Color: dark red/brown with viscous legs Nose: medium to full intensity. Complex aromas of dried red fruits and berries. Some leather and cedar. Body/flavor: medium/full body. Complex flavors of dried red fruits and berries. Lush mouthfeel with good acid balance. Aftertaste: lingering finish
Amazing bottle after 25 years...
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The final bottle from a case bought at release. Cork completely crumbled at opening. For the tough '98 vintage, this wine was a much better than average bottling. Tart cherry with vibrant acidity at this stage - keeping it bright and lively. Mostly red fruits, tart and puckering.
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Strategy session. Cork fell apart but ok. Musty and dusty notes on the open. Neutral, flat yet solid. Will update with air. Granted, had this after a Carlisle zin so that is an unfair contrast.
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Opened with dinner. Light to medium bodied red to brick coloring. A whisper of what it once was - not necessarily in a bad way, but the tart cherry and acidity is taking charge and coming to the fore in this fully mature, declining wine. It's deft and vibrant, but lacking in fruit and power at this time. Minimal signs of secondary notes as well.
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Given that this was meant to be past its best I was very surprised at how bright the wine was. Decanted through aerator. Maintains a lovely garnet colour. Light berry and violet notes and a touch of pepper. Very low tannins. A very pleasant surprise for something that I expected to have to pour down the sink.
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Opened for a Christmas party. this showing cherry notes with some loss of potency, but strong acids and lively balance keeps things interesting. nOt too many notes, but the cherry stuck out. Refined, solid still.
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Another pleasant surprise - this wine held up and is drinking better than ever. Still had some drying tannins which suggest it could go on for a while but what a joy to drink now. Yum.
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Bought this 10-ish years ago. Maybe it was even a gift, but either way, I have had it for a long time. Mediocre producer, bad year, but wine has developed into a very good to excellent wine. Popped, decanted and poured and followed for three hours. Kept getting better with the air. When I opened it, I thought it was going to end up as an 85 point OK wine, nothing special but not bad. However, as it got a chance to gain some air, it gradually developed some very nice dark red fruits with nice dark cherry. There is still a bit of unresolved tannin, even after 16 years. Color is dark with no bricking. Wood referenced in other CT reviews is almost all gone, with just a tiny bit of a mix of cedar and oak. Finish is soft but long. Nose is subdued.
I opened this with the expectation that it would either be a pleasant surprise or I would write a note that started with "what possessed me to buy this?" The result is door number one.
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Unfortunately opened and poured into plastic cups, which greatly detracted from the ability to take a proper reading. This wine seemed very mature and neutral, both olfactory and taste-wise. Notes of plum and black cherry. Decent structure, resolved tannins - enjoyable without any noticeable flaws.
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PnP tonight as I prepared spice rubbed grilled pork tenderloin. Wine stored in temp controlled cellar since release - Color was surprisingly youthful given prior comments. Nose is muted, probably due to age & the cooler vintage. Flavors are classic Napa cab, but muted; fruit has faded a lot over time and the finish is shorter than what I recall. Still showing well given its age, no one would guess '98. Will see how it shows with some air and food.... 90 minutes later this wine is actually showing quite strong, fruit has come to the fore and the wine is very balanced, not overly oaked at all. A pleasant surprise for sure.
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Well past its prime. Was disappointed since this was, in its prime, a fantastic wine. This time around it was not enjoyable... had a nice nose but no fruit on the palate.
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Rich nose with oaky/vanilla, chocolate, raspberry and cherry. Dark ruby color and nice long slow legs. Dark berry fruits, chocolate and coffee dominate the flavor profile. Aftertaste is medium long with a cherry cough drop finish of sorts. It went nicely with grilled strip steak. It probably is about as good as it will get though by no means near end of life. Very pleasant!
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Poured a medium red with minimal signs of fading, this carried ample aromas of plum, black cherry, some ETOH and oak. Somewhat madierized and ascorbic, the palate showing black cherry and plum again, with high acidity distracting from the fruit core. A little tired, but solid nonetheless. On day two, more bulk and dense, though oxidity muting freshness.
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Showing hints of it's former glory, some depth, smooth tannins, but lots less fruit than I remembered in the previous bottle a few years back. Getting a bit better as it opens up in the glass. This is my last bottle, and while it's past peak, it's certainly pleasant.
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This wine aged very well and was still fantastic! Great body with lots of fruit and a very smooth finish. I was afraid I waited too long to drink this one, but I was not disappointed at all.
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In the middle of 2 other tastings. 1st tasting in 03 was rath blah, but improved substantially by 2005. Wine has held up well, but seemed to last any special characteristics.
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This was one of my favorite wines from the 98 Napa vintage. It seriously over-performed for most of its life, but, like an aging rock star, the live concert isn't quite as good as it once was and depends on nostalgia to make up for the shortcomings of overage. Initial notes were promising -- deep cherry, raspberry, wood smoke, and saddle leather but grew too astringent within 30 minutes of opening. Flavors continued to thin out leaving just a stemmy, cherry shell of its former self. Drink up if you still have them.
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Decanted 1 hour. Slightly translucent ruby. Sweet cassis nose & entry with clean sweet finish with a very subtle hint of dill. Suffered by following a 1996 Chateau Montelena.
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3rd annual Christmas Party wine tasting: 1998 Cabernet Retrospective - Australia vs. USA "crush vat" match. Splash decanted for an hour and back into bottle. WOTN as voted by tasters, giving the USA the win. This libation remains a purple in the glass, and expresses a cacophony of aromas on the bouquet, revealing cassis, plum, black cherry and kirsch. Some humid oaky/cedar notes as well. Round sweet fruit on the attack, with candy, tang, grape bubble yum, cherry. The mid palate continues the theme riding to a fine grained finish with smooth fruit and tannin. A remarkable effort for 30,000 cases produced in an off vintage (98) at 11 years out.
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Beef stroganoff was the dinner with this bottle. A light red color. Creamy cherry, toasty oak and black berry notes on the nose. Polished and smooth mouthfeel rounding out with sweet cherry. Tannins very fine grained. Well balanced. Lacking the power of youth, this has been tamed.
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Starting to show some age. Wine was cloudy with sediment and was stored well. Still some nice berry flavors, but much more muted than previous tastings.
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great wine. Second bottle in last few months and glad I aged a few of these. Who says you can't age cheapo Cali cabs in a poor vintage? Like a fruitier aged bordeaux - thats a good thing.
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Our last bottle. Decanted and continued to evolve over dinner. Aromatic, gravelly minerals, dark fruits, and a good finish. From the green 98 vintage this has continued to drink very well, and a great value at $20.
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Very good, but not outstanding. To me it's not quite as complex and rewarding as it was about 2 years ago. Dark reddish-purple, nose and flavors of mainly dark fruits. Medium bodied. Very smooth drinking. Very enjoyable. Drink now. 88-89 pts
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Still one of the better '98 IMO, I recall from the winery how fruity and lush it was. Now in it's 10th year, the jammyness has faded, though the color is still quite red/purple. Aromas of cherry kool-aid, nice smooth tannins, though structure has evolved to the slightly acidic side. Still, plenty of cherry notes and dusky currant.
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Pop and poured. Initial taste was a bit sour, but over the course of the next 30 minutes the wine softened and was quite good. Lots of black fruit and soft tannins. This has developed incredibly well and we're happier then ever that we bought a case on release. This type of bottle is why we build a cellar in the first place...great value and improvement after laying down for a decade. Lots of sediment, so stand up a couple of days before or filter it. I sense this still has some time left but what a great tasting wine right now.
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Still a vibrant wine. The nose displays lots of tar and black licorice followed by a parade of black berry and raspberry. The oak is still evenly presented on the nose which remains in balance after 10 years. Color is a rich purple with only a slight hint of bricking. Fresh and lively, this wine tastes like it was made to peak at precisely 10 years. Very nice plum finish with an amazing smoothness. This wine has no hard edges and no off flavor. The finish lingers on and on, reminding you "I am good, very good".
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Decanted, and refrigerated for an hour to chill it from 71. At first it was tinged by glasses that had picked up some off odor. Drank very well in neutraql glasses, still rich, with sweet tannins, and plenty of life left. Aromatically very good. A pleasant surprise as to how well this had aged from an off vintage.
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Showed the wisdom and smoothness of age. Probably perfect last year, but still had a lot to offer. Classic cab notes with any harshness smoothed out. If you are fortunate enough to have any of these around, this year, with friends, would be a good time and a great way to enjoy.
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This wine continues to please though it is obviously starting to show an advanced age. Still, it may stay there for years. Good thing too as I have a bunch of it.
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This wine held up and aged very good for a lower priced wine. The color is still a good purple color, no loss of color at all, not even around the edges. Heavy body, and a user friendly 13.8% alcohol. The aromas were of currants, violets, spices and dark fruits. On the palate it offered flavors of ripe cherries, cranberry and coffee. It is acidic at the front, and still has some tannin at the end. This would be a good wine for pairing with an appropriate dinner. It is drinking good right now, but I think it will have no problems evolving some more over the next 3 years and hold for 3 years after that. I would not let it go past the year 2013. Point rating -- 88-89+
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Tasty. Removed from the cellar and poured directly into the glass. No tannins to speak of and the nose comes and goes. I'm not complaining though. It is a nice bottle of affordable mature Cali Cabernet that is drinking nicely now. I don't see it getting much better. It went great with the wife is out of town, new house steak dinner.
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Tasted April 24, 2006 at home with dinner. Opened and served immediately without decanting in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Color was garnet in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of kirsch, crushed black cherries on top of that and maybe some saddlesoap. Flavors of black cherry, anise and maybe just a touch of mocha. Velvety tannins, pleasing acidity. Definitely as good as it’ll ever get, might be fading just a smidge. Drink now. Based on the original purchase price of $30.00 I’d say the value is still agreeable at this point. Last bottle.
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The best and sadly the last bottle of my stash. Healthy ruby color and a pure nose of black currant, flowers and a hint of vanilla. Medium body, vibrant acidity and a long, balanced finish. I should have waited for all my bottles to get this good.
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Showing cherries and a touch of oak but very thin. I started drinking it imediately after opening the bottle. I poured it into a decanter and drank over the next 4 hours but it never really opened up - almost like it was in a numb phase. It did not appeared to be flawed and the color was still a dark red/ruby color - no signs of browning.
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Not as good as other times. Medium ruby color. Typical nose of Cabernet (black currant), but a strange touch of strawberries. Better nose than palate. Lacking alittle fruit in the mid palate. Slightly dry finish.
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I Agree wholeheartedly. This was a jewel for the 1998 vintage. I stayed well away from them overall, but purchased several of these. Really a flawless cab. Medium body. Beautiful youthful color. Last one. Each one was consistent.
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WIML89,NOWA,WS92 Tasted September 15, 2005 at home with a dinner of Board_O Rack of Lamb. Opened and served immediately without decanting in Spiegelau Authenthis Magnum glasses. Decanting is not needed in my opinion. Color was purple with a clear hue throughout. No bricking. A spicy aroma of clove stood out early on along with some cherry and plum. Eventually the clove disapaited leaving the mostly cherries and plum aromas. Flavors were fairly straightforward red cherries and raspberries. Soft, silky and smooth on the palate. How many other ways can I say that? Drink now. Should hold another year or two but won’t improve IMO.
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Pleasant suprise here! Had this with grilled new york steaks. The last time I had this wine I was very concerned that it had past its peak and I would end up with 5 bottles of cooking wine. Not so! This evenings bottle was a pleasant suprise and a bit of an education on the cycles that wine goes through. This evening the wine was full of fruit and a really good cal cab. The acidity that was so prevalent the last time was gone and the wine seemed very well balanced. I am once again happy to have 4 bottles remaining.
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Absolute and surprising delight, especially considering its troubled vintage. Age has been even kinder, smoothing the tannins and further developing the integration of the fruit. Bouquet of carmel, cherry, oak. Flavors of licorice, cassis, sour cherry, oak with a 60 second finish. No decanting necessary.
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New Years Eve and Jimmy and Ellens. Opened 2 bottles and decanted. One bottle showed very well the other was very tight. Aromas of blackberrys, bing cherrys and casis. Well integrated tannins and a medium finish.
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Deep, clear ruby in color with no visible signs of age. Beautiful long legs extend from the top of the glass to the wine. Great nose. Showing black currant, blackberries, spice, pencil shavings, and plenty of toasted oak that is in this case quite attractive. Gushing sweet black currant up front along with some spice. Builds rapidly to a midpalate of great depth, including blackberries, spice, toasty oak, and maybe nuances of other black fruits like plums or even black cherries. Plateaus with a lovely and very lengthy finish of black currant, oak, and a hint of coffee. Medium bodied, there is a good tannic presence in this wine, but it is nearly perfectly integrated. Some missing weight in the body is the only major detractor in this amazing effort from an off vintage in California. Waited over a year since I bought this, have one more left. Look forward to trying one in a few years.
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Bright disc. Deep ruby, almost opaque. Red rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense currants, blackberries, chocolate, coffee and toasted oak. Medium to full-bodied, with ample but supple tannins and good acidity. The flavors are similar to the nose. The finish is medium-long and slightly acidic. This is a very nice '98 and would best be drunk after 2002.
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2/11/2023 - OldwineinVT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bought in Vermont. 13.8% ABV
Color: dark red/brown with viscous legs
Nose: medium to full intensity. Complex aromas of dried red fruits and berries. Some leather and cedar.
Body/flavor: medium/full body. Complex flavors of dried red fruits and berries. Lush mouthfeel with good acid balance.
Aftertaste: lingering finish
Amazing bottle after 25 years...
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12/10/2021 - Senso-beak wrote: 85 Points
The final bottle from a case bought at release. Cork completely crumbled at opening. For the tough '98 vintage, this wine was a much better than average bottling. Tart cherry with vibrant acidity at this stage - keeping it bright and lively. Mostly red fruits, tart and puckering.
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8/15/2020 - kstoddard wrote:
Over the hill
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8/3/2020 - PBANGELO Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was somewhat apprehensive at opening, in view of the bottle age. Cocoa, dark berries, some lingering oak in the background. Delicious.
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2/14/2020 - Jdreid3 wrote:
Excellent. Let breath.
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4/20/2018 - Senso-beak wrote: 87 Points
Strategy session. Cork fell apart but ok. Musty and dusty notes on the open. Neutral, flat yet solid. Will update with air. Granted, had this after a Carlisle zin so that is an unfair contrast.
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2/16/2017 - Senso-beak wrote: 85 Points
Opened with dinner. Light to medium bodied red to brick coloring. A whisper of what it once was - not necessarily in a bad way, but the tart cherry and acidity is taking charge and coming to the fore in this fully mature, declining wine. It's deft and vibrant, but lacking in fruit and power at this time. Minimal signs of secondary notes as well.
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10/16/2016 - MrMoose Likes this wine: 92 Points
red fruits, umami, smooth & elegant
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8/13/2016 - bstueber wrote:
Took to club 35 to drink
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7/3/2016 - Woodburn Likes this wine: 89 Points
Given that this was meant to be past its best I was very surprised at how bright the wine was. Decanted through aerator. Maintains a lovely garnet colour. Light berry and violet notes and a touch of pepper. Very low tannins. A very pleasant surprise for something that I expected to have to pour down the sink.
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12/13/2015 - Senso-beak wrote: 88 Points
Opened for a Christmas party. this showing cherry notes with some loss of potency, but strong acids and lively balance keeps things interesting. nOt too many notes, but the cherry stuck out. Refined, solid still.
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7/2/2015 - alohaboys Likes this wine: 89 Points
Holding up very well. Nice acid. Some tannins. Nice nose. One wonders if the current Raymond's would hold up as well.
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1/31/2015 - cookndoc wrote: 89 Points
Drink now. Unlikely to improve with further aging.
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11/16/2014 - tbone wrote:
Another pleasant surprise - this wine held up and is drinking better than ever. Still had some drying tannins which suggest it could go on for a while but what a joy to drink now. Yum.
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8/8/2014 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 88 Points
Bought this 10-ish years ago. Maybe it was even a gift, but either way, I have had it for a long time. Mediocre producer, bad year, but wine has developed into a very good to excellent wine. Popped, decanted and poured and followed for three hours. Kept getting better with the air. When I opened it, I thought it was going to end up as an 85 point OK wine, nothing special but not bad. However, as it got a chance to gain some air, it gradually developed some very nice dark red fruits with nice dark cherry. There is still a bit of unresolved tannin, even after 16 years. Color is dark with no bricking. Wood referenced in other CT reviews is almost all gone, with just a tiny bit of a mix of cedar and oak. Finish is soft but long. Nose is subdued.
I opened this with the expectation that it would either be a pleasant surprise or I would write a note that started with "what possessed me to buy this?" The result is door number one.
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8/2/2014 - Senso-beak wrote: 88 Points
Unfortunately opened and poured into plastic cups, which greatly detracted from the ability to take a proper reading. This wine seemed very mature and neutral, both olfactory and taste-wise. Notes of plum and black cherry. Decent structure, resolved tannins - enjoyable without any noticeable flaws.
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7/15/2014 - wino121 wrote: 89 Points
Consumed the last one of 6, not much improvement, and I'd certainly drink up.
It still had ample fruit and the oak was getting sweeter tasting.
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1/30/2014 - Joe Mama wrote: 90 Points
PnP tonight as I prepared spice rubbed grilled pork tenderloin. Wine stored in temp controlled cellar since release - Color was surprisingly youthful given prior comments. Nose is muted, probably due to age & the cooler vintage. Flavors are classic Napa cab, but muted; fruit has faded a lot over time and the finish is shorter than what I recall. Still showing well given its age, no one would guess '98. Will see how it shows with some air and food....
90 minutes later this wine is actually showing quite strong, fruit has come to the fore and the wine is very balanced, not overly oaked at all.
A pleasant surprise for sure.
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12/7/2013 - JR512 Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Well beyond its drinking age. Totally flat and color is bronzed.
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10/21/2013 - wino121 wrote: 91 Points
Still hanging on...nice soft tannis, the oak is a sweeter cut on this wine and its more evident as it ages out.
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10/11/2013 - davidthi wrote: 91 Points
well balance good californian cab
aging has been giving this wine is maximum potentiel. last bottle on cellar really enjoyable
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10/1/2013 - sdaytime8 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth and Tasty, drank like a much more expensive bottle. I have a couple more so hopefully they aren't past prime.
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1/14/2013 - texas993 wrote: 85 Points
- Garnet color - Lacking depth. Past prime. Average Cab. Better when it was young.
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8/26/2012 - saschul wrote:
excellent 2012
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8/14/2012 - rgkresek wrote: 89 Points
Very pleasant. Much more enjoyable than I anticipated after reading the other reviews.
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8/11/2012 - JR512 wrote: 85 Points
Well past its prime. Was disappointed since this was, in its prime, a fantastic wine. This time around it was not enjoyable... had a nice nose but no fruit on the palate.
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4/28/2012 - oldwines wrote: 92 Points
Rich nose with oaky/vanilla, chocolate, raspberry and cherry. Dark ruby color and nice long slow legs. Dark berry fruits, chocolate and coffee dominate the flavor profile. Aftertaste is medium long with a cherry cough drop finish of sorts. It went nicely with grilled strip steak. It probably is about as good as it will get though by no means near end of life. Very pleasant!
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3/23/2012 - asplatt19 wrote: 85 Points
Definitely past it's prime.
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3/15/2012 - Senso-beak wrote: 87 Points
Poured a medium red with minimal signs of fading, this carried ample aromas of plum, black cherry, some ETOH and oak. Somewhat madierized and ascorbic, the palate showing black cherry and plum again, with high acidity distracting from the fruit core. A little tired, but solid nonetheless. On day two, more bulk and dense, though oxidity muting freshness.
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2/4/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
May be with age has turned into a more old world style wine. Still very good.
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2/3/2012 - mshtexas wrote: 90 Points
really good
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12/29/2011 - Pvinbrock wrote: 89 Points
- Garnet color. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a long finish.
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12/3/2011 - CCWhino wrote: 92 Points
Soft. Refined. Bordeaux style. Very drinkable but not packed with fruit
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9/24/2011 - stephenv wrote: 89 Points
Held up nicely, a pleasant surprise. Definitely aged and not as full of fruit as prior, but very pleasurable.
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5/29/2011 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 88 Points
End of life
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4/5/2011 - Adventr.us wrote: 88 Points
Showing hints of it's former glory, some depth, smooth tannins, but lots less fruit than I remembered in the previous bottle a few years back. Getting a bit better as it opens up in the glass. This is my last bottle, and while it's past peak, it's certainly pleasant.
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1/1/2011 - JOELHABES wrote: 80 Points
Waited a little too long to consume my last bottle. Light on finish.
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10/31/2010 - rfras wrote: 90 Points
This is my last bottle and it has really has aged nicely. Softer with less apparent fruit, but smooth and easy on the finish.
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9/30/2010 - The Raven wrote: 90 Points
This wine aged very well and was still fantastic! Great body with lots of fruit and a very smooth finish. I was afraid I waited too long to drink this one, but I was not disappointed at all.
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9/2/2010 - Teamcrev wrote:
Last bottle. Still drinking well!
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8/29/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Very good value wine. Improved with air. Fruit may be fading. Had with squid ink lobster linguini.
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7/16/2010 - babnik Likes this wine:
Still a pleasure both for the character it retains at this old age (For the vintage) and the memories it brings back.
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7/4/2010 - mmontejano wrote: 92 Points
Smooth. Rich. Delicious.
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7/3/2010 - callmeacab22 wrote: 89 Points
In the middle of 2 other tastings. 1st tasting in 03 was rath blah, but improved substantially by 2005. Wine has held up well, but seemed to last any special characteristics.
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6/8/2010 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 92 Points
still a winner. Poured at our wedding celebration.
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5/30/2010 - JR512 wrote:
No longer good. Poured out.
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4/5/2010 - babnik wrote:
This was one of my favorite wines from the 98 Napa vintage. It seriously over-performed for most of its life, but, like an aging rock star, the live concert isn't quite as good as it once was and depends on nostalgia to make up for the shortcomings of overage. Initial notes were promising -- deep cherry, raspberry, wood smoke, and saddle leather but grew too astringent within 30 minutes of opening. Flavors continued to thin out leaving just a stemmy, cherry shell of its former self. Drink up if you still have them.
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3/14/2010 - Bakeman wrote: 87 Points
Drink up, no longer the Spectator Selection that it once was. Thin and no more fruit left.
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2/14/2010 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 91 Points
Aged well
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12/31/2009 - SadEdjo wrote: 88 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Slightly translucent ruby. Sweet cassis nose & entry with clean sweet finish with a very subtle hint of dill. Suffered by following a 1996 Chateau Montelena.
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12/20/2009 - Senso-beak wrote: 91 Points
3rd annual Christmas Party wine tasting: 1998 Cabernet Retrospective - Australia vs. USA "crush vat" match. Splash decanted for an hour and back into bottle. WOTN as voted by tasters, giving the USA the win. This libation remains a purple in the glass, and expresses a cacophony of aromas on the bouquet, revealing cassis, plum, black cherry and kirsch. Some humid oaky/cedar notes as well. Round sweet fruit on the attack, with candy, tang, grape bubble yum, cherry. The mid palate continues the theme riding to a fine grained finish with smooth fruit and tannin. A remarkable effort for 30,000 cases produced in an off vintage (98) at 11 years out.
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12/4/2009 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 86 Points
Something funky about this bottle - I tasted musty basement but Jim thought it was okay.
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9/27/2009 - Senso-beak wrote: 91 Points
Beef stroganoff was the dinner with this bottle. A light red color. Creamy cherry, toasty oak and black berry notes on the nose. Polished and smooth mouthfeel rounding out with sweet cherry. Tannins very fine grained. Well balanced. Lacking the power of youth, this has been tamed.
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7/24/2009 - rremiker wrote: 88 Points
drinking very nicely, probably best to drink over next year or two, but hasn't lost anything
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7/15/2009 - rfras wrote: 89 Points
Starting to show some age. Wine was cloudy with sediment and was stored well. Still some nice berry flavors, but much more muted than previous tastings.
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6/21/2009 - Teamcrev wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with prior note, but our last score was maybe a little generous.
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6/7/2009 - TwoSmoochies wrote:
fading - I hope the others aren't as tired as this one was
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3/31/2009 - tbone wrote:
great wine. Second bottle in last few months and glad I aged a few of these. Who says you can't age cheapo Cali cabs in a poor vintage? Like a fruitier aged bordeaux - thats a good thing.
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3/12/2009 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Our last bottle. Decanted and continued to evolve over dinner. Aromatic, gravelly minerals, dark fruits, and a good finish. From the green 98 vintage this has continued to drink very well, and a great value at $20.
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3/8/2009 - wine4ever wrote: 89 Points
Very good, but not outstanding. To me it's not quite as complex and rewarding as it was about 2 years ago. Dark reddish-purple, nose and flavors of mainly dark fruits. Medium bodied. Very smooth drinking. Very enjoyable. Drink now. 88-89 pts
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12/25/2008 - Senso-beak wrote: 90 Points
Still one of the better '98 IMO, I recall from the winery how fruity and lush it was. Now in it's 10th year, the jammyness has faded, though the color is still quite red/purple. Aromas of cherry kool-aid, nice smooth tannins, though structure has evolved to the slightly acidic side. Still, plenty of cherry notes and dusky currant.
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11/23/2008 - Bakeman wrote: 89 Points
Smooth, but has lost the big finish. It did not stand up to a 2001 Mondavi Cabernet. Need to drink up, still a great wine.
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11/2/2008 - Teamcrev wrote: 92 Points
Pop and poured. Initial taste was a bit sour, but over the course of the next 30 minutes the wine softened and was quite good. Lots of black fruit and soft tannins. This has developed incredibly well and we're happier then ever that we bought a case on release. This type of bottle is why we build a cellar in the first place...great value and improvement after laying down for a decade. Lots of sediment, so stand up a couple of days before or filter it. I sense this still has some time left but what a great tasting wine right now.
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9/6/2008 - bstueber wrote: 92 Points
delicious. very vibrant, deep with a lingering finish. this wine has considerably improved
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8/14/2008 - N2Vin wrote: 93 Points
Still a vibrant wine. The nose displays lots of tar and black licorice followed by a parade of black berry and raspberry. The oak is still evenly presented on the nose which remains in balance after 10 years. Color is a rich purple with only a slight hint of bricking. Fresh and lively, this wine tastes like it was made to peak at precisely 10 years. Very nice plum finish with an amazing smoothness. This wine has no hard edges and no off flavor. The finish lingers on and on, reminding you "I am good, very good".
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3/16/2008 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Decanted, and refrigerated for an hour to chill it from 71. At first it was tinged by glasses that had picked up some off odor. Drank very well in neutraql glasses, still rich, with sweet tannins, and plenty of life left. Aromatically very good. A pleasant surprise as to how well this had aged from an off vintage.
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2/12/2008 - PackerJon wrote: 90 Points
Showed the wisdom and smoothness of age. Probably perfect last year, but still had a lot to offer. Classic cab notes with any harshness smoothed out. If you are fortunate enough to have any of these around, this year, with friends, would be a good time and a great way to enjoy.
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12/7/2007 - babnik wrote: 89 Points
This wine continues to please though it is obviously starting to show an advanced age. Still, it may stay there for years. Good thing too as I have a bunch of it.
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11/16/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 86 Points
fell flat compared to the first bottle. Should have tried to decant
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11/16/2007 - jmh st louis wrote: 91 Points
rich, intense. Delicious ripe berries.
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10/16/2007 - Renegade wrote: 88 Points
This wine held up and aged very good for a lower priced wine. The color is still a good purple color, no loss of color at all, not even around the edges. Heavy body, and a user friendly 13.8% alcohol. The aromas were of currants, violets, spices and dark fruits. On the palate it offered flavors of ripe cherries, cranberry and coffee. It is acidic at the front, and still has some tannin at the end. This would be a good wine for pairing with an appropriate dinner. It is drinking good right now, but I think it will have no problems evolving some more over the next 3 years and hold for 3 years after that. I would not let it go past the year 2013.
Point rating -- 88-89+
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4/17/2007 - snipes wrote: 89 Points
Tasty. Removed from the cellar and poured directly into the glass. No tannins to speak of and the nose comes and goes. I'm not complaining though. It is a nice bottle of affordable mature Cali Cabernet that is drinking nicely now. I don't see it getting much better. It went great with the wife is out of town, new house steak dinner.
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1/27/2007 - Robertito wrote: flawed
2nd bottle tonight, again volatile acidity, dumped.
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1/27/2007 - Robertito wrote: flawed
Horrible Volatile acidity...undrinkable.
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11/30/2006 - TrasKY wrote:
Wow. Deep, dark fruit. Smooth but strong tannins. Taste of earth and savory herbs. Beautiful.
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8/25/2006 - bstueber wrote: 89 Points
fading a bit, getting thinner but still in good shape
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4/30/2006 - rmodak wrote: 87 Points
Good cassis, olive, sage, but strays way too much into the thin green finish. Drink now
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4/24/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 89 Points
WIML89,PURPLE91,NOWA,WS92
Tasted April 24, 2006 at home with dinner. Opened and served immediately without decanting in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Color was garnet in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of kirsch, crushed black cherries on top of that and maybe some saddlesoap. Flavors of black cherry, anise and maybe just a touch of mocha. Velvety tannins, pleasing acidity. Definitely as good as it’ll ever get, might be fading just a smidge. Drink now. Based on the original purchase price of $30.00 I’d say the value is still agreeable at this point. Last bottle.
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4/11/2006 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
The best and sadly the last bottle of my stash. Healthy ruby color and a pure nose of black currant, flowers and a hint of vanilla. Medium body, vibrant acidity and a long, balanced finish. I should have waited for all my bottles to get this good.
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3/11/2006 - raadams wrote: 86 Points
Showing cherries and a touch of oak but very thin. I started drinking it imediately after opening the bottle. I poured it into a decanter and drank over the next 4 hours but it never really opened up - almost like it was in a numb phase. It did not appeared to be flawed and the color was still a dark red/ruby color - no signs of browning.
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3/11/2006 - hcampana wrote: 90 Points
Fruitier and less tannic than last bottle I had. Very young tasting for an almost 8 year cab from a rainy year.
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2/28/2006 - hcampana wrote: 90 Points
Better the second day. Fruit came back a little. Tannins seemed more resolved today. A nice 1998 Cab.
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2/19/2006 - odu83 wrote: 89 Points
mixed berry flavors. This came from a magnum. It is ready to drink. Enjoy.
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1/27/2006 - davetong wrote: 92 Points
Superb. Who says 1998 was an off year?
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1/22/2006 - hcampana wrote: 89 Points
Not as good as other times. Medium ruby color. Typical nose of Cabernet (black currant), but a strange touch of strawberries. Better nose than palate. Lacking alittle fruit in the mid palate. Slightly dry finish.
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11/13/2005 - N2Vin wrote: 93 Points
I Agree wholeheartedly. This was a jewel for the 1998 vintage. I stayed well away from them overall, but purchased several of these. Really a flawless cab. Medium body. Beautiful youthful color. Last one. Each one was consistent.
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9/15/2005 - wineismylife wrote: 89 Points
WIML89,NOWA,WS92
Tasted September 15, 2005 at home with a dinner of Board_O Rack of Lamb. Opened and served immediately without decanting in Spiegelau Authenthis Magnum glasses. Decanting is not needed in my opinion. Color was purple with a clear hue throughout. No bricking. A spicy aroma of clove stood out early on along with some cherry and plum. Eventually the clove disapaited leaving the mostly cherries and plum aromas. Flavors were fairly straightforward red cherries and raspberries. Soft, silky and smooth on the palate. How many other ways can I say that? Drink now. Should hold another year or two but won’t improve IMO.
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8/1/2005 - callmeacab22 wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyed much more than 1st bottle - Great! (2ndof 4 Bottles on 8/1/05)
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2/21/2005 - dsimmons wrote: 91 Points
Pleasant suprise here! Had this with grilled new york steaks. The last time I had this wine I was very concerned that it had past its peak and I would end up with 5 bottles of cooking wine. Not so! This evenings bottle was a pleasant suprise and a bit of an education on the cycles that wine goes through. This evening the wine was full of fruit and a really good cal cab. The acidity that was so prevalent the last time was gone and the wine seemed very well balanced. I am once again happy to have 4 bottles remaining.
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1/22/2005 - ajjar wrote: 92 Points
Absolute and surprising delight, especially considering its troubled vintage. Age has been even kinder, smoothing the tannins and further developing the integration of the fruit. Bouquet of carmel, cherry, oak. Flavors of licorice, cassis, sour cherry, oak with a 60 second finish. No decanting necessary.
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1/1/2005 - JasonD wrote: 90 Points
New Years Eve and Jimmy and Ellens. Opened 2 bottles and decanted. One bottle showed very well the other was very tight. Aromas of blackberrys, bing cherrys and casis. Well integrated tannins and a medium finish.
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11/7/2004 - JOELHABES wrote: 92 Points
Full round wine with cherry flavors.
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10/2/2004 - SadEdjo wrote:
dark red. rather wan & subdued but clean cassis & vanilla.
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3/7/2004 - dsimmons wrote: 90 Points
This wine was drinking very well in 2002 and early 2003 and then seemed to shut down. i am holding my remaining 5 bottles until at least 6/2004
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11/1/2003 - callmeacab22 wrote: 87 Points
Good, but not great. Lacks the complexity others find. Still a modestly good value. (1st of 4 Bottle on 11/1/03)
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8/6/2002 - JP wrote: 91 Points
Deep, clear ruby in color with no visible signs of age. Beautiful long legs extend from the top of the glass to the wine. Great nose. Showing black currant, blackberries, spice, pencil shavings, and plenty of toasted oak that is in this case quite attractive. Gushing sweet black currant up front along with some spice. Builds rapidly to a midpalate of great depth, including blackberries, spice, toasty oak, and maybe nuances of other black fruits like plums or even black cherries. Plateaus with a lovely and very lengthy finish of black currant, oak, and a hint of coffee. Medium bodied, there is a good tannic presence in this wine, but it is nearly perfectly integrated. Some missing weight in the body is the only major detractor in this amazing effort from an off vintage in California. Waited over a year since I bought this, have one more left. Look forward to trying one in a few years.
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9/13/2001 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 91 Points
Bright disc. Deep ruby, almost opaque. Red rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense currants, blackberries, chocolate, coffee and toasted oak. Medium to full-bodied, with ample but supple tannins and good acidity. The flavors are similar to the nose. The finish is medium-long and slightly acidic. This is a very nice '98 and would best be drunk after 2002.
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