Nice mature cab with dark red and black fruit, licorice and menthol. Nice fruity mid palate and a long or medium long finish. Nice mouth feel. Really nice overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP. Needed time as it started out with a slight bitterness in the finish. After 30 minutes, that resolved. Garnet red with light bricking at the rim. Very aromatic with blackberry, currant, cassis, black tea, spice, and earth. Medium body with black fruits, cassis, spice, earth, and tea. Silky smooth finish. Not sure it will improve, but showing well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark garnet inky/purple colored, medium-full-bodied, complex but nicely balanced and integrated flavors of blackberry and black currant fruits, notes of cassis, black tea, subtle notes cinnamon spice, Linda noted sprites of menthol or mint, what one pundit referred to as a "rather warm finish", turning to supple tannins on a bright expressive lingering finish. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/02/birthday-family-dinner-celebration.html
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still somewhat youthful, but developing some nice aged secondary flavors. Dark red fruits, black currant, tobacco, plum. Long finish, still some tannins lurking. Very, much better than I was expecting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow Still drinking strong. Unctuous. Notes of coffee slate and charred bones along w a spicy layer of fruit on a medium length finish. Good for several days of enjoyment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great value upon purchase, great value upon consumption. Lasts over several days one glass at a time rather effortlessly. No visual signs of deterioration. Perhaps some on the nose but the palate experience is complex complete w jammy dark fruit and a robust if abbreviated finish. Glad I still have quite a bit to enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Evergreen, plum, almonds on a soft nose. Dark and rich colored w soft thin legs. Parker nailed thin wine in its infancy. Left bank smoke and chocolate go straight up an impatient post palate nose. Sweet cherries and braised somethin’ followed by a more than medium finish. The wine was opened about 5 mins prior. Imagine what tomorrow will bring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aerated remaining half of a magnum with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of black cherry, currant, licorice and underbrush. Ripe black and red fruit, dark chocolate, licorice, leather and dried herbs on the palate with good persistence. Full bodied. Served with grilled pork chops and a red wine sauce.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really hit its stride 3 hours after opening, complex Bordeaux blend showing dark fruits, graphite, cedar and completely integrated tannins. Wonderful with filet mignon. Probably at its peak.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Coravined half a magnum, aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Aromatic nose of currant, wild berries, cocoa and dried herbs. A soft black and red fruit core with chocolate, graphite and mineral notes with a hint of green pepper. Leads to a medium to long, dry finish. Medium to full bodied. Very pretty, mature Cali-cab. Plan to finish the remainder of the magnum in 2016. Paired with roast beef.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Everything is softening about this, though there's stlil plenty of fruit and structure. Really in such a beautiful place. Heavenly with New York Strips. No immediate rush, but probably a good idea to finish these in the next couple of years. I'll probably pop the final bottle of this long-cherished case in 2016.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Soft mouthfeel with sweet cherry and red currant flavors and medium body. Not impressiive but better than I expected from a former company that spelled its name backward to come up with a label.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Complexity, depth, balance, sweet sophistication. This has really evolved into an incredible wine with several years to go in this plateau. 93-94. Best 2015-2017.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured through Vinturi with some friends. Cork broke in half which had me fearing the worst. However, I agree with the last two posters on this one. My last and only bottle and it was delicious. Highly recommended and a really enjoyable wine that thrilled once it had a few minutes open. Highly recommended to drink this one now since I doubt it gets any better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This took an hour to open up, but THEN....bam!!! Perfect in many ways. Beautiful plush fruit (dark red, currant), tannins all smoothed out but still evident, and spicy oak that kept rising to the surface. By hour number 2 'twas pure spiced jam. Medium to full body still. Good work St. Clement. An aged beauty of a wine!
Fun fact: This wine was developed by the corporate folks who purchased St. Clement, in response to the Super Bordeaux blends (namely Opus) popular at the time. The "exotic sounding name" will tell you, if you read it backwards, what this corporation is most known for.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first 90 points for a qpr wine in a while. Just so freakin' well made and balanced. Not a weak moment from nose to finish. Dark fruit and tannin coat the entire mouth for a 30 plus second finish. Plenty of life left........
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
a bit faded, maybe corked. Smoky, chewy, earthy, a little leather, some plum. Sort of tawny port, but not over the top. A little hollowness which is why I think its corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needed about 30-60min to flatten out; first taste (out of the bottle) was unbalanced but fairly quickly settled into a very pleasant and reasonably structured wine. Probably peaking about now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is drinking very well. It does need to breathe some and is even better on the second night. Fresh vibrant fruit balanced by toasted vanilla, oak and smooth tannins. It is well structured and surprisingly there is no evidence of sediment in the bottle despite its age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Better the r2nd day, need some time to bresthe. Was a it tart initially and smoothed out nicely after a day in the bottle. I did gas with Nitrogen. I don't think this wine has much more time left, need to get drinking these.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking well, now. Red fruit, cassis and tar upon opening. A very showy wine--even better with our grilled fillet mignon steak, roast potatos and roast parsnips. A delicious cabernet. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Too busy cooking to make any notes. I thought this wine was beautiful. Red fruit on the nose and entry to the palate with a little pine needle as well. Medium length finish with a gentle buzz of tannin. Drinking very well now but I think it will still be in its prime next year as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double decanted 24hrs ahead. An interesting nose of leafy, linear blackcurrant and campfire, juxtaposed against a mocha infused black cherry and a touch of damp earth. Medium bodied, with very tight black fruits leading to a rather harsh, tannic, VA finish with a distinctly bitter aftertaste. This wine did settle down over 2-3 hrs, becoming more harmonious, less harsh and that dried, resinous tobacco move to more of a pine needle note. Not sure that this will age positively.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank w/SPO last night.. Agree about the dynamic status of the wine. Not sure if it was the wonder food at Blue Boheme or if it was truely the wine. Noticed plums on the palate. Not typical over the top Napa Cab.. enjoyable but not a knockout either.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On first opening it seemed to be a cedar berry type of wine. I also noticed some burnt rubbber. At one point it did show a hint of green.This wine was in flux the entire evening. At times a little harsh and at other times really good.
84-88 Points due to variation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium dark fruit combined with underlying structure and a minimum of minerality in a SMOOTH wine with a wonderful, medium-to-long finish...what a wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle had a slightly less round more structure than silkiness kind of thing happin than I remember from bottles past...Good wine but not the super tasty big fruit wine that I was looking for
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A disjointed attack leads to a complex wine tasting of strawberry, grilled pork, cassis, and wet earth. A surprise burst of butterscotch joined the long, fading, cherry pit finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
dark fruit plenty of tannins. a complex bordeaux head case, and what fun it is trying to figure it out..........great with duck and a rocky box pressed 1990.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic Napa cab - even better than anticipated. Classic nose of deep, dark black currants, graphite, blackberry, toasty oak and a hint of mint and eucalyptus. Tons of dark fruit and earth on the palate with very firm, but fine and well integrated tannins. Superb finish that goes on and on. Left 1.5 glasses for night two and it was virtually unchanged - fruit and tannins still strong. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep ruby red. Decanted for close to an hour. Rich, lush nose of blackberry and chocolate. Tasted of cherries, oak and earth. Silky mouthfeel and muted tannins. The wine is quite ready to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very round and elegant. I agree that this is much more Bordeaux like than Cali. Cab. like. Tannins have faded to the background and this is ready to drink. I don't see this improving with age, but it should last for 5 more years. Perhaps a little more muted than I would have expected, but a nice wine for the price for sure. Very different from the typical full force modern Cali. Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened not decanted. Maroon red in color with some sediment staining the inside of the bottle that was facing down. Clean nose of dark grape juice on opening; on the palate: lots of dry cocoa with some dark, dried raisin notes; ends with a sweet and a slightly musty dry finish. Good to Very Good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark purple, opaque throughout - no signs of aging. Decanted for sediment, but there was hardly any. Nose of dark fruits and some plum and floral. Similar palate with some currant and oak as well. Medium finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A delicious, deep taste and lots of red berry flavors. But tastes a little primary to me, and shows its 14.9% alcohol on the finish. Absolutely better than the 78 points (Wine Spectator) ... but we thought this needs another year or 2 to show more complexity. We're marking our other bottle drink 2009 or 2010. With a medium-rare, dry-aged steak, potatoes and grilled zucchini.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Has gained elegance and balance since last tasting almost three years ago. The deep purple color is perfectly intact. It looks just like a 2005. Gobs of sweet boysenberry, black cherry, creme de cassis, toasted oak and crushed violet. Tannins are fine grained and smooth on the finish. The wine is well balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank as part of a 4 year vertical (1997, 2001, 2002 and 2003). It surpassed all of them including the 1997 which was very good but much more subdued with the added aging. Always a great blend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sweet nose of plums, black cherries and dark chocolate. Tasted like plums, with a roasted quality. Not a bad wine with rib eye steaks, but one-dimentional and a bit simple. Enjoyable, but not outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Strong blackberry syrup on the nose ; purple red in color. Tight and tannic straight out of the bottle, so I poured it into a decanter. Consumed over an hour and a half. Never opened up and the nose was better than the palate. Rather disappointing, as I was expecting more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep purple, brilliant bouquet of jammy fruit with pretty floral notes, quite a combination...Pooped and poured, loved the wine from the first sip...Big fruit forward wine with very upfront fruit, but structured and nusanced...Grippy tannins, great acidity and a big and long finish that was very satisfying....Looking fwd to the the ageing of the next bottles in the cellar
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Interesting. Light on its feet with cassis on the initial entry. The fruit is going through transition to the wood and earth notes. It’s still got a very nice sweetness on the palate. There is some vegetal on the nose, but mostly it’s tar, smoke, earth, and some mineral. It was a nice wine that evolved over the course of 2-3 hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
THIRD ANNUAL RISE & DECLINE TASTING: Slightly hot nose dissapated leaving twotn with ripe (and a hint of roasted) cherry vanilla and golden carmalized scotch-like notes. Lush, velvetty and full-bodied with just-perfectly-sweet bright cherry and berry and a persistent but integrated and mellow finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ooh, this is good! Minty eucalyptus right off the nose entices me to keep swirling. Huge black plum, some currant, toasty oak and vanilla, very new world nose past the eucalypt. The palate is huge, juicy, fruity style with rich black fruits, full body, and moderate tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really nice bottle from a great vintage. Not the most complex wine but decent notes of blackberry, wood, and spice. Drank with a braised chicken dish in a rich red sauce which paired well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Shared with Dad with Christmas Eve dinner at our house. Decanted about 2.5 hours before served. Deep inky purple color. Great nose of black fruits, vanilla, and spice. Medium-full body had plenty of the black fruit with a very nice, lingering finish that featured smokey oak. Classy wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and decanted about 2 hours. A dark must with barnyard nose that is not unpleasant; dark fruit and a dry finish. While drinking this I'm beginning to get the niggling feeling that the fruit is beginning to fade. It's good, but I don't think it has the legs to go the distance. I have the feeling that it's at it's peak and I hope that I'm wrong.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Complex nose with cassis, licorice, pepper, spice and black cherry. It's bold and powerful. Complex palate of blackcurrant, black cherry, toasty oak, and spice. Very nice example of a meritage and similar to a top Bordeaux. Good grip with earthy notes coat the palate. Full body and long aftertaste. Drink now-2015.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On the nose, you get plenty of currant and plum. On the palate it gets a little hot at the beginning with the tannins present. Lots of nice currant and chocolate. THe finish is wonderful. It lasts about 30 secs. Great little bottle of wine. Needs to decant for about 4 hours. This bottle was still a little tight. Would be better after 2008 or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened not decanted. Nice blood red color with some clarity at the edge. Clean fresh taste with a back palate attack and a mid palate finish. Noticable alcohol which eases off with notes of chocolate. Needs air but a solid wine. Next day: nose of charcoal/ tar, sweet fig. Tanins had integrated a little more. Still a solid, good, way better than average wine but less than great wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened by Randy, not decanted. Deep purple, opaque at the center. Notes of cassis, plum and sage. Nicely balanced, with dark fruit, cassis and plum flavors persisting on the palate. A very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened 1 hr prior. Not decanted. Lots of pepper and heat on the nose. Not over oaked, but smooth with nice finish. Still has many years ahead, but drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
decanted to remove sediment and then immediately rebottled for the trip to the restaurant. consumed over the course of 2 hours out of reidel vinum bordeaux stems.
didn't get a good look at the color.
the nose reminded me of a bordeaux wine all the way. in a blind tasting i challenge anyone to pick this as a california wine. with a blend of 81% cabernet, 15% merlot and 4% cab franc, needless to say the nose was awesome. a beautiful mix of roasted oak, spices, tobacco, spice box and a hint of cigar smoke. the palate delivers ina very smooth and elegant way. this is in no way a powerful wine, this wine wows you with it complexity. the mid-palate is strong and the finish is medium to long in length.
i'm stll kicking myself for not grabbing some of these. hard to argue with the price of this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened not decanted. Blood red in color. Easy drinking with firm tanins out of the bottle. It should open up nicely with air. Good nose of fruit and spice with a 15 + sec finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
When to Shallow Shaft (Alta, UT) while on vacation. First taste was closed and somewhat disappointing. However, after about 30 minutes the wine opened up and stretched is legs. Good fruit with strong finish. Had it with grilled Bison and was a great pairing. Wine needs another 1-2 years before it will hit its peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Saw this for cheap ($22). Wanted to test Parker's 93 versus James Laube's 78. Bottom line - Parker is right. Laube is out in left field. Laube's complaint was overt vegetal, green, minty taste. Just was not there. This was a wonderful bordeaux blend with a California flair. This has it all, classic and refined. Not over the top, but well schooled. I found no obvious flaws that would warrant a 78. Easy drinking. Reminded me of the 2002 Twenty Bench.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
bought from cost co- tasted to see if I wanted more. very well made wine. good balance. dark fruits, intergrated fine tannins. nice wine/not great,but will get a few more. (much better then the chimminy rock also at cost co)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
had to taste this wine to see which side of the debate i would come down on. widely divergent opinions offered by parker and laube who usually are not that far apart. bottle variation? indeed, the wine has distinct french characteristic. obviously well made wine with perfect balance between flavor and body components. the wine builds in the glass suggesting favorable longevity. it is made in somewhat of a lean style which seems unusual for 2001 california cab. i am glad that i had this experience, but at this price point i would prefer a wine with a little more stuffing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Poured into decanter and (2) Bordeaux glasses 90 minutes prior to initial tasting. Big dark fruit and soft tannins allowed approachability even at this young age. Pronounced and lengthy finish. Should be interesting to see how it evolves over the next 5-10 years. Highly recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted and breathed for an hour before first taste. Great oak and deep berry taste. Drank over the next three hours and opened up superbly. Great value for the price....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted unblinded at the Vintage Wines, Ltd. wine bar. Bright disc. Opaque purple/ruby robe with violet rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of cassis, underbrush and minerals. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity and full, dusty tannins. Medium, somewhat coarse finish. This wine could benefit from some short-term cellaring. My rating could improve as the tannins settle down.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
5/28/2023 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice mature cab with dark red and black fruit, licorice and menthol. Nice fruity mid palate and a long or medium long finish. Nice mouth feel. Really nice overall.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2023 - gharter Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP. Needed time as it started out with a slight bitterness in the finish. After 30 minutes, that resolved. Garnet red with light bricking at the rim. Very aromatic with blackberry, currant, cassis, black tea, spice, and earth.
Medium body with black fruits, cassis, spice, earth, and tea. Silky smooth finish. Not sure it will improve, but showing well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2021 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark garnet inky/purple colored, medium-full-bodied, complex but nicely balanced and integrated flavors of blackberry and black currant fruits, notes of cassis, black tea, subtle notes cinnamon spice, Linda noted sprites of menthol or mint, what one pundit referred to as a "rather warm finish", turning to supple tannins on a bright expressive lingering finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/02/birthday-family-dinner-celebration.html
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2020 - CRUSHER Likes this wine:
reaching the end of the drink window but still good
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2018 - Grape_ape wrote: 91 Points
Still somewhat youthful, but developing some nice aged secondary flavors. Dark red fruits, black currant, tobacco, plum. Long finish, still some tannins lurking. Very, much better than I was expecting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2018 - beej Likes this wine:
Wow
Still drinking strong.
Unctuous.
Notes of coffee slate and charred bones along w a spicy layer of fruit on a medium length finish.
Good for several days of enjoyment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2018 - cupoverflowing1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
great value; plenty of life left and not even brown in the glass; held up well over several hours
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2018 - beej Likes this wine:
Great value upon purchase, great value upon consumption.
Lasts over several days one glass at a time rather effortlessly.
No visual signs of deterioration.
Perhaps some on the nose but the palate experience is complex complete w jammy dark fruit and a robust if abbreviated finish.
Glad I still have quite a bit to enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2017 - beej Likes this wine:
Evergreen, plum, almonds on a soft nose.
Dark and rich colored w soft thin legs.
Parker nailed thin wine in its infancy.
Left bank smoke and chocolate go straight up an impatient post palate nose.
Sweet cherries and braised somethin’ followed by a more than medium finish.
The wine was opened about 5 mins prior.
Imagine what tomorrow will bring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2017 - cowtownguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Have cellared since purchase, still unsure how it had held up. Simply fantastic. Not sure if it could go on further but very enjoyable now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2016 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Aerated remaining half of a magnum with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of black cherry, currant, licorice and underbrush. Ripe black and red fruit, dark chocolate, licorice, leather and dried herbs on the palate with good persistence. Full bodied. Served with grilled pork chops and a red wine sauce.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2016 - Rollerball wrote: flawed
Noticeable TCA ruins the last bottle of a fully-mature case.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2016 - Quarked wrote: 92 Points
Really hit its stride 3 hours after opening, complex Bordeaux blend showing dark fruits, graphite, cedar and completely integrated tannins. Wonderful with filet mignon. Probably at its peak.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2015 - hoservin wrote: 90 Points
Coravined half a magnum, aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Aromatic nose of currant, wild berries, cocoa and dried herbs. A soft black and red fruit core with chocolate, graphite and mineral notes with a hint of green pepper. Leads to a medium to long, dry finish. Medium to full bodied. Very pretty, mature Cali-cab. Plan to finish the remainder of the magnum in 2016. Paired with roast beef.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Everything is softening about this, though there's stlil plenty of fruit and structure. Really in such a beautiful place. Heavenly with New York Strips. No immediate rush, but probably a good idea to finish these in the next couple of years. I'll probably pop the final bottle of this long-cherished case in 2016.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2015 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
Ready to go, dark fruit, soft tannins, subtle oak helps hold it together.
drinking as well as it ever will, at or near peak.
Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2015 - tom_wine wrote: 87 Points
Soft mouthfeel with sweet cherry and red currant flavors and medium body. Not impressiive but better than I expected from a former company that spelled its name backward to come up with a label.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2015 - Rollerball Likes this wine: 93 Points
Complexity, depth, balance, sweet sophistication. This has really evolved into an incredible wine with several years to go in this plateau. 93-94. Best 2015-2017.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/22/2014 - travelme Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured through Vinturi with some friends. Cork broke in half which had me fearing the worst. However, I agree with the last two posters on this one. My last and only bottle and it was delicious. Highly recommended and a really enjoyable wine that thrilled once it had a few minutes open. Highly recommended to drink this one now since I doubt it gets any better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 93 Points
Still improving, with sweet kirsch from well-integrated oak, late-unfolding complexity, and great texture. Probably years left on this. 93-94
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2014 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 94 Points
This took an hour to open up, but THEN....bam!!! Perfect in many ways. Beautiful plush fruit (dark red, currant), tannins all smoothed out but still evident, and spicy oak that kept rising to the surface. By hour number 2 'twas pure spiced jam. Medium to full body still. Good work St. Clement. An aged beauty of a wine!
Fun fact: This wine was developed by the corporate folks who purchased St. Clement, in response to the Super Bordeaux blends (namely Opus) popular at the time. The "exotic sounding name" will tell you, if you read it backwards, what this corporation is most known for.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2014 - NPolitan Likes this wine: 91 Points
darker than I expected; strong forward flavors, coats the palate, still some tightness indicating more life, not elegant; a rustic feel
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2013 - Rich.Herbs Likes this wine:
A real pleasure - fruit, spice, tannins, all well integrated. Other Oroppas vintages seemed unbalanced, but this one was perfect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2013 - beej wrote: 90 Points
My first 90 points for a qpr wine in a while. Just so freakin' well made and balanced.
Not a weak moment from nose to finish. Dark fruit and tannin coat the entire mouth for a 30 plus second finish.
Plenty of life left........
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2013 - dharlow Likes this wine: 94 Points
just keeps getting better....sorry it was my last '01
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2011 - twoamps wrote: flawed
a bit faded, maybe corked. Smoky, chewy, earthy, a little leather, some plum. Sort of tawny port, but not over the top. A little hollowness which is why I think its corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2011 - eastover wrote:
Friday night at home with red lentil soup and kobe burgers on the grill - John, Linda and Lee join (Lisa at Cornell visiting Zoe). Enjoyed by all.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2011 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RUSSK WIC+AJ+wives at LeCordonbleau. Non-BB 91-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/16/2011 - mvkajsk wrote: 90 Points
Needed about 30-60min to flatten out; first taste (out of the bottle) was unbalanced but fairly quickly settled into a very pleasant and reasonably structured wine. Probably peaking about now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2011 - cowtownguy wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well. Decant at least 1 hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2011 - aaronwine wrote: 92 Points
This is drinking very well. It does need to breathe some and is even better on the second night. Fresh vibrant fruit balanced by toasted vanilla, oak and smooth tannins. It is well structured and surprisingly there is no evidence of sediment in the bottle despite its age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2010 - eastover wrote:
Christmas night with John and Linda - 3 Bordeaux blends - Grand-Pontet, Reignac and the Cali Oroppas. Reignac showed the best of the 3.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2010 - mwolff wrote: 91 Points
Excellent cab. Decanted for 90 minutes. Smooth, velvety tannins. Rich full taste with no bite. Luxurious lingering follow through
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2010 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Very nice wine, complex and elegant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2010 - cabrnay wrote: 90 Points
Better the r2nd day, need some time to bresthe. Was a it tart initially and smoothed out nicely after a day in the bottle. I did gas with Nitrogen. I don't think this wine has much more time left, need to get drinking these.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2010 - TashNYC wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well, now. Red fruit, cassis and tar upon opening. A very showy wine--even better with our grilled fillet mignon steak, roast potatos and roast parsnips. A delicious cabernet. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2010 - team-blackburn wrote: 88 Points
Starting to decline, drink up. It did improve on day 2
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2010 - cob wrote: 91 Points
Too busy cooking to make any notes. I thought this wine was beautiful. Red fruit on the nose and entry to the palate with a little pine needle as well. Medium length finish with a gentle buzz of tannin. Drinking very well now but I think it will still be in its prime next year as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2010 - GA_Seattle wrote: 83 Points
Subdued flavors, with fruit and spice in the background. Thin texture. Likely past prime.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2010 - pgordon62 wrote: 87 Points
Double decanted 24hrs ahead. An interesting nose of leafy, linear blackcurrant and campfire, juxtaposed against a mocha infused black cherry and a touch of damp earth. Medium bodied, with very tight black fruits leading to a rather harsh, tannic, VA finish with a distinctly bitter aftertaste. This wine did settle down over 2-3 hrs, becoming more harmonious, less harsh and that dried, resinous tobacco move to more of a pine needle note. Not sure that this will age positively.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2009 - Grape_ape wrote: flawed
Faint TCA aromas, muted fruit. Pretty sure this was corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2009 - winittis wrote: 88 Points
Cherry, smokey nose with fruity oak mouth. Pucker finish which lessened after an hour of breathing. Enjoyable with steak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2009 - tdcd@comcast.net wrote: 87 Points
Decent wine. B/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2009 - jmd60611 wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well, but too deep into a multi bottle evening to remember much else
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2009 - team-blackburn wrote: 89 Points
This one was not up to par with the previous bottles. Heavy tannis that did not mello after 2hrs of decanting. It also had a lot of sediment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2009 - team-blackburn wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 hr very nice a little closed off at first but opened up nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2008 - team-blackburn wrote: 90 Points
Fantastic very well balanced. Decanted for two hours and served with Prime Rib.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2008 - Whine-oh wrote: 85 Points
Drank w/SPO last night.. Agree about the dynamic status of the wine. Not sure if it was the wonder food at Blue Boheme or if it was truely the wine. Noticed plums on the palate. Not typical over the top Napa Cab.. enjoyable but not a knockout either.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2008 - spo wrote: 86 Points
On first opening it seemed to be a cedar berry type of wine. I also noticed some burnt rubbber. At one point it did show a hint of green.This wine was in flux the entire evening. At times a little harsh and at other times really good.
84-88 Points due to variation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2008 - TinMan wrote: 94 Points
Medium dark fruit combined with underlying structure and a minimum of minerality in a SMOOTH wine with a wonderful, medium-to-long finish...what a wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2008 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Tannins well resolved. Softer than the last bottle. High toned firewood & juicy mature fruit. Good old-world complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2008 - jmd60611 wrote: 89 Points
This bottle had a slightly less round more structure than silkiness kind of thing happin than I remember from bottles past...Good wine but not the super tasty big fruit wine that I was looking for
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2008 - beej wrote: 90 Points
wow. dark fruit, smokey finish. strong tannins suggest many years of good drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2008 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
A disjointed attack leads to a complex wine tasting of strawberry, grilled pork, cassis, and wet earth. A surprise burst of butterscotch joined the long, fading, cherry pit finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2008 - beej wrote: 90 Points
dark fruit plenty of tannins. a complex bordeaux head case, and what fun it is trying to figure it out..........great with duck and a rocky box pressed 1990.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2008 - bmarshall wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic Napa cab - even better than anticipated. Classic nose of deep, dark black currants, graphite, blackberry, toasty oak and a hint of mint and eucalyptus. Tons of dark fruit and earth on the palate with very firm, but fine and well integrated tannins. Superb finish that goes on and on. Left 1.5 glasses for night two and it was virtually unchanged - fruit and tannins still strong. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2008 - the godfather wrote: 92 Points
fantastic earthy cali cab
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2008 - jrglm wrote: 89 Points
Deep ruby red. Decanted for close to an hour. Rich, lush nose of blackberry and chocolate. Tasted of cherries, oak and earth. Silky mouthfeel and muted tannins. The wine is quite ready to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2008 - CS_pikes wrote: 91 Points
Very round and elegant. I agree that this is much more Bordeaux like than Cali. Cab. like. Tannins have faded to the background and this is ready to drink. I don't see this improving with age, but it should last for 5 more years. Perhaps a little more muted than I would have expected, but a nice wine for the price for sure. Very different from the typical full force modern Cali. Cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Maroon red in color with some sediment staining the inside of the bottle that was facing down. Clean nose of dark grape juice on opening; on the palate: lots of dry cocoa with some dark, dried raisin notes; ends with a sweet and a slightly musty dry finish. Good to Very Good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2008 - thelostverse wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple, opaque throughout - no signs of aging. Decanted for sediment, but there was hardly any. Nose of dark fruits and some plum and floral. Similar palate with some currant and oak as well. Medium finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2008 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
A delicious, deep taste and lots of red berry flavors. But tastes a little primary to me, and shows its 14.9% alcohol on the finish.
Absolutely better than the 78 points (Wine Spectator) ... but we thought this needs another year or 2 to show more complexity.
We're marking our other bottle drink 2009 or 2010. With a medium-rare, dry-aged steak, potatoes and grilled zucchini.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2008 - WineMavin wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable -- good QPR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2008 - N2Vin wrote: 93 Points
Has gained elegance and balance since last tasting almost three years ago. The deep purple color is perfectly intact. It looks just like a 2005. Gobs of sweet boysenberry, black cherry, creme de cassis, toasted oak and crushed violet. Tannins are fine grained and smooth on the finish. The wine is well balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2007 - Worthy wrote: 93 Points
Drank as part of a 4 year vertical (1997, 2001, 2002 and 2003). It surpassed all of them including the 1997 which was very good but much more subdued with the added aging. Always a great blend.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2007 - tdcd@comcast.net wrote: 90 Points
Great wine for the price. Very Oaky, nice 'deep' flavor. A tad bitter on the finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 88 Points
Sweet nose of plums, black cherries and dark chocolate. Tasted like plums, with a roasted quality. Not a bad wine with rib eye steaks, but one-dimentional and a bit simple. Enjoyable, but not outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2007 - tanglenet wrote:
Strong blackberry syrup on the nose ; purple red in color. Tight and tannic straight out of the bottle, so I poured it into a decanter. Consumed over an hour and a half. Never opened up and the nose was better than the palate. Rather disappointing, as I was expecting more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2007 - terroir wrote: 90 Points
good bottle but nothing superb
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2007 - jmd60611 wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple, brilliant bouquet of jammy fruit with pretty floral notes, quite a combination...Pooped and poured, loved the wine from the first sip...Big fruit forward wine with very upfront fruit, but structured and nusanced...Grippy tannins, great acidity and a big and long finish that was very satisfying....Looking fwd to the the ageing of the next bottles in the cellar
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2007 - rrw wrote: 90 Points
Very nice. Rich and still evolving.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2007 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Interesting. Light on its feet with cassis on the initial entry. The fruit is going through transition to the wood and earth notes. It’s still got a very nice sweetness on the palate. There is some vegetal on the nose, but mostly it’s tar, smoke, earth, and some mineral. It was a nice wine that evolved over the course of 2-3 hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2007 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
THIRD ANNUAL RISE & DECLINE TASTING: Slightly hot nose dissapated leaving twotn with ripe (and a hint of roasted) cherry vanilla and golden carmalized scotch-like notes. Lush, velvetty and full-bodied with just-perfectly-sweet bright cherry and berry and a persistent but integrated and mellow finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2007 - jakob.krummenacher@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
It's evolving nicely and it's becoming something special. drink 2007-2015.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2007 - ajr wrote:
totally agree with the 2/1/07 note.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2007 - jjclips2 wrote: 93 Points
Ooh, this is good! Minty eucalyptus right off the nose entices me to keep swirling. Huge black plum, some currant, toasty oak and vanilla, very new world nose past the eucalypt. The palate is huge, juicy, fruity style with rich black fruits, full body, and moderate tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2007 - Drmelendez wrote: flawed
Slightly corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2007 - thewinedaddy wrote: 89 Points
Really nice bottle from a great vintage. Not the most complex wine but decent notes of blackberry, wood, and spice. Drank with a braised chicken dish in a rich red sauce which paired well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2007 - team-blackburn wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle savored every drop glad I have 5 more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2006 - bmarshall wrote: 91 Points
Shared with Dad with Christmas Eve dinner at our house. Decanted about 2.5 hours before served. Deep inky purple color. Great nose of black fruits, vanilla, and spice. Medium-full body had plenty of the black fruit with a very nice, lingering finish that featured smokey oak. Classy wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened and decanted about 2 hours. A dark must with barnyard nose that is not unpleasant; dark fruit and a dry finish. While drinking this I'm beginning to get the niggling feeling that the fruit is beginning to fade. It's good, but I don't think it has the legs to go the distance. I have the feeling that it's at it's peak and I hope that I'm wrong.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2006 - jakob.krummenacher@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Complex nose with cassis, licorice, pepper, spice and black cherry. It's bold and powerful. Complex palate of blackcurrant, black cherry, toasty oak, and spice. Very nice example of a meritage and similar to a top Bordeaux. Good grip with earthy notes coat the palate. Full body and long aftertaste. Drink now-2015.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2006 - joshtpa wrote: 90 Points
On the nose, you get plenty of currant and plum. On the palate it gets a little hot at the beginning with the tannins present. Lots of nice currant and chocolate. THe finish is wonderful. It lasts about 30 secs. Great little bottle of wine. Needs to decant for about 4 hours. This bottle was still a little tight. Would be better after 2008 or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Nice blood red color with some clarity at the edge. Clean fresh taste with a back palate attack and a mid palate finish. Noticable alcohol which eases off with notes of chocolate. Needs air but a solid wine. Next day: nose of charcoal/ tar, sweet fig. Tanins had integrated a little more. Still a solid, good, way better than average wine but less than great wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2005 - Erik R. wrote: 91 Points
Drinking nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2005 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Opened by Randy, not decanted. Deep purple, opaque at the center. Notes of cassis, plum and sage. Nicely balanced, with dark fruit, cassis and plum flavors persisting on the palate. A very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2005 - Monetthecat wrote: 93 Points
Opened 1 hr prior. Not decanted. Lots of pepper and heat on the nose. Not over oaked, but smooth with nice finish. Still has many years ahead, but drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2005 - fjs wrote: 92 Points
WS 92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2005 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2005 - anthonyiez wrote: 93 Points
decanted to remove sediment and then immediately rebottled for the trip to the restaurant. consumed over the course of 2 hours out of reidel vinum bordeaux stems.
didn't get a good look at the color.
the nose reminded me of a bordeaux wine all the way. in a blind tasting i challenge anyone to pick this as a california wine. with a blend of 81% cabernet, 15% merlot and 4% cab franc, needless to say the nose was awesome. a beautiful mix of roasted oak, spices, tobacco, spice box and a hint of cigar smoke. the palate delivers ina very smooth and elegant way. this is in no way a powerful wine, this wine wows you with it complexity. the mid-palate is strong and the finish is medium to long in length.
i'm stll kicking myself for not grabbing some of these. hard to argue with the price of this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2005 - twoamps wrote: 91 Points
great fruit, interesting spice, good tannic chewiness in nice layered taste PArker is right, WS is nuts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2005 - tmay wrote: 89 Points
Short finish. Good initial taste of berry and cassis.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2005 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. Blood red in color. Easy drinking with firm tanins out of the bottle. It should open up nicely with air. Good nose of fruit and spice with a 15 + sec finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2005 - Monetthecat wrote: 92 Points
When to Shallow Shaft (Alta, UT) while on vacation. First taste was closed and somewhat disappointing. However, after about 30 minutes the wine opened up and stretched is legs. Good fruit with strong finish. Had it with grilled Bison and was a great pairing. Wine needs another 1-2 years before it will hit its peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2005 - N2Vin wrote: 92 Points
Saw this for cheap ($22). Wanted to test Parker's 93 versus James Laube's 78. Bottom line - Parker is right. Laube is out in left field. Laube's complaint was overt vegetal, green, minty taste. Just was not there. This was a wonderful bordeaux blend with a California flair. This has it all, classic and refined. Not over the top, but well schooled. I found no obvious flaws that would warrant a 78. Easy drinking. Reminded me of the 2002 Twenty Bench.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2005 - goofy Yno wrote: 91 Points
bought from cost co- tasted to see if I wanted more. very well made wine. good balance. dark fruits, intergrated fine tannins. nice wine/not great,but will get a few more. (much better then the chimminy rock also at cost co)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2005 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
had to taste this wine to see which side of the debate i would come down on. widely divergent opinions offered by parker and laube who usually are not that far apart. bottle variation? indeed, the wine has distinct french characteristic. obviously well made wine with perfect balance between flavor and body components. the wine builds in the glass suggesting favorable longevity. it is made in somewhat of a lean style which seems unusual for 2001 california cab. i am glad that i had this experience, but at this price point i would prefer a wine with a little more stuffing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2005 - vinosean wrote: 91 Points
Poured into decanter and (2) Bordeaux glasses 90 minutes prior to initial tasting. Big dark fruit and soft tannins allowed approachability even at this young age. Pronounced and lengthy finish. Should be interesting to see how it evolves over the next 5-10 years. Highly recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2004 - koalaman wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and breathed for an hour before first taste. Great oak and deep berry taste. Drank over the next three hours and opened up superbly. Great value for the price....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2004 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 86 Points
Tasted unblinded at the Vintage Wines, Ltd. wine bar. Bright disc. Opaque purple/ruby robe with violet rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of cassis, underbrush and minerals. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity and full, dusty tannins. Medium, somewhat coarse finish. This wine could benefit from some short-term cellaring. My rating could improve as the tannins settle down.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment