Had a small pour as part of a wine dinner. Some bricking on the rim but generally the colour was quite dark for an older vintage. Nose carried more herbal elements than fruit but there was still noticeable dark fruit in the bouquet. The wine tasted of black plum with a hint of berry. Well balanced and delicious.
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Robust structure, intense pure fruit. Blackberry and bay leaf. Medium to full weight. Long and some complexity - still quite young. Drinking now and over the next 20 years.
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Opened for 30 minutes, no signs of fading. Rich color, somewhat soft nose, floral bouquet. Smooth, well-rounded, less of a fruit profile than what I was hoping, but no surprise given the age. Enjoyed it more as the night went on, but not a complex wine at this stage, and probably a bit past its prime drinking window. Drink up.
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Overall, Beautiful aged California Cab. Cork intact/about 15% saturated. Color, on pour, was medium-dark garnet. Fruity aromas from glass noted on initial pour an hour after cork removed. Nose - dark cherry with scent of earth/ damp leaves/forest floor, and touch of cigar tobacco. Silky mouthfeel with good acidity and soft tannins still present. Black cherries and herbs on palate into a medium finish with still present drying tannins. Limited tertiary notes. Drinking well and with some time/life yet to go.
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The first sip of the 1996 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon transports the palate into a realm of technological innovation. The wine coats the mouth with a luxurious texture, reminiscent of the seamless user experience that defines cutting-edge technology. A crescendo of flavors unfolds—an orchestra of blackberries, dark cherries, and currants harmonizing with precision. Like lines of code, nuances of graphite and cedar weave through the symphony, adding layers of complexity that only the finest tech algorithms can replicate. The tannins, like the pillars of technological progress, are refined and well-integrated, supporting the structure with elegance and grace. This vintage is a testament to the seamless integration of tradition and technological mastery.
Inhaling the bouquet of the 1996 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon is akin to immersing oneself in the boundless possibilities of the digital realm. A symphony of black currants, ripe plums, and cassis unfolds, offering a complexity that mirrors the intricate algorithms driving technological breakthroughs. Notes of crushed violets and dried herbs intertwine, reminiscent of the delicate balance between nature and human ingenuity. This olfactory voyage evokes the excitement of groundbreaking discoveries, akin to the moment a tech visionary unveils a revolutionary creation.
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Dinner with Herwig (Heirloom Cafe, SF): Black fruited, aromatic; palate is full bodied, still black fruits, integrated but not showing a lot of tertiary character, fades a bit through the midpalate; finish is medium-minus. I think aged but not showing the tertiary character. 89 Over dinner this really integrated well and started showing substantially better. 91, possibly higher, but drink now.
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Glorious wine. Fully mature, lots of leather accompanied by fruits of the forest. Still rich and holding great fruit cover. Medium to full weight, with plenty of freshness to balance the fruit. Integrated soft fine tannin. Long and complex finish, multi-layered. Drink now, will decline slowly over many years.
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First night at the terrific Madison Crossing restaurant in West Yellowstone after a great day of fly fishing the Madison River. Opened upon arrival and finding it quite fresh & tranquil we poured addl glasses and enjoyed a couple whites leading up to the entrees. So PnP with an addl 45 minutes to slow ox in glass plus an adl 90 minutes during and after dinner. Semi translucent red w/ amber edges. Underbrush & hint of cigar ash on nose. Super elegant and tranquil mouthfeel. Quite fresh and likely to add more tertiary notes on the both the nose & palate but beautiful now. If I had another btl I wouldn't be afraid to wait 3-5 more yrs but excellent now. Just a lovely aged BDX like old school Cab. Sadly a 04, a couple yrs ago seems to have taken on the more modern profile than this '96. Really enjoyed this with steak tonight.
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Really kind of stunning, so preserved and balanced. Slightly reserved, but so fresh and appealing. The color is translucent red, with a brickish influence. Figgy on the nose, with very slight leather and saddle notes. Herbal, with dried earth, almost foresty notes. In the mouth it’s fresh and juicy, faint fruit cake notes, with dried fruit and herbs, unbelievable balance, with a slight delicacy of the layered flavors. Not overly ripe or extracted, this was great with beef and vegetables. Tannins are very slightly drying, but so impressed! Always been a fan of these wines!
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Same bottle as collector. Nice medium bodied Cab in its peak drinking window. Good freshness. Did not have the depth of the 2010 Opus One preceding it. Medium length. The bottle shape revealed it unfortunately as a Mondavi Reserve, so not really blind. 92-93
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During a casual wine dinner. Mondavi's Cabernet Reserve's of the 90ies are always a gem. Beautiful nose of ripe dark fruit, earthy elements and black forest cake. There is a Bordeauesque side to these wines, like from a warmer vintage but still witeh lower Alc than today's Napa bruisers. 94+
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The wine is aging gracefully with only the slightest brownish hue. There is still some primary fruit but the earthy notes are quite wonderful. Needs an hour or two decant.
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Just a classic cab at its beautiful end. Nose of pencil, faint iodine, char, a little dark fruit. Smooth taste, just light and effortless. Integrated fruit and tannins with a medium finish. I think these won't get any better. It was my last one and I have to say I'm sad about that.
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Super satisfying wine in a lovely place. This isn't a blockbuster, but it's so satisfying and seamless, with gentle dark fruit and savory undertones. In zero danger of fading and actually may improve.
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Purchased on release and the last bottle I had was in `2013 and rated it 91, so aging works if the stuffing is there. All the components have melded together to for a soft, complex and delicious wine. A rare score from me. I concur with ROCKNROLLER’s excellent flavor analysis... certainly much better than I could do. I’m not sure how much longer I’d wait. Very little browning and good acid, delicious now but I wouldn’t want any more of its fruit to drop out.
Enjoying a Fall Day (Home): Very dark red color with no bricking. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 3 hours plus. Great nose with leather, earth, funk, red fruit, garrigue-like herbs; evolving to show roasted game, forest floor, then cassis and dark berries. This has a satiny texture, full bodied, lifted, cassis, plum, dried wood, leather, fine grained tannins, nice and long on the finish.
Curious version. The cork on this was pristine, unlike recent few, crumbly ones. Three hours in and this has gone through a couple of phases. Funky out of joint first hour, then beautiful w steak for an hour, then alcohol and disjointed. Last sips, tannins, oaks, fruit, alch.
Same vendor, same storage, slight bottle variation after 20+ years makes sense. This could have used a few hour decant....crazy. No end in sight for this wine, another decade for sure, balanced and delicious.
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So, so good. Poised rather than flamboyant, this is a classic old-school Napa cab. There is plenty to take in, but most noticeable is the balance of red fruit, acidity and tannin backbone. Paired with a porterhouse steak like they were made for each other. I can't see this wine getting any better, but it hasn't reached the end of its drinking window yet. Worth seeking out if you like this style of wine.
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Wow. Perfect cork. So secondary upon opening. Gorgeous color, so MILFY. Nose is so complex, cant describe. Full of energy, depth, character. Mouthfeel is like one w my palate, the oak, the ripe matured fruit melded, some fine layered tannins, the port like nuances w/o being porty, herbs, earth. Cant describe how nice this is.
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A gorgeous 90s Mondavi, showing plum and cedar alongside more mature notes of mushroom and brown sugar. Time has evolved the 1996 Reserve toward balance, with ripe acidity and soft resolving tannins framing a plush texture in a medium-light body. Well-stored bottles likely have upside from here.
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Would agree with RICHARDP on this wine. I got this wine from a suspect provenance passive cellar. Cork was in good shape on PnP and very little sediment. Nice vintage Cali Cab that excelled in dark blackberry and cherry fruit and showing no sign of browning.....which I was totally expecting based on storage. Tannins well integrated for an enjoyable old Cali Cab experience. If you've got well stored bottles I would think this drinking window might be a little inflated as it's seemingly in a good place now based on my bottle?
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On the nose, cherry and something more savory, like rust. On the palate, cherry, soy sauce, and blackberry, with notes of old leather and iron on the long finish, with faint tannins and acidity perfectly in balance. This is a beautiful mature wine with tertiary flavors beginning to take over. It's an outstanding example of aged California Cabernet. This was a bargain at a little over $50; too bad the price has doubled. The Cellartracker drinking window is too short: Depending on your taste this could hold for several years more.
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Cork basically crumbled into dust and had to filter the wine. That being said, the wine hadn't turned and still had most of it's body with a smooth finish. Should have drank this one sooner because it probably would have been better.
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Very classic Napa with well pitched acidity and dark dried fruits with a nice touch of menthol. There is a surprising amount of tannins left in the wine. There is no upsides to keeping this any longer but should have no problem holding few years more. Please drink asap
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PNP. cork perfect. color showing a little age but not much. This is everything that aged california cabernet should be, and has plenty left in the tank. tannins almost totally integrated and nose leaning toward mature. really nice
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Pop and pour. Aromas of dried cherry, leather, blackberry and earth. Flavors of blackberry, dried cherry, iron, earth and currant. Ends with a nice finish of 40 seconds with blackberry and iron notes. Drank next to the 96 Beringer Private Reserve and this tasted much younger.
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WX+ Meetup at Sun Wah BBQ (Sun Wah BBQ Chicago): Showing beautifully tonight. No decant. Gorgeous reductive notes of soy, hoisen, sweet Asian spice. Palate still has some life ahead. Excellent showing - still a few years of life but I'd open this now.
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@ VINEUM. This was better today than the 2006 Château Haut-Bages Libéral; 2012 Château d'Armailhac and 1994 Château Taillefer served before it. Delicious Napa!
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A private lunch (Restaurant Vineum, Rotterdam, NL): Warm and rich, beautifully matured, classic claret profile with additional, ripe Napa fruit, smoky, rich and slightly nutty, well constructed, firm tannins, very good length. Excellent.
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The nose was dark with moist soil tones and hints of animal musk, gaining richness in the glass to show crushed strawberry, hints of orange zest, minerals and floral undergrowth. On the palate, I found refined silky textures with a mix of tart red and blackberry fruits complemented by brisk acidity, with hints of dried florals, tomato leaf, bell pepper and minerals. It finished long and still vibrant with lingering dark red fruits, savory herbs and hints of fine tannin. The ’96 is a model of balance with gorgeous inner sweetness and is maturing beautifully.
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I didn't take notes. Still a great sipper. Structure remains with slightly muted fruits and savory notes. 2 left....dragging my feet as they are sooo good.
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Opened and slow ox 5 hours What a nose. Still dark ruby red. Even color variations to orange red at the rim. In a really great place now. Sugar plums, black berries, like last notes, leather, a hint of dusty boot, cigar box, a hint of smoke, mushrooms. Great mouth feel. Tannins seemed very well integrated. Good 15 second finish. Apple, raisin, sugar plum, meat, soy sauce. Very consistent with the last notes. Drink them if you got em. Might have another 5 years before decline.
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Best showing for a Mondavi Reserve for me in years. This is at peak. Very old-school with some barnyard funk that blew off revealing light tobacco on the nose. Full, balanced mature body like a left-bank Bordeaux. Very enjoyable but that was my only bottle.
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Unbelievable quality. Cork was perfect. 1hr decant. Still vibrant, earthy and deep, not a fuit bomb. Medium acid, Medium tanins, long finish. Good drinking window, probably has a few more years before it begins a slow decline. Color was good but starting to turn brown but with some time went purple. sediment but not much. Paired with Prime Rib. Amazing 21+ old Napa Cab, really speaks to quality of craftsmanship and quality of grapes. Bravo!
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Opened for 3 hours Really nice nose. Aged and sophisticated. Sugar plum, soy sauce, Indian spices, leather, dark chocolate all nose. Flavs spiced cherry, steak, mushroom, cigar box nice mouth feel, very round. After sometime chocolate comes out on the nose in a big way. Nice transitions.
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Wow. First true high quality 20+ year aged cab. Stunning. Did not decant or venturi.
First glass was silky smooth with black cherry, wet leather, and licorice on the nose. Tannins weren't even noticeable in the first glass. With the second glass about an hour later, the tannins became more pronounced but still very smooth. Definitely would drink this again.
Simply phenomenal. Stunning. Elegant. Sexy. Sophisticated. She has my heart.
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Nice but not a hugely complex bouquet upon opening, left it open for an hour - integrated flavor and finish, not too much oak - spice of the cabernet sauvignon nicely balanced with leather, tobacco, licorice, cherry notes. I agree with the recent reviews - drinking window is starting to close slowly, wine is also not holding aromas after a couple of hours.
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I've had this a couple of times at the winery. It always impresses and has held up well over the years. I just finished up four bottles of the regular '96 Mondavi cab recently and that was a gem; had beautiful precision and a lovely dry note at the end.
This Reserve is similar in profile and core quality but more sweetness, more lush , more finesse, more perfume on the nose, less dry on the finish. This is more flamboyant and showey, but somehow still reserved and elegant. It has a very traditional feel about it; they don't make cabs like this any more, and I wish they did. Beautiful stuff. Strangely I think the regular bottling could age more but this should be drank sooner. I've preferred the '94 Reserve which I've had a half dozen times and has been otherworldly every time, but that seems to be fading now - the last bottle I bought and tried was a bit tired.
I really think this is a wine to drink all by itself with no food; it's so expressive and captivating all by itself.
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Bday wine for Evan. PNP. Cork perfect. Color is garnet w bricking edges. Nose dominated by secondary aromas mostly cedar and tobacco w plum. Swishing shows soft structure, mostly dominated by oak tannin still. Sipping this does not hide the oak because the fruit is fading I think. Nevertheless a nice drink. My palate was warmed up by non-oaky wine before this, so I think it makes the oak more prominent.
With air and a little time the fruit came out and the structure softened further. I started out thinking that this was over the hill, but will correct my opinion to fully mature and drinking beautifully.
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Surely past it's prime but still an interesting experience. Very leathery on nose and palate. Fruit has faded away and wine is bricked almost brown. Very balanced. Air helped blow off the funk but didn't improve the depth or fruit.
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Had it last night as a part of 96 vintage Napa cabs. Others wines were Silver Oak Alex, Staglin, BV Georges deLatour Reserve 95, Pride Reserve cab, Insignia. This wine showed really well. Fresh and smooth, tannins are almost gone, fruit is very nice, long finish. I do not see any further improvement for this wine. Drink soon.
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Beautiful wine. Still has a long life ahead of it. Dark saturated fruit with nicely grained tannins and solid structure. Not overly expressive. This is all about the fruit. Will be better in 10 years.
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Brought by John F. Double decanted around noon. Nose of flint, black fruit and roasted red peppers. Smooth and silky in the mouth with soft tannins on the finish. Long finish of tart cherries. Elegant. No need to hold. Tasty stuff.
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Classic 90s Mondavi that has aged wonderfully. Mature but still fruit-heavy nose shows blackcurrant, plum, coffee, and an alluring mushroom note. On the palate, soft tannins and a harmonious structure. Most spectacular, however, is the great acidity that yields a racy and vibrant wine. The 1996 Reserve Cabernet has many more years yet to go.
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Cork perfect (but I pulled it badly!). Five hour ox, then quick decant. Deep red and clear to the rim. Explosive nose of blackberry, cake spices, and a hint of chocolate. Full in the mouth, with fruit still forward, but on the soft side. Still some refreshing acid. Really a joy. My last of these, and I think it was in its late stage indeed.
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Two bottles served Twenty and every single person commented on the sheer beauty of this silky smooth elixir that this 20 year old CAB represented. Stunningly perfect for a bluebird La Jolla afternoon!
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On the nose, tobacco, cassis and blackberry sensations that move to a full bodied, concentrated blast of ripe, sweet, ripe, plums and black fruits This is ready to go.
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Années 90 - Bordeaux visite Napa ou vice versa ! (Restaurant Chez Christophe): Une jolie bouche élégante et fraiche, dont l'équilibre est magnifique, c'est un vin très fin, presque délicat en finale, il m'évoque Las Cases. Je suis évidemment persuadé d'avoir affaire à un vin du Médoc, hésitant entre Las Cases ou Palmer. Grand vin qui nous a tous mystifiés. Encore meilleur qu'une bouteille prise en mars que j'avais adorée. 94-95 pts
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Merlots (mostly), Masseto, Kapcsandy, ++ (Cleveland Heights): Really in a good place right now. This had the "advantage" of being the only mostly Cabernet on the table of Merlots. Still, it seemed to show quite well. Also the oldest wine. This opened quickly once poured. Purple in color. The nose has dust, cassis, and cigar box. Nice texture. On the palate, there is a nice layering of complexity. Perhaps not amazing, but certainly enough to demand attention. Still has firm tannins, so no hurry. Not sure if this gets better. Lots of cassis and a bit of chocolate on the palate. Good intensity on the finish. Clearly Californian, I am sure this was considered full throttle on release. At this point, it has a lovely charm to it.
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I love these older wines. You just can't get this in a young wine. Very much like an older bordeaux. Dusty, musty, wet wood, wet forest floor, somewhat spicy, and very smooth. What a nice change up.
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Lors de notre dégustation à l’aveugle, ce vin s’est manifesté dans la trame d’un excellent Bordeaux, mais à notre grande surprise, c’est un américain qui est apparu. Avec sa robe d’un rouge brique sur les rebord, il dévoilait un âge avancé, mais nous avons été surpris qu’il était aussi avancé tellement la matière était encore présente en bouche avec ses tanins et ses saveurs franches de vanille, menthe et cassis. Belle réussite de Mondavi dans la décennie des années 90.
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As good as this is, I can see this becoming even more special with a few more years. I have one to find out if, I can keep my hands off. See RnR's detailed notes below for a more complete picture.
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A Decadent Night of 1990's Napa Cabs and Bordeaux (Chez Dalluge, MN): Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 3 hours. This was just crazy good, I'm probably doing it an injustice giving it 94 pts. There is an elegance and balance that is not equaled by manny wines and that is even true tonight. I find this a truly quintessential Napa wine. The fruits is fresh and red and the acids are equally lively and there is a very appealing creme de menthe note. Love it. 94+pts.
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Un nez fascinant de cassis, de cèdre, de tabac, avec quelques nuances de chocolat à la menthe. En bouche: de corps moyen, avec un magnifique équilibre, les tanins sont fondus, c'est savoureux et complexe, avec un joli fruit sucré, combiné à une droiture toute bordelaise. Il offre toute la joie d'un vieux Cabernet à maturité, qui se donne des allures de Pauillac, avec une subtile finale vaporeuse, longue et saline. Superbe vin. 93 pts
Détail intriguant: très peu de dépôt, signe que le vin fut filtré, sans toutefois que l'aromatique et la subtilité n'en souffrent.
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Nice mature nose of sweet dark fruits, baking spices and a hint of greenness. Still tannic and with good acidity, but the tannins are sweet and there is enough ripe dark fruit on the palate to round out the acidity. Would like to revisit in a few years time.
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less intense than the 1994 it had long complex finish with smooth tanins. Dark fruits and scorched earth. Actually had a french bordeaux feel. Slight hint of lead pencil but a very nice wine.
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Slow oxed for two hours. Nose of bright cherry, currants, spice, and leather. On the palate a little leathery and tired, still some sour cherry and bright red fruit hanging around. Tannins are completely integrated and still has some acidity. This bottle was a little past peak, others may have fared better. Still an excellent drink.
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This is an elegant, classy wine. Fully mature with velvety tannins. Cranberry, glove leather, a little chalky. All secondary and not in your face - reserved. Perfectly balanced it was all there. Simply stunning. Personally I can't imagine this wine improving at all. It had fruit, it had tannin and acidity. I think it is all moving, downward, in proportion. So I believe it can age longer, just not sure what you would be waiting for.
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Agree with Chablis28's note. This is the fifth of six bottles I bought some time ago now, and this was the best so far by a long way. The nose is pretty and enjoyable, but in a subdued way. Absolutely perfect in the mouth with perfect balance, good flavor intensity, great texture and a long, satisfying finish. I see no signs of decline, so no hurry to drink these up...but why wait? They're drinking great right now.
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Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (La Belle Vie, Mpls): This was the same bottle as Dalluge and Chablis 28. I just had a small pour, but for me it was outstanding. I thought the nose had the typical perfume and complexity that I have associated with this wine in the past. Silky and elegant on the palate as usual. I agree this is in a great place, but if you got a few of these, I'd take my time.
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Dalluge's btl. While not yet at the heights of the '91, this was one of my two "WOTN" last night. Very elegant, classy, balanced with classic BDX like flavors and aromas.
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Incredibly expressive nose of blackberry, black cherry, dark plum, bramble and cassis with loads of sweet cedar, tobacco, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Acids are still high, tannins are mellowing but still present. Finish is long with black fruit and cedar. Only fault is that there is a bit too much disjointed alcohol in the finish, but not surprising given this big Napa cab.
Fruity, smooth and will continue to drink well for at least 3-4 more years I would think. Fantastic wine.
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Best Bottle Dinner at The Steakhouse in Lachen. We drank this Mondavi Reserve 1996 next to a bottle of Mondavi Reserve 1995. The bottle was in perfect condition; the filling-level was high into the neck, the cork looked pristine. The wine was medium to dark garnet in colour and offered sour red and dark berries, red pepper, leather, spices and medicinal notes on the nose. On the palate the wine showed cherry, hints of black currant and dried fruits, red pepper, bell pepper, umami, leather, tobacco, chocolate, some black pepper and a hint of eucalyptus, paired with well-integrated medium-plus acidity and well-integrated medium-plus tannin. The balanced, medium-bodied wine had incredible length. A very good Cabernet that has aged well and drank very well. Drink now.
Compared to the Mondavi Reserve 1995 this 1996 was a little darker in colour and a little fuller-bodied, whereas the 1995 had better structure, seemed more elegant and will also be longer-lived than this 1996. The wines reflected the differences in the growing seasons very well – cool and long in 1995 vs. warmer, with an earlier harvest in 1996.
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Allowed to breathe in glass 60 minutes before tasting. Clear deep dark garnet blood red color. Classic bouquet of creme de cassis, tobacco, forest floor, blackberry liqueur, cloves, nutmeg, cocoa, fennel, meat juice. Similar on the palate, rich and elegant, beautifully balanced, full body with lingering finish.
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Medium garnet in colour. Medium plus nose dominated by black cherry, blackcurrant, stewed fig, plum, violet, sundried tomato and cigarbox with black raspberry, leather, earth, mushroom, nutmeg, smoke, charred wood and black pepper. High acidity and tannins still - the tannins are still mouth-filling. Full bodied. Lots of black fruit on the palate along with fig, gamey, tea, baking spice and alcohol. Long finish with a hint of orange rind. Still drinking fantastically.
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This wine is at it's prime. The nose is still full of structure however when you taste there are no tannins to Get in front of the fruit. This is one amazing wine that is in it's prime. Old school Mondavi nostalgia.
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PNP. cork perfect. color crimson. nose mostly secondary with mostly tobacco and cedar. swishing shows this to have significant tannin structure still intact. sipping this however you would never know it. the dark fruit is still lurking there among the soft secondaries and totally tames the tannin. medium long polished finished. this is one of the better aged California cabs that I have tasted in awhile, and in absolutely no hurry for this (properly stored). a total delight with dinner tonight. cant wait until two years from now (one of 2 bday wines) to try this again.
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Probably have some bottle variation on these, given sourced from several different auctions. This bottle - no green, no tar, no stew. If anything, it reminds me a bit of a Haut Brion. Smooth, silky. Developing some secondary character. Very nice. I hope the rest of my bottles mimic this one!
my last bottle. Medium dark red, some brick at the edges. Cork in great shape. Some fruit in the nose, but it is almost entirely the aromas and bouquet of a mature cab. Initially the nose seemed to lack complexity even with decanting, but after 20 minutes it had opened nicely; cedar, light cigar hints, dried berry. Got better over the hour or so it was open for dinner. (Saved half of it till the 2nd night.) Round, tame tannins in the mouth and finish. Very good balance with nice array of flavors evolving in the mouth. I liked it better this time than a couple years ago. I have had some bottle variability over the last 10 years with this, but I think the best ones have plenty of life in them. A bit of a gamble however. I'd suggest you start drinking them this year, if you have any left.
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Cork broke off inside bottle when opening. Luckily it had no effect on the wine. Didn't take detailed notes but was really a delight to drink. This is fully mature and don't see it getting much better but think it will hold up for another few years.
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PnP, served non-blind for our anniversary weekend. The last from a case purchased on release and lovingly cellared. Cork like new, soaked 2mm. Youthful ruby core, with fading toward the rim, but no tawny. The nose suggests the same as what the cork and color suggest, this is barely out of its infancy. I've had some variation with this over the years, with some bottles suggesting 'drink sooner than later', but tonight's bottle is all about finesse, structure and beauty; there's an evolved youthfulness, very subtle tertiary development dancing around a core of secondary qualities. By the 30 minute mark it began to open with cherry skin, red currant, some sage and menthol, but nothing was too pronounced. By the one hour mark, black currants, cigar box, toast and pine needle move in, with flavors largely following the nose. Medium toward full bodied, very correct and quite elegant. Sad to see it go, but for others with this in their cellar, the next 10 years should be superb. 13,5% abv, recommended
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Unfortunately, past it's prime. It was pleasant, but had a musty smell and had very little fruit left. I didn't mean to wait this long, but just recently found this bottle in my cellar.
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Nice bricking starting to happen on the edge. The nose is showing nice aged character with wonderful primary fruit still present. Smoke, dark fruit, leather and cigar box. The palate shows fine grained almost fully integrated tannins. Nice balance and acidity.
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Great nose of dark cherries. Some orange bricking but otherwise a deep purple. Vibrant full bodied palate - well integrated. Decanted and drank within 30 mins. Very fine example of California Cabernet.
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Really terrific showing. Coffee, currant, and earth flavors. It's layered, and reveals itself slowly, but the real attraction for me is the vibrant acidity still here on the front end of the palate. Terrific balance of tertiary flavors, acid, and darkish fruit. It has some old-world sensibilities that are charming right now. I really enjoyed this one.
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Opened up slightly vegetal, farmyard. Bright, vibrant though thin rim. Light tannins. Opened up considerably, classic dark fruits and redcurrant, long finish with some spice latterly.
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Popped and poured. Cork looked great. Nice aroma and was very mellow on the palate. This was very good and I'm glad I opened it as it will not last more than another 3 years. Happy birthday dad.
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Aging gracefully. Edges starting to thin, and "overall color beginning to "brown out", but the wine itself is still a wonderful, old Cab. Plenty of fruit left, and the tannins are still there (but muted). Still some time left, but I wouldn't count on more than a couple of years.
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Drank (non-blind) alongside a '96 Chateau le Boscq St. Estephe - and it definitely showed off the contrast in new world/old world styles. The Mondavi was a fruit bomb of black currant, black cherries with tobacco, tea, fine leather and cedar on the nose. Ripe cherries, blackberries, cedar, fine leather and tea on the palate. Tannins were still medium, the wine will last for a number more years. I've had this in the past and really enjoy it.
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Pop/pour. Still relatively primary overall, though any really rough edges have softened considerably. On the nose, needs some time to open up in the glass, as the first blast on the nose is distinctly tar. With some time, this softens a bit, revealing a touch of signature Mondavi green and some secondary character. On the palate, very nicely balanced. A bit on the dark side in terms of flavor profile, and I could see this developing over the long term to something into a bit of stew depending on which aspects of today's character win out in the long term. But for today....nicely balanced, still a ton of structure. Shows relatively youthful, and very powerful.
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A very small pour at a tasting but I found it easy to grade this one. Classy. Drinks like a good old bordeaux, refined, balanced, everything in place, nothing out of place.
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (Porter Creek, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. Savored 1 glass over an hour. This wine has soared every time I've had it, just gorgeous. The nose is perfumed with earth and violets, lovely creme de cassis, mulberry, cedar, graphite. The palate is lush, velvety, elegant, nicely structured, layered, beautiful cassis and mulberry, mixing with graphite, spice, chocolate and transitioning to a long finish. Refined, perfectly balanced. Outstanding.
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Delicious stuff. HM and Pete were given a free run of the wines at our place for late-night after-dinner drinks, and this bottle (hand-carried back from San Francisco) was what they chose. I feared it may have been a little on the young side, but after an hour or so in our glasses, the wine actually showed very well indeed. It had such a lovely nose, with fragrant notes of tobacco and chocolate and spice swimming around a core of ripe blackberries and dark cherries, with a touch of violet flowers at the edge of the bouquet. Really lovely actually, straddling Bordeaux and California with its warm character. I found the palate equally appealing. The structure and shape of the wine still dominated slightly on first pour, with the wine's bright, juicy acidity and velvety tannins being the first thing that I noticed. With time though, these melted away to form a pleasing backdrop for yummy flavours of ripe cassis and blackberries tossed up with notes of dried earth and toasted vanilla. It was a very full, luscious wine, with a long finish dripping with gobs of fresh black fruit. It was truly delicious and drinking ridiculously well at this point, but even then, there was clearly still something a bit primary at its edges. Given how complete it was, with a great sense of balance and structure behind the fruit, I would imagine this developing into something quite special in another 5 years or so.
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American Belle 1st Edition (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Garnet schowing some signs of maturity. Mature notes of cooked berries. Elegant, tannins still present. Black tea, red berries and chocolate. All on the old school side. Now fully mature. Drink now
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Now this is my kinda wine. Refined,graceful, yet powerful and well rounded. Drank after a Shafer Hillside '03, and the contrast could not have been greater. Solid as usual.
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Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. Clear deep garnet-blood red. For the first three days, the bouquet was gamey and volatile, and I planned to score it no higher than 86. Finally, after three days under vacuum stopper, the bouquet changed to a much more enjoyable mix of creme de cassis, cherries, licorice, mixed herbs, oak and forest floor. Hints of caramel and milk chocolate appeared at the end. During this time, the wine remained fine on the palate, generous, balanced, with seamless tannins. In summary, this bottle needed extended aeration to show its best.
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Popped and poured. Cork perfect. Color brown garnet with brick edges. On the nose this shows mostly secondary at first with prominent cedar mild tobacco and mint. With a little air the fruit emerges. On palate this is mature Cabernet, soft tannins framing the fruity full body. In a really really nice place right now. This is a bday wine for my son and the best of 6 so far. California cab is not one of my "go to" wines right now but really looking forward to future bottles. I expect significant longevity from this one. excellent leaning toward outstanding.
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Opened and consumed over 3+ hours. In a word, disappointed. Just didn't bring it. It didn't seem to old, just lacked the punch and complexity Mondavi Reserves usually have. 90/91
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A bit dissapointed. This bottle seemed a bit tired and didn't have much finish. Wine was integrated with the tannins and acid but no wow or complexity. I really like older Napa wines but this seemed in an awkward adolescent phase between young (fruit and tannin driven) and mature (leathery).
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Surprisingly good. Red fruit, mineral, leathery notes with ample tannin. Lovely nose. Long lovely finish. Unexpectedly better than the '97 tasted the same night.
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No rush to open these...plenty left. Opened in the am and slo-oxed for about 12 hours. Not real big but plenty of fruit, just a bit of a tannin grip but it slowly evolved once we started drinking it, gained some weight and was like velvet across the palate. A very enjoyable wine experience.
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medium cloudy brick color; strong spice element with wild red cherry and moss, pot-pouri; smooth entry, mouth filling, very ample dry tannins, good acidity and intensity still; grippy tannins in the long finish--lovely, very flavorful, and rich, but elegant. Beautiful.
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Minneapolis Wine Club Mixed Bag of $50 plus Reds (John's House): What a transformation. Orignal score would have been high 80s but this wine improved with some additional air. Cherry, earth, mineral, red pepper and smooth tannins overall. The wine is drinking well now but some additional aging will help. Decant should be 2 hours plus.
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Mini Offline with Bordeaux and Napa Wines featuring 1996 Poyferre & Mondavi (John's House): Very dark red color. Pop and pour only, evolvede dramatically over the first 30-60 minutes. Nose starts with earth and also some subtle funk, cassis, mulberry, hints of cedar, later develops some spices and clove, vilet and graphite. The nose is remarkably similar to the '96 Poyferre. Medium body on the palate, bright fruits, cassis, and red currants, dusty minerals, fine grained tannins now, very long finish. This is still outstanding, drinks like mature Bordeaux, and would have benfited from an inital decant of an hour plus, but I wanted to be sure not to over do it. My #2 WOTN.
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Purchased direct from Mondavi Winery's cellars. Classic aged California cab. Too bad the alcohol levels have risen so much in the valley since 1996...at 13.5% this is perfectly balanced and has aged gracefully.
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Consumed with a small tasting group at our holiday gathering with several other bottles of CA and WA Cab and Syrah. One of the better wines of the evening. Classic aged California Cab flavors. Tasting very good now, possibly some aging potential left depending how "aged" you like your wines.
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A gift from my good friend Ned and obviously the bottle had been very well stored.Eucalyptus, leather, coffee and blackberry fruit on the nose. While tannins have softened, still defintiely there. Lots of black fruit again on the palate, with a lovely medium long finish. A pleasure to drink.
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From 3 liter. I have liked this wine immensely in the past, but I fear time has not been kind. Audozed at 7am on Christmas Day. Decanted at 4pm and consumed beginning at 6 for the next 5 hours. Way too much dominant green vegetal and mint flavor which dominated any red or black fruit present. Tasted the next day and it only improved marginally. Not impressed this go.
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Decanted for an hour; Slightly green and seeming to lose some of its power; I love the 93 and 95, both of which I had this year. this one just seemed to pale in comparison
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Solid aged cab. Lots of secondary aromas on the nose - leather, etc. Still lots of fruit left, the tannins are completely resolved. Just a really enjoyable glass of wine, almost too elegant to be a california cab. I do not see any upside to holding on to this one much longer.
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Decanted 1 hr, consumed over the following 2 hrs. This doesn't posses the stuffing that the '94 has and falls a little short of the '95 too in terms of complexity and depth, but still, it's very enjoyable right now. Medium toward full-bodied with an emphasis on oak vs fruit and acid. Well integrated, with fine-grained tannins and a clean finish; elegant, not polished. A few left that I'll drink over the next 5 yrs.
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CellarTracker Texas Offline II - Part Two - Mondavi Vertical (bstumps house in McKinney, Texas): Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of white pepper, leather, potpourri and black berries. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold. 90-91+.
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From magnum. Pretty old cabernet nose of herb & slight leather. Tight entry of tannic black currant & rich blackberry. Tannins are still very vibrant in the finish but sweet & that makes this a lovely Napa Cab.
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Middle aged Bordeaux garnet. Nose changed every time you went back to it, from Cali Cab with some age, to Italy with age to Bordeaux. All Yummy. Taste was aged Cal Cab-tobacco plums, spices like start anise and cardamom. Really lovely.
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Decanted three hours. Drat, this turned the corner in the two-and-a-half years when I wasn't watching. It was the best wine I'd ever had at the time, but now it's noticeably over the hill. Still a good color. Gorgeous nose, very much like a similarly-aged Rioja - lots of creamy oak and leather. On the palate, though, it's really dried out. No fruit left, but still quite structured. The oak is a little out of balance. I feel like this would be vastly improved by dumping in 10% of a fat Aussie Shiraz for some fruit and body. But I'm being hard on it because of what it was in the past - it's still a great wine. There's a nice minty thing going on, it's food-friendly, and it's definitely elegant in a Rioja way. The secondaries aren't balanced with any frutiness, but I'm a sucker for those flavors, so I'll let that slide. At $85, a big pass at this point, but a happy memory.
Night 2: Fresher tasting and more fruit, but still very structured. Slightly better.
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Constellation and SWS Cabernet Dinner (Gibson's Steakhouse - Chicago): Really nice of Constellation and Southern to open this older vintage. Earthy, shroomy, green olives, peat moss dominate the dark raspberry and leather. There's age showing, but not too much. With some air dirt road and old barnyard aromas surfaced. Nice dark fruit and earth flavors lead to a finish that is high in acid with great tannin structure. There's some Old World Bordeaux characteristics in this wine - lots of finesse.
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Drunk from magnum. The wine seems to be at peak. Very nice aromatics. Strong aroma of cassis, herbs, and leather. Round and elegant in the mouth with a long, balanced finish. Tannins are well integrated. Worked extremely well with grilled strip steaks.
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Awesome, pop and pour, everyone was raving with the Xmas eve prime rib. Need to see if I can pluck a few more of these at auction. Drinking at its peak IMHO, but no hurry...but don't doddle either.
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outstanding wine, big nose of cassis, black cherry, oak, still has big tannins, and that was after a one hour decant. long finish of mocha and dark fruit with a hint of tobacco, i'm going to hold the rest and save for a couple more years as this one can grow some more!
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Displays much more age than '95. Well developed aromas and flavors of currant, pickle-juice and anise seed. The full body was terrificly complex but seemed to be short on grip, suggesting peak drinking may be here?
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decanted 2 hours...light red with brown around the edges...great nose...tobacco, plum, some violets, perhaps some menthol and eucalyptus. silky mouth feel... with more tobacco and some currants...a smooth smooth finish...I think this wine is fully mature has and plateaued ..there is still good fruit.. but I don‘t know for how long...I plan to drink our remaining bottles over the next 3-4 years.. iti s a delicious Cal Cab in its prime... 95 points (warning..I am biased..I LOVE the 90’s Mondavi CS Reserve)
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Drank very well. I opened it mid Augst before I left on vacation. I love these old Mondavi reserves. this was like earlier bottles and earlier vintages: delicious. Went well with a New York steak and sourdough bread. I drank it without taking notes, just to enjoy. Glad I have two more.
I think these are definitely in the drink or hold mode, though I am thinking of drinking mine over the next year or three.
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No notes taken, but this was very nice. Elegant, smokey nose. Balanced, understated taste. This is a well-made wine that is drinking great now but is at no risk of decline.
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Leather, lead pencil, ripe black fruit, cedar and exotic spices on the enjoyable nose. Balanced and very tasty palate with refreshing acidity, ripe black fruit, black coffee and exotic spices.
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Smooth mature fruit, in a great place but showing it can still go a long way. Balanced complex and just a pleasure to drink right now. got even better after short decant.
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I do hope that this bottle was just "off". Seemed pretty flat and tasted musty and dusty. There just weren't any flavors coming through at all. I initially popped and poured, but kept tasting over about a 6 hour period with little change. I believe some oxidation had occurred in this bottle, as the color was more of an apricot color than a dark purple that would be expected. I have more so hopefully the next bottles will be worthy.
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Great wine, still surprisingly young and full of fruit. Ruby appearance, clear, with little to no sediment Nose of blackberry and currants with leather/tobacco and cedar hints and green pepper Palate: tight at first but opened quite nicely after decanting and 2-3 hours of breathing. black fruit, tobacco and spice. Very well balanced with integrated tannins Long finish, could age longer but close to peak. Enjoyed with a nice aged sirloin.
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My first American Cab Sauv after repeated success with (buttery, oaky) chardonnay, (rich, fruity) zinfandel and (damn fine) Pinot Noir. Mmm, tasted old and tired. Still loads of tannin but no real fruit or much of anything else. Left it for an hour or so but still no joy. Wasn't a flawed bottle just plain & disappointing.
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Beautiful nose of dark fruit with a hint of tapenade. A little off the first 30 minutes in the glass, then became just as good, perhaps better than expected. Very complex and integrated. Nothing overwhelms anything else. Just a delight to drink. Still getting coffee and a little mocha on the finsh, tannins good, great finish.
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Very good, no formal notes. Standard Mondavi profile, perfectly implemented. Loved this with huge Xmas eve beef feast. No hurries with this, but it sure is drinking well now. Cedar, cigar box nose. Balanced, integrated tannins, just a hint of bricking. Terrific finish.
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really singing right now. lots of cedar and sweet tobacco with a strong green olive component. still has plenty of plum and black fruit though. slight bricking towards the edge. I'd say this is just about at it's peak.
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Deep brick red color that lightens at the edge with nose of leather and black fruit. Blackberry, vanilla and spice with fine tannins and long, pleasant finish. This bottle was well balanced and showed fruit for about three hours, but then started to fade just a bit.
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Vanilla, leather, black coffee and dark fruit on the nose. Great balance on the palate, with sweet black fruit, good acidity and sweet tannins; also some black chocolate, spices, black pepper and liquorice. Long aftertaste. (Bottle opened about three hours before this first taste.)
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No detailed notes. Two bottles consumed at Lake Elmo Inn. If anything, I think it's a bit early to drink this. One way or another, it has plenty of life left, and should continue to evolve favorably into an elegant Napa Cab that carries its age well.
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Brownish inky color. Reserved nose, with medicinal and herbal notes. VELVET texture! Insane balance - huge, but so silky. Low tannins and acid. Long+. Juicy. Refined. Vanilla. Light smoke. Charming! Was decanted. My favorite wine to date.
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Drinking well now but I suspect will continue to improve a bit. A big rounded wine with layers of texture. It was the WOTN for most (I slightly preferred the Lynch). An hours really helped bring out depth in the middle palette and improved the finish.
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1996 Cal Cab Dinner (Bonsoiree Cafe): Dark ruby color with a singing, captivating nose of currants, green herbs and pencil lead. Palate had medium body, lively acidity and pure fruits. Palate also features green pepper and herbs which offer interest and complexity. Plenty of life ahead.
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eBob 1996 California Cabernet Dinner (Boinsoiree): Forward open nose of black fruit, briar, spice, and just the slightest hint of green. Still pretty tight black fruit with plenty of structure remaining.
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If I was more qualified I'd give it 100. We opened this tonight without any particular expectations. It was just a choice from the cellar. But it is probably the best bottle of wine we've ever experienced. groad, complex, full bodied, but with a sweetness that's almost too difficult to explain. Some surprises sure are fun!
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Wow! This was a treat... nice structure and depth, while letting you know its age. It reminded me of a well-aged Bordeaux, but with the depth of a great Napa Cab.
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Tasted double blind. Blackberries and green bell peppers. Barnyard on the nose and palate. Charred earth and oak. Long finish. Not a very good showing for this wine. Having enjoyed it more in the past makes me think this is an off bottle but I am not detecting any specific flaws other than the brett. 13.5% alcohol. Brought by Jeff.
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Dark ruby, no hint of browning at the rim. Complex nose, with cassis and red fruits. Smooothe. Drinking very well now, but I think it would last for at least another few years.
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Red bell pepper, cherry, cedar and leather. Nice structure. Deep purple color has faded to a light ruby red. Fruit is fading as well. Tasted next to the '92, '00 and '01. This came in right behind the '01 followed by the '00 and the '92.
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Red cherry with a mild green pepper component. Fruit is maturing and settling down, but still quite tannic and somewhat astringent. Classic styling, but only an OK Mondavi Reserve.
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Fruit flavors and nose have a more stewed, raisiny characteristic than in the 99 RM CS PR. Could be age or could be vintage (96 Beringer PR CS tasted recently also had stewed plums characteristic). Fine and elegant, though not the best value for the money.
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Really outstanding. Bordeaux like in complexity. Plums, dark fruit, hints of chocolate, lots of subtle structure and long finish. Time to drink is now.
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This bottle was balanced with good acidity and red fruit. Not an outstanding wine but enjoyable. This wine will not improve with further bottle age. Will probably continue to age but why?
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Drank with friends on labor day weekend. Very elegant, with good structure. Tannins were present and becoming more integrated. Smoke, tobacco, and lots of red fruit. This wine will age several more years. Drink now thru 2015.
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Lovely rich ripe round red fruit aroma with cedar hints. Very nice round briar red/black fruit. Nice and balanced with a little less stuffing than some of the others. 92-93 pts. WDC vertical 9/06
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Based on other's notes on this wine I am wondering if this bottle was slightly off. Not corked, but there seemed to be excessive elements of leather, sour (very sour) cherries and hot alcohol. The nose was very nice with spice, leather, kirsch and berry but the mouth just didn't deliver as mentioned above. Rating withheld pending next bottle.
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Four decades of Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (Seattle, WA): Slightly acrid and sharp on the nose at first. Is that a hint of brett? The palate is very nice and bittersweet with dark chocolate. This settled down and improved considerably.
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Pleasant bouquet and a perfectly adequate wine. I didn't find it very complex -- traditional cab nose and flavors. A bit dry on the finish. There are better values.
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Initial slight stink on the nose. This blows off to reveal black fruit, marsepan, zeste, coffee, pepper and spices on the nose. Lots of black fruit on the palate, supported by spicy sweet tannins, pepper, ... already well integrated. Long aftertaste.
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Dark garnet robe. Nose a bit oaky and alcoholic upon bottle opening, but soon opening up and revealing complex berries. Fantastic in the mouth: velvet, fully integrated, equilibirum are the qualificatives that come to mind. At maturity, will last.
Robe rubis sombre. Nez un peu boisé et alcoolique, mais s'épanouissant rapidement pour révéler des baies en tous genres. Fantastique en bouche: du velours, parfaite intégration, équilibre sont les maîtres-mots. A maturité, se gardera encore.
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Very hot, the alcohol was not integrated well. It never balanced out, and the wine was unpleasant as a result. These wines have been stored since release in my temperature controlled cellar and the OWC, so it is not the provenence that is the problem. I hope it was bottle variation and the others survived better.
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Nice impressions of black fruit on the nose (berries), a hint of leather and reglisse. On the palate loads of black berrie fruit, some leather. The tannins are nicely integrated. Very balanced. This wine is much more open then a year ago. It is accessible now, but will evolve further. After breathing the wine gained in weigth and complexity and the last glass was the best of the evening. There was no trace of the dry tannins that puportedly are typical for this vintage.
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Some slight bricking in the color, but age-appropriate. I found this wine to be soft and delicate, not harsh at all. Made in a classical style with lots of earth, black currant, and mulberry flavors, and just a trace of cinammon. Takes a long Sunday stroll in the mouth. Tannins are in the background until the end when they gently pinch the finish closed. It may benefit from a couple more years of cellaring, but seems to be emerging from any dumb phase it might have been going through.
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I thought I had seen notes on this previously, but could not find the thread after a search.
Had this last night at the Christmas party for my staff. Had this bottle along with the 1999 St. Clement Oroppas.
Restaurant wine list price $105.
This wine was decanted upon arrival, and I drank it over a four hour period.
Glassware was poor. Like with the St. Clement, the waitress tried to serve this in a Spiegelau chardonnay glass. I opted instead for the off brand balloon glass, the only other choice.
The nose on this wine was spectacular, even in the wrong glassware. Mostly black fruits on the nose, the palate did not follow through. This wine remained tight, even over four hours. I would describe it as medium bodied, mostly black fruit, but needs more time in the bottle. The finish was reasonably long, though the tannins were heavy and very drying. This wine is still shut down, unlike many of the 96s I have tried lately, such as the Trilogy.
Though it was one of the best values on the wine list, the QPR is terrible on this at this stage.
The bottles in my cellar will rest for another 3-5 years before opening again. Hopefully at that time, it will be as good/great as it was young.
Overall, the Oroppas is drinking better at this stage, though the nose on this gives me some hope that the palate will follow through in the future.
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Tasted at the California Wine Experience, NY "Top Ten Tasting" Dark ruby color, a bit watery at the rim; after much coaxing some cabernet fruit, spice and wood appears in the nose. On palate very closed also, some sweetness and a bit of wood; Impression is good but at this stage it's very difficult to forecast what its future will be.
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11/4/2023 - LuckyLars wrote: 94 Points
Had a small pour as part of a wine dinner. Some bricking on the rim but generally the colour was quite dark for an older vintage. Nose carried more herbal elements than fruit but there was still noticeable dark fruit in the bouquet. The wine tasted of black plum with a hint of berry. Well balanced and delicious.
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9/23/2023 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Robust structure, intense pure fruit. Blackberry and bay leaf. Medium to full weight. Long and some complexity - still quite young. Drinking now and over the next 20 years.
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7/14/2023 - jsanders.atx.somm@gmail.com wrote:
Amazing!
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7/6/2023 - andolini Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened for 30 minutes, no signs of fading. Rich color, somewhat soft nose, floral bouquet. Smooth, well-rounded, less of a fruit profile than what I was hoping, but no surprise given the age. Enjoyed it more as the night went on, but not a complex wine at this stage, and probably a bit past its prime drinking window. Drink up.
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7/2/2023 - tinycellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Well rounded and soft. Very enjoyable. Probably passed the peak.
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6/25/2023 - toppcats@aol.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Overall, Beautiful aged California Cab. Cork intact/about 15% saturated. Color, on pour, was medium-dark garnet. Fruity aromas from glass noted on initial pour an hour after cork removed. Nose - dark cherry with scent of earth/ damp leaves/forest floor, and touch of cigar tobacco. Silky mouthfeel with good acidity and soft tannins still present. Black cherries and herbs on palate into a medium finish with still present drying tannins. Limited tertiary notes. Drinking well and with some time/life yet to go.
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6/7/2023 - BellevuePhil wrote:
The first sip of the 1996 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon transports the palate into a realm of technological innovation. The wine coats the mouth with a luxurious texture, reminiscent of the seamless user experience that defines cutting-edge technology. A crescendo of flavors unfolds—an orchestra of blackberries, dark cherries, and currants harmonizing with precision. Like lines of code, nuances of graphite and cedar weave through the symphony, adding layers of complexity that only the finest tech algorithms can replicate. The tannins, like the pillars of technological progress, are refined and well-integrated, supporting the structure with elegance and grace. This vintage is a testament to the seamless integration of tradition and technological mastery.
Inhaling the bouquet of the 1996 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon is akin to immersing oneself in the boundless possibilities of the digital realm. A symphony of black currants, ripe plums, and cassis unfolds, offering a complexity that mirrors the intricate algorithms driving technological breakthroughs. Notes of crushed violets and dried herbs intertwine, reminiscent of the delicate balance between nature and human ingenuity. This olfactory voyage evokes the excitement of groundbreaking discoveries, akin to the moment a tech visionary unveils a revolutionary creation.
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3/31/2023 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still lots of life! Soma oak; dark fruit; earthy tones (positive). Cork intact.
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1/10/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with Herwig (Heirloom Cafe, SF): Black fruited, aromatic; palate is full bodied, still black fruits, integrated but not showing a lot of tertiary character, fades a bit through the midpalate; finish is medium-minus. I think aged but not showing the tertiary character. 89
Over dinner this really integrated well and started showing substantially better. 91, possibly higher, but drink now.
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1/9/2023 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Glorious wine. Fully mature, lots of leather accompanied by fruits of the forest. Still rich and holding great fruit cover. Medium to full weight, with plenty of freshness to balance the fruit. Integrated soft fine tannin. Long and complex finish, multi-layered. Drink now, will decline slowly over many years.
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9/12/2022 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
First night at the terrific Madison Crossing restaurant in West Yellowstone after a great day of fly fishing the Madison River. Opened upon arrival and finding it quite fresh & tranquil we poured addl glasses and enjoyed a couple whites leading up to the entrees. So PnP with an addl 45 minutes to slow ox in glass plus an adl 90 minutes during and after dinner. Semi translucent red w/ amber edges. Underbrush & hint of cigar ash on nose. Super elegant and tranquil mouthfeel. Quite fresh and likely to add more tertiary notes on the both the nose & palate but beautiful now. If I had another btl I wouldn't be afraid to wait 3-5 more yrs but excellent now. Just a lovely aged BDX like old school Cab. Sadly a 04, a couple yrs ago seems to have taken on the more modern profile than this '96. Really enjoyed this with steak tonight.
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8/20/2022 - P.A. Cross wrote:
Really kind of stunning, so preserved and balanced. Slightly reserved, but so fresh and appealing. The color is translucent red, with a brickish influence. Figgy on the nose, with very slight leather and saddle notes. Herbal, with dried earth, almost foresty notes. In the mouth it’s fresh and juicy, faint fruit cake notes, with dried fruit and herbs, unbelievable balance, with a slight delicacy of the layered flavors. Not overly ripe or extracted, this was great with beef and vegetables. Tannins are very slightly drying, but so impressed! Always been a fan of these wines!
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4/8/2022 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same bottle as collector. Nice medium bodied Cab in its peak drinking window. Good freshness. Did not have the depth of the 2010 Opus One preceding it. Medium length. The bottle shape revealed it unfortunately as a Mondavi Reserve, so not really blind. 92-93
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4/2/2022 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
During a casual wine dinner. Mondavi's Cabernet Reserve's of the 90ies are always a gem. Beautiful nose of ripe dark fruit, earthy elements and black forest cake. There is a Bordeauesque side to these wines, like from a warmer vintage but still witeh lower Alc than today's Napa bruisers. 94+
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6/29/2021 - Tony Simo Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine is aging gracefully with only the slightest brownish hue. There is still some primary fruit but the earthy notes are quite wonderful. Needs an hour or two decant.
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5/10/2021 - Scheetz wrote:
Very nice. Opened up. Tried alongside 97 Diamond Creek Red Rock. Mondavi was softer but still had body and fruit.
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4/3/2021 - Zingrrl wrote: 95 Points
Just a classic cab at its beautiful end. Nose of pencil, faint iodine, char, a little dark fruit. Smooth taste, just light and effortless. Integrated fruit and tannins with a medium finish. I think these won't get any better. It was my last one and I have to say I'm sad about that.
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3/8/2021 - rc@ughey wrote: 93 Points
Super satisfying wine in a lovely place. This isn't a blockbuster, but it's so satisfying and seamless, with gentle dark fruit and savory undertones. In zero danger of fading and actually may improve.
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1/17/2021 - pleigh Likes this wine: 93 Points
If there ever was a napa cabernet
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12/8/2020 - WinoRick wrote: 95 Points
Purchased on release and the last bottle I had was in `2013 and rated it 91, so aging works if the stuffing is there. All the components have melded together to for a soft, complex and delicious wine. A rare score from me. I concur with ROCKNROLLER’s excellent flavor analysis... certainly much better than I could do.
I’m not sure how much longer I’d wait. Very little browning and good acid, delicious now but I wouldn’t want any more of its fruit to drop out.
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10/7/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Enjoying a Fall Day (Home): Very dark red color with no bricking. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 3 hours plus. Great nose with leather, earth, funk, red fruit, garrigue-like herbs; evolving to show roasted game, forest floor, then cassis and dark berries. This has a satiny texture, full bodied, lifted, cassis, plum, dried wood, leather, fine grained tannins, nice and long on the finish.
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8/22/2020 - DBenke wrote: 94 Points
Drinking great. Has a very Paulick nose. Bit of barnyard. Love it. Round fruit. Drink up
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6/21/2020 - humagne wrote: 94 Points
In excellent shape, mature but not tired at all. Drink now but no hurry.
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12/14/2019 - tplskylrk wrote:
Curious version. The cork on this was pristine, unlike recent few, crumbly ones. Three hours in and this has gone through a couple of phases. Funky out of joint first hour, then beautiful w steak for an hour, then alcohol and disjointed. Last sips, tannins, oaks, fruit, alch.
Same vendor, same storage, slight bottle variation after 20+ years makes sense. This could have used a few hour decant....crazy. No end in sight for this wine, another decade for sure, balanced and delicious.
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12/13/2019 - Peech wrote:
decanted after opening for an hour. Softer now, still got good fruit, with minty notes.
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9/11/2019 - Jozefs wrote: 94 Points
Totally resolved, but fruit still very much present; very enjoyable now, but will keep still further. No need to wait though.
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9/3/2019 - LopedeAguirre Likes this wine: 93 Points
At its prime now, great balance, fine nuances combining fruit and herbs, some chocolate. Drink now as it is starting to decline.
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7/20/2019 - Broch6833 Likes this wine: 93 Points
So, so good. Poised rather than flamboyant, this is a classic old-school Napa cab. There is plenty to take in, but most noticeable is the balance of red fruit, acidity and tannin backbone. Paired with a porterhouse steak like they were made for each other. I can't see this wine getting any better, but it hasn't reached the end of its drinking window yet. Worth seeking out if you like this style of wine.
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5/7/2019 - tplskylrk wrote:
Wow. Perfect cork. So secondary upon opening. Gorgeous color, so MILFY. Nose is so complex, cant describe. Full of energy, depth, character. Mouthfeel is like one w my palate, the oak, the ripe matured fruit melded, some fine layered tannins, the port like nuances w/o being porty, herbs, earth. Cant describe how nice this is.
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5/5/2019 - rlove wrote: 92 Points
A gorgeous 90s Mondavi, showing plum and cedar alongside more mature notes of mushroom and brown sugar. Time has evolved the 1996 Reserve toward balance, with ripe acidity and soft resolving tannins framing a plush texture in a medium-light body. Well-stored bottles likely have upside from here.
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3/2/2019 - redmancge Likes this wine: 91 Points
Would agree with RICHARDP on this wine. I got this wine from a suspect provenance passive cellar. Cork was in good shape on PnP and very little sediment. Nice vintage Cali Cab that excelled in dark blackberry and cherry fruit and showing no sign of browning.....which I was totally expecting based on storage. Tannins well integrated for an enjoyable old Cali Cab experience. If you've got well stored bottles I would think this drinking window might be a little inflated as it's seemingly in a good place now based on my bottle?
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2/23/2019 - RichardP wrote: 94 Points
On the nose, cherry and something more savory, like rust. On the palate, cherry, soy sauce, and blackberry, with notes of old leather and iron on the long finish, with faint tannins and acidity perfectly in balance. This is a beautiful mature wine with tertiary flavors beginning to take over. It's an outstanding example of aged California Cabernet. This was a bargain at a little over $50; too bad the price has doubled. The Cellartracker drinking window is too short: Depending on your taste this could hold for several years more.
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2/14/2019 - The Raven Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cork basically crumbled into dust and had to filter the wine. That being said, the wine hadn't turned and still had most of it's body with a smooth finish. Should have drank this one sooner because it probably would have been better.
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1/4/2019 - sung251 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very classic Napa with well pitched acidity and dark dried fruits with a nice touch of menthol. There is a surprising amount of tannins left in the wine. There is no upsides to keeping this any longer but should have no problem holding few years more. Please drink asap
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12/27/2018 - chcook Likes this wine:
PNP. cork perfect. color showing a little age but not much. This is everything that aged california cabernet should be, and has plenty left in the tank. tannins almost totally integrated and nose leaning toward mature. really nice
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11/10/2018 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pop and pour. Aromas of dried cherry, leather, blackberry and earth. Flavors of blackberry, dried cherry, iron, earth and currant. Ends with a nice finish of 40 seconds with blackberry and iron notes. Drank next to the 96 Beringer Private Reserve and this tasted much younger.
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11/4/2018 - gman4commerce wrote: 93 Points
Smooth, tannins mostly gone, definitely time to drink.
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11/1/2018 - Bob H wrote:
This is very good - doesn't have the depth of the 2003 Araujo, but this is very good.
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7/12/2018 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same as previous notes. Drinking very well. Such a smooth wine!
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6/20/2018 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
WX+ Meetup at Sun Wah BBQ (Sun Wah BBQ Chicago): Showing beautifully tonight. No decant. Gorgeous reductive notes of soy, hoisen, sweet Asian spice.
Palate still has some life ahead. Excellent showing - still a few years of life but I'd open this now.
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6/18/2018 - dvansteenderen Likes this wine: 92 Points
@ VINEUM. This was better today than the 2006 Château Haut-Bages Libéral; 2012 Château d'Armailhac and 1994 Château Taillefer served before it. Delicious Napa!
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6/18/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points
A private lunch (Restaurant Vineum, Rotterdam, NL): Warm and rich, beautifully matured, classic claret profile with additional, ripe Napa fruit, smoky, rich and slightly nutty, well constructed, firm tannins, very good length. Excellent.
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5/11/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The nose was dark with moist soil tones and hints of animal musk, gaining richness in the glass to show crushed strawberry, hints of orange zest, minerals and floral undergrowth. On the palate, I found refined silky textures with a mix of tart red and blackberry fruits complemented by brisk acidity, with hints of dried florals, tomato leaf, bell pepper and minerals. It finished long and still vibrant with lingering dark red fruits, savory herbs and hints of fine tannin. The ’96 is a model of balance with gorgeous inner sweetness and is maturing beautifully.
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4/18/2018 - beej Likes this wine:
Other than some process softening the tannins, a wonderful expression of the vineyards and winemaking. Still going strong.
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3/17/2018 - Zingrrl wrote: 92 Points
I didn't take notes. Still a great sipper. Structure remains with slightly muted fruits and savory notes. 2 left....dragging my feet as they are sooo good.
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3/4/2018 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened and slow ox 5 hours
What a nose. Still dark ruby red. Even color variations to orange red at the rim. In a really great place now.
Sugar plums, black berries, like last notes, leather, a hint of dusty boot, cigar box, a hint of smoke, mushrooms.
Great mouth feel. Tannins seemed very well integrated. Good 15 second finish. Apple, raisin, sugar plum, meat, soy sauce. Very consistent with the last notes. Drink them if you got em. Might have another 5 years before decline.
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3/3/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best showing for a Mondavi Reserve for me in years. This is at peak. Very old-school with some barnyard funk that blew off revealing light tobacco on the nose. Full, balanced mature body like a left-bank Bordeaux. Very enjoyable but that was my only bottle.
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2/21/2018 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decanted for about an hour, drank over following 4 hours. Good wine, but felt like it never really came around.
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2/11/2018 - acyso wrote: flawed
Vinetasters: Robert Mondavi Reserve (1970-1998) (Skokie, IL): Served blind in a Mondavi lineup. Corked. My 12th, group's 8th.
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12/24/2017 - mpalestini Likes this wine: 94 Points
Unbelievable quality. Cork was perfect. 1hr decant. Still vibrant, earthy and deep, not a fuit bomb. Medium acid, Medium tanins, long finish. Good drinking window, probably has a few more years before it begins a slow decline. Color was good but starting to turn brown but with some time went purple. sediment but not much. Paired with Prime Rib. Amazing 21+ old Napa Cab, really speaks to quality of craftsmanship and quality of grapes. Bravo!
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12/15/2017 - RickyT12 wrote: 95 Points
Opened for 3 hours
Really nice nose. Aged and sophisticated.
Sugar plum, soy sauce, Indian spices, leather, dark chocolate all nose.
Flavs spiced cherry, steak, mushroom, cigar box nice mouth feel, very round.
After sometime chocolate comes out on the nose in a big way. Nice transitions.
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9/10/2017 - bCloud09c Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow. First true high quality 20+ year aged cab. Stunning. Did not decant or venturi.
First glass was silky smooth with black cherry, wet leather, and licorice on the nose. Tannins weren't even noticeable in the first glass. With the second glass about an hour later, the tannins became more pronounced but still very smooth. Definitely would drink this again.
Simply phenomenal. Stunning. Elegant. Sexy. Sophisticated. She has my heart.
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5/31/2017 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Bright, well made. Classic Cab notes on nose and palate. Young. Extremely elegant and stylish Cali Cab. Beautiful. Now, and for another 10 years.
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5/8/2017 - jfont123 wrote:
Fantastic! PnP. Old world nose, great fruit. After 24 hours, it was silky smooth. Drink in the next 5 years.
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4/30/2017 - JCDR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fabulous.
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4/29/2017 - maheshwa Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice but not a hugely complex bouquet upon opening, left it open for an hour - integrated flavor and finish, not too much oak - spice of the cabernet sauvignon nicely balanced with leather, tobacco, licorice, cherry notes. I agree with the recent reviews - drinking window is starting to close slowly, wine is also not holding aromas after a couple of hours.
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4/22/2017 - onboisduvin Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice Cab, though the performance did not last long, about 2 hr. Non-decant.
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2/6/2017 - John McCabe wrote: 96 Points
I've had this a couple of times at the winery. It always impresses and has held up well over the years. I just finished up four bottles of the regular '96 Mondavi cab recently and that was a gem; had beautiful precision and a lovely dry note at the end.
This Reserve is similar in profile and core quality but more sweetness, more lush , more finesse, more perfume on the nose, less dry on the finish. This is more flamboyant and showey, but somehow still reserved and elegant. It has a very traditional feel about it; they don't make cabs like this any more, and I wish they did. Beautiful stuff. Strangely I think the regular bottling could age more but this should be drank sooner. I've preferred the '94 Reserve which I've had a half dozen times and has been otherworldly every time, but that seems to be fading now - the last bottle I bought and tried was a bit tired.
I really think this is a wine to drink all by itself with no food; it's so expressive and captivating all by itself.
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1/14/2017 - chcook Likes this wine:
Bday wine for Evan. PNP. Cork perfect. Color is garnet w bricking edges. Nose dominated by secondary aromas mostly cedar and tobacco w plum. Swishing shows soft structure, mostly dominated by oak tannin still. Sipping this does not hide the oak because the fruit is fading I think. Nevertheless a nice drink. My palate was warmed up by non-oaky wine before this, so I think it makes the oak more prominent.
With air and a little time the fruit came out and the structure softened further. I started out thinking that this was over the hill, but will correct my opinion to fully mature and drinking beautifully.
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12/26/2016 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Surely past it's prime but still an interesting experience. Very leathery on nose and palate. Fruit has faded away and wine is bricked almost brown. Very balanced. Air helped blow off the funk but didn't improve the depth or fruit.
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11/20/2016 - melal41 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had it last night as a part of 96 vintage Napa cabs. Others wines were Silver Oak Alex, Staglin, BV Georges deLatour Reserve 95, Pride Reserve cab, Insignia.
This wine showed really well. Fresh and smooth, tannins are almost gone, fruit is very nice, long finish. I do not see any further improvement for this wine. Drink soon.
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11/11/2016 - mntebolt wrote: 95 Points
really good
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10/29/2016 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine. Still has a long life ahead of it. Dark saturated fruit with nicely grained tannins and solid structure. Not overly expressive. This is all about the fruit. Will be better in 10 years.
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9/4/2016 - kenv Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought by John F. Double decanted around noon. Nose of flint, black fruit and roasted red peppers. Smooth and silky in the mouth with soft tannins on the finish. Long finish of tart cherries. Elegant. No need to hold. Tasty stuff.
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5/29/2016 - rlove wrote: 93 Points
Classic 90s Mondavi that has aged wonderfully. Mature but still fruit-heavy nose shows blackcurrant, plum, coffee, and an alluring mushroom note. On the palate, soft tannins and a harmonious structure. Most spectacular, however, is the great acidity that yields a racy and vibrant wine. The 1996 Reserve Cabernet has many more years yet to go.
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5/7/2016 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Mondavi CAB perfection!
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3/14/2016 - kiichli wrote:
Cork perfect (but I pulled it badly!). Five hour ox, then quick decant. Deep red and clear to the rim. Explosive nose of blackberry, cake spices, and a hint of chocolate. Full in the mouth, with fruit still forward, but on the soft side. Still some refreshing acid. Really a joy. My last of these, and I think it was in its late stage indeed.
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2/28/2016 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Two bottles served Twenty and every single person commented on the sheer beauty of this silky smooth elixir that this 20 year old CAB represented. Stunningly perfect for a bluebird La Jolla afternoon!
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2/5/2016 - mntebolt wrote:
good
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12/19/2015 - Nerdy Earth Boy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfect in every way that you expect for a 19 year old Epic Cailfornia CAB made by the Master.
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12/9/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
On the nose, tobacco, cassis and blackberry sensations that move to a full bodied, concentrated blast of ripe, sweet, ripe, plums and black fruits This is ready to go.
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10/23/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 94 Points
Années 90 - Bordeaux visite Napa ou vice versa ! (Restaurant Chez Christophe): Une jolie bouche élégante et fraiche, dont l'équilibre est magnifique, c'est un vin très fin, presque délicat en finale, il m'évoque Las Cases. Je suis évidemment persuadé d'avoir affaire à un vin du Médoc, hésitant entre Las Cases ou Palmer. Grand vin qui nous a tous mystifiés. Encore meilleur qu'une bouteille prise en mars que j'avais adorée. 94-95 pts
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10/23/2015 - psmith wrote: 92 Points
Pretty red fruits. A bit ripe and top heavy consistent with the '96 vintage. Resolved. Tobacco. Rich fruits. Nice wine and ready to drink.
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10/8/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Merlots (mostly), Masseto, Kapcsandy, ++ (Cleveland Heights): Really in a good place right now. This had the "advantage" of being the only mostly Cabernet on the table of Merlots. Still, it seemed to show quite well. Also the oldest wine. This opened quickly once poured. Purple in color. The nose has dust, cassis, and cigar box. Nice texture. On the palate, there is a nice layering of complexity. Perhaps not amazing, but certainly enough to demand attention. Still has firm tannins, so no hurry. Not sure if this gets better. Lots of cassis and a bit of chocolate on the palate. Good intensity on the finish. Clearly Californian, I am sure this was considered full throttle on release. At this point, it has a lovely charm to it.
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9/5/2015 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 94 Points
I love these older wines. You just can't get this in a young wine. Very much like an older bordeaux. Dusty, musty, wet wood, wet forest floor, somewhat spicy, and very smooth. What a nice change up.
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6/12/2015 - Tire-bouchon Griffin Likes this wine: 96 Points
Lors de notre dégustation à l’aveugle, ce vin s’est manifesté dans la trame d’un excellent Bordeaux, mais à notre grande surprise, c’est un américain qui est apparu. Avec sa robe d’un rouge brique sur les rebord, il dévoilait un âge avancé, mais nous avons été surpris qu’il était aussi avancé tellement la matière était encore présente en bouche avec ses tanins et ses saveurs franches de vanille, menthe et cassis. Belle réussite de Mondavi dans la décennie des années 90.
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5/8/2015 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 89 Points
Cork was soft, opened short and off kilter, but got better with air, but still not that good, soy, fruit and pepper on the nose. Disappointing.
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4/25/2015 - dontime wrote:
Outstanding. Still going strong. If scoring 92-94.
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4/25/2015 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 93 Points
Same bottle as Rock and Roller, and I agree with his note. A very nice wine that is holding up very well.
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4/23/2015 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
As good as this is, I can see this becoming even more special with a few more years. I have one to find out if, I can keep my hands off. See RnR's detailed notes below for a more complete picture.
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4/23/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
A Decadent Night of 1990's Napa Cabs and Bordeaux (Chez Dalluge, MN): Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 3 hours. This was just crazy good, I'm probably doing it an injustice giving it 94 pts. There is an elegance and balance that is not equaled by manny wines and that is even true tonight. I find this a truly quintessential Napa wine. The fruits is fresh and red and the acids are equally lively and there is a very appealing creme de menthe note. Love it. 94+pts.
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4/3/2015 - Racer117 wrote: 92 Points
Primarily mushroom and funk on the nose; cassis, oak, and dark berry flavors. Great velvety texture. Drink up.
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3/8/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Un nez fascinant de cassis, de cèdre, de tabac, avec quelques nuances de chocolat à la menthe. En bouche: de corps moyen, avec
un magnifique équilibre, les tanins sont fondus, c'est savoureux et complexe, avec un joli fruit sucré, combiné à une droiture toute bordelaise. Il offre toute la joie d'un vieux Cabernet à maturité, qui se donne des allures de Pauillac, avec une subtile finale vaporeuse, longue et saline. Superbe vin. 93 pts
Détail intriguant: très peu de dépôt, signe que le vin fut filtré, sans toutefois que l'aromatique et la subtilité n'en souffrent.
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2/24/2015 - AWBryce Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice mature nose of sweet dark fruits, baking spices and a hint of greenness. Still tannic and with good acidity, but the tannins are sweet and there is enough ripe dark fruit on the palate to round out the acidity. Would like to revisit in a few years time.
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2/14/2015 - REWindsor Likes this wine: 93 Points
less intense than the 1994 it had long complex finish with smooth tanins. Dark fruits and scorched earth. Actually had a french bordeaux feel. Slight hint of lead pencil but a very nice wine.
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2/6/2015 - mntebolt wrote:
Excellent
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12/25/2014 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Slow oxed for two hours. Nose of bright cherry, currants, spice, and leather. On the palate a little leathery and tired, still some sour cherry and bright red fruit hanging around. Tannins are completely integrated and still has some acidity. This bottle was a little past peak, others may have fared better. Still an excellent drink.
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12/11/2014 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
This is an elegant, classy wine. Fully mature with velvety tannins. Cranberry, glove leather, a little chalky. All secondary and not in your face - reserved. Perfectly balanced it was all there. Simply stunning. Personally I can't imagine this wine improving at all. It had fruit, it had tannin and acidity. I think it is all moving, downward, in proportion. So I believe it can age longer, just not sure what you would be waiting for.
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12/8/2014 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 93 Points
Agree with Chablis28's note. This is the fifth of six bottles I bought some time ago now, and this was the best so far by a long way. The nose is pretty and enjoyable, but in a subdued way. Absolutely perfect in the mouth with perfect balance, good flavor intensity, great texture and a long, satisfying finish. I see no signs of decline, so no hurry to drink these up...but why wait? They're drinking great right now.
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12/6/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (La Belle Vie, Mpls): This was the same bottle as Dalluge and Chablis 28. I just had a small pour, but for me it was outstanding. I thought the nose had the typical perfume and complexity that I have associated with this wine in the past. Silky and elegant on the palate as usual. I agree this is in a great place, but if you got a few of these, I'd take my time.
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12/6/2014 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Dalluge's btl. While not yet at the heights of the '91, this was one of my two "WOTN" last night. Very elegant, classy, balanced with classic BDX like flavors and aromas.
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11/16/2014 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Incredibly expressive nose of blackberry, black cherry, dark plum, bramble and cassis with loads of sweet cedar, tobacco, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Acids are still high, tannins are mellowing but still present. Finish is long with black fruit and cedar. Only fault is that there is a bit too much disjointed alcohol in the finish, but not surprising given this big Napa cab.
Fruity, smooth and will continue to drink well for at least 3-4 more years I would think. Fantastic wine.
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11/2/2014 - tbone wrote:
Nearly perfect on this night. Very faint, soft fruit and plenty of earth and spice - so elegant. Well worth the wait.
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10/24/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 96 Points
My God. That's perfect. Silky. Freshness. Balance. Round tannins !!!!! I did not expect a wine of this level.
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5/8/2014 - PSPatrick wrote: 92 Points
Best Bottle Dinner at The Steakhouse in Lachen. We drank this Mondavi Reserve 1996 next to a bottle of Mondavi Reserve 1995. The bottle was in perfect condition; the filling-level was high into the neck, the cork looked pristine. The wine was medium to dark garnet in colour and offered sour red and dark berries, red pepper, leather, spices and medicinal notes on the nose. On the palate the wine showed cherry, hints of black currant and dried fruits, red pepper, bell pepper, umami, leather, tobacco, chocolate, some black pepper and a hint of eucalyptus, paired with well-integrated medium-plus acidity and well-integrated medium-plus tannin. The balanced, medium-bodied wine had incredible length. A very good Cabernet that has aged well and drank very well. Drink now.
Compared to the Mondavi Reserve 1995 this 1996 was a little darker in colour and a little fuller-bodied, whereas the 1995 had better structure, seemed more elegant and will also be longer-lived than this 1996. The wines reflected the differences in the growing seasons very well – cool and long in 1995 vs. warmer, with an earlier harvest in 1996.
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5/4/2014 - Javachip wrote: 91 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass 60 minutes before tasting. Clear deep dark garnet blood red color. Classic bouquet of creme de cassis, tobacco, forest floor, blackberry liqueur, cloves, nutmeg, cocoa, fennel, meat juice. Similar on the palate, rich and elegant, beautifully balanced, full body with lingering finish.
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5/2/2014 - NCWino1 wrote: 86 Points
Little fruit left. Way past it's prime. If you have this drink up NOW!
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4/16/2014 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium garnet in colour. Medium plus nose dominated by black cherry, blackcurrant, stewed fig, plum, violet, sundried tomato and cigarbox with black raspberry, leather, earth, mushroom, nutmeg, smoke, charred wood and black pepper. High acidity and tannins still - the tannins are still mouth-filling. Full bodied. Lots of black fruit on the palate along with fig, gamey, tea, baking spice and alcohol. Long finish with a hint of orange rind. Still drinking fantastically.
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4/6/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very nice. Almost perfect
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3/29/2014 - CabIsKing wrote: 93 Points
Very nice nose of currant, earth and cherry. Good lenght on the tongue with a medium finish. Drinking below peak but still good.
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2/14/2014 - Abel_G wrote: 98 Points
This wine is at it's prime. The nose is still full of structure however when you taste there are no tannins to
Get in front of the fruit. This is one amazing wine that is in it's prime. Old school Mondavi nostalgia.
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1/26/2014 - chcook Likes this wine:
PNP. cork perfect. color crimson. nose mostly secondary with mostly tobacco and cedar. swishing shows this to have significant tannin structure still intact. sipping this however you would never know it. the dark fruit is still lurking there among the soft secondaries and totally tames the tannin. medium long polished finished. this is one of the better aged California cabs that I have tasted in awhile, and in absolutely no hurry for this (properly stored). a total delight with dinner tonight. cant wait until two years from now (one of 2 bday wines) to try this again.
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1/12/2014 - vanpe003 wrote: 94 Points
Probably have some bottle variation on these, given sourced from several different auctions. This bottle - no green, no tar, no stew. If anything, it reminds me a bit of a Haut Brion. Smooth, silky. Developing some secondary character. Very nice. I hope the rest of my bottles mimic this one!
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12/27/2013 - fantastisch wrote:
Verkocht aan Johan
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12/1/2013 - Double J wrote: flawed
Oxydized. Storage had been good and the cork was in tip-top shape. Life's a mystery.
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11/30/2013 - bobvictor Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not as much depth or complexity as the 1995, though still a great California Cab with terrific structure and balance.
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11/11/2013 - JS199 wrote: flawed
Decanted and drank over 4+ hours. Green and unyielding. No score.
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10/5/2013 - stevenc.rees@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
my last bottle. Medium dark red, some brick at the edges. Cork in great shape. Some fruit in the nose, but it is almost entirely the aromas and bouquet of a mature cab. Initially the nose seemed to lack complexity even with decanting, but after 20 minutes it had opened nicely; cedar, light cigar hints, dried berry. Got better over the hour or so it was open for dinner. (Saved half of it till the 2nd night.)
Round, tame tannins in the mouth and finish.
Very good balance with nice array of flavors evolving in the mouth.
I liked it better this time than a couple years ago. I have had some bottle variability over the last 10 years with this, but I think the best ones have plenty of life in them. A bit of a gamble however.
I'd suggest you start drinking them this year, if you have any left.
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10/1/2013 - g-man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cork broke off inside bottle when opening. Luckily it had no effect on the wine. Didn't take detailed notes but was really a delight to drink. This is fully mature and don't see it getting much better but think it will hold up for another few years.
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9/6/2013 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
PnP, served non-blind for our anniversary weekend. The last from a case purchased on release and lovingly cellared. Cork like new, soaked 2mm. Youthful ruby core, with fading toward the rim, but no tawny. The nose suggests the same as what the cork and color suggest, this is barely out of its infancy. I've had some variation with this over the years, with some bottles suggesting 'drink sooner than later', but tonight's bottle is all about finesse, structure and beauty; there's an evolved youthfulness, very subtle tertiary development dancing around a core of secondary qualities. By the 30 minute mark it began to open with cherry skin, red currant, some sage and menthol, but nothing was too pronounced. By the one hour mark, black currants, cigar box, toast and pine needle move in, with flavors largely following the nose. Medium toward full bodied, very correct and quite elegant. Sad to see it go, but for others with this in their cellar, the next 10 years should be superb. 13,5% abv, recommended
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8/10/2013 - Gporto wrote: 88 Points
Unfortunately, past it's prime. It was pleasant, but had a musty smell and had very little fruit left. I didn't mean to wait this long, but just recently found this bottle in my cellar.
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7/25/2013 - fdub Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice bricking starting to happen on the edge. The nose is showing nice aged character with wonderful primary fruit still present. Smoke, dark fruit, leather and cigar box. The palate shows fine grained almost fully integrated tannins. Nice balance and acidity.
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7/13/2013 - EyeDoc wrote: 94 Points
Great nose of dark cherries. Some orange bricking but otherwise a deep purple. Vibrant full bodied palate - well integrated. Decanted and drank within 30 mins. Very fine example of California Cabernet.
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7/8/2013 - decaturwinedude Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really terrific showing. Coffee, currant, and earth flavors. It's layered, and reveals itself slowly, but the real attraction for me is the vibrant acidity still here on the front end of the palate. Terrific balance of tertiary flavors, acid, and darkish fruit. It has some old-world sensibilities that are charming right now. I really enjoyed this one.
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5/31/2013 - goffo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened up slightly vegetal, farmyard. Bright, vibrant though thin rim. Light tannins. Opened up considerably, classic dark fruits and redcurrant, long finish with some spice latterly.
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4/10/2013 - EJKIII wrote: 85 Points
Badly past prime. Color had gone to brown. Little or no remaining fruit or acidity. Just a very tired old bottle.
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3/3/2013 - JS199 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent. After an hour this elegant wine fans out and struts its stuff. 93/94
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2/9/2013 - Tuskeny Raider Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Cork looked great. Nice aroma and was very mellow on the palate. This was very good and I'm glad I opened it as it will not last more than another 3 years. Happy birthday dad.
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2/2/2013 - EJKIII wrote: 92 Points
Aging gracefully. Edges starting to thin, and "overall color beginning to "brown out", but the wine itself is still a wonderful, old Cab. Plenty of fruit left, and the tannins are still there (but muted). Still some time left, but I wouldn't count on more than a couple of years.
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12/26/2012 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank (non-blind) alongside a '96 Chateau le Boscq St. Estephe - and it definitely showed off the contrast in new world/old world styles. The Mondavi was a fruit bomb of black currant, black cherries with tobacco, tea, fine leather and cedar on the nose. Ripe cherries, blackberries, cedar, fine leather and tea on the palate. Tannins were still medium, the wine will last for a number more years. I've had this in the past and really enjoy it.
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12/16/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 94 Points
Pop/pour. Still relatively primary overall, though any really rough edges have softened considerably. On the nose, needs some time to open up in the glass, as the first blast on the nose is distinctly tar. With some time, this softens a bit, revealing a touch of signature Mondavi green and some secondary character. On the palate, very nicely balanced. A bit on the dark side in terms of flavor profile, and I could see this developing over the long term to something into a bit of stew depending on which aspects of today's character win out in the long term. But for today....nicely balanced, still a ton of structure. Shows relatively youthful, and very powerful.
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12/7/2012 - InflationHedge Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical Mondavi, inviting nose with big jammy dark fruits complemented by subtle anise and tobacco. Drinking well right now.
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12/3/2012 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
A very small pour at a tasting but I found it easy to grade this one. Classy. Drinks like a good old bordeaux, refined, balanced, everything in place, nothing out of place.
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12/2/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (Porter Creek, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. Savored 1 glass over an hour. This wine has soared every time I've had it, just gorgeous. The nose is perfumed with earth and violets, lovely creme de cassis, mulberry, cedar, graphite. The palate is lush, velvety, elegant, nicely structured, layered, beautiful cassis and mulberry, mixing with graphite, spice, chocolate and transitioning to a long finish. Refined, perfectly balanced. Outstanding.
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12/1/2012 - nogohawk wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding
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11/16/2012 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Delicious stuff. HM and Pete were given a free run of the wines at our place for late-night after-dinner drinks, and this bottle (hand-carried back from San Francisco) was what they chose. I feared it may have been a little on the young side, but after an hour or so in our glasses, the wine actually showed very well indeed. It had such a lovely nose, with fragrant notes of tobacco and chocolate and spice swimming around a core of ripe blackberries and dark cherries, with a touch of violet flowers at the edge of the bouquet. Really lovely actually, straddling Bordeaux and California with its warm character. I found the palate equally appealing. The structure and shape of the wine still dominated slightly on first pour, with the wine's bright, juicy acidity and velvety tannins being the first thing that I noticed. With time though, these melted away to form a pleasing backdrop for yummy flavours of ripe cassis and blackberries tossed up with notes of dried earth and toasted vanilla. It was a very full, luscious wine, with a long finish dripping with gobs of fresh black fruit. It was truly delicious and drinking ridiculously well at this point, but even then, there was clearly still something a bit primary at its edges. Given how complete it was, with a great sense of balance and structure behind the fruit, I would imagine this developing into something quite special in another 5 years or so.
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11/2/2012 - Wine_lvr wrote: 91 Points
American Belle 1st Edition (Switzerland): Tasted blind: Garnet schowing some signs of maturity. Mature notes of cooked berries. Elegant, tannins still present. Black tea, red berries and chocolate. All on the old school side. Now fully mature. Drink now
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10/21/2012 - JS199 wrote: 93 Points
Now this is my kinda wine. Refined,graceful, yet powerful and well rounded. Drank after a Shafer Hillside '03, and the contrast could not have been greater. Solid as usual.
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10/13/2012 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 90 Points
Drink now -this was good but has faded from what was a fantastic bottle. 16 years is a good run for sure. Congrats Mondavi's.
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6/12/2012 - Javachip wrote: 89 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. Clear deep garnet-blood red. For the first three days, the bouquet was gamey and volatile, and I planned to score it no higher than 86. Finally, after three days under vacuum stopper, the bouquet changed to a much more enjoyable mix of creme de cassis, cherries, licorice, mixed herbs, oak and forest floor. Hints of caramel and milk chocolate appeared at the end. During this time, the wine remained fine on the palate, generous, balanced, with seamless tannins. In summary, this bottle needed extended aeration to show its best.
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6/6/2012 - chcook wrote:
Popped and poured. Cork perfect. Color brown garnet with brick edges. On the nose this shows mostly secondary at first with prominent cedar mild tobacco and mint. With a little air the fruit emerges. On palate this is mature Cabernet, soft tannins framing the fruity full body. In a really really nice place right now. This is a bday wine for my son and the best of 6 so far. California cab is not one of my "go to" wines right now but really looking forward to future bottles. I expect significant longevity from this one. excellent leaning toward outstanding.
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6/5/2012 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Very good, but not great. Mature flavors fanned out quickly and the finish was a bit weak.
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5/19/2012 - quickturn wrote:
Wow is this delicious. Best California Cab I have had in a while. Still has a lot of time.
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5/6/2012 - prettydeceextrap wrote: 94 Points
(A) Fantastic aged character. Cherry liquor, leather, and silky texture. Drinking perfectly.
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3/30/2012 - JS199 wrote: 93 Points
Had to open another bottle. Better than the previous '96 earlier in the week. Classic Mondavi reserve.
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3/26/2012 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
Opened and consumed over 3+ hours. In a word, disappointed. Just didn't bring it. It didn't seem to old, just lacked the punch and complexity Mondavi Reserves usually have. 90/91
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2/1/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
A bit dissapointed. This bottle seemed a bit tired and didn't have much finish. Wine was integrated with the tannins and acid but no wow or complexity. I really like older Napa wines but this seemed in an awkward adolescent phase between young (fruit and tannin driven) and mature (leathery).
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1/19/2012 - burr wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly good. Red fruit, mineral, leathery notes with ample tannin. Lovely nose. Long lovely finish. Unexpectedly better than the '97 tasted the same night.
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12/22/2011 - dmatley wrote: 93 Points
No rush to open these...plenty left. Opened in the am and slo-oxed for about 12 hours. Not real big but plenty of fruit, just a bit of a tannin grip but it slowly evolved once we started drinking it, gained some weight and was like velvet across the palate. A very enjoyable wine experience.
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12/18/2011 - wishiwereking wrote: 90 Points
Thanksgiving 2011
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11/23/2011 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
medium cloudy brick color; strong spice element with wild red cherry and moss, pot-pouri; smooth entry, mouth filling, very ample dry tannins, good acidity and intensity still; grippy tannins in the long finish--lovely, very flavorful, and rich, but elegant. Beautiful.
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10/7/2011 - cradici wrote: 86 Points
Nice wine giving you a mouthful of ripe cherries. Very refreshing and light. Not much of a finish...it doesn't leave you with much.
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8/31/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club Mixed Bag of $50 plus Reds (John's House): What a transformation. Orignal score would have been high 80s but this wine improved with some additional air. Cherry, earth, mineral, red pepper and smooth tannins overall. The wine is drinking well now but some additional aging will help. Decant should be 2 hours plus.
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8/30/2011 - wfickling wrote:
We love this wine! It's our last bottle from a case, and we'll miss it. One of our all time favs!
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8/10/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Mini Offline with Bordeaux and Napa Wines featuring 1996 Poyferre & Mondavi (John's House): Very dark red color. Pop and pour only, evolvede dramatically over the first 30-60 minutes. Nose starts with earth and also some subtle funk, cassis, mulberry, hints of cedar, later develops some spices and clove, vilet and graphite. The nose is remarkably similar to the '96 Poyferre. Medium body on the palate, bright fruits, cassis, and red currants, dusty minerals, fine grained tannins now, very long finish. This is still outstanding, drinks like mature Bordeaux, and would have benfited from an inital decant of an hour plus, but I wanted to be sure not to over do it. My #2 WOTN.
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7/22/2011 - Scruff wrote:
Did not take detailed notes but it was an impressive wine - aging beautifully
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4/21/2011 - brl75 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Purchased direct from Mondavi Winery's cellars. Classic aged California cab. Too bad the alcohol levels have risen so much in the valley since 1996...at 13.5% this is perfectly balanced and has aged gracefully.
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1/22/2011 - elise wrote: 93 Points
Consumed with a small tasting group at our holiday gathering with several other bottles of CA and WA Cab and Syrah. One of the better wines of the evening. Classic aged California Cab flavors. Tasting very good now, possibly some aging potential left depending how "aged" you like your wines.
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1/7/2011 - jreis wrote:
A gift from my good friend Ned and obviously the bottle had been very well stored.Eucalyptus, leather, coffee and blackberry fruit on the nose. While tannins have softened, still defintiely there. Lots of black fruit again on the palate, with a lovely medium long finish. A pleasure to drink.
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12/30/2010 - alexhay wrote: 84 Points
From 3 liter.
I have liked this wine immensely in the past, but I fear time has not been kind. Audozed at 7am on Christmas Day. Decanted at 4pm and consumed beginning at 6 for the next 5 hours. Way too much dominant green vegetal and mint flavor which dominated any red or black fruit present. Tasted the next day and it only improved marginally. Not impressed this go.
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12/28/2010 - Zingrrl wrote: 93 Points
Very good. Complex, subtle. Olive tapenaude, soft berries. Medium finish. All integrated.
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12/26/2010 - windypinot wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for an hour; Slightly green and seeming to lose some of its power; I love the 93 and 95, both of which I had this year. this one just seemed to pale in comparison
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12/25/2010 - jtinto Likes this wine: 94 Points
What struck me most was its balance. The fruit, tannins, and acidity all mingle into a long finish. Old world style.
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12/3/2010 - matro wrote: 93 Points
Solid aged cab. Lots of secondary aromas on the nose - leather, etc. Still lots of fruit left, the tannins are completely resolved. Just a really enjoyable glass of wine, almost too elegant to be a california cab. I do not see any upside to holding on to this one much longer.
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11/20/2010 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Decanted 1 hr, consumed over the following 2 hrs. This doesn't posses the stuffing that the '94 has and falls a little short of the '95 too in terms of complexity and depth, but still, it's very enjoyable right now. Medium toward full-bodied with an emphasis on oak vs fruit and acid. Well integrated, with fine-grained tannins and a clean finish; elegant, not polished. A few left that I'll drink over the next 5 yrs.
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11/7/2010 - stevenc.rees@gmail.com wrote:
must have drunk this last year...
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11/6/2010 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 91 Points
CellarTracker Texas Offline II - Part Two - Mondavi Vertical (bstumps house in McKinney, Texas): Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of white pepper, leather, potpourri and black berries. Flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold. 90-91+.
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11/6/2010 - petitblanc wrote: 91 Points
CT Texas Offline #2; 11/5/2010-11/6/2010 (McKinney, TX): Ripe, sweet and straightforward. A bit hot, with persistent tannins. This could be quite nice in 8-10 years.
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11/6/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 91 Points
CT Texas Offline #2 Oskiwawa Raises The Bar; 11/5/2010-11/6/2010 (McKinney, TX): Earthiest nose of the Mondavis with red and black fruit, spice, and mushroom. On the palate, sour cherry, blackberry, black cherry, spice, anise, mineral. Finishes with decent tannins. Could go a few more years.
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10/29/2010 - ed-d wrote: 92 Points
From magnum. Pretty old cabernet nose of herb & slight leather. Tight entry of tannic black currant & rich blackberry. Tannins are still very vibrant in the finish but sweet & that makes this a lovely Napa Cab.
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10/16/2010 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 94 Points
Middle aged Bordeaux garnet. Nose changed every time you went back to it, from Cali Cab with some age, to Italy with age to Bordeaux. All Yummy. Taste was aged Cal Cab-tobacco plums, spices like start anise and cardamom. Really lovely.
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9/28/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 93 Points
Decanted three hours. Drat, this turned the corner in the two-and-a-half years when I wasn't watching. It was the best wine I'd ever had at the time, but now it's noticeably over the hill. Still a good color. Gorgeous nose, very much like a similarly-aged Rioja - lots of creamy oak and leather. On the palate, though, it's really dried out. No fruit left, but still quite structured. The oak is a little out of balance. I feel like this would be vastly improved by dumping in 10% of a fat Aussie Shiraz for some fruit and body. But I'm being hard on it because of what it was in the past - it's still a great wine. There's a nice minty thing going on, it's food-friendly, and it's definitely elegant in a Rioja way. The secondaries aren't balanced with any frutiness, but I'm a sucker for those flavors, so I'll let that slide. At $85, a big pass at this point, but a happy memory.
Night 2: Fresher tasting and more fruit, but still very structured. Slightly better.
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9/22/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Constellation and SWS Cabernet Dinner (Gibson's Steakhouse - Chicago): Really nice of Constellation and Southern to open this older vintage.
Earthy, shroomy, green olives, peat moss dominate the dark raspberry and leather.
There's age showing, but not too much. With some air dirt road and old barnyard aromas surfaced.
Nice dark fruit and earth flavors lead to a finish that is high in acid with great tannin structure.
There's some Old World Bordeaux characteristics in this wine - lots of finesse.
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9/1/2010 - ckinv368 wrote: 92 Points
A bit thin, but still rich and fruity. Not tons of vegetal taste, but very fresh and refreshing.
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7/22/2010 - RWINO wrote: 91 Points
Blind, vertical. Cloudy Garnet, old, truffles earth & mushrooms. Dark damp fruit Classic, elegant. Drink up.
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7/2/2010 - Zingrrl wrote:
Drank following a 98 CdP. Beam of cherry and cedar with long finish. This wine remains one of my favorites and is drinking beautifully.
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7/1/2010 - jamscreator wrote: 92 Points
Stark contrast from the first. While still pretty tight, absolutely delicious! I know the note is vague at best, but it's just how I'm feeling today!
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2/23/2010 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 91 Points
Quite tasty with ribs in Aspen. But needs to be drunk up in the next year or so.
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2/15/2010 - JMazen wrote: 94 Points
Drunk from magnum. The wine seems to be at peak. Very nice aromatics. Strong aroma of cassis, herbs, and leather. Round and elegant in the mouth with a long, balanced finish. Tannins are well integrated. Worked extremely well with grilled strip steaks.
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1/3/2010 - elbosco wrote: 92 Points
Color beginning to fade - translucent to the rim. Soft, supple resolved tannins. Rich cassis bouquet, fruit less evident on the palate. Drink up.
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12/25/2009 - blaine wrote: 92 Points
Awesome, pop and pour, everyone was raving with the Xmas eve prime rib. Need to see if I can pluck a few more of these at auction. Drinking at its peak IMHO, but no hurry...but don't doddle either.
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12/24/2009 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
outstanding wine, big nose of cassis, black cherry, oak, still has big tannins, and that was after a one hour decant. long finish of mocha and dark fruit with a hint of tobacco, i'm going to hold the rest and save for a couple more years as this one can grow some more!
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12/7/2009 - AdamWallstein wrote: 92 Points
Displays much more age than '95. Well developed aromas and flavors of currant, pickle-juice and anise seed. The full body was terrificly complex but seemed to be short on grip, suggesting peak drinking may be here?
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10/6/2009 - michaelgor wrote: 95 Points
decanted 2 hours...light red with brown around the edges...great nose...tobacco, plum, some violets, perhaps some menthol and eucalyptus.
silky mouth feel... with more tobacco and some currants...a smooth smooth finish...I think this wine is fully mature has and plateaued ..there is still good fruit..
but I don‘t know for how long...I plan to drink our remaining bottles over the next 3-4 years.. iti s a delicious Cal Cab in its prime... 95 points
(warning..I am biased..I LOVE the 90’s Mondavi CS Reserve)
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9/13/2009 - stevenc.rees@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Drank very well. I opened it mid Augst before I left on vacation. I love these old Mondavi reserves. this was like earlier bottles and earlier vintages: delicious. Went well with a New York steak and sourdough bread. I drank it without taking notes, just to enjoy. Glad I have two more.
I think these are definitely in the drink or hold mode, though I am thinking of drinking mine over the next year or three.
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9/7/2009 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
No notes taken, but this was very nice. Elegant, smokey nose. Balanced, understated taste. This is a well-made wine that is drinking great now but is at no risk of decline.
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6/18/2009 - Rupert wrote: 90 Points
Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: vertical tasting 1966 to 2001 (Institute of Directors, London): Stalky nose, lean blackcurrant fragrance, quite compact on the palate, drying finish - like all the younger wines, this tasted much better when I returned to it after the oldsters - the tannins had softened to leave a stylish cabernet
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5/2/2009 - Jozefs wrote: 93 Points
Leather, lead pencil, ripe black fruit, cedar and exotic spices on the enjoyable nose. Balanced and very tasty palate with refreshing acidity, ripe black fruit, black coffee and exotic spices.
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4/20/2009 - bon vivant wrote: 94 Points
Smooth mature fruit, in a great place but showing it can still go a long way. Balanced complex and just a pleasure to drink right now. got even better after short decant.
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3/18/2009 - jamscreator wrote:
I do hope that this bottle was just "off". Seemed pretty flat and tasted musty and dusty. There just weren't any flavors coming through at all. I initially popped and poured, but kept tasting over about a 6 hour period with little change. I believe some oxidation had occurred in this bottle, as the color was more of an apricot color than a dark purple that would be expected. I have more so hopefully the next bottles will be worthy.
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3/9/2009 - matherjo wrote: 95 Points
Great wine, still surprisingly young and full of fruit.
Ruby appearance, clear, with little to no sediment
Nose of blackberry and currants with leather/tobacco and cedar hints and green pepper
Palate: tight at first but opened quite nicely after decanting and 2-3 hours of breathing. black fruit, tobacco and spice. Very well balanced with integrated tannins
Long finish, could age longer but close to peak.
Enjoyed with a nice aged sirloin.
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2/21/2009 - chatters wrote: 79 Points
My first American Cab Sauv after repeated success with (buttery, oaky) chardonnay, (rich, fruity) zinfandel and (damn fine) Pinot Noir. Mmm, tasted old and tired. Still loads of tannin but no real fruit or much of anything else. Left it for an hour or so but still no joy. Wasn't a flawed bottle just plain & disappointing.
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2/21/2009 - Cuchita hernandez wrote: 86 Points
Tasted by Cuchita Hernandez , muy simple, no me pareciø nada extraordinario, claro lo probé despues del insignia y me pareciø muy inferior.
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12/30/2008 - Zingrrl wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful nose of dark fruit with a hint of tapenade. A little off the first 30 minutes in the glass, then became just as good, perhaps better than expected. Very complex and integrated. Nothing overwhelms anything else. Just a delight to drink. Still getting coffee and a little mocha on the finsh, tannins good, great finish.
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12/25/2008 - blaine wrote: 92 Points
Very good, no formal notes. Standard Mondavi profile, perfectly implemented. Loved this with huge Xmas eve beef feast. No hurries with this, but it sure is drinking well now. Cedar, cigar box nose. Balanced, integrated tannins, just a hint of bricking. Terrific finish.
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11/15/2008 - Justthewaiter wrote: 95 Points
really singing right now. lots of cedar and sweet tobacco with a strong green olive component. still has plenty of plum and black fruit though. slight bricking towards the edge. I'd say this is just about at it's peak.
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6/16/2008 - TCKM wrote: 92 Points
Deep brick red color that lightens at the edge with nose of leather and black fruit. Blackberry, vanilla and spice with fine tannins and long, pleasant finish. This bottle was well balanced and showed fruit for about three hours, but then started to fade just a bit.
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4/26/2008 - Jozefs wrote: 93 Points
Vanilla, leather, black coffee and dark fruit on the nose. Great balance on the palate, with sweet black fruit, good acidity and sweet tannins; also some black chocolate, spices, black pepper and liquorice. Long aftertaste. (Bottle opened about three hours before this first taste.)
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4/9/2008 - vanpe003 wrote:
No detailed notes. Two bottles consumed at Lake Elmo Inn. If anything, I think it's a bit early to drink this. One way or another, it has plenty of life left, and should continue to evolve favorably into an elegant Napa Cab that carries its age well.
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3/29/2008 - jc510 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very nice, good floral notes, well balanced, good tannings for a nice finish. A classic Napa Cab. Opened bottle 40 minutes before consuming.
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2/28/2008 - joshwoodward wrote: 97 Points
Brownish inky color. Reserved nose, with medicinal and herbal notes. VELVET texture! Insane balance - huge, but so silky. Low tannins and acid. Long+. Juicy. Refined. Vanilla. Light smoke. Charming! Was decanted. My favorite wine to date.
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1/30/2008 - Mark wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well now but I suspect will continue to improve a bit. A big rounded wine with layers of texture. It was the WOTN for most (I slightly preferred the Lynch). An hours really helped bring out depth in the middle palette and improved the finish.
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1/27/2008 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
1996 Cal Cab Dinner (Bonsoiree Cafe): Dark ruby color with a singing, captivating nose of currants, green herbs and pencil lead. Palate had medium body, lively acidity and pure fruits. Palate also features green pepper and herbs which offer interest and complexity. Plenty of life ahead.
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1/27/2008 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
eBob 1996 California Cabernet Dinner (Boinsoiree): Forward open nose of black fruit, briar, spice, and just the slightest hint of green. Still pretty tight black fruit with plenty of structure remaining.
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1/11/2008 - SBA Guru wrote: 94 Points
Best red of the night. Mild but opened up to reveal many layers, silky tannins.
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12/27/2007 - Jozefs wrote: 93 Points
Drinking nicely now, with lots of berryfruit, soft sweet tannins and good balance.
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12/24/2007 - bwr wrote: 90 Points
nice nose of the bordeaux style with fresh berry, vanilla flavors, minimal tannins
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12/23/2007 - dccc wrote: 99 Points
If I was more qualified I'd give it 100. We opened this tonight without any particular expectations. It was just a choice from the cellar. But it is probably the best bottle of wine we've ever experienced. groad, complex, full bodied, but with a sweetness that's almost too difficult to explain. Some surprises sure are fun!
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8/17/2007 - Ron-Wino wrote: 95 Points
Wow! This was a treat... nice structure and depth, while letting you know its age. It reminded me of a well-aged Bordeaux, but with the depth of a great Napa Cab.
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7/21/2007 - ijayb wrote: 90 Points
Big mid palate that coats the entire mouth. soft acidity. shows its age. Herbacious.
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7/19/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 89 Points
Blind Night - Jeff Nowak's (Jeff Nowak's house): Tannic. A bit flat. Decent fruit, but a bit green.
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7/19/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 87 Points
Tasted double blind. Blackberries and green bell peppers. Barnyard on the nose and palate. Charred earth and oak. Long finish. Not a very good showing for this wine. Having enjoyed it more in the past makes me think this is an off bottle but I am not detecting any specific flaws other than the brett. 13.5% alcohol. Brought by Jeff.
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5/30/2007 - Thralow wrote: 95 Points
I hate to use a word that describes a person prone to engaging in excessive drinking, but this wine is lush. luxuriant; succulent; tender and juicy.
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5/6/2007 - yotaiwan wrote: 89 Points
not much fruit left, still soft and elegant, but not as dense as expected.
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5/1/2007 - Ibetian wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby, no hint of browning at the rim. Complex nose, with cassis and red fruits. Smooothe. Drinking very well now, but I think it would last for at least another few years.
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4/24/2007 - rothdog wrote: 89 Points
Red bell pepper, cherry, cedar and leather. Nice structure. Deep purple color has faded to a light ruby red. Fruit is fading as well. Tasted next to the '92, '00 and '01. This came in right behind the '01 followed by the '00 and the '92.
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4/7/2007 - psmith wrote:
Red cherry with a mild green pepper component. Fruit is maturing and settling down, but still quite tannic and somewhat astringent. Classic styling, but only an OK Mondavi Reserve.
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12/31/2006 - tonyo123 wrote: 94 Points
Very floral on the nose. Very smooth and balanced. Lots of cedar, berries, complexity on palette. Very good wine. Good new year's drinking.
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12/9/2006 - Zingrrl wrote: 95 Points
Drank without his sweetie. She is really not happy. Lucky for him we have 4 more.
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11/28/2006 - JScott wrote: 93 Points
Ready. Elegant yet full and ripe.
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11/25/2006 - kkazaks wrote: 90 Points
Historical note from late sep 06.
Fruit flavors and nose have a more stewed, raisiny characteristic than in the 99 RM CS PR. Could be age or could be vintage (96 Beringer PR CS tasted recently also had stewed plums characteristic). Fine and elegant, though not the best value for the money.
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11/11/2006 - Zingrrl wrote: 95 Points
Really outstanding. Bordeaux like in complexity. Plums, dark fruit, hints of chocolate, lots of subtle structure and long finish. Time to drink is now.
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11/11/2006 - Grinner wrote: 92 Points
Good color remains and some nice Oakville fruit with a sexy texture. 2-5 years left
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10/6/2006 - fppiceo wrote: 89 Points
This bottle was balanced with good acidity and red fruit. Not an outstanding wine but enjoyable. This wine will not improve with further bottle age. Will probably continue to age but why?
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10/1/2006 - jmd60611 wrote: 89 Points
Thin, weak offering that started out very dissapointing, but got better over an hour
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9/13/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Vertical (Wine Discount Center - Chicago IL): Black currant and plum balanced nicely with emerging mushroom character with hints of cedar. Good flavors but modest density or length. Probably entering its peak drinking window now.
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9/4/2006 - fppiceo wrote: 95 Points
Drank with friends on labor day weekend. Very elegant, with good structure. Tannins were present and becoming more integrated. Smoke, tobacco, and lots of red fruit. This wine will age several more years. Drink now thru 2015.
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9/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Lovely rich ripe round red fruit aroma with cedar hints. Very nice round briar red/black fruit. Nice and balanced with a little less stuffing than some of the others. 92-93 pts. WDC vertical 9/06
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8/24/2006 - Zingrrl wrote: 93 Points
Exceptional. Complex nose of dark fruit and earth. Tannins subtle and the taste is cherry, coffee, and a little grilled meat.
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5/14/2006 - mjayer wrote:
Based on other's notes on this wine I am wondering if this bottle was slightly off. Not corked, but there seemed to be excessive elements of leather, sour (very sour) cherries and hot alcohol. The nose was very nice with spice, leather, kirsch and berry but the mouth just didn't deliver as mentioned above. Rating withheld pending next bottle.
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4/29/2006 - Eric wrote: 91 Points
Four decades of Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (Seattle, WA): Slightly acrid and sharp on the nose at first. Is that a hint of brett? The palate is very nice and bittersweet with dark chocolate. This settled down and improved considerably.
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4/29/2006 - andolini wrote: 89 Points
Pleasant bouquet and a perfectly adequate wine. I didn't find it very complex -- traditional cab nose and flavors. A bit dry on the finish. There are better values.
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4/8/2006 - shine wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful nose of fruit and spice. Fills the mouth with layers of flavors. Ready to drink but still has plenty of life lefy.
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3/3/2006 - Jozefs wrote: 93 Points
Initial slight stink on the nose. This blows off to reveal black fruit, marsepan, zeste, coffee, pepper and spices on the nose. Lots of black fruit on the palate, supported by spicy sweet tannins, pepper, ... already well integrated. Long aftertaste.
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2/19/2006 - wahoff wrote: 92 Points
Dark garnet robe. Nose a bit oaky and alcoholic upon bottle opening, but soon opening up and revealing complex berries. Fantastic in the mouth: velvet, fully integrated, equilibirum are the qualificatives that come to mind. At maturity, will last.
Robe rubis sombre. Nez un peu boisé et alcoolique, mais s'épanouissant rapidement pour révéler des baies en tous genres. Fantastique en bouche: du velours, parfaite intégration, équilibre sont les maîtres-mots. A maturité, se gardera encore.
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2/4/2006 - Devil's Advocate wrote: 82 Points
Very hot, the alcohol was not integrated well. It never balanced out, and the wine was unpleasant as a result. These wines have been stored since release in my temperature controlled cellar and the OWC, so it is not the provenence that is the problem. I hope it was bottle variation and the others survived better.
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11/24/2005 - Brett wrote: 91 Points
This was our Thanksgiving dinner wine. It was really outstanding. Great fruity nose and a full bodied taste. This one is ready to drink.
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1/3/2005 - Jozefs wrote: 93 Points
Nice impressions of black fruit on the nose (berries), a hint of leather and reglisse. On the palate loads of black berrie fruit, some leather. The tannins are nicely integrated. Very balanced. This wine is much more open then a year ago. It is accessible now, but will evolve further. After breathing the wine gained in weigth and complexity and the last glass was the best of the evening. There was no trace of the dry tannins that puportedly are typical for this vintage.
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12/24/2003 - otisabdul wrote: 92 Points
Some slight bricking in the color, but age-appropriate. I found this wine to be soft and delicate, not harsh at all. Made in a classical style with lots of earth, black currant, and mulberry flavors, and just a trace of cinammon. Takes a long Sunday stroll in the mouth. Tannins are in the background until the end when they gently pinch the finish closed. It may benefit from a couple more years of cellaring, but seems to be emerging from any dumb phase it might have been going through.
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12/7/2002 - SacredCow wrote: 89 Points
I thought I had seen notes on this previously, but could not find the thread after a search.
Had this last night at the Christmas party for my staff. Had this bottle along with the 1999 St. Clement Oroppas.
Restaurant wine list price $105.
This wine was decanted upon arrival, and I drank it over a four hour period.
Glassware was poor. Like with the St. Clement, the waitress tried to serve this in a Spiegelau chardonnay glass. I opted instead for the off brand balloon glass, the only other choice.
The nose on this wine was spectacular, even in the wrong glassware. Mostly black fruits on the nose, the palate did not follow through. This wine remained tight, even over four hours. I would describe it as medium bodied, mostly black fruit, but needs more time in the bottle. The finish was reasonably long, though the tannins were heavy and very drying. This wine is still shut down, unlike many of the 96s I have tried lately, such as the Trilogy.
Though it was one of the best values on the wine list, the QPR is terrible on this at this stage.
The bottles in my cellar will rest for another 3-5 years before opening again. Hopefully at that time, it will be as good/great as it was young.
Overall, the Oroppas is drinking better at this stage, though the nose on this gives me some hope that the palate will follow through in the future.
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5/29/2002 - peternelson wrote: 95 Points
Winery: Lighter, more delicate, slight gamey flavor. 30th Anniv. Cuvee.
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10/20/2000 - Bandreas wrote:
Tasted at the California Wine Experience, NY "Top Ten Tasting"
Dark ruby color, a bit watery at the rim; after much coaxing some cabernet fruit, spice and wood appears in the nose.
On palate very closed also, some sweetness and a bit of wood; Impression is good but at this stage it's very difficult to forecast what its future will be.
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