I love Cabernet Sauvignon's from James Cole - A boutique winery from Napa's Silverado trail. This particular vintage took a couple of hours to open up after decanting - tasted good on the second day too. Beautiful purple color, very balanced with the right amount of tannins, black fruit and tobacco. A fantastic nose and left a lasting impression on my pallette. Is drinking well now and can continue to age for a few more years.
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A fabulous wine. Actually shocking as this was my first James Cole. There is tremendous berry aroma with some must. On the palette I get dark fruits, leather, and tobacco. Terrific finish of cigar ash.
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This was another striking wine from the team at James Cole! Drinking in such a good place, it revealed layer upon layer of complexity as it unfolded in the glass. Ripe blue and black fruits, tobacco, eucalyptus, and earth cohabitated in a beautiful symphony of Napa Cabernet deliciousness! My only regret was that I didn’t have this the night before when we had an impromptu wine dinner with fellow wine lovers, which featured a 2003 Fantesca Cabernet, 2006 Regusci Patriarch Cab, 2011 Rombauer Diamond Selection Cab, and the majestic and elusive 2009 Paloma Cabernet. The James Cole would have held its own and even stood out amongst these other top contenders. And the tannin was still present enough to go another 10 years I think. Drink now or keep holding. Fantastic wine
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Opened two hours early, aerated into glass, drank over three hours. Stayed solid throughout. Drinking well with this amount of air, quite a few years left. A well done James Cole Cab.
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Leather and a hint of must on the nose. Dark chocolate at first sip. Struggling to really identify the layers... The bottle seems to have mellowed. Will keep other bottle at rest for a couple more years to see what it can bring.
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Il Mostro (The Monster). This may have been a "big" wine when it was bottled, but it has aged quite nicely already. Deep purple in the glass but bright purple when you swirl. Black fruits and refined tannins. I would think that this is close to peaking. I may pick up a few more to consume in the next three months if these are still available.
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Has everything that you want from a flavorful cab, great depth, complexity and full of fruit with balanced midpalate into a very long lasting finish. Even the color is impressive jet black with red on the edges, aromas were rich black licorice, vanilla, spice, cocoa, several layers of black and red fruit on the front, velvety mouthcoating midpalate with vanilla, caramel, light tobacco, cherry, it is drinking poignantly well not but does have the structure to further improve. Mid 90s. -S
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Far too much oak for my tastes, which really throws off any balance -- rough tannins overwhelm the fruit. Re-corked and kept at 55 degrees for several days and tried again, but the wine really didn't mellow at all and the fruit soured slightly.
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7/17/2020 - sbadida wrote: 94 Points
I love Cabernet Sauvignon's from James Cole - A boutique winery from Napa's Silverado trail. This particular vintage took a couple of hours to open up after decanting - tasted good on the second day too. Beautiful purple color, very balanced with the right amount of tannins, black fruit and tobacco. A fantastic nose and left a lasting impression on my pallette. Is drinking well now and can continue to age for a few more years.
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6/10/2020 - vongraham3 wrote:
Drank at Graham Florida vacation wine tasting. Last place...After it breathed for 1.5 hours...great.
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10/29/2019 - mbk Likes this wine:
Drinking great. Have it now
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9/3/2018 - tomoem Likes this wine: 94 Points
A fabulous wine. Actually shocking as this was my first James Cole. There is tremendous berry aroma with some must. On the palette I get dark fruits, leather, and tobacco. Terrific finish of cigar ash.
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6/22/2018 - Winegeek83 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was another striking wine from the team at James Cole! Drinking in such a good place, it revealed layer upon layer of complexity as it unfolded in the glass. Ripe blue and black fruits, tobacco, eucalyptus, and earth cohabitated in a beautiful symphony of Napa Cabernet deliciousness! My only regret was that I didn’t have this the night before when we had an impromptu wine dinner with fellow wine lovers, which featured a 2003 Fantesca Cabernet, 2006 Regusci Patriarch Cab, 2011 Rombauer Diamond Selection Cab, and the majestic and elusive 2009 Paloma Cabernet. The James Cole would have held its own and even stood out amongst these other top contenders. And the tannin was still present enough to go another 10 years I think. Drink now or keep holding. Fantastic wine
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9/24/2015 - Coachron13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened two hours early, aerated into glass, drank over three hours. Stayed solid throughout. Drinking well with this amount of air, quite a few years left. A well done James Cole Cab.
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8/22/2014 - Deedz wrote: 90 Points
Leather and a hint of must on the nose. Dark chocolate at first sip. Struggling to really identify the layers... The bottle seems to have mellowed. Will keep other bottle at rest for a couple more years to see what it can bring.
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5/21/2013 - rhpolk Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice as always.
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4/11/2013 - rhpolk Likes this wine: 94 Points
Il Mostro (The Monster). This may have been a "big" wine when it was bottled, but it has aged quite nicely already. Deep purple in the glass but bright purple when you swirl. Black fruits and refined tannins. I would think that this is close to peaking. I may pick up a few more to consume in the next three months if these are still available.
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3/3/2013 - sasvino Likes this wine: 95 Points
Has everything that you want from a flavorful cab, great depth, complexity and full of fruit with balanced midpalate into a very long lasting finish. Even the color is impressive jet black with red on the edges, aromas were rich black licorice, vanilla, spice, cocoa, several layers of black and red fruit on the front, velvety mouthcoating midpalate with vanilla, caramel, light tobacco, cherry, it is drinking poignantly well not but does have the structure to further improve. Mid 90s. -S
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6/20/2012 - esh44 wrote: 75 Points
Far too much oak for my tastes, which really throws off any balance -- rough tannins overwhelm the fruit. Re-corked and kept at 55 degrees for several days and tried again, but the wine really didn't mellow at all and the fruit soured slightly.
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5/8/2011 - CultCabKing wrote: 82 Points
tobacco, leather, good fruit, spicy
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