Pretty tight on the pop n pour but really opens up to a beautiful wine after about one hour. Le Cave below describes it well. It dazzles the nose, explodes in the mouth and finishes balanced and long. Supple tannin and beautiful fruit. Excellent with the new York steak. Drink or hold.
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Sourced from the Estate's Rock Cairn Vineyard in Oakville, this pristinely cellared bottle (served by a fellow oenophile at a dinner party) had been double-decanted and was serially tasted over 3-4 hours at the party. Deep garnet in color, it oozes with dark plums, figs, baking spices, leather and cocoa. Full-bodied, freshly acidic and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14.7%), it is layered and dense on the mid-palate. The tannins are medium in weight but have greatly benefitted from their 14 years of hibernation, as they are quite supple in texture. The wine's oak has likewise nicely assimilated, making for a very harmonious tasting experience that concludes with impressive length. At this stage in its evolution, it is classic in quality. Comparably cellared bottles should remain enjoyable throughout the remainder of the decade. Drink now-2030.
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Opened the evening before a friend brought it to taste. Still big and powerful, medium to full bodied, classic Cali/Napa Cab. Lots of oak driven vanilla and cedar and tobacco notes, black fruit and a fairly long persistent finish. Masculine but not over the top. Soft and round mouth feel. Solid.
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The nose consists of coffee, cocoa, black licorice, blueberries and toast. Super soft and well integrated tannins with a very nice mouthfeel. Layers of blueberries, mint, toffee, cassis, licorice and toast. Time has served ‘this wine very well.
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SInce I am home cooking evey night I pick a bottle to coravin a glass while preparing dinner. This wine has slipped a little in the past 9 months since I last tried a bottle but still drinking really well for its age. A nose of dark fruit. The palate was plum, berry, licorice and a touch of tobacco. The finish was moderate to long.
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What a great coincidence, I am also drinking this wine willing on the Pats watching the game in Lexington, MA. I hope Brady continues to do as well as this wine. Still love it. Great wine for the price
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Trying to conjure up some good karma for tonight’s Patriots game - ‘07 was year of last wild card win. Clean cork with barely any seepage - good omen for the rich, dark fruit. Still going strong - let’s hope Brady is, too!
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Opened and poured through a vintorio. Dark Fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark plums, tobacco and hints of dried wood. The finish was moderate A really nice bottle of Cabernet.
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Almost 8 years after first tasting, and nearly three years from last tasting, impressions of this wine have not changed. Good, not great, tasty with limited structure and complexity. Maybe overly high expectations, but I doubt this gets better from here. Opens quickly now, and no longer seems young but drinks as a mature cab.
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Sleek, silky and well balanced wine we decanted for an hour prior to pouring. Nice notes of graphite, toast, black cherries, black pepper and licorice. Very nice finish. This wine is on the downward side of it’s cellar life, but still a year to two left.
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Perplexing wine. Not big scaled, a bit thin, but with air, some great truffle tinged cassis notes and still medium bodied with medium to short finish. Decent, a bit interesting, but nothing more. Priced above it's station.
Open 2 hours. Drank with the '06. Some preferred this, others liked the '06. Good fruit. Decent integration. Quality wine. Can drink now or hold for another 4-6 months.
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Excellent wine. I've had bottles of similar quality at 2 or 3x the price. Chocolate and raspberries. Reminds me of Hobel or Scarecrow Etain. Drink up now, getting past prime.
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One of the hardest corks in structure and to extract that I've encountered. Bent the wine prong tool I used. Initial taste was muted but aroma was present. Thought that it just wasn't a fruit driven wine even though the taste was dense, not flavor. Legs ran slow and fat. But the following day, after the wine was stored overnight in bottle, different story. Fruit came out and was very good. This wine was odd, as all the flavor and reaction seemed to occur right at the first sip, then there was a hollowness that followed, and empty/not empty flavor. Yet I did like it and would purchase again. Seems it will handle a good 5 years more development. I base that on how slowly it took the fruit to emerge.
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opened for Tiff's book club, they liked it but for my taste it was way too big / extracted... made in the period of over exuberance by most Cali cab makers (w/notable exceptions like Dunn, R Mondavi reserve, etc)
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Two days short of exactly five years from last note. Still dark maroon/purple. Still seems a bit young and a bit alcoholic. Dark chewy blackberry and black cherry. Weighty and full. Stems on the nose. Needs time open.
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score 89-90. Nice aromas of herbs, spice and dark fruits. Low tannins. The taste was herbaceous with red and dark fruits. An average finish. Score 89-90
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Very dark purple in color. awesome nose. Lots of fruit in the mid palate. Big & long finish. This wine probably has at least another 8-10 yrs left though it is really good now.
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I drank first of three bottles immediately when i bot this wine a few yrs ago & thot it was fantastic. Tonite i drank the second bottle & there's no doubt the few yrs of age refined this wine significantly. Very smooth & very tasty. Looking forward to xmas in '15 when i drink #3. It'll prob be a 97 by then...
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Great nose of cranberries, cassis, baking spices. The palate is full of clean red fruits and some sweet spices. Crisp acidity and clean finish. I loved it.
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Shut down hard. Nice medium intensity nose of maturing cassis and plum, but almost no flavor. Opened up over the next hour but never seemed to be fully "open". Medium finish bodes well for the future, but I'd guess another three years at least.
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Big and fruit-forward, with cassis, cherry, and boysenberry in the nose. The mouth is similarly rich on the fruit notes, with a touch of raisin and cocoa on the finish. Unctuous and mouth-filling, this is full-throttle Oakville wine, to be sure. A little topheavy, but satisfying nonetheless.
Drink through 2017.
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Interesting wine. Big Napa Cab showing dark fruit. Tannins seemed subdued, but intense rear pallet follow through. I think I'll wait a while before the next bottle to see what happens.
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Brought this to dinner-everyone loved it. Great juice, with at least several more years before the decline starts. GB continues to be one of the best cabs in it's class.
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Deep red center, red rim with modest signs of age, long legs. Crushed berries, cassis and raspberries, rich, some oak later on married with dark olives. Sweet and rich upfront, blackcurrants, blackberries and cherries, slight citrus note with faint green peppers, modest acid and tannin (enough though to keep the wine standing up), herby tapenade flavours towards the end, long red fruit and slightly dusty finish. Fruit and glycerine forward Napa style, drinks well now and probably won't improve, wouldn't want to drink it every day, but once in a while...
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Pleased I pulled this cos it's already on the decline. It was ok, but I am disappointed. I recall paying $50 bucks for this specimen. Rustic overtones were already evident. Still sweet, but lost it's punch and power. Fruit has faded and has become nondescript. Not worth the money. If you buy this stuff (from any vintage), I suggest that you drink it promptly.
:0)
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Fantastic. Considerably more complex and structured than the "professional" tasting notes would suggest. Dark, rich, and plummy with eucalyptus, cedar, mocha, and (yes) a hint of coconut. Finishes strong, with fine tannins. Should age nicely for another 5+ yr before plateauing.
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We had this with grilled New York Strips on 6/12/11. After an hour in the decanter, it had a rich, ripe and jammy bouquet of cassis, black cherry, blackberry, plum, mocha, cocoa, licorice, spice, burnt toast and charcoal. The palate was ripe, dry and oaky with black cherry, black currant, plum, cocoa, mocha, licorice, spice, burnt toast and charcoal.
A couple more hours in the decanter turned this into one of the most perfectly integrated wines I’ve ever had! The oak was much less pronounced and the jamminess disappeared…DELICIOUS.
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Ghost Block 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville - Napa Valley: Crystal clear deep garnet color, gorgeous! The bouquet is beautiful ripe cherry and deep blackberry with an elegant touch of carmel oak. Silky smooth with a slight currant flavor but fantastic black cherry and blackberry that mimic the bouquet. I enjoyed this Cabernet very much and give it 94 points.
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Splash decanted 1 hour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Medium expressiveness, dark fruit - blue berry, black cherry, and red fruit - raspberry, anise, and menthol. Palate: Medium to full bodied, spicy dark fruit and a hint of white pepper. Finish: Medium length, dominated by spicy dark fruit.
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Drank over several days (vacuum sealed and cellar after each tasting) and it found its stride on day 3. On the first day it was a very tight wine with touches of Earth and slightly under ripened fruit, but by the last day it had opened up and actually had some depth! Dark fruit, touch of mocha, tanned leather, and oak, swirl into a beautiful wine. Makes me think it will evolve into a mid to upper 90s wine in a couple of years. A wine that must be decanted several hours before in order to discover what it has to offer.
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Nose: red fruit all the way. Almost to the point of showing maraschino cherries and twizzlers. Also showing very classic oakville eucalyptus and bakers chocolate. Palate: it is a bit one dimensional, but tasty. Red fruits, chocolate, sweet oak and silky tanin structure. Finish: moderate and dominated by red cherry and vanilla.
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Solid napa valley cab my sense it's a fruit forward style with black fruit dominance nice balance and complexity, could use some time to intensify will improve with time def decant low 90s with potential to improve
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Splash decanted 1 hour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Not very giving, requires a vigorous swirl to reveal eucalyptus, anise, smoke, raspberry, and lavender. Palate: Good balance, medium to full bodied, gripping tannins, gritty mineral with a little red fruit. Gripping tannins dominate medium length finish. Overall, I have to say, I expected just a bit more. However, given a few more years in bottle I can see the potential.
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Saturdays at One - Volume 39: Tasted non blind. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of cocoa powder, potpourri, light notes of cedar and a mix of dark fruits. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold. 90?
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Champagne and Cabernet (Farpointe Cellar): The tobacco and cocoa on the nose were really good. The blackberry and cherry fruit added in some nice complexity, and the floral notes at the end rounded everything out. Rich and thick on the palate, the dark fruit flavors just saturate everything. The mid-palate had some spice and tobacco, and the finish was very floral.
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Hadn't had Ghost Block in a while, so when I saw it in the store, felt like the right wine to have with the chateaubriand my brother-in-law had in his Traeger. And, as I hoped, this wine paired amazing well. It's a big CA Cab and fairly typical of that genre, but with a very nice acidity level and spectacular smoke on the nose (probably what helped pair it well with the meat). Dark red fruit and mocha added on to a lush, broad palate. A touch light on the finish and not terribly complex, but as someone at the table remarked "tastes like it's supposed to." I'll take that any day...
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Rich cassis and cherry nose. Plenty of oak evident in the mouth, balancing off the gobs of fruit. Big, plush, and full. This is a very hedonistic wine; not sure what kind of food it'd pair best with, aside from a big fat steak.
Drink now through 2017.
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this wine really changes depending on what you are eating. Had at Morton's with surf and turf and the wine was singing! I have been lukewarm on the wine until then. But left a half glass to have with the chocolate soufflé and it took a step backwards. defiantly pair with something bold/heavy.
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Didn't live up to my expectations. After having the 06 yountville and reading notes saying that the 2 are similar, I expected more. Agree with the notes from "smphelps" in an earlier tasting note. There is a definite quality there that resembled "green notes" but I couldn't figure it out. 90pts may be high. Hoping for some improvement with more time in the cellar.
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Due to my lack of experience with Cali cab, I have to say this. The wine is a oak monster. I bought it blind based on past review. It's a total crowd pleaser and surly has a lot of time on it. The fruit is huge, the tannins are there, I don't know how they'll integrate over time. Very ripe and delish, not pruned or rasined. I'm not a cab drinker, but this can't be the worse example of wine that's been thrown on the market with oak as it's main backbone. Modern day Cali cab, you really blow in the scheme of wine integrity, but tonight I was a whore for you.
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OMG! This is the best value in Napa Cabernet. 70 bones get you top of the heap, prime pedigree, CA Grand Cru. Massive, rich, expressive, layered blackfruit, cedar, and dusty tannins. Let it open up and the reward is yours. I can still taste it and it's been days.
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Rich cabernet brown- purple ruby red. Clearly young and not to its day, with a tight nose (even after a 2 hour decant) that continued to open slowly over the next 4 hours. Green notes mix with the more traditional blackberry and are followed by cherry and mocca. Long finish, persistent tannins that are smooth, but green. Shows great promise, just needs patience.
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Over the top and extracted. While the wine did open up in the glass (was a pop and pour), the wine was just too big for my tastes. Could not get past the alcohol and oak. If I had more I would let them sit for a long time in hopes of improvement in the cellar.
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Quite opaque with just a bit of see-through on the perimeter of the glass. Herbal Eucalyptus at first on the nose but then along comes some caramel. Would have liked more straightforward fruit, but there's no denying this is quality stuff. Could get better with age if it comes together. Whether you'll enjoy it depends on your preference for fruit vs. herbal. Quite an intense wine either way and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
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had a sip at richard's the best cellar weds nite tasting. the wine had been open 24 hours. the wine was very expressive, showing all its glory. very sweet blackberry fruit. very fine tannins. voluptuous. the children slept quietly all nestled in their beds while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.
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decanted two hours, nose shows some nice eucalyptus, rose, herb and cherry, excellent balance across the palate, shows young fruit really well, very easy drinking, tight, structured, delicious cherry pie, earth, tobacco, berries, and spices, the finish holds on well, has some life ahead but nice now, not too sweet or heavy, I would say the balance between fruit, earth, acid, tannin, and weight is just right, just so easy to drink, I love this
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This has t o be the best 07 cab value on the market. No less than 6 hours of decanting to get this bottle only at the beginning of what it has to offer. Have tried 2 bottles. This bottle should evolve well for 25-30+ years.
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Sweet, chocolate laden nose with black currants. The palate is sweet and full with a little chocolate and smoke as well. The finish shows a little heat, some nice acid and sweet tannins that last a reasonable ammount. Not a block buster but very good.
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Big dark fruits on the nose that carry through. Not overly complex, as is to be expected from a wine so young, but very easy to drink. This is my favorite GB to date.
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6/25/2022 - Winokdub wrote: 94 Points
Pretty tight on the pop n pour but really opens up to a beautiful wine after about one hour. Le Cave below describes it well. It dazzles the nose, explodes in the mouth and finishes balanced and long. Supple tannin and beautiful fruit. Excellent with the new York steak. Drink or hold.
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7/24/2021 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 95 Points
Sourced from the Estate's Rock Cairn Vineyard in Oakville, this pristinely cellared bottle (served by a fellow oenophile at a dinner party) had been double-decanted and was serially tasted over 3-4 hours at the party. Deep garnet in color, it oozes with dark plums, figs, baking spices, leather and cocoa. Full-bodied, freshly acidic and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14.7%), it is layered and dense on the mid-palate. The tannins are medium in weight but have greatly benefitted from their 14 years of hibernation, as they are quite supple in texture. The wine's oak has likewise nicely assimilated, making for a very harmonious tasting experience that concludes with impressive length. At this stage in its evolution, it is classic in quality. Comparably cellared bottles should remain enjoyable throughout the remainder of the decade. Drink now-2030.
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10/31/2020 - Ranjan wrote: 94 Points
Awesome berry nose, smooth silky tannins long finish
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9/26/2020 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened the evening before a friend brought it to taste. Still big and powerful, medium to full bodied, classic Cali/Napa Cab. Lots of oak driven vanilla and cedar and tobacco notes, black fruit and a fairly long persistent finish. Masculine but not over the top. Soft and round mouth feel. Solid.
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6/23/2020 - Ranjan wrote: 94 Points
Awesome berry nose, smooth tannins, long finish
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5/19/2020 - Snag One Likes this wine: 92 Points
The nose consists of coffee, cocoa, black licorice, blueberries and toast. Super soft and well integrated tannins with a very nice mouthfeel. Layers of blueberries, mint, toffee, cassis, licorice and toast. Time has served ‘this wine very well.
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3/31/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 90 Points
SInce I am home cooking evey night I pick a bottle to coravin a glass while preparing dinner. This wine has slipped a little in the past 9 months since I last tried a bottle but still drinking really well for its age.
A nose of dark fruit. The palate was plum, berry, licorice and a touch of tobacco. The finish was moderate to long.
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1/4/2020 - wino-stephen Likes this wine: 91 Points
What a great coincidence, I am also drinking this wine willing on the Pats watching the game in Lexington, MA. I hope Brady continues to do as well as this wine. Still love it. Great wine for the price
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1/4/2020 - BostonRob64 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Trying to conjure up some good karma for tonight’s Patriots game - ‘07 was year of last wild card win. Clean cork with barely any seepage - good omen for the rich, dark fruit. Still going strong - let’s hope Brady is, too!
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12/14/2019 - Deelirious wrote:
Still has life. I was nervous. Notes of plum and blackberry with a long floral finish.
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6/5/2019 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and poured through a vintorio. Dark Fruit on the nose. The palate was berries, dark plums, tobacco and hints of dried wood. The finish was moderate A really nice bottle of Cabernet.
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2/14/2019 - jakelschris Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely fabulous. Incredible nose. Dark fruits, leather, tobacco. Smooth finish that goes on forever
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11/18/2018 - corkcellar wrote: 87 Points
past prime.
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10/8/2018 - Mccrossanc wrote: 91 Points
Great!
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5/29/2018 - smphelps wrote: 88 Points
Almost 8 years after first tasting, and nearly three years from last tasting, impressions of this wine have not changed. Good, not great, tasty with limited structure and complexity. Maybe overly high expectations, but I doubt this gets better from here. Opens quickly now, and no longer seems young but drinks as a mature cab.
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3/8/2018 - Snag One Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sleek, silky and well balanced wine we decanted for an hour prior to pouring. Nice notes of graphite, toast, black cherries, black pepper and licorice. Very nice finish. This wine is on the downward side of it’s cellar life, but still a year to two left.
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10/28/2017 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Perplexing wine. Not big scaled, a bit thin, but with air, some great truffle tinged cassis notes and still medium bodied with medium to short finish. Decent, a bit interesting, but nothing more. Priced above it's station.
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10/27/2017 - jjh49 wrote: 87 Points
Very disappointing - its lost so much in just a year, despite perfect cellaring. Its just bla, not much to it. Should have finished a year ago
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9/30/2017 - shagen wrote: 93 Points
Delicious. Smooth, silky tannins.
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7/4/2017 - sfbikeguy wrote: 90 Points
10 years of aging is too much for this wine.
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4/19/2017 - JRoman23 wrote: 87 Points
Way past its prime unfortunately.
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3/30/2017 - Ranjan wrote: 94 Points
Drinking well, moderate fruit, well balanced.
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1/29/2017 - cawineaux wrote: 92 Points
PnP - Great nose of cherry vanilla. Palate was refined, tannins in check, overall great experience for the price point.
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12/28/2016 - Quiet Lion wrote: flawed
Slightly corked
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12/4/2016 - JHuckle wrote: 92 Points
A nicely integrated wine with a good blend of sour cherries and dark fruit. Drink now, not sure this one will last a lot longer, imo
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11/24/2016 - MDRwinos wrote: 91 Points
Open 2 hours. Drank with the '06. Some preferred this, others liked the '06. Good fruit. Decent integration. Quality wine. Can drink now or hold for another 4-6 months.
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8/28/2016 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 92 Points
Still kicking out the jams with no end in sight. I wish I had more.
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8/16/2016 - jjh49 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. I've had bottles of similar quality at 2 or 3x the price. Chocolate and raspberries. Reminds me of Hobel or Scarecrow Etain. Drink up now, getting past prime.
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4/22/2016 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 94 Points
This one has gotten better with age...fantastic classic CA cab
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3/26/2016 - pmarlo Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of the hardest corks in structure and to extract that I've encountered. Bent the wine prong tool I used. Initial taste was muted but aroma was present. Thought that it just wasn't a fruit driven wine even though the taste was dense, not flavor. Legs ran slow and fat. But the following day, after the wine was stored overnight in bottle, different story. Fruit came out and was very good. This wine was odd, as all the flavor and reaction seemed to occur right at the first sip, then there was a hollowness that followed, and empty/not empty flavor. Yet I did like it and would purchase again. Seems it will handle a good 5 years more development. I base that on how slowly it took the fruit to emerge.
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3/26/2016 - iamandyc wrote:
Probably unfair to score since we did a PnP and it was steadily improving in the glass.
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11/17/2015 - WoodieBayArea wrote:
opened for Tiff's book club, they liked it but for my taste it was way too big / extracted... made in the period of over exuberance by most Cali cab makers (w/notable exceptions like Dunn, R Mondavi reserve, etc)
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9/1/2015 - smphelps wrote: 88 Points
Two days short of exactly five years from last note. Still dark maroon/purple. Still seems a bit young and a bit alcoholic. Dark chewy blackberry and black cherry. Weighty and full. Stems on the nose. Needs time open.
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3/6/2015 - lorvath Likes this wine: 88 Points
Berries on the front, but falls flat on the finish.
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2/21/2015 - nickle wrote: 95 Points
Smooth berry
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12/3/2014 - uncle al Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at PBWG dinner
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11/30/2014 - wineman73 wrote: 89 Points
score 89-90. Nice aromas of herbs, spice and dark fruits. Low tannins. The taste was herbaceous with red and dark fruits. An average finish. Score 89-90
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11/22/2014 - mattd54 wrote:
Very good wine. Would be even better with a few more years of age. Great finish and mouth feel. A little sweet upfront with strong plum flavor.
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10/17/2014 - stconner Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very dark purple in color. awesome nose. Lots of fruit in the mid palate. Big & long finish. This wine probably has at least another 8-10 yrs left though it is really good now.
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3/3/2014 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic cab that has really benefited from cellaring. I think it has legs for a few more years.
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12/21/2013 - kevincavin wrote: 95 Points
I drank first of three bottles immediately when i bot this wine a few yrs ago & thot it was fantastic. Tonite i drank the second bottle & there's no doubt the few yrs of age refined this wine significantly. Very smooth & very tasty. Looking forward to xmas in '15 when i drink #3. It'll prob be a 97 by then...
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9/21/2013 - uncle al Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent Cabernet. Had it with various wines and this was the wine of the night. Nice fruit and very well balanced. Excellent finish.
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8/17/2013 - DonDon wrote: 89 Points
Nice but nothing special. Perhaps that is a little unfair as it is a good cab sav but I just don't think I will especially remember this wine.
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8/13/2013 - difran wrote: 93 Points
Big napa cab. Very well balanced wine.
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7/10/2013 - yayinski wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic wine for the price (bought for under $50)
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6/8/2013 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Great nose of cranberries, cassis, baking spices. The palate is full of clean red fruits and some sweet spices. Crisp acidity and clean finish. I loved it.
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1/9/2013 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Shut down hard. Nice medium intensity nose of maturing cassis and plum, but almost no flavor. Opened up over the next hour but never seemed to be fully "open". Medium finish bodes well for the future, but I'd guess another three years at least.
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12/2/2012 - THaas Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big and fruit-forward, with cassis, cherry, and boysenberry in the nose. The mouth is similarly rich on the fruit notes, with a touch of raisin and cocoa on the finish. Unctuous and mouth-filling, this is full-throttle Oakville wine, to be sure. A little topheavy, but satisfying nonetheless.
Drink through 2017.
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12/1/2012 - xuaeinw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Interesting wine. Big Napa Cab showing dark fruit. Tannins seemed subdued, but intense rear pallet follow through. I think I'll wait a while before the next bottle to see what happens.
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11/14/2012 - greekwineaux wrote: 93 Points
Brought this to dinner-everyone loved it. Great juice, with at least several more years before the decline starts. GB continues to be one of the best cabs in it's class.
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10/14/2012 - Matt T wrote: 93 Points
Hedonistic with good length. This is a big one with lots of oak and vanilla. Drink on the early side of the window.
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10/5/2012 - pdadams66 wrote: 90 Points
Deep red center, red rim with modest signs of age, long legs.
Crushed berries, cassis and raspberries, rich, some oak later on married with dark olives.
Sweet and rich upfront, blackcurrants, blackberries and cherries, slight citrus note with faint green peppers, modest acid and tannin (enough though to keep the wine standing up), herby tapenade flavours towards the end, long red fruit and slightly dusty finish.
Fruit and glycerine forward Napa style, drinks well now and probably won't improve, wouldn't want to drink it every day, but once in a while...
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10/2/2012 - pdadams66 wrote: 90 Points
Dense red color, sweet cassis balanced with oak, very rich (almost sweet) in the mouth. Very good length.
Very easy to drink now, very Napa.
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10/1/2012 - jaxpaj wrote: 92 Points
This may be just past its prime. Brown tinge of color is starting to appear. If you have any drink now!!
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9/27/2012 - xuaeinw wrote: 91 Points
I think this wine is really at its prime now. Big wine lots of dark fruit, but very smooth. May lose its punch if held too long.
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5/13/2012 - TheDarkPrince wrote: 89 Points
Pleased I pulled this cos it's already on the decline. It was ok, but I am disappointed. I recall paying $50 bucks for this specimen. Rustic overtones were already evident. Still sweet, but lost it's punch and power. Fruit has faded and has become nondescript. Not worth the money. If you buy this stuff (from any vintage), I suggest that you drink it promptly.
:0)
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1/14/2012 - cfoy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this wine - aired out within an hour
Just great!
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12/30/2011 - williamswhine wrote: 93 Points
Just a fantastic bottle. Dark garnet berry hue, full bodied, little oak, cedar, very well balanced. Just a great bottle-- wish I had a bunch more.
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12/29/2011 - Haggis wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic. Considerably more complex and structured than the "professional" tasting notes would suggest. Dark, rich, and plummy with eucalyptus, cedar, mocha, and (yes) a hint of coconut. Finishes strong, with fine tannins. Should age nicely for another 5+ yr before plateauing.
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12/28/2011 - km5 wrote:
very nice...notes of sweet berry nose and tastes
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12/19/2011 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Nice, herb/veg profile, crisp tannins, young. Needs 5 years.
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11/24/2011 - cyc wrote: 90 Points
Absolute fruit bomb right now. I love a bit of fruit now and then, but this was over the top
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8/20/2011 - soyhead wrote: 90 Points
Nose - blackberry, cocoa, light smoke
Mouth - juicy Berry fruit, fine tannins, dry cocoa finish
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6/12/2011 - garambler wrote: 93 Points
We had this with grilled New York Strips on 6/12/11. After an hour in the decanter, it had a rich, ripe and jammy bouquet of cassis, black cherry, blackberry, plum, mocha, cocoa, licorice, spice, burnt toast and charcoal. The palate was ripe, dry and oaky with black cherry, black currant, plum, cocoa, mocha, licorice, spice, burnt toast and charcoal.
A couple more hours in the decanter turned this into one of the most perfectly integrated wines I’ve ever had! The oak was much less pronounced and the jamminess disappeared…DELICIOUS.
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5/25/2011 - COFPrez Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ghost Block 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville - Napa Valley: Crystal clear deep garnet color, gorgeous! The bouquet is beautiful ripe cherry and deep blackberry with an elegant touch of carmel oak. Silky smooth with a slight currant flavor but fantastic black cherry and blackberry that mimic the bouquet. I enjoyed this Cabernet very much and give it 94 points.
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5/15/2011 - prasm wrote: 90 Points
Splash decanted 1 hour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Medium expressiveness, dark fruit - blue berry, black cherry, and red fruit - raspberry, anise, and menthol. Palate: Medium to full bodied, spicy dark fruit and a hint of white pepper. Finish: Medium length, dominated by spicy dark fruit.
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4/24/2011 - gotapex wrote:
Still very very young, and very fruit forward at this point. Hold the rest for at least another year.
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4/20/2011 - jaxpaj wrote: 93 Points
Drank over several days (vacuum sealed and cellar after each tasting) and it found its stride on day 3. On the first day it was a very tight wine with touches of Earth and slightly under ripened fruit, but by the last day it had opened up and actually had some depth! Dark fruit, touch of mocha, tanned leather, and oak, swirl into a beautiful wine. Makes me think it will evolve into a mid to upper 90s wine in a couple of years. A wine that must be decanted several hours before in order to discover what it has to offer.
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4/15/2011 - RockinCabs wrote: 90 Points
Nose: red fruit all the way. Almost to the point of showing maraschino cherries and twizzlers. Also showing very classic oakville eucalyptus and bakers chocolate. Palate: it is a bit one dimensional, but tasty. Red fruits, chocolate, sweet oak and silky tanin structure. Finish: moderate and dominated by red cherry and vanilla.
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4/1/2011 - drewsand wrote: 92 Points
fruity and full bodied. decanted for 90 minutes
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3/7/2011 - CMorris wrote: 88 Points
A good example of a wine that needs more time to meld. Almost zin-like with lots of spice and yammy fruit. I will open another in 2013.
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2/18/2011 - Gestalted wrote: 84 Points
Disappointed! Herby with a bitter finish. How can anyone give a positive review to this wine. Ugh!
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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1/20/2011 - sasvino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid napa valley cab my sense it's a fruit forward style with black fruit dominance nice balance and complexity, could use some time to intensify will improve with time def decant low 90s with potential to improve
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1/8/2011 - prasm wrote: 90 Points
Splash decanted 1 hour, consumed over 4 hours. Nose: Not very giving, requires a vigorous swirl to reveal eucalyptus, anise, smoke, raspberry, and lavender. Palate: Good balance, medium to full bodied, gripping tannins, gritty mineral with a little red fruit. Gripping tannins dominate medium length finish. Overall, I have to say, I expected just a bit more. However, given a few more years in bottle I can see the potential.
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12/11/2010 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
Saturdays at One - Volume 39: Tasted non blind. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of cocoa powder, potpourri, light notes of cedar and a mix of dark fruits. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold. 90?
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12/11/2010 - mmurry Likes this wine: 91 Points
Champagne and Cabernet (Farpointe Cellar): The tobacco and cocoa on the nose were really good. The blackberry and cherry fruit added in some nice complexity, and the floral notes at the end rounded everything out. Rich and thick on the palate, the dark fruit flavors just saturate everything. The mid-palate had some spice and tobacco, and the finish was very floral.
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12/1/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Hadn't had Ghost Block in a while, so when I saw it in the store, felt like the right wine to have with the chateaubriand my brother-in-law had in his Traeger. And, as I hoped, this wine paired amazing well. It's a big CA Cab and fairly typical of that genre, but with a very nice acidity level and spectacular smoke on the nose (probably what helped pair it well with the meat). Dark red fruit and mocha added on to a lush, broad palate. A touch light on the finish and not terribly complex, but as someone at the table remarked "tastes like it's supposed to." I'll take that any day...
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11/20/2010 - THaas wrote: 93 Points
Rich cassis and cherry nose. Plenty of oak evident in the mouth, balancing off the gobs of fruit. Big, plush, and full. This is a very hedonistic wine; not sure what kind of food it'd pair best with, aside from a big fat steak.
Drink now through 2017.
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11/15/2010 - jaxpaj wrote: 93 Points
this wine really changes depending on what you are eating. Had at Morton's with surf and turf and the wine was singing! I have been lukewarm on the wine until then. But left a half glass to have with the chocolate soufflé and it took a step backwards. defiantly pair with something bold/heavy.
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11/6/2010 - Niagara wrote: 90 Points
All the elements are there, but not yet (?) well integrated -- and somewhat obscured by oak. Give it time.
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10/25/2010 - jaxpaj wrote: 90 Points
I was in the minority of liking this over the Whitehall Lane 25th anniversary.
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10/12/2010 - jaxpaj wrote: 90 Points
Didn't live up to my expectations. After having the 06 yountville and reading notes saying that the 2 are similar, I expected more. Agree with the notes from "smphelps" in an earlier tasting note. There is a definite quality there that resembled "green notes" but I couldn't figure it out. 90pts may be high. Hoping for some improvement with more time in the cellar.
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9/21/2010 - JohnnyBark wrote: 92 Points
Due to my lack of experience with Cali cab, I have to say this. The wine is a oak monster. I bought it blind based on past review. It's a total crowd pleaser and surly has a lot of time on it. The fruit is huge, the tannins are there, I don't know how they'll integrate over time. Very ripe and delish, not pruned or rasined. I'm not a cab drinker, but this can't be the worse example of wine that's been thrown on the market with oak as it's main backbone. Modern day Cali cab, you really blow in the scheme of wine integrity, but tonight I was a whore for you.
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9/18/2010 - GreatLibations wrote: 93 Points
OMG! This is the best value in Napa Cabernet. 70 bones get you top of the heap, prime pedigree, CA Grand Cru. Massive, rich, expressive, layered blackfruit, cedar, and dusty tannins. Let it open up and the reward is yours. I can still taste it and it's been days.
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9/6/2010 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
A bit grippy. Loads of spice. A bit of cocoa, honey, and vanilla. Long finish.
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9/3/2010 - smphelps wrote: 88 Points
Rich cabernet brown- purple ruby red. Clearly young and not to its day, with a tight nose (even after a 2 hour decant) that continued to open slowly over the next 4 hours. Green notes mix with the more traditional blackberry and are followed by cherry and mocca. Long finish, persistent tannins that are smooth, but green. Shows great promise, just needs patience.
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8/30/2010 - wine rat wrote: 91 Points
Great potential. Needs more time.
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8/25/2010 - miller3324 Does not like this wine:
Over the top and extracted. While the wine did open up in the glass (was a pop and pour), the wine was just too big for my tastes. Could not get past the alcohol and oak. If I had more I would let them sit for a long time in hopes of improvement in the cellar.
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8/7/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: 91 Points
Quite opaque with just a bit of see-through on the perimeter of the glass. Herbal Eucalyptus at first on the nose but then along comes some caramel. Would have liked more straightforward fruit, but there's no denying this is quality stuff. Could get better with age if it comes together. Whether you'll enjoy it depends on your preference for fruit vs. herbal. Quite an intense wine either way and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
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7/21/2010 - bacchus wrote: 94 Points
had a sip at richard's the best cellar weds nite tasting. the wine had been open 24 hours. the wine was very expressive, showing all its glory. very sweet blackberry fruit. very fine tannins. voluptuous. the children slept quietly all nestled in their beds while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.
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7/11/2010 - whits wrote: 94 Points
decanted two hours, nose shows some nice eucalyptus, rose, herb and cherry, excellent balance across the palate, shows young fruit really well, very easy drinking, tight, structured, delicious cherry pie, earth, tobacco, berries, and spices, the finish holds on well, has some life ahead but nice now, not too sweet or heavy, I would say the balance between fruit, earth, acid, tannin, and weight is just right, just so easy to drink, I love this
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6/18/2010 - TJolley Likes this wine: 97 Points
This has t o be the best 07 cab value on the market. No less than 6 hours of decanting to get this bottle only at the beginning of what it has to offer. Have tried 2 bottles.
This bottle should evolve well for 25-30+ years.
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6/13/2010 - Uglypinga wrote:
Sweet, chocolate laden nose with black currants. The palate is sweet and full with a little chocolate and smoke as well. The finish shows a little heat, some nice acid and sweet tannins that last a reasonable ammount. Not a block buster but very good.
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5/29/2010 - paulmase wrote: 89 Points
Dark fruit and vanilla on the nose decent mouth feel toasted coconut and drk chocolate on the finish. Overpriced but good 89 pts.
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5/10/2010 - faust wrote: 90 Points
Still very tight, I believe the 2006, was better.
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5/9/2010 - scelliott99 wrote: 91 Points
Big dark fruits on the nose that carry through. Not overly complex, as is to be expected from a wine so young, but very easy to drink. This is my favorite GB to date.
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