Exceptional. Let this stand for a day or so before uncorking and decant. There is a fair amount of sediment. But lots of life left in this wine — a blend of almost equal parts Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
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At peak right now but should hold for a few more years. The nose of this was fantastic. Good mouthfeel and depth on the palate. This is why I like to cellar wines. Perfectly aged and held its own next a 2004 Leoville Barton.
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Drank from Bin North 12 with Mike, Wally and Aline. 32% CS, 32% cab franc, 36% merlot. Vanilla floral nose. Dark purple. Bitter presentation chalk finish with no fruit. 1/10.
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This bottle was the last of my holdings from this vintage. The cork was sound and the wine smelled and tasted fine immediately upon opening. The bottle was double decanted and began opening up immediately. There was a fair amount of fine sediment. The wine was a mature Bordeaux style with good structure and not too fruity. Overall it was very enjoyable. This vintage is ready for consumption and be sure to decant.
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I often struggle with the wines from Washington State. Too often, I find them to come across as big, over the top fruit bombs with many unsuitable for long-term aging. However, there are some exceptions and the wines of Andrew Will are one of those exceptions. This Ciel du Cheval bottling has been cellared away since release and happens to be the last in an original purchase of 6. Ciel du Cheval was originally planted in 1975 and now comprises of over 100 acres of vines with an average age over 36 years. I’ve long admired the quality that comes from this vineyard. The 2008 version of this wine was nearly equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with just the touch more Merlot than the other two. From the start, this was buzzing with dark fruits, sweet tobacco, baking spices and leather. The texture is so ever so velvety soft. The tannins are super fine and we’ll integrated at this point. A wine of impeccable balance that has delivered the goods for several years now and I suspect, will continue to do so for many years to come. That being said, I am happy to have consumed my last bottle at this stage in its evolution. It’s clearly firing on all cylinders now.
Medium bodied wine with some tannins still present even though it was decanted for 6+ hours. Some heat from the alcohol comes through. Medium complexity with some fruits but none of it is in your face or overwhelming. Agree with other reviews that the wine has aged well. Unclear whether it will improve further with additional cellaring. Overall, a solid wine.
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Just perfectly at peak right now. I love how a wine at this price point can age so well and provide so much enjoyment. Great fruit on this. Not too big or rich, just perfectly medium weight. Lovely texture. So balanced. Wish I had more.
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Wow, nearly 7yrs since my first btl! PnP and test sips & sniffs lead me to slow ox this in glass and btl for 2 hours plus before dinner. Semi opaque ruby red color. Said to be a blend of 36% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 32% Cabernet Franc. Maturing aromas of tobacco leaf, berries and underbrush. Whatever level of new oak was used its completely integrated. A luxurious velvety but still energetic texture leads to balanced layers of; cherries, currants, mineral, licorice, expresso, lead pencil and herbs. New World ripe with old world balance, finesse and lift. Alc is 14.5% but it feels, smells and taste more like sub 13%. Probably the best big red I've had from the NW by a good measure. One left that Ill plan to open anytime between now and 2025. This is in a great place and ready to drink but no signs of falling off for a good while.
Two+ years later, very much the same profile as before, though I think the fruit is not as fresh with more plum, cocoa, earth, tobacco perhaps, aged around the edges. Got a bit grippy in last third of bottle, and then revived and smoothed out, for an interesting wrap up of fairly lush fruit. Seems at about peak or slightly over, but nothing happening too fast. Quite a bit of sediment in bottle.
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Deep dark crimson red color. Not an overly powerful nose, but what was there expressed cocoa, mint, pencil shavings and loam. Nice balanced tannins and acidity making way for cocoa, mint, licorice and pepper. A pleasant wine with a short finish.
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Clear, medium garnet – light soy sauce, blackberry, black cherry, celery. Unbalanced finish (tannic). Undoubtedly once a great wine, but too old for my personal taste, which is why I didn't rate it.
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Had with Christmas dinner - nice wine to go with a great meal.
This continues to be in a good place. Gave a short 30 minute decant, but continued to improve over the next hour. Was opening up nicely, even after 30 minutes.
Smooth, well integrated flavors of blueberry, cherry, spice and vanilla. My last bottle of this - will need to grab some more if I can.
Good wine for a good value.
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Decanted 60 mins before dinner; continued to open up for another hour+ during dinner, as fruit in nose and palate deepened and became more multi-dimensional.
Rich red/purple in glass. Somewhat muted nose of red fruit, earth. Gradually cherry, plum, blackberry, hints of cocoa, herb/floral notes strengthened and finish grew quite long with lovely balanced cherry/acid/light tannin. More clean and direct than round, yet moderately rich. Nicely constructed blend that revealed layers over time.
Served with grilled strip steak, grilled asparagus and roasted new potatoes/light Worcestershire sauce. Fine with food as well as on its own after dinner.
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A fine WASH ST offering. The merlot comes through rather prominently, and in a nice, restrained way. Intermingling are notes of cocoa, plum, cherry, and earth, even some ash on the finish. Lots of tannic backbone to keep this going several more years.
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Ranked it higher than last time. Don't know if it is in a better place now or what but I really enjoyed this wine. Great structure with tannins still form but lots of fruit and depth. Iris newer world style but not overdone. Very well balanced.
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This is becoming quite a fine wine. Beautiful Merlot showing with cherry and plums as well as Creme de cassis from the Red Mtn Cabernet meshing in all sides.
Really taken a few steps since the last bottle.
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Nice restrained profile. Equal measures of grilled meat and plum, this has herb and licorice notes as well. Firm but not overly tight, a few years would benefit this wine
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This is only my second tasting of AW and coincidentally, both have been 2008's with the first, a year ago, being their Two Blondes. This is from the Ciel du Cheval vineyard, of which I have tasted from other makers, but not with any notes. It's 32% Cab Sauv, 32% Cab Frnc and 36% Merlot.
I decanted 3 1/2 hours before tasting, which seemed right. It's big and complex and took a few sips for my palate to get adjusted. Not overly aromatic, especially in comparison to the palate. On the palate, it's New World, mouthfilling, concentrated swirl of flavors 2ndary dark fruit, minerals, meat, and fine grainy tannins. Once on the tongue, it definintely stole away any other thoughts and demanded attention as my brain tried to understand and figure it out. It has a lingering finish. Drank over 2 1/2 hours and the air was weakening it after 6 hrs in the decanter.
We drank without food and would like to try it next time with...maybe an entree of roasted beef with mushrooms. I have two more bottles, but will wait another year before going back. As complex as it is, I'm sure the year will help it. While well-made, the varietal mix didn't thrill me.
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Yep... AW does it again. The 2008 ciel is drinking beautifully right now! Popped and poured with 30 min in the glass and this is just singing! Finished half the bottle and let it sit on the cool back porch overnight uncorked... day 2... just as good. Love this stuff... its just a little too tough on the wallet to keep a ton of it around.
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Nose of blue fruits, minerals, game and flowers. Rich, plush and full bodied with excellent acidity. Palate has blueberries, smoked meats, violets, blackberries and espresso. Supple, soft tannins on a very long finish, wonderful balance.
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Dark ruby. Graphite, blackberry and violet on the nose. Flavors of blackberry, graphite and anise. Serious grip. A very nice Bordeaux blend with years to go.
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The wine smelled great upon popping the cork, but had a lot of sediment, but I decanted for several hours, which might have been a mistake. The alcohol was heavy on the nose after the time in decanter, and the red and black brambly fruits were present but subdued as was the earth, sage and other CdC tertiary flavors and aromas that are starting to show, but with the heat it tasted a little thin. I think this wine needs a few more years to bury the abc in the tertiary flavors that will come forth. Just remember that the sediment was as much as from a '99 or '01 Bordeaux. If you PnP, just pour a little easy toward the end of the bottle. I will let my remaining bottles rest.
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Tasting notes are consistent with my previous note on this wine. This still has plenty of bottle time ahead of it. Opened it yesterday and drank half the bottle over about 4 hours, it markedly improved with time and air. Left it uncorked on the back porch over night and finished it today, much better. Much more smoothed out on day 2 with great dark fruit and herb/earth tones. This is a very good wine but still needs time or a good decant.
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still tannic, needs some time - red fruits, nice elegant bouquet developed over an hour in the glass - well made and balanced, nice bottle of wine - try another in a year or so.
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Great Bordeaux style blend. A little tannic. The 14.5% alcohol is not obvious. Not real difference the second day although tannins may had subsided a little.
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Give this one some time if you can. This is probably the least approachable Ciel that I've had from AW in the 5 years I've been ordering this wine. It seems very rough around the edges still and almost disjointed which I have never run into with this with previous vintages. Looking forward to giving this another shot in July at the Met with M, L, and A.
Interesting bordeaux blend with Cabernet, Merlot and Cab Franc (roughly 1/3 each). A combination of cherries, blueberry, some spice and vanilla. A little alcohol heat and some tartness initially from the Cab Franc, but integrated nicely over time.
Strong berry flavors - and interesting mouthfeel from the three different grapes. Found this still somewhat tannic with a pop and pour, but smoothed out nicely over the next hour.
Enjoyed this, and will give my other bottles some more time before opening. Is very good now, but will get even better over the next few years as this integrates better. Would give 91 points now, but can easily hit 92+ with a little more cellar time.
If you are opening now, give it 60 - 90 minutes in a decanter to enjoy this at its full potential.
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No detailed notes. From memory for a bottle consumed a couple of days ago. Approachable, but coming across as a bit young. Well-made and seems to have the stuffing to improve over the next 3-5 years minimum. Enjoyed this, and thought it was an excellent QPR at the winery's $27 closeout price.
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Opened and poured directly, a rich dark crimson with purple edges. Rich nose of violets, blackberry, vanilla, and black cherry. Plenty of heft, presents as young, with a full bold attack. Relatively round tannins, but again a young feel overall. Hold if you can.
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This bottle had that Ciel du Cheval red and black fruit layer that was immensely enjoyable. The acidity tasted higher than 2007 vintage, but it was balanced out by the fruit layer of the wine, rendering the wine as complex and layered. However, at later time point (more than 5 hours of air), the acidity was more pronounced giving the wine some sharp spikes. The tannins took a long time to calm down. They were overly abundant and uniform in nature that it was hard not to have an impression that the tannins were fortified. There is a great potential for this bottle to be much better if all the components integrated in some ways. As of now, it seemed somewhat disjointed in my opinion.
Purple in the glass. Lots of character in the nose. I got violets, black currant and cotton candy. The violet thing thing must be coming from the 32% cab franc. First taste is slightly sweet but finish is much more balanced. Not too much barrel, and the alcohol is background. Very nice wine. I think it will mature well over a couple more years but is very drinkable now.
We popped and poured this wine. This medium to full bodied wine was quite purple in the glass. An initial subtle toasty, chocolatey flavor gave way to plum and vanilla flavors. The mouthfeel was soft and round and the finish was very long. Absolutely ready to drink, but I'm anxious to see how the wine develops over the next couple of years. I just wish I had MUCH more in the wine cabinet.
Open for business right from the cork pull. Tightly packed med+ body effort. Nice balance between the dense red and black fruits, the leveling spices, and kiss of oak. Pretty tannic, this needs time. Really nice wine and a fair value. Short to mid term cellaring should allow this to shine.
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Nose was so wide open and beautiful when I pulled the corked that I debated whether decanting was necessary but, did so anyway for 2 hours. Then back into the btl till we drank it a few hours later at a Pacific NW offline. Amazing berries and violets on the nose. Zero evidence of any new oak abuse. Pessac like with; tobacco, scorched earth,mineral and cherry flavors. Love the mouthcoating velvety texture. Great balance and finesse for a new world wine. Sweet spot BDX blend from the USA at a great price! Evenly divided between; Cabernet, Merlot and Cab Franc, I believe. One knock, the lable design is pretty boring but who cares. It's what's in the blt that counts. Paid $45 and would gladly again. 2 more left.
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Awesome wine. A bit young so decanted for ~3 hours ahead of time. Opened along with the 2008 Andrew Will Champoux - interesting comparison. I liked this Ciel du Cheval vineyard designate better as it was a more focused and generous offering thick black fruits and a characteristic Red Mountain minerality.
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Nose is a juicy mix of blackberry, black cherry and vanilla and then a nuance of cinnamon. Midpalate is creamy and mouthcoating even though medium weight. Finish is incredibly juicy with repeat of blackberry, cherry, vanilla and a spicy touch of herbs and licorice that's sticks to the throat.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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Lovely cocoa and dark fruit nose with some slate. Darker, brooding fruit on the palate with sort of a metallic note. The tannins are pretty out of balance at this point but there is a sense of what's underneath when everything comes together. Also could've used a longer decant. Hold.
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Nose was a bit tight at first but really benefited from some decanting. After some time it came through big with deep dark fruits, clove, cocoa and more. Big flavor, elegant balance, clean delicious finish.
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Blend of 32% Cab, 32% Cab Franc, and 36% Merlot. Ripe berries, vanilla, really fruit-forward. Bramble fruit - soft, yet grippy tannins. Really smooth, but in my opinion, not the most interesting wine.
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Dark maroon. Big, powerful nose showing mocha, black currant and tobacco. Absolutely huge palate, but still showing some red fruit amongst the masculine brawn of the dark chocolate, leather and tobacco. Full bodied and pure, this is highly concentrated, hugely tannic and nearly impenetrable at this point. Fruit and oak for sure, but plenty of structure makes this a classic Andrew Will wine. Big, bombastic finish.
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Decanted about 5 hours. Ripe dark fruit on the nose, mixed with saddle leather and spice. It trails off with some green vegetables and chocolate, and just a dolup of vanilla at the very end. Much either on the palate than it is on the nose. Leather and dirt upfront, with the dark fruit coming on in the mid-palate. The chocolate appears after that, and it finishes with green vegetables and a little oak.
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I don tknow which vintage this was! Very interesting wine, a bordealise blend, with a lot of cabernet franc. Red fruit dominated, very chewy, with black olives, orange, and dried plums or tobacco. Very interesting expression of washington wine.
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7/23/2023 - Floyd77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Exceptional. Let this stand for a day or so before uncorking and decant. There is a fair amount of sediment. But lots of life left in this wine — a blend of almost equal parts Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
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5/2/2022 - elevwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still going strong.
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8/9/2021 - jonanator wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking beautifully. Wish I had many more bottles.
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1/24/2021 - jonanator wrote: 92 Points
At peak right now but should hold for a few more years. The nose of this was fantastic. Good mouthfeel and depth on the palate. This is why I like to cellar wines. Perfectly aged and held its own next a 2004 Leoville Barton.
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11/23/2020 - PhN wrote: 91 Points
Very tannic on opening. As it opened over an hour the wonderful fruit became evident. Very enjoyable with food.
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8/3/2020 - RDB Wine wrote: flawed
Drank from Bin North 12 with Mike, Wally and Aline. 32% CS, 32% cab franc, 36% merlot. Vanilla floral nose. Dark purple. Bitter presentation chalk finish with no fruit. 1/10.
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4/29/2020 - champ12oh Likes this wine: 91 Points
Meaty, dark fruit, bright red fruit. tobacco, slate, well balanced. Nice wine. Agree with recent notes. This is in a good spot for food or without.
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4/28/2020 - Redteeth wrote:
This bottle was the last of my holdings from this vintage. The cork was sound and the wine smelled and tasted fine immediately upon opening. The bottle was double decanted and began opening up immediately. There was a fair amount of fine sediment. The wine was a mature Bordeaux style with good structure and not too fruity. Overall it was very enjoyable. This vintage is ready for consumption and be sure to decant.
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4/5/2020 - thesternowl Likes this wine: 92 Points
I often struggle with the wines from Washington State. Too often, I find them to come across as big, over the top fruit bombs with many unsuitable for long-term aging. However, there are some exceptions and the wines of Andrew Will are one of those exceptions. This Ciel du Cheval bottling has been cellared away since release and happens to be the last in an original purchase of 6. Ciel du Cheval was originally planted in 1975 and now comprises of over 100 acres of vines with an average age over 36 years. I’ve long admired the quality that comes from this vineyard. The 2008 version of this wine was nearly equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with just the touch more Merlot than the other two. From the start, this was buzzing with dark fruits, sweet tobacco, baking spices and leather. The texture is so ever so velvety soft. The tannins are super fine and we’ll integrated at this point. A wine of impeccable balance that has delivered the goods for several years now and I suspect, will continue to do so for many years to come. That being said, I am happy to have consumed my last bottle at this stage in its evolution. It’s clearly firing on all cylinders now.
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12/15/2019 - SoorajB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium bodied wine with some tannins still present even though it was decanted for 6+ hours. Some heat from the alcohol comes through. Medium complexity with some fruits but none of it is in your face or overwhelming. Agree with other reviews that the wine has aged well. Unclear whether it will improve further with additional cellaring. Overall, a solid wine.
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8/17/2019 - jonanator wrote: 91 Points
Just perfectly at peak right now. I love how a wine at this price point can age so well and provide so much enjoyment. Great fruit on this. Not too big or rich, just perfectly medium weight. Lovely texture. So balanced. Wish I had more.
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8/14/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Wow, nearly 7yrs since my first btl! PnP and test sips & sniffs lead me to slow ox this in glass and btl for 2 hours plus before dinner. Semi opaque ruby red color. Said to be a blend of 36% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 32% Cabernet Franc. Maturing aromas of tobacco leaf, berries and underbrush. Whatever level of new oak was used its completely integrated. A luxurious velvety but still energetic texture leads to balanced layers of; cherries, currants, mineral, licorice, expresso, lead pencil and herbs. New World ripe with old world balance, finesse and lift. Alc is 14.5% but it feels, smells and taste more like sub 13%. Probably the best big red I've had from the NW by a good measure. One left that Ill plan to open anytime between now and 2025. This is in a great place and ready to drink but no signs of falling off for a good while.
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6/17/2019 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine:
Not too dissimilar from recent tastings. I think these should hold up for several more years but I think these are near their peak.
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6/16/2019 - wayfarer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Two+ years later, very much the same profile as before, though I think the fruit is not as fresh with more plum, cocoa, earth, tobacco perhaps, aged around the edges. Got a bit grippy in last third of bottle, and then revived and smoothed out, for an interesting wrap up of fairly lush fruit. Seems at about peak or slightly over, but nothing happening too fast. Quite a bit of sediment in bottle.
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3/4/2019 - Snag One Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep dark crimson red color. Not an overly powerful nose, but what was there expressed cocoa, mint, pencil shavings and loam. Nice balanced tannins and acidity making way for cocoa, mint, licorice and pepper. A pleasant wine with a short finish.
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3/11/2018 - LaiJien wrote:
Clear, medium garnet – light soy sauce, blackberry, black cherry, celery. Unbalanced finish (tannic). Undoubtedly once a great wine, but too old for my personal taste, which is why I didn't rate it.
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3/10/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
consistent with notes of 9/3/2017
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12/25/2017 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had with Christmas dinner - nice wine to go with a great meal.
This continues to be in a good place. Gave a short 30 minute decant, but continued to improve over the next hour. Was opening up nicely, even after 30 minutes.
Smooth, well integrated flavors of blueberry, cherry, spice and vanilla.
My last bottle of this - will need to grab some more if I can.
Good wine for a good value.
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11/13/2017 - Redteeth wrote:
I actually thought this bottle was slightly over the hill. I will try another soon to see if it is a isolated poor bottle.
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9/3/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
continues to mellow vs. original notes of 8/25/2015. Still restrained with plum and tobacco notes - this is a smooth and well integrated wine.
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2/25/2017 - wayfarer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 60 mins before dinner; continued to open up for another hour+ during dinner, as fruit in nose and palate deepened and became more multi-dimensional.
Rich red/purple in glass. Somewhat muted nose of red fruit, earth. Gradually cherry, plum, blackberry, hints of cocoa, herb/floral notes strengthened and finish grew quite long with lovely balanced cherry/acid/light tannin. More clean and direct than round, yet moderately rich. Nicely constructed blend that revealed layers over time.
Served with grilled strip steak, grilled asparagus and roasted new potatoes/light Worcestershire sauce. Fine with food as well as on its own after dinner.
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1/6/2017 - D3S wrote: flawed
Corked
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12/8/2016 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
Similar to past bottle but even better, I wish I had more. This still has many years in the bottle.
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10/13/2016 - bigredPA Likes this wine: 92 Points
A fine WASH ST offering. The merlot comes through rather prominently, and in a nice, restrained way. Intermingling are notes of cocoa, plum, cherry, and earth, even some ash on the finish. Lots of tannic backbone to keep this going several more years.
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5/21/2016 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 91 Points
consistent with notes of 8/25/2015, better on 2nd day
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4/24/2016 - Chateau du Fey 1994 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ranked it higher than last time. Don't know if it is in a better place now or what but I really enjoyed this wine. Great structure with tannins still form but lots of fruit and depth. Iris newer world style but not overdone. Very well balanced.
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4/17/2016 - Robertpthomasjr@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well if you open/decant at least 30 min prior. Tight to start otherwise.
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4/10/2016 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is becoming quite a fine wine. Beautiful Merlot showing with cherry and plums as well as Creme de cassis from the Red Mtn Cabernet meshing in all sides.
Really taken a few steps since the last bottle.
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8/25/2015 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice restrained profile. Equal measures of grilled meat and plum, this has herb and licorice notes as well. Firm but not overly tight, a few years would benefit this wine
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7/18/2015 - Chateau du Fey 1994 wrote: 89 Points
Big and round. New world style. But very good.
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6/20/2015 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is coming into its prime nicely.
Popped and poured. Smooth tannins with cherry, blueberry, vanilla and some spice.
Nice bottle of wine - continues to get better over time.
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4/24/2015 - wine247365 wrote:
This is only my second tasting of AW and coincidentally, both have been 2008's with the first, a year ago, being their Two Blondes. This is from the Ciel du Cheval vineyard, of which I have tasted from other makers, but not with any notes. It's 32% Cab Sauv, 32% Cab Frnc and 36% Merlot.
I decanted 3 1/2 hours before tasting, which seemed right. It's big and complex and took a few sips for my palate to get adjusted. Not overly aromatic, especially in comparison to the palate. On the palate, it's New World, mouthfilling, concentrated swirl of flavors 2ndary dark fruit, minerals, meat, and fine grainy tannins. Once on the tongue, it definintely stole away any other thoughts and demanded attention as my brain tried to understand and figure it out. It has a lingering finish. Drank over 2 1/2 hours and the air was weakening it after 6 hrs in the decanter.
We drank without food and would like to try it next time with...maybe an entree of roasted beef with mushrooms. I have two more bottles, but will wait another year before going back. As complex as it is, I'm sure the year will help it. While well-made, the varietal mix didn't thrill me.
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3/10/2015 - WaWineFan in TX wrote: 92 Points
Yep... AW does it again. The 2008 ciel is drinking beautifully right now! Popped and poured with 30 min in the glass and this is just singing! Finished half the bottle and let it sit on the cool back porch overnight uncorked... day 2... just as good. Love this stuff... its just a little too tough on the wallet to keep a ton of it around.
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1/26/2015 - thatrick wrote: 85 Points
Thin and very acidic - big disappointment - hopefully just an off bottle
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11/16/2014 - J2K wrote: 94 Points
I'm going to be lazy and just completely agree with S_Nickell. I loved this wine and will be looking for more.
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11/8/2014 - f22nickell Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of blue fruits, minerals, game and flowers. Rich, plush and full bodied with excellent acidity. Palate has blueberries, smoked meats, violets, blackberries and espresso. Supple, soft tannins on a very long finish, wonderful balance.
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7/24/2014 - mcsac67 wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby. Graphite, blackberry and violet on the nose. Flavors of blackberry, graphite and anise. Serious grip. A very nice Bordeaux blend with years to go.
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6/22/2014 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine: 89 Points
The wine smelled great upon popping the cork, but had a lot of sediment, but I decanted for several hours, which might have been a mistake. The alcohol was heavy on the nose after the time in decanter, and the red and black brambly fruits were present but subdued as was the earth, sage and other CdC tertiary flavors and aromas that are starting to show, but with the heat it tasted a little thin. I think this wine needs a few more years to bury the abc in the tertiary flavors that will come forth. Just remember that the sediment was as much as from a '99 or '01 Bordeaux. If you PnP, just pour a little easy toward the end of the bottle. I will let my remaining bottles rest.
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1/26/2014 - WaWineFan in TX Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasting notes are consistent with my previous note on this wine. This still has plenty of bottle time ahead of it. Opened it yesterday and drank half the bottle over about 4 hours, it markedly improved with time and air. Left it uncorked on the back porch over night and finished it today, much better. Much more smoothed out on day 2 with great dark fruit and herb/earth tones. This is a very good wine but still needs time or a good decant.
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1/15/2014 - AngryPrez Likes this wine: 90 Points
still tannic, needs some time - red fruits, nice elegant bouquet developed over an hour in the glass - well made and balanced, nice bottle of wine - try another in a year or so.
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12/13/2013 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 92 Points
With some more cellar time, this has improved from last time.
Gave a two hour decant.
Interesting bordeaux blend with Cabernet, Merlot and Cab Franc (roughly 1/3 each). A combination of cherries, blueberry, some spice and vanilla.
Strong berry flavors - and interesting mouthfeel from the three different grapes - smoothed out nicely during the decant
If you are opening now, give it 60 - 90 minutes in a decanter to enjoy this at its full potential.
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12/8/2013 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine:
Great Bordeaux style blend. A little tannic. The 14.5% alcohol is not obvious. Not real difference the second day although tannins may had subsided a little.
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8/30/2013 - memphishusky Likes this wine:
Part of the 05-09 vertical. Very solid wine. Silky smooth
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8/21/2013 - Michael Davidson wrote:
I don't often drink BDX-based wines anymore, but sometimes I need a reminder of why.
This is a great wine. Chocolate, dark fruit, ample acidity for a new world cab-based blend. Good balance. Full body, rough tannins on the finish.
Clearly well made, not overly fruity.
I still prefer a lighter body, but this one is pretty good.
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8/13/2013 - uncle al Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very well balanced Ciel du Cheval bottle. Enough fruit ready to drink.
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8/6/2013 - domco wrote:
Needs time. Pretty rough at first, but opened up with a little air. Will wait another yr or two on the next bottle.
C's take -- 'that's tighter than a nun's..." Ha! So, yeah, give it some time.
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5/17/2013 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a great wine. Popped and poured with little effect but after an houris really opened up and was fantastic. We may have to open another soon.
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5/14/2013 - WaWineFan in TX wrote: 90 Points
Give this one some time if you can. This is probably the least approachable Ciel that I've had from AW in the 5 years I've been ordering this wine. It seems very rough around the edges still and almost disjointed which I have never run into with this with previous vintages. Looking forward to giving this another shot in July at the Met with M, L, and A.
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5/7/2013 - 560 B&W wrote: 91 Points
Needs a couple years
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4/13/2013 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 91 Points
Interesting bordeaux blend with Cabernet, Merlot and Cab Franc (roughly 1/3 each). A combination of cherries, blueberry, some spice and vanilla. A little alcohol heat and some tartness initially from the Cab Franc, but integrated nicely over time.
Strong berry flavors - and interesting mouthfeel from the three different grapes. Found this still somewhat tannic with a pop and pour, but smoothed out nicely over the next hour.
Enjoyed this, and will give my other bottles some more time before opening. Is very good now, but will get even better over the next few years as this integrates better. Would give 91 points now, but can easily hit 92+ with a little more cellar time.
If you are opening now, give it 60 - 90 minutes in a decanter to enjoy this at its full potential.
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4/9/2013 - vanpe003 wrote:
No detailed notes. From memory for a bottle consumed a couple of days ago. Approachable, but coming across as a bit young. Well-made and seems to have the stuffing to improve over the next 3-5 years minimum. Enjoyed this, and thought it was an excellent QPR at the winery's $27 closeout price.
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3/5/2013 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
Opened and poured directly, a rich dark crimson with purple edges. Rich nose of violets, blackberry, vanilla, and black cherry. Plenty of heft, presents as young, with a full bold attack. Relatively round tannins, but again a young feel overall. Hold if you can.
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2/12/2013 - Michael Davidson wrote:
Perhaps slightly corked? Not a great bottle. Evident heat on the finish. A bit out of sorts.
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2/3/2013 - NathanT wrote: 89 Points
This bottle had that Ciel du Cheval red and black fruit layer that was immensely enjoyable. The acidity tasted higher than 2007 vintage, but it was balanced out by the fruit layer of the wine, rendering the wine as complex and layered. However, at later time point (more than 5 hours of air), the acidity was more pronounced giving the wine some sharp spikes. The tannins took a long time to calm down. They were overly abundant and uniform in nature that it was hard not to have an impression that the tannins were fortified. There is a great potential for this bottle to be much better if all the components integrated in some ways. As of now, it seemed somewhat disjointed in my opinion.
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1/19/2013 - VashonWine wrote: 94 Points
Purple in the glass. Lots of character in the nose. I got violets, black currant and cotton candy. The violet thing thing must be coming from the 32% cab franc. First taste is slightly sweet but finish is much more balanced. Not too much barrel, and the alcohol is background. Very nice wine. I think it will mature well over a couple more years but is very drinkable now.
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1/11/2013 - JayAAllen Likes this wine: 93 Points
We popped and poured this wine. This medium to full bodied wine was quite purple in the glass. An initial subtle toasty, chocolatey flavor gave way to plum and vanilla flavors. The mouthfeel was soft and round and the finish was very long. Absolutely ready to drink, but I'm anxious to see how the wine develops over the next couple of years. I just wish I had MUCH more in the wine cabinet.
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12/15/2012 - Redguy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Open for business right from the cork pull. Tightly packed med+ body effort. Nice balance between the dense red and black fruits, the leveling spices, and kiss of oak. Pretty tannic, this needs time. Really nice wine and a fair value. Short to mid term cellaring should allow this to shine.
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11/18/2012 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
Nose was so wide open and beautiful when I pulled the corked that I debated whether decanting was necessary but, did so anyway for 2 hours. Then back into the btl till we drank it a few hours later at a Pacific NW offline. Amazing berries and violets on the nose. Zero evidence of any new oak abuse. Pessac like with; tobacco, scorched earth,mineral and cherry flavors. Love the mouthcoating velvety texture. Great balance and finesse for a new world wine. Sweet spot BDX blend from the USA at a great price! Evenly divided between; Cabernet, Merlot and Cab Franc, I believe. One knock, the lable design is pretty boring but who cares. It's what's in the blt that counts. Paid $45 and would gladly again. 2 more left.
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9/18/2012 - Ecbatana wrote: 92 Points
Awesome wine. A bit young so decanted for ~3 hours ahead of time. Opened along with the 2008 Andrew Will Champoux - interesting comparison. I liked this Ciel du Cheval vineyard designate better as it was a more focused and generous offering thick black fruits and a characteristic Red Mountain minerality.
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9/7/2012 - Gestalted wrote: 92 Points
Nose is a juicy mix of blackberry, black cherry and vanilla and then a nuance of cinnamon. Midpalate is creamy and mouthcoating even though medium weight. Finish is incredibly juicy with repeat of blackberry, cherry, vanilla and a spicy touch of herbs and licorice that's sticks to the throat.
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Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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7/1/2012 - MWZ wrote: 93 Points
Dark cherries, nice nose, smooth and complex at the same time.
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4/16/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Tenzing Portfolio Tasting (Tenzing - Chicago, IL): Medium body. Juicy blue Jolly Rancher candy.
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2/29/2012 - pete s. wrote:
Lovely cocoa and dark fruit nose with some slate. Darker, brooding fruit on the palate with sort of a metallic note. The tannins are pretty out of balance at this point but there is a sense of what's underneath when everything comes together. Also could've used a longer decant. Hold.
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1/29/2012 - Jack Cranley wrote: 92 Points
Nose was a bit tight at first but really benefited from some decanting. After some time it came through big with deep dark fruits, clove, cocoa and more. Big flavor, elegant balance, clean delicious finish.
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10/9/2011 - WineBec wrote:
Blend of 32% Cab, 32% Cab Franc, and 36% Merlot. Ripe berries, vanilla, really fruit-forward. Bramble fruit - soft, yet grippy tannins. Really smooth, but in my opinion, not the most interesting wine.
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5/26/2011 - Anthony Lombardi wrote:
Dark maroon. Big, powerful nose showing mocha, black currant and tobacco. Absolutely huge palate, but still showing some red fruit amongst the masculine brawn of the dark chocolate, leather and tobacco. Full bodied and pure, this is highly concentrated, hugely tannic and nearly impenetrable at this point. Fruit and oak for sure, but plenty of structure makes this a classic Andrew Will wine. Big, bombastic finish.
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5/11/2011 - mmurry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 5 hours. Ripe dark fruit on the nose, mixed with saddle leather and spice. It trails off with some green vegetables and chocolate, and just a dolup of vanilla at the very end. Much either on the palate than it is on the nose. Leather and dirt upfront, with the dark fruit coming on in the mid-palate. The chocolate appears after that, and it finishes with green vegetables and a little oak.
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4/8/2011 - vinoemmie5 Likes this wine: 88 Points
I don tknow which vintage this was!
Very interesting wine, a bordealise blend, with a lot of cabernet franc. Red fruit dominated, very chewy, with black olives, orange, and dried plums or tobacco. Very interesting expression of washington wine.
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