Solid structure, decent enough mid-week wine. Needed 30 minutes to blow off a slight funk, but very nice after that. Bright ruby color as it pours, medium to full body and finish.
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Initial nose was just alcohol and vanilla. After about an hour it blew off somewhat and there was a bit of black fruit, but still heavy on vanilla, baking spice and a hint of spearmint. Very little complexity on the palette. Heavy oak tannins, lots of vanilla, muscovado, etc. A glimpse of dark cherry, but very little fruit overall. Despite the comments of earlier reviewers I get absolutely zero terroir or earthiness.
This is a prime example of grocery store "high-end" Cali cab. Gobs of oak, lots of tannins, but not much fruit and very little structure. My palette was completely exhausted half way through the bottle.
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Paired this with a very mild Texas chili and a pomegranate vinaigrette salad with sweet cornbread. Wonderful combo of smells, acidity, and sweetness allowed for the character of this wine to shine. We hammered 3 bottles. Love it.
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I thought this wine was a great for the $20. Really easy drinking and light. Nose had mellow red fruit and the palate had alot of cherry and wasnt bombarded with oak. Would buy again. Cheers
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Good cab bouquet; nice initial flavor but the finish was sour to my taste, my wife disagreed, wine improved with dinner; the wine did not sing and was not a wine that I would drink again. Wine might improve with age but not sure anyone wants to give it a chance.
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Pretty good for the money ($16), I suppose, but a somewhat simple cab. overall. Ruby color that you can see through. Nose of cherry, red currant, and earth. Medium bodied on the palate, with medium finish and acidity, and cherry flavor carrying through as well. Not bad, but a bit one-dimensional. We followed this with an equally priced cannonau that completely showed it up in terms of complexity.
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Aerate to decanter, let sit about an hour. Color cherry red with some dark hues, medium body. Aromas and flavors of dark ripe cherries, black currant, dark chocolate, some vanillin oak, and earth. Moderate acidity and finish. The earth and chocolate combined with full tannins give this a structured cab sensation that was nice. Agree with others that this is best enjoyed in the near term while the fruit is still youthful and not overrun by the other components.
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Clear deep ruby. Clean nose of medium minus intensity. Dry. Medium minus acidity and tannins. Alcohol and body are medium. Flavor intensity is medium and the length is medium minus. Basic black fruit (black currants and black plums). A little bit of oak (vanilla). A good, somewhat slightly one-dimensional wine. Drink now, I don't think it will improve much with age.
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Popped and poured first glass. Deep red colour. Initial very strong (and not entirely unpleasant) nose and taste of caramel/vanilla, very little fruit, minimal tannins and acid. After decanting and some time in the glass, that dissipated and the flavours were a bit flat. At a better price point would be a good choice for an unsophisticated crowd. Probably not likely to benefit from aging. Not much depth or complexity.
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Black color. Slightly challenged aroma of sweet currants. Light herbal entry of red currant with a stemmy, herbal element that dominates the finish. Not a fruit bomb by any means. This wine is almost all structure, with slight fruit.
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6/22/2022 - Davidalan Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank with spaghetti. Tannins are basically gone. Wine has blackberry and spices .
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1/17/2017 - MCrawford wrote: 88 Points
Solid structure, decent enough mid-week wine. Needed 30 minutes to blow off a slight funk, but very nice after that. Bright ruby color as it pours, medium to full body and finish.
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4/29/2015 - fredfromny wrote: flawed
Crappy pressed cork may be culprit.
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12/6/2014 - fredfromny Likes this wine: 90 Points
Even better with time. The quality of the fruit shines through this balanced and well made effort.
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11/22/2014 - Ktsat Likes this wine: 88 Points
Solid wine for the price
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12/16/2013 - fredfromny wrote: 89 Points
Ready to drink up. Pleasant nose and nice fruit with a smoky backbone. Simple and straightforward.
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10/15/2013 - BATWine wrote: 82 Points
OK wine - agree with other tasters that there is not a lot of fruit to be had. Have had better value wines.
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10/14/2013 - dkwiatko Does not like this wine: 75 Points
Initial nose was just alcohol and vanilla. After about an hour it blew off somewhat and there was a bit of black fruit, but still heavy on vanilla, baking spice and a hint of spearmint. Very little complexity on the palette. Heavy oak tannins, lots of vanilla, muscovado, etc. A glimpse of dark cherry, but very little fruit overall. Despite the comments of earlier reviewers I get absolutely zero terroir or earthiness.
This is a prime example of grocery store "high-end" Cali cab. Gobs of oak, lots of tannins, but not much fruit and very little structure. My palette was completely exhausted half way through the bottle.
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11/3/2012 - Timnfran wrote: 91 Points
Paired this with a very mild Texas chili and a pomegranate vinaigrette salad with sweet cornbread. Wonderful combo of smells, acidity, and sweetness allowed for the character of this wine to shine. We hammered 3 bottles. Love it.
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5/13/2012 - rscarcelle wrote: 88 Points
good wine, enjoyable table wine.
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5/3/2012 - Gravedigga wrote: 88 Points
Great value. Straight forward Cali Cab.
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4/28/2012 - pkatz wrote: 88 Points
Blind 05-07 Napa Cab tasting. Good and ready to drink but fairly simple.
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2/21/2012 - The Lonz wrote: 89 Points
I thought this wine was a great for the $20. Really easy drinking and light. Nose had mellow red fruit and the palate had alot of cherry and wasnt bombarded with oak. Would buy again. Cheers
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2/4/2012 - mwneil wrote: 87 Points
Good cab bouquet; nice initial flavor but the finish was sour to my taste, my wife disagreed, wine improved with dinner; the wine did not sing and was not a wine that I would drink again. Wine might improve with age but not sure anyone wants to give it a chance.
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1/10/2012 - studleytrey wrote: 86 Points
Pretty good for the money ($16), I suppose, but a somewhat simple cab. overall. Ruby color that you can see through. Nose of cherry, red currant, and earth. Medium bodied on the palate, with medium finish and acidity, and cherry flavor carrying through as well. Not bad, but a bit one-dimensional. We followed this with an equally priced cannonau that completely showed it up in terms of complexity.
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12/30/2011 - Vinacull wrote: 87 Points
Aerate to decanter, let sit about an hour. Color cherry red with some dark hues, medium body. Aromas and flavors of dark ripe cherries, black currant, dark chocolate, some vanillin oak, and earth. Moderate acidity and finish. The earth and chocolate combined with full tannins give this a structured cab sensation that was nice. Agree with others that this is best enjoyed in the near term while the fruit is still youthful and not overrun by the other components.
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11/18/2011 - pkatz wrote: 87 Points
Reasonably good cab at a reasonable price.
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10/2/2011 - TannicBeast wrote: 86 Points
Clear deep ruby. Clean nose of medium minus intensity. Dry. Medium minus acidity and tannins. Alcohol and body are medium. Flavor intensity is medium and the length is medium minus. Basic black fruit (black currants and black plums). A little bit of oak (vanilla). A good, somewhat slightly one-dimensional wine. Drink now, I don't think it will improve much with age.
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4/16/2011 - ptmotr wrote: 84 Points
Popped and poured first glass. Deep red colour. Initial very strong (and not entirely unpleasant) nose and taste of caramel/vanilla, very little fruit, minimal tannins and acid. After decanting and some time in the glass, that dissipated and the flavours were a bit flat. At a better price point would be a good choice for an unsophisticated crowd. Probably not likely to benefit from aging. Not much depth or complexity.
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10/8/2010 - ed-d wrote: 85 Points
Black color. Slightly challenged aroma of sweet currants. Light herbal entry of red currant with a stemmy, herbal element that dominates the finish. Not a fruit bomb by any means. This wine is almost all structure, with slight fruit.
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