The fruit has faded slightly since last notes (2013), with heightened notes of worn leather & spice and hints of tobacco. The tannins are soft but barely noticeable, with a medium finish. Enjoyable, but may be at the end of or past its peak.
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Supple wine with well integrated fruits and a smooth silky finish. Still has ample read fruits with some notes of chocolate that make this a joy to drink.
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Deep purple. Old Barnyard, warm cedar and dark fruit nose. Dry, full bodied, high acidity, soft supple tannins, medium plus alcohol. Blackberries, boysenberries, cedar, warm vanilla, hints of chocolate. Balanced and well made. Tight but still very good. Hopefully opens up in an hour. Long finish. Recommended
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Weekly tasting group #117; A mixed set. (@ DJ): Beautiful bouquet with red and dark forest fruits, cherries, a bit lactic, but also iodine, licorice and herbs and spices. On the palate full bodied good cherries and blackberries, juicy and good acidity in a nice balance with some sweetness, spiciness and iodine again, well integrated oak and slightly drying tannin. Really nice wine. Fully mature now, but no real hurry.
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Dark ruby without an edge, straight from the bottle with no decanting, tastes of blackberry, spice(pepper) and wood. A short to medium finish that may change after it opens up when air'd in the bottle some more
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This is my last of these and far and away the best. Really sorry that I drank my other two too soon. the wine was pop and pour but I would recommend a short decant of 30-45 minutes since initially there was a little bit of an alcoholic finish. The color was a deep garnet with a slight amount of bricking. The nose was an explosion of cigar box, graphite, leather, dark fruit, earth and a little smoke. I have to believe that this wine is in it's peak drinking window right now. Excellent balance with everything working in harmony. Flavor profile includes earth, tobacco, dark fruit graphite and saddle leather. Medium finish. This bottle is certainly hitting on all cylinders.
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Wow is this in a brilliant place. Leather, dark fruit, blood. Perfectly integrated and peaking now. Due to slight decline on day two, I say drink 'em now.
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Kemp's 65th including some 1945 wines.: Lou and I were talking. We used to really like this wine but around 1999, something changed, not sure what. Any way, I tried this wine with trepidation and found it nice. Not great, but nice. Dusty and cassis on the nose. Some cherries. Nice balanced. A little oak on the palate. Decent wine. I am sure its still expensive, but if it were closer to $15 I would buy it.
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Took some time to open. Chocolate and tobacco on the nose. Has matured well beyond the acetone so often found in Washington wines. Was worried that it was too old - no worries here. Quite jammy for a blend but still very nice. Midway has a pleasing brick quality similar to Italian varietals. Tannins have smoothed and has a pleasing moderate finish. This has years left in it. Wish I had a few more bottles however it remains overpriced.
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Seemed to have aged O.K., given some of the reviews. Drank nicely, only flaw was a thread of wet wood on the udeerpalate. Actually seemed to pick up fruit the next day. No real complaints.
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Very nice wine. Had alongside a '05 Col Solare, '04 Pepper Bridge Cab, and '05 Woodward Canyon Artist series. The '02 was favored over the '05. Boquet of dark fruit+raspberry, very smooth wine with long finish.
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This wine appears to be dying! In 15 day period I have opened up 3 bottles, two 750ml and one 375ml, and after 10 to 15 minutes the bottle has a real harshness in the after taste that was not there with prior openings of up to two years ago. It’s a shame after only eight years this wine appears to be deteriorating.
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Starts out with some vanilla and cherry. At first finishes a bit green, once it opens a bit the Cherries and currants really come out. This really needs a few more years.
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Since the last time I had this wine it seems the fruit has become more introverted causing the oak toasty elements to become more pronounced. Coffee and vanilla flavors mix with a smooth mouth feel and a short than expected finish. I have not had enough 2002 from WA nor enough Col Solare to tell if it will improve or decline. My guess is the latter.
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Decant and consumed over an hour. Nose of oak, plum, and exotic spice. Harsh entry that calmed down with some air. Cherry, meat, and spice in the mouth that shows its Italian influence. Nice acidity with tannins clamming down on the finish. Drink or hold short term.
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Better than the last bottle, which wasn't bad. This is getting closerto Rovani's 94. Maybe with some age. A steal at $18/375 ml. I'd better get some more
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Opened and not decanted. I took this over to my friend's house who gave this to me as a b-day gift.
Thick, dark, saturated blackberry jam with some black licorice.on the nose. On the palate: dry dark fruit with somewhat sweet raisin notes, light in body with a dry finish. Good.
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decanted and drank with filet, nice balance with some additional time in the bottle will improve, cherry, currant, spicy pepper, long finish make this my first experience a good one.
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Drank last night with a HUGE steak..beautiful nose and nice upfront with a long finish...It is a little harsh though at the end and certainly seems a little hot and acidic.. Not bad but not worth 50 bucks..
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I didn't do this bottle justice by having it after the '03 Ethos Syrah at the end of a tasting. However it is delicious and showed very well. Parker is a little generous with a 94, IMO. Big black cherry fruit, some toasty oak and vanilla with cassis, smoke, and herbs towards the finish. I would love to sit down with this bottle over a period of time, but given the tasting circumstances I think it showed well. 90-92
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Not a bad wine at all, but presented harsh and tannic, with not enough fruit to back it up. Ultimately OK but not what I would have expected given the price, hype, and the fact that I like other CSM wines so much. Maybe another couple of years of age, or decanting, or something?
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Dark purple color. Spicy old world nose. Smooth on the pallet with very dark fruit and light oak that gives it both great weight and notes of vanilla on the finish. It sits on the pallet with dry but well balanced tannins. In my opinion the 2002 is much more approachable now than the 2001. This wine will get even better with age, but no matter when you drink it is an excellent bottle of wine.
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I thought this was superior to the 1999 Col Solare that I had 6 months ago. This wine could use some more aging though. A rich deep reddish purple color. Full bodied with solid tannins. Notes of tobacco and crushed grape skins. An interesting dry finish. 91-92+ points.
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Very forward upfront fruit. To the point of being harsh. Good flavors mid palate but not an impressive finish. Seemed highly acidic with a little heat. Tryed decanting and all that accomplished was a fading of fruit. Not impressed.
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Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Excellent big red from Washington State. Delivered red/black fruits, licorice and oak in the nose and mouth. Still has big, gripping tannins now that should better integrate with a little bottle age. Surprising complexity and nice long finish.
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1/25/2022 - NoWineWiz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still holding strong.
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5/17/2017 - NoWineWiz Likes this wine: 90 Points
The fruit has faded slightly since last notes (2013), with heightened notes of worn leather & spice and hints of tobacco. The tannins are soft but barely noticeable, with a medium finish. Enjoyable, but may be at the end of or past its peak.
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6/11/2016 - CalimerosDad Likes this wine: 93 Points
Toller Wein! Dunkle Farbe, viel Frucht - trotz des Alters. Sehr ausgewogen und körperreich. Ein echtes Highlight!
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4/22/2016 - rfras Likes this wine: 93 Points
Supple wine with well integrated fruits and a smooth silky finish. Still has ample read fruits with some notes of chocolate that make this a joy to drink.
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3/5/2016 - WineMedic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep purple. Old Barnyard, warm cedar and dark fruit nose. Dry, full bodied, high acidity, soft supple tannins, medium plus alcohol. Blackberries, boysenberries, cedar, warm vanilla, hints of chocolate. Balanced and well made. Tight but still very good. Hopefully opens up in an hour. Long finish. Recommended
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3/28/2015 - Johnfromspokane wrote: 93 Points
Phenomenal. Had this nicely kept Col solare out of a decanter at the taste Washington event. My top of the tasting.
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5/5/2014 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Weekly tasting group #117; A mixed set. (@ DJ): Beautiful bouquet with red and dark forest fruits, cherries, a bit lactic, but also iodine, licorice and herbs and spices. On the palate full bodied good cherries and blackberries, juicy and good acidity in a nice balance with some sweetness, spiciness and iodine again, well integrated oak and slightly drying tannin. Really nice wine. Fully mature now, but no real hurry.
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4/5/2014 - Timbalimba wrote: 89 Points
Heaps of cherry, sour cherries. Softer than the '06, more Merlot? Mocha, cherry, sour cream. Better integration yet not entirely convincing.
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10/30/2013 - JLucas wrote:
Long past its prime. Oh well. My own fault for not getting to it earlier. Cellar Tracker, where were you in 2008??!!
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10/5/2013 - pwillen1 wrote:
Older Washington Wines (Acadia, Portland, OR): Loads of black currant on the nose, then tobacco. In the mouth, lead, then sweet tannins and some noticeable alcohol.
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9/28/2013 - NoWineWiz wrote: 91 Points
Well-integrated nose and palate of cherries, blackberries and touches of plum, spice and mocha with soft tannins and a medium long finish.
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8/4/2013 - esauter wrote:
Lincoln Cafe - Sunday corn dinner with Jeff and Ann
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3/10/2013 - haBu Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark ruby without an edge, straight from the bottle with no decanting, tastes of blackberry, spice(pepper) and wood. A short to medium finish that may change after it opens up when air'd in the bottle some more
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8/26/2012 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is my last of these and far and away the best. Really sorry that I drank my other two too soon. the wine was pop and pour but I would recommend a short decant of 30-45 minutes since initially there was a little bit of an alcoholic finish. The color was a deep garnet with a slight amount of bricking. The nose was an explosion of cigar box, graphite, leather, dark fruit, earth and a little smoke. I have to believe that this wine is in it's peak drinking window right now. Excellent balance with everything working in harmony. Flavor profile includes earth, tobacco, dark fruit graphite and saddle leather. Medium finish. This bottle is certainly hitting on all cylinders.
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4/20/2012 - fitchbuck Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow is this in a brilliant place. Leather, dark fruit, blood. Perfectly integrated and peaking now. Due to slight decline on day two, I say drink 'em now.
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1/29/2012 - rben_mvp wrote: 91 Points
Nice tight structure with good weight that filled the mouth with every sip. Smooth and integrated. Drink now or hold for another couple years.
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9/5/2011 - mouton45 wrote: 91 Points
With grilled ribeye after returning from Naples. Delicious! Surprised at how much sediment it had
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12/13/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 88 Points
Kemp's 65th including some 1945 wines.: Lou and I were talking. We used to really like this wine but around 1999, something changed, not sure what. Any way, I tried this wine with trepidation and found it nice. Not great, but nice. Dusty and cassis on the nose. Some cherries. Nice balanced. A little oak on the palate. Decent wine. I am sure its still expensive, but if it were closer to $15 I would buy it.
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11/21/2010 - mokadamn wrote: 90 Points
Took some time to open. Chocolate and tobacco on the nose. Has matured well beyond the acetone so often found in Washington wines. Was worried that it was too old - no worries here. Quite jammy for a blend but still very nice. Midway has a pleasing brick quality similar to Italian varietals. Tannins have smoothed and has a pleasing moderate finish. This has years left in it. Wish I had a few more bottles however it remains overpriced.
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11/10/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 91 Points
Cherry, vanilla, red berries, some tobacco. Outstanding.
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10/25/2010 - yotaiwan wrote: 90 Points
strong, and very viscus, too young i think....
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10/18/2010 - Mlawrence wrote: 88 Points
Seemed to have aged O.K., given some of the reviews. Drank nicely, only flaw was a thread of wet wood on the udeerpalate. Actually seemed to pick up fruit the next day. No real complaints.
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10/17/2010 - korkd wrote: 92 Points
Very nice wine. Had alongside a '05 Col Solare, '04 Pepper Bridge Cab, and '05 Woodward Canyon Artist series. The '02 was favored over the '05. Boquet of dark fruit+raspberry, very smooth wine with long finish.
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8/27/2010 - mouton45 wrote: 92 Points
From a 375 ml. This wine is coming around nicely.
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6/18/2010 - dawgdaze wrote:
This wine appears to be dying! In 15 day period I have opened up 3 bottles, two 750ml and one 375ml, and after 10 to 15 minutes the bottle has a real harshness in the after taste that was not there with prior openings of up to two years ago. It’s a shame after only eight years this wine appears to be deteriorating.
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6/6/2010 - dawgdaze wrote: flawed
FLAWED BOTTLE
(375ml)
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6/3/2010 - dawgdaze wrote: flawed
FLAWED BOTTLE
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2/5/2010 - mlawren1 wrote: 91 Points
Starts out with some vanilla and cherry. At first finishes a bit green, once it opens a bit the Cherries and currants really come out. This really needs a few more years.
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9/6/2009 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Nice currants and cherries but still a bit tight, would give it a few more years.
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8/14/2009 - cbraun wrote: 83 Points
My expectations were low after reading the reviews. The wine met my expectations. Definite pass especially at this price point.
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8/13/2009 - SoCal wrote: 80 Points
This wine has lost a lot of the fruit. Wood elements dominate flavor profile. Either it is asleep or on the decline. To me this is a drink now.
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8/10/2009 - phantphant wrote: 80 Points
Disappointing. Tasted along some other WA wines (QC 2006, Leonetti Cab 96, Feather 05) and it was the weakest. Thin and lacking nose and finish.
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7/25/2009 - Malia Ten Yulna wrote:
not a heavy wine; smooth, nice finish, pleasant, but not too big, certainly worth the $25 I got it for but not worth more than $40.
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6/6/2009 - SoCal wrote: 89 Points
Since the last time I had this wine it seems the fruit has become more introverted causing the oak toasty elements to become more pronounced. Coffee and vanilla flavors mix with a smooth mouth feel and a short than expected finish. I have not had enough 2002 from WA nor enough Col Solare to tell if it will improve or decline. My guess is the latter.
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6/1/2009 - dsimmons wrote: 88 Points
Nice bottle but certainly not worth the tarrif at this stage in it's life. Maybe it will improve?
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3/2/2009 - jnastynebr wrote: 90 Points
Decant and consumed over an hour. Nose of oak, plum, and exotic spice. Harsh entry that calmed down with some air. Cherry, meat, and spice in the mouth that shows its Italian influence. Nice acidity with tannins clamming down on the finish. Drink or hold short term.
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12/25/2008 - theeb wrote: 90 Points
Dichte Frucht mit Caramel-Note, vielschichtig, am Gaumen auch leicht vegetal, angenehme Tannine. Sehr erfreulich.
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10/19/2008 - mouton45 wrote: 92 Points
Better than the last bottle, which wasn't bad. This is getting closerto Rovani's 94. Maybe with some age. A steal at $18/375 ml. I'd better get some more
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9/21/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened and not decanted. I took this over to my friend's house who gave this to me as a b-day gift.
Thick, dark, saturated blackberry jam with some black licorice.on the nose. On the palate: dry dark fruit with somewhat sweet raisin notes, light in body with a dry finish. Good.
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9/21/2008 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
I agree with Amerique on this wine, however not a great QPR.
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8/29/2008 - Amerique wrote: 90 Points
soft, berry fruit with chocolate, coffee flavors, very round, good nose and finish
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6/3/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 91 Points
Still very closed at this stage, needs at least 5 years to open up. The 2001 was showing much better at this time. This may someday overtake it.
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4/25/2008 - mouton45 wrote: 90 Points
From a 375ml. Nice, but nowhere near Rovani's 94 score
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2/1/2008 - sstitt wrote: 88 Points
Medium-Bodied with strong notes of oak, coffee and cedar medium tannins yet very balanced and refined. Ranked low on personal distaste in flavors
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12/15/2007 - The Wine Guy wrote: 92 Points
decanted and drank with filet, nice balance with some additional time in the bottle will improve, cherry, currant, spicy pepper, long finish make this my first experience a good one.
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10/20/2007 - dabovino wrote: 89 Points
excellent wine combining characteristics of old and new world. Opulent fruit balanced by smokey undertone.
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8/13/2007 - Danielusmc0331 wrote: 84 Points
I was not ammused by this wine. I was expecting more, because of its reviews.
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6/9/2007 - kehoutek wrote: 89 Points
Drank last night with a HUGE steak..beautiful nose and nice upfront with a long finish...It is a little harsh though at the end and certainly seems a little hot and acidic..
Not bad but not worth 50 bucks..
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4/7/2007 - jjclips2 wrote: 91 Points
I didn't do this bottle justice by having it after the '03 Ethos Syrah at the end of a tasting. However it is delicious and showed very well. Parker is a little generous with a 94, IMO. Big black cherry fruit, some toasty oak and vanilla with cassis, smoke, and herbs towards the finish. I would love to sit down with this bottle over a period of time, but given the tasting circumstances I think it showed well. 90-92
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4/1/2007 - chrisraub wrote: 92 Points
Had at Blackie's with Staub/Radis. Were loaded when we tasted so probably need to taste again.
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3/15/2007 - SteveH wrote: 85 Points
Not a bad wine at all, but presented harsh and tannic, with not enough fruit to back it up. Ultimately OK but not what I would have expected given the price, hype, and the fact that I like other CSM wines so much. Maybe another couple of years of age, or decanting, or something?
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2/25/2007 - SoCal wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple color. Spicy old world nose. Smooth on the pallet with very dark fruit and light oak that gives it both great weight and notes of vanilla on the finish. It sits on the pallet with dry but well balanced tannins. In my opinion the 2002 is much more approachable now than the 2001. This wine will get even better with age, but no matter when you drink it is an excellent bottle of wine.
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2/25/2007 - samurai wrote: 85 Points
To harsh and no personality. Nothing special and in my opinion not worth the money.
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1/30/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
I thought this was superior to the 1999 Col Solare that I had 6 months ago. This wine could use some more aging though. A rich deep reddish purple color. Full bodied with solid tannins. Notes of tobacco and crushed grape skins. An interesting dry finish. 91-92+ points.
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11/18/2006 - WineForRob wrote: 82 Points
Very forward upfront fruit. To the point of being harsh. Good flavors mid palate but not an impressive finish. Seemed highly acidic with a little heat. Tryed decanting and all that accomplished was a fading of fruit. Not impressed.
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11/12/2006 - SteveH wrote: 85 Points
Nice nose, presented harsh up front, short finish, not a lot of fruit. A lot of stuff there. Another couple of years?
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10/19/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 92 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Excellent big red from Washington State. Delivered red/black fruits, licorice and oak in the nose and mouth. Still has big, gripping tannins now that should better integrate with a little bottle age. Surprising complexity and nice long finish.
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10/19/2006 - sbeeks wrote: 90 Points
Dinner at Buffalo Club. Wine didnt live up to its buildup. Decent nose of berry, but no finish. Short.
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