Medium garnet red with lighter edges. Lovely nose with dark cherries, dustiness, truffles, spices and forest floor. Medium tannins (5.5/10) and acidity is a bit high. Medium to medium plus bodied with notes of forest floor, dark spices, bramble berries, cherries, and a little floral. Medium plus bodied. Aged nicely for a 9 year old bottle. Drink till 2024.
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Popped and poured. Deep garnet with no bricking. Nose of black currants, sour cherry, hints of blackberry and spicy oak. On the palate lush but not heavyweight with flavors of red currant, blackberry, black cherry, with hints of vanilla. Long balanced finish. This would show well in a lineup of high priced wines. Drink or hold, this has a good life ahead.
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Over two years since I last checked in on this. Uncorked and slow-Od for about 4 hours. Still a nice dark ruby color, about 80% saturated with clear legs and a tiny amount of sediment. Nose is still quite primary and berry-driven. The palate is also quite unchanged from how I remember, but I also sense the cusp of maturity just setting in. I think another year or so will make this much more interesting, if not qualitatively better. It's always been a bit over-ripe in my mind and the heat will never go away, but age and oxygen should broaden the profile and add some intrigue. Day two update: I gotta say, this really blossomed out with the long aeration and showed a lot more complexity and depth. By the end of the bottle, it was a "wow" wine. 5+11+17+8= 91
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OK, this was popped and poured but didn't really hold my attention tonight. Little nose, maybe some dark fruit, leather and peppers followed by fumes. This followed through on the palate then a strong tannic, although very fine and integrated finish and a hit of alcohol.
To be fair as well, not in the best frames of mind and in that respect, probably hit the mark as a nice wine after a while of not drinking wine....
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This was a lot better than previous bottles - had settled down. Nose has mint and a little earth plus some small berries. Palate has a little tannin and a decent finish.
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By far the best bottle of this to date. Great nose with tons of florals, black currant, cherry, and red currant. On the palate black and red currants with a hint of sour cherry. Tannins are there but well integrated. Nice grip on a balanced finish. I have two more and will put them away for while to see if they develop any secondary characteristics.
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John comes to town! (Amali (115 E 60th Street, NY, NY)): I remember hearing that the blend was the clear winner from the wines this year. To me, it was a bit overshadowed by the other wines we had at the table. Much younger (and I tend to prefer my wines with a bit more age) and also just a bit less connected. Had a slightly offputting aftertaste. A bit unfair though as it was next to a 1992 Chateau Montelena Estate and a 2003 Joseph Phelps.
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A bit hot at the open and wasn't liking it at first after the pop and pour, but after the venutri and some hang time in the glass it came around very nicely. I think these will have some shelf life, but have just started to open into their window. Glad I have many more in the cellar.
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At the pop, it was showing reductive and jammy, even sulphury. But after two hours of air it was humming, and after a day open, singing. Aroma is really sweet but somehow the palate pulls in the reins and holds the alcohol and ripeness to more modest levels. 4+12+17+7= 90
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Nice aroma of red and black fruits along with spice and vanilla. On the palate, sour cherry, black currant, vanilla, spicy oak. Finishes a little too hot but overall very nice.
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Not much to add to two previous notes except that it's progressing in fine manner. Big bodied and slippery smooth with a lot of fruit stuffing that promises to develop over the next year or so, but still quite enjoyable now. Bouquet is backing off of the vegetal and pepper notes and giving up more of the underlying dark berry sweetness. I think this might be showing more heat than the non-blended Gerlach and Black Sears single vineyard bottles do. 5+10+16+8 = 89
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Notes after 1hr open. Similar to floydtp's cork, this showed about a 1/4" of seepage. I think the color has also lightened a bit since my first bottle 13 months ago to a medium ruby, 70% saturated with wide, very slow and clear legs. The nose is not profound, but perfumed nicely and gaining in complexity now. A bit less vegetal than before and the dominant cassis is mixing with the pepper, tobacco, and floral notes and creating a bouquet that leads me to think even better days are ahead. The palate is also more complex than before and displays a very nimble structure as I feel a happy dance going on in my mouth that I don't get from most Cali Cabs. If I didn't know better, I'd think some Grenache had made it into the barrel ;) I'm loving the delicacy and balance of this and feeling pretty good about where this wine is heading. I'm not sensing any overt alcohol as some other reviews have noted. Good to go now, but still on it's way up. 5+11+16+8 = 90
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Tasted non-blind at home. I noted that the wine had soaked through a little more than half the cork all the way around so hopefully this cork is an anomoly otherwise these might not age as long as we would like. PnP'd a small sample then slow oxed. Initial sample had notes of green pepper, black currants and quite a bit of alcohol. On the palate, it was mostly cassis with just a hint of green pepper. The medium length finish was mostly sour fruit and maybe the tiniest hint of leather. Medium-firm tannins but not as much as I was expecting.
I slow oxed it for 5 hours then decanted for another 3-4 before taking to a large tasting. I ended up not taking detailed notes but did taste it alongside 30+ mostly Napa cabs of varying pedigree that were very young on average. I remember the alcohol being upfront both on the nose and palate and that the wine wasn't remarkable in any other way especially in comparison to the other cabs in the tasting.
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Big alcohol nose with mainly coffee. Black fruits, bitter, nicely saline in the middle, with pretty big and drying tannins. Most people at the offline liked this, but i didnt get it.
Tasted at the DC/NOVA offline
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January 2013 CT Northern Virginia Off-Line "The Inaugural" (AngryPrez's home, Falls Church VA): decanted 4 hours & then returned to bottle for serving an hour later. I think 8 hours decanting would have been even better at this point. The nose is pure napa (I got a touch of a green note but I'm very sensitive to that) with loads of dark fruit and a rich full mouthfeel. Very well enjoyed.
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Decanted this for 7 hours this time and it really helped to open up the wine. I'd recommend this for any of these CT cabs if you are going to drink them in the near term.
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Nice nose of black currant, blackberry, spicy oak, red plum. On the palate black currant, red currant, blackberry, hints of cedar. Substantial tannins and great acidity. Needs more time to integrate. Hold 3+ years.
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Notes on the final glass from a bottle opened last night so it's had plenty of air. Color is dark ruby, 95% opaque with very slow, clear legs. No sediment and it even looks youthful in the glass. The aroma is medium to bold and gives up currant and dark berry, roses, mushroom, tobacco, loam, and white pepper. Big body, average acidity, and by this morning the tannins have dramatically softened and the whole palate is very smooth. Finish is really delicious and textured. It's pretty fruit driven at this young stage and we'll see if there's enough underlying stuffing for better balance in years to come. 4+11+17+8=90
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OC4PokerXIV: Alsace vs Germany (and dinner) (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): fingers's note is spot on. Served side-by-side with the 09 Gerlach Ranch. Very good to excellent purity of fruit, with an overarching structure that suggests the best is yet to come. If I were an owner, I'd be looking at 3-5 years minimum of bottle rest or serious aeration if enjoying sooner than that. Impressive balance, focus and my favorite of the two. recommended, 14,5% abv, drink thru 2022
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Very impressed. Young and primary at this point with lots of red fruit on the nose and palate. Well balanced from start to finish with a good influence on the back end from the oak but the tannins remain soft. This will age really well but I doubt I'll have them hanging around long enough to find out. :) Easily a 90 pointer and can hold it's own against many wines in the $50-$75 range.
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Color: Deep Ruby Red Aroma: Red Cherry, vanilla and wood Taste: Ripe Currant, wild berry, mocha, tobacco and a little earth This is a smooth, well balanced full bodied wine with a silky feel on the palate. A full finish with firm tannins. Just a baby, and will look to see how this evolves over time. A well done project and I couldn't be more pleased at the outcome.
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- Crimsom color with slow forming legs and aromas of cherry. It's balanced and has flavours of mushroom and fig with a medium body. Fleshy texture - a bit young for this baby, but could not wait. I think we have lots of great drinking ahead of us with this one.
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5/24/2021 - annerk wrote:
Tannins silky and integrated, classic Napa nose and profile, well balanced. one bottle left, drink in three years.
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9/14/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Medium garnet red with lighter edges. Lovely nose with dark cherries, dustiness, truffles, spices and forest floor. Medium tannins (5.5/10) and acidity is a bit high. Medium to medium plus bodied with notes of forest floor, dark spices, bramble berries, cherries, and a little floral. Medium plus bodied. Aged nicely for a 9 year old bottle. Drink till 2024.
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2/19/2017 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Deep garnet with no bricking. Nose of black currants, sour cherry, hints of blackberry and spicy oak. On the palate lush but not heavyweight with flavors of red currant, blackberry, black cherry, with hints of vanilla. Long balanced finish. This would show well in a lineup of high priced wines. Drink or hold, this has a good life ahead.
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2/3/2017 - fingers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Over two years since I last checked in on this. Uncorked and slow-Od for about 4 hours. Still a nice dark ruby color, about 80% saturated with clear legs and a tiny amount of sediment. Nose is still quite primary and berry-driven. The palate is also quite unchanged from how I remember, but I also sense the cusp of maturity just setting in. I think another year or so will make this much more interesting, if not qualitatively better. It's always been a bit over-ripe in my mind and the heat will never go away, but age and oxygen should broaden the profile and add some intrigue.
Day two update: I gotta say, this really blossomed out with the long aeration and showed a lot more complexity and depth. By the end of the bottle, it was a "wow" wine. 5+11+17+8= 91
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12/23/2016 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 86 Points
Still on the fruity side with little depth of flavors. Nothing offensive, but no wow factor. Tannins have mostly resolved.
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10/26/2016 - Wrighty wrote:
OK, this was popped and poured but didn't really hold my attention tonight. Little nose, maybe some dark fruit, leather and peppers followed by fumes. This followed through on the palate then a strong tannic, although very fine and integrated finish and a hit of alcohol.
To be fair as well, not in the best frames of mind and in that respect, probably hit the mark as a nice wine after a while of not drinking wine....
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12/24/2015 - Wrighty wrote:
This was a lot better than previous bottles - had settled down. Nose has mint and a little earth plus some small berries. Palate has a little tannin and a decent finish.
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5/17/2015 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
By far the best bottle of this to date. Great nose with tons of florals, black currant, cherry, and red currant. On the palate black and red currants with a hint of sour cherry. Tannins are there but well integrated. Nice grip on a balanced finish. I have two more and will put them away for while to see if they develop any secondary characteristics.
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5/7/2015 - MC2 Wines wrote:
John comes to town! (Amali (115 E 60th Street, NY, NY)): I remember hearing that the blend was the clear winner from the wines this year. To me, it was a bit overshadowed by the other wines we had at the table. Much younger (and I tend to prefer my wines with a bit more age) and also just a bit less connected. Had a slightly offputting aftertaste. A bit unfair though as it was next to a 1992 Chateau Montelena Estate and a 2003 Joseph Phelps.
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12/15/2014 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with previous notes.
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10/18/2014 - mclancy10006 Likes this wine:
A bit hot at the open and wasn't liking it at first after the pop and pour, but after the venutri and some hang time in the glass it came around very nicely. I think these will have some shelf life, but have just started to open into their window. Glad I have many more in the cellar.
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7/9/2014 - fingers Likes this wine: 90 Points
At the pop, it was showing reductive and jammy, even sulphury. But after two hours of air it was humming, and after a day open, singing. Aroma is really sweet but somehow the palate pulls in the reins and holds the alcohol and ripeness to more modest levels. 4+12+17+7= 90
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6/1/2014 - GalvezGuy wrote: 89 Points
Nice aroma of red and black fruits along with spice and vanilla. On the palate, sour cherry, black currant, vanilla, spicy oak. Finishes a little too hot but overall very nice.
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3/30/2014 - brigcampbell wrote:
OCPoker4wine - Ashley and Brian come home (WCC - Irvine CA): Blind - guessed cali.
Medium dark color and very good clarity. Sweet aromas pour out of the glass. Very fruit forward. Sweet cherry flavor, oak, and mocha.
Medium plus finish.
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3/29/2014 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour, blind, over approx. 20 min. --
Intense dark red color. Nose was very ripe: rich red berries, and a touch floral. Medium to medium-full bodied. Palate: young; oaky; ripe red fruits.
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11/6/2013 - fingers wrote: 89 Points
Not much to add to two previous notes except that it's progressing in fine manner. Big bodied and slippery smooth with a lot of fruit stuffing that promises to develop over the next year or so, but still quite enjoyable now. Bouquet is backing off of the vegetal and pepper notes and giving up more of the underlying dark berry sweetness. I think this might be showing more heat than the non-blended Gerlach and Black Sears single vineyard bottles do. 5+10+16+8 = 89
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8/26/2013 - fingers Likes this wine: 90 Points
Notes after 1hr open. Similar to floydtp's cork, this showed about a 1/4" of seepage. I think the color has also lightened a bit since my first bottle 13 months ago to a medium ruby, 70% saturated with wide, very slow and clear legs. The nose is not profound, but perfumed nicely and gaining in complexity now. A bit less vegetal than before and the dominant cassis is mixing with the pepper, tobacco, and floral notes and creating a bouquet that leads me to think even better days are ahead. The palate is also more complex than before and displays a very nimble structure as I feel a happy dance going on in my mouth that I don't get from most Cali Cabs. If I didn't know better, I'd think some Grenache had made it into the barrel ;) I'm loving the delicacy and balance of this and feeling pretty good about where this wine is heading. I'm not sensing any overt alcohol as some other reviews have noted. Good to go now, but still on it's way up. 5+11+16+8 = 90
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5/20/2013 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with previous note, after three hours of air, this really took on some gorgeous floral aromas.
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5/18/2013 - floydtp wrote: 88 Points
Tasted non-blind at home. I noted that the wine had soaked through a little more than half the cork all the way around so hopefully this cork is an anomoly otherwise these might not age as long as we would like. PnP'd a small sample then slow oxed. Initial sample had notes of green pepper, black currants and quite a bit of alcohol. On the palate, it was mostly cassis with just a hint of green pepper. The medium length finish was mostly sour fruit and maybe the tiniest hint of leather. Medium-firm tannins but not as much as I was expecting.
I slow oxed it for 5 hours then decanted for another 3-4 before taking to a large tasting. I ended up not taking detailed notes but did taste it alongside 30+ mostly Napa cabs of varying pedigree that were very young on average. I remember the alcohol being upfront both on the nose and palate and that the wine wasn't remarkable in any other way especially in comparison to the other cabs in the tasting.
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3/6/2013 - annerk wrote: 90 Points
50+5+12+16+7 mountain fruit dominates in the 50-50 blend. Nice tannins. Should age well for another 5+ years. Great QPR.
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1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at NoVA offline last night courtesy of Grayfont. Great salinity, black fruits, meatiness. Delicious.
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1/26/2013 - ericindc Likes this wine: 87 Points
Big alcohol nose with mainly coffee. Black fruits, bitter, nicely saline in the middle, with pretty big and drying tannins. Most people at the offline liked this, but i didnt get it.
Tasted at the DC/NOVA offline
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1/26/2013 - grayfont Likes this wine: 90 Points
January 2013 CT Northern Virginia Off-Line "The Inaugural" (AngryPrez's home, Falls Church VA): decanted 4 hours & then returned to bottle for serving an hour later. I think 8 hours decanting would have been even better at this point. The nose is pure napa (I got a touch of a green note but I'm very sensitive to that) with loads of dark fruit and a rich full mouthfeel. Very well enjoyed.
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1/22/2013 - Rob MacKay wrote:
Decanted this for 7 hours this time and it really helped to open up the wine. I'd recommend this for any of these CT cabs if you are going to drink them in the near term.
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12/9/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose of black currant, blackberry, spicy oak, red plum. On the palate black currant, red currant, blackberry, hints of cedar. Substantial tannins and great acidity. Needs more time to integrate. Hold 3+ years.
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7/29/2012 - fingers wrote: 90 Points
Notes on the final glass from a bottle opened last night so it's had plenty of air. Color is dark ruby, 95% opaque with very slow, clear legs. No sediment and it even looks youthful in the glass. The aroma is medium to bold and gives up currant and dark berry, roses, mushroom, tobacco, loam, and white pepper. Big body, average acidity, and by this morning the tannins have dramatically softened and the whole palate is very smooth. Finish is really delicious and textured. It's pretty fruit driven at this young stage and we'll see if there's enough underlying stuffing for better balance in years to come. 4+11+17+8=90
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7/28/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
OC4PokerXIV: Alsace vs Germany (and dinner) (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): fingers's note is spot on. Served side-by-side with the 09 Gerlach Ranch. Very good to excellent purity of fruit, with an overarching structure that suggests the best is yet to come. If I were an owner, I'd be looking at 3-5 years minimum of bottle rest or serious aeration if enjoying sooner than that. Impressive balance, focus and my favorite of the two. recommended, 14,5% abv, drink thru 2022
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6/26/2012 - Rob MacKay wrote: 91 Points
Very impressed. Young and primary at this point with lots of red fruit on the nose and palate. Well balanced from start to finish with a good influence on the back end from the oak but the tannins remain soft. This will age really well but I doubt I'll have them hanging around long enough to find out. :) Easily a 90 pointer and can hold it's own against many wines in the $50-$75 range.
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5/19/2012 - smahk wrote:
Color: Deep Ruby Red
Aroma: Red Cherry, vanilla and wood
Taste: Ripe Currant, wild berry, mocha, tobacco and a little earth
This is a smooth, well balanced full bodied wine with a silky feel on the palate. A full finish with firm tannins.
Just a baby, and will look to see how this evolves over time. A well done project and I couldn't be more pleased at the outcome.
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5/19/2012 - mclancy10006 wrote:
- Crimsom color with slow forming legs and aromas of cherry. It's balanced and has flavours of mushroom and fig with a medium body. Fleshy texture - a bit young for this baby, but could not wait. I think we have lots of great drinking ahead of us with this one.
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