At first a lot of green pepper, but blew off in about 20 minutes. Beautiful nose of dark fruits, mint, eucalyptus and licorice. Very mature on the tongue with tannins integrated and a long silky finish. This is drinking in my opinion at its peak. If I had more I would drink within the next couple years. Great wine.
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Opened this magnum for Christmas dinner. Had it with a lovely prime rib. It is tasting really great right now. I would say it is at or near its peak of drink ability right now.
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Opened and enjoyed over an hour and a half. A little lighter in style than some of the other Heitz offerings. A tough vintage for Napa cabs, but this is a very good wine. Started out a little tart, opened up, smoothed out, light bright fruit, nicely integrated soft tannins, drinking very well right now.
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delicious and smooth. was heavy on the oak when first opened but after letting it sit out for 30-45 minutes the fruit and oak balanced out. lighter cherry fruit.
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Second and last bottle, and showing much better. Blackberries, cassis, and a sense of earthy forest floor. Still with a racy acid, but the tannins are now in the background. I'd call it just past peak.
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Very little primary fruit, though I don't know how much this vintage ever really had. Some very nice acidity, which is really the dominant feature. Tannins are there, but integrated and not all that strong. This is actually a very good food wine at this point. Perhaps not for typical Cabernet fare (steak, etc), but would be perfect with a good lightly seasoned beef stir fry, for example. Improves with air, so I would still give this a bit of time open or in the decanter. I doubt this vintage has been a classic at any phase of its evolution. It wasn't a classic young Napa cab, it isn't a classic teenage Napa cab, and, my guess, is that it won't be a classic aged Napa cab either. That said, it is an interesting wine and I expect it to remain interesting for some time.
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This is the second bottle of this wine and vintage we have had. Previously we had scored it a 90. Happy to report this wine is still drinking nicely and we are both enjoying this bottle slightly more than the last one. It's not a huge California fruit bomb, and that is meant as a compliment. Nice nose of blackberry and currant, complex flavors on the palate including earth, smoke and dark cherries. At over a decade old, there's plenty of balance here on the nose, mouth, acid, tannin and finish. Recommended.
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Nose is filled with dark fruits, earth, mint and hints of eucalyptus. Mouthfeel is really plush and the finish is smooth and lingering. Nice showing. Will revisit last bottle in a couple of years.
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Delicious with dark earth, herby notes at this point. Secondary flavors are showing really well. Notes of olive and mint. Drinking very well now, but probably best to drink sooner rather than later.
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Rob's BDAY Camino -- From magnum. Sleek and racy, inky dark, brilliant color. Subdued a bit on the nose, but a touch of olive and dark chocolate swirls in and out. Nice palate echoes that, sleek olive meets eucalyptus and dark chocolate. Great balance, not in-your-face at all. A more elegant wine of finesse for a Napa cab.
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This wine was ready to drink and provided a real Thanksgiving day treat. The nose yielded scents of roses while the taste was perfectly balanced with complex flavors of cherry pie, black cherry jam and plum. I would say the wine was approaching its peak.
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Purchased from the winery itself, this wine is understated and elegant for a Napa Cab. It's not overwrought but still delivers with fully developed fruit and vanilla notes.
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Mo's A Place for Steaks (Houston, TX). Decanted table side. Rich dark maroon in color. Earthy mint on the nose with backgrounds of dark fruit, vanilla and oak. More spearmint on the palate with dark cherries, cassis and vanilla oak. Wonderful mouth feel. Clearly superior to the '06 Rubicon Cask we started with.
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With filet mignon, was quite rich and balanced. Great, heady aromas of oak, fruit, and a bit of alcohol. Long finish. No rush to finish the last three bottles.
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At 10 years, this is still going strong*, dark red with a heady aroma, and the fruit and tannins duking it out for supremacy (the fruit won, by a hair). Went well with grilled flank steak and homemade mac-n-cheese. (*purchased directly from winery in June 2010).
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The most interesting thing about this wine is that it both smelled and tasted like green pepper. Never had this profile come through so clearly in a wine to me. Although not my cup of tea, I can see this appealing to many other people.
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In decanter for ~20 min. Reticent aromas of earth, minerals, dark berries, bark and spices. Palate shows licorice, bark, earth, a bit of eucalyptus, black and blue berries, and leather toward the end. Nice lingering finish with grippy sweet tannins and bittering end. It's that pronounced bittering end that mars this wine for me a bit. Still a really nice wine.
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A nice Napa cab, decanted for ~ 30 minutes; flavors of earth, chocolate, cassis and cherry but as others stated the fruit appears to be fading, probably need to drink soon.
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Decanted for an hour which helped nicely. Nice nose of earth and cassis. Palate was pretty smooth with chocolate and a lingering finish. Easily has some more years left to live.
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Decanted for 1 hour...recommended. Opened up very nicely. Still full bodied and flavorful in the Heitz tradition. Do not wait much longer to open if you have it in your cellar.
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Decanted for a short time - does not need too long. Age has make this a smooth drinking wine. Other than a bit of earthly finish, it still drinks well but don't wait much longer.
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AC's lasagne -- great combo, a leaner palate and more herbal notes of sage, licorice and molten black pepper. Very earthy with a crushed asphalt and inky fruit.
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This was showing nicely from such a rough vintage. Mild bricking at edge. Nose was dusty cherry, cassis and wet earth. Palate was quite soft with more dusty cherry, light currant. On the red side of fruit profile. May be fadng a bit, but still tasty. Perfect with the NY Strip.
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4/4/2024 - Capybara562 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Weak cork but amazing aroma and flavor. Likely at peak now.
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5/13/2019 - Choop wrote:
Very good. From a magnum
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12/12/2016 - doctornoah wrote: 86 Points
More than a bit flat. Not flawed, just thin and weak in the knees.
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10/7/2016 - no leashes wrote: 89 Points
Very tasty, with grilled salmon before Game 1 NLDS. Great way to kick off the playoffs. Elegant and smooth, drink now.
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11/26/2014 - SGates wrote: 91 Points
Drank with Osvaldik. Don't remember much from that night but that this was super tasty.
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3/20/2014 - Surfdoc wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry and green pepper flavors with soft body/tannins and a touch of alcohol heat on the finish.
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1/25/2014 - CabIsKing wrote: 93 Points
At first a lot of green pepper, but blew off in about 20 minutes. Beautiful nose of dark fruits, mint, eucalyptus and licorice. Very mature on the tongue with tannins integrated and a long silky finish. This is drinking in my opinion at its peak. If I had more I would drink within the next couple years. Great wine.
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1/11/2014 - Nicephoras wrote: 85 Points
Some good fruit on the mid-palate, but otherwise pretty disappointing for a Heitz cab. Surprisingly unbalanced.
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12/25/2013 - vikingchris wrote: 95 Points
Opened this magnum for Christmas dinner. Had it with a lovely prime rib. It is tasting really great right now. I would say it is at or near its peak of drink ability right now.
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11/16/2013 - jrg01 Likes this wine: 91 Points
decanted for an hour, very smooth with subtle oak and more lighter fruit flavors
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4/19/2013 - zsherburne wrote: 93 Points
Opened and enjoyed over an hour and a half. A little lighter in style than some of the other Heitz offerings. A tough vintage for Napa cabs, but this is a very good wine. Started out a little tart, opened up, smoothed out, light bright fruit, nicely integrated soft tannins, drinking very well right now.
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1/28/2013 - no leashes wrote: 90 Points
Delicious, well integrated cherry, sweet oak and cassis. drinking beautifully.
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1/25/2013 - jrg01 Likes this wine: 91 Points
delicious and smooth. was heavy on the oak when first opened but after letting it sit out for 30-45 minutes the fruit and oak balanced out. lighter cherry fruit.
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10/13/2012 - Colia wrote: 92 Points
Second and last bottle, and showing much better. Blackberries, cassis, and a sense of earthy forest floor. Still with a racy acid, but the tannins are now in the background. I'd call it just past peak.
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7/13/2012 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
Ruby color. Red fruit nose. Mature blackberry and currant fruit. Soft finish. Drink now.
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7/11/2012 - missionpk wrote: 90 Points
Very little primary fruit, though I don't know how much this vintage ever really had. Some very nice acidity, which is really the dominant feature. Tannins are there, but integrated and not all that strong. This is actually a very good food wine at this point. Perhaps not for typical Cabernet fare (steak, etc), but would be perfect with a good lightly seasoned beef stir fry, for example. Improves with air, so I would still give this a bit of time open or in the decanter. I doubt this vintage has been a classic at any phase of its evolution. It wasn't a classic young Napa cab, it isn't a classic teenage Napa cab, and, my guess, is that it won't be a classic aged Napa cab either. That said, it is an interesting wine and I expect it to remain interesting for some time.
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2/26/2012 - paul canet wrote: 90 Points
Aucune note prise
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2/15/2012 - teamhams Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is the second bottle of this wine and vintage we have had. Previously we had scored it a 90. Happy to report this wine is still drinking nicely and we are both enjoying this bottle slightly more than the last one. It's not a huge California fruit bomb, and that is meant as a compliment. Nice nose of blackberry and currant, complex flavors on the palate including earth, smoke and dark cherries. At over a decade old, there's plenty of balance here on the nose, mouth, acid, tannin and finish. Recommended.
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1/7/2012 - no leashes wrote: 88 Points
Nice dark cherry, tobacco and herbal flavors, but not quite integrated. Nice finish.
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8/7/2011 - CabIsKing wrote: 91 Points
Nose is filled with dark fruits, earth, mint and hints of eucalyptus. Mouthfeel is really plush and the finish is smooth and lingering. Nice showing. Will revisit last bottle in a couple of years.
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7/13/2011 - Sijan wrote: 90 Points
Delicious with dark earth, herby notes at this point. Secondary flavors are showing really well. Notes of olive and mint. Drinking very well now, but probably best to drink sooner rather than later.
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6/18/2011 - danstrings wrote: 91 Points
Rob's BDAY Camino -- From magnum. Sleek and racy, inky dark, brilliant color. Subdued a bit on the nose, but a touch of olive and dark chocolate swirls in and out. Nice palate echoes that, sleek olive meets eucalyptus and dark chocolate. Great balance, not in-your-face at all. A more elegant wine of finesse for a Napa cab.
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3/16/2011 - pdadams66 wrote: 90 Points
Smooth but with a distinct cabernet taste and slightly minty nose.
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11/27/2010 - johnwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine was ready to drink and provided a real Thanksgiving day treat. The nose yielded scents of roses while the taste was perfectly balanced with complex flavors of cherry pie, black cherry jam and plum. I would say the wine was approaching its peak.
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11/13/2010 - pvetsch wrote:
Purchased from the winery itself, this wine is understated and elegant for a Napa Cab. It's not overwrought but still delivers with fully developed fruit and vanilla notes.
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10/20/2010 - dontime wrote: 93 Points
Mo's A Place for Steaks (Houston, TX). Decanted table side. Rich dark maroon in color. Earthy mint on the nose with backgrounds of dark fruit, vanilla and oak. More spearmint on the palate with dark cherries, cassis and vanilla oak. Wonderful mouth feel. Clearly superior to the '06 Rubicon Cask we started with.
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10/2/2010 - stantheman wrote: 94 Points
Drinking brilliantly right now. Wish I had more!
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9/26/2010 - Capybara562 wrote: 92 Points
With filet mignon, was quite rich and balanced. Great, heady aromas of oak, fruit, and a bit of alcohol. Long finish. No rush to finish the last three bottles.
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8/1/2010 - pdadams66 wrote: 85 Points
Holding together well but some overtones of dirty wood this time. Overall there appears to be a fair bit of bottle variation for this vintage.
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7/29/2010 - teamhams wrote: 90 Points
Floral notes with blackberry and earth. Slightly past its time.
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7/5/2010 - Capybara562 wrote: 90 Points
At 10 years, this is still going strong*, dark red with a heady aroma, and the fruit and tannins duking it out for supremacy (the fruit won, by a hair). Went well with grilled flank steak and homemade mac-n-cheese.
(*purchased directly from winery in June 2010).
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7/4/2010 - Neerland wrote: 90 Points
Drank with Dani and Jamie. Nice cab, open but structured. Smooth, earthy wine with some cherry and hints of espresso.
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6/29/2010 - pdadams66 wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well. Smooth fruity cab with obvious age.
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6/23/2010 - pdadams66 wrote: 89 Points
More signs of age than previous bottle. Still great smooth, rich mouthfeel but fruit less prominent.
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5/15/2010 - slywka7 wrote: 88 Points
The most interesting thing about this wine is that it both smelled and tasted like green pepper. Never had this profile come through so clearly in a wine to me. Although not my cup of tea, I can see this appealing to many other people.
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5/11/2010 - Berno wrote: 90 Points
Well made for the vintage. Drink up.
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3/26/2010 - rcc777 wrote: 91 Points
Very nice, an elegant smooth wine. Decanted for an hour.
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3/7/2010 - James Kim wrote: 90 Points
In decanter for ~20 min. Reticent aromas of earth, minerals, dark berries, bark and spices. Palate shows licorice, bark, earth, a bit of eucalyptus, black and blue berries, and leather toward the end. Nice lingering finish with grippy sweet tannins and bittering end. It's that pronounced bittering end that mars this wine for me a bit. Still a really nice wine.
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2/18/2010 - mdkraft99 wrote: 90 Points
A nice Napa cab, decanted for ~ 30 minutes; flavors of earth, chocolate, cassis and cherry but as others stated the fruit appears to be fading, probably need to drink soon.
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1/5/2010 - pdadams66 wrote: 90 Points
Shame to see this last magnum go. Sweet cabernet. Drank at The Restaurant in San Miguel Allende.
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1/4/2010 - Colia wrote: 88 Points
Lots of dusty Rutherford fruit flavors. Still young, with good spice and velvet finish.
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12/14/2009 - JOsgood wrote: 87 Points
Nicely aged with a distinctly earthy flavor profile. Fruit is fading so drink up soon.
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12/13/2009 - CabIsKing wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour which helped nicely. Nice nose of earth and cassis. Palate was pretty smooth with chocolate and a lingering finish. Easily has some more years left to live.
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11/25/2009 - MDRwinos wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour...recommended. Opened up very nicely. Still full bodied and flavorful in the Heitz tradition. Do not wait much longer to open if you have it in your cellar.
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10/14/2009 - dareed wrote: 92 Points
decanted for an hour
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10/4/2009 - MDRwinos wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for a short time - does not need too long. Age has make this a smooth drinking wine. Other than a bit of earthly finish, it still drinks well but don't wait much longer.
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4/11/2009 - pdadams66 wrote: 90 Points
Sweet cabernet, drinking very well now.
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2/22/2009 - dareed wrote: 89 Points
decanted for approx 30 min, which helped immensely. Soft mouth-feel, nice subdued tones of chocolate, raspberry. A very nice bottle of wine.
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2/21/2009 - danstrings wrote: 90 Points
AC's lasagne -- great combo, a leaner palate and more herbal notes of sage, licorice and molten black pepper. Very earthy with a crushed asphalt and inky fruit.
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2/19/2009 - dke wrote: 89 Points
Napa February 2009; 2/16/2009-2/20/2009: Nicely integrated, smooth with a hint of green component on both the nose and the palate. 89++
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4/24/2008 - Rayburn wrote: 90 Points
This was showing nicely from such a rough vintage. Mild bricking at edge. Nose was dusty cherry, cassis and wet earth. Palate was quite soft with more dusty cherry, light currant. On the red side of fruit profile. May be fadng a bit, but still tasty. Perfect with the NY Strip.
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3/24/2008 - johnwine wrote: 90 Points
This wine has great structure and complexity. It has elegance with breed. It is very much in the style of Bordeaux in the classic sense.
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