won't be disappointed unless you keep it any longer.
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4/27/2011 - JDRFoster wrote: 89 Points
Dark cherry, currant, and smoky plum notes, with oak, leather, and dust. Medium body, medium finish. Nice showing of a very reasonably priced 1994 Cabernet.
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5/8/2010 - bevetroppo wrote: 89 Points
For a while in the 90's, Souverain was my go to wine for world class price value. '90, '91 and '94 were all outstanding and then some dark side event occurred (as happened so often in California during this period) and they lost their footing. This is the last bottle of '94 I have and I think I paid $9.99 or $10.99. I kept it more for the memories than because I harbored any illusions of its drinkability in 2010. Mostly well stored for about 13 years.
Retains a nice ruby red with some bricking. On the nose, there's coffee, tobacco, blackberry and dusty minerals. Maybe a little alcohol peeking through, but hey, I'm not complaining. The mouthfeel and texture are terrific for a wine of this modest upbringing, soft, smooth with curves in the right places. The fruit lingers, but it evokes in me a certain sadness, like goldengrove unleaving. I have one bottle of the '91 Souverain left, which I think was $7.99. I can't wait to spring it on a friend in the near future.
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12/31/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 90 Points
Northwoods New Year 2010; 12/27/2009-1/3/2010 (Boulder Junction, Wisconsin): Opened a bit thin and funky on the nose initially. After 6-7 hours opened (not decanted), the funk blew off and palate added some weight / elegance. A nice example of what a somewhat "traditional" California wine shows with some age.
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12/29/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
Moderate color, fairly youthful looking. Fresh fruit, cedar nose, but lord, the palate was dominated beginning to end by a huge oaky base that gave it a toasted, astringent finish. The label made a point of saying that this was barrel aged; I would never have known otherwise.
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5/19/2009 - Mrbuzz wrote: 94 Points
Ahhhhh, classic Souverain wine! I miss the 90's......Dark plum, currant, tart cherry fruit....dusty cedar spice, anise, leather, I TOTALLY get the beef bouillon in the previous note! Rich and dusty, well integrated with age, but still has power.....and this is just the "regular" cab???? The new "Reserve" is the old "Regular"???......this is a testament of how great and pure winemaking was in the recent past.....and all for what...$12-15 bucks?!?!?!? Long way to go with this wine.....
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1/23/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 90 Points
92 pts initially. Coincidentally, I picked up a couple of these on auction without realizing that I had already had a bottle (gift). A bit punky on the nose with mature fruit, sweaty cedar, and a bit of beef bouillon. The beauty of this wine is on the palate, which is quite rich and full. Cassis with a chalky minerality. Some light tannins on the finish that could be a result of not standing it up prior to serving (e.g. sediment). Loses some luster (90 points) after being open 90 minutes or so.
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8/14/2008 - daCrusher wrote: 89 Points
still very tasty, drinking well, fruit start to just fade a little
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6/28/2008 - cassel wrote: 90 Points
93,94,96 vertical. Quite complex nice mouth feel.
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12/29/2007 - dino_mike wrote: 91 Points
What a nice surprise from this old Alexander Valley cab. Full bodies, rich complex nose and still has some cherry or barry notes with the fresh plum notes as well. Good long finish with a smokey edge. It has fresh feel about that makes it feel younger than it is. Nice long finish.
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1/14/2007 - MRichman wrote:
Fully mature if not over the hill, this wine lacks the structure to age for over 10 years. Nonetheless the fruit is full, round, and mature. The sweet fruit is still there, but it is beginning to turn a little with some bitterness. Not terribly complex, but pleasant with a fairly long finish. Warm and easy drinking with notes of tobacco and leather.
B-
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11/18/2006 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Another pleasant surprise from Mom's cellar. Had with Jeff for the U of Mich / Ohio State football game. This is drinking extremely well, with strong cherry-like fruit on the palate, well integrated (and still present) tannins. A smooth and pleasant mid-length finish. A pleasure to drink a mature Cab, as I have so few in my cellar. I would rate this one higher, but have not because I think my palate is biased by the near perfect maturity of this wine.
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5/30/1998 - magic2coop wrote:
Still love that green pepper.
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5/30/1998 - magic2coop wrote:
Kicking ass!
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12/25/1997 - magic2coop wrote:
Had at Brian and Trish’s with Buffalo steaks.
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12/24/1997 - magic2coop wrote:
Had with Buffalo roast.
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12/13/1997 - magic2coop wrote:
Awesome green pepper and still has tannin. Soft fruit, raspberry and strong hints of oak.
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