Perfect condition... drinking beautifully. Decanted to filter, but needed no time to open up. Wonderful aroma, balanced and crisp fruit. Drank like a well-aged bordeaux. Had with friends, they really enjoyed as well. Still drinking great... no need to wait any longer on this one.
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Tried this at a vertical tasting of these wines from '95-'99; this was considered the star of the night and is still drinking beautifully. Definitely fully mature and doubtful it improves, but very enjoyable and complex with adequate structure to hold it all together. The '96 also was excellent; the '95 seemed younger oddly but not quite as good.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks - Double Blind Cali Cabs (Home of Steve T.): Ripe currants on the nose—almost overdone—with sweet pipe tobacco. Had a sweet hint on the palate with ripe fruits and an herbal leaf quality adding complexity, though leads into a slightly bitter finish. Quite good, though at peak and not expected to improve. I enjoyed this quite a bit. Guessed as a stag’s leap AVA.
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Very typical (but good) Sonoma Cab. Great nose with hints of leather, cassis, and almost dark cherries. I get a decent dark red fruit flavors on the palate. Wine is quite balanced and ready now. Should continue to age well for next couple of years, but wine is showing nicely now.
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one of the wines of the nite at a large tasting; a hint of barnyard to start which blew off; still has plenty of slightly sweet dark red and black fruit with beautiful balance; just right.
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We are not frequently drinking wine of this caliber, other than at tastings. I purchased this bottle at the winery and held onto it. It was amazing and the best bottle of wine we've had at home. We would agree that not a lot of fruit is left. We were glad that we opened it and enjoyed it now. Only wish we had more!
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Wineflock - Rafanelli Tasting (Jeff R.): Full black red with some lightening. Big bold aroma of black currant, cedar, and green pepper. Mmmmn, nice rich round sweet black fruit with secondary notes. Very nice.
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A silky Sonoma Cabernet. Abundant cassis and leather on the nose. I detected an herbal quality as well, but others disagreed with me. Nice black fruit and a great earthy quality. A focused, balanced effort. It may age for a bit longer, but I'd be afraid that the fruit is going to fade.
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14.2% Alcohol Purple/Black in the glass. Dark, deep aromas of black and red fruits, earth. Flavors are rich and concentrated with abundant cassis, cigar, chocolate cookie, mint. Finishes with a very pleasant marriage of fruit, acid and fine tannins. Decanted 1 hr and continued to improve over the course of the evening. This excellent Sonoma Cab is drinking beautifully right now and should hold or even improve. Purchased at the winery upon release for $22.00. Major cellar remorse as I only bought a single.
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The spice, pepper and saddle leather burst out of the bottle soon after opening. Fruit is somewhat more subdued, but still present. Soft tannins, fully mature. Faded after a few hours open. Drink up!
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Group #1, My #1 - Opaque black purple. Forward rich jammy aroma of blackcurrant, cassis, and licorice. Big rich jammy spicy black fruit. Almost zin like in flavor and concentration. Coffee finish. 5/05
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6/5/2022 - barrytaylor Likes this wine: 90 Points
deep color, rounds out after 1hr in decanter, ready
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3/2/2019 - Fookonson65 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect condition... drinking beautifully. Decanted to filter, but needed no time to open up. Wonderful aroma, balanced and crisp fruit. Drank like a well-aged bordeaux. Had with friends, they really enjoyed as well. Still drinking great... no need to wait any longer on this one.
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6/3/2017 - Miamidivorcelawyer Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow, really drinking well, needs to open at least 2 hours beforehand and you will be rewarded with rich, layers of soft stone fruit and sturdy tannin.
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2/11/2017 - lousall Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fully mature but very much alive and well. Drinking beautifully. Pop em if you got em and you'll be rewarded.
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3/2/2016 - ddingley Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tried this at a vertical tasting of these wines from '95-'99; this was considered the star of the night and is still drinking beautifully. Definitely fully mature and doubtful it improves, but very enjoyable and complex with adequate structure to hold it all together. The '96 also was excellent; the '95 seemed younger oddly but not quite as good.
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12/3/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 93 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks - Double Blind Cali Cabs (Home of Steve T.): Ripe currants on the nose—almost overdone—with sweet pipe tobacco. Had a sweet hint on the palate with ripe fruits and an herbal leaf quality adding complexity, though leads into a slightly bitter finish. Quite good, though at peak and not expected to improve. I enjoyed this quite a bit. Guessed as a stag’s leap AVA.
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12/5/2008 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
The Blind Drunks 1997 California Cab Retrospective Dinner (Dunham Woods Riding Club, Wayne, Illinois): Notes of tobacco, currants, dried herbs and smoked meat. Full-bodied and well-balanced, with wonderful, lush red fruit, dust tannins, and raspberry notes.
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7/26/2008 - mchrist wrote: 91 Points
Very typical (but good) Sonoma Cab. Great nose with hints of leather, cassis, and almost dark cherries. I get a decent dark red fruit flavors on the palate. Wine is quite balanced and ready now. Should continue to age well for next couple of years, but wine is showing nicely now.
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7/19/2008 - wabi47 wrote: 91 Points
one of the wines of the nite at a large tasting; a hint of barnyard to start which blew off; still has plenty of slightly sweet dark red and black fruit with beautiful balance; just right.
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12/10/2006 - jackh wrote: 90 Points
We are not frequently drinking wine of this caliber, other than at tastings. I purchased this bottle at the winery and held onto it. It was amazing and the best bottle of wine we've had at home. We would agree that not a lot of fruit is left. We were glad that we opened it and enjoyed it now. Only wish we had more!
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6/8/2006 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Wineflock - Rafanelli Tasting (Jeff R.): Full black red with some lightening. Big bold aroma of black currant, cedar, and green pepper. Mmmmn, nice rich round sweet black fruit with secondary notes. Very nice.
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6/8/2006 - GlenD wrote: 90 Points
Dry, concentrated younger fruit. Acid, spice, and a shorter finish.
alc 14.2%
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5/24/2006 - bsherwin wrote:
A silky Sonoma Cabernet. Abundant cassis and leather on the nose. I detected an herbal quality as well, but others disagreed with me. Nice black fruit and a great earthy quality. A focused, balanced effort. It may age for a bit longer, but I'd be afraid that the fruit is going to fade.
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12/2/2005 - 6831 wrote: 92 Points
14.2% Alcohol
Purple/Black in the glass. Dark, deep aromas of black and red fruits, earth. Flavors are rich and concentrated with abundant cassis, cigar, chocolate cookie, mint. Finishes with a very pleasant marriage of fruit, acid and fine tannins. Decanted 1 hr and continued to improve over the course of the evening. This excellent Sonoma Cab is drinking beautifully right now and should hold or even improve. Purchased at the winery upon release for $22.00. Major cellar remorse as I only bought a single.
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10/27/2005 - berperson wrote:
The spice, pepper and saddle leather burst out of the bottle soon after opening. Fruit is somewhat more subdued, but still present. Soft tannins, fully mature. Faded after a few hours open. Drink up!
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5/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Group #1, My #1 - Opaque black purple. Forward rich jammy aroma of blackcurrant, cassis, and licorice. Big rich jammy spicy black fruit. Almost zin like in flavor and concentration. Coffee finish. 5/05
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11/27/2004 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
RICH BLACKBERRY AND CURRANT FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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