Dark red with fading at the edges. Green and funky on the nose even after being open for 90 minutes. Plums and cherries on the palate. Sharp tannins, hot, decent acidity, bit out of balance. Finishes short and harsh. Past prime. Bought from winery and stored under good conditions.
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4th Saturday Group Cellar Diminishment (Sue’s): From magnum, with all of the freshness and fruit you'd expect from this format. Abundant red berry fruit, cherry, chocolate and spice. Integrated and balanced. Ready to go and drinking beautifully in this format. 92-93 pts. (SS)
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I’m adding a note because this is an old wine that Wine Spectator says is more than 10 years past it’s prime. Unfortunately, I let this wine sit in my cellar and didn’t realize how old it had gotten. Anyway, I’m assuming this wine would have been better 5-10 years ago, but I was pleasantly surprised that it’s still drinking well now. If you still have a bottle, I think it’s probably still good if it was cellared properly.
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wow, saw ST notes that his was past its prime. Beautiful wine. I dont normally comment on flavors, but chocolate is exactly what this is. I recall this was WS Wine of the year in either 2003/04. Great wine
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The wine hasn't changed much from bottle opened last July. Still very dark red color. Plenty of dark cherry in the nose, medium weight on palette, plenty of concentrated fruit, nice balanced wine. Finish was short medium length. Enjoyable wine for sure.
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Although CT & Parker say this wine is past its drinking window we found it to be a very enjoyable wine. It had a nice cherry fruit bouquet, very smooth tannins with a high concentration of dark cherry fruit. It was well balanced and the finish was a nice short to medium finish. Not the best year from our Paloma collection but still a good quality wine. We buy them every year and are rarely disappointed. Served it with a nice roasted chicken.
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Nice glass of wine....this was the first $50+ bottle of wine I purchased back in 2003 before I could afford things like this. Cellared for 6 years and enjoyed on a whim last night.
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A pretty simple tasting wine. Nice fruit /w coffee beans and acidity with some secondary characteristics coming out but it seemed a bit tired. Surprised since it came out of a magnum.
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Meaty dark red cherries with some tartish red berries on the nose. When the wine first hits, it's a soft cherry and vanilla but it quickly yields to HUGE roof coating tannins. The tannins are a bit overwhelming, I don't get much else from the wine and there's virtually no finish.
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Decanted 2 hours recorked and brought to restaurant. Decanted upon arriving as well. Lovely deep ruby color. Classic aromas of black and blue berries, vanilla, mocha and some light roast coffee. Palate is well extracted showing more dark fruit and lovely balance with acidity not indicating a 9 year old wine. Finish is moderate high complexity showing lots of finesse. Excellent bottle for a difficult vintage.
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Wow. By far the best bottle of this I've ever had. My last tasting of this was at least a couple of years ago. In the meantime, this wine has pulled it all together. A big wine, it's still balanced and seamless across the palate. The best CA merlot I've ever had. Lots of blueberries, vanilla, and chocolate, but it's settled down an integrated.
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st helena - rutherford ribs. nice wine for tonights food. round ripe and quaffable (when served at a cooler temp.) ripe plums, dark berries and some chocolate.
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Much nicer tonight than it was in HI on a recent outing. More complexity with some mineral elements and more precise fruits, blackberry and ripe plum with wood not as noticeable.
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hualalai. chocolate, cherry, dark fruits and some heat. On the palate, fat and deep dark fruit, oak looming. Relatively simple package, lacks complexity and interest...especially next to the 99 arietta tonight
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14.3% alcohol. spring mountain fruit. not decanted.
my first taste of this vintage, and the first paloma wine i haven't liked. tasted over the last 2 hours. over extracted, over oaked, no discernable merlot profile, peppery, and hot on the finish.
sadly, not recommended. :(
i hated posting this note.
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($45) Honeymoon in the Wine Country: Licorice, shoe polish, mint. Bottled in April. Includes 15% Cabernet. 30% new French oak. Big structure and concentration. Candy, mint, chocolate, prunes. Concentrated and a bit hot in the finish. Saddle leather and mocha.
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3/29/2024 - Charlie C wrote: 79 Points
Dark red with fading at the edges. Green and funky on the nose even after being open for 90 minutes. Plums and cherries on the palate. Sharp tannins, hot, decent acidity, bit out of balance. Finishes short and harsh. Past prime. Bought from winery and stored under good conditions.
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2/26/2022 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
4th Saturday Group Cellar Diminishment (Sue’s): From magnum, with all of the freshness and fruit you'd expect from this format. Abundant red berry fruit, cherry, chocolate and spice. Integrated and balanced. Ready to go and drinking beautifully in this format. 92-93 pts. (SS)
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4/6/2018 - KenK wrote: 90 Points
Nice, yet very dense sweet and chocolaty. Little nuance, yet tasty. Quite big.
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2/20/2018 - dthrash111 Likes this wine: 88 Points
I’m adding a note because this is an old wine that Wine Spectator says is more than 10 years past it’s prime. Unfortunately, I let this wine sit in my cellar and didn’t realize how old it had gotten. Anyway, I’m assuming this wine would have been better 5-10 years ago, but I was pleasantly surprised that it’s still drinking well now. If you still have a bottle, I think it’s probably still good if it was cellared properly.
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11/22/2017 - Mneumeier wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking solid! Cork was a mess but wine good!
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11/26/2013 - Grape Crusher wrote: 94 Points
wow, saw ST notes that his was past its prime. Beautiful wine. I dont normally comment on flavors, but chocolate is exactly what this is. I recall this was WS Wine of the year in either 2003/04. Great wine
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2/25/2012 - AllRed wrote:
4th Saturday Group brown bagger (Rich & Dana's): Aromas of dark fruit and chocolate. Palate follows the nose, with nice acidity and a soft finish.
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3/18/2011 - Schwarzer Hund wrote:
The wine hasn't changed much from bottle opened last July. Still very dark red color. Plenty of dark cherry in the nose, medium weight on palette, plenty of concentrated fruit, nice balanced wine. Finish was short medium length. Enjoyable wine for sure.
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10/15/2010 - buckeye76 wrote: 90 Points
DEEP FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR, BLACKBERRIES AND CURRANTS. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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7/31/2010 - Schwarzer Hund wrote:
Although CT & Parker say this wine is past its drinking window we found it to be a very enjoyable wine. It had a nice cherry fruit bouquet, very smooth tannins with a high concentration of dark cherry fruit. It was well balanced and the finish was a nice short to medium finish. Not the best year from our Paloma collection but still a good quality wine. We buy them every year and are rarely disappointed. Served it with a nice roasted chicken.
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11/22/2009 - grantsi wrote:
Nice glass of wine....this was the first $50+ bottle of wine I purchased back in 2003 before I could afford things like this. Cellared for 6 years and enjoyed on a whim last night.
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11/1/2009 - clayfu wrote: 87 Points
A pretty simple tasting wine. Nice fruit /w coffee beans and acidity with some secondary characteristics coming out but it seemed a bit tired. Surprised since it came out of a magnum.
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6/7/2009 - clayfu wrote: 87 Points
Meaty dark red cherries with some tartish red berries on the nose. When the wine first hits, it's a soft cherry and vanilla but it quickly yields to HUGE roof coating tannins. The tannins are a bit overwhelming, I don't get much else from the wine and there's virtually no finish.
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1/20/2009 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours recorked and brought to restaurant.
Decanted upon arriving as well.
Lovely deep ruby color. Classic aromas of black and blue berries, vanilla, mocha and some light roast coffee.
Palate is well extracted showing more dark fruit and lovely balance with acidity not indicating a 9 year old wine.
Finish is moderate high complexity showing lots of finesse. Excellent bottle for a difficult vintage.
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6/7/2008 - irish87 wrote: 95 Points
Wow. By far the best bottle of this I've ever had. My last tasting of this was at least a couple of years ago. In the meantime, this wine has pulled it all together. A big wine, it's still balanced and seamless across the palate. The best CA merlot I've ever had. Lots of blueberries, vanilla, and chocolate, but it's settled down an integrated.
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3/11/2007 - irish87 wrote: 86 Points
SImple, lacking complexity. Oak, dark fruit, a little alcohol. SHort on the midpalate and no finish. Not obviously flawed. Bad vintage or bad bottle?
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7/18/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 90 Points
st helena - rutherford ribs.
nice wine for tonights food. round ripe and quaffable (when served at a cooler temp.) ripe plums, dark berries and some chocolate.
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5/14/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 91 Points
Much nicer tonight than it was in HI on a recent outing. More complexity with some mineral elements and more precise fruits, blackberry and ripe plum with wood not as noticeable.
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4/15/2006 - lorenzo wrote: 88 Points
hualalai.
chocolate, cherry, dark fruits and some heat. On the palate, fat and deep dark fruit, oak looming. Relatively simple package, lacks complexity and interest...especially next to the 99 arietta tonight
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12/3/2004 - jeff nowak wrote:
14.3% alcohol. spring mountain fruit. not decanted.
my first taste of this vintage, and the first paloma wine i haven't liked. tasted over the last 2 hours. over extracted, over oaked, no discernable merlot profile, peppery, and hot on the finish.
sadly, not recommended. :(
i hated posting this note.
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6/3/2003 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($45) Honeymoon in the Wine Country: Licorice, shoe polish, mint. Bottled in April. Includes 15% Cabernet. 30% new French oak. Big structure and concentration. Candy, mint, chocolate, prunes. Concentrated and a bit hot in the finish. Saddle leather and mocha.
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